27 Apr Loft Life
When I first moved to Nashville 20 years ago, one of the first friends I made outside of the TV station where I worked was a woman who lived around the corner from me. Kathy Anderson. Sound familiar? Kathy is one of the most popular designers in town, but I first met her as a fun neighbor and welcoming friend who showed me around when I was single and still didn’t know many people.
When I decided to renovate my bungalow in the Whitland neighborhood and turn the attic space into my master bedroom retreat, Kathy was the magician who helped create the intimate space.
Fast forward to 2016 and she is still doing amazing projects, both commercially and residentially. One of them is the 2nd Avenue building she and her husband songwriter and music producer David Malloy purchased from legendary civil rights attorney George Barrett in 2014. It was home to Nashville Laundry a century ago. Kathy’s design studio is on the first floor.
David’s music studio is downstairs. And then up on the 2nd floor is their personal lair.
Actually it will be their city home in the future but not just yet. For now they are renting it out on VRBO. What a cool loft to experience Nashville in!
Kathy’s approach to this space is very respectful of its long time previous owner. She told me there’s great energy in the building from its former owner, George Barrett’s positive life.
That energy has been inspiring to Anderson. What else inspires this designer extraordinaire? It depends. Once it was a Prada purse. Another time, the colors she saw while diving led to an interior concept. She’s always open to the environment around her. In the loft, she feels great respect for Mr. Barrett. His old fireplace still has a home in the loft. She just moved it.
There are whimsical touches like an old Italian child’s motorbike she and David found at the Nashville Garden and Antique Show.
Bold punches of color are a great contrast to the original ceiling found under the old tiles they removed.
A modern kitchen is the main hang out space even though Kathy and David love to take in the great restaurant scene in Nashville and don’t get the kitchen dirty very often! Lower cabinets were designed by Builder SupplySource.
This guest bath wallpaper is a hoot! I thought it resembled women from James Bond movie trailers but Kathy calls the pattern “mud flap girl”.
Two cozy bedrooms welcome guests.
And touches like this gorgeous rug from Nashville Rug Gallery also warm up the large space.
So, if you have friends coming in town or you want an escape for a weekend, here you go… Click here to rent it!
Did I mention she’s working on a new bar downtown, “Almost Famous,” scheduled to open in July, renovating Watermark in the Gulch and part of a team designing a four story entertainment complex in Times Square?!? Yea, she’s kinda busy and in demand so thanks a bunch Kathy!
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