Photograph by Jeff Herr
When Jerry and Alicia McVeigh married in 2015, they wanted a fresh start for their family, including Jerry’s two daughters, Marissa and Brianna. They found a new home under construction in Kennesaw and hired interior designer Kathryn McAdams from Meriwether Design Group to make every detail unique, from high-end lighting to custom millwork. “From the outside, it looks like all the other houses on the street,” says Kathryn. “But when you walk in, it’s not. Defining the spaces as individual and special, while remaining connected, was a tremendous challenge.
Photograph by Jeff Herr
Photograph by Jeff Herr
Photograph by Jeff Herr
It was also paramount that the appearance of the house was complete when it came time to move in, with no pending projects or to-do lists. Yet rather than reusing a hodgepodge of items from the family’s previous residences, Kathryn started from scratch. “Everything was new. The only thing we kept was a couch that we salvaged for the living room area in the master bedroom,” she says. Through careful sourcing – with a mix of vintage, new and custom parts – the finished effect looks neat and collectible.
Photograph by Jeff Herr
Photograph by Jeff Herr
Photograph by Jeff Herr
The interior has moments of total glamour. Case in point: the dining room, with paneled walls painted a rich black, is accented with a pair of shiny gold bands to echo Kelly Wearstler’s golden Strada chandelier. “The McVeighs know what they like. They’re very confident and they gave me a lot of leeway,” says Kathryn, who pushed the envelope further with a deep green for the owners bedroom.
Photograph by Jeff Herr
Photograph by Jeff Herr
Photograph by Jeff Herr
Despite the dramatic touches, the family wanted to feel comfortable. “We didn’t want anything to be untouchable,” says Alicia. To ease concerns about future spills, Kathryn chose performance upholstery and easy-to-clean fabrics such as Crypton and Sunbrella, even for interior pieces. “I design rooms where there’s a place to put your drink at every seat and where you don’t have to worry about [spilling] red wine,” she says.
Photograph by Jeff Herr
Photograph by Jeff Herr
Photograph by Jeff Herr
Photograph by Jeff Herr
That foresight came in handy, as the couple welcomed their son, Sebastian, during the pandemic. Naturally, Kathryn designed her nursery to be as functional, smart and low-maintenance as the rest of the house. “People underestimate the finishes – furniture, draperies, art and lighting,” she says. “Any home can be transformed into a magical wonderland with these things.”
RESOURCES | Interior design Kathryn McAdams, Meriwether Design Group, meriwetherdesigngroup.com, Builder The Providence Group, theprovidencegroup.com, The living room Upholstered sofa and armchairs: Meriwether Design Group, meriwetherdesigngroup.com. Window coverings (fabric): F. Schumacher, fschumacher.com. Zenithal lighting, floor lamps: Circa Lighting, circalighting.com. Black chair: Lee Industries, leeindustries.com. Food Pendants: Circa Lighting. Appliances: Subzero Wolf, subzero-wolf.com/wolf. Range hood, bar stools: Meriwether Design Group. Carpet: vintage. Tile/backsplash: Floor and Decor, soletdecor.com. The dining room Sofa: Wesley Hall, wesleyhall.com. Leather bench: Meriwether Design Group. Overhead lighting, wall lights: Circa Lighting. Equestrian art: Meriwether Design Group. Entrance Art: personalized and vintage. Table: Meriwether Design Group. Lamp: Circa Lighting. Dining room Table: discontinued. Paint, side chairs, window treatments: Meriwether Design Group. Lighting: Circa Lighting. Host Chairs: Lee Industries. Mural: “Domino”, Sherwin-Williams, sherwinwilliams.com. Owner’s bedroom Bed: Meriwether Design Group. Chandelier, bedside lighting: Circa Lighting. Pillows and bedding: Sferra, sferra.com. Italian marble cube: antique/vintage.
This article originally appeared in our Winter 2021 issue of HOUSE of Atlanta Magazine.
