When it comes to Christmas traditions, family, of course, comes to mind. But for Katty Worley, friends are just as important. Katty and her group of girlfriends—many of whom have daughters around the same age—decided to start a new tradition last Christmas as they gathered to make gingerbread houses together. Katty hosted the party while Anne Lyle Harris designed the details, backed by décor from Abbie Daniel of Little Happies and Meg DeCoudres of Cedar Lane Home.
Abbie provided a gingerbread banner and the gingerbread houses, and Katty and Anne Lyle brought jars of candy for decorating. The event took place on Katty’s porch, which she turned into a winter wonderland of sorts. “It came together and looked so beautiful,” says the host.
Katty and daughter Sara Ashton— along with son John, who Katty says “is used to being thrown into girl world”— hosted six other girls and their moms. The gathering was focused on fellowship, friendship, and making memories.
“Growing up, my friends were such a huge part of my life,” says Katty. “It’s the same with my daughter and her friends. They are so close, and we wanted to have a yearly tradition that is all about them at Christmas. It’s their thing where they can dress up and be fancy.”
The group will gather again this year. “A different mother and daughter will host, and we may add new things to the party each year,” says Katty. “It will be fun to see the girls get excited about this event every Christmas, even as they get older.”
“We all have little girls, so we wanted to do something every year that our girls can look forward to. It’s special to them and special to us.”
Anne Lyle Harris
Kid-Friendly Party Planning
Let kids be kids. Katty’s party was held outside so that the kids could make as much of a mess as they wanted while decorating their gingerbread houses. “Don’t be afraid to let them be a part of that,” says Anne Lyle Harris, who helped with the event. “Let them hang ornaments and put icing all over the place. It’s part of the experience and the memory.”
• Make it Last. Abbie Daniel of Little Happies creates banners that can be used every year for holidays and occasions, like the gingerbread one she made for Katty’s party. This way, you don’t have to start from scratch every Christmas.
• Create a theme. Katty’s porch became a winter wonderland with flocked Christmas trees that kids could decorate with their own ornaments, giving them ownership of part of the décor. “The flocked trees made it look so snowy and whimsical out there,” Katty says. “It sort of felt like we were in the mountains.”
• Provide a craft. For her party, Katty ordered gingerbread houses from Little Happies. The houses are made of wood (6×8 for the smaller ones, and 8×10 for the larger ones) . Guests were each given a kit with graham crackers, icing, and candy for decorating. “The best thing about the wooden structure of the gingerbread houses is that they will remain intact,” says Abbie. “After the candy and graham crackers are worn off and the season is over, simply wash the wooden houses with soap and water and store them to reuse the next year.
• Use candy—and lots of it—as party décor. “We had piles of candy for the kids to decorate with,” Abbie says. “And they loved eating it, of course.”
• Swap hostess duties each year. To alleviate the pressure of one person hosting year after year, change it up. That way, every kid gets to enjoy having the party at his or her house. It also helps to share the décor—like the banner or the wooden gingerbread houses—to keep some of those traditional, anchor elements while also making things easier for the host.
Birmingham prides itself on small local businesses and talent. The community is so supportive, and it is an honor to be welcomed as one of the city’s sustainable accessories designers.
Hannah Christine, founder Hide & Hunter
From the moment you step inside Hide & Hunter in the Mercantile on Morris development in downtown Birmingham, you know you are in a maker’s space. The smell of rich leather envelops you and there is texture and craftsmanship at every turn. Owner Hannah Christine might be found at the work table in the rear of the store, giving new life to old goods with her deft hand and her eye for style.
The brick-and-mortar space is artfully littered with antler sheds, several of which were found on family land nearby. Hannah will put some of these to use in her handcrafted designs that are rustic but never clunky. On tall racks along one side of the store hang dozens of one-of-a-kind bags, clutches, satchels, and cross-body carryalls. Colors vary widely—classic mahogany brown, golden tobacco-colored leathers, camo prints, and even bright pinks and reds.
