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A Colorful Lakeside Retreat

By
Lacey Howard
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During construction, the Spensleys were living in Zambia, South Africa, where Allison worked in international public health and her husband Steve owned a security company. Allison worked long distance with architect Richard Long, letting family and color be her guide. Photos by Jean Allsopp

My daughters describe our home as a ‘surprise house’,” Allison Spensley says. “They say it’s all dark and serious on the outside and then a party on the inside.” Living inside that surprise on a wooded 6-acre lakeside property in Shelby County’s Stonegate Farms are Allison, Steve, and their three children, 11- year-old Emm, 8 year-old Clara, and 3 year-old Charlie, along with Boomer, a chocolate lab, and Felix, a Zambian rescue cat. “My kids love to be busy all the time—making slime, creating art projects, riding their bikes, and running around,” Allison says. “They definitely influenced the way we designed the house.”

When the Spensleys first purchased the property, they collaborated with Richard Long of Birmingham’s Long & Long Design on their new home’s architectural plans. “I don’t consider myself a very traditional person, so I didn’t want a formal, traditional house,” Allison says. “Instead, I wanted to create spaces that are friendly and welcoming and encourage togetherness.” Richard and his team designed a five-bedroom, four-and-a-half bath, two-story home with about 4,700 square feet of living space. “The home’s exterior architecture is simple, modern, and barn-like with vertical cypress siding, corrugated metal roofing, and a stone water table,” Richard says. Allison adds, “When you enter the house, with its dark, monochromatic exterior, you really don’t expect to find the light, colorful, airy spaces inside. I love that moment.”

White shiplap siding sets off the kitchen’s vibrant colors. Cabinets are coated in a preppy spring green (matched to Pantone’s Greenery), and barstools are the color of summer sunshine. The family’s laundry/mudroom/craft room shows a hint of vibrant turquoise that matches the custom color of the turquoise Blue Star range.

The interior opens to the main level’s great room encompassing the living, dining, and kitchen areas where color reigns supreme. “It was exciting to work with the Spensleys to transform the rooms with such bold and beautiful hues,” Richard says. “Many of those wall colors and art pieces represent their love for the culture of Zambia, where they once lived.”

The open floorplan is completely focused on family, eschewing conventional spaces for task-oriented areas and together time. “We’ve had formal living and dining areas, and for us they were a waste of space,” Allison says. “Anyone who visits our house has to join into our craziness—there’s no formality in our lives!”

One of the Spensleys’ most used spaces is the laundry/mudroom/craft room just off the kitchen. “This area is the headquarters for the family,” Allison says. “It’s usually full of craft supplies, muddy boots, fishing poles, sports equipment, and pet toys. You name it, it’s in there.” The room includes a locker for each family member, a washer and dryer, a dog-wash station, project workspace and storage space, food pantry storage, a utility sink, and a desktop.

Another one of Allison’s goals was making sure she chose durable materials and furniture. She explains that white quartz countertops from Cottage Supply Company “are indestructible,” a warm stain on oak floors “hides all of the dirt, dust, and debris,” and unlacquered brass fixtures “just get better with time.” And she especially loves the corner protectors that she designed. “They are made of iron that’s painted black and bolted onto interior corners, and they take all the abuse an 11-, 8-, and 3-year-old can give,” she says.

The entry showcases a colorful elephant painting from Kenya and baskets from Zambia. The console table is a “judgement table” from northern Zambia—a piece around which communities historically held court and made judgements and community decisions. The stairwell is a gallery for Allison’s collection of woven disks from Rwanda. The runner is Astro Turf from The Home Depot. “It’s great for picking up mud and debris, and then I can hose it off outside,” Allison says.
The great room’s living area has seating—enough for the whole family—centered on a big fireplace. The dining table was handmade in Zambia. “It’s super heavy,” Allison says. “We hosted my whole family for the holidays, and with the combination of the dining table and the banquette, we easily seated 18 of us and still had space to set up the island as the serving buffet.”
A cozy banquette tucked into a window-wrapped corner of the kitchen is the perfect place for family dinners or a quiet, early-morning cup of coffee. “The Saarinen tulip table was one of my big furniture purchases, and I love it paired with my Ikea acrylic chairs,” Allison says.
The upstairs hallway is lined with doors painted in a rainbow of hues. “I didn’t want it to end up being a boring hallway, so I created a more powerful moment,” Allison says. “I let the kids choose the colors for the doors to their rooms. The other doors are five huge closets—evidence of Richard’s amazing space-design skills.”
“Upstairs, a large open landing is a kids’ gathering place. “We designed a playroom/workroom so the kids would have their own space to watch TV and do homework,” Allison says. “They each have a workstation on the built-in desktop.” For the statement wall in the room, she had a specific vision. “I sent very detailed instructions with a sketch and the dimensions of the squares,” Allison says. She also furnished the space with a bunch of super-comfy beanbags that the kids constantly move around to make forts, beds, and TV-watching seats. “The flexibility is great,” Allison says. Pillow covers depicting animals are from a line of textiles handmade in rural Mfuwe, Zambia, that Allison offers in her shop, Red Tembo Designs. “Red Tembo is where I source items I love,” she says. “It’s my outlet to express some of my creativity and share amazing finds from around the world. And it gives me a reason to hang on to my shopping addiction.”
This task space is where Allison says she was the most adventurous with color—turquoise walls and cabinets (Cool Aqua, Benjamin Moore), an orange-and-white checkerboard floor (Orange Nectar and Super White, Benjamin Moore), and yellow fixtures. “We have a Dutch door so that we can let the outside in without letting pets out—although more times than not, the door is just completely open,” Allison says.
Even the bathrooms get the color treatment. A neutral base— a white subway tile backsplash and black vanity—is upgraded with yellow walls (Yellow Highlighter, Benjamin Moore), turquoise pendant lighting, and African baskets in a woven rainbow of hues.
The master bathroom is saturated in a turquoise-green (Bahama Green, Benjamin Moore) with white countertops, a freestanding tub from Fixtures & Finishes, brass fixtures from Brandino Brass, and warm wood floors. “The portraits over the tub are NOT of Steve and me,” Allison says. “We found them at an art market in North Carolina. It makes me laugh that people would think we would hang 4-foot-tall portraits of ourselves in the bathroom.”

