'When you walk inside a new world emerges' – take a tour of one of the most characterful and layered homes I have ever seen

'Collected. Happy. Magical.' When I asked designer Danielle Balanis to summerise this home, that was the simple answer she gave me. This is a question I ask every designer when covering a project, and in a time not that long ago, the answers I got were often convoluted, perhaps trying to give a home more of a wider context, something that sounded elevated and linked it to whatever was happening in the world of interior design at the time.

But as the design world shifts away from following fleeting design trends, towards a more comfortable place that doesn't try to make interiors any more complex than they need to be, I am getting more and more answers that all translate to a very simple summary – this project feels like home.

Ensuring this home felt characterful and personal was the brief from the out for the Danielle Balanis Design team. Working so closely with the homeowners and developing a professional relationship that turned into a friendship, this blank canvas became a beautiful home filled with color and pattern. Here Danielle talks me through the project and how she created these characterful and layered spaces.

'This charming home dates back to the 1920s and for Birmingham, Alabama, that age certifies it as historic and preserved,' explains Danielle. 'It truly is an American classic in breed. The curb appeal reads like a timeless polo Ralph Lauren shirt paired with cherry pie.'

'The exterior is a charming yellow facade with rich green shutters and the ever-southern robin's egg blue porch ceiling. It has trailing roses and sharply manicured boxwoods which immaculately punctuate the facade. When you walk inside a new world emerges – still wildly American but with a twist. You get nods of Dorothy Draper and Miles Redd and Elvis Presley and Sister Parish.'

'There is unbridled happiness as you dive headfirst into this rabbit hole. A kaleidoscope of colors sets the subconscious at ease and you transcend in a world of imagination and reinvigoration. The clean, prudent architecture is a lovely juxtaposition to all the entrancing, layered moments found within.'

'The clients were so lovely. The most genuine and kind family. We walked into this as strangers – a common friend referred Jess, the lady of the house, to me. She took one peek at my Instagram work and decided on Spring Break to call me. She has such amazing taste, she had never worked with a designer before. She hired me at our first meeting, I'll never forget, she said "I can tell we will become fast friends" and that we did!'

'She was buying a stunning home that was a blank canvas, for us it became a playground. We fancied in all our commonalities, our love of maximalism, and the greats that paved the way for us. To begin with, we had to create a shell. We had to find our wallpapers, lights, paint colors, and layout. She had a trove of layers, we scoured over images and ideas. The base shell was agreed upon within around 2 weeks.'

'We were on the same page instantaneously. We had a short window to get everything done as they had sold their nearby home and were looking to trade one key for another. I enlisted contractors and artisans and we acted fast, no room for second-guessing. What blossomed was something so real and so special. A beautiful, happy house was in bloom.'

'I had a blank slate, I had ideas, I had someone to say yes to those ideas. The planning was magical. She really had no grounds to trust me so early on and she did and it was the most amazing partnership because of it. Not being constrained and having a creative say yes to my creative brain was just brilliant.'

'We sourced pieces from EVERYWHERE! Truly. We found treasures on Facebook marketplace, Chairish, 1stDibs, Etsy, local thrift shops, Mary and Wilma, local artists, Jess's own personal collection, Stash (a local treasure trove where likes of Pierce and Ward shop). The hunt was as thrilling as the find. It was always a game, and in this ring my client Jess was and is always a champion. She amazes me, she can sniff a find like no one I have ever seen.'

'I am of the opinion that more is more, and layering pattern on pattern almost starts to subdue. It becomes less dramatic and more layered. Pattern play is also about scale and proportion. There is no formula, you just know when it is right. For me, design is so visceral. This was an amazing exercise in executing that.'

'I will say, we are still going and will continue to tweak things. The layering has been amazing. Deciding we need to recover a sofa or chair is always tantalizing. I think Jess and I will always find ways to keep this project going. No home is ever really done.'

'I just adore this old home. There are uneven floors, cracks in the plaster, splits in the molding... and every inch of it is lovely! Things need to tell a story and feel lived! In a world where new mansions overwhelm shallow lots, I find it refreshing to meet a family that takes pride and joy in saving a home and recycling the past – propelling it into the future.'

'Every inch of this home was hand-picked, it was heartfelt. This house has soul. It was told to me that a friend of her youngest son once proudly proclaimed "this is a happy home". Indeed.'