In This North Carolina Family's Prismatic Home, Hot Pink and Neon Coral Are Neutrals

UpdatedMar 10, 2023 4:22 PM EST

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OK but wait until you see the home of self-taught interior stylist and designer Stacey-Ann Blake. Splashes of color and unexpected pattern pops are everywhere: a tomato red sofa by the fireplace, paint-splattered wallpaper in daughter Cheyenne's nursery, and though Blake's aesthetic is totally eccentric, every single choice is deliberate. "I live with a space for a bit, envision how I want it to look and feel, and take my time finding quality pieces," says the mom of three. "I'm Jamaican. My approach is influenced by my culture."

Known to her 50,000+ Instagram followers as @designaddictmom, Blake (a schoolteacher by day!) discovered her passion for design while living in Italy. But it wasn't until she was pregnant and on maternity leave with her firstborn, Zion, in 2008 that she stumbled into the world of blogging—"a by-product of being a military wife," she explains. Her husband Andre, a retired Army Special Forces Green Beret, could be deployed for up to a year at a time. "I was alone a lot," she says. "And I had a voracious appetite for interior magazines." She laughs recalling her early experiments: "Each time my husband would return home, our walls would be a different color." With a growing bump and loads of free time, Blake built her own digital platform, and the family home became her design lab—statement patchwork ottomans here, whimsical light fixtures there. Eventually, big brands took notice, and partnerships with Target and Universal Studios followed.

When construction on their current Fayetteville, North Carolina, home kicked off in 2010, Blake oversaw the design of the ranch-style property—an eight-month project she often tackled while solo parenting with a toddler on her hip (Ian, their middle child, arrived in 2011). "I chose a blueprint that facilitated living with young children," Blake says of the airy, open layout with its cathedral ceiling. "It was important for us to be able to see them from different spaces as they played." She also added dormer windows for extra light—a must for her 30-plus plants to truly thrive.

The sunroom is where most of the potted beauties live, and the star of the show? Glory, who totally dominates the bright space. "She's definitely worth her diva status," Blake says of the over-the-top fiddle-leaf fig, whose loyal social media following basically forced her to start a dedicated account: @glorythefig. "Taking care of them is a form of self-care," she adds. "[Plants] help change the vibe of your home and your overall health." (Her green thumb extends to the backyard fruit and veggie gardens too—a nod to her Caribbean roots: "I come from a family of farmers, so I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty.")

That nurturing touch carries right into the kids' spaces, where self-expression is everything. A world map stretches across an entire wall in Zion and Ian's bedroom—and it was actually built into their bedtime routine so that when Andre was deployed, he wasn't just an abstract figure. Each night, the mural sparked conversation. "We could talk about and point to where Dada was in the world and tell him good night," Blake explains. "It's an ongoing tool that we use all the time, and they still love it." On the opposite wall, there's a kids' gallery showcasing their drawings (the artistic gene runs deep!) alongside framed pieces by Joan Miró and Ed Heck, so "they can see their work on display and be proud of what they've done." And the paint color? "I was mindful to find a color that was not noisy," says Blake. "Zion is autistic, so I researched calming shades." She landed on the "most mellow" blue (Twinkle Twinkle, since repainted in Brittany Blue, both by Benjamin Moore), and all three siblings love hanging out in the serene play zone.

Throughout the house, Blake's signature bold paint choices create the most vibrant backdrops—especially for her art collection to really pop. In the hot pink foyer, a windswept scene by Jonathan Green and a striking portrait by Erin Robinson hang alongside artifacts and sculptures she picked up in Jamaica and Italy. Justina Blakeney created the abstract piece in the main bedroom, and the digital prints leaning against the wall are by Montreal-based studio EdB & Paprika. "My travels play a big part in my design decisions," Blake says. "Seeing how others live and how they use color is an inspiration for me."

Even the geometric overlay on the massive living room bookcase (which is actually a cleverly disguised trio of lacquered wood sliding doors) features a pop of orange—her absolute favorite hue. It's filled with color-coded titles ranging from The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon to The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, plus room for toys in the bottom cubbies. This Technicolor library? It's the true heart of the home, and honestly I never want to leave.

And no matter the project, Blake always designs with her three kids in mind. "The spaces aren't cluttered and I'm cognizant of sharp edges—there's a flow," she explains. "They are taught to respect the furniture, but no room is off-limits." So if Cheyenne wants to climb up on a chair to make forts (a favorite activity, obviously), the kid-friendly spaces are ready to delight at every turn. And that love for creating comfortable, feel-good interiors? It's becoming a family thing—after seeing the main bathroom reno, "Zion said to me, 'So when are you going to renovate our bathroom?'" Blake shares with a laugh.

"These titles are great for increasing awareness of global issues," says Blake, who teaches in an international school system.

This story was originally published in our Kids 2020 issue with the headline "Bright and Bold."

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