A Designer's Dream Client & Their Art-Centric Hollywood Home

When Jayne and David Westbrook decided to move from Jackson, Mississippi, to Birmingham, Alabama, to be closer to their only daughter, son-in-law and grandson, they had an immediate connection to help them find the perfect home: Sean Beam and David Lee Walker of Richard Tubb Interiors. The interior design duo used to pine for the Westbrooks, one of their favorite clients, to leave Jackson and move to Birmingham, and were thrilled to learn their wish had come true.

“We just love their willingness to let us do what they have hired us to do,” says Sean, who previously designed the Westbrook’s daughter’s condo in Birmingham. “So much of what we do is based upon trust, and when you have a client who understands that, it makes for a much better working relationship and ultimately a better outcome of the project.”

In Jayne and David Westbrook's Homewood home, a peek from the foyer into the dining room and sun room — both with the Old World arches and mix of modern and traditional decor — makes for a stunning image. — In Jayne and David Westbrook’s home, a peek from the foyer into the dining room and sun room — both with the Old World arches and mix of modern and traditional decor — makes for a stunning image.

Designer David Lee Walker snapped a pic of the finished room right after the installation. Bernhardt Interiors, who created the beautiful leather chairs, responded to the pic , saying they absolutely loved it and would love to share it! — Designer David Lee Walker snapped a pic of the finished room right after the installation. Bernhardt Interiors, who created the beautiful leather chairs, responded to the pic, saying they absolutely loved it and would love to share it!

A view from the dining room and into the kitchen, offers a glimpse of the pass-through butler's pantry and bar. — A view from the dining room into the kitchen offers a glimpse of the fabulous pass-through butler’s pantry and bar.

Quintessentially Southern, Jayne always greets guests with fresh cookies and nibbles, cold beverages and her signature offering, Tab colas. And if you’re not thirsty, she’ll simply charm you with conversation and laughter. Sean and David are equally as effervescent and thoughtful, even finding retro-style Tab cola glasses for Jayne to add to her hostess arsenal. Needless to say, a friendship was born early on between client and designers.

Sean recalls an afternoon when he and Jayne had a ball placing all of Jayne’s daughter Haley’s wedding gifts in two new glass cabinets he found. “We had the best time arranging her wedding china and Annieglass,” says Sean. “But we are very hands-on in that way, loving to use people’s personal collections and objects that have meaning to them; everything doesn’t have to be from the store. To us, that’s what makes a space really special: that it is really them.”

Sean and David were a part of the process from the get-go, meeting the Westbrooks along the house-hunting trail and consulting on each potential abode. They decided to settle on a charming six-bedroom home in the historic Hollywood enclave in Homewood. “It’s so quaint here,” says Jayne. “It’s like Mayberry.”

The Westbrooks chose a lovely home in the heart of the historic Hollywood neighborhood of Homewood.

The Westbrooks put their pool to good use, especially when hosting their extensive family and beloved grandson. — The Westbrooks put their pool to good use, especially when hosting their extensive family and beloved grandson, Gus.

On the patio, a built-in grill features a built-in lamplight. — On the patio, a built-in grill features a built-in lamplight, perfect for evening grilling!

"I have to say that this is probably David's favorite room," says Jayne. "He likes to sit out here at night with the radio on." — “I have to say that this is probably David’s favorite room,” says Jayne. “He likes to sit out here at night with the radio on.”

“When we started working with Jayne in the very beginning, we knew that they wanted everything to be livable and comfortable,” says Sean. “Nothing was going to be just for show.”

Jayne adds, “And I really wanted this main floor to be just beautiful. I’m getting ready to be 67, and my husband is semi-retired, so we thought, ‘Well, this floor will be transferred to a condo when we’re ready to downsize.’”

“One thing that is very special about our house is that my husband, David, has done all of the artwork, every piece,” says Jayne of her artist husband, who is a doctor by trade. “It’s not his profession, but it’s his passion, and he loves doing it. And it’s as important to me as it is to him.”

