The Feminine Mystique
Not every client gives an interior designer carte blanche and a generous budget to create the home of their dreams. In fact, it’s a rare client indeed who displays that level of trust and assurance. But Amanda Walton asked Alisha Gwen to do just that, beginning with the plans for her new home being built in Upper St. Clair.
The mother of three wanted a fresh start after a divorce. She found a lot that came with architectural plans she knew could be altered to suit her family’s needs. And so she enlisted the aid of Gwen, whose Alisha Gwen Interior Design is located in Shadyside. Gwen had been doing some design work in the family’s previous home and recently had made some purchases that would transfer well to the new space. Beyond that, everything down to the sheets and towels was new.
“It’s just part of our process,” says Gwen. “We order new bedding and press it so you feel like you’re in a hotel, and we like to incorporate monogrammed towels for a personal touch. We make sure the client is on board with our full scope of services.”
Working with the builder and her junior designer, Kereanna O’Donnell, Gwen chose all the finishes inside and out, including the slate roof. The house with 26 rooms was completed and furnished within 18 months. The final install took one month, during which the family took a vacation.
“I always joke to the clients that we’re kicking you out of the house,” Gwen says. “They got off the plane at 11 a.m. and came straight to the house. We did a full reveal, with a poolside lunch of champagne and Chick-fil-A.”
Gwen, a native of West Virginia, moved to Pittsburgh 15 years ago and began working for a designer in the South Hills. She decided to enter her own work on HGTV’s Showhouse Showdown and was chosen for the series. That gave her the encouragement to start her own firm and she attracted a steady list of clients.
“But this was the first time doing a project of this scale, where the level of trust from the client was so high. She trusted in the process and my vision and knew I was going to handle the day-to-day for her. When you can find a client who trusts you to execute the vision you both agreed upon, really magical things can happen.”
For her part, Walton was sure that Gwen could deliver the house she wanted for the next phase of her life.
“I had been following Alisha on Instagram for years and my best friend knew her from college,” says Walton. “What she did to my previous house was so transformative to the space. When I was starting fresh, I wanted a happy vibe and she works with bright colors and fun patterns. I knew she would be the perfect fit for the project. I had full confidence in her ability to run with it.”
Walton wanted her home to be carefree and comfortable for her children, family and friends. She likes to entertain, and so there are assorted spaces, including a home theater. The color palette features a range of pastels in keeping with her desire for the house to be light and bright. And there is definitely a female twist to the proceedings.
That’s especially true in the primary suite. Though some of the furniture including the bed came from the former home, the bath and dressing room are chic, sophisticated and feminine. Varying shades of blue and aqua flow through the suite, where a House of Rohl tub takes center stage in the expansive bath and the dressing room is covered in Voutsa’s Gingham Blue paper. Bet Garcia, Walton’s friend, created art in many of the rooms inspired by the fabrics, but the piece in the dressing room reflects all the things Walton loves.
Gwen generally starts the design process with a fabric or wallcovering, but in this case she was also guided by the previous purchases Walton wanted to incorporate into the new space. The former great room furniture is now in the basement, and the table and rug from the dining are set against new wallpaper. Gwen prefers large projects and thinking about how multiple spaces connect, as well as how the family is going to live in the house. But the surest sign that she was on the right track came when she presented the design scheme for the entire house and only had to change one pillow fabric — at the request of the son, who had final say in the home theater.
“A lot of our projects are client-focused, so I look to them for their inspiration. I think the final look ends up being a combination of them and me. I’m also known for showing clients unique color combinations, and the same goes for pattern and texture. The more variety you can put into a design, the more successful it is.”
The Walton house is the consummate example of that philosophy. The sherbet tones contrasted with darker hues and assorted wallcoverings lead the eye from one room to the next, offering both variety and continuity. The house has a vibrant, young feeling and a great sense of fun.
“I smile all the time walking through all the spaces, and my kids love it,” says Walton. “I couldn’t be more happy. I can’t thank Alisha enough!”
Marylynn Uricchio is the former film critic and SEEN/society editor for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. She now writes fiction in addition to articles about architecture and design.
