40 AUTUMN 2026 ASPIREDESIGNANDHOME.COM 41 Natalie Officer is a good listener. As the principal of Natalie O Design, a full-service interior design firm in Kentucky, her job is to listen to her clients and their homes. Such was the case for this midcentury residence just outside of Louisville: Officer wanted to craft a spot for the home’s family to gather without overwriting its rich history. “Oftentimes when someone has a midcentury home, there’s nothing eccentric inside,” the designer describes. “Once someone’s kind of taken out all the pieces, it’s quite sterile. So how do you bring character back into the house?” For starters, Officer “softened” the property’s Brutalist materials, like Bradford stone and concrete, with a nature- inspired palette. “This biophilic concept brings people calm,” she explains. “We wanted to tilt that into modernity without hitting you over the head with it.” PROJECT LOCATION: Venice, Italy PROJECT DETAILS: With a focus on materiality, functionality and custom, bespoke touches, this kitchen design lends an unexpected charm to the entire interior of its Venice home. Passionate about traditional Italian cuisine, the owner selected a custom stainless-steel Ego configuration from Abimis to create a space that seamlessly brings together professional performance with day-to-day life. The result is a compact configuration that ensures maximum ergonomics and organization alongside a welcoming, balanced environment that’s a pleasure to inhabit. Sources: Bespoke island from the Ego collection, entirely crafted in stainless steel and orbitally polished by hand. THIS OR THAT: Following a recipe or improvising? Improvising, starting from a strong foundation. At Abimis, the kitchen is a place where technique and creativity come together. A good recipe can show the way, but it’s intuition, curiosity and the freedom to make it your own that turn cooking into a truly personal experience. DESIGNER ALBERTO TORSELLO Photo by Colin Dutton DOWN TO EARTH Nestled outside of Louisville, a family home marries midcentury charm with Mother Nature’s bounty TEXT KELSEY MULVEY PHOTOGRAPHER KATE LEICHHARDT INTERIOR DESIGN NATALIE O DESIGN STYLIST NATALIE OFFICER + TEAM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY In the living room, two ottomans covered in Pierre Frey upholstery deliver bucolic beauty. GATHER ’ROUND