When 27-year-old Tennille Daniels set about putting her own flavor into her three-level home two years ago, the women of the family came over to help her. It was her first home, after all.
Working with a strict budget, the healthcare project manager decided to leave the first-floor entryway in the builder’s original eggshell color. She reserved the design budget for the second and third levels, areas where she expected to spend the most time.
As it happened, the neutral colors of the entryway served as the perfect setup for the pleasant surprise of color waiting at the top of the stairs in the family room and kitchen.
Daniels applied a bold color palette, painting the walls a medium tan with hints of orange which flows well into the peach kitchen. The powder room walls are painted a deep orange accented with dark swirls.
She was not ready for the reactions from her mother, her two grandmothers, two aunts and a cousin. “It was hard for them to see my vision,” she said. Her mother thought the colors were too bright. Daniels came to realize “They were afraid of color.”
Her mom’s fears not being hers, Daniels continued her bold approach with her color choices in the bedrooms on the third floor. The chocolate walls in the master bedroom play well with the dark wood chest of drawers accented with silver knob pulls. The guest bedroom is ready for royalty with purple walls. “I love color,” she said.
Before she chose her colors, Daniels said her design process began with deciding the mood she wants to set. With a modest budget to keep her in check, she sought out great accessories and art “that speaks to her” at stores like T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and Home Goods. “I like my art to tell the story of a young, contemporary woman with style.” And a woman of influence, she could argue.
Apparent inspired by her daughter’s bold use of color, Daniels’ mother, Joycelyn, added some color to rooms when she remodeled her own house later.
If money were no object, Daniels would do things a bit differently. “I would stay away from carpet, have hardwood floors and granite countertops.”
Design by Tennille Daniels:
Daniels’ home is her research laboratory. It is where she tries out new things from wall color to cooking recipes. The young homeowner treasures a place to entertain friends her way and relax in a space she can call her own.
Tennille Daniels’ Style
- STYLE PHILOSOPHY: Create a warm, inviting living space that is contemporary and chic yet livable. I also wanted to focus on creating a knockout look on a reasonable budget.
- STYLE SECRETS: My style secrets are HomeGoods, TJMaxx, Marshalls and Ross. I also looked through various types of magazines to see different color combinations and to get design ideas. Don’t only look at home magazines for advice, you can also find ideas in Essence and In Style.
- GOT STYLE FROM: I was born into style. My mother, grandmothers, aunts and cousins are die-hard shoppers with absolutely fabulous style. As a little girl, we went from store to store every weekend and from those experiences and memories grew my sense of style. The funny part is that my mom didn’t always agree with my style. My mom was at my house when my uncle began painting my living room burnt orange. As the first strokes went up on the wall, my mom called me in a frenzy saying “Tennille, this color is so bright, I don’t think you are going to like it.” I told her that it would be fine. The real reason she called is because she was afraid of color on the walls. I had a vision and I had to see it through. She absolutely loved the end result.
- COMFORT VS. STYLE: I do not think one should have to choose between comfort and style. Today, there are many options that are comfortable yet stylish. This is what I based my design style on. The goal should be to create spaces that are chic yet livable.
- COLOR VS. TEXTURE: I would definitely have to say COLOR! A carefully picked color palette can make any room with any texture make a statement. Color gives the room the extra POP it needs to stand above the rest. I truly believe if I had the same furniture, the same accessories, but with white walls, you would not be talking to me today.
- FAVORITE COLOR: My favorite colors in terms of home décor and design are warm and natural hues such as browns, tans, oranges and dark reds. These colors make me feel right at home and can lift my spirits when I am in a bad mood.
- WHAT DOES COLOR SAY TO YOU?: I truly believe that colors define who you are — your personality, your style, your outlook on life — color tells your story!
- MUST-HAVES IN YOUR HOUSE: A comfy couch that you can come home to and lay down on after dealing with the hustle and bustle of the world. You also need a high-definition flat-screen TV with DVR so you can catch all of your favorite shows. Now that I have DVR, I can’t imagine what life was like when I had to wait for the reruns to come on.
- MOST BELOVED OBJECT: My house is my most beloved object. It gives me everything I need — a place to rest, a place to try new things from new colors on the wall to a new recipe, a place to entertain, a place to come home to and call my OWN!
- WHAT PEOPLE WOULDN’T KNOW ABOUT ME/US: Everyone thinks I am such the social butterfly — always so busy — but what they do not know is that I do really enjoy my quiet time at home.
- WE WOULD NEVER: have a house filled with white walls — it’s so BORING!
- FAVORITE DESIGNERS: Me, myself, and I plus Nate Berkus, Sherdette Daniels, and all of the HGTV designers.
- HOT TIP: Look for creative and innovative ways to use ordinary things. You can find treasures in trash.
- LIFE ADVICE: If you can’t go in style, don’t go at all.
- WORDS TO GROW BY: My dad always told me “you’ll never find the treasure, if you don’t look under the dirt.” Don’t be afraid to take risk and get dirty, it is here where you will make the best memories and find some of the greatest things.
