Brava

June 2011

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Jodie Amerell’s comfortable conversation space For Jodie Amerell, designing a space is about evoking a feeling that fi ts her clients. It’s a passion that has evolved since she started her business, Inner View, nearly nine years ago. And it’s this focus she brings to the ever-evolving Cottage Grove home she shares with husband Kevin Bronhorst. In their 1955 contemporary ranch, the couple wanted to keep things simple, tackling updates at a planned pace to meet a vision of “relaxed relatability.” While the kitchen is the current room on the to-do list, Amerell fi nds peace just around the corner in her living room. Centrally located between an open din- ing area and the entryway, the room is a landing spot—hence Amerell’s focus on keeping it fresh. A Placeto Your Feet Put up A piano, rescued from a school, makes a happy conversation piece thanks to its transformation from cool white to bold red. “A round coffee table is a natural conversation creator,” says Amerell of the copper-topped table built by her husband. “It’s like a camp- fi re; it creates an easy space for conversation that people can move around.” Focus on what you love. The tranquility of her favorite beach led to sandy-hued fur- niture and pale blue walls. When planning the color scheme, Amerell used the guidance she gives clients: Repetition is key in Amerell's designs. Atop round side tables fashioned from French wine barrels sit copper lamps, which replicate the round coffee table and its copper top. “Th e goal was to have the space feel relat- able, a space where people want to come in and relax,” she says. “We have our morning coffee in here and hang out in the evening. We have a nice TV room downstairs, but we end up here.” Relying on inspiration from her favorite vacation spot, Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, Amerell combined design principles with materials she loves to create a room that is restorative and energetic all at once. It’s a space that works for her family— and that’s a feeling you can’t beat. 42 BRAVA Magazine June 2011

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