Hannah originally attended The University of Alabama to study bridal design but says, “I quickly saw my nature-loving self expressed through creating unique outfits out of different hides.” Hannah’s great- great-grandmother was Creek Indian, and that connection definitely informs her work. “I decided to learn old-school Native American leather-working techniques,” Hannah says. Her time spent on the Pineridge Reservation in South Dakota, serving with the Lakota-Sioux tribes on leather-crafting projects, deeply influences her products.
After graduating from Alabama, Hannah interned with lifestyle brand Anthropologie before going in-house with Dillard’s to co- design a few of their private label brands. “Then I realized that my side hobby of making custom, handcrafted leather goods was taking off,” she says. “That’s when I decided to pursue Hide & Hunter full time.”
In addition to her leather goods, Hannah designs vintage-look t-shirts and candles. She also sells jewelry and other gift items. “My favorite thing I hear about my shop is that it has a spirit of peace,” she says. “In a world that sometimes feels discouraging and dark, it is the biggest compliment.”
Birmingham’s design scene has an incredible energy. I just want to be a small part of the next wave of visionaries who continue to shake things up and push this city forward.
Angie Burge
When we invite handmade goods into our homes, we are inviting a piece of that maker into our lives. Angie Burge of English Village Lane, a custom rug company, takes this notion to heart.
With a background in interiors, Angie says, “English Village Lane started as a passion project to exercise my love for rugs and all things home décor. When I was sourcing rugs for my own home, it became a challenge to find customizable options for the varied spaces in our home.” Researching the industry, she landed upon the custom- rug concept which could incorporate individualized palettes for any homeowner.
Most customers discover Angie’s Birmingham-based business via Instagram, where the bright bold colors of her design seem to pop off the screen. She does most of her consultations and design work online, exchanging color palettes and sizing options through the Cloud. “We can customize rugs for clients in almost any size and create unique designs down to the inch,” she says. The process begins by exchanging ideas and sharing wishlists for a project. “Clients share fabrics they love or pictures of the room they are buying the rug for,” says Angie. “We can go back and forth like that while I build the rug in CAD (Computer Animated Design) .” From there, she sends the design off to the loom, and the final product arrives 90 to 120 days later.
Locally, Angie has partnered with Hibiscus House, a company that reimagines vintage Florida-style furniture in colorful, laquered finishes. “It’s super fun for their showroom floor,” she says. “We keep selling out of it.”
All in the Details
According to Angie, an 8×10 Turkish knot-style rug has over 288,000 hand-tied knots and takes roughly 90 days to make. The material used— high-quality New Zealand wool—is anti-microbial and anti-humectant, so the rugs repel odors and moisture which makes them a dream to clean. “I know it’s hard to wait on a made-to-order piece, but the best things sometimes are the things worth waiting for,” says Angie.
Inspired by the natural world around her, there seems to be no limit to the colors Leslie is able to give these fabrics, imparting a bit of herself in each piece she produces.
Sometimes inspiration strikes and life offers up a second chapter. For maker Leslie Nunnelly, the aha moment struck when she was cruising her way through Pinterest and encountered fabric dyeing.
Leslie began to take notes and set her mind to work on how she might re- create some of these same colors from her own Pelham backyard. The next day, she headed to her local Salvation Army store and invested $2.50 in the largest stockpot she could find. She filled the pot with fallen leaves and small twigs, covered it with water, and set it to simmer for an hour on the stove. “My house smelled so woodsy and earthy and just yummy,” Leslie says. “I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.”
Once the mixture had cooled and been strained, Leslie was left with the most golden-hued liquid imaginable. She grabbed the first piece of fabric she could find—a swatch of fine silk—and dunked it into the pot. “I was astonished at the result!” says Leslie. “I still have that first piece—from 2016—and it hangs in my studio as a reminder of what is possible.”
Leslie spent the better part of a year learning the ins and outs of fabric dyeing and can easily outline the whole process of ordering silk wholesale, washing it to get rid of the sticky sericin the silk worms leave behind, and rinsing it in a mordant so that the colors take hold of the fabric. But it is the dyeing part where her creative side takes off. “I just loved the challenge of seeing if I could make the different colors,” Leslie says. “I learned that I do have all the colors on the color wheel.” She uses Queen Anne’s lace and rosemary to achieve some delicate subtle gray-greens. And she loves telling the story of the time she made her husband pull over on the side of the road to fill the trunk with kudzu. In fact, the readily available abundance of flora here is just one reason Leslie is proud to be an Alabama maker.
