When a client reaches out to Jackson native and New Orleans- based interior designer Rivers Spencer, they usually are interested in a certain look—one featuring spacious rooms filled with crisp, tailored style dappled with lots of light and the ideal touch of dazzling glamour. Operating from her beautifully curated showroom in the design district of Magazine Street, Spencer creates impeccable spaces that reflect both the historical significance of rich antiques and the allure of contemporary design. Usually combined with fascinating lighting selections and perfectly appointed original artworks, her resulting spaces recognize the personalities of her client.
That signature approach was precisely what Jancsi and Charlie Saums requested of the designer for their home in the Summer’s Bay subdivision of Ridgeland. Previously seeing the designer’s work, Jancsi contacted Spencer when purchasing the waterfront property. “Since Charlie and I married, we have looked for a home on the water,” Jancsi explains of their home on the Ross Barnett Reservoir. “Living on the water has always been a dream of Charlie’s for the peacefulness, beautiful sunsets and gorgeous views.” By collaborating with Billy Denny of Metropolitan Builders, LLC for the complete renovation, the designer was able to breathe a new elegant life into the traditional brick home.
The Saums also wanted a house that was hospitable with impeccable style, one in which they could entertain family and friends, as well as host their granddaughters comfortably for overnight stays. Spencer personally selected each piece in the home to create an individual narrative for the couple. “Our goal throughout the home was to reflect Jancsi’s personal style,” notes the designer. “We wanted to add some richness and depth by using antiques and layering finishes from brass and acrylic to warm woods, velvet, and linens.” The designer gathers unique pieces from her collection of antiques discovered on trips abroad, as well as her line of furniture, the Rivers Spencer Collection, which is custom made and hand finished by artisans in New Orleans. She also designs a line of furnishings for Tritter Feefer Home Collection. These selections, along with the luxurious offerings in her Magazine Street store, advance her designs to evolve into these incredible spaces. Overall, the home’s interiors’ bright white foundation is highlighted by subdued hues, brilliant golds, and slight touches of modern black. Spencer designed the main living area with layers of soft textiles. Building upon a hair-on-hide rug, lush velvets and crisp linens soothe the lines of the acrylic cocktail table and brass details. In the kitchen, marble contrasts with the white cabinetry, creating an inviting space to gather with friends. Each of the spaces in the home features lighting fixtures inspired by the 1960s and ’70s. Sourced through her design studio, these pieces are the crowning jewels in the home. Vintage French floral sconces add a feminine flair to the dining room, while an Aerin Lauder chandelier in the master bedroom features a more chic feel. These contrasts add great character to the home’s story.
The master suite is the epitome of a glamorous and inviting retreat for the couple and features over twin Suzanne Kasler mirrored chests, a pair of bespoke 24k white gold DeGourney chinoiserie panels were custom framed for the space and sparkle while flanking the enveloping bed. The burled-wood Louis Philippe commode was a favorite discovery while the designer perused antiques in Le Mans, France, last year. The ottoman in the master’s sitting room is another prominent feature with Scalamandré cut velvet trimmed in Samuel and Sons fringe. “It is probably the most glamorous, yet plush, piece in the entire house,” notes Spencer.
Incorporated into her signature design is an assortment of original artwork, and the Saums’ home features some unique choices. Commissioning artists to communicate specific colors and tones can be challenging, but Spencer conveyed her vision to a number of talented creators. Two of Jackson artist Abby Price’s fragment compositions hang in the living room, one of which is perfectly paired with a framed canvas by Sarah Otts of Mobile, Alabama. Kevin Gillentine, a Magazine Street neighbor and friend of the designer, crafted a piece for the master bedroom that complements the mushroom and grey tones of the textiles. Featured in the adjacent sitting room is an oversized pastel canvas by Alexis Walter, a New Orleans artist who is represented by Rivers Spencer Interiors.
Spencer appealed to New Orleans-based painter Jamie Grace Meeks for a series of five large-scale pieces for the foyer. “Jamie was a natural fit because her pieces are not only beautiful, but her whites and golds work perfectly with the project,” the designer adds. She also worked with artists and galleries to organize collections to create a significant impact. A number of Tommy Mitchell botanical sculptures frame an antique mirror and chest in the hallway, while a dozen framed Andrew Bucci paintings are poised above a buffet of Spencer’s own design in the breakfast room. Each of the designer’s selections is carefully placed and brings personality to its surroundings. The connection between designer and client is an utmost priority to Spencer. “That’s one of my favorite parts of being a designer—people are trusting you with their homes and spaces that they are in every day,” she states. “When you really click with a client and spend as much time together as Jancsi and I did, you really become a family.”
The homeowner completely agrees. “I had already seen some of Rivers’ projects and knew immediately that I wanted her to be our designer,” she notes. “Rivers is extremely talented, easy to work with, and always available no matter how busy she is. I wish I had another house for her to design!”
