Today, I’m excited to share a gorgeous home tour designed by my talented friend, Josh Young. If you’re unfamiliar with Josh’s work… he’s an incredible designer, stylist, artist, and now- author. I’ve very much enjoyed watching Josh Young Design House grow and evolve over the years. I’m also lucky to have one of his works in my own art collection. From his recent collaboration with Williams Sonoma Home to his lovely coffee table book, Artful Home, there is no shortage of interior inspiration coming from his Washington D.C. based studio. I’ve convinced him to allow us a glimpse inside his latest renovation and weekend getaway, Sycamore House, located in Virginia. Click through to step inside this historic country retreat! I’ve also crammed in a Q&A, and I’ve got a little giveaway lined up for you… details inside.
Design & Styling: Josh Young | Photography: Kirsten Francis
Before we dive in, be sure to follow Josh on Instagram, as well as Kirsten– who beautifully photographed this entire renovation, along with Josh’s book, Artful Home. Kirsten’s portfolio is filled with inspiring interiors, styling, and architecture. This dynamic duo is certainly what collaborative dreams are made of. Scroll on for further proof…
Exterior
Per usual, it’s nice to begin each tour with the exterior to get a feel for the architecture. This 1780 Quaker-style historic farmhouse is the perfect escape from the city. The charming facade with functional shutters and perfectly imperfect stone provides a picturesque view.
Entry & Stairs
Inside the 18th century Quaker fieldstone, you’ll find a welcoming entry hall and staircase. In his timeless decorating style, Josh has expertly layered antique furniture and vintage portraits alongside modern pieces for a current and classic aesthetic that feels inviting and designerly.
Working alongside the original character and historic millwork of the home, I appreciate the old-world aesthetic Josh seems to perfectly enhance and update. Of course, I also deeply admire his antique and art collection… he certainly has a knack for curating beautiful objects that effortlessly work together.
You’ll find antique oil paintings, black & white photographs, modern line art, and family photos intentionally grouped for an interesting juxtaposition that is sure to spark conversation. Isn’t that the beauty of art, after all? It’s one reason, I love seeing the works artists themselves collect & curate.
Dining Room
In the dining room, you’ll find a splash of marigold drapery panels framing large windows that drench the space in natural light. Josh is best known for his beautiful use of sophisticated monochromatic color, and the gold hues reflected throughout Sycamore House certainly highlight his eye for color.
I also enjoy the tailored textiles styled throughout the home. From triple pleated drapery panels to gathered chair skirts, and a natural woven rug, there is a softness throughout Sycamore House that feels casual, warm, and lived-in. This perfectly contrasts hard edges and higher-end antiques- like the ladderback Chippendale chairs and Swedish empire crystal chandelier.
In addition to the overhead light, I also noticed plenty of polished nickel and silver accents throughout the home, which Josh is known for integrating. It’s also one of my favorite metals, which I think we’ll be seeing more of in the year ahead.
Providing cohesion from the dining room to the parlor, Josh repeated the golden hue seen in the drapery panels to drench the ceiling and walls in the adjoining entertaining space. If you’re also coveting that sunshine color, it’s Farrow & Ball’s Dorset Cream… definitely a swatch to save!
Double Parlor
The double parlor features two rooms with mirrored fireplaces, making it the ideal cozy connected living room for entertaining and relaxing fireside. The vibrant color encompasses the entire space, pulling you in.
Of course, the parlor is perfectly styled balancing old & new. It brings a sense of familiarity, with comfortable upholstery arranged in functional floor plan where conversing comes easily.
I could certainly see myself enjoying a drink while paging through design magazines here. Oh, to be a house guest at Josh & Ignacios’s… what lucky friends!
I’m smitten with the high contrast graphic touches throughout this room. From the modern line art to the methodical placement of the grid print sofa, Josh has honed intentional layering worthy of design praise.
Kitchen & Butler’s Pantry
Stepping into the kitchen, breakfast corner, and butler’s pantry, you’ll continue to see an artful approach to functional styling. I also appreciate all the natural materials used throughout… wicker, marble, linen, rich wood tones, and exposed stone add so much character to this cozy space.
I immediately noted the wine colored kitchen cabinetry- it’s stunning! Check out this post for my top paint color picks for dark kitchen cabinets… I included six in this same color family.
The butler’s pantry features simple colonial-era built-ins, ideal for displaying everyday dishes, silverware, and glassware. The linear coffee bar contains plenty of closed storage within the lower cabinetry, and the sizable island makes this smaller space seem quite functional.
