Interior Design for Barclay Downs
Barclay Downs sits directly beside SouthPark Mall, a mature neighborhood of 1950s and 1960s ranches, split-levels, and a growing number of substantial rebuilds. Its lots are generous, its trees are old, and its homes are almost always candidates for thoughtful expansion rather than replacement. Our studio is located on Barclay Downs Drive, which means we know these floor plans and their quirks intimately. Led by Charlotte interior designer Miriam Peters.
The work here usually begins with flow. Original Barclay Downs homes were built with compartmentalized kitchens, modest primary suites, and low ceilings at the rear of the house. We open what should be opened, protect the proportions worth keeping, and specify materials that read as permanent rather than trend-driven.
About Barclay Downs
Barclay Downs is a residential neighborhood in the SouthPark area of Charlotte, located between Sharon Road and Fairview Road near SouthPark Mall, which opened in 1970. Much of the neighborhood was developed in the mid-twentieth century, and its original housing includes ranch and two-story traditional homes on wooded lots. Its location close to SouthPark's shopping, dining and offices has made it popular, and many original houses have been renovated or replaced with larger new homes.
Ranch & Split-Level Renovation
Most Barclay Downs projects involve reworking the original footprint: relocating a kitchen to capture rear-yard light, converting a carport into conditioned living space, raising a rear ceiling, or combining two small bedrooms into a proper primary suite. We design these renovations with an eye toward resale strength as well as daily comfort, because Barclay Downs values reward homes that feel current without erasing their era.
- Kitchen relocation and rear-wall glazing
- Primary suite creation within existing footprints
- Carport and garage conversions
- Ceiling and beam detailing for low-slung ranch plans
- Mudroom, pantry, and laundry planning
Additions & Rebuilds
A growing share of Barclay Downs homes are being expanded or rebuilt entirely. When that is the right call, we join the architect and builder before framing so that ceiling heights, lighting positions, millwork depths, and plumbing rough-ins are resolved on paper rather than on site. That early involvement is what keeps a rebuilt Barclay Downs home from reading as generic new construction on an old street.
Whole-Home Furnishing
For clients who love their Barclay Downs house but not its interiors, our furnishing service handles everything from floor plans and fabric selection to art, rugs, and installation day. Trade-only sourcing gives access to pieces scaled correctly for these rooms — a distinction that matters more in a 2,800 square foot ranch than in a large new build.
Designing a Barclay Downs Home Near the Studio
Barclay Downs is home to our own studio at 4401 Barclay Downs Drive, so the neighborhood's houses are ones I pass every day. Its mid-century ranch and two-story traditional homes sit on wooded lots, and many have been renovated or replaced with larger new homes as SouthPark has grown around them. That creates two common starting points. In an original home, the question is how far to go — opening the kitchen, enlarging the primary suite, perhaps adding a second story — while keeping the scale that suits the street. In a new home, the question is how to make a large, new house feel settled among mature trees and older neighbors, usually through warmer materials, millwork and furniture with some age to it. Being minutes from SouthPark's shops and offices, households here often want a home that works for both busy weekdays and relaxed entertaining.
- Renovating original ranch and two-story homes
- Settling new construction among older houses
- Warm materials for a wooded setting
- A studio minutes away for site visits
Real completed homes and documented scope
Highland Forest Estate · Charlotte, NC. A Charlotte whole-home interior design project. Explore the relationship between architecture, furnishings and light through the rooms shown below. Photographed work in Charlotte, NC; use it to review room relationships and material coordination, not as proof of a project in Barclay Downs.
Kings Manor Residence · Matthews, NC. A Matthews interior design project presented through its kitchen, living room, dining room and bathroom. The photographs show how related tones and contrasting shapes connect the rooms. Photographed work in Matthews, NC; use it to review room relationships and material coordination, not as proof of a project in Barclay Downs.
Sunset Beach Residence · Sunset Beach, NC. A coastal interior design project in Brunswick County, North Carolina. The room sequence follows living spaces, the kitchen and quieter rooms through a palette of pale textiles, woven textures and blue-green accents. Photographed work in Brunswick County, NC; use it to review room relationships and material coordination, not as proof of a project in Barclay Downs.
Project photography
Highland Forest · Charlotte, NC. A marble island, brass pendants, warm wood cabinetry and a coffered ceiling.
Highland Forest · Charlotte, NC. A sculptural fireplace, pale seating and shelving beneath a brass chandelier.
Highland Forest · Charlotte, NC. A brass canopy bed, upholstered seating and a sculptural fireplace.
Highland Forest · Charlotte, NC. A freestanding tub, wood vanity and upholstered ottoman beside a large window.
Carmel Road · Carmel Road. A contemporary façade with pale walls, dark-framed glazing and a patterned approach.
Carmel Road · Carmel Road. The glazed entrance framed by contrasting wall surfaces and planted borders.