While weddings are a large part of Leslie’s business, her ribbons can be found adorning other memory-laden events. One client special-ordered ribbon to adorn mementos at her sister’s funeral. Another customer requested a custom ribbon to tie gift bags for adult siblings she was meeting for the first time. According to Leslie, these are the stories that fuel a maker. She says there is an intimacy in being invited into the most special times of a person’s life.
Leslie often finds herself thinking of and praying over the recipients of her goods. “I pray over each one while working in my home,” she says. “My home is my sacred place where I feel most comfortable.” In fact, that connection to home is at the core of her business and why she named it Cocoon, after the self-made domicile the precious silk worm creates for itself. “I find the idea of a cocoon to be beautiful and miraculous,” she says. Much like the colorful ribbons she creates.
“There is something that happens when your hands get busy. It is the process of just creating something that is so inspiring.”
Cobbie Llewellyn, Owner, The Smocking Bird
With almost a half-century in business, The Smockingbird heirloom sewing and smocking shop has inspired generations of makers. The store offer classes for adults and children. “I used to think the kids would get bored, but they are fascinated with what they can create with a sewing machine and some fabric,” says new owner Cobbie Llewellyn.
Community is at the heart of most makers’ projects—they seek to create something enduring, something special, something with a story. At the thrice-weekly Sit & Sews at The Smockingbird, customers bring in projects and enjoy time together. Cobbie says, “Making and creating feeds the soul. It comes from being part of a project from beginning to end. You might start with a piece of fabric, but as you work, you think about who will be wearing this garment. There is joy in that.”
When you are working alongside others, you really are willing to talk about a lot of things you might not otherwise be willing to talk about. It is a very special fellowship.
Ingram Link, Founder, Created for a Purpose
Ingram Link, Director of Women’s Ministries at Covenant Presbyterian Church, started Created for a Purpose 16 years ago as a response to the overly-hurried world many young girls are faced with and out of a desire to remind girls that those things do not define them. Since those initial classes in scrapbooking, sewing, and sculpture, the program has grown into a full-fledged nonprofit which equips, trains, and licenses the program to other churches. “We come up with the project ideas, the spiritual curriculum, and the training materials,” Ingram says. “Currently, we are in 7 states and 13 churches. Last summer, we had almost 2,000 participants.”
The projects that the girls (in 3rd through 8th grade) engage in are more sophisticated than those of a traditional VBS program. Participants learn skills they can use in other areas of their lives while also connecting with one another and learning spiritual lessons. Counselors are high school and college students who have completed the program themselves. Ingram says, “My solemn prayer for this program is that God would draw these girls to Him.”
In addition to the summer sessions, a holiday workshop is held the weekend before Christmas. The girls leave with gifts (ornaments, treats, paintings) to share.
Sacred Studio, a program born out of Created for a Purpose and spearheaded by Ingram and Anna Nash, director of Beacon People, is designed for moms who saw the spirit in their daughters and wanted the same thing for themselves. “It’s an incredible combination of worship, teaching, and creating,” Ingram says.
Portrait by Kimberly Wilson / Other Photography by Becky Staynor
A door knocker may seem like such a simple thing—a way a guest might announce their arrival at your home. But it is so much more. The size, shape, and heft of the object conveys a great deal about the homeowner. Nationally-renowned, she reached out to local foundry stalwarts John Stewart Jackson and Joe McCreary Birmingham-based artist Patty B. Driscoll of Birmingham Sculpture. They walked understands that perfectly.
After a fire destroyed her Redmont home in December 2013, Patty B. and her husband began the long and laborious task of rebuilding. Gifted in a variety of mediums, she became interested in the art of metal working along the way. “I had seen some doorpulls for my new dining room that I really wanted, but they cost more than I was willing to spend,” she says. “So I decided to try and craft them myself.”
Birmingham’s status in the world of metal production is legendary. So when Patty B. wanted to create her own pieces, her through the process of sculpting the forms and creating wax molds. Birmingham Sculpture now produces her Agatha Studios pieces in their North Birmingham foundry.
