Welcome to the next installment of our Floor Tours series, where we step inside the spaces of some of our favorite design-world friends to chat all things rugs and decor and learn how they’ve turned their house into a home.
This week, we’re touring the gorgeous home of Kaela Williams from @home_by_two. She lives in the suburbs of Atlanta with her husband, twin boys, and two cats in a space that perfectly melds the traditional and modern with the cozy and kid-friendly. Kaela and her family moved into the home about two years ago, and have spent that time slowly and thoughtfully bringing each room to life. Ready for the full tour? We’ll let Kaela take you inside!
Tell us about your style! How would you describe your home and aesthetic?
If I’m being honest, my style is constantly evolving. I think that’s part of the allure of home decor—the idea that you don’t have to fit in one box. My style has changed so much in just the two years that we have lived in our home. Previously, we lived in a modern industrial condo and my style there leaned very modern-boho.
Since moving into our current home, I’ve found myself redirected towards styles that complement the architectural style of our house, which is more traditional. If I had to put labels on my current style, I’d say that it’s traditional, modern, and rustic with hints of mid-century and boho. I love our home to feel warm and earthy but also clean and classic.
What made you choose to move into this home?
We moved out of our condo in the city to a single-family house in the suburbs because our family size had just doubled that previous year. We needed more space for our growing family and wanted to move to an area that had a great school system and a nice neighborhood for our kids to grow up in, while still being close enough to the city for activities.
We loved this house as soon as we saw it. It had plenty of bedrooms for our family and guests, several fireplaces (which was exciting after not having one for many years), lots of storage (something our condo was severely lacking), a full bar in the basement (which let’s be honest, was the icing on the cake), and it was only ten minutes from Target (a necessity for me).
What has the process been like designing your space and making your house feel like a home?
Our house was styled beautifully when we moved in, but it didn’t quite feel like us. I knew that I would most likely be changing something in each room. It can be quite overwhelming at first figuring out where to start and producing a design plan for each space.
I think focusing on one room at a time has been the best kickstarter. Once I have a general idea for how I want a space to feel, I start hunting for the perfect pieces. Sometimes it takes a while to find exactly what you want, and it’s okay to wait for the right piece. There are some things you just can’t rush. I always feel better about pieces when I truly love them, and they spark joy. Looking around your house and seeing all the things you love really makes it feel like home.
What is your most treasured item in your home?
It’s hard to narrow down—there are several decorative pieces that I love. But there is one item in particular that stands out. I thrifted an antique chair from a local shop last year and it has quickly become my favorite. It’s a wooden chair with these beautiful butterfly-like cross rails on the back, dainty little legs and spindles and has a cane seat.
I actually didn’t purchase it the first time I saw it and I couldn’t stop thinking about it for a week. I rushed back to the store the next weekend and was so relieved that it was still there. I only wish there had been two! I would love to know some of the history behind it. It brings me immense joy whenever I see it.
What are your favorite things to do at home? Is there a particular space you like to gather and spend time in with your family?
I love being creative, designing, and seeing spaces really take shape. As much work as projects are, they are also one of my favorite things to do at home. I also really enjoy reading in our sunroom or cozying up next to the fire on a cold night.
But since we’ve moved into our home, I’ve found a strong passion for gardening. I haven’t really tried my hand at fruits or vegetables, but I’m getting pretty good with flowers, shrubs, etc. We love having a yard and I love designing the landscape. Plants and flowers are a new weakness (and love) of mine!
Each Friday night we have a family movie night. The boys absolutely love it when we all gather in the basement to watch a movie and enjoy popcorn as a family. But generally speaking, we spend a majority of our time in the kitchen and living room which are open to one another.
How has having kids in the house impacted how you’re thinking about design? What changes have you had to make, design-wise?
We were actually without a coffee table for many months after the kids had several “run-ins” resulting in injury. But luckily, we are past that stage now! I try to keep our design aesthetic unchanged but have made a few adjustments. We typically keep the coffee table and side tables free of decor or make the decor easily removable (like in a tray). While my husband and I use upholstered chairs at the dining table, we’ve swapped the kids chairs for easy-to-clean metal chairs.
