BEHIND THE DESIGN
- kathy0048
- Oct 21
- 4 min read
OCTOBER 22, 2025 | CASHIERS, NC
As a child one of my favorite Aesop's fables starred the ragamuffin Country Mouse and the dapper City Mouse, chronicling their joint misadventures. Even then, I couldn’t decide whose world I preferred. The simple clarity of the country called to me; so did the hum of the city.
Today, as a professional interior designer, I’ve come to see that the true moral of the story is that we don’t have to pick one.
MY DESIGN DNA
My work is recognized for a particular design DNA – a modern classic mix in a light, bright palette with lots of texture and organic cues. While always relaxed and inviting, my city interiors lean toward the sophisticated and refined. Simultaneously, vacation and second homes tend to be more dialed back, yet elegant and elevated. The same, but different, one might say. Town and country. One coin, two sides.
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The backstory
And thus, once upon a time – earlier this year to be exact – my very own Aesop's fable came to life with longtime clients, distinctly “city mice,” with a fabulous Lisa Sherry Interiors designed home in Morrocroft Village, a coveted urban enclave in the heart of Charlotte, NC.
This family of four – five if you count one precocious Doodle – recently purchased a second home in Cashiers, North Carolina. Less than 200 miles from the bright lights of Charlotte, Cashiers is a High Country communion with nature – and a world apart.
As their designer, my job was to honor the differences and similarities. I love juxtapositions – in life and design – and immediately jumped. Here's what happened next….
Where to begin?
I began with a question: what does it mean to live beautifully in the mountains? Cashiers has a distinct rhythm — slower, softer, and deeply connected to nature. The architecture of this home set the stage, with tall windows framing endless greens, blues and browns. LSI interiors always take their cues from the surroundings and structure — this house practically whispered its intent.
The color of nature
The color story is quiet but warm. Neutrals rule, but they aren’t monotone — think oatmeal, sand, flax, mushroom, the colors of mottled river rock and shale. When the palette is this honed, texture becomes the new color: boucle, nubby linens, knotted wools, even stone and wood with honest grain.
Furniture and art
Furniture selections tell their own story. Everything feels rooted, even when newly made. Wood pieces are substantial and authentic, often reclaimed or crafted to feel timeworn. Upholstery invites touch — casual, comfortable, and designed for real life.
In the dining area, I couldn’t resist a nod to history. Windsor chairs are a timeless classic, but rarely a comfortable one. This reimagined version brings 2025 sensibility — graceful, sturdy, and paired with seat pads to encourage long dinners and lingering conversation.
In a Lisa Sherry Interieurs home art is always a dialogue with place. In this home, it’s the opening salvo. An original work of art by Dawn Sweitzer graces the entry. Moody and evocative, this very modern landscape echoes the High Country environment and sets the tone for all that’s to come in the home.
Go with the flow The floor plan flows like a current. Living, dining, porch — one seamless experience of movement and light. I love when a home breathes, and this one truly does. The porch feels like an extension of the open floor plan interior, dressed for comfort in warm woods and soft neutrals, with the forest itself as ever-changing artwork.
Every family member has a place. The bunk room is a clear favorite, designed with both function and fun in mind. Built-in beds, clever storage, and easy comfort make it the ideal retreat for kids, cousins and weekend guests. The primary suite, by contrast, is pure exhale — serene and restorative, a private corner for pause and reflection.
Vintage Moroccan rugs layer subtle pattern and patina underfoot. They soften transitions, define space, and lend the soulfulness that only something well-traveled can bring.
The moral of the story
Familiar clients, familiar shorthand — and space to stretch creatively. Our shared trust allowed the design to evolve naturally, shifting from city pulse to mountain tempo without missing a beat. Everything is in harmony. The Cashiers address is open, nuanced yet light filled, and fully in conversation with the trees outside every window.
After all, to “live beautiful” – my mantra – is to make a home in all worlds.Why choose THIS or THAT when both are within reach.
BUILDER: Loudermilk Homes PHOTOGRAPHY: STACEY VAN BERKEL