Jennie Leigh Design, Greenville

Inspired by the bright, rich colors of 18th-century French and Swedish design, longtime Greenville resident Jennie Leigh Gainey revitalizes tired old home decor or furniture pieces with a distinct aesthetic that Town magazine calls "Alice in Wonderland meets Ethan Allen." Gainey's refurbished furniture pieces evoke simultaneous airs of refined gentility and informal hominess, like an ivy-covered country manor or an English baron in sweatpants. Having traded in the makeup brushes she once used to makeover the likes of Matthew McConaughey for more conventional art supplies, Gainey uses coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint to impart an antique finish to nearly any surface. Eager DIY-ers can gather to glean her technique during relaxed BYOB painting parties.