DESIGNER, MENTOR KACEY GRAHAM
Bold color choice and personal touches combine to create a striking yet comfortable home.
Learning from her mother at an early age, this designer is paying it forward, as a role model to the next generation of female professionals.
TO HEAR
Kacey Graham tell it, she never stood a chance when it came to following her muse into the world of design.
Graham—principal
designer at Boehm Graham Interior Design in Bedford, where she works
with her mother Michaele Boehm— was on the path to her future career by
the time she was 5 years old. In fact, it may have been something she
was born into.
“I had
no way of escaping this,” Graham says, laughing. “My dad was an airline
pilot for Delta Airlines, so he’d go away for four days at a time. I’d
see my mom standing there with one hand under her chin, thinking. She’d
say, ‘Do you want to move some furniture?’ So, we’d be moving furniture
and antiquing while my dad was gone.
“The
funniest part of it all is she’d drag me to go antique shopping and I
was learning things like what a whirligig was. I was learning things no
other 5-year-old would know.”
When
Graham finished college and was looking for a career that would satisfy
her inherited creative side, it was natural for her to follow in her
mother’s footsteps.
“That’s how it started,” Graham says of embarking on her design career in 1999.
“[My mom] was always fun
and inspiring, and I wanted to be with her. She has the most patient,
kind attitude about her, so it was easy to see her as a role model—not
only in the business world, but at home. I’m also a mother of three, and
I’ve seen her level of patience and commitment, which has been
inspiring my whole life.”
Left:
A cozy sitting area is accented with subtle greens and inviting
textures that draw you into this welcoming space. The homeowner often
plays his guitar in this room.
Above:
BGID principal designer and mom of three, Kacey Graham stands in front
of a dynamic custom built-in that brings a familiar class and character
to a space meant to be shared with friends and family.
Graham
pays that example forward as a mentor to young female professionals,
advocating for and encouraging others to reach their potential.
“It’s
one of my favorite things,” she says. “The power of women is so great
to do wonderful things. My personality type is to inspire and to say,
‘You’ve got this, you can do this.’ I love to mentor and model behavior
that is supportive of other people doing things. It’s so easy today to
knock people down, so if I can be a resource to say, ‘We can do this
together,’ or ‘You’re awesome, believe in yourself,’ that is so
critically important. We all have insecurities, but my goal is to remind
people of how great they are and then to step into that greatness.”
In
the early years of her career, Graham began to develop her own sense of
style. She’s drawn to things tailored and graphic. She leans toward a
more masculine design, and chances are, you won’t find florals, ruffles or pastels in her quiver. For this Bedford native, less is more.
“My
philosophy is that the eye needs a place to rest,” she says. “If you
pick and choose the things a room needs, and you identify things
strategically and with scale in mind and with proper flow, you don’t
need to overdo it.”
It was with this philosophy that Graham approached a recent project.
The
Bedford home was primarily rose and gold colored, and the owner was
ready for a change. She reached out to Graham, eager to begin.
“She
said, ‘If I could start painting it tonight, I would.’ She was ready to
do everything,” Graham says. “The house was built by a great local
builder. [The homeowners] love the house—it was built specifically for
them—but they were over the color scheme and ready for a transformation.
She was very open and trusting from the very beginning of the process.”
The
first step: Create a way for a tall, thin foyer to transition into
larger connecting rooms. A welcoming settee made the space more useful,
leading to a powder room that Graham describes as “sweet” and among her
favorite spots in the house. She chose Ralph Lauren square wallpaper,
offset by marble. It’s classic design in nature, but with a touch of fun in the small, round hammered sink.
A
zebra-print rug acts as an extension of the foyer, along with four
battlethemed prints from the New Hampshire Antique Coop— matted and
framed with a fresh feel. These serve as a pivot point and an
introduction to the home.
Bold
emerald walls add a touch of regality to the formal dining room, while a
gilded-gold, modern chandelier draws the eye to the center of the room.
