When Amanda Seyfried purchased her New York City pied-à-terre, she requested that her city home have a contemporary country-style quality – a popular interior design trend this season.
The Oscar nominee and Emmy winner, who most famously starred in Mean Girls, enlisted design firm General Assembly very early on in the process. As this was Amanda Seyfried’s third time working with founder Sarah Zames, she trusted the designer and her partner, Colin Stief, implicitly with the extensive project.
Drawing on inspiration from Seyfried's full-time residence on a farm in the Catskills Mountains of New York, paired with modern city living, General Assembly designed a space that embodied both warm and contemporary elements, from which the modern country trend was born.
This mixture of rustic touches and traditional elegance, of smart yet accessible design is so relevant to the way we live now, whether among rolling fields or in an urban landscape. The modern country trend is all about comfort and style, mixing a cozy, lived-in feel with contemporary design. The result is a sophisticated look that is both welcoming and homey – exactly what Amanda and her husband, actor Thomas Sadoski, were looking for.
'We wanted to bring in some of the feeling of what we’d done at her place upstate. We don’t want it to feel like a dramatic change,' designer Sarah Zames told Architectural Digest. 'Amanda is not really a formal person, and keeping a relaxed vibe was really important.'
The kitchen, below, draws on the traditional look of a country kitchen, but with a contemporary, warm minimalist feel.
'Designing a country kitchen is not just about the look – it's about the lived-in feel that it creates,' explains Leisha Norman, designer at Harvey Jones. 'One of the best ways to achieve country charm is to source items that have their own story: the marks of time, weathering or patina can't be recreated from a mass-produced item bought in a shop.'
A modern country-inspired space must be functional and versatile, while also setting the tone for the rest of the house, as General Assembly has done with this home.
The living space is equally tranquil and toned down, only lifted by a considered color scheme of taupe, mustard, and blue-gray hues, and plenty of textural furnishings. The secret to its depth and dimension. Creating texture is not simply just about how decor and soft furnishings feel, but it's also about 'visual texture' – using different materials to add interest and breathe life into a room, as showcased here.
'Pale woods have a light and pared-back Scandinavian aesthetic that exudes a sense of calm and timelessness that works equally well in contemporary and more traditional schemes,' explains Sarah Foster, wood buyer at Fired Earth.
'The natural grains and color variation in wood ensure that, no matter how light it is, it will look warm rather than cold or stark. Even if, like Amanda, you are going for a predominantly white look, the natural knots and grains in a pale wood floor will help ensure plenty of visual interest.'
Shop Amanda Seyfried's look
Whether you're living in bucolic bliss or right in the heart of the city, it's hard to resist the charm of a rustic look when it comes to wood. To replicate the look, keep tones and finishes pale and interesting to achieve a contemporary take on country style. We've highlighted a curated selection of our favorite buys to help you on your way...
Offered in a variety of lustrous fabrics, the contemporary and timelessly stylish sofa features a chic silhouette
This is the exact wall color used in Amanda Seyfried's home, and it's one of the most popular colors in Farrow & Ball's range.
Add sculptural dimension to your coffee table or end table with an intricate 3D printed vase.
