At Home in Springfield, Missouri

When actor and designer J Tyler Whitmer traveled from his apartment in Chicago to meet Nathan Taylor, Interior Designer and Owner of Obelisk Home, for an impromptu second date, he found himself humoring his date and touring a 1950s mid-century home tucked away on Fritts Lane. This was May of 2020, and what followed was a lot of meant-to-be moments, and extensive collaboration. “We originally bought the home to flip it,” says Taylor. “Houses just don’t go up for sale in Fritts Lane, so we had to jump on it.” For those unfamiliar with the area, Fritts Lane is located in a subdivision between Brentwood Terrace and King’s Way UMC Church on Lone Pine. Known for its very few and very unique homes, its wide open space and an abundance of quiet, Fritts Lane is a charming storybook-esque area tucked away from the busyness of the city, while still being in the center of it all.

The home over the years always had remained very mid-century, although at times had more traditional decor. “We loved the windows and doors on the front of the home and the ’60s broken mosaic floor that’s now our family room,” says Whitmer. As demo on the home began, Whitmer and Taylor were met with a unique proposal by friend and real estate agent Adam Graddy. “He said, ‘Why don’t you just live there?,’” says Taylor. “We thought about it, and just said ‘We can do this!’”

Things swiftly changed from thinking of the home as a flip to thinking of it as their house. “We changed the layout of the house and converted the closet and the bathroom into our closet and added the primary bathroom on the north side of the house,” says Taylor. They also added new doors, removed a dividing bookcase and changed the duct work covered in wood in the family room where the incredible mosaic floor is. Painting the family room with a fresh coat of white paint created a beautiful backdrop for the broken mosaic floors to really shine.  “We took the old addition that was on the front and east side of the house and raised the roof to match the architecture,” says Taylor. “The current dining room was once a small bedroom with an adjacent bathroom.” This was Taylor’s favorite part of the remodel. “It all just evolved into more usable spaces,” says Taylor. “I loved figuring out the kitchen and dining room. It was fun to reimagine how to make it all work.”

The home was reworked in many other  ways, but many of the features the couple loved remained focal points throughout the home. “We really use every single living space now,” says Whitmer.

The exterior of the home, with its clean, architectural lines, long walkway and front patio that extends along the whole front of the home, creates an indoor/outdoor living aesthetic and creates beautiful views to be taken in from almost every room in the home. When entering the home, you’re first greeted by the original mid-century door, which the couple stripped, stained dark and varnished. You first step onto a magnificent Kelly Werster tile and above you a large mid-century chandelier fills the entryway. “I’ve had that light fixture forever,” says Whitmer. “My mom bought it from the Christian Science church in my hometown.”

As you make your way into the main living room, you’re greeted by a traditional rug, modern seating and an art gallery wall with a mix of styles. “I’m a traditionalist at heart,” says Taylor, “where J is more architectural and modern.” Whitmer describes his styles as more neutral and minimal and Taylor’s as more colorful and maximalist. “Every space is so representational of both of our lives,” says Whitmer. “It was really fun to move in and start styling.” Many of the pieces the couple has used in their home mean something to them. “It’s been meaningful to come up with our own style, together,” says Taylor.

As you make your way to the dining room, you can’t help but be in awe of the large crystal chandelier and the floor-to-ceiling windows. “The view is incredible, “ says Whitmer. “I sit here and work all the time.” The crystal chandelier was a treasure they uncovered together at an estate warehouse in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. “It was in a crate and you couldn’t even see what it looked like, and Nathan said we had to buy it!” The fixture turned out to be in almost perfect condition and even the lightbulbs that it came with worked. “The only thing it was missing was the bobéche,” says Taylor. The couple reached out to the family in Spain who made the chandelier and they sent a new bobéche for $300. “This was an incredible find,” says Taylor. “This chandelier would have cost between $30,000 and $40,000.” The dining room is a great example of how different elements work together in the home. “It’s a mix of different styles and a mix of old and new,” says Taylor. “We’ve loved using pieces we’ve each already had and then collecting and finding pieces together.”

In the kitchen the quartzite makes a beautiful statement, and in the family room a large green marble table sits on the broken mosaic floor. The couple’s collections make bold displays throughout the home as well. “We love collections. All the art came from both of us collecting pieces through our lives,” says Whitmer. “My mother is an artist and an interior designer and we have five of her pieces throughout the home.” Taylor has been influential in supporting the local art scene. Other collections are grouped among each other and mixed into the decor of the home. “I began collecting obelisks, and now people give them to me as gifts,” says Taylor. When Taylor and Whitmer began uniting their collections to style their home, they realized how their collections often mimicked each other’s. “We realized at some point that we both collected boxes independently,” says Taylor. “We both love antiquing, and our first date was actually antiquing in Chicago,” says Whitmer. “We both turned and looked in awe at the same marble bookends.” A testament to how the couple’s taste aligns so well.

Down the home’s main hallway you’ll find two impeccably styled guest rooms and the primary suite the couple reconfigured and added to. Beautifully draped white draperies line the giant windows and doors that are part of the front of the home. The primary bedroom feels architectural and collected at the same time. The very grand bed adds to the architectural nature of the room. “We both love to play with scale,” says Whitmer. “The bigger the piece is, the more balanced the space feels,” says Taylor. This concept of using larger scale pieces in smaller spaces is apparent in several spaces in the home. The large scale lighting the couple used really stands out in an elegant way. “Picking the plumbing fixtures was the most fun part of the process for me,” says Whitmer. “We really wanted an elevated hotel experience for the bathroom.” The gorgeous marble, stunning fixtures and massive shower work together to create an opulent space indeed. “When we have parties people end up hanging out in the bathroom,” says Whitmer.

Entertaining in their home is something the couple does frequently. “Entertaining should never feel like hard work and this home really does most of the work for us,” says Whitmer. I have never wanted to live in a home that felt too precious to let people really enjoy it, so even though we have a lot of pieces that mean a lot to us that we have either collected or purchased, I never feel the need to guide people away from anything. The entire home is free for entertaining!”

Although they enjoy sharing their home with friends, family and the community, the couple enjoys the quiet of the neighborhood and spending time together at home, cooking in their beautiful kitchen while enjoying the view. “I am definitely more of a baker than a chef,” says Whitmer. “I make these grain free/dairy free chocolate chip cookies that I have become known for and they’re super easy to make and guilt free.” Whether the couple is entertaining, working from home or cooking they love being happily tucked away on Fritts Lane and spending time at home. “This is truly the most beautiful place to call home,” says Taylor.