Most designers agree that antique and vintage pieces add character to any interior. Whether you are seeking a piece for value or purely for style, there are a few things to know before beginning the hunt.
Know Your Age. A true antique is an item over 100 years old, while those 20-99 years old are classified as vintage.
Consider rarity. Limited production runs, unique designs, or discontinued items are highly sought after by buyers and dealers.
Check the Condition. Pieces in pristine or original condition without repairs or alterations are deemed more valuable. Look for signs of replaced hardware, refinishing, wood fillers, and chips.
Provenance is Key. The history of an item adds value and offers a story to tell—especially if it has ties to notable figures or events. Even family heirlooms offer tales. The more you know about its style, origin, and previous owners makes it more interesting. Be sure to preserve receipts and any documentation.
Craftsmanship is Critical. A well-made, visually appealing item that shows the true hand of a craftsperson is always admired. Think seamless sliding drawers, dovetail details, and defining hardware.
What to Look For. Trends come and go, and that includes antiques. Brown furniture is making a comeback as is bleached wood, pieces with original patina, and statement making accessories. Peruse our local shops, and ask questions. The owners and dealers in Birmingham offer a wealth of information. It’s their passion, after all.
View details of this bedroom featured in “Antique Remix“
A wooden console table and brass ceiling fixture contrasts the vibrant color on display in the foyer | Photography by Jean Allsopp
Twin Construction helped this Homewood family turn their desire for more space into a stunning new home, keeping their neighborhood’s character intact.
Homewood is well-known for its architectural character and authenticity, and the work of Twin Construction over the past two decades has certainly aided the community’s vision for honoring the past while propelling it forward. So when this family of four realized their charming yet pint-sized bungalow didn’t quite measure up due to its lack of square footage, it was no surprise that they turned to a frontrunner in the community’s transformation.
The slope of the lot presented the biggest challenge for the Twin Construction team. “Much thought went into nesting the house in the perfect spot to avoid a ‘stairway to heaven’ effect from the street and an underground bunker in the back,” says plan designer Crystal Tucker. Stuart Nash, another Twin plan designer, used 3D imaging to help get the layout right. Jeremy and Bethany Miller of Endless Summer graded the lot to ensure it felt approachable from the street. This also maximized the usable yard and maintained a natural feel with no harsh retaining wall.
The goal was to build an entirely new abode on their existing lot that would provide the much-needed space without looking like a new build, honoring the historical integrity of their street was at the top of the list for the family.
To accomplish the task, Twin put together a team dedicated to seamlessly blending modern functionality and optimum space with the neighborhood’s architectural heritage. The team began by consulting the family to capture their vision. “They wanted something that fit into the landscape but didn’t look exactly like everything else around them,” says Lydia Smith, an interior designer at Twin.
Crystal Tucker, another designer with Twin, checked off the modern requests with a dark exterior, clean lines, and lots of windows to let in the natural light. To balance out the modern vibes and give a nod to the home’s Edgewood roots, she wove in natural elements at every opportunity, including cedar board-and-batten, cedar brackets, and tumbled natural stone. “The stone offers a nice yin to the dark house’s yang,” says Crystal.
The backsplash matches the Calacatta Carrara-honed marble countertops and island from Surface One. To balance the vintage feel of the custom-designed zinc-and-brass hood, interior designer Lydia Smith chose brass sconces from Mayer Lighting, adding a modern touch that fits perfectly with the curves of the custom backsplash.
The kitchen’s neutral base is enlivened by an Oushak runner from Hazel House Collective and vibrant artwork. Interior designer Lydia Smith complemented these colorful touches with brass accessories. “Those small but vibrant additions, combined with brass accents, keep the room’s neutral palette from feeling boring,” she says.
“When mixing patterns, consider their size. Pair geometrics with a design that is more freeform, or add something more whimsical near an animal print. Color coordination is crucial but so is size and scale.” – Lydia Smith, interior designer, Twin Interiors
After going moody outside, Lydia worked with the clients on a fun and funky feel inside. “They wanted color and an eclectic vibe, which fit their personalities perfectly,” she says.
A pair of dark green velvet sofas, a substantial coffee table, oversized floor lamps, and tall wingback chairs maintain the correct proportions in the living room.
The designer set the tone in the entry with a colorful Native American painting by Birmingham-based artist Mandy Maples. She accented the artwork with an equally vibrant runner from Hazel House. Lydia then carried the collected look straight through to the hallway, where a gallery of mix-and-match items graces the wall. In the main living area, she combined both pattern and color with throw pillows on the sofa, an antelope print on the side chairs, and a vivid kitchen runner.