Color (yes, please.)

Inspired ideas for filling your home with color and happiness.

BE BRAVE. “I chose bright, clear colors that pop from a background of white,” Allison says. “I will be the first to say that my color choices are not for everyone, but I wanted a space that would bring happiness to our lives. I’ve had many people say how brave I am to use the colors I did, but I don’t really think of it that way. I just wanted my home to reflect what makes me smile.”

CHOOSE JOY. “Everywhere I look in the house, I see my creative decisions. They add such joy!” Allison says. A daily activity the Spensleys enjoy is their “happy jar” project. Each family member has his or her own vase to fill with positive thoughts and joyful moments. “Every day, we each write a quick note about something that made us happy that day,” Allison says. At the end of the year, the family reads these reminders together.

MAKE A CONNECTION. Allison is a collector of art and objects from around the world, all of which have a place of pride in her home. “My work in international health has taken me all over the globe, and I love finding craft markets and art galleries wherever I go,” she says. “I have become very skilled at fitting whatever I find into my suitcases to bring back home!” Her collections include pieces from Nicaragua, Peru, South Africa, Rwanda, Zambia, and Swaziland.

RESOURCES
Interiors: Allison Spensley, IG @RedTemboDesigns, Architect: Richard Long, Long & Long Design, longandlongdesign.com, 205.637.5777 Builder: Ruff Reams, ruffreams.com, 205.982.8002 Kitchen and bath cabinets: Bud’s Cabinets, Sylacauga, 256.249.3716 Hardware: Brandino Brass, brandinobrass.com, 205.978.8900 Appliances: AllSouth, allsouthappliance.net, 205.942.0408. Countertops: Cottage Supply Company, cottagesupplycompany.com, 205.458.0002 Master bathroom fixtures: Fixtures & Finishes, 205.323.5616 Powder room vanity: fabricated by Red Mountain Ironworks, redmountainiron.com, 205.226.9055 Interior lighting (except for master bathroom): Barn Light Electric Company, barnlight.com Pillow fabric in living room: King Cotton, kingcottonfabrics.com, 205.732.8283

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Party Favors

By
Cathy Still McGowin
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Juliska Tulipieres flank the birthday cake, an Olexa’s creation that artistically replicates the Tobacco Leaf pattern on the china. Photos by Jean Allsopp

Tabletop Design by Patricia Murray, Table Matters
Floral Design by Mary Cox Brown, Marigold Designs

Guess what!? It’s your birthday! And this year, you can have anything you want. Dinner with friends over a fabulous, colorful table setting filled with all of your favorite things? Check. Your very own signature cocktail, plentiful wine, and a charming bartender? Ok. Party games that make you double over with laughter thanks to jokes old and new? Yes. A playlist with yacht rock and Justin Timberlake? Whatever your jam, it’s yours.

Hot pink napkins monogrammed with a pagoda design underscore the table’s exotic flair.

One very creative birthday girl checked off all of this and more when she invited friends to a dinner soiree at the John Hand Club and Hotel in downtown Birmingham. Located on the top two floors of the 1912 classical skyscraper, the swanky space proved perfect for an intimate evening of silliness and elegance. Patricia Murray, owner of Table Matters, and floral genius Mary Cox Brown helped set the scene. “The color scheme and tabletop design all started with the birthday girl’s Tobacco Leaf plates from Mottahedeh,” Patricia says. “From there, we played to the pink hues by introducing the Fish Scale plate in Raspberry by Herend.” Going bold, she worked with Les-Ottomans to design a custom, Turkish silk table cover. “It’s so much fun to mix pattern, color, and textiles,” Patricia says. “The great thing about the Tobacco Leaf pattern is the wide variety of colors you can work with.”

Though the primary theme was pink, Patricia tapped into the pattern’s blues with Nason Moretti’s Burlesque Bourgogne goblets crafted of mouth-blown Murano glass, along with new and antique blue-and-white containers. Laser-cut acrylic chargers lend a contemporary feel. To make it even more personal, the birthday girl used her own sterling, Tiffany’s English King, along with her collection of sterling Wakefield-Scearce goblets. “I wanted to do something small but really nice while staying authentic to the fun we like to have,” she says. And the fine table setting certainly didn’t sway the shenanigans. “The guests had no idea what to expect,” Patricia says. “The whole party was a surprise for them.” Guests managed to surprise the birthday girl too by showing up in memorable outfits with personality: a vintage evening gown, a dress from a high school party, and an Easter Bunny outfit that brought back shared childhood memories. “We had a great time and lots and lots of laughs,” says the birthday girl.