Female power is a central theme in all of Patty B.’s work—be it photography, painting, or sculpting. Each door knocker honors a woman of importance to the artist. Each design deftly weaves the woman’s story with that of strength, fertility, devotion, conviction, resiliency, tenacity, and might. And honestly, who wouldn’t want to be met at the front door with that?
Beautiful décor meets innovative ideas in our 2022 Inspiration Home. Local and regional designers, as well as some of our favorite shops and services, fill this year’s house with fabulous finishes, innovative ideas, and gorgeous rooms. Take a close look around to check out the details—large and small—that will inspire the look and function of your own home.
All proceeds of the 2022 Inspiration Home benefit The Bell Center
The Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs provides early intervention services in a center-based program in Birmingham. Infants and toddlers at risk for developmental delay receive services from transdisciplinary teams which include a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, a speech-language pathologist, and an early childhood special education teacher as each child works on individual goals.
Some people travel the world over in search of adventure. This Vestavia couple, however, must look no further than their own living room. Practically every area of the space features pieces from their many globetrotting escapades—special memories or stories from faraway places brought to mind by each and every one.
But the home wasn’t always such a personalized haven for the owners. In fact, for many years, the couple felt quite out of sync with their house. “The style was a little all over the place, not only with the design, but also with the functionality,” the homeowner says. “We wanted the space to have character, comfort, and cohesion, but we needed help to make that happen.”
Architect Carrie Taylor designed the modern staircase. Its clean lines and bright white walls highlight two wooden oars the homeowners purchased on a visit to Hawaii. For years, the oars sat in a closet because the homeowners didn’t know how to properly display them. Catori Design House had them custom-hung to serve as a stand-out centerpiece in the home.
“The entire house was designed to showcase the homeowners’ incredible collections. Every piece has a story to tell, and that story is carried from room to room.”
Terra Mimikakis, Catori Design House
Custom steel cabinets with glass shelving served as a driving force in the design of the dining room. The cabinets provide plenty of space to display small pieces from the homeowners’ travels, such as wooden bowls, blown-glass items, and small pieces of artwork. The thin, almost translucent Hawaiian bowls on the dining table are made from Norfolk pine, which was originally brought to Hawaii to form masts for ships.
Thankfully, the couple knew just where to turn to bring that vision to life and transform their outdated house into a comfortable yet carefully-curated home. It all began with a meticulous renovation orchestrated by architect Carrie Taylor, who artfully reimagined the disconnected areas. She began by opening up the kitchen to the rest of the main living area and adding doors off the space to make movement to and from the backyard easier. She also took great care in the small details, removing traditional elements such as trayed ceilings and incorporating custom moldings and recessed lighting with clean lines for a more modern touch.
For the kitchen details, Carrie worked with Kristi Freeman and Terra Mimikakis of Catori Design House to meticulously plan out every feature for the homeowners, both avid entertainers. “Even the insides of the cabinets were specifically designed so that every item has a home,” Kristi says. “The sizes of some cabinets were determined by the size of the appliances. And we added outlets and charging stations in certain spots so that appliances can be used without even moving them. Functionality would be an understatement in this kitchen.”
To continue refreshing and reimagining what the space should be, Kristi and Terra outfitted each room with comfortable, modern finishes that complement the homeowners’ art and collections. “The design was really driven by those collections,” Kristi says. “I don’t think there is an accessory in the home that doesn’t have a story behind it.”
The challenge became creating spaces and places to display the wide variety of items. Working with an array of art, blown glass, and wooden bowls, Kristi and Terra creatively showcased the pieces in specific spots, from the étagères in the living room to the glass-and-steel cabinets in the dining room. The designers also reframed all of the artwork to better coordinate with the modern space.
“To see everything we had purchased over so many years repurposed and displayed in a beautiful design—it’s like a diary of our travels and our lives.”
the homeowner
For the furniture, the duo selected artisan and custom furniture, such as the running man console table in the living room and the metallic, egg- shaped coffee table in the living room, to underscore the contemporary vibe. And adding to the wordly theme of the home, the dining room sports a black elm tabletop produced in a small northern Italian town just miles from where the homeowner’s mother grew up. Even with such a variety of pieces throughout the house, the end result is a comfortable, cohesive space that feels more like a relaxing retreat—no passport required.
