David Quarles: An Artsy Memphis Interior
Photographs by David Quarles
Life is about passion, finding it and pursuing it. So when life in the corporate sector failed to ignite his, David Quarles IV set off to find it on his own. What he found was that he was a man of many passions, among them his new careers in jewelry design, interior design and fitness. With so much pursuing to do, he needed the right space to do it in, which he found in an artsy mid-century ranch, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Five years ago, when David moved in to his home, there wasn’t much to fix, but there was a lot to do. “When I first moved into my home, it was pretty much turn-key,” he recalls. “However, you could definitely tell it was someone else's forever home, and I knew I had my work cut out for me.” The 1144 square foot ranch still bore signs of its previous life, including carpets and floors damaged by the previous owner’s pets. “I had a friend,” David says, “who by trade restores hardwood floors, come in to breathe new life into my floors.”
In his own terms, David’s describes his aesthetic as, eclectic, with undertones of mid-century modern. “I love mixing textures, patterns, and colors that speak to my vibrant Afro-Caribbean American and Indigenous-American roots while tying everything together with the clean lines of mid-century modern furniture.” The designer’s style is on full display in his vivacious living room. “Oddly, my living room was the hardest area for me to design,” he remembers. “It wasn't until I truly determined how I wanted the space to feel and function that the design plan became clear. The inspiration for the main seating area in my living room came from the conversation pits reminiscent of the '50s through the '70s.”
I want to enjoy beautiful surroundings,” David reflects. “Since I'm a lover of plants and the arts, I decided that those two elements would form the overall theme for my living room's aesthetic.” Though art is a constant presence throughout the home, the collection on display in the living room has a special significance. “All of the living room artwork in is from artists native to Memphis.”
At the far end of the living room, this charming little vignette provides a special place for unwinding. One of the newer design projects of the home, David enjoys the relaxed feeling that it adds to the room. “I love being able to continuously edit our homes until they feel right,” he says. Like the rest of the living room, art plays a special role in this area. “Each piece carries an important meaning to me,” David reflects. “The large portrait of me was an amazing gift from one of my favorite, local artists, Maggie Russell.”
A self-professed foodie, it’s little surprise that the dining room ranks as one of David’s favorite spaces in his home. “This is the heart of my home,” he exclaims. “my dining room thoroughly shows my love for color, texture, and plant life.” As proof, the space includes the home’s largest collection of plants, a gorgeous rug in deep pink, and wallpaper that the designer painted himself. “I love cooking and entertaining, so having a beautifully curated space to enjoy food, drinks, and the company of family and friends is a must.”
“I only bring pieces into my home that hold special meaning to me,” David observes. In the dining room, the wallpaper he hand-painted is not the only wall decoration to fit that criteria. The large painting that completes the space has special significance as well, recalling heritage and family memories and offering hope for the future. “The large painting in my dining room is actually from our last family trip to the Dominican Republic. It represents everything I feel when I dance and helps me focus on the many good times I still have to experience during my lifetime.”
When it comes to the importance of a relaxing bedroom space, David Quarles is one designer who doesn’t take much convincing. “I am a firm believer in our homes being our oases,” he begins, with his bedroom providing the rest of the explanation. Designed to be an in-home escape to his favorite Caribbean getaway, it contains 17 houseplants - the second highest total in the home. “I designed my bedroom with rich colors and the conviction that our point of contact with comfort should happen when we wake up in the morning and right before we go to sleep.”
With a heritage that includes Dominican, Gullah and Indigenous American roots, David’s love of carved wood furniture is more than an aesthetic choice. “Warm wood tones remind me of my dad's craftsmanship and how I love working with him. Since childhood, I’ve always admired his ability to build anything from scratch.” The sinuous curves and warm tone of the bentwood rocking chair in the bedroom make it the perfect homage to a number of things that David holds dear, while adding one more touch of beauty to the room.
One of the most exciting projects of this home is the unique use that David found for his detached garage. “Since I never really used my carport, I decided to convert that space into my new home gym.” Completed with help from his parents and affectionately called “Gym IV,” in honor of his status as the fourth David Quarles, the gym is more a necessity than a luxury, allowing David to pursue another of his passions. As he readily confesses, “Fitness is a big part of my life.”
“Although it came with its challenges the gym was the easiest space in my home to design,” David explains. “I knew exactly how I wanted the space to look, feel, and how it needed to work for me.” In addition to designing jewelry and interiors, David is also an enthusiastic Zumba instructor. The details of his personal fitness routine even played a role in determining the design of the space. “I took into account the path the sun takes over that portion of my property and how I wanted it to shine on me as I completed my morning stretches,” he says. “That determined the window placement in the design. I also painted the IV - my suffix - on the wall my participants see while I teach my Zumba classes.”
Even with all of the beauty that he’s designed into the space that he calls home, perhaps the most inspiring thing about David’s home isn’t its look, but the intention behind it. “The one thing I love the most about my home is that it makes me smile. I believe in creating from a place of joy, and that definitely applies to creating the environments in which we live. If we lead with joy in curating our homes, it becomes that much easier for us to let that light shine in all areas of our life.”