Style Over Function

Sophisticated design and family-friendly living harmoniously coexist in Birmingham //Photography by Brett Mountain

When a fashion stylist purchases a 6,000-square-foot new-build in Birmingham, she’s bound to have a clear vision for the desired aesthetic. Living with her husband and three young children, though, posed a challenge: how to create a space that’s sophisticated, clean, and organized while knowing that real life is bound to mess it up a little. Designer Amanda Wolfe, founder of Amanda Wolfe Designs, part of Forest Avenue Design Collaborative in Birmingham, has a lifelong connection with the client, so she took on the project knowing that the homeowner “was willing to take some risks.”

Making an Impact
This black sculptural piece by local artist Leon Dickey gives the family room a cool edge.

While the husband’s wish list was short (an outdoor family space, lower-level hangout area, and a comfortable office), the wife imagined a neutral palette throughout the home that would make the most of textures, accessories, and artwork. “She was looking for more style over function,” Wolfe says. Such is the case in the sitting room, where blush-colored minimal, modular furniture creates a free-flowing, open energy. A slightly asymmetrical custom light fixture by Gabriel Scott — featuring amber, gray, and clear glass in various textures — is positioned perfectly to accommodate a table, if the room eventually converts to its original purpose as a dining space. Wolfe calls the corrugated cardboard artwork by Wyandotte-based Leon Dickey “the star of the show.”

Kid-Approved
Incorporating darker furniture in the family room created a child-friendly space.

Dickey’s work appears again in the family room — black tubular wood veneer pieces that give “a really cool sculptural, linear look,” the designer says. A colorful contemporary piece by Detroit artist Jon Jackson pops amidst the monochromatic look from the custom Vanguard sectional and black leather slingback chairs. Incorporating darker colors with the furniture and rug created a family-friendly hangout space for the kids. Z side tables by famed interior designer Kelly Wearstler — who, according to Wolfe, is beloved by the homeowners because she “crosses over to a lot of fashion” — add personality to the space.

Textured Neutrals
Blush-colored furniture creates an open feeling in the sitting room, while a custom Gabriel Scott pendant hangs dramatically above.

Two Wearstler swivel chairs covered in a Clarke & Clarke fabric serve as comfortable showpieces in the husband’s moody office. The look is completed with seagrass wallpaper in a muted navy with contrasting trim. An antique leather chest, which has been traced back to World War I, rests between the two chairs.


“we each came in with our own talents, and we were able to merge them together.”

-Amanda Wolfe


In the spacious dining area, a marble-top table is surrounded by four chairs and a custom banquette (made by Distinctive Custom Furniture in Oak Park) that has storage drawers that match the kitchen cabinets. “We kept an open floor plan between the kitchen and the family room,” Wolfe says, “so instead of having a dining room when she entertains, she has long tables and can seat up to 30 people.”

Wolfe, who brings in color to all her projects, says the children’s rooms allowed her to “get a little more creative.” The nursery takes on a playful vibe with custom acrylic gummy bear artwork and a custom Detroit Wallpaper Co. “Paint Dabs” pattern that seems to be “falling from the sky,” the designer says.

Wolfe, who brings in color to all her projects, says the children’s rooms allowed her to “get a little more creative.” The nursery takes on a playful vibe with custom acrylic gummy bear artwork and a custom Detroit Wallpaper Co. “Paint Dabs” pattern that seems to be “falling from the sky,” the designer says.

Paintbox Palettes
Designer Amanda Wolfe, who brings color to all her projects, says the children’s rooms allowed her to “get a little more creative.”

In the daughter’s room, Wolfe says they “tried to mix in a little sophistication. We made it feel a little less nursery-like and childlike, and brought in pieces that you could use anywhere in the house. It really feels like a room she can grow into.” The room’s furnishings include an upholstered daybed and a dresser with custom daisy-shaped knobs. Fun elements like a brass light fixture, a custom pink camo wallcovering from Detroit Wallpaper Co. called “Watermelon Sugar” on two accent walls, and cream wool carpeting with metallic thread for a touch of sparkle complete the vibe.

Moody Accents
A deep indigo seagrass wallcovering is among the standout details in the husband’s office.

“She really has such a great sense of style,” Wolfe says of the homeowner. “It was fun for me, too, because (many) interior designers are into fashion. But she’s at a different level. She really understands it, because that’s what she does. We each came in with our own talents, and we were able to merge them together.”