Interior designers Ann Shipp and Roger Higgins met in design school 30 years ago. They found their skills and talents complemented each other’s well—in both work (at their firm, R. Higgins Interiors) and life. Their current home was an erstwhile 1950s ranch house in the Belle Meade neighborhood of Nashville that they dramatically transformed into a gracious, spacious home. At Christmastime, the home’s sophisticated palette of taupes, creams, and gray-blues with pops of chartreuse is the perfect backdrop for lush green garlands and wreaths, accents of gold, and a tree with shimmering glass ornaments. “We don’t use anything with too much color—it’s pretty much green, white, and brown” says Shipp of their holiday palette.
Their most-used and most-loved room is the library/den, where they opened up the nine-foot ceilings to create a wood-paneled, barrel-vaulted ceiling that echoes the golden leather of the antique books lining shelves, making the room exceptionally warm and inviting. The existing slate floor “was something I wanted to save, and it prompted the color palette,” says Higgins, inspiring the rich blue-gray wrapping the walls, millwork, and curtains.
“I like to do dining room walls in a deep color because I think it enhances the intimacy,” says Higgins of these charcoal walls, accented with a chartreuse tablecloth. He painted the large artwork himself “in about 30 seconds” before a dinner party.
Through years of doing Christmas decorations for their clients, Higgins and Shipp have learned many tips and tricks. “I love the smell of fresh greenery,” says Higgins, but given the length of the holiday season, “I like using things that will hold up and look good, but I don’t want it to look fake.” Their secret: “We mix different types of greenery together and then add real pinecones.” Join Higgins and Shipp on this inspiring tour of a home that shines at the holidays—and year-round.
