"It's always been a dream of mine to live in a little historic home," explains interior designer Lisa Gilmore of her freshly decorated 1920s cottage. In an ironic twist of events, Gilmore's divorce, which paralleled a client-turned-friend-turned-housemate's split with his partner, afforded her the opportunity to move from her downtown high-rise to an old home located on a historic brick street in a charming neighborhood of St. Petersburg, Florida. With bones this good, Gilmore put a deposit down after a drive-by and a peek through the windows.
Gilmore didn't do much to the space in terms of renovation, so the onus was on the decor—her strong suit. In what she describes as "livable glamour," her aesthetic is refined and tasteful while steering clear of unattainable. Across from a painting scored from an artist in Paris sits one from Home Goods. Ikea's modular closet system rests by a vintage Barbara Barry Baker desk. It's all about that high-low mix in the home of the Floridian designer. The high keeps the space refined, while the low reminds you that someone actually lives there. We caught up with the creative, whom Architectural Digest called a leading designer in Southwest Florida, to discuss her process, what was worth the splurge, and what wasn't.
