Photo by Tria Giovan
“It’s a luxury to be able to cut flowers from the garden for easy arrangements,” says designer Libby Smith.
While living and building her design career in Manhattan, Libby Smith often found herself needing a quick break from the hectic pace. She would head to her childhood home in Rye, New York, less than an hour away by train, yet in many ways, a world away. The 1960s Colonial-style house, where her parents, Nancy and Turner Smith, have lived for several decades, “became a sanctuary for me—a refuge from the concrete jungle in the heat of summer and a quiet place to curl up by a fire in the dead of winter,” she says. “Aside from how beautiful the house is with thought-out architecture and landscaping, it’s also where we’ve made so many family memories, from big life events to everyday moments. It’s where I really learned what makes a house a home.” Libby carried those lessons along with her from New York to Charlotte, where she moved a couple of years ago as a newlywed. And in her professional life, the designer, who describes her style as modern-traditional with a blend of old and new, also keeps them in mind when creating welcoming interiors for her clients.
Photo by Tria Giovan
Blue hydrangeas along the back of her parents’ Colonial-style house provide a clue to the palette found inside.
“Previously, the colors felt a bit disjointed with red or pink here, black or gold there, and a lot of taupe everywhere, which seems odd now in retrospect knowing how much my mother has always loved blue.”
—Designer Libby Smith
Photo by Tria Giovan
Deep periwinkle hydrangeas cut fresh from the garden welcome guests in the entryway.
Photo by Tria Giovan
In the spring of 2020, at the onset of a pandemic that prompted many in NYC to get away from the chaos and nest in proverbial greener pastures, Libby naturally migrated to Rye once again. “For the first time in a decade, my parents, brother, sister-in-law, and I were living under one roof, navigating not only this strange new reality, but also working remotely,” she says. Although grateful to be cocooning together, taking dips in the pool after Zoom meetings, and enjoying home-cooked meals around the dinner table, “We all began to notice that rooms so familiar and comfortable looked a little tired and worn,” Libby says. The passage of time—and perhaps a succession of beloved golden retrievers—had taken its toll on the extensive renovation and decoration Nancy and Turner had undertaken 20 years ago. “We started dreaming about how we could refresh and update everything, and I began pulling together hypothetical schemes,” Libby says. Those initial schemes morphed into reality over the next two years with mother-daughter shopping trips and almost daily phone conversations once quarantine eased and Libby returned to her own apartment.
Photo by Tria Giovan
In the living room, large windows look out to the beautiful garden and pool. Libby brought the outdoors in with soothing blues and a floral fabric by Elizabeth Eakins on a skirted table and on sofa pillows. “I love a patterned lampshade, and tossing a black-and- white ikat in the mix is a little unexpected,” she says.
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In her own bedroom, which now also serves as a guest bedroom, Libby employed the same logic she often does for clients: “I mix the high and low, especially for childrens’ spaces,” she says. The bed and shade fabric is by Quadrille, the chair fabric is by Lisa Fine, and the lamps are from Ballard Designs.
Photo by Tria Giovan
A French table with cabriole legs belonged to Libby’s maternal great-grandmother, one of many family pieces she incorporated throughout the house. “I love the juxtaposition of modern art with traditional furniture and wallpaper,” Libby says.
Photo by Tria Giovan
In the primary bedroom, Clarence House wallpaper in a tree of life design provides a dramatic backdrop for a collection of blue-and-white porcelain. Details on the Matouk linens tie back to the deep blue of the floral pattern.
Although Libby views every new project she tackles as a creative collaboration between designer and client, this one understandably felt particularly personal. “My mom has a great eye, and I first fell in love with design and pretty things while tagging along with her to antiques shops after school and on weekends,” she says. Given Libby knew every corner of the house firsthand, as well as the backstories of the existing furniture pieces (many of which had been passed down through both sides of the family), she and her mother shared an instant shorthand as they embarked on the redecoration. But those intimate connections presented challenges, too. “It sometimes was hard to step back and see a space with objective eyes to determine what should stay, be reimagined, or let go, particularly since a lot of the objects had sentimental value or were things I’d become accustomed to seeing in the same spot my whole life. At times I had to forget I was the child and remember I was the interior designer,” she laughs.
