There's nothing like an opportunity to peek into someone's home -- especially when it's fabulously decorated. So you can imagine how I excited I was to get to visit two of the homes that will be on this weekend's Meridian-Kessler Home Tour.
The tour features seven homes in the historic Indianapolis neighborhood and you can see them from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 on the tour days. There's also a Twilight Tour available on Friday night for $60 each.
From what I've seen so far, it's going to be a great tour.
The first home I visited -- and the one you'll see here today -- is owned by Whitney & Alex Mounts in the 4200 block of North Central. Whitney is the decorator in the family while Alex does much of the hard labor. In just more than five years in the house, the pair have put their "eclectic French Country" flare all over the Colonial Revival home.
"This home is eye candy in bold, luscious golds, crimsons, greens and blues with French Country furnishings, wallpapers and vibrant fabrics," says the tour description of the home.
Indeed, the home is so awash in color and pattern that you can look at a room several times before you've taken it all. She credits "lots of estate sales, flea markets and hand-me-downs" for her amazing furnishings.
Check out all these photos (just click on the images to see them larger):
The living room is a beautiful combination of reclaimed family heirlooms and newer treasures. The sofa and other furnishings came from Whitney's childhood home in Newburgh, Ind. and she had them recovered to match the new decor. The curtains came from her parents' home as well, although she had to shorten them to fit the space.
The French Provincial sideboard (below) is by Karges, a high-end furniture maker in Evansville, although the Mounts bought it at an estate sale in Indianapolis. They picked up the decorative tree during a trip to Africa.
Just off the living room is this small sitting area, a sort of sun room where the family spent much of its time -- until they finished an upstairs den and play area.
The dining room is Whitney's favorite space and features the toile decor she loves. "A dining room is a fairly important space," she said. "I like having a table that everyone gathers around." The room features two porcelain busts that her mother found at a market in the south, Italian transfer ware that Whitney collects and a chandelier from Lowes.
Whitney said previous owners had left the home in amazing condition, including a stylish redo of the home's small kitchen. Even the cobalt blue countertops already were in place so Whitney was able to use one of her favorite colors for the space.
In the front hallway, Whitney established the mood of the house right away with a vibrant wallpaper featuring a colorful Asian scene along one wall. She has Alex to thank for all the wallpaper.
The front hall's other wall is painted a vibrant red, which leads up to a small landing with a large window and beautiful pair of yellow chairs.
Down the hall are the rooms of the couple's two daughters -- 4-year-old Eleanor and nearly 2-year-old Augusta. Eleanor's room features a hot pink and green design, featuring her love of bows, dress-up and all things girly.
Down the hall, Augusta's room features a Paris theme with Tiffany blue and pink. Augusta was much more shy about being photographed.
An office space features two leather chairs that Whitney picked up at a neighborhood garage sale. She recovered the seat cushions.
In the master bedroom, Whitney chose a bright yellow and blue color scheme and included a Matisse print for the wall. The door no longer leads to a balcony but the couple hopes to restore it someday.
Up one more floor is the Mounts' newest space -- a combination den and play room for the girls. The den area continues the French Country theme but with a little more comfort and a little less fussiness. Custom built-in cabinets provide great storage around the television, old family photos add a nostalgic touch and the kids' space is all for playing. Check out the great wall hanging Whitney made by framing pages from an old kids' book. It's in the third photo below.
Thanks to Whitney and Alex for allowing me to invade their space for a tour and photos. And thanks to them for agreeing to part of the tour.
Check back later this week for a tour of another stunning home owned by Kay & Scott Whitaker. Kay calls her decor "eclectic traditional" and the home is filled with gorgeous art glass and beautiful fabrics.
Also, you can check out a more modern home that will be on the tour here.
