ROOTED & REIMAGINED
By Brandy Woods Snow; Photography by Stacey Van Berkel
This article appeared in the May/June 2026 issue of Home Design & Decor’s Triangle edition.
A Raleigh family’s beloved home gets a thoughtful second chapter and much-needed room to grow.
For the Westmoreland family, the decision to stay put was never really a decision at all.
Tucked into one of Raleigh’s most beloved established neighborhoods near North Hills, the property’s mature tree canopy and quiet streets ensured the roots they’d established more than a decade earlier were enduring. “We’ve always loved our neighborhood and the location,“ Allison Westmoreland says. “Staying and renovating felt like the right decision rather than starting over somewhere new.”
The Westmorelands first purchased the property before they were married, settling into the modest ranch home already on the lot with plans to renovate over time. A few years later—after uncovering significant foundation issues—they made the decision to start fresh, tearing down the original structure and building a new home in 2014. They enlisted MA Allen Interiors to guide the design of the new build.
In the years that followed, the couple collaborated with the firm again on a beach house and welcomed two children into their family. As their lives evolved, so did their needs—and the idea of renovating their primary home began to take shape. When Covid arrived and the family found themselves spending more time at home than ever before, the renovation quickly became a priority.
Pandemic life had a way of making every square foot feel both precious and not quite enough. For the Westmorelands, it was the nudge they needed to once again call on the trusted eye of designer MA Allen. With their growing family craving space to breathe, move, and truly live, the couple embarked on a transformative renovation that included a full refresh and a substantial addition.
Completed in 2024, the project reimagined the residence as both highly functional and deeply personal, introducing thoughtful new spaces such as a gym, a golf simulator, his-and-hers closets, a scullery, separate bathrooms for the children, and a light-filled sunroom.
For Allen, the project was an opportunity to build on what already worked. “We were able to add more customizations this round when no longer working against new construction fatigue,” she says. “Core rooms received personalization with wallpaper and higher-end finishes, and we reinvented the home’s color palette, upgraded lighting, and swapped finishes throughout.” Existing hardwoods were refinished to a warmer, more natural tone, and investment pieces were thoughtfully reused and layered with fresh elements.
Among the home’s most beloved additions is the scullery, a suggestion from Allen that quickly became Westmoreland’s favorite detail. “It’s turned out to be one of the features I appreciate most in our day-to-day life,” she says. “It’s definitely something I credit the design team for suggesting.”
The sunroom addition has been equally transformative. Anchored by a game table, it has become one of the family’s most versatile gathering spots. In the mudroom, custom-designed family lockers introduce both order and personality to the daily rhythm of the house.
In the end, every corner of the renovation feels thoughtfully considered—less an update than a reinvention—transforming the Westmoreland home into what it always seemed destined to be.
“MA really views design and function as one and the same, which was incredibly important to us throughout this renovation,” Westmoreland says. “That philosophy is why we chose to work with her again. We truly love how everything came together.”