Table Matters
2402 Montevallo Road, Birmingham, AL 35223
205.879.0125 • table-matters.com

Mary Cox Brown, Marigold Floral Designs
205.447.4747 • marigold-designs.com

A cake designed by Olexa’s replicates the Tobacco Leaf pattern from Mottahedeh.
An arrangement of peonies, hydrangeas, tulips, ranunculus, and roses pairs with a signature cocktail in silver julep cups to welcome guests.
Floral designer Mary Cox Brown filled the table with single bloom arrangements of peonies, ranunculus, tulips, and anemones in varying shades ranging from pink to red to purple.
The colorful setting stands ready for guests and dinner served from The Bright Star.
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Q&A with Paige Albright

By
Catherine Romero
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Paige is known for her ability to evaluate the value and origins of a rug by sight.

Meet local business owner and oriental rug expert Paige Albright of Paige Albright Orientals, whose eclectic shop offers an extensive collection of antique oriental rugs hand selected to achieve a diverse inventory. Her curated assortment of rugs includes a wide range of styles that include both antique and modern pieces. Paige also offers unique travel finds such as caftans, bags and scarves making her shop a truly exceptional shopping destination. Paige’s rug selections will be showcased in the upcoming Birmingham Home and Garden Inspiration Home.

Why do you do what you do?
PA: I really enjoy what I do. I have a friend who calls me the Rug Whisperer. One of my strengths is going to a client’s home to see the space and then finding the perfect rug. The rug must balance the client’s furniture, fabrics, art and collections. This is where my design background comes into play as well as hand selecting each piece of my inventory. Also, It’s important to LISTEN. Whether it is a client’s needs and wants. OR when meeting with a vendor or traveling to a new place. ASK questions. I’m always learning. You never know what you will discover. Ask and listen. Be curious. And most important HAVE FUN! I love color and pattern. I love learning the meanings behind symbols and motifs. I love finding treasure and bringing it back to my clients. This is why we have started @paosmalls. I started bringing back small finds in my suitcase and discovered everyone wanted the exotic and unusual. I’m adding travel finds to PAO – caftans, bags, scarves, etc.

Also I love to read. I collect rug and textiles books. I pick up a book or two on almost all my travel destinations. Why knot? WHY KNOT might be my most memorable motto/hashtag.

Favorite local design resources?
PA: I love all my local design friends. Especially my Village neighbors: Circa, Patina, Antiquities, Village Firefly and Maison. I also love to dig around for hidden treasure in Lolo French Antiques, Tricia’s Treasures and the Nest, as well as Black Sheep Antiques in Harpersville (totally worth the drive!)

Favorite travel destinations?
PA: I just got home from Sante Fe and it was pretty amazing. New York is ALWAYS a good idea. Istanbul is one of my favorite cities as well as Marrakesh.

Paige Albright Orientals is home to a vast collection of curated oriental rugs, as well as modern floor coverings.

Trends vs timeless – where do you fall?
PA: Timeless. “Modern Traditional” I love mixing antiques with modern art and accessories. Buy great anchor pieces (sofa, antique chest, etc) and keep your space modern with artwork, pillows, accessories, etc.

IG accounts you follow?
PA: @wherewomencreate @thewildrabbithouse @aestheticsofjoy

What are some of your favorite unique ways to incorporate rugs into design?
PA: Use rugs tabletop, as wall hangings/art, upholstery, pillows made from rug fragments

How do you successfully mix patterns and colors?
PA: We like to coordinate our rugs so that they look collected over time. We might keep pieces in a similar color palette but change the scale of the pattern, or use a medallion next to a piece with an allover pattern.

Tell us a little about the space you are designing for the Inspiration Home.
PA: My rugs ground each space and add color and texture to the house.

Do you have a design motto you live by?
PA: Buy what you love. Buy the best quality you can afford.

Learn more about Paige Albright Orientals by visiting her website here.

Click here to learn more about the 2019 BHG Inspiration Home.

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Before & After: Cottage Kitchen Transformation

By
Julie Gillis
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Photos by Jean Allsopp

Old homes can be a challenge during renovations—especially small cottages with a tiny footprint. “They rarely have much storage space,” says kitchen designer Cyndy Cantley. “With today’s lifestyle, we expect the kitchen to be the workhorse of the home, and storage is a vital part of that.” For a Crestline remodel belonging to Pam and Rob Irwin, Cyndy created a large, built-in, glass cabinet to hold glasses and china. She also found storage behind a door and tucked in a plate rack that’s both decorative (We love her collection of blue-and-white antique Transferware) and functional. In addition, a side entrance was transformed into a wet bar. Even with these changes, the new space perfectly fits the home’s cottage style—and there’s still room for a breakfast table.

Things We Love

Carved Backsplash: The shapely backsplash, made of Calacatta Borghini marble from Italy, creates a focal point behind the range. “The colors and movement of this piece seem to change constantly, which is what I love about it,” says Cyndy. “I pulled the colors for the kitchen from this stone.”

French Flair: “This beautiful La Cornue range celebrates all that is glorious about the French culinary traditions,” says Cyndy. “It elevates the overall style of the room.”

Small Appliances: A 24-inch refrigerator and two 24-inch freezer drawers, all from Sub-Zero, easily handle food-storage needs. “Today’s homeowners often shop local farmers markets for a more farm-to-table lifestyle, so large appliances are not always needed,” Cyndy says. “Freezers are often only used for ice and ice cream, while refrigerators hold fresh produce and local meats and cheese.”

