Relocating to Birmingham from Jackson, Mississippi, to be closer to family, Jayne and David Westbrook quickly sought out a community and a house where they felt at home. An introduction to designer Sean Beam years earlier made the transition seamless.
They first met the designer when their daughter, Hayley, moved here for a television career. “We joined her on a house hunt and discovered Hallman Hill in Homewood,” says Jayne. “Richard Tubb Interiors had done the model unit design. We liked it so much that we visited the store, and that’s where we met Sean.” The couple quickly engaged Sean and David Walker, another designer at Richard Tubb Interiors, to work on their daughter’s future home— the first of several projects that Sean would be a part of.
Since David was not quite retired from his medical practice when the couple first moved, they split time between Jackson and Birmingham, maintaining a townhouse in Mississippi and a house in Homewood where Sean was involved with the design. After too much back-and-forth, Jayne and David closed up the house in Mississippi and moved to their Homewood house for good—until an unsolicited offer appeared at their door that was just too good to pass up.
The Westbrooks sold their home and set about house hunting once again, calling on Sean, who had just launched his own interior business, for help. “Coincidentally, because of our shared love for stalking real estate listings, we found the new house at the same time and called each other,” David says.
Designed by architect Hank Long and located on a private, wooded lot, the French-style house, though lovely, wasn’t appointed in the Westbrooks’ style.
Floor-to-ceiling windows and airy living spaces became cleaner, more modern, and lighter thanks to the couple’s restrained style and Sean’s ability to interpret it. “We ‘shopped’ their Homewood and Jackson houses for furnishings and relocated the items to their new spaces. Everything just worked,” Sean says. “The only thing we bought new for this house was the living room sofa.” The designer claims the easy transition between homes is thanks to the classic pieces the Westbrooks bought over the years. “We never went with anything too trendy,” he says.
“We looked beyond the ornate French antiques and heavy draperies and stripped it back to the refined architecture,” says Sean.“Then we could see how the house could be reimagined.”
“We worked with a palette of neutrals including creams and ebony. There’s not a lot of pattern. It’s the perfect canvas for David’s artwork.”
—designer Sean Beam
The neutral palette shines with a play of contrasts, shadow, and light—and, of course, David’s art, a hobby that began at age 13 in his hometown of Lexington, Mississippi. “I took lessons from a teacher who mostly taught me to paint still lifes of things around us,” says David. “But she also introduced me to church icons, an interest of hers.” After those early lessons, David put his art aside. Many years later, Jayne encouraged him to pick up his charcoal and brushes again at age 40.
Now, David’s hobby is in full force as he creates pieces that he, Jayne, and his children cherish. “All of the artwork in the house was done by David,” Sean says.
Walking through the home, it’s a surprise to realize that the varied styles are by a single artist. David claims his diverse subjects and mediums are due to boredom. “I like to experiment with materials and subject matter. It’s a way to continue learning and keep it interesting,” he says. When asked what his favorite medium is, he laughs and says it’s always mixed. “You start with charcoal. If you happen to spill a little wine, it becomes a watercolor—but I usually finish with oil.” And now, the many fruits of his labor perfectly personalize the couple’s new home.
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Interior design: Sean Beam Design, IG: @seanbeamdesign Contractor: Martin McCayna Interior; Painters: Lipsey Painting and Chris Young Painting Company; Sisal rugs: Billy Brown Flooring; Zebra rug and pillows in den: Paige Albright Orientals; Framing: Gallery Services and Arceneaux Gallery
