It was not love at first sight when homeowner Ragan Cain first stumbled upon her 1950s midcentury ranch located in Mountain Brook, Alabama. She had always envisioned a grand Tudor or sweeping Colonial, but this home offered an unheard of nine acres within city limits, so she and her husband decided to take the plunge. Based on his love of color, pattern, and love of history, Mark D. Sikes was commissioned to bring the home to life. Inspired by Cain’s passion for antiques and old homes, Sikes envisioned rooms with equal parts Southern gentility and youthful edge. “I love, love, love old houses,” said Cain. “The way they make you feel, the stories they have to tell. Really, nothing makes me happier.” Photography by Amy Nenusinger for the March-April 2019 issue of Veranda. Captions by Caroline Collins McKenzie.
Homeowner Ragan Cain hired interior designer Mark D. Sikes to refurbish her home. In the living room, he had the walls painted Farrow & Ball’s Citron. The sofa upholstery is by Pierre Frey.
A geometric abaca rug by Patterson Flynn Martin sets the tone for pattern play. The floral drapery and tufted sofa upholstery is by Lee Jofa. The armchair is by Hickory Chair Furniture Co. with ikat upholstery by Pierre Frey.
The wallcovering is Bali Hai by Quadrille, and the settee upholstery is by Brunschwig & Fils.
The garden view is always in bloom with a hand-painted wallcovering by Gracie. The dining room table is by Century and the lighting is by Visual Comfort & Co.
Sikes framed the garden view with drapery in the same Colefax and Fowler print he used on the American Country Home Store wicker chair cushions. The sofa upholstery is by Peter Dunham Textiles. The chandelier is by Visual Comfort & Co. and featuresa custom plaster finish.
Farrow & Ball’s Parma Gray on the kitchen cabinets complements a floral wallcovering by William Morris.
Paris bistro chairs from Ballard Designs cozy up to a corner banquette in the kitchen.
Cain kept the existing decorative lining inside the original kitchen cabinets.
A mash-up of patterns in the upstairs landing —checks (Claremont), florals (Duralee on the sofa and Soane wallcovering), and stripes (MDS Rugs for Merida)—is surprisingly soothing thanks to its restricted palette.
The den wallcovering is Farrow & Ball and the sofa upholstery is Jasper.
The ceiling paper is by Sister Parish and the rug is an antique.
The master bedroom upholstered bed is Highland House. The drapery and bench upholstery is by Colefax and Fowler.
Sikes had this chest (already owned by Cain) painted by local artist Jan Roberts, who used a Claremont fabric pattern (Tolie de Lapis) as inspiration for the hand-painted design. The reading chair on the right is by Hickory Chair and is covered in a Colefax & Fowler fabric. The botanicals are by Pierre-Joseph Redouté and the mirror is an antique from Parc Monceau.
The dressing room wallcovering is Claremont.
The wallcovering in the main floor guest room is Quadrille.
The beds are upholstered in watermelon linen by Brunschwig & Fils. The woven border and bedcover fringe is by Samuel & Sons and the benches are by Charles Fradin.
The wallcovering in the top-floor guest quarters is Sister Parish.
Three Finnsheep graze in the backyard of the 1950s Mountain Brook, Alabama, house.
Absolute perfection, I love this classic charming home! For more, please visit Veranda or pick up a copy on newsstands now. The entire issue is divine! Mark D. Sikes’ book Beautiful can be purchased via Amazon.
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Michele P Pagan says
March 6, 2019 at 8:20 amI’m so glad to see that wallpaper seems to be making a big comeback!!
Susan Stacy says
March 6, 2019 at 9:24 amWhat a beautiful home! I love everything, especially the color.
Elizabeth says
March 6, 2019 at 9:41 amBeautiful!
(That house is a ranch?)
Andrea says
March 6, 2019 at 12:35 pmHi Elizabeth,
House Beautiful calls it a midcentury ranch. 🙂
Xx,
Andrea
The Glam Pad
Dean Farris says
March 6, 2019 at 10:47 amMark makes it seem effortless, when the opposite is true.
Jan says
March 6, 2019 at 11:17 amWhat an absolutely lovely home!
Suzanne R Brown says
March 6, 2019 at 11:20 amI agree about how nice it is to see wallpaper again! Broken color is so much more appealing to the eye than flat color. I’m glad I have kept all my wallpaper from other the years!
Rodrigo Platt says
March 6, 2019 at 7:01 pmMark D Sikes has “it” ., He has a marvelous sense of style and innate good taste that is not generic. His work always has a certain unpretentious elegance with an ability to mix the high with the low. …cheers !!