The Art of Display
From artwork to ceramics and antiques to tiny trinkets, there’s something truly special in seeking out unique finds— especially while traveling throughout the country or across the globe. Even better is bringing these items home and turning the collections into decorative focal points on full display. But figuring out how to do so in a beautifully balanced way can be over– whelming. Kristi Freeman and Terra Mimikakis of Catori Design House share their tips on creating and displaying collections.
Buy What You Love Don’t assume that everything you buy has to be alike. Buy what you love, regardless of how varied each piece may be. “The collection should be about spirit and what speaks to you,” Terra says.
Mix and Match A mix of materials, dimensions, and textures will create a much more interesting space. “It’s important to balance vingettes with a variety of items,” says Kristi.
Focus on the Art When purchasing artwork, don’t get caught up in the frame. If you like the art, you can always reframe the piece later.
Go With a Group Groupings could be based on color, shape, or material. For art, Kristi and Terra suggest measuring out the wall space first, then arranging the pieces on the floor to figure out what works.
PETS ARE WELCOME! The hotel offers plush dog beds and custom food and water bowls. Dog-walking service is complimentary. Or ask the hotel for an area walking map. Photography courtesy of Windsor Court
Since its opening in 1984, Windsor Court in New Orleans, with a name that has become synonymous with tradition and gracious hospitality, has hosted royalty, rock stars, diplomats, and world travelers. Whether you are looking to take in a show, shop for antiques, or just want to have a little fun, this hotel is all but guaranteed to make your stay feel too short.
Returning guests love driving into the walled courtyard with its bubbling fountain that seems to make the rest of the world dissolve. Tradition dictates that the bellman will collect your things and the valet will whisk your vehicle away, leaving you to step inside the grand lobby, filled with displays of hundreds of roses from local florist extraordinaire Dunn & Sonnier. These are the moments guests look forward to each and every time they visit.
Not long ago, the 23-story property underwent a massive $15 million renovation to update and enhance the landmark hotel while staying true to the aspects that longtime guests have come to love and appreciate. Many pieces of the Windsor Court’s $10 million fine art collection continue to grace its walls. Revamped and updated, rooms and suites are still dressed in the hotel’s signature New Orleans-themed toile, while expansive marble bathrooms offer Diptyque amenities.
New Orleans is most decidedly a gastronomic destination, so one of the hotel’s greatest upgrades is their dining program. The Polo Club Lounge on the second floor has been expanded. Here, live jazz, an extensive wine collection, and signature cocktails are the perfect start to any evening. Views from the Waterman Poolside Bar rival only those from the Club Level with its dedicated concierge, afternoon tea service, cocktails, and hors d’oeveres.
In the Grill Room, the menu is extraordinary—think foie gras torchon, redfish with a citrus mignonette, and wagyu beef from the famed Uenae Lake Farm in Japan. Be sure to save room for dessert (or have it delivered to your suite). The pastry arts team crafts confections that are as delicious as they are whimsical.
Whether your travel is for a girls’ getaway, a family affair, or a couple’s retreat, the Windsor Court Hotel is freshly gussied up and ready to welcome you back—in the style to which you are accustomed.
Like a fine bourbon, Barnsley Resort in the north Georgia mountains just gets better with age. Established on the ruins and restored gardens of an opulent Italianate estate built in the 19th century, the 3,000-acre resort in Adairsville, just two hours from Birmingham, has continued to build on its sublime location, honoring its history and century-old gardens infused with plenty of Southern gentility. A visit to this countryside retreat is both relaxing and invigorating, thanks to the blissful accommodations and glorious natural surroundings. Within the pedestrian village, guests can enjoy historically- appropriate, English-style guest cottages; a perfectly-scaled 55-room inn; and three dining venues.
Barnsley Resort uses house-smoked pecans to create a rich, flavorful, signature bourbon. After the infusion process, the resort chefs use the bourbon- soaked pecans in desserts and other menu items.
