Podcast, Ep. 63: designer and shop owner Bradley Odom

Today, Bradley Odom joins in to share the his background in retail and interior design, the inspiration for his iconic store Dixon Rye, and how he is shaking up the home styling industry. He also discusses the mix of raw and refined, the importance of scale and ways we can make our space well curated and uniquely personal.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

• Bradley’s background in retail and interior design and home stylist work
• How brick and mortar stores are still very much alive and important, and require smart and educated decisions on what’s going where for particular seasons
• How we can understand scale, and what scales work for a particular space
• The mixing and editing of materials to keep the9 ebb and flow of old and new
• Bradley’s time at The Savannah College of Art and Design, and the challenges of obtaining a degree while working a busy full time job
• His love for Atlanta’s artisan community, and why he chose Atlanta over any other possible locations
• The life cycle of products and the importance of good quality
• The most important things to invest in, and what items should be hand me down pieces
• Why Bradley may not believe in purchasing things just because they may be timeless
• Mixing neutrals, and how neutrals can take on a masculine or feminine role. And yes, there has been a beige sofa on the floor
• The history of Dixon Rye, and the challenges that the space faces due to the 1940’s industrial feel
• The amazing potential of small houses decorated and styles really well
• How to tackle storage in the bedroom without cluttering the room with furniture
• Why it’s not what or how many things we have, it’s the way they fit in the room
• A power statement can be everything, even just one rug
• Why not to gallery wall yourself out of every situation
• His use of brass, silver and metal in different projects to create a look and feel
• How we bring more lighting into our space, picture lamps, and the importance of using lamps that work in scale
• Why it’s better to invest and buy “better, fewer things”
• The subjective nature of “luxury” and why the term doesn’t always mean high end

Decorating Dilemmas

Hello ladies,

I have thoroughly enjoyed the podcast since discovering it a few weeks ago, and have since been ‘binge listening’, is that a thing?!? We are currently planning a complete remodel of a small footprint full bath off our hallway, and I envision something with a mix of styles. My question: Lucky for me, we live close by in Athens, but honestly Atlanta seems a world away when it comes to navigating shops and good venues for sourcing tile, tubs and good lighting. Can y’all recommend a few stores where I could see a good selection of higher quality tile in person? I already tried the big box options and I’m not finding what I’m looking for. I am really having fun with this process and look forward to exploring ATL and all it has to offer for stylish options to bring into my home.  Thanks for any advice!

Christine

PS — Scott’s market is already on my radar, I’ve been a few times over the years.  Also I’ve purchased some nice brass door hardware at Masterpiece Lighting recently, and have them on my list.

Bradley gives some examples of local tile stores that are both boutique and big box stores. The tile itself matters, but the pattern and grout you choose also are large factors. A white subway tile with a jet black grout creates drama, and an interesting mood rather than just plain white. You may also want to go to high end stores for inspiration, then take your ideas for a combination of affordable and luxury tile.

……………

Hi Ladies!

I love the podcast! It feels like a conversation with friends who love decorating and design even more than I do! Your warmth and humor comes across in each episode. When I heard the call for decorating dilemmas, I knew I could deliver you one!

My dilemma has to do with our master bedroom. We live in a 1923 house (american foursquare with some craftsman touches) which is lovely and has loads of character, but basically no right angles left anymore. Our master bedroom faces the street, and if you leaned out the windows on the side wall, you could practically touch my neighbors MIL apartment above his garage. As you can see from the detail photo, one of the street facing windows is noticeably closer to the ceiling than the other. One is also right up against the side wall where my closet is. How can I cover these windows so it doesn’t look weird? I’d like to not draw attention to the fact that the edges in this house are a little bit Seussian and we also need privacy. The current shades are leftover from the previous owner.

My second question is, how do I work with that fireplace? All the furniture in the photos is from my husband’s bachelor days. All the pieces have basically been given a stay of execution and that is why they are still here. Having a fireplace in the master bedroom is pretty awesome. We do live in Texas, however, and have absolutely no need to use it. Your suggestions for what furniture to get and how to arrange it would be most appreciated!  I don’t want to ignore the fireplace, but feature it in a way that makes sense for the space. My style vibe is new traditional.

Many, many thanks for your suggestions and pointers!

Kind regards,

Mary

One of the most new traditional things you can do is get rid of your ceiling fans! An outside mount with custom made Roman shade can help draw attention to where it needs to go. Let the wood beams and fireplace be the hero, because they are natural and beautiful. You can have some fun with your windows, and pick solid linen drapery on one side, and prints on the other. We love the deep brick, red of your fireplace, and the bungalow vibe it gives to the room. We also like the idea of a possible round standing sculpture on the wall.

Show Notes

• Dixon Rye
• @dixon_rye
• Dixon Rye Facebook
• SCAD
• Paul Schneider

Please send in your questions so we can answer them on our next episode! And of course, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes so you never miss an episode. You can always check back here to see new episodes, but if you subscribe, it’ll automatically download to your phone.

Happy Decorating!

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