Simply elegant

14 Jul Simply elegant

The first thing I thought when I drove into the O’Boyle’s driveway was, what a view.

 

High atop Richland Woods Lane in Brentwood, Tennessee, sits their regal home, just across the road from Richland Country Club.

 

Hydrangeas in full bloom, and lush surroundings make the two front porches even more inviting.

 

 

 

Colleen O’Boyle greeted me and her sparkly eyes and warm smile made me feel right at home.

She and her husband, Mike, moved to Nashville about five years ago. They loved the house as soon as they walked in but knew they had to add one certain feature, which I will elaborate on in a moment.

First things first.  The center of any home; the kitchen.  It is truly a cook’s kitchen with amazing amenities and their son, who works at Cork and Cow in Franklin, will occasionally whip up a meal here.

I simply think it’s beautiful, whether you cook much or not.  I would sit here and admire the  features of the kitchen as well as the culinary skills of whomever was preparing the meal.  My friends know that’s definitely the case at my house, but I digress.

Interior designer Angie Allen, who was with Bradford’s for 23 years, worked with the O’Boyles throughout the house, calling their style transitional.

Colleen loves French accents and will go more modern with industrial touches, but Mike prefers traditional furnishings.  They’ve certainly blended their tastes in a way that is so inviting and timeless.

Their kitchen is open to the living room, just a step below.   Colleen says she loves to read in that space.

Then there’s a den with a soaring ceiling, beams and reclaimed wood floors that has so much character as well as sunlight pouring in.

Besides the kitchen, I’d have to say my favorite spot is the two story screened in porch with  beams, a stacked stone fireplace and cushy chairs that would be my go to spot for reading and napping on cooler days and nights.

And then there’s the wine cellar, and this is no ordinary wine room.    Wine Spectator magazine would have a field day in this   impressive space.  The dazzling display includes a cabinet with an illuminated onyx shelf that pulls out perfectly chilled vino!

But this wine needs to stay put and age for consumption in the future.  That is not a problem. There’s room for 1800 bottles of wine in this room.  Plenty to choose from!

 

 

The cabinetry was designed by Nashville Custom Cabinetry and Robbie Barnhardt.

Angie says working with a couple from out of town can be easier because they don’t have the same mindset that locals often do and can be more adventurous.

 

 

The O’Boyles know a thing or two about adventure, having moved multiple times throughout their marriage. Among their stops, Cleveland, where Mike was the chief operating officer of the Cleveland Clinic. It was also in Cleveland that they lost nearly everything in a house fire caused by a candle their dog knocked over.

One sentimental keepsake is a teddy bear that is singed from the blaze, and sits in their daughter’s bedroom closet.

And now, the O’Boyles are headed west, to Santa Fe, for their next adventure, so this stylish retreat is on the market.   Susan James with Viva Properties is their Realtor.

Hmmmm, I think stylish retreats may have to visit them this winter.

Thanks to Colleen and Mike for their hospitality.