Finding your dream home isn't all that dissimilar from finding love online. Sometimes it involves swiping through dozens of mismatches or kissing a few frogs before you eventually find it. This was the case for homeware designer Liz Eichholz.
"My husband and I were moving from New York City to Savannah, Georgia — where he is originally from — so we scheduled a weekend to come and look at tons of different homes," explains the founder of boutique towel brand Weezie, when asked how she first met her sweeping Georgian home.
"I think we viewed about 12 houses and this was the very last one. We immediately fell in love with everything about it — the high ceilings, the crown molding, the shiplap — this place had it all and we were smitten."
Upon entry, it's not hard to see why. Grandiose from floor to ceiling, the designer's home boasts everything you'd hope to see in a true southern belle. An exaggerated staircase, a decorative fireplace, and a butler's kitchen are just a handful of the original 1920s' fixtures that have been preserved — or artfully restored — to perfection.
"The house has a great blend of old and new, and feels distinctly southern," Eichholz explains. "We worked with Robyn Roberts, an interior designer — and a good friend of mine — here in Savannah, who shared our same aesthetic of modern-meets-traditional design. I feel like she helped us fill the house with items that really match its personality."
Eichholz shares her space with her husband, Jason, and their one-year-old daughter, Tempe.
The three-bedroom, three-bathroom residence certainly isn't short on charm — or square-footage — serving as a generous nod to its Georgian roots. Upon entry, a staggering staircase demands attention. Veer left, and you'll be basking in the family's sitting room, complete with an expansive bay window and white shutters. Lola — one of two labradors — curls up on an antique blue chesterfield while a warm, southern breeze whistles through the window.
Eichholz's penchant for color and pattern resounds throughout her home — "I'm a sucker for anything blue and white," she admits — while the interiors straddle a fine line between eclectic and traditional design.
"Whoever built this house in the 1920s knew what they were doing," she emphatically explains.
"Light floods into our house all day, it’s so uplifting. The high ceilings make everything feel very open and airy. While our fireplace, in the living room, was actually taken from a house downtown and dates back to the 1800s."
The couple decorate their stark white walls with artwork sourced during trips abroad or plucked from their favorite local galleries. "Right now, it's a mix of some paintings I’ve done, some vintage postcards I found on our honeymoon in Thailand, and a lot of southern artists — all of whom I love."
"There's no TV in there, and the windows are so nice and big, sometimes you feel like you’re right outside," she adds. "It's mine and my husband’s favorite room to sit with a martini and put a record on — it feels like time stands still in there."
Time is a relatively fluid concept in the Eichholz home. You'll feel compelled to glide through to the family's open kitchen, make your way in to the neighboring butler's pantry, and fix yourself a pitcher of lemonade.
"Not only does its name just make me laugh, but with the stark black cabinets, it feels like a very handsome juxtaposition to the rest of our house," the designer adds. "It's an indulgent space. We like to whip up tasty cocktails in there — it’s kind of hidden from the rest of the house."
Dressed its best and boasting all of the necessary hard stuff, the kitchen perfectly accommodates the duo's penchant for playing host.
"We love having people over for cocktails and dinner, we also have an annual Disco Brunch in our dining room, that is the most fun," explains Eichholz. "We put on disco records and have a big, boozy brunch — we’re big homebodies so we love inviting friends over."
In keeping with their aesthetic, the dining room harks back in spectacular style. Upholstered canary yellow chairs by Ballard Designs surround the antique dining table, sourced via Scott Antique Markets in Atlanta, while a painterly still life from local design store Clutter decorates the wall. "My husband and I don’t do traditional gifts for any holidays or anniversaries, we just buy art," admits Eichholz.
When it comes to the grind of daily life, most of which involves a fine balancing act of responsibilities, dinner around the couple's casual dining table offers a welcome respite. "We put down our phones, pour some vino, and compare our days. It’s such a nice break in the day," she says.
"Right now, with a one-year-old and two large dogs, we need spaces that function well among the chaos.
I love that each room in our home is very livable," she adds. "We really do spend a lot of time in each room — each offer very different purposes."
"Our family room is filled with toys and a comfy couch and large television — it’s just asking for lounge time," explains the designer.
Home to a roomy sectional by Crate and Barrel, southern charm seamlessly collides with modern practicality. Plush, oatmeal couch pillows by John Robshaw complement the minimal ottoman by B.D Jefferies, while a second antique dining table offers a pared-back alternative to the formalities. A gold chandelier — by Circa Lighting — completes the vibe.
The wide open space is given a new lease of life, awash in crisp white paint. "I would definitely recommend testing a bunch of different whites before you commit," advises the designer.
"We tried exactly one million before ending up with Simply White by Benjamin Moore. Each looked a little bit different in our house at different times of the day. I love white walls because it allows me to play with my artwork. I go through serious design phases, too. The white walls let me be indecisive and give me room to play."
Archival photographs and tender family moments add contrast to the white wash, while leafy plants and minimal vases found at Target break up the grid. The family's living area floods out on to a patio space, making full use of that quintessentially southern breeze.
Among her favorite spaces, the powder room is where Eichholz's penchant for pattern really reigns supreme, with decorative blue and white wallpaper by Thibaut totally transforming the little nook.
"This little powder room is tucked away and almost hidden beneath our stairs, so I love that when someone opens the door it’s this unexpected pop of color," she explains. "The ceilings are low and angled — there's nothing I love more than a wallpapered ceiling. It immediately turns funky angles into a moment of interest, and it’s something I will constantly play with and change. Powder rooms are my favorite, it’s also a library of Weezie towels. How many towels are too many in one bathroom?"
"Ever since launching Weezie, and spending a ridiculous amount of time thinking about towels, bathrooms, and towel time, I have definitely had more fun with our bathroom spaces and taken more risks," adds the designer. "For me, towels serve two purposes — they are a fun design element to add to your space, and they are a means for towel time."
"We spend so much time in our bathrooms and use towels every single day, it’s a great opportunity to add a moment of delight to your rituals," Eichholz adds. "I obviously have access to a lot of towels, so I play around with colors and change things up a lot more now."
Upstairs, the couple's bedroom oozes nostalgia, through decorative detailing and a striking canopy bed frame by Anthropologie. "I had never seen anything like it," Eichholz adds. "We have two huge windows in our bedroom that I didn’t want to block with a headboard, so the metal frame was perfect. I also love how tall it is, accentuating the ceiling and drawing your eye up."
Their daughter Tempe's nursery — a muted and ultimately calm space — is peppered with accessible buys from IKEA, assorted story books, and works of art. A snow white slipcovered armchair by Restoration Hardware and a traditional white crib from Target adhere to its timeless appeal.
"For me, it’s all about that balance. When it comes to modes of shopping, I am slow. I have to absolutely fall in love with something and then think about it over and over again, before I’m ready to actually buy it and add it to our home. We’ve lived in this house for three years and I still feel like I have decorating to do!"
