Rainbows and rock ’n’ roll, it’s safe to say, are hardly typical interior-design inspirations, especially for a classic home in Old Town Alexandria. But they’re exactly what Farrell Wilkins and Win Sheridan had in mind as they reimagined their 200-year-old Federal manse. “Our personalities and style are not traditional whatsoever,” reveals Wilkins, a stay-at-home mom. “I wanted that to show through.” The vision: daring color, lively patterns and edgy furnishings—thrown into sharp relief against venerable period architecture.

The couple was living down the street in a row house, already outgrown by their blended family with five young children, when they first spotted the grande dame. Even in a neighborhood teeming with notable landmarks, the freestanding residence commanded attention. Known as the Patton-Fowle House, it was built in 1806 by James Patton in the humble flounder vernacular, an asymmetrical, half-house form featuring a single-slope roof. Years later, shipping merchant and banker William Fowle, who also co-founded the Alexandria Lyceum, purchased the property. His circa-1820 expansion is attributed by some to esteemed Boston architect Charles Bulfinch, who was then serving as the third Architect of the Capitol.

Thankfully, the brick façade, gracious bones and many architectural flourishes—from elaborate plaster moldings to marble fireplace surrounds—survived subsequent renovations, as well as a modern-day addition and basement excavation. They now are protected in perpetuity under a historic-preservation easement granted by a previous owner to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the Historic Alexandria Foundation.

The new owners happily assumed the stewardship mantle. While the six-bedroom, 6,600-square-foot home was in good shape when they purchased it in 2021, the interiors lacked desired pizzazz. “We respect the house,” states Sheridan, an entrepreneur and venture capitalist who is also a partner in Alexandria Restaurant Partners. “But we wanted to put our own touch on it.”

They asked designer Courtney Cox for help. Tackling a small-scale renovation first, she partnered with architect Patrick Camus and Thorsen Construction to overhaul the primary bathroom and upgrade Wilkins’ closet; three other baths received refreshes.

When Cox returned to decorate the rest of the house, rainbows and rock ’n’ roll entered the conversation. Her clients “wanted the interior to be unique, fun and a little sexy,” the designer recounts. “And they wanted it to be quite a big surprise when you walk in.”

In the foyer, the original curved staircase greets guests. Its unusual ombré runner hints at what’s to come.

To the left sits the living room, envisioned as a feminine salon where Wilkins could gather with girlfriends. In what she calls her “happy place,” walls lacquered in a sophisticated shade of pink set the tone. Metallic wallpaper adorns the ceiling and reflects light from a customized chandelier featuring brass ginkgo blossoms. Crafted in a geometric weave, the drapes embody the prismatic spirit the wife requested.

Glamorous vintage furniture mingles with chic new pieces. An alpaca-covered banquette lines one wall and wraps around a corner; mid-century armchairs flank the preserved fireplace. Dressed in burnt-orange alpaca velvet, a Vladimir Kagan tête-à-tête takes center stage. “There are so many show-stopping elements in the space,” notes Cox, who recently struck out on her own after closing Ivy Lane Living, the firm she co-founded 14 years ago. “Farrell and Win were willing to take risks. This project pushed me outside my comfort zone and in a new design direction.”

Her avant-garde approach carries into the dining room opposite. Take the hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper. Its Anemones in Light motif—combining flowers and rainbow beams—was a collaboration with fashion icon Kate Moss, who used it in her own London home. For the window treatments, Cox took cues from a style she’d admired while staying at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. Paired with long silk-taffeta panels, the jagged valances, she says, “provide a nice contrast to the floral wallpaper.”

The striking room isn’t just for show. “We love hosting and having dinner parties,” discloses Wilkins. “Our hosting style is more informal. It’s kind of sit-where-you-can-and-get-comfortable.”

Casual soirées often spill out to other spaces, including the breakfast area, where a round table seats eight. Marbled Rebecca Atwood paper on the walls and ceiling keeps the glass-lined zone bright and airy. The adjacent kitchen was previously renovated in a timeless aesthetic, so Wilkins and Sheridan opted to postpone their own remodel. New glass lanterns installed over the island add a bit of drama.

However, the most dramatic—and rockin’—space is the moody lounge that lies off the casual-dining area. Sheridan’s colorful and prized trove of signed guitars (with Bono, Slash and Tom Petty among the legends represented) served as the design impetus. “I really wanted to put my guitars on display,” says Sheridan. “We were able to create a whole room around my collection.”