Authenticity: “I love that the Irwins respected their home and the fact that it is a cottage,” says Cyndy. “They didn’t try to make their kitchen into something it is not. The renovation maintains the character of the home.”

DESIGN TIP: Give a bar area distinct style. Cyndy painted cabinets a dark hue (Downpipe, Farrow & Ball) and covered the ceiling in a bold, snake-pattern wallpaper.

Cyndy Cantley

The Kitchen Connoisseur

What is your favorite way to use color in a kitchen? I prefer to keep kitchens fairly neutral as far as cabinet colors, countertops, and backsplash materials. This allows you to add color with wallpaper, objects inside glass cabinets, and window treatments.

How do you feel about appliance garages? The appliance garages of years ago no longer hold the appliances of today. I like to include a large cabinet with a countertop inside and electrical outlets for a microwave, coffee maker, mixers, etc.

What is one thing every kitchen needs? A comfortable place to gather as a family. Everyone ends up in the kitchen anyway, so why not make it inviting?

What is your number one rule of design? Always start with a good plan.

Resources
Interior designer: Cyndy Cantley, Cantley & Company, cantleyandcompany.com, 205.324.2400 Cabinetry and hardware: Cantley & Company Appliances: AllSouth, allsouthappliance.net, 205.942.0408 Countertops: Triton Stone, tritonstone.com, 205.592.0202 Sconces: Village Firefly, villagefirefly.com, 205.870.4560 Plumbing fixtures and sink: Fixtures & Finishes, fixturesandfinishes.com, 205.323.5616 Kitchen table: Henhouse Aniques, henhouseantiques.com, 205.918.0505 Chairs: Patina, shoppatina.com, 205.802.9805 Bar area wallpaper: Giove from Schumacher, schumacher.com Kitchen paint color: White Dove, Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com

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Q&A with Designer Libby Greene

By
Catherine Romero
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Libby aims to create a relaxed feeling of well-cherished antiques mixed with comfortable, beautiful fabrics that provide an inviting aesthetic. Photo by Jean Allsopp

Libby Greene, of Libby Greene Interiors, dishes on her design style and lets us in on her plans for the guest retreat she is designing for the BHG Inspiration Home.

Why do you do what you do?
LG: My focus is to create a relaxed feeling of well-cherished antiques mixed with comfortable, beautiful fabrics that provide an inviting aesthetic. I work to create a specific room environment that is visually pleasing to the eye and find special one of a kind pieces that can be mixed effortlessly with contemporary furnishings and architecture. I want to complement the present with the past without compromising either for my clients! My overall goal is for my clients’ homes to be a space that they love whether it be relaxing or entertaining.

Favorite local design resources?
LG: I have SO many but here are a few of mine; Paige Albright Orientals, Hiltz Lauber Flooring, Henhouse Antiques, Arceneaux Art Gallery and Cottage Supply. They all go the extra mile to help me efficiently meet the design needs of my clients and provide beautiful, unmatched resources.

Bringing the colors of nature from the outdoors in, Libby achieves a style that complements its surroundings. Photo by Jean Allsopp

Go to paint colors?
LG: Benjamin Moore – Creamy White, Grant Beige & Pale Oak
Sherwin Williams – Natural Choice

IG accounts you follow?
LG: citychic4ever_ and secretsofahostess

Trends vs timeless – where do you fall?
LG: Timeless is a safe place to be! I feel it is a more cost effective-long term way to decorate. I am a firm believer that you should not fill a room with trendy furniture or objects just to complete the design process. You should focus on one room at a time and if takes more money to fill that room with unique, extra special items- it will be worth it!

Libby feels timeless design is where it’s at – a more cost effective, long term way to decorate. Photo by Jean Allsopp

What is your favorite space to design?
LG: You should never be fixed on specific room, but instead the overall appearance of the space. I like getting to know my clients as individuals- so that when I am scouting specific items, I know instantly if I have found something that will fit perfectly for the project. Whether it is a game day residence, beach getaway, a lake retreat or family home, my favorite aspect to the design process is learning about the passion of my clients. It could be a sport, a recreational activity, a country- I like to take that love and incorporate it into a space with those influences.

Tell us a little about the space you are designing for the Inspiration Home.
LG: For the guest retreat, I have focused on bringing the outdoors inside by incorporating warmth and light in the space. My goal is to create an atmosphere that incorporates the greens and neutrals of the beautiful natural surroundings of the lake. Fern prints will adorn the walls, complimented by linen printed draperies. A bamboo upholstered headboard and a painted antique English chest give the ambiance of both old and new.

Do you have a design motto you live by?
LG: Good design means you are buying quality over quantity.

Learn more about Libby Greene Interiors by visiting her website here.

Click here to learn more about the 2019 BHG Inspiration Home.

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Style and Function Unite in this Open-Concept Kitchen

By
Julie Gillis
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Design tip: Variables in selections, such as plumbing, style of cabinets, and countertop materials, can make a huge difference in your budget. Ask about quality alternatives if costs start to run too high. Photos by Jean Allsopp

Cooking is always more fun in a pretty kitchen—especially when it opens to the living area, making the prepping, chopping, and stirring part of an evening’s entertainment. When these homeowners engaged designer Sarah Jernigan to help them make over their Mountain Brook kitchen, they asked for an innovative, efficient, and smart space­ with plenty of storage that would tie into the adjacent living spaces. “The wife is a fabulous cook, so creating a more innovative kitchen was always part of their plan,” Sarah says. Traditional touches were essential to connect the kitchen to the rest of the space, and Sarah chose elegant appointments such as the chandelier above the antique breakfast table, a custom hutch and sideboard with decorative flourishes, and a soft palette of pale blue, cream, and gray.

