The master bedroom features furniture and décor from a “show house” Barrett decorated. The patterned painting above the bed adds an element of contemporary art. Under the window on the left is a table purchased at a farm auction. Pillows on the master bed match the curtains and a blanket at the end of the bed and display a contemporary pattern of a stylized flower.
The breakfast room table and chairs belonged to Barrett’s parents. Barrett had the seat cushions recovered. The four paintings are of eggs. The rug is a pattern of tree branches, in keeping with her love of using nature in her décor.
A portion of Barrett’s Majolica plates are displayed on the wall. The small pedestal was once a baluster and is now used to hold a glass of wine. Behind the couch a floor lamp is in the shape of an old-fashioned top hat.
The living room is open to the dining room on the left. The color of the room is “pumpkin pie.” The large painting is of a dandelion. Two window cornices have been repurposed as shelves to display a collection of Majolica plates.
The living room is open to the dining room. The two white host chairs are used at the dining room table on the right if extra seating is needed. The ottoman features a silk skirt that flairs out until it touches the floor.
Chandeliers in the dining room originally had no shades, but Barrett added the silk shades. The glass-front hutch is used to display a portion of her collection of Majolica plates.
The sea glass green guest bedroom features an antique wrought iron bed that is flanked by sheer panels with long fringe accents hanging from decorator rods. Two shutters received as gifts are on either side of the bed.
In the bathroom the curved vanity features a huge drawer behind the curved front with a large amount of storage space. The vanity is lit from below. When the prior vanity was replaced, it was discovered the area under the old vanity was not finished, so a pattern of tile matching the curve of the vanity was added. The mirror over the vanity has a border of antique mirror tiles.
The kitchen has been redone in stages over several years. The cabinets, countertops and appliances have all been replaced and upgraded. The tile backsplash and the band of mosaic tile above the window were added when the countertop was replaced.
After an initial career and education as a graphic artist, Nancy Barrett realized her true ambition was to be an interior designer. “As a teenager, my mom always let me decorate my own room, and later, I was frequently asked for my decorating advice,” she remembers.
Her interest in décor never abated, and in 1995 she decided to switch occupations, follow her dream and open her own decorating studio. At the same time, she enrolled in St. Louis Community College-Meramec to pursue a degree in interior design, which she completed while getting her business started. “Getting the degree was important to me,” she says.
“Most of my design business was for clients who preferred traditional décor. However, currently the most requested style is ‘transitional,’” she says, explaining that the younger generation’s preference for clean lines and a simpler style has influenced a change in St. Louis.
“I have no difficulty adapting to the design style of any client, whether it be traditional, contemporary or any preference in between. It is important I understand what people want in their homes so it can reflect their taste,” she says.
Barrett describes her own home décor as “eclectic with a mix of old and new,” with a preference for patterns, pictures and colors that reflect nature.
For example, under the vintage breakfast table the rug displays a pattern of tree branches. On the wall are framed prints of eggs, certainly appropriate for the breakfast table. A 4-foot-by-6-foot painting in the living room is of a dandelion. Pillows, curtains and a blanket in the master bedroom have a contemporary floral pattern, as does her formal chinaware.
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