By Liz Lyons with photography by Jason Cantrell, Cadence Captures
Amelia and Michael Daniels live with their three children, Anna Drake (11), Bear (8) and Price (7), and two dogs, plus their puppies, Cocoa and Maverick in a home built in the mid-90's by Sheryl and Earl Taylor. “We recently had them back to the house to reminisce and hear stories from their time here. They made some really great choices when building this home, and we enjoy many of the features they added, like the back porch and outdoor fireplace. Plus, we love that our children are friends with their grandchildren,” says Amelia. The family moved into their home in 2020. “Our realtor, Debaran Hughes, knew this home would fit our family of five perfectly.”
They recently finished a renovation on the home, with a new front porch and updated exterior. They painted the cedar shake and added brick where there had been stone previously. They chose Sherwin-Williams' ballet white, and traded out the old shutters for new louvered ones in Lafayette Green. The Daniels worked with architect, Bill Andrews, to transform the exterior of our home to match the decor on the inside.
When it comes to a favorite room, it depends on who you ask! They just finished a remodel in the laundry room adding the hot pink cabinets and colorful Thibaut wallpaper. Kitchen designer and friend, Rachel Addicks helped turn this room into a flower arranging space for Amelia, with a floating shelf design to display some of my cachepots. Anna Drake loves her room the most, as she had a part in the redesign, choosing colors and fabrics for the bed canopies. Eldest son Bear is enjoying the newly installed music room upstairs. The family loves to gather there to listen to the boys play guitar, drums and sing. Amelia adds, “As colorful as our home is, it's just as lively with laughter and music.”
“We have a lot of space, but we use it all in different capacities, from the children's playroom to my craft room upstairs.” Amelia loves to entertain. “We enjoy eating at our kitchen table during the week, but we entertain quite a bit on the weekends. I'm always looking for an excuse to set a pretty table in the formal dining room. We love to open our home to family and friends on a regular basis. It's not uncommon for me to host a dinner, even if it's catered, or a cocktail party, and we might be dressed to the nines, but I'll kick off my shoes and invite my guests to do the same. I love striking the right balance between casual and formal. We sit in the formal dining room and use the Waterford often, even the children. Life is too short!”
Before moving in, they had the floors refinished. They also had the entire home painted inside and out, and have added back a lot of the details that had been lost through the years. Wallpaper in select rooms has drastically transformed the mostly gray walls, and almost every light fixture in the house was changed. “One of the first projects we completed was putting green in the back. We have a house full of golfers, including our youngest Price, which means it is used regularly. The previous owner had filled in the pool, so it was an obvious choice for us to make the space usable,” recalls Amelia.
Recently they finished off a music room at the top of the stairs, putting in built-in desks for the children and have a game table in there as well. “Music is a constant in our house. We listen to everything from classical music and broadway show tunes to pop music and classic rock. I play piano, while Michael plays the guitar and drums. Our kids take lessons and keep us entertained with their impromptu performances. By no stretch are we professional-level musicians, however, we are great appreciators of the artform. We feel so fortunate to live in a city with an accessible downtown, where in 10 to 15 minutes we can be at the Tennessee Theatre taking in a show, or going to the Bijou to hear live music.”
The family’s appreciation for the arts extends beyond music, “We have collected art through the years at local galleries and art shows, the KMA Artists on Location and Webb’s ArtXtravaganza. Some of our favorite Knoxville artists include Alex Smith, Jessica Ramsey and Jonathan Howe, as well as Lucy Mays and Richard Bowers of Nashville.
When asked about the next project, Amelia replied, “Oh, there's always a project, isn't there? Whether it's actually happening or I'm dreaming about it, I love creating new spaces. I'm inspired by interior designers, Amanda Lindroth and Mark Sikes on a national level and locally by the works of Todd Richesin, Taylor & Huie, Natalie Clayman and Julie Noe.”