Sean also says that this is one of his favorite things about the house. “It’s not the norm that we have a collection of art painted by the homeowner. David and I chose Glacier White for the ceiling, walls and trim, because we knew it was going to be a great backdrop for the furnishings, but really the artwork would shine on that Glacier White.”

"This room turned out to be just stunning," says Jayne. "They've showcased David's art just beautifully." — “This room turned out to be just stunning,” says Jayne. “They’ve showcased David’s art just beautifully.”

"We used those etageres to display their McCarty Pottery collection, because they really add height to the room," says Sean. And we couldn't agree more: this striking pottery display is both subdued yet grandiose. — “We used those etageres to display their McCarty Pottery collection, because they really add height to the room,” says Sean. And we couldn’t agree more; this striking pottery display is both subdued yet grandiose.

"I inherited this table, and I absolutely love it; it's one of my favorite things but we just didn't have the right chairs," says Jayne. "They added the chairs, and it has softened everything." — “I inherited this table, and I absolutely love it; it’s one of my favorite things, but we just didn’t have the right chairs,” says Jayne. “They added the chairs, and it has softened everything.”

"This is another Mississippi thing. These are Wolfe birds," says Jayne of the sideboard arrangement Sean and David created using their treasured belongings. " You know the saying that if you see a red cardinal, somebody is visiting you from heaven? Well, we have a cardinal for each of our mothers, as well as a couple of lovebirds that we used on top of a cake. Everything in this sun room we brought with us except the fiddle-leaf fig.But that's what I love about Sean and David. It's not about selling something. It's about taking what you've got and making it beautiful." — “This is another Mississippi thing. These are Wolfe birds,” says Jayne of the sideboard arrangement Sean and David created using their treasured belongings. “You know the saying that if you see a red cardinal, somebody is visiting you from heaven? Well, we have a cardinal for each of our mothers, as well as a couple of lovebirds that we used on top of a cake. Everything in this sun room we brought with us except the fiddle-leaf fig. But that’s what I love about Sean and David. It’s not about selling something. It’s about taking what you’ve got and making it beautiful.”

The black iconic Eames chair was a surprise 65th birthday gift for David Westbrook.

"One of our favorite things about the house is removing the built-in cabinet over the island between the kitchen and den. This made for a much more open and larger space," says Sean. "And it made the kitchen much more functional for entertaining family and friends." — “One of our favorite things about the house is removing the built-in cabinet over the island between the kitchen and den. This made for a much more open and larger space,” says Sean. “And it made the kitchen much more functional for entertaining family and friends.”

The sun-bathed breakfast nook is part of the open floor plan which includes the kitchen, dining corner and living area, all of which connects to the screened-in porch and patio and looks out onto the pool. — The sun-bathed breakfast nook is part of the open floor plan that includes the kitchen, dining corner and living area, and they all connect to the screened-in porch and patio and look out onto the pool.

The window-surrounded breakfast nook is simply dreamy.

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The clear glass cabinets, large windows and gorgeous white counter tops make for an airy, white, inviting space.

And not only is this clean, bright backdrop now bedecked with bright, beautiful pieces of art that are each meaningful to the family, but the six-bedroom home is regularly filled with members from Haley’s family down the street and extended family from Gadsden, Alabama; Atlanta, Georgia; and Jackson, Mississippi. “This is another reason we made it livable,” says Sean. “Nothing is fragile in this house.” For holidays and long weekends, the families converge, and Jayne plays host to upwards of 20 people at once, and the home is brimming with life. Sean jokes that Jayne is running a small boutique hotel. “That’s the thing,” says Jayne. “I love to make it pretty, and my sister is very good with food, so we make a great team.”

All parties involved teem with excitement when it comes to even talking about installation day. “They come in and say, ‘OK, see you later!’ And we leave, and then they call us when they are through, and we walk in, and everything is perfectly placed — our things that we love mixed with new things — and it’s like, ‘Oh, my gosh! It’s a total makeover!” Sean agrees, saying that the weeks of seeing things, showing the client pictures and fabrics, and ordering things are totally worth it. “All of that work comes to fruition,” says David. “When you actually pull it all together and you make someone that happy — it’s just so joyous to give that to someone. And it’s so personal to us. It’s thrilling to see how David’s artwork has taken on this incredible life of its own in this space.”