A canopy bed nods to traditional style while the iron structure and linen headboard underscore the home’s modern aesthetic.
Taking cues from the exterior, Lydia balanced the eye-catching color and many modern moments with more traditional and natural elements. Unlacquered brass hardware, marble countertops, wood furniture in warm tones, and a combination of stone and limestone on the fireplace add to the lived-in look. As Lydia explains, “We used materials that help the home blend in with the charm of Homewood while also incorporating all the amenities the family needs.”
Some of the finest meals I’ve ever had have been in a home. You don’t always have to go out for special events—you can create something memorable in your own place. “Reserve” your dining room or a special nook in your house. Take time to do a handwritten menu, use place cards (just because), and create a pretty centerpiece to add to the celebration. I love serving a meal at home because you can linger around the table—and seconds and refills are close by!
I always forget how quick and easy cooking for two can be. Fewer ingredients require less time and energy, allowing more time to create a special setting for your “at home” reservation. Whether it’s a birthday or anniversary, or if you are a new empty nester, everything tastes better in a pretty atmosphere. Keep the recipes simple but delicious, and take time to add all the extra touches.
2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1⁄8 cup granulated sugar
Vanilla ice cream
Recipe Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, and blackberries in a bowl. Grease 4 (12-ounce) ramekins. Divide berry mixture evenly into 4 ramekins; set aside.
Sift flour into a small mixing bowl, and cut butter in with a pastry blender, until it resembles a coarse meal. Add the granulated sugar to the flour mixture, and stir until combined.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the berries in each ramekin. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream.
Learn from Leslie:
Broil crumble for a minute or two for more brownness if desired.
1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces rigatoni or another type
pasta, cooked according to package directions
Parmesan cheese
Fresh thyme sprig or basil for garnish
Recipe Directions:
Melt butter with olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan or small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in all three meats; cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until beef and pork crumble and are no longer pink.
Stir in tomato paste, wine, milk, and thyme; add salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours. Toss with hot cooked pasta. Sprinkle with cheese, and garnish with chopped basil or fresh thyme.
Peel eggplant and cut into 1⁄2-inch by 3-inch strips. Combine kosher salt and enough ice water to cover the eggplant in a large airtight container, Add eggplant strips; close the container, and chill for 4 to 5 hours or all day if possible.
Combine cornmeal mix and seasoned salt in a large ziplock plastic bag. Drain eggplant, and pat dry with paper towels. Add eggplant to cornmeal mixture; seal bag, and shake until all pieces are coated.
Pour oil to a depth of 2 to 3 inches in a Dutch oven; heat oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Fry eggplant, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with table salt. Serve warm with Cocktail Sauce.
For the sauce: Stir together all sauce ingredients; cover and chill. Cocktail sauce may be made up to 3 days in advance.
An old favorite recipe that I got from my dad years ago. These are best when done for a smaller crowd—perfect for two!
Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens will hold the 18th annual Antiques at the Gardens, Birmingham’s premier antiques show featuring nationally and internationally acclaimed designers and dealers as well as a boutique showcase of design, floral artistry, and exquisitely curated antiques.
Presented by McCorquodale Transfer and featuring design sponsor Lee Jofa, the show will include talks by nationally and internationally acclaimed interior designers, floral designers, architects, landscape architects.
The show also welcomes 25 celebrated dealers offering exquisitely curated antique furniture, fine art, vintage and fine jewelry, silver, rugs and textiles, home decor, and garden accessories.
Tickets for the show and special events are on sale now. For tickets, show schedule, speaker bios, and dealer information, visit bbgardens.org/antiques.
Special Weekend Events
Shop the Show with Stacey Bewkes
Friday, October 4 at 9:30 a.m. – Sponsored by Jeremy D. Clark Join Quintessence founder Stacey Bewkes for a special tour of the dealer booths as she shares recommendations and pieces of interest during this intimate walk-through. Stacey will touch on interiors, art, architecture, antiques and decorative arts, jewelry, travel, and more.
Floral Workshop with Calvert Crary
Saturday, October 5 at 3:30 p.m. – Sponsored by Anna & Jim Cooper Calvert Crary is the Executive Director of FlowerSchool New York and FlowerSchool Los Angeles, as well as author of Flower School: A Practical Guide to the Art of Flower Arranging. A professional photographer and floral entrepreneur, Calvert also is an internationally recognized instructor and mentor.
2024 Antiques at the Gardens Speakers
Antiques at the Gardens welcomes these nationally and internationally acclaimed interior designers, floral designers, architects, landscape architects and furniture designers to the 18th annual show.
