Nicole Hitchens and her husband, Melvin, were expecting their second daughter in just a few weeks when they purchased their dream home in West Mobile’s Canebrake estates. Adding to the pressure, the Hitchens’ older daughter, Savannah, was about to start school. The family needed to get settled in — and fast.
Nicole immediately picked up the phone and dialed Andrea Meade. The two had first connected several years earlier thanks to a simple follow on Instagram. During the pandemic, Andrea and her team at Ellie Cate Designs, a boutique interior design firm in Hoover, had remotely tackled the renovations for a couple of rooms in the Hitchens’ previous home. Since most of their relatives are scattered all over the U.S., from New Orleans to Indianapolis, Mississippi to Kalamazoo, they wanted to update a few spaces to host out-of-town guests, as well as newfound Mobile “family,” once lockdown was over. Throughout the virtual design process, the two became fast friends, and Nicole knew she could trust her with a much bigger project on a much tighter deadline a second go round.
“I knew I’d need lots of help since the new house was much larger than our old one, and I didn’t even know where to begin,” Nicole says.
As soon as they signed on the dotted line, the Hitchens grabbed the keys to their new place and hurried over to meet Andrea for a walkthrough. The three-story, federal-style L. Craig Roberts home had been built in 1981. It boasted incredible bones and architectural details, such as soaring ceilings, exquisite hardwood floors and custom molding and millwork that the Hitchens knew they wanted to maintain. With more than 6,000 square feet, including a spacious dining room, home theater, backyard pool and tennis courts, it also had ample space for entertaining, which the family enjoys. Nicole is an avid cook, and she and Savannah often bake together, with pound cake being their specialty.
While the house had its obvious selling points, the existing paint and textiles were a bit dated for the Hitchens’ taste. One non-negotiable was to trade out the ‘90s burgundy and mustard color palette for more muted black, white and gray tones. Both Nicole, who works in medical device sales and training, and Melvin, a local real estate professional, prefer a traditional yet modern aesthetic in neutral, calming shades. But above all, they appreciate comfort and durability for their young family so all of the furnishings had to appeal to both form and function. “I enjoy nice things, but they have to be comfortable — nothing too precious. We’re casual, not really fancy people,” Nicole says. While it’s part of her routine to travel all around the country for work, she works from home the remainder of the time, making it imperative to ensure the Hitchens’ home is a place they love to live and work.
Andrea took their needs to heart and set to work creating inspiration boards for each problem space. “Our main goal was to keep the integrity of the traditional home style but elevate it to a more modern way of living,” Andrea says. Original lighting was swapped for sleek brass finishes in simple, streamlined designs. The one exception was the original foyer chandelier. Nicole appreciates a hint of sparkle, and it beautifully reflects the entryway’s streams of natural light. For seating and furnishings, Andrea sourced elegant pieces with clean lines, all in easy-to-clean textiles.
When it came to the final details, the Hitchens wanted to be surrounded with meaningful family memories, as well as reminders of their cultural heritage.
Portraits of their girls, Savannah and Summer, are displayed alongside eclectic African-American artwork. In the foyer, the couple’s wedding broom, encrusted with exquisite vintage brooches, hangs in a shadow box next to a trio of giant neutral abstract canvases.
It all came together even better than the Hitchens had imagined, and they couldn’t be more thrilled with how Andrea and her team seamlessly combined their distinct taste with the home’s time-honored architecture.
Fortunately, the renovations were ready for the big reveal on a balmy Mobile day last August — just in time to welcome new baby Summer home from the hospital and usher big sister Savannah into a new school year.
As the family of four settled into their new space and routines, they have been overjoyed to have the opportunity to host relatives and friends. Their Canebrake home has become the perfect gathering place, whether for a Christmas sweets baking bash, a more formal Easter dinner or an impromptu backyard swim party. And all is just as they’d hoped and dreamed.
All in the Details
FOYER
While classically elegant, the home’s soaring ceilings and massive windows meant designer Andrea Meade had to keep scale at the forefront of her design decisions throughout the rooms. In the foyer, keeping the decor clean and simple allowed the architecture to shine, especially the elegant half-round transom window above the front door.
SITTING ROOM
A sophisticated sitting room was a must for Nicole. She wanted a natural space for guests to flow into after a home-cooked dinner. Double display cabinets flanking the fireplace balance the height of the windows, while adding plenty of shelf space for eye-catching ceramics, sculptural pieces and treasured family photos. Custom swivel chairs from Pottery Barn surround a brass coffee table by Uttermost, and a warm abstract-patterned rug by Jaipiur Living creates visual movement beneath. Oversized abstract art from Harp and Finial pops against Sherwin Williams Dovetail gray walls and crisp Alabaster white trim and fireplace molding.
FAMILY ROOM
Nicole, Melvin and their girls spend most of their time gathered in the large family room off the kitchen. Keeping the room’s scale in mind, Andrea designed a giant customized sectional with modern lines and had it upholstered in a forgiving smoke gray fabric. An oversized coffee table by Uttermost paired with a large abstract rug from Jaipiur Living and a brass chandelier by Acroma blend the design with the rest of the home.
DINING
The dining room walls received a fresh coat of Gray Matters by Sherwin Williams, while custom linen draperies in a beige white mimic the double pinch pleat style used in the sitting room across the hall. A large gray rug with a subtle abstract pattern anchors a Bernhardt dining table that has been paired with modern chairs upholstered in a soft gray velvet. Above them, a bold brass light fixture by Crystorama makes a sleek statement. Complimentary brass sconces flank the crisp Alabaster white fireplace.
THE FINAL TOUCHES
Interior designer Andrea Meade brough the Hitchens’ dreams of home to life. The couple framed their wedding broom in a shadow box and have it displayed in the foyer as a symbol of their devotion.