Jayne admits that everyone feels compelled to touch this enthralling wallpaper. Sean explains, " It looks corrugated; it looks like a drapery or like bubbles, depending on how the light hits it." When in low light, it is utterly transfixing. — Jayne admits that everyone feels compelled to touch this enthralling wallpaper. Sean explains, “It looks corrugated; it looks like a drapery or like bubbles, depending on how the light hits it.” When in low light, it is utterly transfixing.

"The nice thing was that we really didn’t have to change the footprint in here," says Sean of the master bath renovation. "It was really just selecting pretty, updated, new fresh surfaces and finishes." — “The nice thing was that we really didn’t have to change the footprint in here,” says Sean of the master bath renovation. “It was really just selecting pretty, updated, fresh surfaces and finishes.”

Steam shower, heated bathroom floors and next-level fixtures and finishes elevated this everyday bathroom to a stunning hers-and-his oasis.

This downstairs "rec room" area, which leads directly into the pool, has two television sets and Jayne refers to it as the "football room." — This downstairs rec room area, which leads directly into the pool, has two television sets, and Jayne refers to it as the “football room.”

This TV area not only boasts a comfy viewing area, but also, as Sean pints out, " washable slip-covers, so that anybody coming from the pool wouldn't have to worry about that." Jayne adds, "And you can even take the rugs outside and just hose them off. And everything is just so great-looking, and they just pulled it all together." — This TV area not only boasts a comfy viewing area, but also, as Sean points out, “washable slipcovers, so that anybody coming from the pool wouldn’t have to worry about that. Nothing is fragile in this house.” Jayne adds, “You can just take the rugs outside and just hose them off! Everything is just so great-looking, and they just pulled it all together.”

Light a fire in the fireplace and cozy up with the family for a good movie in the winter or step in from a hot sunny day by the pool to catch some football in the AC with friends.

We walk downstairs and into the laid-back football-viewing rec room and meander into David Westbrook’s art studio, where a commissioned portrait of Sean’s late King Cavalier pups sits on the easel. Sean asks if he can see it, even though it is still a work in progress. Sean has to catch his breath. Speechless and moved, he finally says, “That is beautiful.”

Jayne says she just can’t say enough about Sean and David. She sums it up by landing on, simply, “They are just our friends.” Currently, the designers are helping the Westbrooks find their next home — ideally a one-story home. “It’s fun thinking about what the future may hold. It’s not just this house, and we’re done,” says Sean. “We’re going to be working with them, probably until I’m in a nursing home, and they are on the other end of the nursing home!” They all laugh, and Jane adds, “Absolutely!”

Thank you to Eric and Jamie Gay of Eric & Jamie Photography for today’s beautiful photography!

Thank you to Sean Beam and David Lee Walker of Richard Tubb Interiors for sharing their gorgeous work with us! To see more of their fabulous interiors, follow them on Instagram at seanbeam_davidwalker.

RESOURCES:

Interior designers: Sean Beam and David Lee Walker of Richard Tubb Interiors
Paint: Benjamin Moore
Kitchen counter tops: Birmingham Marble Works, (205) 988-5585
Kitchen table and Louis ghost chairs: Design Within Reach
Plumbing fixtures, tub and wall tile in master bath: Fixtures & Finishes
Floor tile in master bath: Robert F. Henry Tile Company
Lighting: Currey & Company, Visual Comfort & Co., Robert Abbey and Arteriors
Lampshades: Village Firefly
Rugs: King’s House Oriental Rugs and Billy Brown Flooring
Upholstered furniture: Bernhardt Interiors and Lee Industries

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A Designer’s Dream Client & Their Dreamy Art-Centric Home

RESOURCES:

Lauren Helmer

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