From House To Home

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It’s certainly an understatement to say that life in the military presents many challenges to family life. The Bramblett kids know it all too well as they’ve watched their dad, Mike, be called to duty in Kuwait, Kosovo, and twice to Iraq. “That’s what he does, and we are very proud of his service,” says his wife, Vincy. “We make the best of wherever we’re at.”

The family had been stationed in Germany for a three-year period when Vincy was really put to that test. After initially being discouraged about life in a foreign country, she made an about-face and decided to homeschool her three children, traipsing off to historical sites and fully engaging them in European culture. She adds, “The kids and I traveled and had so many great experiences.” Then the orders came that Mike would be re-stationed in eastern Tennessee. With their now teenagers in tow, the couple did a whirlwind tour of houses and settled on this traditional Maryville home—all in one day!

Nearly six years later, the family has put down roots in a community that they love, two of the three kids have graduated and gone off to college, and Vincy has established her own interior design business as Mike continues his military career.

On first sight, the house appeared to be “a diamond in the rough,” and they agreed that some issues had to be addressed. First, the kitchen was small and dark, so they called on Wildwood Cabinetry to replace the dark cherry cabinets with white ones that stretched to the ceiling and created a more open floor plan. A two-tiered granite counter, double ovens, a warming drawer, and an Avantium convection/microwave oven added function to form.

The remodeled kitchen opens to a breakfast nook that looks out to the new pool and newly landscaped deck area. The master bath was also remodeled. Above the first-floor master bedroom, an added bonus room serves as a great hangout spot for the kids and their friends.

Vincy, who grew up with a grandmother in the interior design business, has always had a strong aesthetic of her own. “I love that glamorous piece in the room, the antique from Europe, or unique accessory, but what’s most important for me is to create a balance between formality and livability. It’s got to be inviting and comfortable,” says Vincy.

She took her ideas for fabric treatments to Shirley Rupert of Above and Beyond Custom Interiors who brought it all to fruition. “I called Shirley, and we connected instantly. She was in my head! She would take my idea and make it even grander,” she says.

Rupert’s elegant handiwork is apparent in every room. Her monogrammed bolster pillows, chenille throws, silk draperies adorned with 6-inch bullion, velvet swags with bishop sleeve panels, balloon valances, upholstered ottoman and slipcovers, brocade dust ruffles, and more are all integral to the Tuscan design scheme that prevails throughout.

“We have added layer upon layer to get the look. Vincy takes on on-going projects that pass from stage one to two to three,” says Rupert.

Also integral to the home’s décor are the many “favorite finds” that Vincy has collected during her travels. With a passion for scouring small out-of-the-way places for hidden treasures, she loves to shop for things that strike her as distinctive and hold a memory of a special place or a cherished time.

Her years in Europe granted her many opportunities for visiting the German Flohmarkt (flea market) and taking excursions to Poland for pottery (sometimes leaving at midnight to arrive seven hours later at a Polish factory) or to Czechoslovakia for hand-cut crystal. Her husband jokes that on their return, “We nearly sank the ship!”