Janie Molster Refreshes A Classic Dwelling In North Carolina

“I’m known as a traditionalist, but left to my own devices, I’m more of a modernist,” designer Janie Molster describes of her range, which she fully deployed when updating her clients’ Winston-Salem, North Carolina, house. Having recently purchased the sprawling property, the couple “asked to be pushed, to try new things and be a bit more edgy,” says the designer, recounting the empty nesters’ instructions. After visiting their temporary digs and seeing their artwork, which leaned contemporary with mixed-media pieces, Molster had a clearer sense of how far they were willing to go. “I said, ‘Maybe your collection is speaking to your true aesthetic,’ ” she recalls.

The rambling residence proved to be the ideal canvas for the owners’ evolving style. “It has a Kennedy Era optimism with one foot in the past and one in the future,” architectural designer Scott Torode says of the 1962 structure. “It plays by New England farmhouse rules on the outside, yet inside, it has a few French moments, like the octagonal foyer and moldings that feel more refined.” Respectful of that architectural blend, Torode initiated only a few spatial changes. For example, under the guidance of general contractor David S Smith, smaller rooms at the back of the dwelling were combined to yield a pantry and mudroom. The first-floor primary suite was also created, along with a new porch that provides views of the expansive property revamped by landscape architect Jeff Allen. His design introduced several outdoor living spaces, including a dining area paved with bluestone and topped by a charming pergola.

Working alongside senior designer Robyn Framme, Molster unveiled her own take on tradition, starting with the shapely foyer. “It had to be a ‘wow’ moment, but it also needed to play well with the other rooms,” Molster explains. To that end, she chose a plaster-relief wall treatment featuring flowers, leaves and butterflies, the latter seemingly floating away from the warm taupe-colored surface. Together with a circular white rug boasting its own textured flair, the message is clear, “This is not your average North Carolina country house,” the designer expresses.

If the foyer is the prelude, the living room is a full symphony, boldly communicating the home’s intent with pale-pink walls and a geometrically patterned carpet. “They’re a wake-up call for everything else in the room,” Molster notes. She brought in other striking elements, too, such as rope-wrapped globe chandeliers, nesting coffee tables with exotic stone tops and contemporary artwork. But she tempered their presence with elements that emphasize the space’s architectural formality—a sofa with a crisply tailored skirt, urn-form lamps and embroidered draperies.

A similar heady mix of color and pattern can be found in the bedrooms, each of which has their own distinctive personality. Rosy hues distinguish one guest room, which is bedecked with floral curtains, pink-and-white linens and a raspberry-toned bed. Likewise, the adjoining bathroom is enlivened with a sprightly pink-and-red patterned wallpaper.

Notably, the architectural detail throughout the abode speaks to Molster’s outside-the-box vision. In place of a door separating the family room from the adjacent kitchen, she chose a curved archway. Later, she reports, “We had a eureka moment when we started designing the hood and repeated the shape over the range to draw you in.” Her love of custom cabinetry is also on full view. “We love taking it to the next level,” she shares, pointing to the reeded design of the kitchen island as well as the jewel-box-like wet bar whose cabinets are faced in leather and embellished with bronze tacks in curving designs.

Recasting the residence turned out to be a joyful experience for the design team and the owners. “I love going into a historic home and making it work for today without destroying its integrity,” Molster muses. “We kept the rambling feeling, but now it speaks to who the clients are.”