The story below is from our September/October 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Photos courtesy of Taylor Reschka.
The Aldridges purposefully purchased a home that needed renovating so that Kathy could design it to reflect their family history-using durable colors and finishes that will last.
When Kathy and John Aldridge decided to upsize their home, Kathy wanted to design the space exactly to her taste. The Aldridges got their wish in 2012 when they bought a home that required a full revamping. Kathy treated the home as a canvas, renovating in waves over the years. The result is a home whose finishes and design — and the family legacy preserved within — will stand the test of time.
Getting Started
This home had been empty for two years and was in foreclosure, providing the blank slate Kathy wanted. But it also needed work to become functional.
The Aldridges first ripped up the white carpet, installed hardwood floors and new windows and redid the HVAC system. Year after year, they “whittled away” at the remaining work, completing two projects each year as their kids grew up. Kathy exclusively managed the design while Steve Morris of Classical Designs completed all the structural work.
As she worked, Kathy remained focused on the guiding principle of designing everything classically and using long-lasting materials. She didn’t want to chase trends and redo projects every few years. She also knew that a home in which everything is new could feel impersonal, like a model home, so she prominently displayed their family history with each upgrade.
Working at Magnolia
Kathy started working for Magnolia Furnishings in 2021, which gave her other people to bounce ideas off of when she needed to. If she got stuck on making a design choice, her colleagues gave her their input on what was right for the space.
Another benefit of working for Magnolia is that Kathy has access to vendors that only work with designers and don’t sell to the general public. With so many options, Kathy was able to find just the right furnishings for each room.
Family Room
Kathy thought the original orange-hued bricks of the family room fireplace had a “heavy look,” so Steve painted the brick crisp white. He installed calacatta gold quartz cladding that’s made to look like marble, as quartz is more durable and cost-effective. He added built-in shelves next to the fireplace to display family photographs and inherited family treasures.
Kathy and John then redid the floors. They stained natural wood and covered the floors with a matte finish that’s typically only used in commercial applications. Commercial finishes are made to handle higher traffic, so they are resistant to wear.
“The right materials are so important for the longevity of your home,” Kathy emphasizes. The Aldridges have three dogs, two of which weigh 70 pounds, but the floors show no pawprints or scratch marks. Kathy also purchased wool area rugs for the family room and elsewhere for longevity, as wool is very strong and long-lasting.
A picture of Mason’s Knob by local artist Susan Whiteside hangs near the fireplace, a complement to the view of the mountain the Aldridges enjoy from their eat-in kitchen. The landscape is now a part of their family history. Kathy says they take pictures of the mountain “all the time” and that they “bought the painting because we [they] wanted a piece of art that meant something special and specific to us [them].”
Study
While the rest of the downstairs and the bedrooms upstairs are gray, Kathy customized a blue base from a historical Benjamin Moore color palette for the study. This aligns to Kathy’s desire to not have to redo things, as historical colors are timeless and unlikely to go out of fashion.
Built-in bookshelves display a Shakespeare set from the 1800s that her parents gave her when she graduated college and memorabilia from when her father was a pilot for Piedmont Airlines. A bookshelf light with down lighting illuminates the family history.
John’s family history is also present; his mom was secretary to the city manager of Roanoke, and her desk sign sits atop a burl wood desk. Kathy coordinated other natural elements with the burl wood — drapes with pomegranates and a mirror with love birds on top — to complete the classic, naturalistic vibe of the room.
Dining Room
Kathy purchased fabric from Schumacher, a high-end textile company, to incorporate into the dining room. Because Schumacher fabric is expensive, Kathy used it for slipcovers rather than drapes, as drapes would have required a lot more material.
The drapes are custom blue velvet and the designer wallpaper is from Kravet. She bought more local landscape art, this time from Donna Tooten, to hang above the buffet. Kathy says, “I love landscapes. The mountains really speak to me.” Her classic artistic preferences mirror the classic design scheme Kathy has created.
A Talia light, with individually hung bulbs, illuminates the setup.
Kitchen
Kathy redid the kitchen in 2016 and enjoys it just as much now as when it was brand-new.
“Even though my kitchen is nine years old, I still love it.” Kathy chose handmade subway tiles for the backsplash because they’re “beautiful and simple.” Slightly uneven edges add texture.
The kitchen island is quartz made to look like soapstone. Because soapstone is softer than quartz and scratches easily, quartz is a better choice for material. It looks like soapstone but is tough enough to withstand kitchen wear.
Ideal Cabinets of Roanoke built custom cabinets that blend the fridge and freezer in with the rest of the kitchen. The Thermador stove features dual gas and electric heating options.
Primary Bathroom
Kathy says the primary bathroom required that Steve “do some finagling” to restructure it, as the original layout required passing through the bathroom to reach the closet of the master bedroom. In restructuring the space, he made the closet smaller and the shower larger.
Steve then removed cream-colored ceramic tile and a corner garden tub that were original to the home, built in 1989. He replaced the garden tub with an airsoft soaking tub that produces bubbles like champagne.
Steve also replaced the primary window with one window that opens and installed two skylights.
Kathy loves it. “I’m so spoiled,” she says. Even if we go somewhere really nice like the Omni Homestead [in Hot Springs], I miss my own shower with the jets on the side.”
His and her vanities line opposite walls so Kathy and John aren’t in each other’s way while getting ready.
Funky, Masculine Vibes
Because John often works from home, Kathy wanted his office to feel comfortable, unique and masculine. She achieved this with rustic, long-lasting materials and masculine family memorabilia.
Inspired by a photo online, Kathy layered the carpets, placing a black and white striped rug beneath a cow hide rug and a wooden desk on top. She bought lamps with leather accents and a black, modern ceiling fan.
Kathy reframed a painting of John’s father, who served in Korea in the late 1950s and 60s to hang on the wall.
The colors, finishes and furnishes of the Aldridge home are made to last. This home, and its preserved family history, may endure almost as long as the mountains Kathy loves.
The story above is from our September/October 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