Privately owned, the resort is managed by former five-star hoteliers who are personally invested in creating unparalled service for their guests. From customized itineraries for corporate groups to family getaways to memorable weddings, experiences are tailored to suit any whim, whether it’s an activity, signature cocktail tasting, or private dinner in the gardens or at the historic Rice House restaurant.
For adventurers and hunters, instructors are at the ready to help both experienced and novice guests who want to ride horses, explore trails on UTVs, shoot skeet at the Beretta Shooting Grounds, or practice axe throwing or archery. Seasonal quail hunts are available at the neighboring 1,800-acre hunting preserve. Golf enthusiasts return for the Golf Performance Center that offers private instruction, as well as the 18-hole Jim Fazio-designed golf course that winds around placid lakes and mountain vistas.
A new introduction, the seasonal Fire Kettle Cooking School launched in 2021. This open-air dining experience is hosted by Chef Javier Cuesta who prepares his favorite recipes over the open flame of a Sea Island Forge fire kettle. Dishes often include ingredients freshly picked from the resort’s vegetable garden.
At Barnsley Resort, there’s much to experience, explore, and do—and thanks to the saltwater pool, serene full-service spa, plentiful fire pits with complimentary s’mores, and hammocks dotting the property, there are plenty of ways to unwind as well.
As fall creeps into Alabama, chef and owner of Andiamo Lodge, Steve Carpenter, shares two of his cozy fall recipes.
Photo by Colleen Duffley
Marinated Goat Cheese
1 (16 oz) log of local goat cheese 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 15 garlic cloves One lemon sliced into wheels 2 tablespoons pink peppercorns 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
Shape goat cheese into a 1 1/2″ patty on a dish that will hold liquid. Bring garlic, olive oil and lemons to a gentle simmer until garlic browns and softens. When garlic is ready add fresh herbs. Simmer 5 more minutes. Add pink peppercorns and stir. Remove from heat so pepper doesn’t burn. Let cool. Pour over goat cheese and let marinate at least an hour – preferably overnight. Serve with toasted baguettes, crackers or pita.
Photo by Colleen Duffley
Potato Leek & Mushroom Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 10 medium red potatoes – partially peeled and cubed 1 bunch cleaned and finely chopped leeks 3 ribs finely diced celery 4 cloves finely diced garlic 1 large handful of fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced 5 cups chicken broth 1 cup half & half 1 cup milk kosher salt fresh black pepper fresh thyme springs 2 large shallots, julienned 1/4 cup olive oil
In a medium dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat add oil and butter When gently bubbling add garlic, celery, and leeks, and stir constantly until soft and melding (5-7 minutes) Add mushrooms, potatoes, thyme, and chicken stock Simmer about 15 minutes until potatoes soften Add 1T salt and 1T black pepper Remove thyme springs Add milk and half & half – heat until simmering Remove from heat Using an immersion blender, gently blend for 20-30 seconds In a small skillet gently fry shallots in olive oil until lightly browned Drain on a paper towel Serve soup warm, topped with shallots and thyme sprig
The butterfly garden and Monarch Waystation. Produced by Charlie Thigpen / Photography by Jean Allsopp
When Allison Stephens inherited her Indian Springs log cabin, she turned it into a place of healing and renewal. “As you drive in across the covered bridge, it feels like you are entering someplace special,” Allison says. “It’s close enough to everything, but it’s also a wonderful escape. Living here is a way to surround myself with nature in a sort of cocoon.”
Located on 10 acres, the Hearthstone Home, designed by architect Bob Moody, was constructed in the late 1990’s. Thanks to the authentic materials and construction techniques, the house belies its relative newness with features such as 8-inch-thick logs and dovetailed corners. The chimneys, foundation, and gable ends are stacked stone. Copper gutters and wide-plank, rough-sawn, white oak porch decking, along with a cedar shake and standing-seam metal roof, offer even more character.
Allison Stephens in the garden with her Standard Parti Poodle, Detal Dawn
Leaving the house unchanged except for a few updates and repairs, Allison put her focus on the garden. She called landscape designer Charlie Thigpen to help select plantings and navigate the process for creating a monarch waystation, something that would turn into a full-fledged makeover. “When we began to plan the butterfly garden, Allison asked me what I thought about the existing plants around the cabin,” Charlie says. “The shrubs were overgrown, and I felt like most of them didn’t look like they belonged in the rustic surrounding.”
