MANIFEST DESTINY
By Blake Miller; Photography by Anna Routh Barzin; Styling by Maury Poole
This article appeared in the January/February 2026 issue of Home Design & Decor’s Triangle edition.
Designer Maggie Dillon revives a historic home with nuanced layers, patterns, and bold colors.
Soon after Katherine and Alex Slater settled into their Raleigh home in the historic Oakwood neighborhood in 2014, their daily morning and evening walks became a cherished ritual. Strolling past rows of storied facades and tree-lined sidewalks, they admired the neighborhood’s timeless architecture and curbside grace. Yet one house always seemed to stop them in their tracks: a stately white residence perched elegantly atop a hill, its red roof gleaming against the Carolina blue sky. “We’d walk by and say, ‘If we ever move again in Oakwood, this is the house,’ ” recalls Katherine with a smile.
Sometimes fate has a way of turning long-held dreams into reality. Years later, the very home that had so often captured the couple’s imagination came on the market—offering them a glimpse inside, at last. “The moment I saw the library with the ladder, I knew it was the one,” Katherine recalls with a laugh.
Originally built in the 1870s, the house brimmed with historic charm: soaring twelve-foot ceilings, intricate millwork, arched doorways, and ornate fireplace mantels that spoke to its historic past. Recently renovated by the previous owners, the residence required little more than a personal touch. Without hesitation, the Slaters made their offer—ready to bring new life to the home they had admired for so many years.
Once the keys were in hand, the couple knew the home’s storied architecture deserved an equally inspired interior. A friend’s recommendation led them to designer Maggie Dillon, whose vibrant aesthetic instantly resonated. “When we’d visit the Crosby Street Hotel in New York, we always found ourselves captivated by Kit Kemp’s interiors,” says Alex. “We loved her fearless use of color and pattern.” Katherine agrees: “When we discovered Maggie’s work, and saw how she layers textures, plays with scale, and brings such warmth through color, we knew she was the right designer.”
It was, by all accounts, a perfect match. “There was so much potential in this home,” recalls Dillon of her first visit. “Alex and Katherine were so open to my aesthetic that it became a true dream project.” Though the residence spanned an impressive 5,000 square feet, it housed just two bedrooms—a challenge the Slaters were eager to address. Under Dillon’s direction, the upstairs was thoughtfully reimagined: the existing owner’s suite closet and bathroom were reconfigured to create a welcoming third guest bedroom, while the owner’s bedroom and bath received a fresh, refined renovation. The third bedroom, which was originally designed to be a home office, was eventually transformed into a nursery for the couple’s first child
From there, Dillon crafted an interior that celebrates color and pattern with sophistication and restraint. The result is layered and lively—never overdone, always inviting. “We set out to honor the charm and craftsmanship of a home built in the 1870s while layering in personality that reflects the Slaters,” explains Dillon. “It was important that the house feel collected and comfortable rather than overly designed, and we wanted to celebrate the home’s history while still creating something that feels fresh.”
Trust proved essential, as Dillon began to push boundaries with bold, imaginative choices—chief among them, a mesmerizing butterfly-and-bird motif wallcovering from Peg Norriss, hand-painted by Anne Lemanski. “I loved that it doesn’t have a defined repeat,” says Dillon. “As it climbs the walls and wraps the staircase up to the landing, you can’t quite tell where one panel ends and another begins—it feels organic, almost alive.”
Elsewhere, the mood softens into quiet elegance. In the breakfast nook—a jewel box of a space visible from the foyer—Dillon composed a gallery wall of nine vintage French floral prints that draw the eye down the corridor. A petite banquette upholstered in a Lulie Wallace fabric, a custom pedestal table, and whimsical heart-backed rattan and metal chairs complete the vignette—charming, artful, and entirely in tune with the home’s character.
Each room possesses its own distinct personality, yet together they strike a harmonious balance—an elegant symphony of color, texture, and form that feels both refined and effortless. The result is a home that honors its nineteenth-century architecture while embracing a modern sense of comfort and ease, perfectly marrying past and present.
“Maggie is an absolute dream to work with,” says Katherine. “When she first presented her ideas, I couldn’t quite imagine how it would all come together, but she has such an intuitive way of blending pattern, texture, and color that it feels both beautiful and effortless. We trusted her completely.”