Note: Home Tour is a new series where we’ll go inside cool homes, condos and apartments and learn from their owners how they approached designing the space. We’ll get their favorite finds and inspiration. If you’d like to let us into your home, please send two photos and a sentence on why to [email protected] with subject line HOME TOUR.
A couple from the Hamptons with some serious DIY talent offered the Agenda a peek inside their 1936 Plaza Midwood home. Here’s a quick look at their favorite shops, inspirational spaces, and do-it-yourself projects—including a chic backyard pool.
The Owners
Who: Kate Terrigno (29) and Paul Terrigno (34), and their son, Alec (18 months)
Jobs: She’s a realtor with Dickens Michener and he works for Wells Fargo.
Their story: In 2012, Kate was working as a producer with Fox News in Manhattan. When she had a job offer for an on-air role at the station in Charlotte, she and her husband, Paul, moved south. The two fell fast for the city—and for this house. After initially renting in Myers Park, they bought the Plaza Midwood home in 2014.
Home Breakdown
The home: The three-bedroom, 1.5-bath colonial-style house was built in 1936 on a spacious corner lot. “Our idea was to take the home’s old bones and modernize it to fit our style—while keeping the integrity of the initial home,” says Kate. The result? A stylish and modern home with original hardwoods, original doors, and even original doorknobs throughout.
Cool feature for hot days: From Carrrara countertops in the kitchen to a home audio and light system controlled by cell phone and voice activation, the couple has made plenty of updates. But the most striking addition is the new saltwater pool. “We both grew up in the Hamptons near the water,” says Kate. “Charlotte is a little too far from the water. So, we created our own backyard oasis.”
Favorite space: “Starting this time of year we have dinner out here every single night,” says Kate of the home’s cozy screened-in side porch. They purposefully haven’t installed lights on the porch. “We love to entertain out here and I want it to always be candlelit and intimate.”
Fun fact: Kate’s father is an architect, furniture designer, and artist. He designed and built their living room’s built-in shelves and coffee table, and he painted most of the art around the home.
Shops and DIY Inspiration
Handyman skills: “I’m kind of a handyman,” says Paul. That’s an understatement. In addition to outfitting the home with an 18-speaker smart audio and light system, Paul renovated the master bath, installed slate flooring in the laundry room, and built the home’s privacy fence. His most impressive undertaking though may be the fiberglass pool. Not only did he do all of its plumbing and electrical work, but he also laid the bluestone deck himself.
Top shops: Much of the home’s decor comes from the Plaza Midwood neighborhood. The bar cart ($475), dining room table ($1,500), and guest room headboard ($800) are all from Slate Interiors. The living room chairs and breakfast nook were all upholstered at T.U.F.T.
DIY details: In addition to the higher end furniture and fabrics, Kate has also used a few IKEA hacks. The dresser in Alec’s nursery is IKEA with new elephant head knobs, and the side tables in the living room are IKEA but have been painted gold with marble substituted for the original plastic tops.
Want to see the home for yourself? It’s one of 10 homes on tour at Plaza Midwood’s annual Home and Garden Tour happening this Friday and Saturday.