Photo by Tria Giovan
“When we eat on the terrace, it’s usually spontaneous, but we still make it feel special with flowers from the garden— and fortunately my parents have lots of tableware to pull from,” Libby says. She gave the decades-old iron furniture, formerly green, an update with a fresh coat of black paint and cushions in seafoam fabric by Sunbrella. The hand- blocked Indian tablecloth is by Julia Amory.
The designer needed to establish a harmonious palette throughout to make the rooms feel more in convivial conversation with each other. “Previously, the colors felt a bit disjointed with red or pink here, black or gold there, and a lot of taupe everywhere, which seems odd now in retrospect knowing how much my mother has always loved blue,” she says. With paint, wallpaper, fabric, and Nancy’s extensive blue-and-white porcelain collection, Libby threaded a range of blues from room to room, letting them take center stage in some spaces and supporting roles in others. Verdant greens and floral patterns, particularly the Clarence House wallpaper that envelops the primary bedroom, speak to one of Nancy and Turner’s favorite pursuits: nurturing and enjoying their garden of profusely blooming flower beds, hedges, and borders that wrap around the house, wind down the terraced backyard, and edge the pool deck. “That wallpaper was kind of a dramatic choice that could have pushed their boundaries, but ultimately they trusted me,” Libby says.
“Most people have a strong emotional attachment to the house they grew up in, and that was definitely the case for me,” continues Libby. “But what a privilege to have had a hand in reimagining my parents’ interiors.” Now with the decorating journey complete, Libby can return to experiencing the house as a daughter who simply loves to come home.
Additional Details from Libby’s Home
Photo by Tria Giovan
The gracious facade of Nancy and Turner Smith’s Colonial-style home in Rye, New York, is stately without shouting for attention.
Photo by Tria Giovan
“I love earthy tones and my brother’s bedroom has one of my favorite palettes. He went to Princeton, hence the tiger artwork, and I decided to just go with the vibe,” says Libby. The fabric on the shades and bedskirt is Lucia, by Raoul Textiles; the chair fabric is Rapallo by Cowtan and Tout.
Photo by Tria Giovan
Serena & Lily’s Topeka mirror hangs above an antique chest. The grasscloth is by Phillip Jeffries.
Photo by Tria Giovan
“The bar room is a strong contrast to the rest of the house. As we began redecorating, my father told us we could have the green light on changing other rooms, but keeping this room red was nonnegotiable. It’s where he loves to sit with a glass of wine and do the crossword puzzle after a long day of work. I appreciate a classic red-and-blue moment and gave it a fun update with teal lamps and accessories. Paint color, Heritage Red by Benjamin Moore; lamps by Christopher Spitzmiller with lampshades covered in Twigs Pheasant wallpaper; fabric on shades, Persephone by Schumacher; artwork painted by Libby’s paternal grandfather.
Photo by Tria Giovan
"It’s a charming and cozy space and there’s always fresh firewood on hand and supplies ready for cocktails,” Libby says.
Photo by Tria Giovan
Teddy and Bodie are always up for offering a golden retriever-style welcome.
Photo by Tria Giovan
“We sit out here all the time in summer. It’s nice to get some shelter from the sun and as we live near the water, there’s almost always a natural breeze,” says Libby. The outdoor furniture is from the Sag Harbor collection by Kingsley Bate; Roadrunner rug by Kit Kemp for Annie Selke; pillow and cushion fabric, Belfour, by Christopher Farr Cloth.
Photo by Tria Giovan
“We used a seafoam green fabric by Sunbrella to connect all the outdoor seating areas,” says Libby. On the pool loungers, chevron pillows and striped towels provide pattern, and the lush plantings that frame the deck give a contrasting punch of pink and purple to the refreshing palette.
Photo by Tria Giovan
“This TV room is where we always gather. Our lives have always included and revolved around our beloved golden retrievers, so the artwork above the sofa was a must,” says Libby. The designer reupholstered a sectional in a blue fabric from JAB and added a classic Samuel & Sons tassel fringe. She layered a Bunny Williams for Dash & Albert jute area rug— “It’s a lifesaver as it can take a lot of wear and tear,” says Libby. Pillow fabric is from Poppies in Indigo from GP&J Baker; chair fabric is from Temple Studio.