We’ve also chosen high-performance fabric sofas and slipcovered options. That being said, I’m always budget-conscious and while I have a few investment pieces in our home, a majority of our items are budget-friendly. This really helps ease some worry that if something is accidentally damaged, it isn’t a huge hit on the wallet. We also really try to teach our children to respect our home and the items in it.
We have to ask about your rugs! What rugs do you have from Rugs USA, and what made them the perfect fit for your space?
We have so many Rugs USA rugs that I’m not even sure where to start! I’ve used rugs from Rugs USA for many years. I love the variety of styles at great price points.
I purchased our first couple rugs when we were still living in our condo. Those included the Moroccan Tasseled rug in off white and the Paddle rug in ivory. Both rugs have a neutral palette which made finding them a spot in our new home easy. I love the fact that they’re versatile and can be used in a variety of spaces whether in a living room, dining room, bedroom, or keeping room.
We have a few jute and jute-blend rugs, which I always love because of the amazing texture they bring to a space. We have the Jute Braided rug in off white, which has also moved around our home to various rooms. It’s currently residing in the sunroom and really helps brighten that space. I adore this rug because it is beautiful on its own but is also great for layering.
We recently made some updates to our hallway, and to say the Clover Medallion rug stole the spotlight would be an understatement. I typically stay pretty neutral and earth-toned when it comes to rugs, but I loved the Clover Medallion’s colorful muted tones. The hallway really needed the pop of color and this rug is truly what makes the space great.
We also have the Tasseled Medallion rug in light brown in our main bedroom. This is definitely a fan favorite and I’m right there with them! This rug is stunning and highlights just the right tones in the bedroom.
The Faded Native Panels rug is in our keeping room off the kitchen, and I love how it plays into the natural stone of our fireplace. We’ve also homed the Betty Abstract Striped rug in the keeping for more contrast and texture.
One of my most recent updates has been adding the Jute Checkerboard rug to our dining room. I love the checkerboard trend and couldn’t wait to add this pattern into our home. It has transformed this space and I cannot get enough of it! It almost feels like we’re dining at a Parisian bistro.
Let’s talk projects! What DIYs or renovations have you done in your home? What’s next on your to-do list?
One of my favorite DIYs has been our fireplace makeover. I’m not handy when it comes to woodworking (at least not yet!) but I can paint! I’ve painted almost every room in our home and always look forward to changing things up. Our main living room fireplace needed an upgrade, but we didn’t really want to spend the money or attempt to tackle a project out of our wheelhouse at that time, so I decided to paint and stencil it instead. It turned out better than expected and changed the whole look of our living room. We’ve also become pros at changing out light fixtures and installing fans.
We just completed our twin boys’ room upgrade to a “big boy room,” and our next project will be updating their bathroom. No major renovations, but cosmetically updating the space. So, stay tuned for that in the near future!
Do you have any design tips you’ve discovered while decorating that you’re willing to spill?
One of my favorite tricks is to hang curtains high or to the ceiling. Hanging the curtains higher than the top of the window draws the eye upward and creates the illusion that the ceilings are higher. This has been crucial in most of our upstairs bedrooms where the ceilings are only eight feet tall.
My other tip is to keep a neutral base in your rooms. This allows you to rotate seasonal decor or give your spaces a fresh look without having to spend lots of money. Trends change so quickly and it’s easy to swap out throw pillows, blankets, and tabletop decor. Having a neutral base makes this quick and easy. For me this looks like using neutral-colored sofas and duvets in my rooms.
What do you love most about your home?
That’s easy: the people in it who truly make it feel like home! I couldn’t do any of my home projects without the support of my husband. He is such a great support system and can tell you that our boys have a keen eye and notice most changes I make around the house before he does!
But for the home itself I truly love that it’s allowed me to get my creative juices flowing and has provided me with an outlet. Becoming a stay-at-home mom isn’t for the weak, and after leaving my job to care for our two young children I really needed something for myself. We were spending so much time in our home during the pandemic it really helped drive me to create my Instagram account and has helped open so many doors. I love that this home inspires others!