Echoing the balance of the historic stamp prints, two lamps frame a
strong shagreen buffet table topped with a whiskey decanter resting
below a serene modern print that offsets the energetic Greek key rug.
“There
was already so much balance in the home,” Graham says. “On the right
side is a dining room. The left side is an eat-in area, and there are
two floor-to-ceiling fireplaces.”
The
arrangement appealed to Graham’s sense of symmetry. “I don’t follow
feng shui principles, but there are things I gravitate toward,” Graham
says. “I love pairing everything—sconces, lamps, artwork—it immediately
sets the stage that there’s balance in the space. I like a surprise and a wow element, but I like something with a definitive follow-through.
“The balance of the house was undeniable, awesome and a joy to design around.”
The
two fireplaces were a jumping off point for a more neutral color
palette—grays and blacks that paired with a vibrant pop of green.
Left:
The homeowners’ beautifully carved antique sideboard is the anchor for
this dramatic black-walled foyer. Above: A whimsical marine specimen is a
favorite accessory of Graham’s that adds a storied element to any
surface.
In
the dining room, Graham knew she could lean into a little more drama,
with the stronger green walls and some graphic design elements. An
eye-catching gold light fixture sits in the middle of the room, which is
lined with balanced art and dramatic window treatments.
“Color
blocking is the term I use,” Graham says of the striking look. “I
grouped one particular blocking of color stacked on another, which
really focused on that graphic element. From the zebra hide to the
stripes, it’s very graphic in nature, but you can’t repeat it in terms of scale. It feels carried through and fresh in a totally different way.”
The
round table at the center was a deliberate choice. With a walnut top
and carved base with scalloped detail, it’s perfect for bringing people
together.
“A rectangle
table works in many dining rooms, obviously,” Graham says. “But a
rounded dining room table feels like whether there’s five people, seven
people, even three people, you’re never sitting in a spot with no one
across from you. And this, in particular, is good for conversation. You
always see their faces.”
Left:
Green and gold show up again in this charming sitting area nestled
below four architectural prints and a pair of acrylic floor lamps.
Above: Sixteen black-and-white personal photos tell the story of
generations passed. Graham enjoys the challenge of incorporating
intimate personal elements into a timeless design her clients can
cherish and enjoy every day.
Just
off to the side but still very much a part of the dining room
experience, a grid of black-and-white family photos brings an immersive
piece of storytelling to the design.
“We
decided to celebrate a little bit of their family, its history and
their ancestors,” Graham says. “So, we organized and strategically
placed blackand-white photos of the family.
It’s personal and special. It tells a story. You’ll be looking
at it, asking, ‘Who is that? Who did he marry? How is this person
connected?’ It’s a standing piece of memorabilia dedicated to and about
the family.”
The
eat-in kitchen features a larger table with ball legs. Above is a
dramatic light fixture designed to celebrate the welcoming size of the
space. Behind the table is shelving that brings blasts of color and
balance.
“When I treat
a bookcase, I use the one-third space rule,” she says. “One-third
space, one-third books, one-third decorative items. It definitely
applied there, and I used books with black spines with gold writing,
green books, green accessories. It would’ve been a little
one-dimensional if I didn’t add a little color.”
Left:
Textured gray hues are juxtaposed with bold, black elements in this
eat-in kitchen area for an elegant feel rounded out with a flair of
repeated green. Above: Sconces and neoclassical prints stand out from
the dramatic, square Ralph Lauren wallpaper and Venetian mirror in this
masculine powder room.
The exterior of the home was also given a transformative redesign, including landscaping, new color and new lighting.
“The
fun part is creating an idea, listening to the client, and then making
their home the very best reflection of themselves or their family,”
Graham says. “That’s such a gift—to realize you created something that
made them happy is the absolute best.” NHH
RESOURCE
Boehm Graham Interior Design
(603) 692-0400
boehmgrahamdesign.com
