Published: December 2014
I don’t know about you, but the first time I enter a home that I simply adore, I get this warm and tingly feeling … almost like goosebumps. And then, I want to know ALL about everything that inspired the designer to make his or her decisions. The process fascinates me. Many times, the designer and homeowner are two different people, but every now and then, they are one and the same. Colleen Locke, of Trot, is one such talented soul. Over the years, she has renovated six houses, most recently in the tony neighborhood of Green Hills in Nashville, TN. Today, we get to tour her modern-vintage home, which is all decked out for Christmas, and talk with Colleen about how she followed her passion into an interior design career.
Colleen’s first home was more than 150 years old and needed some serious renovating. From there, the design bug set in and a career in design, sourcing and collaborating was born. She also owned a retail store in Ohio, which you may have seen in the “What’s Hot” section of Elle Decor. The store, Trot Home, was seriously cool and the space was fabulous. Along the way, her homes have landed in some of our favorite decor magazines, including Lonny and Domino. Now that Colleen and her family have moved to Nashville, her business sense isn’t devoted to retail sales and sourcing for her store, but to helping friends and clients create their special space and assisting designers from all over find the perfect piece. You see, Colleen has a knack for tracking down fabulous 20th-century items that create the design dance of modern and vintage, which is lovely to behold.
With this love of mixing modern and vintage, we knew that Colleen’s house would be stunning at Christmas, and sure enough, it is. We sent Wiff Harmer of Wiff Harmer Photography to capture this beautiful home.
After seeing the house, I couldn’t help but wonder what Colleen’s family’s Christmas traditions were. Here are three keepers:
- Her three children, all in their late teens and early 20s, still receive new pjs on Christmas Eve, a tradition passed down from her mother.
- Christmas Eve dinner is fondue.
- Christmas morning always includes freshly made donuts!
Between the fondue and the donuts, Colleen laughs that a lot of oil is used in her home on Christmas! And, her sweet dog, Chaya, was born on Christmas Eve. Her kids named the Newfoundland, and her Hebrew name means “full of life.” I think Colleen’s whole home is full of life, so this name is telling!
Thank you, Colleen for letting us into your home today. Special thanks to Wiff Harmer for the gorgeous photos.