My Favorite Room … with Jamie Bertolini: Childhood home becomes a dream home

Leslie Haas
·2 min read

It’s easy – when you get an invitation to Jamie Bertolini’s home, you go, expecting a special kind of magic.

When the local REALTOR and interior designer had the opportunity to purchase his childhood home, he used his design expertise and his experience in high-end consignment to turn a standard 1950s house into his dream home.

Choosing just one room to feature is difficult. There is, after all, the sunroom with its full-size pizza oven. But the home’s primary bedroom, complemented by thoughtful accessories and rich hues, is both impressive and most representative of Jamie’s design methodology.

The signed rug and Henredon bed demonstrate his emphasis on splurging on worthy items and saving on others. His long-standing passion for supporting local businesses is evident with plants from Urban Petals and art from Joe's Book Place, a former local favorite spot.

And finally, his plans for installing a plunge pool area create hope and anticipation for another invitation.

Jamie, offers these tips for recreating the look in your own home: 

Designer and real estate professional Jamie Bertolini used his 'splurge and save' method to get the look he wanted. The signed rug and Henredon bed demonstrate his emphasis on splurging on worthy items and saving on others.
Designer and real estate professional Jamie Bertolini used his 'splurge and save' method to get the look he wanted. The signed rug and Henredon bed demonstrate his emphasis on splurging on worthy items and saving on others.

1. Practice a "splurge and save" method. Pick the items most important to you for the splurge and save elsewhere. Jamie says he loves to splurge on textiles and linens.

2. Source creatively, from thrifting and estate sales (Jamie hosts these, as well). This designer light fixture was found in perfect condition on Facebook marketplace for a fraction of its original price, he says. The time and effort often saves a ton and opens up the budget to spend elsewhere.

3. Don’t be afraid to go dark on the walls. The biggest misconception is that dark colors make a space feel smaller than it is. Jamie says this couldn’t be further from the truth. Dark colors blur the corners and lines of a space in most cases, while also providing intimacy and depth. Give balance with light sources, color and texture.

Jamie Bertolini@Jamie Bertolini

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: My Favorite Room … with Jamie Bertolini: Childhood home to dream home