“The kitchen feeds into the living room, the dining room, and the screened porch, as well as the friends’ entry from the driveway. It’s truly a central space yet also feels self-contained.” —Sarah Jernigan

Things We Love

Reclaimed Wood Beams: Reclaimed wood from North Alabama offers the perfect touch of rusticity to balance out the all-white kitchen.

Custom Sconces: “My dad and I made the sconces,” Sarah says. “The homeowner and I found the carvings on an antiques-buying trip, and we both fell in love with the detailing. A cabinet maker created the channels for the wires, and I purchased a simple wire-and-socket system online.” Shades are from Village Firefly.

Tiled Wall: Sarah chose an Ann Sacks hand-hewn, terra-cotta tile with a ceramic glaze. “I love the way its uneven edges create such a cool contrast to the crisp, white marble countertops,” says the designer. “We didn’t originally plan to tile the entire wall, but once we selected the tile, we realized it would beautifully complete the space while also creating the perfect backdrop for the sconces.”

Chef-quality Range: The wife requested a double oven, but the U-shaped configuration of the space didn’t allow for wall ovens. “With wall ovens, she would have sacrificed efficiency and some storage elements,” says Sarah. “This 48-inch Wolf range not only allows for plenty of convenient cooking space, it also makes a great statement!”

Storage Galore: Upper cabinets flanking the sink serve as appliance garages. “The island also has space for small appliances, silverware, and the necessary ‘notepad’ bin, as well as under-counter refrigeration,” says Sarah. “The homeowner and I like to call the right side of the kitchen the snack bar because it has pantry space, drawers for snacks, and a warming drawer. Everything you need just slides out for easy reach.”

The soft blues and taupes of the open living area were intended as a punctuation mark within the white, neutral scheme of the adjacent kitchen. “Our overall goal was to create a comfortable space that emits a casual elegance,” says Sarah.

Sarah Jernigan Dishes on Design

Biggest request? Storage! Everyone wants more drawers and cabinets with specific “assignments” so that everything has its place.

Pendants or recessed lights? I like to include a mix. Decorative lighting goes a long way in creating ambience, but you also have to consider the right lighting for the tasks at hand in a kitchen. Layering both task lighting (recessed) and ambient lighting (pendants, chandeliers, and sconces) is the best way to illuminate your space.

Open concept or separate workspace? Open concept is truly the way we live today, but some clients find it loud and chaotic. There are ways to “contain the cook” when necessary by creating a little more space between the kitchen and living areas.

RESOURCES
Interior designer: Sarah Jernigan Designs, Inc., sarahjernigandesigns.com, 205.802.5868 Builder and Interior wood details and finishing: Bill Meadows, Meadows Homes, Inc., 205.879.9758 Cabinets: Allen Deal, Deal’s Cabinetry Co., 334.391.1381 Cabinet color: White Dove, Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com Appliances: AllSouth, allsouthappliance.net, 205.942.0408 Countertops: Cottage Supply Co., cottagesupplycompany.com, 205.664.1800 Tile/backsplash: Ann Sacks, annsacks.com Cabinet finishing: Coverwalls, coverwallsal.com, 205.368.3066 Dining bench: Lee Industries, leeindustries.com Table: Ed Grier, The Nest, 205.870.1264 Living room wall color: Tapestry Beige, Benjamin Moore.

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Meet Mimi Montgomery of Lolo French Antiques et More

By
Catherine Romero
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Mimi Montgomery of Lolo French Antiques

Today we are catching up with Mimi Montgomery of Lolo French Antiques et More, a direct importer of 17th – 20th Century French antiques, French Art Deco, Mid Century Modern and European decorative arts. Mimi will be decorating the foyer and the dining room in this year’s BHG Inspiration Home, located at The Willows, a new Russell Lands On Lake Martin neighborhood.

Why do you do what you do?
MM: We love what we do. We each have our areas of expertise and have somehow figured out a way to make working together, well, work. Laurent is originally from France and moved to the United States when he was 17 years old. It was his late father, Maurice, who proposed the idea of importing French antiques to the USA, and with his father’s help and guidance, he opened his first antique store in Miami in 1992. He’s been buying and importing European antiques ever since. I’ve always had a love of all things French, fine art and the thrill of the hunt. I grew up surrounded by antiques and the idea of beautiful family pieces being passed down from generation to generation has always intrigued me. So when we met at an antiques show, it really was “love at first sight” for both of us. He was French, charming, and had the most beautiful blue eyes and contagious laugh, not to mention he shared the same love of French antiques that I did. When we moved to Birmingham we wanted to show antiques as hip and cool and I wanted the new website I was creating to be informing, entertaining and user friendly to both the novice and experienced collector.

Trends vs timeless – where do you fall?
MM: Antiques are timeless… Brown furniture has gotten a bad rap in the past, but we try to show “brown wood” in a fashionable way. We want people to think of brown as the new black. There’s a larger demand for brown wood among designers now because it is so timeless. Antiques can work in any decor. One of our favorite hashtags is #werebringingbrownwoodback.

Go-to paint colors?
MM: I love Sherwin Williams Snowbound and Benjamin Moore Gray Owl

At Lolo “brown is the new black” and “brown wood” is sought after by designers as it is a timeless look.