An additional ticket is required for each lecture. Limited seating. Free parking. Book signings hosted by Leaf & Petal at the Gardens
Friday, October 4: Red Diamond Lecture Series
Sponsored by Red Diamond Coffee & Tea Hosted by Richard Keith Langham, 2023 Show Ambassador
LIFE IN THE GARDEN Bunny Williams is an accomplished entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist. Bunny Williams Inc. includes Williams Lawrence, Bunny Williams Home, and product and fabric lines, as well as Bunny’s best-selling books. She creates interiors with livable elegance, and nowhere is this more apparent than in her country house in Connecticut. In her new book, Bunny Williams: Life in the Garden, she shares her passion and infectious enthusiasm for planting and entertaining.
BUILDING A HOME TO LAST Award-winning architect Gil Schafer is a leading practitioner of contemporary classical architecture. Gil holds a Master of Architecture from Yale and is the author of The Great American House and A Place to Call Home. His latest book, Home at Last: Enduring Design for the New American House, is newly out from Rizzoli. He opened his firm in 2002 and renamed it Schafer Buccellato Architects in 2023.
Saturday, October 5: The Future of Traditional Design
Moderator: Steele Marcoux, Editor in Chief, VERANDA Sponsored by Cobbs Allen & Pure Insurance
Elizabeth Lawrence Elizabeth Lawrence established her career with Bunny Williams and is now her partner at Williams Lawrence, designing projects across the country. Her work has been published in The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, Veranda, Galerie and House Beautiful.
Elizabeth Pyne Singer Elizabeth Pyne Singer joined McMillen Inc. after working at Sotheby’s in the Old Master paintings department. Her designs mix traditional motifs with contemporary art and design. Elizabeth’s work has appeared in Architectural Digest, New York Magazine, The New York Times and House Beautiful.
Rudy Saunders Rudy Saunders is the Design Director of Dorothy Draper & Company, Inc., where he designs interiors across the U.S. and internationally. He also oversees the design of hospitality projects at The Greenbrier in West Virginia and the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. A prolific needle pointer, Rudy launched an exclusive collection called R! by Rudy in 2020.
Saturday, October 5: Influence and Inspiration
Moderator: Margot Shaw, Editor in Chief, FLOWER Sponsored by FLOWER
Barry Dixon As one of America’s top designers, Barry Dixon creates interiors using a masterful blend of traditional and contemporary that mixes color and texture. His work has been featured in House Beautiful, Better Homes & Gardens, Traditional Home, and more. Barry’s own line of furnishings is carried in showrooms nationally.
Mary McDonald Award-winning, L.A.-based interior designer Mary McDonald is known for fearless, exuberant style immersed in classicism. She began her career as a milliner and retains a sense of “couture chic” that inspires her to combine bold patterns, chinoiserie, and Indian influences with contemporary lines and an impeccable sense of color. Her first book, Mary McDonald Interiors: The Allure of Style, is in its fifth printing.
Michelle Nussbaumer The guiding force behind Ceylon et Cie, founder Michelle Nussbaumer creates timeless spaces inspired by travel. Her career began in Rome, followed by Los Angeles, and now Dallas. Her work has been featured in Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, VERANDA, Marie Claire, House & Garden, and The New York Times. Through Ceylon et Cie, Michelle and her team are turning Old World inspiration into modern, soulful interiors.
Moderator Margot Shaw Margot Shaw, founder of FLOWER magazine, inspires, educates, and entertains readers with a point of view that stems from seeing the world through a botanical lens. Margot is also the author of Living Floral, published by Rizzoli, and is a dedicated philanthropist.
Sunday, October 6: Design, Style and Influence
Sponsored by Visual Comfort & Co.
Alexa Hampton Alexa Hampton has been president of Mark Hampton, LLC, her iconic father’s interior design company, since 1998. The creator of the recurring “Where-to” feature for The Wall Street Journal, she is also the designer of licensed products for the home. She is the author of three books. Her memoir, Alexa Hampton: Design, Style, and Influence, is about her journey into design and the inspirations that shaped her iconic style.
Sunday, October 6: Designing a Home Together
Moderator: Executive Director & CEO Design Leadership Network Sponsored by Page Albright Orientals and Southern Home
James F. Carter James Carter and associate architects Scott Boyd and Andy Taylor create timeless homes that portray an easy grace. Project concepts and designs are inspired by classical vernaculars based on historical precedent and reflective of the homeowner’s lifestyle and personality.
