By Barry Wise Smith
Interior decorator Leigh Leak grew up in Talladega with a mother who appreciated beautiful art and antiques. “She didn’t grow up with a lot, but as an adult, she had a tremendous love for pretty things,” Leak says of her mom. Leak’s two daughters—Virginia, 27, and Caroline, 30—spent a lot of time with Leak’s parents growing up and inherited their grandmother’s appreciation for lovely, and not always new, things. “I like that they too appreciate antiques,” Leak says.
So, when Leak’s older daughter Caroline decided she wanted to buy her first home in 2024 during her last year of law school, she enlisted her parents to help her look at properties and her mom to help turn whatever she purchased into her new nest. “Caroline didn’t have a specific idea of what she wanted, so we just started looking,” Leak says.
When Caroline came upon the 1,325-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bathroom condominium with nine-foot ceilings and original hardwood floors in the historic Avalon complex near Highland Road, the light-filled unit checked all of her boxes. The Avalon is a 1925 English Tudor Revival-style residential complex combines classic architectural character in an historic neighborhood with convenience to Caroline’s downtown law firm.
After purchasing the condo in February 2024—while finishing law school and preparing to start a demanding job—Caroline leaned on her mom’s professional expertise to help outfit her new space. “She was the ideal client,” Leak laughs. “She told me, ‘mom just do it.’” So being cognizant of her daughter’s budget constraints as a young, first-time home buyer, Leak began curating items from her own home, her mother’s attic, estate sales, thrift stores and even Facebook Marketplace to elegantly and affordably appoint the condominium. The result is an eclectic mix of furniture and accessories that feel at once elegant and cozy.
Leak started by painting all the walls—most the original plaster—and molding with the same neutral color. “My favorite white is Benjamin Moore Soft Chamois,” Leak says. After painting was complete, “drapery was major,” she says. While the condo features a plethora of windows that fill the space with natural light, there is also a need for privacy so Leak added layered shades and curtains so that Caroline could take advantage of the windows when she wanted but could close them when she wanted more privacy.
Once the neutral palette and window coverings were in place, Leak began layering in colorful furniture and accessories that make the condo feel comfortable and welcoming but with a refined sensibility. The condo’s main living space includes a small sitting area, the main living room and the dining room. In the sitting area, Leak layered natural shades with draperies—actually industrial drop cloths from Harbor Freight trimmed with contrasting fabric—mounted at ceiling height. “There was no need for black-out lining because they are so thick,” Leak says.
In the living area, “Caroline wanted a gallery wall,” says Leak, so she framed varying-size prints from an art book and arranged them around the television that hangs on the wall opposite an elegant estate sale sofa. Off the living area, Leak converted a storage closet into a chic bar area. A ceiling-height curtain still provides covered storage, but the star of the space is the lighting and wicker cabinet that serves as a bar.
The dining room, which opens onto the condo’s outdoor space, features a mix of family heirlooms and thrift store and estate sale finds. An antique mirror that hangs above the buffet belonged to Leak, and above that are brown transferware plates surrounding Leak’s mother’s antique brown transferware platter. “It’s one of my mom’s favorite things,” Leak says, “so it’s special to have it here.”
In the bright guest bedroom, a wall-mounted blue velvet headboard makes the cozy space feel larger, and accessories were intentionally selected to make guests feel welcome. The bedroom has its own attached bathroom for ultimate guest privacy and comfort.
The condo’s previous owner had converted a third smaller bedroom into a larger master suite and dressing area. Leak mounted navy velvet draperies at ceiling height on three sides of the master, providing a rich, cocoon-like feel while also reducing light and providing privacy. A neutral headboard and bed linens let the draperies and thoughtfully selected accessories shine. In the dressing area, Caroline painted the ceiling herself in a soft, metallic gold giving the space a rich, elegant feel.
While Leak still would like to renovate the condo’s kitchen, she and Caroline are pleased with how everything came together. “Caroline actually entertains a lot,” Leak says. “I have always enjoyed entertaining too. It’s been so fun to watch my girls embrace and love the things I love and they were exposed to as young girls. I have been so thrilled they have never chosen gray as their aesthetic and appreciate vintage, antiques and things that make a space feel warm.”
Check out Leigh Leak’s stylish finds at The Nest in Homewood or on Instagram @lachassecollective
