Yarbrough InterIors add clean, sophIstIcated stYle to featured home

Jennifer Owens and Kathleen Barlow are registered interior designers with Yarbrough Interiors in Shreveport, who have staged a home built by Steve Simon Construction for the Parade of Homes.

The house is one of the first newlybuilt houses in the Pierremont area that is being offered for sale as opposed to a custom-built home.

“The house sits on a beautiful wooded lot on Oakhill Drive,” Owens said. “The style is a little bit of South Louisiana but with updated features. The exterior is stucco, and there are wood floors and beams throughout the house. One of the features that interested us was that the floor plan is very well laid out. A couple could live on the first floor and entertain nicely there. The rooms have a nice flow.”

“The wood floors are dark, and the baths are wonderful, done in marble,” Barlow said. “Steve had already done some really nice work, and he just kind of gave us free rein to stage it how we wanted.”

One of the main goals of the design team was to demonstrate how the existing muted background colors could be used as transitional features. “We wanted to show how transitional neutrals are and how strength of color is used today, not in sofas and chairs but in area rugs and artwork,” Owens said. “We’ve taken those lighter colors and combined them with accents that pop some rich color.”

“The backdrop of soft, pretty neutrals is contrasted by off-white trim and rich floors,” Barlow said. “The soft, neutral textures of sofas and upholstered pieces are balanced by rich-colored area rugs. Then lamps balance the room and address lighting, which is so important.”

“We like showing the public how all this clean-cut style mixes well with their traditional pieces, too,” Owens said. “The metals add another layer with frames on paintings or finishes on coffee tables and end tables. Golden tones mix well with other metals, like silver or platinum in lamps and table bases with glass tops, which keep rooms looking open. You don’t have to be so afraid if the mix is subtle.”

Barlow said that most people should look at the homes on the parade route with an eye to furniture layout. “The house kind of dictates the space,” she said. “The architecture will indicate whether you need a floating sofa or not. There were so many windows in this house that we had to go with a floating open plan.”

Where to put the TV is also a big issue with families now. “A lot of people want the TV, the fireplace and the view,” Owens said. “Some people want it over the mantel. But notice that in this home, we’re showing several pieces of furniture that can handle a television sitting on top of them instead of having to mount them.”

Corralling the TV leaves the walls and mantel area free for artwork. “We tried to show this home with a variety of artwork,” Barlow said. “We have shown how rich, colorful paintings even in very soft abstracts can add a great deal to a home and give it an updated look.”

Both designers agreed that it is important to consult your designer as early as possible. “If you are building a home, come to the designer before the plan is finalized,” Barlow said.

“It’s not just about what color you want on your walls,” Owens added. “We can help you decide where floor plugs and outlets need to go. There are so many things to consider with lighting, such as color, temperature and intensity. These are all things that a registered designer will know. We often end up saving effort and preventing mistakes if we can get in and plan from the beginning.”