Amanda Reynal’s design aesthetic is rooted in her study of art and classical design. Photo by Katherine Gamble
Written by Heath Hardage Lee
Photos by Rick Lozier
When interior designer Amanda Reynal moved back to Des Moines from London eight years ago with her young family, she had just a few days to find a home. Luckily, she got the inside scoop on a house that wasn’t on the market yet and persuaded the owner to sell it. Built around 1912, the South of Grand residence possessed the elegant bones and smooth flow Reynal desired, but it needed an injection of 21st-century decorating to restore the home to its former glory.
To that end, Reynal incorporated vibrant colors, lush fabrics and customized details to rejuvenate the residence yet preserve its timeless appeal. Her overall design approach employs several key thematic elements throughout the home to promote a unified look and feel. Specifically, Reynal incorporated both old and new furniture in each room and then chose varying shades of blue, which she reinterpreted throughout the residence.
Reynal’s aesthetic is rooted in her study of art and classical design. She majored in art history at Trinity College in Connecticut, and she also studied art in Italy and elsewhere in Europe. She then earned degrees at two schools—New York School of Interior Design and Parsons The New School for Design—followed by three years in London, where she focused on the decorative arts. Reynal also worked in New York as a designer. In 2009, Traditional Home named her one of the “Twenty Young Designers to Watch”.
Reynal, who owns Reynal Interiors, focuses on combining her respect for history and tradition with a fresh and energetic decorating dynamic. For example, she breezily juxtaposes modern photographs and paintings with European antiques acquired while living abroad. Reynal also gravitates toward bright, glossy colors and rich textures, like the foyer’s hot pink lacquer walls that contrast with a bright green oversized urn.
In addition, Reynal cites “piping and trim in the seams of upholstery, well-curated and installed art collections, beautiful linens and original fabric selections” as integral to her look. “I go out on a limb with fabrics,” she says. “The inclination is to keep textiles simple, but I love customized details like tape or nailhead trim on a chair and bespoke pillows.”
The house’s classic center hall plan and double-width doorways promote a gracious flow. Because of this, it was imperative that the colors and furnishings in all the rooms harmonize with one another. “If all the walls came down,” she says, “the decor in all the rooms should all still work together.”
To read about the rooms pictured below, click on the photo.
The sunroom can brighten even the dreariest of Des Moines winter days. The lush fiddle leaf fig trees and vibrant tropical tones, gilt Asian-influenced shelving units and original quatrefoil window screens suggest a conservatory or orangery. The blue scheme of the adjoining living room is extended here in the Ming-style wrapped game table, where Reynal’s two sons like to play chess. The boys can also put up their feet on the ottoman, which is covered in an indoor/outdoor fabric. The room reflects a midcentury aesthetic complemented by a more traditional armchair upholstered in bright green velvet.
A large-scale oil painting by Des Moines artist Robert Spellman provides a pop of warm color and whimsy against the rich, cool blue living room wall. The work hangs over an antique English Regency sofa table Reynal acquired while living in London. Victorian chairs found in a Des Moines thrift shop and then painted black and reupholstered reflect the period of the house but still look current with its diamond-printed fabric from Quadrille.
The master bedroom’s coral-colored walls give the space a tropical feel, while the mix of patterns and prints creates a chic and sharp ambience. Printed floral and embroidered linens from Matouk balance the brown animal print slipper chair, and the alabaster balustrade lamp on the bedside table lends a classic touch.
The butler’s pantry is a common element of Gilded Age homes. Servants would prepare and serve food and drinks from this space. In the Reynal home, the pantry connects the kitchen and dining room and provides the perfect space for modern party prep. The pantry has been updated with rich brown and white marble countertops and glass and brass knobs.
The kitchen’s accessories and china personalize the crisp, white space. A monogrammed ice bucket and a collection of objects in varying shades of green add visual interest. The glass-fronted cabinets put family china on display. Photo by Rick Lozier
Built around 1912 on land originally owned by Hoyt Sherman, Amanda Reynal’s South of Grand home displays its charms on one of Des Moines’ most beautiful tree-lined streets. The classic American stucco façade is dotted with both mullioned and bay windows and features an overhanging portico.
A neutral envelope of color creates a soothing backdrop for intimate family meals and small dinner parties. A Philip Jeffries grass cloth wall covering provides subtle sparkle and a sophisticated vibe. Exacting placement of color—in the cobalt blue velvet dining chairs and the patterned place settings—amps up the space. The room features a contemporary work from American photographer Gray Malin’s “Far and Away” series, shot in the salt flats of Bolivia.
This symphony in blue is anchored by a Chinese Chippendale gilt and glass coffee table. Reynal bought the vintage chairs by Milo Baughman in Palm Beach, Fla., a longtime family vacation spot that the designer dubs “old-school preppy at its best.” She then reupholstered them in a blue and white geometric fabric by Quadrille. Other touches of Palm Beach Regency style, such as bamboo chairs and Asian motifs, dot the home. In the foyer, glossy pink lacquer creates a jewel-box effect. A mirror and vintage bench add even more interest.
