Although Winans and Boyd didn’t get a chance to meet in person, the singer behind hits like “Alone in His Presence” and “Everlasting Love” was completely blown away by his work. “My house is just filled with sparkles everywhere, but it’s timeless,” says Winans, a Detroit native. “You come in and your mouth just drops.”
Winans, who recently made history as the first Black female solo act to win Artist of the Year at the Dove Awards, has lived in her home for 27 years, but says working with Boyd and Balsam Hill “took decorating to a whole ‘nother level. Every detail of it is incredible. The holiday decorations are at an all-time high right now.”
Winans’s home is the first time in Boyd’s career that he’s decked out a celebrity home at Christmas time. The owner of a design firm in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward district, Boyd almost passed on the 48-hour turnaround because of his busy schedule, but couldn’t decline bringing the wow factor and jaw-dropping ambiance of an upscale department store or five-star hotel lobby to the comfort of her estate.
“It felt really regal, and I wanted to introduce this grandeur and create something aspirational,” Boyd says, adding he’s been working closely with Balsam Hill for the last three years. “All of those things that make the house feel warm already were in place, so I could go really big with the hospitality feel.”