The story below is from our May/June 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Photo above: The powder room features textured wallpaper, which creates a multidimensional look, and handmade concrete floating vanity. The light fixture is handmade in Australia.
Photos by Taylor Reschka.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
After the kitchen remodel, Mangus turned the pocket area off of the kitchen into a dining room and installed a large dining table for frequent family game nights. She added arched doors to cover the open shelves of the existing built-in cabinets and added fun and texture to the walls with grass cloth wallpaper.
Mangus 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.” On the back of the chairs, she integrated color and design with cut velvet upholstery. Reserving the “fabulous fabric” for the back of the chair, where it can be seen and is unlikely to get dirty, achieves a high design look while remaining functional.
Kids’ Bathroom
In the kids’ bathroom, Mangus chose a two-toned vanity, two-toned concrete tile and whimsical artwork for a youthful feel.
The shower door is angled and pivots for ease of access and cleaning. Because the door swings open, Juliet says it’s easy to bathe a toddler. The rain shower head also helps, as the gently cascading water allows for a spa-like experience that relaxes kids.
Primary Bathroom
In the primary bathroom, Hamlin Contractors removed a closet and added a room with a bidet. Once the room was restructured, Mangus started designing, creating what Juliet considers a “beachy, shore feel meets the mountains.”
Mangus achieved this look by installing marble tile and reeded his and her vanities, and by balancing the light and dark elements of the room. When the room was in progress and everything was white, Juliet said, “It makes me dizzy! It’s overwhelming, Emily. Please hold my hand!”
Thankfully, Mangus had a plan. Painting the ceiling and trim blue and installing the dark wood in the vanities balanced out the white. Juliet was free to bask in the beauty, appreciating that the soaking tub is “like a piece of art because of its graceful curvature.”
The shower is also a steam room, so the ceiling above it is tiled, and the glass extends from the floor to the ceiling. The shades are motorized and only require the push of a button.
While the kids have their own luxurious bathroom, Juliet says they love the primary bath too. If they have a cough or sore throat, they say, “I think I need a steam.”
Primary Bedroom
Prior to the renovation, the primary bedroom was an imbalanced, rectangular shape. Hamlin Contractors built a wall to separate the living space from the closet to achieve a square shape. Mangus installed a gold lamp to serve as the centering focal point.
CTS&I then built custom cabinets into the walk-in closet, accommodating Donald’s 6’5” height. The alcoves easily store all of their clothes and shoes, and both Juliet and Donald can use the space comfortably.
Juliet and Donald now have a space that is beautiful and kid-friendly. As a seasoned designer, Mangus always remains mindful of who will be using a revamped space, and how they’ll be doing so. Mangus abides by the adage that functionality always trumps aesthetic.
Fortunately, the renovated Vile home shows that functionality and a dazzling aesthetic aren’t mutually exclusive — it’s possible to have both.
The story above is from our May/June 2025 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
