Home to the world-famous Kentucky Derby, equestrian style and tradition run deep in Louisville.
“Kentuckians have been surrounded by thoroughbred farms and horse racing for so long that they are very influenced by equestrianism,” said Gretchen Rose, owner of Kentucky Rose Designs. “If you live in the Bluegrass State and go on a drive in the countryside, you're bound to come across a horse farm. There's a real cultural influence there, and people tend to romanticize the equestrian theme.”
Creating a warm aesthetic called equestrian chic isn't just for those who live on horse ranches or in country homes: Louisvillians are incorporating this comfortable, sophisticated design accent into homes of all eras and styles.
Popular statement pieces include textured equestrian fabrics and stable-inspired items such as artwork, figurines, brass tack, buckles, horseshoes and leather accents.
At home, Rose has decorated the baby's room with a soft chestnut stuffed rocking horse and the living room has a whimsical oil painting of a racehorse in a pasture.
Even Louisville residents who don't decorate their homes with horse-themed items make an exception in the weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby, which is traditionally held on the first Saturday in May. As the first daffodils begin to bloom, homeowners across the city deck out their front doors with Kentucky Derby-themed colorful wooden jockey silks, racehorses, and mint julep ornaments. Throughout the year, the city's restaurants, bars, and hotels have an abundance of equestrian memorabilia and décor.
The equestrian aesthetic is popular in the city of Derby, but it can easily become overdone, and Rose strikes a balance by incorporating locally sourced antiques into the home's design.
“I love mixing old and new,” she says. “Antiques have their own scene in Kentucky because there are so many antique stores, and antiques here are reasonably priced because there are so many stores across the state.”
A tradition even older than the Kentucky Derby is deeply ingrained in the lives and homes of people in the Bluegrass State: Bourbon was born in Kentucky in the late 1700s, and today the mint julep, made with bourbon, is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby.
Rose said bourbon culture is important in Louisville, though it's not as strong a design element as the equestrian influence.
“Horse racing and bourbon are a natural pairing,” she says, “with an old-fashioned, classic feel. Think speakeasy with tufted leather, bookcases, stained wood, and walls in navy, hunter green, smoky charcoal, and even red – colors that represent the flavor of bourbon.”
And indeed, Rose once worked with a client who wanted to design an entire room with a speakeasy feel, complete with a secret entrance accessed through a bookshelf.
“Louisville is rich with Kentucky culture, history and pride,” Rose says, “and these traditions are reflected in the design elements Louisvillians incorporate into their homes.”
