Nick McGinn
“It’s hygee, 100 percent,” says Matt Donahoe, using the Danish word for “cozy” (pronounced "hoo-gah"), a style of interior design that celebrates comfort and conviviality.
“That's where I find a lot of my inspiration.”
After renovating a four-bedroom, 4,500-square-foot cottage, the interior designer—the principal of Bureau Interior Design + Architectural Consulting—has certainly translated the hygee vibe. The look is Old World yet fresh: a serene blend of classicism and modernism, with European flourishes such as walls finished in Venetian plaster, black accent paint on the home’s exterior, modern art, and the occasional rustic texture. His additions—from a wood-burning fireplace to a weathered butcher block to a comfortably enormous sectional—are emblematic of the movement.
“I grew up in Germany and traveled to Sweden and Denmark a lot growing up,” Donahoe says.
“I learned early on how important editing is. It’s important to have personal elements involved in what you create in your home, but to find things that lend themselves to keeping it feeling cozier. Coming into this project, I really wanted to drive home that comfort: what feels clean but not cold.”
Nick McGinn
Since the home is a personal one, shared with his husband, Donahoe scrutinized every detail as he painstakingly refashioned it. He ultimately arrived at an aesthetic inspired by interior designer John Saladino, who is known for delivering relaxed elegance through rich textiles, aged stone surfaces, wood ceiling beams and juxtapositions galore (light and dark, hard and soft, masculine and feminine, old and new). As with Saldino’s work, Donahoe’s design is not overdone, but is thoroughly timeless.
The massive overhaul included resurfacing the white oak floors, changing out the light fixtures, replacing windows and doors and completely rethinking the landscaping. Donahoe worked with contractor David Tachek of Noble Building Group, got some architectural input from Nick Dryden of DAAD and experienced a backyard revamp by landscape architect Jason Gabbard of Page|Duke Landscape Architects.
Recognizing the transformative power of Venetian plaster, Donahoe refinished the walls of the common spaces and the master wing in it, thereby setting an earthy, soft tone. With the plaster’s ability to bounce light around a room (what Donahoe calls “the dancing of the light”), it pairs well with the home’s minimalist spirit.
Nick McGinn
Donahoe’s favorite room, the upstairs bonus, encourages the convivial gathering that is a hygee trademark. Flooded with light, it feels airy while being anchored with a massive sectional and a bar area wrapped in Belgian bluestone. Hints of modern whimsy are found in abstract artwork by Jean-Marc Louis and Bradley Duncan.
On the front of the home, Donahoe had the board and batten and some of the hardy board details removed, which instantly infused the exterior with elegance. Then Belgian plaster was added to give it an older feel, as well as accents of black paint.
Nick McGinn
No stone was left unturned—literally. The backyard pool was outfitted with materials to fit the new mood: Indiana limestone coping and Tennessee crab orchard flagstone decking. The water line tile and polish color went darker for mood and to reflect the black sections of the house. The landscaping received a lush, naturalistic design inspired by the work of Bunny Williams.
“With the neutrality of the palette and how calm it is, I wanted it to feel like a little cottage nestled behind the trees in what is essentially a busy area of Oak Hill and Green Hills,” Donahoe says.
“Now it’s this little respite for us that feels a bit like old meets new.”