Teal-toned, lacquered-raffia wall covering and painted trim establish a monochromatic backdrop to showcase an ever-rotating display. Vibrant, glass-mosaic-and-brass tile over the reimagined bar, a boldly striped velvet on two vintage chairs and eye-popping wall art from Laurie Lindqvist amp up the interest.

Colors soften in the upstairs primary bedroom. Silk panels in a dusty-pink hue create a cocooning effect and block out city noise. “We wanted to envelop the room in fabric and add layers as a buffer,” Cox explains.

Throughout the design process, the team communicated with the easement’s governing bodies. The end result is no buttoned-up museum, though. “We love the history here,” Sheridan says, “but what we love the most is that this a great home for us and our kids.” Especially now, with its bespoke, offbeat interiors.

Interior Design: Courtney Cox, Courtney Cox Interiors, Alexandria, Virginia. Contractor: Thorsen Construction, Alexandria, Virginia. Styling: Kristi Hunter.

RESOURCES

LIVING ROOM
Sectional: TN Custom Design. Sectional Fabric: sandrajordan.com through hollyhunt.com. Sectional Pillow Fabric: fabricut.com. Sectional Round Pillows: nobilis.fr/en. Drapery Fabric: romo.com. Drapery Fabrication: knightsbridgeinteriors.com. Tete-a-Tete: vladimirkagan.com. Tete-a-Tete Fabric: Great Plains through hollyhunt.com. Paint: Calamine by farrow-ball.com. Rug: farshcarpets.com; stantoncarpet.com. Art above Mantel: robertreapaintings.com. Ceiling Fixture: rosieli.com. Wall Covering: hollyhunt.com. Chairs: Vintage. Chair Fabric: nobilis.fr/en. Center Table: Vintage. Etegere: amuneal.com. Foyer Paint: Pointing by farrow-ball.com. Stair Runner & Landing Carpet: therugcompany.com. Chandelier: bakerfurniture.com.

DINING ROOM
Wall Treatment: degournay.com. Paint: Card Room Green by farrow-ball.com. Chandelier: 1stdibs.com. Table & Chairs: bakerfurniture.com. Chair Fabric: clarencehouse.com. Buffet: us.julianchichester.com. Lamps & Bench: Vintage. Drapery Fabric: interiors.hollandandsherry.com/en. Valance Fabric & Trim: samuelandsons.com/en. Drapery Fabrication: knightsbridgeinteriors.com.

KITCHEN
Pendants: vaughandesigns.com/us. Runner: therugcompany.com.

BREAKFAST ROOM
Wall Covering: rebeccaatwood.com. Table: keithfritz.com. Chairs: hickorychair.com. Chair Fabric, Front: kravet.com. Chair Fabric, Back: radishmoon.com. Light Fixture: hectorfinch.com. Sconces: rosieli.com.

FAMILY ROOM
Sofa: hickorychair.com. Sofa Fabric: edelmanleather.com. Pillow Fabric: romo.com. Chairs: Vintage through chairish.com. Chair Fabric: harlequin.sandersondesigngroup.com. Coffee Table: bunnywilliamshome.com. Rug: pattersonflynn.com. Floor Lamp: visualcomfort.com. Wall Covering: phillipjeffries.com. Drapery Fabric: interiors.hollandandsherry.com/en. Drapery Trim: Great Plains through hollyhunt.com. Drapery Fabrication: knightsbridgeinteriors.com. Art: laurielindqvist.com. Cabinetry Design & Fabrication: waterworks.com. Wall Treatment: artistictile.com.

PRIMARY BEDROOM
Bed: bakerfurniture.com. Headboard Fabric: schumacher.com. Bedding: matouk.com. Pillows: S. Harris through fabricut.com. Divan: madegoods.com. Divan Fabric: Old World Weavers through scalamandre.com; romo.com. Divan Pillows: schumacher.com; osborneandlittle.com. Rug: farshcarpets.com. Drapery Fabric: interiors.hollandandsherry.com/en. Drapery & Shade Fabrication: knightsbridgeinteriors.com. Shade Fabric: barthalpern.com. Night Tables: bakerfurniture.com. Table Lamps: mrbrownhome.com.

CLOSET
Closet Design: Studio Camus. Closet Fabrication: thorsenconstruction.us. Rug: farshcarpets.com. Wallpaper: romo.com. Stool: kravet.com. Stool Fabric: Old World Weavers through scalamandre.com. Art: robertreapaintings.com.