Design collective is passionate about collaboration and color
By: Carolyn Kemmett
Photo by Jack Robert Photography
There’s a new design firm in town, or rather a sleekly renovated one, and it’s undergone a glow-up that’s proving beneficial for both its many repeat and new clients. Northside Design Collective sprouted from Allard + Roberts Interior Design, a highly respected Asheville firm founded in 2009 that has been featured in Elle Décor and House Beautiful, among other major publications. The reiteration was prompted in part by previous partner Sharon Allard’s retirement.
“We have the same talented team and client-centered concept, but it was an opportunity for a refresh,” explains founder and president Talli Roberts-Early. “We’ve relocated to a larger Charlotte Street space, which represents not just additional square footage, but expands what we can offer.”
“The client benefits from this approach because diverse talents and perspectives generate more, broader, and better articulated ideas and solutions,” adds Sarah Brewer, the firm’s vice president.
The team moved to their new space before Christmas and officially launched on January 1. Northside’s grand-opening gala followed shortly thereafter, in early February, and in the same month Roberts-Early and Brewer sat down with Carolina Home + Garden to talk about their passion.
CH+G: Is Northside Design Collective an Allard + Roberts 2.0, if you will?
Talli Roberts-Early: Yes and no. This rebrand offers clients the care and attention to detail they associated with Allard + Roberts, but with our new larger space, we have room to offer products and services from local and regional vendors and showcase the exceptional work of local makers and artists, which our area is known for.
Our new name intentionally distances itself from the concept of highlighting the owners and instead promotes our team and the collaborative spirit that a collective offers.
Sarah Brewer: A core philosophy is remaining selective about our projects so we can stay highly responsive to our clients. Many are building a second or third home here and they can’t be present to oversee their project. Projects stay streamlined since we act as clients’ eyes and ears and collaborate effectively with architects and builders.
Do you do more new construction versus renovation, or vice versa?
TR-E: I’d say it’s 50/50 now. We enjoy helping clients start fresh with a new construction project, and it’s also rewarding to help clients breathe new life into an older home. Plus, renovation is the ultimate in environmentally friendly recycling. Fortunately, many clients we’ve worked with previously return to work with us when they’re ready for change.
SB: Our boutique business model allows us to provide luxury-level, personalized service to clients. More than ever before, we’re connecting clients to the best talent Asheville offers, from craftspeople and artists to rug importers, metalworkers, tile installers, and more. This makes the spaces we design hyper-customized. We can invite clients who may have just arrived here into this special local culture — something they often tell us they want to immerse themselves in.
Your clients come from many areas of the country. Do they want to recreate a familiar atmosphere — beachy, for example — or are they enthusiastic about fully embracing the mountain aesthetic? And what is the mountain aesthetic now?
TR-E: Relocating clients are excited about the mountain aesthetic, but that’s changed over time. Rather than heavily rustic, what’s sought after today are spaces we call “organic modern.”
SB: Instead of a stark, sterile modern feeling — think lots of white and glass — the goal mood is warmer. We achieve that using natural, regional materials like stone, quartzite, and wood.
Besides repurposing, what are some of your other environmentally friendly initiatives?
SB: We favor natural, easy-to-clean fibers and environmentally conscious stain treatments, as opposed to chemical spraying of furniture pieces to eliminate off gassing and other harmful effects. We’re also lucky that many furniture and fabric manufacturers are right here in North Carolina. It makes our work more sustainable. For example, we often use Valdese Weavers and Sunbrella fabrics, which is based in High Point.
What’s trending in design that’s exciting?
TR-E: We’re moving toward more traditional interiors — the grand, white, modern glass house had its time, but it’s cold. We’re enjoying mixing styles and eras eclectically. For example, people shouldn’t feel they can’t mix a favorite Art Deco piece with Midcentury modern.
SB: I’m loving seeing much more color and pattern. We’re saying goodbye to white and gray, and many of us are thrilled about that.
Northside Design Collective, 181 Charlotte St., Asheville, 828-271-4350, northsidedesignco.com.