Kentucky natives Ben and Whitney Wilson moved to Nashville about 20 years ago, but most of their family still resides here in the Bluegrass State.
“Usually, when we’d come up (to Louisville), we’d always stay with family,” Whitney told The Courier Journal. “But my husband has started doing little sabbaticals, (and) he likes to get away to places where it’s quiet. So, when we bought this building, he (said he) would love to convert one of the units into a place for us to go and retreat.”
The Wilsons decided to utilize the lower-level unit for their personal space and enlisted the help of Tara Graves, owner of Bluegrass Build & Design and Ben’s brother’s girlfriend.
“We did a surprise reveal, and it was just so fun,” Graves exclaimed. “I just loved it. It was a dream project, and it took three months.”
Slight specifications
Except for two requirements, Graves had mostly free reign over the design of the Wilsons’ home away from home. The only conditions Ben had was that there needed to be a space for him to work, as well as a bourbon closet. Otherwise, Graves was free to do as she pleased.
“We gave her a budget, and (told her to) just go with it,” Whitney said.
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Graves set up a work area for Ben by placing a secretary desk between the living room and kitchen. The space features a custom mannequin pen holder, “Genius at Work” trinket, and a 1950 L&N Railroad poster featuring Louisville & Nashville Railroad: The Old Reliable. The artwork is an ode to the Wilsons, as they constantly travel back and forth between the two cities.
At the end of the long hallway, Graves mixed old and new design elements to build the bourbon closet. Filled with bottles of Bulleit and Basil Hayden’s, the dark nook features swan décor and black battery-operated candles, giving off a speakeasy vibe.
Bushels of books
“My husband is an avid reader —he loves to read,” Whitney said. “So, when you walk in, you’ll see a bookshelf right there. You can read the books, but (they also have) a color scheme.”
Whitney is referring to the shelf above the living room sofa, which Graves crafted out of an old closet door. The books set upon it were carefully curated and arranged by color. Graves refers to the books as usable art, something she also incorporated into other parts of the home.
In the guest bedroom, for example, six custom-made shelves —three on each side of the bed —are made of books.
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"All those books are readable, except the bottom book, which is an actual (attached) shelf,” Graves explained.
Because shelving and storage, in general, are limited within the room, Graves built a platform bed with storage underneath. There’s also a mini closet system off to one side for hanging a few clothing items.
Hypnotic hallway
Though the entire unit is full of fun and interesting whimsical elements, the home showstopper is, without a doubt, the 24-foot-long hallway. Painted a sultrySherwin Williams Tsunami with select pieces of gold throughout, the walls are an art installation filled with everything from swan, duck, and owl figurines to iconic Kentucky emblems such as a Fleur de Lis and a Louisville Slugger bat.
“This hallway is so long, it would have been so boring to just paint it,” Graves said. “I got things from everywhere. It’s just a smorgasbord of eclectic items.”
Every single element was nailed, screwed, or glued by hand — which was part of the reason the hallway took longer than any other room to finish.
“Art takes time,” Graves said, “and finding everything (took time as well). I had more items than this; they just all didn’t make it. You don’t know what’s going to work and fit (until you create it). This took me a solid month to do.”
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With so many different pieces used in the hallway, Whitney says she is constantly finding something new that she hadn’t noticed before.
“It’s (also) a reflection of our childhood, like with the old telephone on the wall and things like that,” she said. “It's really unique in the fact that you could literally just sit here and just talk in the hallway, which is what we've done numerous times — just talk about the different pieces. I think that's probably my absolute favorite (thing about this home).”
Know a house that would make a great Home of the Week? Email writer Lennie Omalza ataloha@lennieomalza.comor Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory atkgregory@gannett.com.
nuts & bolts
Owners: Ben and Whitney Wilson, who are investors.
Home: This is a 2-bed, 1-bath, 900-square-foot unit with a private entrance in an apartment building in Audubon. It was built in 1940.
Distinctive elements: Mix of old and new pieces throughout; colorful topiary, fleur de lis emblem, floating address numbers, and faux light beams in entry stairwell; white walls, bold artwork, bold furniture, custom bookshelf with color-coordinated books, brass apple bookends, brushed gold light fixtures with seeded glass, handmade wood detail design elements, and small origami-inspired swan artwork in living room; custom made open shelving, cabinet handles in mix of wood and brushed gold, white lacquer table to match white lacquer custom wood design built into wall, vintage swan bowl, and bourbon bottle soap dispenser in kitchen; mid-century-modern rabbit, glass bourbon decanters, vintage rolling pin, Kentucky Derby drinking glasses and mugs, and vintage tea cups on open shelving; custom mannequin hand pen holder, "Genius at work" trinket, L&N Railroad 1950 vintage on/near secretary desk; walk-through art installation in hallway with sultry deep teal with gold accents, low vintage yellow lighting, trinkets, frames, swans, ducks, owls, doves, pheasants, squirrels, horses, eagles, 1980s doorbell, clocks, 80s phone, Louisville Slugger bat, KY emblem, fleur de lis, candle holders, old tools, apples, hubcap, wine bottles, and more; hand cut and stained wood wall, old antique locks and knobs, swan napkin holder, vintage decanters, bourbon staves, and antique gold bee detail in custom made bourbon closet; platform bed with storage drawers, “usable art” books, and a light fixture to create shadows on the ceiling in the guest bedroom; mid-century-modern inspired chandelier from the 70s, original concrete used as accent faux headboard with ledge, Marilyn Monroe framed art, brass apple bell, vintage horse tray, vintage glass swan lamp, teal rabbit fur on bed, and 70s teal pillow in main bedroom; swan brass faucet and glass handles, walk-in shower, vintage-inspired mirror tiles, floor tiles with cream leaf pattern, and lighted, color-changing mirror in the bathroom; pink decal, charcoal drop-painted ceiling, modern fixtures, and pink swan in laundry room.
Applause! Applause! Renovation and decorations by Tara Graves, owner of Bluegrass Build & Design.
