What is the life that you want to live? And how do you want to feel in that life?
These were the two questions guiding Broadway actor Robert Hartwell as he renovated and redesigned his 200-year-old plantation-style home in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. As a result, joy and personal expression come through in every room of the house. It goes beyond adding character to a home; the whole house feels like a reflection of its owner and his identity.
As the first black proprietor of a home that was built when slavery was still legal in the United States, Robert was determined to 'drench it in color so that Black joy was central to the experience.'
Thus, colorful room ideas were central to the vision. He tells Homes & Gardens: 'We wanted to honor the shapes of what would have been present in this home in 1820, but we also wanted to turn it on its head by choosing fabrics that felt sumptuous and patterns that you typically wouldn't put together. We wanted to push the boundary of pattern play with fabrics that felt really sumptuous, because Joy had to be central.'
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Lush and elegant, this velvet pink sofa features gold legs. It feels both whimsical and refined, like the interiors of Robert's home.
This stunning Sanderson x Ruggable rug would fit in perfectly in this stunning home, and its washable construction makes it a practical choice for those with children or pets. It's a limited edition collaboration, so act fast before it sells out.
This stylish lacquer tray is the perfect way to bring a pop of color and chinoiserie into your home without the whole room commitment. It would be perfect on a living room coffee table.
The sleek, Mid-Century-inspired table lamp is ideal for incorporating bold yellow into your interiors. Standing 18 inches tall, it's perfect for adding some chic, contemporary flair to your desk or bedside table.
Pops of color and soft shapes are vibrant and inviting for a communal space. It is ideal for tying together a variety of shades featured throughout a room.
Floral pillows are a simple method for adding a pop of color to your sofa. This embroidered chambray pillow looks so delicate and luxurious. no one would guess it only costs $12 at Walmart.
To bring this joyful vision of mood-boosting design to life, Robert worked closely with interior designer Courtney McCleod, founder of NYC-based studio Right Meets Left Design.
He explains: 'It was deeply collaborative, and I think the best part of the process was picking Courtney as the designer. I knew from the moment I saw her portfolio that she was the designer to breathe life into this home, but also to help this home tell a new story. So it really began with A friendship.
As with the rest of the maximalist home, human connection lead to an artful and evocative result. He states: 'I believe in the process, we both taught each other so much because she is a genius at color and pattern, and I have great experience around creating a theatrical spectacle.'
Robert explains how they both had to trust each other, with each pushing the other outside of their comfort zone. He laughs, 'I was like, "Courtney, there's no way that those six different patterns are going to work. It's gonna look like a maniac ran through this place." And then I saw it and I'm like, "Oh my God, it's absolutely stunning."'
My favorite room in the home is Robert's stunning home office, which is filled with shades of green. The narrative of the space goes beyond aesthetics, creating a room that is filled with emotion.
He explains: 'I love being in this room because the wallpaper just seamlessly blends into all of the trees. It's like I sit in nature every day, and beyond that, I am surrounded by these beautiful black swans that take up the entire room.'
'One of my favorite work day albums is Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake,' he adds. 'I love it so much, so I sit here in my little Swan Lake world with these gorgeous curtains around me.'
The furniture and office desk enhance this thread of storytelling that runs throughout the home. Robert states: 'I love it because this room feels very poetic, especially because it houses so many special books to me. My desk is made of harvested, reclaimed wood from this home, so this is a 300-year-old tree that my computer is sitting on right now. Just to feel that it's quite magical.'
Rich, narrative fabrics and rugs play a large role in the fantastical feeling of Robert's interiors. Choosing rugs from the fashion-led interiors brand Wendy Morrison guided this journey.
Robert explains: 'I always move forward first with storytelling. What I love about Wendy's work is that every single one of her rugs is attached to a story. There is a reason that she uses the hummingbird. There's a reason that she uses the tiger. There's a reason for all of these elements.'
He continues, 'I started by learning about the stories of each of the rugs, and then from there, I started to place them into what rooms emotionally had that arc. It was quite kismet that the color and the pattern theme just worked so perfectly.'
If you're feeling inspired to discover your interior design style and bring it into your home, Robert recommends running with your imagination.
He advises: 'I would encourage people to take time to envision, because I don't think we give ourselves time enough to dream. I think we should be building spaces for the life that's ahead of us versus this little moment that we're in right now.'
'In the design process it's easy to get caught up in the weeds and get caught up in the budget and get caught up in the logistics. But if you stay in the dream visioning space, I think that you're going to land on something quite spectacular.'
Design is not only what you put in your space; it's the story behind it. By building narratives and incorporating our personalities, we can create something truly special, that will last for generations to come.
