During quarantine, O’Neill and Bull have both used the room as their office; the striking backdrop serves as a boost of energy and creativity. “We have a considerable amount of space, but we sit next to each other at the kitchen counter all day. It’s kind of cute, now that I’m thinking about it,” she says, laughing. When they have Zoom calls or meetings at the same time, the azure blue reading alcove has been a welcome retreat.
Unsurprisingly, the couple that chooses to spend all day together collaborates closely on every finishing touch. Over the years they’ve traipsed to flea markets, vintage stores, and antiques fairs—particularly in Brooklyn; upstate in Woodstock, New York, where the two have a home; and Nashville, where Bull grew up—for one-of-a-kind furnishings. Each piece is emotionally charged: In the upstairs bathroom, artisan tiles sourced from Clé are paired with Portuguese ones from Everett and Blue. Inside the carved-out shower ledge, a tile Bull’s dad hand-painted has pride of place.
Below, from top: Vintage Armoire and Director’s Chair; Zellige Tile in Forgotten Turquoise, Clé; Hand-Painted Floor Tiles, Everett & Blue.
Painting, Mantiques Modern; Vintage Bed from Kubisak, 1stdibs; Throw Pillows, Bole Road; Curtains and Duvet Cover, Anthropologie; Vintage Chair, Bedside Table, and Lamp.
Color is in my blood...My family is from Jamaica, which has the best palette of sun-faded bright colors that you just can’t buy.”
From left: On O’Neill: Dress, Narnia Vintage; Jewelry, XIV Karats and New Top. Vintage Chair.
The couple didn’t shy away from putting their vibrant stamp on the place. “Color is in my blood,” says O’Neill, citing her Caribbean roots. “It’s crazy; it really has an effect on my mood. My family is from Jamaica, which has the best palette of sun-faded bright colors that you just can’t buy.” Window frames, bathroom and kitchen tiles, the entryway ceiling, and even the radiators are a bold turquoise, inspired by the vivid homes on the island. “Everything in interior design today is so beige. It’s elegant, but it doesn’t stir me the way colors do,” O’Neill continues. “I’ll glance over at the bathroom door—it’s this creamy seafoam shade—and it reminds me of the ocean, which reminds me that I will travel to beautiful, special places again. Our current predicament all of a sudden feels a little less dreadful.”
In the kitchen, fuchsia IKEA cabinets with Semihandmade fronts—painted Hot Lips by Benjamin Moore—aren’t just a focal
point, they’re a conversation starter. “It’s funny, my friend asked me, ‘How did you get your husband on board with a hot pink kitchen?’
And I said, ‘It was literally his idea!’” says O’Neill. The hue is Bull’s favorite color; his late father had a 1959 candy-apple magenta
Cadillac when he was a kid.
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