Staci Mills is anything but boring. Her bubbly personality speaks nothing neutral. So when a house scouting trip in 2020 landed her inside a home with strong bones and beautiful architectural details, she knew that the all-white interiors would need an injection of color and personality that matched her charming demeanor.
The Myers Park home was designed by architect Sam Greeson of MGPB, who incorporated architectural details that Mills and her husband Jeff were smitten with. “We loved the hand-scraped wide-plank hardwood floors, the wood beams running the length of the family room ceiling, and the brick ceiling detail in the living room, not to mention the millwork throughout,” says Mills. “There were so many interesting architectural details that you just don’t see where we used to live in California, where minimal architectural details are everywhere.”
After a referral from friends, the Millses were introduced to designer Amy Vermillion, who was tasked with injecting the home with color and pattern—and personality. “The original design wasn’t translating to Staci,” says Vermillion. “She’s a very warm, funny, and kind person, so we decided to bring in color to override the elements that didn’t suit her.”
Beginning in the dining room, Vermillion suggested a statement-making mural wallpaper, which doubles as artwork, to complement the ceiling details. “I really wanted some movement on the walls,” she explains of the Phillip Jeffries choice. “This room didn’t need much. We knew we wanted to keep the lines very simple, but Staci wanted something unique, too.” To create additional but subtle interest in the dining room, Vermillion added pieces that boast their own architectural details, like a curved-front buffet with fluted detailing. A pair of lamps mirror the movement in the wallcovering.
Across the foyer, Vermillion made another bold move by installing wallpaper by Kravet to the backs of the existing built-ins, which were formerly a khaki green and refinished and repainted a fresh white. “Staci’s home office did not match her either,” says Vermillion. “That’s why we turned to oranges and pinks and pattern.” The chef’s kiss to the space was the commissioned sculptural piece by Conny Goelz Schmitt, which sits behind the desk. “I wanted something that complemented the wallpaper Amy chose, something with movement and color,” says Mills, who, along with her husband, has collected various pieces over the years.
The rest of the home is an homage to color and pattern in small—and big—doses, including the pool-house addition, for which Greeson also drew the plans. In the bar and serving area, a pair of book-matched quartzite slabs double as artwork and a backsplash. “It’s an earthy quartzite that’s so beautiful,” says Vermillion of the choice. “The cedar shingle was vertical, so the quartzite keeps your eye moving to the left and the right. It just flows.”
With Vermillion’s attuned eye to her client’s personality and affinities, she was able to curate an aesthetic that transformed a once-neutral home into one that celebrates color, pattern, and her clients. “It’s such a cool house, and when I walked in, the interiors just didn’t have the right energy,” says Vermillion. “Houses tell you what they need; the client’s disposition tells you what they want. And that’s exactly what inspired us.”