Charlie’s advice? Replace the overgrown bushes with native plants appropriate to the setting. “I wanted to enhance the house instead of covering it up,” Charlie says. Saving a couple of camellias and the two large sculptural crepe myrtles that framed the front of the home, Charlie and his wife, Cindy, drew up a new and improved landscape plan. Plantings called for a variety of ferns, Itea, and native azaleas. Charlie also added limelight hydrangeas, black-eyed Susans, and coneflowers for seasonal color.
The cedar arbor was made from trees from the property. Vines will eventually cover the structure. The blue flowers at the base are plumbago.
“Monarchs from Eastern North America migrate each fall to the mountainous forest of Mexico. Some will fly over 3,000 miles. In my butterfly gardens, I always try to plant fennel, parsley, or dill, which are also great food sources for other varieties.“
Charlie Thigpen, landscape designer
As for the butterfly garden, Charlie brought in lots of milkweed, the necessary diet of monarch butterflies. He also added bronze fennel to attract swallowtails. Planted in the spring of 2020, the garden grew quickly—and then the caterpillars arrived. Allison was able to start the process of collecting the leaves with eggs from the milkweed plants and bring them inside to protect and nourish them until they transformed into beautiful butterflies. “Last year, we released about 80 butterflies,” she says. “This year, we hope to have even more.”
Along with her personal fascination with the butterflies, Allison loves to share and educate others on the importance of protecting monarchs. “I’ll let my friends’ children release them,” she says. “I love to see the wonder on their faces. And I always give them a milkweed plant and encourage them to start their own garden.”
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around the garden
Butterflies are always welcome in Allison Stephens’ garden. Every year she invites them to her Indian Springs home with plantings of milkweed (1), the diet for monarchs, as well as bronze fennel (2), the favorite dish of swallowtail butterflies. For nectar, blooms consist of Profusion zinnia (3), Pinca zinnia (4), Red coleus (5), Mystic Spires salvia (6), Homestead verbena (7), Angelonia (8), and coneflower (9). Other blooms around the garden include Mrs. Huff lantana, Happy Returns daylilies, Vitex trees, and Limelight hydrangeas.
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Allison’s hope is that her monarch waystation inspires others to look at gardening in a different way. “I want people to see beyond a pretty garden and think about how something can be beautiful while also serving nature,” she says. “Everything comes full circle. It’s important to give back.”
“Mother Nature has taught me so much about gardening. It’s a continuous education.”
Allison Stephens
Get to KnowCharlie & CindyThigpen
A licensed horticulturist and landscape designer, Charlie Thigpen has a vast knowledge of plants, design, and, most importantly, how to maintain a garden and landscape. For many years, he was director of landscape for the award-winning 27-acre Southern Progress campus, as well as garden editor for Southern Living. He and his wife and business partner, Cindy, spent a decade sharing their expertise through their retail garden shop, Charlie Thigpen’s Garden Gallery. The shop closed in late 2019, and the Thigpens now focus on landscape design, offering consultations and landscape plans.
Creating a Monarch Waystation
Monarch butterflies were listed as endangered in July 2022. Threats include declining habitats, climate change, and pesticides. To offset the loss of milkweed and nectar sources, it’s essential to create and protect their environments. Here are a few tips to get your monarch waystation started.
Allison and her assistant, Kendahl Schnell, created a cut flower garden by seeding zinnias and sunflowers. “I love to share bouquets with friends,” Allison says. “My parents will visit from Tuscaloosa and take back buckets to give to neighbors.”
CHOOSE A SPACE
Your home, school, or local park, as well as unused plots of urban land, are ideal places to start a garden. You need a minimum of 100 square feet.
FIND A SUNNY SPOT
Butterflies and butterfly plants need lots of sun. To ensure successful blooms, plant in an area that gets as least six hours of sun a day.
CONSIDER YOUR SOIL
Milkweed and nectar plants perform best in light soil with good drainage.
