'I've got to have color.' Bonnycastle apartment comes alive with eclectic furnishings, colorful rooms
When Jason Jennings first set eyes on his Bonnycastle apartment two years ago, he fell in love with the numerous windows that allowed natural light to flow throughout the space.
One feature he wasn’t thrilled about was the walls — each painted white. Soon enough, the interior and floral designer decided to do something about his achromatic surroundings.
“I lived with all white for a year,” he recalled. “Then I was like, I’ve got to have color.”
Jennings headed to Home Depot and picked paint to match some of his favorite hues. Today, every room of his home is a different color, each space filled with complementary furnishings and decor.
Nice and neutral
The living room walls are painted wheat straw, a golden-beige hue reminiscent of a toasted biscuit.
“I wanted this room to be kind of neutral because it’s the living room and I’m always in here,” Jennings said. “So I knew I wanted it to be a nice, neutral, calming color.”
Though the walls are a bit subdued, nothing about the space is bland. The room is a reflection of Jennings’ eclectic style, which blends English, French, and American influences.
“I (also) love animals,” he said, “so there’s lots of birds and other animals around the house.”
Bird, deer, and Staffordshire dog figurines adorn the built-in shelf, which features a back panel that Jennings has painted blue.
In the opposite corner of the room sits a sugar chest that has been in the family for generations; next to it, a sofa and another small table that Jennings received from friends.
“A lot of things were given to me when I first moved in,” Jennings said, “so it’s collected.”
From friends and family
The walls of the other rooms boast a variety of different hues. There’s royal blue in the front room; chocolate brown in the bathroom; a shade of green dubbed globe artichoke in the kitchen; and a deep plum color in the bedroom.
“I’m attracted to purple, but I didn’t want it to be a screaming purple,” Jennings said, adding that the hue changes a bit throughout the day, depending on how much sunshine is coming through the windows.
The light accentuates the room’s decor, which includes sconces from Jennings’ grandparents’ home in Shelbyville, a dresser from his aunt and uncle — with real turkey feathers hanging from above — and unique bedding from India.
“I have a good friend who is Indian, and one of her twin sons is my godson,” Jennings said, “so I have a lot of Indian things around the house.”
This includes a furniture piece in the bathroom, sconces in the kitchen, and unique handles on a cabinet.
Personalized pieces
In the front room — a multipurpose space used for everything from relaxing and crafting to hosting dinner parties for up to eight guests — there are more one-of-a-kind items that Jennings has collected over the years.
One of his favorite pieces is an old two-seater church pew. “I found it in an alley, and it was broken,” Jennings explained. “I had a buddy of mine wood glue it back together.”
On the other side of the room, a wooden schoolmaster’s desk is another cherished piece. Crafted by Jennings’ grandfather, it now holds books, cards, framed photos, and other small items.
While much of the apartment is filled with pieces from Jennings’ friends and family, there are also a handful of items that have deep personal meaning. Atop the mantel in the front room, for example, there sits a large painting of his late dog, Moose.
“A friend of mine painted (it) off a picture from Facebook,” Jennings explained. “I knew when I first moved in (that it would) go right there.”
To the left of the desk, a collage of framed images adorns the wall. One picture is a framed piece of a paper shopping bag from Wakefield-Scearce Gallery, an English import antique gallery in Shelbyville.
“My great uncle was Mark Scearce, (and) I worked there in high school,” Jennings explained, “so I got English influences from that.”
On a wall of the sun porch is another piece of documentation from Jennings’ past and the people who helped shape the person he is today: a framed newspaper article from 1986 all about his grandmother.
“She taught me how to clean, (and) she taught me how to do yard sales and things like that,” Jennings said, “so I’ve had her influence big time.”
In addition to the space, Jennings is quite fond of the neighborhood and all its charm. He often gazes out from his second-floor abode, taking in the peaceful view that overlooks Eastern Parkway.
“This whole apartment, I love,” he said. “It just has its quirks, and the floors creak — it’s home to me.”
Know a house that would make a great Home of the Week? Email writer Lennie Omalza at aloha@lennieomalza.com or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at kgregory@gannett.com.
nuts & bolts
Resident: Jason Jennings, who is an interior and floral designer.
Home: This is a one-bed, one-bath, 1,000-square-foot apartment in Bonnycastle. It was built in 1862.
Distinctive elements: Colorful walls; vintage collectibles; antiques.
Applause! Applause! Painter Miguel Iglesias.
More: Take a peek inside the Harbison House, an 1870s Victorian Italianate home on 200 acres
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Jason Jennings Bonnycastle apartment Louisville, Kentucky