I also think it’s worth mentioning the use of rugs throughout Sycamore House. Josh has a beautiful way of layering woven and vintage rugs over the original wood floors in a way that feels classic, casual, and warm. If you’re on the hunt for unique rugs, here are the best keywords to use when searching for large vintage rugs.
Keeping Room
Though I’m not entirely sure what Josh & Ignacio call this living space, I’m assuming it’s the “keeping room” since it’s just off the kitchen. These rooms provided guests with a cozy space to converse while dinner was being prepared nearby… and that’s exactly what this room exudes: cozy. In fact, Sycamore House has five original wood burning fireplaces.
This dramatic oversized fireplace is the perfect roaring focal point for this rustic space. It certainly has a romantic mood with comfortable camel back sofas to sink into.
Q&A with Josh
Josh graciously took time to answer some questions I previously sent over- which is by far, my favorite part of this home tour! I hope you enjoy the Q&A and get to know him a bit better…
The Kitchen. With the house being built in 1780, one of the most unique and significant things of the house itself is that every square inch of the home is original, with the exception of the kitchen. This extension was added in the mid 2000s. I would like to think my personal ethos is more restoration over renovation, I had the ability to design a dream kitchen space for the country and certainly wanted to compliment the history of the home, but I wasn’t limited to having to work around historic elements (as we did with the other spaces in home). I wanted the kitchen to feel traditional and historic, but also wanted the space to feel fresh with a modern sensibility; simplistic shaker style cabinets, marble, and polished nickel accents helped to achieve that. One feature that we love in the space is the stone wall that is the original facade of the home. It completely envelopes an entire wall in the kitchen and really helps to bring texture to the space while grounding it with an organic element.
Writing a book has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. We live in an era that is the digital age, and as creatives, so much of our work is limited to the online space. As someone who loves art and design books, monographs it was important for me at this phase in my career to have everything I have created up until now captured in a book for others to enjoy, but also for me to have as a keepsake. As one can see with Artful Home, it is a deeply personal project. I wrote the book, art directed the book, and roughly 30% of the photos featured are my own. It really is a deep dive look into my life as an artist and designer: the various studio spaces I’ve occupied, the evolution of my work, and our homes, which have included a Chicago highrise, a historic townhouse in Washington DC, and a 1780s quaker stone farmhouse in Northern Virginia.
Honestly, all of the rooms in Sycamore House. We literally put the entire home together within a matter of four months. From the kitchen renovation, to painting, to sourcing every single piece of furniture, the artwork, and mirrors. We really pushed ourselves, and I’m so proud of how the home evolved; how each space feels intentional and lived in. Although I am someone who prefers to take their time with putting together a space, I’m glad we had the deadline of the shoot for Artful Home, because now we’re truly able to enjoy Sycamore House as the retreat we always hoped for.
Thank you for that. Always be open to incorporating a variety of different pieces from different periods within a space. Be mindful of not going too literal with any style, trend, period, etc. Instead, try incorporating various elements that you like in a more streamlined manner. When I start a room or project, I always go back to my foundational elements of incorporating traditional silhouettes with a neutral palette, being mindful of contrast and form. From there, I incorporate more color, texture or modern accents, allowing them to be more secondary or tertiary within a space. I love the approach of “old bones with modern accents”. Even having the traditional silhouette of a sofa, then adding in more modern touches with pieces such as pillows or lamps can achieve this.
Book Giveaway
Believe me when I say, Josh’s book is incredibly inspiring. I’ve marked so many pages for ideas in our own home, and know it will be a classic resource for years to come. He covers design principles, palette, texture, form, layers, and nostalgia, guiding readers and offering advice on how to navigate the creative process. I think you’ll absolutely love it- so I want to give away a few copies.
We’ve already sold out of Artful Home in the Tuesday Made shop (we have more on the way), but I did manage to set aside a few for a quick reader giveaway! Here’s how to enter:
- Follow Josh on Instagram.
- Follow me on Instagram.
- Comment on this blog post (scroll to the bottom).
That’s it- easy! I’ll choose a winner at the end of the month, and three people will add a copy to their home library.
Related
If you’re interested in browsing more home tours or posts covering interior design inspiration, I’ll link some reader favorites for you below…
If you’d like to see more of Sycamore House or Josh’s D.C. townhome, or studio, be sure to grab your own copy of Artful Home! There’s plenty more to see. I’m also going to link some of my personal favorites from Josh’s latest collection with Williams Sonoma Home… I’ll drop them below. I hope you enjoyed the tour! Sending a heartfelt thank you (and congratulations!) to Josh & Ignacio on their gorgeous Virginia farmhouse.
How would everyone feel about more frequent home tours? I really enjoy these posts and have so many talented friends in design. I’d love to share some of their spaces if they’ll allow me!
