Kelsea Ballerini is calling dibs on some new digs! The 29-year-old country singer/songwriter who recently released her studio album Subject to Change has upgraded her residence in Nashville, switching from what she considered an over-the-top condo to a modern farmhouse that suits her current style.
Having moved around many times throughout her career, Ballerini has gone from living in a dorm room to a studio apartment to a one-bedroom to a townhouse and later a condominium, with her then-husband, Morgan Evans, who Ballerini recently filed for divorce from.
Now that she’s entering a new life chapter, navigating the end of a nearly 5-year marriage to Evans, Ballerini has ventured into a new space that’s all her own – well, hers and her adorable pup, a labradoodle named Dibs.
“I have a dog, and I grew up on a big piece of land,” Ballerini shared in a recent cover story for The Spruce. “I realized I needed to connect with that part of myself again. It’s a small lot; it’s half an acre, but just enough for this chapter of life.”
Ballerini actually set out to buy the half-acre property several years ago from a builder. Once she landed on one she liked, she started working with a blank canvas and only brought with her three paintings by her paternal grandfather and a quilt by her maternal grandmother from her previous abode.
To bring her creativity to life, Ballerini worked with interior designer Lindsay Rhodes on the home design. The result is nothing short of cozy, which was the intention of the Knoxville native and writer behind Feel Your Way Through A Book of Poetry. Inside the house, walls are lined with variations of printed wallpaper – something that fuels Ballerini’s aesthetic sense.
“I still love an element of patterns and color and texture, but I wanted this house to be a little more mature feeling,” Ballerini explained, “I’m a maximalist, and I love wallpaper.”
One of the most important rooms in the spread is Ballerini’s home office, where she spends most of her time. There, visitors will find a sheepskin rug, Hackney rose wallpaper, dark blue cabinets, an overstuffed velvet chair, and photographs that represent significant milestone moments in Ballerini’s career (ala performing with Taylor Swift on her 1989 tour, singing onstage with Reba McEntire at the CMA Awards).
“This one is when Little Big Town invited me to become an Opry member. This is when Taylor [Swift] had me out to sing with her in Nashville on her 1989 tour. This is when I got to sing my song on the CMA’s and Reba [McEntire] sang my song with me,” Ballerini adds.
“It’s become such a safe, creative place for me,” Ballerini says. “I come here in the morning with a cup of coffee and just sit with my guitar and play for a little bit. Or I pull up a blank Word document and see if I have anything that feels inspiring.”
Elsewhere, folks will find a great kitchen, featuring a Quartzsite-topped table. Ballerini uses the room to share meals with her guests, family, and close friends.
“There’s something about sharing a community over a big box of pasta,” Ballerini says. “I learned that I love to cook over the pandemic. Now that I’m home a little more and have a bit more balance in my life, I enjoy cooking for people. I think it’s the Italian in me that’s like, ‘Let me feed you pasta, and here’s some wine.”
The 5 bedroom property may be modest, but it’s a far cry from what Ballerini experienced growing up. As she continues to promote her latest collection, the star looks back at where it all began when she would make frequent trips back and forth from her hometown of Knoxville to Music City.
“Growing up, I loved music, but I didn’t think you could just choose to be an artist. That didn’t make sense to me.” Ballerini recalled. “In hindsight, my life could have gone in so many different directions. The idea of making music for a living saved a lot of my teenage years.”
At age 15, Ballerini, whose parents divorced when she was a young child, finally settled in a home with her mama in Franklin, Tenn. But before the “Heartfirst” singer could follow her heart and pursue music full-time, she made a deal with her mom.
“I would go to college until I could make some sort of a living off of music,” she explains. “I would go to school Monday, Wednesday, Friday, then Tuesday and Thursday were my music days, so I would co-write, or play whatever venue would let me play.”
To purchase The Spruce’s latest digital issue featuring “What I Have” singer Kelsea Ballerini, click HERE. Watch her full house tour with The Spruce HERE.
Luckily, all that is behind her as she sets her sights on the future that has already seen plenty of success. Ballerini, who is the newest face of the Covergirl brand, is currently playing shows as part of her headlining 10-date Heartfirst tour, named after her song of the same name. The tour kicked off on September 24 in New York and runs through October 14.
