A dream collaboration creates a Scandi-modern custom home with global energy
Scandi-modern is a minimalistic approach to home design that originated in Nordic countries. Characterized by clean lines and natural materials—with a focus on livability—this design style has increased in popularity in recent years.
Simple and elegant, with just enough eclectic curiosity to rouse the senses, a Scandi-modern home is ideal for any homeowner looking to incorporate a sense of serenity.
When Anthony Thompson moved back to Greenville from Atlanta, he and his husband, Ryan Clairmont, lived in a small, two-bedroom, two-bath bungalow on Perry Avenue. “It had always been my dream to build a custom home,” Thompson says. He grew up watching his parents Brad and Cindy Thompson, founders of 1st Choice Custom Homes, build high-end custom homes around the Upstate for others. “I wanted to go through that process with them,” says Thompson. “Put my thoughts into reality, be able to pick out everything from light and plumbing fixtures to baseboards.”
Thompson and Clairmont wanted to stay in the neighborhood but were also drawn to create a home that would look different from their neighbors, so they went with a Scandi-modern design.
Cedar wood on the exterior—not fully opaque—provides a delineation on the front and back porch. This motif repeats on the interior stair. The home flows really well. From the open-concept living room to the dining room, kitchen, and onto the back porch—it’s bright, airy, and inviting.
“Working with my parents was a huge benefit,” Thompson says. “They have a great reputation for creating custom home environments. My dad is known for his construction quality and my mom is more on the design side; she was instrumental in helping me put my ideas together in a cohesive way and coordinating everything.”
Walking through the doors of this four-bedroom custom home, one is immediately struck by the understated elegance. Clean lines, natural materials, and a minimalist aesthetic are its hallmarks. The fireplace, kitchen hood, and master shower are all made of micro cement. Millimeters thin and fully waterproof, it gives these amenities a cool texture.
Scandi-Modern Home
Danielle Walter, owner of Diggs Designs in Greenville, was brought in after the couple moved in. “I’m not as good at decorating,” says Thompson. “We had a lot of hand-me-down furniture, things that weren’t really our style. I met the Diggs Designs team through a family friend who had used them, and I liked their house, so I went into the store, bought some things from there, and had [Walter] come over.”
From the moment Walter walked into the home, she saw the great bones and knew she could do something fantastic furnishing and styling it. “They loved the look that we love,” says Walter, “the global eclectic. We wanted to add a lot of texture, primal elements, and art.”
Growing up in Nyack, New York, just 20 minutes from Manhattan, Walter was inspired by global cultures early on. “The city, for me, was so invigorating. My girlfriends and I felt like there was so much oxygen there. It was always an adventure.” She attended Fashion Institute of Technology, originally to become a fashion designer, but found her true passion in interior decorating and design.
She honed her eye as a buyer for luxury communities throughout the Carolinas for 15 years before starting a lifestyle brand and curating her first retail store in 2019. Walter opened Diggs Designs off Augusta Street in 2021.
For this home, Diggs Designs started with the dining room. “They love to entertain, so they wanted a big table, minimalistic, with soft velvet draperies,” says Walter. Carefully selected sculptural pieces add juxtaposition—the home’s simple lines flow into the decor’s structural curves.
As an art lover, Thompson was particularly excited to incorporate meaningful pieces throughout his home. He and Walter worked closely to acquire art that could serve as the starting point for the design of each room. “A lot of times, you start with different aspects of a home—maybe it starts with a rug, or the wall color,” said Walter. “We started with art here.”
Diggs Designs sources statement pieces from all over the world. Walter’s organic process involved in-person consultations as well as just being in the space to feel the light and soak in the vibe—with the shop serving as the primary source of it all. “She pushed me a little bit in terms of funky, eclectic pieces,” says Thompson.
Walter always shared with the homeowners the history of each piece and its significance. “What I do is for the connections,” says Walter.