IG accounts you follow?
MM: We follow all our local designers and media outlets obviously, but some of our favorite accounts are our fab friends Toma Clark Haines @theantiquesdiva, Barri Thompson @barrithompsoninteriors, Grant Trick @grant_trick, Paige Albright @paorientals, Michael Mitchell and Tyler Hill of @mitchellhillcharleston, Ike Isenhour @ike_isenhour_reductionist, Baron Farha @bfarha76, Will Casey @cottagesupplydowntown, and Mark Thompson and Jay Draper @shoppebham. We also love the very talented Melissa Rufty @melissarufty in New Orleans and Lisa Mende @lisamendedesign in Charlotte. Lisa has wonderful design resources and artists on her @thedesignconnector account. These are just a few of our faves!

What is your favorite space to design?
MM: We love helping customers choose furniture, especially for dining rooms, because we always have plenty of beautiful tables, chairs, buffets or enfilades, chandeliers, and beautiful mirrors and art.

Tell us a little about the space you are designing for the Inspiration Home.
MM: We are designing the foyer and the dining area. The front door opens to a large, very open space, with the foyer, living area, wet bar, dining area and kitchen all open to each other. We have a small wall in the entrance/foyer that we will place a petite chest or commode with a mirror or painting above.The dining area serves as a pass through between the living area and kitchen, so we are limited to what size table and furniture we can use, but we have chosen a beautiful bleached 18th century French trestle table with a French buffet and mirror on the small wall we have. Fortunately for us, our antiques will mix wonderfully with whatever the other designers choose for their adjoining spaces.

A gorgeous walnut buffet found on a recent Lolo buying trip to France.

Do you have a design motto you live by?
MM: Mix… Don’t Match! Designers mix antique furniture with modern and traditional interiors to create a look that appears as though it’s evolved over time. Antiques add texture, contrast and depth, and are a wonderful addition to any room. Mixing antiques into your design brings balance and an element of the unexpected. They make a room feel more interesting and elegant, beautiful but not overdone. It’s essential to mix different styles together and incorporate multiple levels to enhance a space. Mix hard textures with soft textures such as rustic leather with upholstery, and combine different furniture shapes together, like round coffee tables and square side tables. While some people prefer to decorate their home in a particular style (Traditional, Mid-Century Modern, Industrial Chic, Country French), blending styles is a wonderful way to create a unique space that makes a statement about your personal style.

Lolo French Antiques et More will be moving to Avondale in August. Their new address will be 4300 1st Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35222. They are currently hosting a moving sale where everything is 30% OFF the month of July so be sure to visit them!

Click here to learn more about the 2019 BHG Inspiration Home and purchase your tickets.

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A Black and White Kitchen with Flair

By
Julie Gillis
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Design Tip: Find nooks and crannies during demolition. A family command center, hidden behind cabinets adjacent to the brick wall, includes a desk area that allows space for a computer, files, and paperwork. Photos by Holland Williams Photography

I wanted a ‘tuxedo kitchen’—a dressed-up space to match the formality of our 100-year-old Greek Revival home in Forest Park,” says homeowner and artist Sarah Soule Webb. But before she could tackle the decorative aspects of a remodel, Sarah knew her family needed one important thing—more space. She and husband Andy enlisted Paul Irwin of Irwin Brothers Remodeling Company to knock down walls and open up their existing kitchen to the butler’s pantry so they could incorporate an outside mudroom, allowing more square footage for the family of five to gather, cook, and enjoy meals. “Paul and his team have a lot of experience with older homes,” says Sarah. “They reused as much of the original mouldings, windows, and details as they could.” When it came to space planning, Sarah called friend and designer Kate Hartman of Chickadee Interiors. “As an artist with my own sense of style, I had an idea of what I wanted but didn’t know exactly how to go about it,” she says. “I trusted her to help bring my vision to life.”

Sarah painted a light-hearted depiction of a man eating spaghetti with gusto. “I needed something silly to keep the space from being too serious,” she says. IG @sarahsoulewebbstudios

Things We Love

Color Contrast: “I wanted a black-and-white kitchen that would also emit warmth,” says Sarah. “The cabinet color is a soft black (Iron Ore, Sherwin-Williams) with an almost glossy finish.” Kate says, “To contrast the cabinets, we needed a light countertop. Sarah wanted something that could handle wear and tear, so we chose a quartzite that gives the look of marble but with better durability.”

Brick Accents: “The brick wall is an old chimney chute, so it was not going anywhere,” Sarah says. “We exposed the old brick seven years ago when we bought the home and pointed a spotlight on it to create a gallery for my artwork.”

Mudroom with Extra Storage: The mudroom connects to the kitchen through a doorway topped with a transom window. “We kept the old exterior transom windows that surrounded the original outside mudroom and then had the interior one custom-made to marry the old and new,” says Sarah. The space offers locker storage and shoe drawers to keep clutter in check. “It was an easy transformation that has proven to be life-changing for our busy days with the kids,” says Sarah.

Pendants with Personality: An eBay find, antique brass light fixtures from a 1920’s hotel in Mumbai add antique flair—and a new layer of history to the 100-year-old home.

Chickadee 

Kitchens with Flair

Countertops? We love using white marble, but some clients worry about its practicality. We often show homeowners an aged marble from one of our past projects. This allows them to see how stains, water marks, and scratches can add to its character over time. For this project, we used quartzite, which is very durable (and always looks new).

Butler’s pantry or bar? Bar. Everyone loves a party, and it’s also one of the most fun spaces to design.

