Hundred-year-old hotels can conjure images of dark colors and dusty taxidermy, but in the hands of designer Lindsey Coral Harper, The Greystone Inn’s Presidential Suite radiates bright color and pattern.
The Presidential Suite
Nestled in the North Carolina mountains on the shore of Lake Toxaway, an early 20th-century vacation destination for wealthy industrialists, sits The Greystone Inn. Built in 1915 as a private residence and then converted into a country club, the home opened to the public as The Greystone Inn in 1985. The hotel’s largest room, the Presidential Suite, was added to the house during the 1930s as a library and has changed little since then.
21st Century Update
“The bones were incredible—with soaring ceilings and a view of the lake—but the decor was stuck in the eighties,” says Lindsey Coral Harper (lchinteriors.com), the interior designer charged with bringing the suite into the 21st century. “The room needed to be cozy and charming but still feel really special.” Never one to take decorating too seriously, Lindsey traded the faded floral carpet for a large-scale plaid and brightened the room’s austere architecture with a fresh color scheme.
To bring the bed into scale with the room, Lindsey had Alabama-based Reid Classics (reidclassics.com) create an heirloom-quality genuine mahogany bed with four oversize posts, topped with a fabric tester and dressed with Ralph Lauren linens.
What She Did
Organized the Space
Three defined seating areas now bring order to the room: a small table for breakfast or a game of cards, a pair of chairs for a fireside glass of wine, and a sofa and chairs ideal for gazing at the lake.
Two club chairs and an ottoman soften the stone mantel. The large octagonal mirror mimics the lantern’s shape and reflects light around the room.
What She Did
Toned Down the Brown
The expanse of bookshelves and woodwork dominated the room. Lindsey added color by organizing books by hue and layering in accessories. Furniture painted or upholstered in ivory, coral, and turquoise pops against the paneling.
Complemented the Scenery
In selecting the room’s palette of aqua, gold, green, and coral, Lindsey thought about the colors of changing fall leaves and spring flowers.
The classic writing table from Woodbridge Furniture Company is paired with comfy chairs to morph easily from workspace to play area.
What She Did
Lightened the Mood
“The room is essentially a library,” says Lindsey. “I wanted to keep it sophisticated but less serious.” Down came yards of heavily swagged damask curtains, and up went simple box-pleated valances with a chic trim. Gently curving upholstered pieces contrast with the room’s many angles.
The top of the media cabinet serves as a cocktail station. Portraits of past Presidents (from art.com) are a cheeky nod to this being the Presidential Suite.
What She Did
Humanized the Scale
“When you have a large space, you have to go big,” says Lindsey. The large repeat on the plaid carpet feels appropriate for the size of the room, and an overscale lantern from Circa Lighting brings down the 30-foot ceiling.
Capitalizing on floor-to-ceiling views, Lindsey tucked a shapely coral sofa from CR Laine beneath curtains topped by boxy valances for drama.
