Sandra Cannon helped transform a Spartanburg house into the ultimate address
“She has a natural talent for knowing the right thing to do,” says Sandra Cannon about her client, Lynn Barnett. That may sound atypical crossing the lips of a celebrated designer, but she says Barnett possesses an innate sense about how she wants to live in a home, and that she has exquisite taste.
The two have worked together on multiple projects, including a lake house in Greenwood and a beach house in the Lowcountry. Cannon designed homes for Barnett’s children, too, but this project was different. She was ready for a forever place, with just the right amount of space and features she valued, designed around her numerous passions. “Every detail in the home is curated,” says Cannon.
Oddly enough, it had been her new son-in-law’s house. It was about to go on the market when Barnett realized it was a place she had a real vision for and asked if she could buy it. The neighborhood is Glendalyn, an area considered part of Converse Heights. It’s an elongated ranch with a second-story guest suite on one end. A bevy of trees and mature landscaping meant little of the house was visible from the curb. It was all cleared away. An exterior entrance was built and a cleverly designed circular driveway was cut into the property, sheltering its walkway from the road.
Inside, Cannon says the project was a creative opportunity for how Barnett wanted to utilize the home. “It was the right kind of cleanup,” says Cannon. “We got all of our entrances and transitions into architecturally sound configurations.”
Rooms were repurposed or redesigned, but the floor plan remained unaltered, as did the footprint of the property. Today, a welcoming formal entry features Osborne & Little wallpaper. The living room spans the depth of the structure; furnishings herald from every era of Barnett’s life, including the first sofa she ever purchased. It’s been recovered three times and now sits prettily in the front window, sporting a cut-velvet fabric by Kravet.
The dining room and kitchen sit adjacent to each other, followed by a glass-enclosed butler’s pantry—display storage for an extensive stemware collection—and a stairwell to quarters designed primarily for the Barnett grandchildren. To the left of the entry is Barnett’s office, where she likes to needlepoint; a guest suite named “Mackay’s Room” for Barnett’s best friend; an expansive primary suite with its own laundry room; and a comfortably plush ladies’ sitting room.
The home is filled with significant art, much of which inspired each room’s decor. The best example of this is in the stunning blue-on-blue dining room. The room commands attention and anchors the home’s public spaces. It was built around a new acquisition: a large painting by Davidson professor and artist Herb Jackson. Every color in the room, as well as the bookshelves, the light fixtures, and the stunning Cerine chandelier by Trueing, were selected to accompany the work of art. Even the rug underfoot was custom designed by Cannon and woven for the room.
“To me, this will never go out of style,” says Barnett, “and it isn’t ever going anywhere else. To me, all these homes later, this one is it.”
Cannon looks doubtful, though there is a twinkle in her eye. “Well, here’s the funny thing,” she says. “As long as we’ve been doing this, it always seems to be the last project.” For the record, we’ll hope for several more.
Sandra Cannon’s Spartanburg House Tour
