Sumner Starling Designs the Rooms She’d Always Wanted

Designer Sumner Starling on transforming a complete blank slate into a masterclass of rich jewel tones, storied fabrics, and casual elegance.

By
Alice Welsh Doyle
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Ashley’s dream list included a private reading room off the primary bedroom painted in a cheerful green (Farrow & Ball ‘Yeabridge Green’) with a fretwork Thibaut wallpaper on the ceiling. // Photography by Jean Allsopp, Styling by Morgan Stephenson

Designing Out of the Comfort Zone

With the plans secured, Ashley (still in Houston) started talking shop with Sumner and revealed her love of jewel tones. While Sumner is known for quieter palettes with punches of color, neither client nor designer saw that as a problem. “It was so fun to get out of my comfort zone a bit, and we both pushed each other,” says Sumner. “We had a great rapport. You will see jewel shades throughout and especially Ashley’s favorite amethyst.” Adds her client, “She was able to listen to me and take my love of color and really present it in an elegant refined manner.”

The butler’s pantry provides a moody moment painted blue with a high-gloss finish. The space connects to the living areas beyond.

Starting with a Blank Slate

When choosing finishes, fabrics, and décor, Sumner was given a desirable blank slate — “a dream scenario!” she says. Ashley explains, “I wanted to start fresh. We did not have plans to sell our Houston home at the time, so I think I only brought one thing — a mirror.”

Sumner never saw the Bordens’ Texas home, and that was intentional as her client didn’t want the designer to think that she desired a repeat. The decorator’s playbook included dramatic eye-catching light fixtures, great art (including two pieces by Arthur Price), a butler’s pantry in a high-gloss blue, and dining chairs dressed in amethyst mohair fabric with the backs covered in a muted Fortuny print. Framed chinoiserie wallpaper panels bring additional color to the dining room. “I was looking for something new — something different from Texas,” says Ashley. “I got my wish and couldn’t be happier.”

Instead of strict tradition, Starling mixes clean modern furniture with unique vintage finds. Bright natural light fills the space, showcasing textured fabrics, low-profile seating, and contemporary art that brings a contemporary voice to the space.
For the living room, Ashley and Sumner commissioned a painting by Arthur Price that speaks to the mood of the exteriors. A collection of finds graces the chest beneath.
The large square kitchen island needed a light fixture with some gravitas, so the designer went bold with a brass lantern from Visual Comfort set off by a coffered ceiling.

“We wanted a sense of casual elegance with luxurious fabrics like Fortuny, but performance ones as well,”

-designer Sumner Starling

This formal dining space asserts itself through a highly curated mix of pattern and saturation. Deep purple velvet chairs, with their charming patterned backs, stand beautifully around the expansive polished wood table, all lit by a spectacular gilt chandelier.

Jewel Tones and Tailored Spaces

The dining room may be the most formal in the home, but it’s ready to welcome with jewel tones. Framed chinoiserie panels are from Paul Montgomery.
Ashley’s love for collecting amethyst started on a trip to Highlands, North Carolina. A favorite piece, an amethyst lamp, resides in the dining room atop an antique chest.

Bringing the Landscape Indoors

For the office, Sumner chose a handsome green (Sherwin-Williams ‘Rosemary’) to wrap the library, while Scott added a round window for a surprising accent.
The dark green grasscloth powder room with the brass sink and geometric mirror.
Sumner introduced quiet cheer to a guest room with a block-print wallpaper by Schumacher and matching fabric for accents that blend in rather than compete with the lush setting.

“I prefer small, cozy spaces versus wide open with lots of tall ceilings, and I like a separate dining room, so the house has both open and more closed spaces.”

-Ashley Borden

A brass bar with antiqued mirror, colored glasses, sculptural figures. Unexpected, dramatic, high-design.

Point of View

The House & The Story

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Resources

Interior design: Sumner Starling and Anne Hurley, Starling Interiors Architect: T. Scott Carlisle, Carlisle Moore Architects Builder: Davis Construction Services LLC Landscape: Dave Eyrich, RLA, Dave Eyrich & Associates, LLC Hardware: Brandino Brass Plumbing and tile: Fixtures & Finishes Countertops: Triton Stone Group Appliances: AllSouth Appliance Group, Inc. Cabinets: Hamm Cabinet Furniture on covered patio: LEE Industries through Circa Interiors & Antiques Pavers: FireRock Fabrics: Schumacher, ROMO, Kravet, Fortuny Olive jar: Architectural Heritage Chandelier and sconces: Visual Comfort Rug: Billy Brown Flooring Chest: Circa Interiors & Antiques Paint: ‘White Dove,’ Benjamin Moore Office paint: Sherwin-Williams ‘Rosemary’ Office ceiling fixture: Visual Comfort Reading room paint: Farrow & Ball ‘Yeabridge Green’ Ceiling wallpaper: Thibaut Chinoiserie panels: Paul Montgomery

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