Tile or hardwoods? Tile in a kitchen can be beautiful, but it really depends on how the space will be used. If a client loves to cook a lot, food will inevitably make its way onto the floor. In that case, we would suggest hardwoods since tile grout will stain and doesn’t clean as well.

RESOURCES
Interior designer: Kate Hartman and Kelly Neely, Chickadee Interiors, chickadeeinteriors.com, 205.969.3138 Architect: Dean Robinson, 205.229.0377 Builder: Paul Irwin, Irwin Brothers Remodeling Company, irwinbrothersremodeling.com, 205.254.1820 Artwork: Sarah Soule Webb, sswstudios.com Countertops: Triton Stone, tritonstone.com, 205.592.0202 Countertop fabrication: Premier Surfaces, premiersurfaces.com, 205.664.1440 Hardware: Mike Chiarito, Creation Metal, 205.587.3029 Tile/backsplash: Fixtures & Finishes, fixturesandfinishes.com, 205.323.5616 Barstools: Restoration Hardware, restorationhardware.com

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Meet the Designers: Lauren Conner & Ashley Gallion

By
Catherine Romero
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Lauren Conner (left) and Ashley Gallion (right)

The 2019 Birmingham Home & Garden Inspiration Home, located at The Willows, a new Russell Lands On Lake Martin neighborhood, is making headway. Situated on a gently sloping lot, the home will exhibit all the charms of lake house style and showcase the best of lakefront living. As we get closer to the September opening, we want you to get to know the designers working on this year’s Inspiration Home. Today, we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Conner of Lauren Conner Interiors and Ashley Gallion of Ashley Gallion Interiors.

Why do you do what you do?

LC: I have been designing since I was a child, rearranging my friends’ rooms and my own countless times. Design is what I have always wanted to do and I have officially been in this field since graduating from the Univ of Alabama with an interior design degree, but took some years off to raise my family. I have done space planning, commercial design, residential design, you name it! If I can help someone live a higher quality of life by improving the space them, then I feel like I have done my job.

AG: I love creating and design gives me the opportunity to do that every day! I enjoy helping our clients (who always become friends!) discover their style and how to express it through their homes and workspaces. I get so much satisfaction from hearing my clients say, “I love coming home every day”, because of how we worked together to transform their home into a space that they love!

Lauren Conner likes to incorporate antiques or organic pieces in modern spaces to give an unexpected layer of interest. Image: Lauren Conner Interiors

Favorite local resources:

LC: Paige Albright Orientals, Circa, At Home

AG: I am a huge advocate of supporting local businesses so we definitely utilize them and they are amazing! Phillips Metal Works produces wonderful iron drapery hardware that we love. We work with Stonehenge to design custom light fixtures from old architectural pieces/fragments, etc. as well as rewiring light fixtures that we source. King Cotton Fabrics is a wonderful go-to in Montgomery that offers a wide variety of beautiful fabrics. We also work with DSR in Birmingham and ADAC in Atlanta to source our fabrics. Montgomery has a wonderful artist community and we steer our clients to purchase original artwork. Gallery One features many of these artists right here in our shop’s charming neighborhood. Another that we enjoy is the Montgomery Curb Market which has been around for years. It is such a gem in our area for beautiful greenery and flowers that we use in our design work during the holiday season. These are just a few of the local design resources that we love!

Go to paint colors:

LC: Benjamin Moore China White, Simply White, Summer Shower

AG: Definitely White Dove by Benjamin Moore along with Revere Pewter and Kendall Charcoal. Another go-to is Shoji White by Sherwin Williams.

Trendy or Timeless:

LC: I don’t do trendy because then I would just have to redo it! My first job out of college was for the US Dept of State designing the US embassies overseas, so timeless design was ingrained in me early in my career. I prefer classic design with fresh influences so it doesn’t get dated or boring. I especially like incorporating antiques or organic pieces in modern spaces to give an unexpected layer of interest.

AG: I definitely tend to gravitate towards an overall timeless look, although I like to layer in subtle trends through interchangeable pieces such as pillows and accessories. I want my clients to enjoy being surrounded by the timeless pieces but feel up to date in a fresh and tasteful way.

Ashley tends to gravitate towards an overall timeless look, although she likes to layer in subtle trends through interchangeable pieces such as pillows and accessories. Image: Ashley Gallion Interiors

IG accounts I follow:

LC: @Collins Interiors, @The Curated Garden, @Lauren Liess

AG: @visualcomfortco and @goop

What is your favorite space to design?

LC: Hard to say because I like every project to be unique and very personal, and I really enjoy renovations. The goal for me is to interpret what the client wants so well that the space reflects the client, not me. And when I’m doing a major renovation or fixer upper, I like to start from scratch, the uglier the better!

AG: I am a huge fan of a master bedroom. In my personal home, this is the most important space to me. It is where you begin and end your day so I strongly believe it should be calming and serene with elements that are personal to you. A bedroom is a place of retreat and should be one that you enjoy walking into at the end of every day.

Tell us a little about the space you are designing for the inspiration home:

LC: Let’s just say I grew up spending summers in a Russell cabin on Lake Martin so that simplicity is my inspiration.

AG: I’m designing a bedroom for the Inspiration House. Again, bedrooms are very important retreats to me. We are designing it as a space that can be utilized as a children’s bedroom or a guest bedroom. The look is more transitional with clean lines and layered textures throughout – distressed wooden twin beds, aged brass, irons, linens, velvets, sisals, and a hide will come together well to create a space where it feels as though textures are standing in the place of color. Subtle pops of color will be drawn into the room through the pillows and artwork. A few contemporary artwork pieces along with prints, mirrors and lighting will pull the space together.