Swallowtail Butterfly
CHOOSE YOUR PLANTS
A monarch waystation needs at least 10 milkweed plants made up of two species. Adding even more will create a bigger draw of butterflies for a longer span of time during the season. Mix in other blooming perennials and annuals for nectar sources. Always follow planting instructions for spacing. Plants placed close together will help protect the monarchs in their developing states.
NEVER USE PESTICIDES
Allison keeps an eye out for aphids on her plants. Should they attack her foliage, she handpicks them off. “Gardening is a lot of fun and a lot of hard work,” she says. “It’s a daily labor of love.”
Adam Evans found his culinary calling early. He spent much of his childhood gardening with his grandfather and cooking their harvest with his grandmother and mother. In college, Adam worked summers as a line cook at The Grand Hotel in Fairhope, Alabama. And even though he graduated with a degree in psychology from Auburn University, he decided to return to his earliest passion—food. Along his path, Adam found well-regarded mentors while working various positions in New Orleans, New York City, and Los Angeles. In 2012, he garnered national recognition from Esquire and Bon Appétit magazines while serving as executive chef for The Optimist in Atlanta.
Chef Adam Evans and wife Suzanne Humphries Evans of Automatic Seafood & Oysters
Eventually, Adam and his wife moved to Birmingham with the goal of starting their own restaurant. Opened in 2019, Automatic Seafood & Oysters features simple, high- quality seafood dishes, primarily sourced from the Gulf. With its lively, inviting atmosphere and a menu full of bold flavor, the establishment has already become a favorite destination for locals and visitors.
The James Beard Awards were established in 1990 by the James Beard Foundation to “recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields.” The program “furthers the foundation’s mission to celebrate, nurture and honor chefs and other leaders making America’s food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone.”
Originally constructed as a summer retreat in the late 1800’s (later adapted as an Inn in 1922), the High Hampton property has been a coveted destination in the area for generations. And while the summer months offer cool mornings and sun-drenched afternoons, it’s autumn that beckons even more guests to experience the beautiful colors of the leaves along rhododendron-lined trails.
Returning guests will be delighted with the bevy of thoughtful upgrades here, not the least of which is the addition of central heat and air-conditioning. Yes, higher elevations lend themselves to windows thrown open wide, but the occasional heat wave makes us relish the option of flipping a switch for a cool blast.
Most notably, the inn’s renovation included expanding room sizes to almost double while also featuring larger closets and well-lit dressing areas.
Fill your days by exploring the 15 miles of onsite hiking trails, lounging poolside, or dipping in the hot tub overlooking the 15-acre Hampton Lake. Pack a picnic and take out a canoe or kayak for the afternoon. Bring your tennis racquet and pickleball paddle if you’re looking to get in some cardio— the courts are sublime. And if spa time is more your speed, book your appointments in advance. The always- popular spa offers a range of treatments that will have you in a deep state of zen in no time.
While the town of Cashiers proper has plenty of sought-after dining options, the resort’s exemplary culinary program will most likely keep you on property. Capitalizing on local and seasonal ingredients, the menus are well-balanced in scale and scope, which means there is something here for everyone: Little Gem lettuces with carrot vinaigrette, flat-iron steak from nearby Simpson Farm, lemon custard with a thick wedge of honeycomb. More casual fare can be found downstairs in the Tavern: Think burgers with housemade sauce, smoked chicken panini with a green garlic confit, and ice cream sandwiches.
Guests who have had the pleasure of visiting Blackberry Farm or Blackberry Mountain in Walland, Tennessee, will feel the same attention to detail in the design elements here at High Hampton. The Blackberry Farm Design team was charged with honoring and keeping the original spirit of the heritage mountain retreat while injecting it with modern-day amenities and polished style.
Birmingham Ties
A heritage property such as High Hampton has a life of its own. Born of a desire to make the most of a particular place and space in time, the inn was destined to outlive those who first conceived the escape. The responsibility of honoring this legacy has only been held by a select few families. Most recently, Birmingham- based Arlington Family Offices and Daniel Communities led the redevelopment of the golf course, adding club amenities and private real estate offerings for those who decide they too want to own a slice of Cashiers heaven.
