Dramatic. Layered. And a bit on the maximalist side. That’s how interior designer Anna Versaci describes a 14-year-old home she worked on (and is still updating) in Birmingham.
“I love thoughtful design — the layered look and designing in layers,” says Versaci, who operates Anna Versaci Design out of her home studio in Beverly Hills. “I love to touch every surface of a room, from ceilings to rugs to wallcoverings.”
And that’s certainly apparent in this lovely home. The busy family, whose house looks out to Quarton Lake, has been working with Versaci since before 2020. Without changing any of the basic architectural elements of the residence, Versaci brought in new lighting, altered wall treatments and drapery, and injected heaps of spice in the way of new rugs, furnishings, and accents. “I love this type of work because you have to consider the limitations and how you can work with them,” she says.
The wife’s goal was to have a textured, cozy look, while the husband wanted easy-to-clean fabrics (they have a 3-year-old child) and comfortable seating in the family room.
“I can give Anna an idea of what my vision is, and she totally can execute it on the first try. She has such a creative style,” the wife says.
Versaci first tackled the nursery, then the primary bedroom, kitchen, and family room. The sitting room, dining room, guest bedroom, and playroom came later. “My favorite way to work is to go slowly, room by room,” she says.
The guest room best showcases Versaci’s love of layers. “Yes, I’m a bit of a maximalist,” she says with a laugh. With plaids and deep greens, the richly adorned space exudes a Ralph Lauren-meets-English-countryside appeal. “It’s all very dark and feels Old World,” the designer says. She found old oil paintings at vintage emporiums; in a shop called August, located in Petoskey; and at the Petoskey Antiques Show. “I love finding pieces in little towns Up North,” she shares.
Several key investment pieces adorn the home, including a large photograph by former Cranbrook student Lauren Semivan that’s displayed in the sitting room. Versaci says she discovered the piece at the David Klein Gallery in Birmingham. “I stay away from stock art,” the judicious designer says.
In the dining room, velvet, mint-colored drapery is the perfect side dish to the room’s blush tones. “Blush is our ‘neutral’ and runs pretty much through the first floor,” Versaci says.
A buffet by Chaddock has a pull-out feature that offers more countertop space for, say, an ice bucket when entertaining. Walnut shelving with brass inlays adds special appeal. A textured (of course) Thibaut wallcovering adds another level of interest. Headliners include the light fixture, from The Urban Electric Co., and a plush charcoal-and blush-toned rug from Ghiordes Knot. The light’s shades were color-matched to a Benjamin Moore hue that plays off the adjoining sitting room.
Speaking of lighting, the designer adores Arteriors’ Tilda design, and cast it as the main star in the kitchen. “I’ve used that style in black and in white, and in different sizes,” she says. “Here, it’s just so dramatic. Sure, we could’ve done the standard pendant with glass sides, but this adds interest.” It is, in fact, as zesty as the nearby beaded, dimensional wall art from Palecek. “That artwork is more of a sculptural element and interacts nicely with the draped look of the light fixture,” Versaci notes.
The family room evokes the warm tones of autumn leaves and apple pie — especially a certain velvet chair that’s upholstered in a cinnamon shade. “This space is toasty,” Versaci says, “with bronzy shades.” The designer loves that her client wasn’t afraid of going against the grain. “When we started working on this home, gray was so in, and I was never into that,” she says. Here, accents in black mattes and shimmery golds add subdued elegance. Striking, beaded wall art from Palecek features creams and blacks.
With more traditional seating in the family room, the designer says her clients were able to consider more unusual types of chairs for the sitting room. “It’s got seating that’s for both show and function,” Versaci says. A pink cuddle chair shares space with a heart-shaped ottoman (both the chair and ottoman are from Nathan Anthony Furniture). With arms that appear to hug its occupants, the chair can easily hold two people. Other chairs, including a gray piece and armless blush-colored chairs, are from Verellen. The icing on this designer’s cake is the Italian ombre drapery, with raspberry on the bottom merging with lighter tints toward the top.
“This area is the main event of the first floor,” Versaci says. “It’s impactful. As soon as you walk in through the foyer, it’s visible.” The homeowner concurs. “My favorite areas of the home are the dining room and the sitting area,” she says. “We host a lot of dinner parties and have been able to utilize these two rooms on numerous occasions. Anna has helped make each room in our house not only beautiful, but functional.”
Upstairs, the primary bedroom was a slight challenge for the designer due to its size. “It’s huge,” she acknowledges. “The question was how to make it feel warm, so we kept it light and simple.” The wallcovering is an “almost-like-suede” material. “A soft feeling in the primary is important. I almost always suggest an upholstered bed,” Versaci says, adding, “primary bedrooms are about sleep and relaxation, so I don’t use hard lines.” On the floor, a colorful rug lies atop a sisal-style rug. “Layering makes it feel cozy, especially when you have so much surface area,” Versaci says. She also made sure the curtains extended higher than the top of the windows. Framing the bed with them “pushes the eye to the outside,” she explains.
With these layer-upon-layer changes and additions, the home now oozes with personality. Says Versaci: “We’ve turned the house into a unique and personalized home. It’s eclectic and stylish, reflective of the homeowners.”
BEHIND THE DESIGN
INTERIOR DESIGN
Anna Versaci, Anna Versaci Design, Beverly Hills, annaversacidesign.com
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS
Art Installation: Mike’s White Glove Treatment, Clarkston
Custom Shelving: Jacaranda, Troy
Drapery/Workroom: Slipcovey, Royal Oak
Fireplace Surround: Soberal Tile & Marble, Eastpointe
Window Treatments: Royal Crest Blinds, Oak Park
LAUREN SEMIVAN, UNTITLED (JANUARY 15), 2021
David Klein Gallery, Birmingham, dkgallery.com
“This incredible artwork, which is actually a beautiful photograph that was sourced at David Klein Gallery in Birmingham, is the perfect feeling of lightness and joy,” designer Anna Versaci says.”
CHILTERN ON BRACKET
The Urban Electric Co., urbanelectric.com
“This dining room table pendant was so special because we were able to choose a custom Benjamin Moore color for the shade, to play off of the blush tones in the adjoining sitting room. Urban Electric handcrafts lighting made in Charleston, S.C., and their attention to detail is excellent.”
DELLWOOD SAND 1019
Benjamin Moore, area Benjamin Moore stores, benjaminmoore.com
EMBRACE CUDDLE CHAIR
Nathan Anthony Furniture, Designer Group Collection, Michigan Design Center, Troy, nafurniture.com
“This chair is the perfect element of surprise and whimsy for a room that’s really about creating conversations and taking risks with the design, to create a story and have fun.”
OXFORD HORIZON FABRIC
Dedar, Tennant & Associates, Michigan Design Center, Troy, dedar.com
“The sitting room draperies are the show-stopper and main event of this space. They feature a gorgeous Italian Dedar ombre fabric, which ended up being well worth the wait.” Shown above in the Notte hue, Versaci had the drapes crafted in the Slipcovey workroom in Royal Oak.”
GASTON CHAIR
Verellen, Chatham House Lifestyle Gallery, Michigan Design Center, Troy, verellen.biz
“The seating area really plays with scale. It’s dainty but very comfortable to sit in and have a personal conversation,” Versaci says. “Smaller-scale furniture works very well for entertaining spaces, where you want to create various options for conversations and gathering.”
OLIVE COFFEE TABLE
Verellen, Chatham House Lifestyle Gallery, Michigan Design Center, Troy, verellen.biz
Text by Megan Swoyer. Photography by Heather Saunders. Portrait photography by Jacob Hawkins.
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