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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The Defining Style of Troy Rhone

By
Cathy Still McGowin
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Photos by Jean Allsopp
Troy’s daughter, Ella, asked for a flower garden, so he added the border across the front of the house. “She and I swap the flowers out together twice a year,” says Troy. “She is learning about plant names and how to amend the bed with the correct micronutrients and fertilizer. In the winter, we plant parsley, pansies, snapdragons, and foxgloves. In summer, we use lamb’s ears, antique roses, sun impatience, pentas, Angelonia, vinca, lantana, and salvias.

Your house and garden showcase unbelievable charm. Tell us what you know about the property. There are a million stories about the house and when and why it was built. The true history behind it seems to be somewhat of a mystery. The deed says the house was built in 1950, although many people think it is much older than that. From what I have pieced together, the house was originally a two-bedroom home with a carport. It was a rental until I bought it. There was some interest from other buyers who had considered tearing it down.

The community is so glad you brought it back to life! Your strategic plan really shows everyone how you can create a garden, privacy, and views in a small space. The lot is very small, but thankfully there is an easement that belongs to the Country Club of Birmingham, and it came with the house. That easement gave us more room to spread out and create a sizable garden. When my wife and I bought it, the lot was so overgrown that I’m not sure anyone knew how big it actually was. There is still so much space that I haven’t completed. In the future, I want to add a new shade garden and a koi pond for my son.

How did you use the house as a backdrop for your garden? I believe a house and garden should become one. Only then do you have your home. I really take time to think about how the garden will be viewed from inside each room. I want that exchange of the garden coming into the room, as well as the room extending into the garden.

Are garden accessories just as important as the plants themselves? Fencing, containers, and ornamental pieces are like the walls and furniture inside a home. They provide structure, line, and beauty. The fence provides a practical solution for keeping my children and dog safe, but it also allows me to contain the garden, just like interior walls create a room. The stone acts like flooring, and the grass “X’s” are like the rug that softens the floor. I also placed containers in the same way furniture is placed in a room.

How did you arrange these outdoor rooms? The fenced garden is divided into four sections. The picket fence gate serves as a “front door,” and the area where the table is sitting serves as an “entrance hall.” Because our real entrance hall doesn’t have a table, the exterior table pulls the two spaces together. There’s an outdoor terrace, along with a formal lawn where the kids can play. Right now there is a trampoline on the lawn area, but I also have plans for another garden area in that space one day.

Wait! A trampoline? Isn’t that a bit taboo for a garden designer? This is real life. We have two young children who will only be in our home for a few short years, and they need outside space to play. Although I always design a garden with the future in mind, we still need a place for the trampoline! I want my children to grow up having fun in a beautiful yard. I truly believe that their surroundings will be part of their lifelong education of living a beautiful life, as well as part of their memories for years to come.

Large, self-watering containers hold an assortment of American, Korean, and Japanese boxwoods. “The key is choosing boxwoods that want to grow in the area where you plant them,” says Troy.
“The stairstep design was Bill’s idea,” Troy says. “It was initially created to allow space for one more window in the den, but I like that fact that it makes our house unique.”

Troy Rhone Garden Design • 205.249.1030 • IG: troyrhone • FB: Troy Rhone

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Summer Sides

By
Leslie Byars Register
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Heirloom Tomato Onion Plate

Heirloom tomatoes, sliced
Vidalia onion, sliced
Fresh basil leaves
Condiments such as balsamic vinegar, Peter Luger’s Steak Sauce, and a good olive oil

Sometimes, when I’m running short on time, I like to fix a platter of heirloom tomatoes and onions. I simply slice up a beautiful assortment of colorful tomatoes and a Vidalia onion or two, and then garnish with fresh basil leaves. I place a few condiments nearby for everyone to dress their own as they please. I always have an aged balsamic vinegar, Peter Luger’s Steak Sauce, and an extra-virgin olive oil.

Watermelon Steak Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

6 (1-inch) watermelon wedges, rind removed
1 cup arugula
½ cup blueberries
½ red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
¼ cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Place watermelon wedges on a flat serving platter. Top each with several pieces of arugula and next 4 ingredients. This can be assembled several hours in advance. Refrigerate until ready to serve. At serving time, drizzle with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Learn from Leslie: One-fourth of a medium-size, seedless watermelon will make about six wedges.

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a Mason jar. Cover tightly, and shake until thoroughly combined. This can be made up to two days in advance. Makes approximately 1/2 cup.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

1 pound bow-tie pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup pepperoncini slices
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
½ cup green onions sliced (about one bunch)
¼ cup sweet onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
Lemony-Dill Dressing (recipe below)
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
½ cup Romano cheese, grated
Basil leaves for garnish

In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes, pepperoncini slices, and next
4 ingredients. Toss with Lemony-Dill Dressing, and refrigerate for several hours, if desired. Before serving, top with toasted pine nuts, grated Romano cheese, and fresh basil leaves.

Lemony-Dill Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon oregano

Whisk all ingredients in a medium-size measuring cup.

Old-Fashioned Marinated Vegetables

1 cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup green pepper, finely chopped
1 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
3 ears corn, boiled, kernels removed (1 [11-ounce] can shoepeg white corn may be substituted)
1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimiento, drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can green beans, drained
1 (14.5-ounce) French-style green beans, drained

Place vinegar and next 5 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir until sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Remove from heat; set aside, and allow to cool for about 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine celery and next 6 ingredients. Add vinegar mixture, and toss to coat evenly. Place in a large, airtight container, and store in the refrigerator. The vegetables will keep for up to a week. Makes 8 cups (serves 10 to 12)

For more recipes and entertaining ideas, visit dearpartydiary.com

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