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Humble. Having a modest estimate of one’s own importance.
Resonant. Deep clear remembrance of an experience.
Deep. Extending far down from the surface.
Bright. Giving out or reflecting a lot of light; shining; intelligent and quick-witted.
These are the words Interior Designer Mary Kate Gaines used to present her impressions of one of her recent clients, Paula Taylor. In the moment, Mary Kate had no idea that Paula has been a close friend of mine for more than 20 years. I am a writer, and I could not find four better words for the lady of the house, which also connect comfortably to her home.
The Back Story
Paula Taylor met her husband of 50 years at Giles High School when she was 15. They married after her graduation and raised their daughters in Blacksburg. Paula taught piano full-time for a dozen years then transitioned into accounting positions until retirement. Richard is retired from Facilities Operations at Virginia Tech.
Richard was one of those savvy jack-of-all-trades who can do things, fix things and figure out things. So, late in 2011, the couple, now empty nesters, bought a 36-year-old house which needed some love. The 3-bedroom, 3-bath, split level sits on nearly half an acre on a flat, corner lot in a nice neighborhood outside Christiansburg.
The Early Years
Before they could move in, the entire 2,092-square-foot house needed to be cleaned, painted and have new carpet and flooring installed. They also purchased a refrigerator. “The single-car garage had been converted into a den with a solid wall where the garage door had been,” Paula explains. “We installed a nice window for curb appeal outside and natural light inside.”
The Taylors had all the windows replaced, including the large front picture window. They also installed a new front door and a sliding door from the primary bedroom suite to its private patio.
About five or six years ago, Chuck Morris, of Morris Finishing Company in Dublin, replaced the kitchen cabinet doors and hardware, adjusting the cupboard supports as needed. A couple years after that, Paula selected a new refrigerator that fit the space better than the very large one they originally purchased.
More Recently
A little less than two years ago, Paula approached Home Depot for a small kitchen remodel. She is thrilled with new quartz countertops and a new, deep, stainless steel sink.
A friend’s interior upgrades on Instagram caught Paula’s attention. The friend, Meredith White, is also a friend of mine and an excellent photographer who had done work for New River Valley Magazine. Meredith told Paula that Mary Kate Gaines of In Focus Interiors was helping her.
Mary Kate Steps Inside
“I met Paula and her sweet rescue pup Domino in March of 2024,” Mary Kate relates. “We sat in her cozy living room and talked through her thoughts and concerns about this lovely room, the first impression of her home in the front door. I found out she loves gardening and international travel. She has been to several places outside the country, taught piano for years, is not afraid of color, and she really loves whimsy.”
“This is a very intimate business,” Mary Kate continues. “When people invite me into their home and share their life and story, I take it very seriously. I care so much about understanding them and making their space a reflection of who they are.”
In addition to associating a color with her clients, Mary Kate finds quotes that she feels embodies each one. For Paula, it was yellow and this: “White is too brilliant to be seen, so yellow is its filter, its costume, revealing that pure light has not only brightness but emotional resonance and depth.” [American writer Richard Grossinger] “This is Paula to me. Humble, Resonant, Deep, Bright.”
Paula is a minimalist in most ways – home décor, make-up, wardrobe, etc. – and she likes her green velvet sofa and whimsical art. “Mary Kate took a lot of what I already had and placed in ways which made the room more pretty, more appealing. She arranged for painters, drapes, turned a rug, and used a two-tier coffee table I was getting rid of. She brought in a crescent table, peacock feathers, pillows and interesting, quaint, eclectic things,” Paula adds.
Though the living room was the main project, Paula entertained Mary Kate’s suggestion for bold wallpaper accents. One kitchen wall now sports orange and cream Koi fish on a multi-aqua-green background which connects across the room to colorful new living room curtains and peacock feathers on a whatnot shelf. A wall in the den sports a rounded geometric pattern that pops around the window where a solid wall replaced the garage door decades ago.
A New Tranquility
The decorative changes have launched a much-needed, well-deserved, emotional lift in this precious lady’s home. She is now the main tool wielder and decision-maker who has humbly served as Richard’s full-time caregiver for years. As he slips away in the cruel grip of dementia, Paula relishes these new colors and arrangements, finding her living room more peaceful and coordinated – a calm, happy, colorful and refreshing space.
Everything here belongs and plays well together in various colors, styles and textures. It is a very clever, distinctive fusion of Humble, Resonant, Deep, Bright.
Text by Joanne M. Anderson
Photos by Meredith White
Photos by Meredith White