Richard Keith Langham Alabama-born and Manhattan-based, Richard Keith Langham has been a force in the decorating world for more than 30 years. His keen eye and ebullient talent serve well in assembling his signature rooms—those that speak to the past in a fresh way and are brimming with luscious color, pattern, and couture detailing.
Ben Page Ben Page is an award-winning landscape architect with over 40 years of experience. Ben’s designs often incorporate historical influences interpreted for the 21st century. His work has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, The Washington Post, and House Beautiful.
Moderator Michael Diaz-Griffith Michael Diaz-Griffith is an art historian, designer, and executive director and COO of the Design Leadership Network, a national member organization supporting community, education, and best practices in the design industry. He has advised fairs, auction houses, galleries, and museums on strategy and development, and he was recently named to House Beautiful’s list of “Visionaries” for his advocacy of antiques, historic art, and preservation. His book, The New Antiquarians: At Home with Young Collectors, was released in June 2023.
Is the summer heat getting you down? This is the time of the year to keep your Stanley water jug close at hand. A common guideline is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day, which equals about 2 liters or half a gallon. Kick the caffeine and get creative with the abundance of fresh fruits, herbs, and vegetables available this season. Infused water is a great way to enhance the flavor and health benefits of water without unwanted additives. And, it’s easy. Just cut the fruit or vegetables of your choice, add them to a pitcher or water bottle, refrigerate overnight, and you are ready to go the next morning.
Infused Water Ingredients
Try some of our favorite combinations or get creative with your own.
Assorted ingredients for Infused Water
Cucumber + Mint + Lemon
Raspberry + Lemon + Rosemary
Watermelon + Kiwi + Lime
Ginger + Lemon + Basil
Pineapple + Coconut + Lime
Pineapple + Blueberry + Mint
Strawberry + Basil or Mint
Orange + Blueberry
If your fruit is fragile, it may become water-logged. To keep your flavor, strain or remove mushy fruits. Are you making a batch or a pitcher? Infused water will last three to four days in the refrigerator.
Did you know?
About 20% of our daily water intake typically comes from food, especially fruits and vegetables. This means the remaining 80% should come from beverages, primarily water.
Benefits of Infused Water
Enhanced Flavor: Makes water more appealing, encouraging more frequent drinking.
Nutrient Boost: Provides small amounts of vitamins and antioxidants from the added fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Low Calorie: Offers a tasty alternative to sugary drinks without extra calories.
Detoxification: Certain combinations, like lemon and mint, are believed to aid in detoxifying the body.
Hydration Motivation: By incorporating infused water into your routine, you can enjoy the benefits of staying hydrated with an added burst of flavor and nutrition.
Are you racking your brain trying to find blooming summer annuals that can handle Alabama’s hot and sunny climate? With our long growing seasons, we want plants that not only survive but also thrive in the full sun and high temperatures. Here are some of our favorite annual flowering plants that flourish throughout the summer at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
Calibrachoa
Calibrachoa, commonly known as million bells, are prolific bloomers. Their flowers look like tiny petunias, and they come in all sorts of colors. Million bells tend to have a trailing growth habit, so they do best in pots and hanging baskets or planted near the edges of beds. Just give them plenty of water and fertilizer throughout the growing season, and you’ll have nonstop blooms!
Lantana
Lantana is fairly drought-tolerant so it’s a fantastic summer annual if you’re someone who tends to forget to water their plants. Lantana can often be perennial in our zone as long as we don’t get a harsh winter. While it attracts pollinator insects, lantana is deer- and rabbit-resistant. This plant comes in many different colors, shapes, and sizes that range from trailing to 5-foot shrubs!
Pentas
Pentas, sometimes referred to as Egyptian star flower, have clusters of star-shaped flowers that heavily attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. This showy plant has an upright growth habit and comes in an array of pinks, purples, reds, and whites. Thriving best in full sun, pentas can be showstoppers in any container or annual bed.
Portulaca
Portulaca, or purslane, is a flowering, trailing ground cover with leaves that closely resemble succulents. This plant requires full sun, as too much shade will prevent the blooms from opening. Portulaca can thrive in poor soil, such as sandy or rocky conditions. It looks gorgeous in hanging baskets and other containers or cascading over a stone wall.
SunPatiens
SunPatiens® are an impatiens hybrid designed to be long-lasting in extreme heat. Their large flowers come in a range of pink, red, purple, orange, and white, with some even having variegated foliage. While they do require frequent watering, wilted SunPatiens will perk right up after a quick soaking without any residual damage.
Serves 2
