31 Aug Not your grandma’s bungalow
Can you imagine designing a home and selecting all the decor without knowing who will live in it? If you’re superstar designer Brian Patrick Flynn, it’s all about “checking your own personal aesthetic at the door.” In this case, the “millenial pink” front door.
And the door, well….it was a bit daring and controversial, but Flynn says it only takes a new quart of paint if the winner of the house doesn’t take a shine to it.
Welcome to the HGTV Urban Oasis home, in the 4th and Gill neighborhood, a stone’s throw from downtown Knoxville in one of the city’s hottest areas. Stylish retreats was invited to tour the home along with other media so my friend, Meryll Rose with Newschannel 5’s Talk of the Town and I hit the road and it was worth the drive.
This is the 8th year for HGTV to actually give an Urban Oasis house away. Yep. Someone will actually win this house, contents and all. And I mean everything. All the clever accessories, art and furniture stays.
As much as I love white kitchens, this was a nice surprise and in my opinion, still classic. The large pendants and other basket accessories add warmth and texture too.
Flynn says he pushed the envelope a bit with the navy painted kitchen cabinets but felt like everyone appreciates blue and white and it would be a safe choice throughout much of the 1,850 square foot home.
Although he wanted the house to appeal to a large audience, Flynn also wanted to add some unexpected and thought provoking art.
As with any renovation, it takes a village. Project manager Scott Branscom with HGTV’s urban oasis 2017 oversaw the renovation process. The team included Open Door Architecture and Tillman Companies with art direction and decor by Flynn. And the 1925 duplex turned into the open and airy living space you see today.
Loved the great wide center hall with raised panel molding and cool wallpaper. And aren’t the light fixtures yummy? Then there are three bedrooms and two baths for the future homeowners. First the master.
Flynn went with black and white with pink touches that aren’t permanent if someone doesn’t care for the pink, as in the pillow, and even a pair of pink gloves.
Flynn says they made him think of shopping in Paris!!! And I personally found his use of vintage clocks and the fan stand very charming mixed in with the more modern vibe.
The other two bedrooms are equally charming.
The large piece on the wall is actually a duvet cover that was the wrong size so Flynn decided to frame it. Now that’s creative and resourceful. And the third bedroom with built in bunk beds adds pops of orange to the blue and white. Perhaps a nod to the university’s colors. And again, more clever accessories in the built in cubbies and in every other niche.
And if you want to enjoy the outdoors without going all the way outside, there’s a fantastic screened in porch with unusual sheets of tile covering the fireplace.
It looks down on the backyard complete with a fire pit.
And of course there wouldn’t be a plain and boring garage. It’s an asymmetrical structure that Flynn has tricked out into a game room!
I’m struck by how Flynn pulls together the art and other objects for the wall spaces.
There really is an art to pulling pieces together for your walls.
In designing the home, Flynn said he needed to keep in mind that his typical masculine style with plaids and use of woods may not appeal to the masses so he wanted to use colors and accessories that would have a more broad appeal.
But before you think you’ve seen it all, wait a minute. There are two more spaces I’m crazy about. The covered porch and art room.
The fantastic painting on this brick wall and in the art room are done by Celery Jones. (You can follow her on Instagram @Celery Jones.)
I love what Celery posted on her Instagram page about this room. “Brian Patrick Flynn asked for something understated and thoughtful. I like to listen to my clients. I just keep listening and listening and nodding and listening….” Hilarious! Now she’s someone I’d like to meet.
And getting to chat with Brian Patrick Flynn was such a pleasure. He used to be a television news producer so we have a little something in common since I worked in a newsroom too. But I don’t think I got the designing gene he possesses. And did I mention he’s really a nice guy who is obsessed with icebergs and owns a home in Iceland?
I imagine everyone who meets him wants to be his new best friend. What a talent and what a team that made the magic happen.
Whomever is lucky enough to win the house this fall is going to have a fabulous place to live and entertain and a comfy place to kick off their shoes at night. Pink shoes, of course.
The Urban Oasis 2017 house sweepstakes period runs from October 2 through November 22. Eligible viewers can enter twice per day online at HGTV.com/UrbanOasis for a chance to win.
Credit for this gorgeous renovation goes to Atlanta based interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn, Open Door Architecture and Tillman Companies of Knoxville, with Scott Branscom as the HGTV Urban Oasis 2017 Project Manager.
Sponsors include Overstock.com, Quicken Loans, Kohler Co., Samsung Electronics America, SimpliSafe Home Security, American Institute of Architects and Bush Brothers & Company.
You can follow Brian on Twitter @FlynnsideOut and on Instagram @bpatrickflynn. And look for photos of his home in Iceland this spring in House Beautiful!!!
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