The story below is a preview from our May/June 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
A home built in 1990 and remodeled in the early 2000s hadn’t been touched since then, but after an extensive renovation, beauty everywhere captures the eye and the imagination.
Taylor Reschka
The powder room features textured wallpaper, which creates a multidimensional look, and handmade concrete floating vanity. The light fixture is handmade in Australia.
Juliet and Donald Vile actually had fun while renovating their home. As busy working parents, they chose to renovate with Emily Mangus Interiors, a full-service custom interior design studio. As a designer, Mangus manages all projects and installations and procures all furniture and fixtures. The result at the Vile home is a high-end look that’s amenable to family life.
Getting Started
When the Viles purchased the home in 2020, they needed to address existing water damage in the basement. They also planned to update the look of the home.
In seeking a designer, Juliet wanted a vibe that was simultaneously “traditional and contemporary” and could incorporate “modern art and pops of color.” Julia found Mangus online, and Mangus brought in Hamlin builders to fix the water damage.
After repairing the damaged floors, Hamlin did a structural remodel. Hamlin converted the downstairs from a pottery studio to a family room and in-law suite with a kitchenette, wet bar and full bathroom.
Mangus then designed the space to be kid-friendly, opting for what Juliet calls a “colorful, wild vibe.” Mangus curated a table for family card games, and the Viles installed a gaming system. Because the basement conversion provided a functional living space, the Viles lived down there for over six months while the upstairs renovation was completed a few years later.
All the Pretty Things
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Taylor Reschka
Outside of the basement door is a large patio with a pool and hot tub.
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Taylor Reschka
Magnus opted for a durable outdoor solid fabric on the seats of the chairs, knowing that kids get their hands dirty while eating, and this fabric is suited to wiping off any stains caused by "spaghetti hands."
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Taylor Reschka
The basement remodel gave Juliet an idea of what she’d like the upper levels of the home to look like, so the Viles called Mangus back in 2024. Juliet wanted a “similar look with an inverse vibe” for the upper levels of the home, opting for colors and finishes that are “calmer and have a more sophisticated touch.”
After listening to Juliet, Mangus started designing. She presented Juliet with about three different choices for every element of the renovation. Juliet made the final selections.
Taylor Reschka
The shelves/cabinets in the arch are functional.
The “give and take,” as Juliet describes it, suited her well. Juliet says, “It would have been too overwhelming to decide what to buy when looking at a thousand different countertops myself.”
In addition to eliminating overwhelm by choosing Emily Mangus Interiors, Juliet had “some of the most fun days of [her] life” while working through the renovation. Because Mangus and her team did all the behind-the-scenes labor, Juliet was able to enjoy her time at the studio when Mangus called her to “look at all the pretty things.”
To achieve the right design scheme, Juliet and Mangus talked about layering patterns and textures everywhere. Even smaller spaces, like the powder room and laundry room, received this attention. Mangus enthuses that there are “never enough” layers of design and always looks for more layers to add in.
Kitchen
To begin the ground floor renovation, Hamlin Contractors bumped out a wall to double the size of the kitchen. Mangus advised Juliet to choose dark kitchen cabinets, knowing that a bright white, super modern kitchen would look out of place in a colonial home. Juliet agreed, and CTS&I, a cabinet maker in Cave Spring, installed dark floor to ceiling cabinets. Juliet purposefully chose for them to be shallow because her old cabinets were so deep that she couldn’t find anything in them.
Because the cabinets are custom-built, CTS&I used them to cover the refrigerator and freezer and blend that appliance in with the rest of the kitchen. The cabinets also feature an appliance garage, a drawer that can roll in and out to store all appliances when not in use. CTS&I even built dog bowls for the family pets directly into the island.
All appliances are Thermador, a brand known for seamless luxury. The refrigerator has four compartments — fridge, freezer, ice drawer and an “ambi” drawer that can be set to be fridge or freezer, depending on what additional space is needed.
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Taylor Reschka
Juliet chose quartzite for the countertops because it’s more durable than marble.
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Taylor Reschka
Juliet chose quartzite for the countertops because it’s more durable than marble.
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Taylor Reschka
Mangus used Farrow and Ball paint on the arch, handcrafted in Dorset, England. The company is renowned for how its paints interact with natural light, which is attributed to a titanium dioxide base in the paint. The shelves/cabinets in the arch are functional.
The oven is a dual oven, meaning one side is electric and one is gas. The burners are also half electric, half gas. This allows for perfect cooking no matter what dish the Viles are preparing.
Dining Room
Want to learn more about how Emily Mangus Interiors transformed the Vile family’s home with a blend of luxury, functionality and playful design? Check out the latest issue, now on newsstands, or see it for free in our digital guide linked below!
The story above is a preview from our May/June 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!