Do you have a design motto you live by:

LC: Love the one you’re with. Sometimes a complete overhaul is necessary, but any space can be improved upon!

AG: “Less is more” is something I say almost every day to my clients. I love simplicity. I also ran across this quote many years ago: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” That is so perfectly put to me.

To learn more about Lauren Conner and Ashley Gallion, visit Lauren Conner Interiors here and Ashley Gallion Interiors here. Click here to learn more about the 2019 BHG Inspiration Home.

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Cool Plants for Hot Days

By
John Floyd
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Crepe Myrtle

Our summers are hot. If we can’t find a shade tree in the garden to stand under, we generally choose to only venture outdoors in the cool of early morning or after the sun sets in the evening. And on the hottest of days, some folks simply view their gardens through a window in the comfort of air-conditioning. Regardless of where you enjoy your garden this time of year, you have probably noticed that while many of the annuals you planted in spring are tired looking and need cutting back or replacing, others are thriving. Crinum, also called hot country lilies, are the beauties of many Southern gardens. If you want a sensational show of flowers in summer, these bulbs offer vibrant hues of pure white, pink, red, or red with white stripes. I rarely see these lilies in garden centers in our area, even in bloom, so you may have to order the bulbs or get a bulb from a friend. Dig the bulbs when they finish flowering. Older masses can have lots of bulbs, and I have seen up to 15 shoots with 40 or more blooms at once. Remember that their clumps grow bigger over time and are a showstopper when in bloom. If you get a bulb from a friend, be sure to dig deep since the bulb can be several feet in depth.

Another surprise this time of year are magic lilies, or naked ladies as some people call them. Like spider lilies, their tall stalks of pink flowers appear without foliage and seem to simply pop up in the garden. They don’t last long, but once established, they can be a showpiece in a garden for many years without much effort.

Since shade is a commodity in summer, there are some beautiful plants that call for little to no sun. I can’t think of a group of plants with a more diverse range of foliage colors than hostas or plantain lilies. If planted in shade with good soil and kept watered in our dry summers, they will thrive for years. These shade lovers have leaves as big a dinner plates or as small as a demitasse spoon. While their blooms of blue or white flowers are nice, it’s all about the foliage’s striking appearance in the garden. Foliage colors range from variegated in both white and yellow to bold bright greens to almost all-yellow foliage, as well as powdery blue-green to crisp dark green. I suggest you purchase hostas where you can select the foliage color and size you need for your garden. I often buy them now since they are usually on sale at our local nurseries. Other great shade perennials that look good in our hot summers include native and tropical ferns, rhodea or Nippon lily, and both the green and variegated types of Solomon’s seal.

Even as the heat of summer lingers, your garden can still be beautiful and colorful with a little forethought into choosing the right plants.

Floyd’s To Do List: July/August

Hydrangeas

Container plants This time of year, container plants are generally root-bound and need water almost daily, as well as fertilization with liquid fertilizer every two to three weeks to keep them putting out fresh foliage and flowers. It’s also important to groom them by cutting out the spent flowers and old tired foliage.

Turf Grass Hot dry days mean your turf needs deep watering. Thirty to 40 minutes of water several times a week is much better than a sprinkle of water daily for 10 to 15 minutes. In addition, our Southern deciduous turf grasses, except centipede, need a high-nitrogen fertilizer watered in well to keep their true rich green color this time of the year.  Remember the first number of the fertilizer trio represents the amount of nitrogen it contains.

Shrubs If you find shrubs that you like in a garden center, buy them now to give them plenty of time to become established before cold weather arrives. The plants may even be priced to move because garden centers don’t like to carry over some types of plant materials to the next year. Just remember that many plants put out this time of year die because they can’t absorb enough water. Be sure to cut the roots in several places to allow the water to enter into the soil ball.

Pruning Mophead or florist hydrangeas are generally finished blooming by now, so this is the time to cut off the old blooms and prune and shape as needed. These plants will set their buds in late summer and early fall, which means that if you wait and prune them later, you will cut off next year’s flowers.

Don’t be afraid to tip-prune crepe myrtles as they finish flowering. This will produce a second set of blooms that will probably be smaller that the initial blooms. I like to prune mine right below the bloom stalk where the new flower shoots will fill the ends of the stems. Also, remove any suckers from around the base, and don’t be afraid to remove wayward shoots or branches as well.

Garden annuals Petunias, marigolds, coleus, zinnias, and other annuals need a pinch or a cut now. Remove the spent flowers on zinnias and marigolds by cutting them just below the flower. As for petunias, coleus, zinnias, and many others that are becoming tall and leggy, cut them back to right above a cluster of leaves where they will put on a fresh crop of foliage and flowers for fall.  An application of a granular fertilizer like 15-0-15, watered in well, stimulates new growth.

Tomatoes If you love tomatoes like I do, try to find several transplants in the marketplace to plant now. Often they look rough and usually off-color, but if you plant them deep in the garden and then water and fertilize them, you can continue to enjoy these fruit in your salads with the fall lettuces.

John Floyd has been gardening in the Birmingham area for more than 30 years. In addition to his day-to-day experience, John has degrees in horticulture from Auburn and Clemson Universities and was editor-in-chief of Southern Living. For daily tips and more garden information, visit birminghamgardeningtoday.com

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