Tour Grammy-Winning Singer-Songwriter Chris Tomlin’s Serene Cabin in Tennessee
Talk about a soulful refuge from the frenetic pace of life.
Sometimes a house moves you to tears in all the best ways possible. At least that was the case for Chris and Lauren Tomlin, who say they literally cried when they spied a pre-Civil War cabin during a country drive around Franklin, Tennessee. Thing is, it wasn’t for sale. So the couple left a note in the mailbox, and just a few months later it was theirs. It’s likely they had a way with words: Chris is a Grammy-winning Christian singer-songwriter, after all, whose most recent album, Chris Tomlin and Friends, includes guest appearances by Thomas Rhett and Florida Georgia Line. Fittingly, Chris, a history buff, named his property Peacefield, inspired by the name John Adams gave his historic Massachusetts home in the 1700s.
Once the family got accustomed to the property—which was built around a rough-hewn settler’s log cabin from before the Civil War—they enlisted architect Wade Weissmann to modernize it in a way that felt anything but, well, modern. “Wade specializes in maintaining the integrity of old homes,” says Lauren, adding that he kept her “on the rails.” “At some point I wanted to do a vaulted ceiling and he was like, ‘That’s great but it’s going to feel like an addition.’”
Lauren also invoked the talents of Nashville designer Rachel Halvorson. “Rachel has an incredible capacity for blending the old with the new,” says Lauren. That blend is best showcased against a backdrop of neutrals, which Rachel insists is the key to a country house. “There is a sense of ease to houses like this—fussy patterns and bold colors don’t really work because they can be distracting,” she says. The finished project feels like one giant exhale for the busy family of five (which includes daughters Ashlyn, Madi, and Elle). “I used to laugh when Lauren and Chris told me the property moved them to tears,” says Rachel, “but now I understand. The wholeness you feel when you’re there is nothing short of spiritual.”
Wooded Refuge
“I feel like I step back in time in this room,” says Lauren of the wood-planked library. “The original builder collected scraps from all around Nashville, including an old train depot, to put the house together.”
RELATED: 6 Best Places to Find or Buy Reclaimed Wood Near You
Shelves That Tell a Story
The library’s book collection includes an assortment of old hymnals inspired by Chris’s work as a worship leader.
Practical Yet Pretty
“If you live in the country, you’re probably not the type of person to freak out if a little mud gets on your furniture,” says Rachel. She still chose performance fabrics for the neutral upholstery, just in case.
Where Old Meets New
“I initially panicked when I saw how big the island was, but it’s everything we need,” says Lauren of the centerpiece topped with durable Taj Mahal quartzite and equipped with stealth storage underneath. A generous six-foot-wide handcrafted light fixture hangs overhead and complements the cabinets’ iron hardware. The adjacent log wall from the original settler’s cabin beautifully bridges the new with the old.
Get the Look:
Cabinet Color: Agreeable Gray by Sherwin-Williams
Wall Color: China White by Benjamin Moore
Cabinet Hardware: from Rocky Mountain Hardware
Light Fixture: from Low Country Originals
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Nature’s Palette
Lauren and Chris Tomlin’s screened-in porch features a custom shade of green on the trim. “I consider green a neutral,” says interior designer Rachel Halvorson, noting the color scheme of a country home should feel tied to the land. (Some of her favorite shades include Lichen by Farrow & Ball and Winterwood by Benjamin Moore.) The woven dining chair echoes tones of the stone.
Get the Look:
Dining Chair: Arbor from Janus et Cie
Sentimental Antiques
Filled with vintage china, the dining room’s hutch is just one of several family heirlooms that lend soul to this room, which showcases the chinked log walls of the original cabin. The antique table is surrounded by slipcovered chairs from the Tomlins’ previous home. A vintage Oushak rug adds a softness to the more rustic setting.
Get the Look:
China: “Appledore” by Wedgwood
RELATED: These Antiquing Tips and Tricks Will Have You Picking Like a Pro
What is it? What is it Worth? Wood-Carved Mirror
Appraiser Marsha Dixey says this piece in the Tomlin's dining room is in the style of Victorian Black Forest furniture. In Europe, the intricate carvings, typically depicting animals or vegetation, were a symbol of wealth. These days, the largest, most intricate mirrors (not shown) can be valued for up to $7,000.
Breezy White Bedding
The sweet green iron bed in daughter Ashlyn’s room came with the house, and you can see the same serene approach to linens on it on it as you do in the main bedroom.
Get the Look:
Bed: for similar, try the Eberhart Low Profile bed from Wayfair
Retreat with a View
A soaking tub offers a dreamy spot to escape in the spacious bathroom off the cabin’s main bedroom.
An Homage to the Past
The main bedroom features plaster walls that mimic a plaster treatment that was original to the house. The exaggerated velvet headboard and fabric pelmet in the space were passed along from the previous homeowners, and the bed is layered with simple yet elegant ruffled bedding.
Get the Look:
Bedding: from Matteo
Closet or Designer Studio?
In Chris’s collected and curated closet, an antique sewing table functions as an island. The space was inspired by the retail interiors of Southern fashion designer Billy Reid.
RELATED: 21 DIY Closet Organization Ideas That Will Make Getting Dressed So Much Easier
Tour More Celebrity Homes!
Like getting a peek inside the home of this singer-songwriter? You should also check out all the junking finds on Sheryl Crow's 50-acre property, the stunning Tennessee barn home of Brooks & Dunn's Ronnie Dunn, and Lauren Akin and Thomas Rhett's party barn getaway—all located in Tennessee too.
Rachel Barrett is the Editor-in-Chief of Country Living. She can't pass up a vintage seascape, drives an '89 Woody Wagoneer (that is, when it'll start), and hopes to buy you a lemonade at a future Country Living Fair.
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