Carolina Classic

Designer Ashley Hanley helps a family set down roots in Raleigh

- CAMERON BEALL

Subtle Refresh Sherwin-Williams Greek Villa (SW 7551) on the brick facade helps the architecture really shine.

WHEN Shelby and Doug Quarles made the decision to leave Richmond, Virginia, and head back to her North Carolina hometown so their kids could grow up around family, it was the most competitive real estate market Raleigh had seen in a decade. So once the couple came across a listing for a property that checked all their boxes—a traditional house in a neighborhood that was near relatives and within walking distance of school—they didn’t hesitate to jump in the car at 4 a.m. to go see it. “We joke that it was like we had ‘beer goggles’ on when touring it,” says Shelby with a laugh. “We only had 20 minutes, so we overlooked a lot of the cosmetic stuff that needed to be done and put in an offer on the same day.”

Setting the Tone The designer filled the entry with vintage and antique finds (like a petite bachelor's chest that serves as a drop zone by the front door) alongside newer pieces (including a pair of Visual Comfort & Co. lamps with Fermoie Blue Quartz shades and a Bunny Williams Home mirror).

The home had the good bones they were after, but it needed a few thoughtful updates and floor plan tweaks to suit their soon-to-be family of five. Luckily, they had already enlisted the help of Richmond interior designer and friend Ashley Hanley. “We loved the house, and—having worked together with Ashley before and having seen what she could do—we knew she could fix everything else,” says Doug. “We made her come with us,” jokes Shelby.