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65th Annual IPC Holiday House Tour

By
BHG Staff
-

Holiday home tours are a grand tradition for the historic and beloved Independent Presbyterian Church (IPC). Entering into their 65th year, the church and its gracious stewards are opening their homes and sanctuary to share the joy of the season with the community. Floral designers and homeowners with an eye for style offer an abundance of ideas through inspiring holiday décor. From Christmas tea in the Great Hall of the church to decorations in the sanctuary and parlor to the grand homes on tour, IPC invites you to share the season.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Tickets go on sale beginning Dec. 1,  and can be purchased by calling the church at 205-933-1830, by visiting its ipc-usa.org, or by stopping by the church reception desk during business hours. Tickets may also be purchased at the homes and at the church during the hours of the tour.

When?

Saturday, Dec. 13 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, December 14 from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

IPC Holiday House Tour Features

Independent Presbyterian Church • 
3100 Highland Avenue

Founded in 1915, the church was designed by Warren, Knight and Davis architect William Warren. The sanctuary and parlor will be decorated by IPC members, and Christmas Tea in the Great Hall will be available both days for ticket holders.

Other featured venues:

Jason Turner and Robert Listerman • 
3924 Tenth Avenue South
Melissa Singleton • 4001 Tenth Avenue South
Joey Pierson • 3242 Salisbury Road
Ragan and Brad Cain • 3031 Canterbury Road
Stewart Perry Offices • 4855 Overton Road

Tour Mission

At a cost of approximately $150, 000, the Children’s Fresh Air Farm Summer Learning Program (SLP) relies upon funds generated by the IPC Holiday House Tour. The SLP addresses challenges faced by disadvantaged children, including summer learning loss and nutritional deficiencies. The program offers academics, enrichment, physical education, and spiritual development.

Interested in learning more about Independent Presbyterian Church? Author Cathy Adams and IPC are debuting their newest collaboration, The IPC Centennial History Book, a 250-page hardcover book highlighting events from the last 100 years. The book is available during the tour.

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Light Up the Holidays at Barnsley Resort

By
BHG Staff
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We all need a little break from the hectic pace of the holidays. And a short, two-hour drive from Birmingham to Barnsley Resort in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains can give you that—and more. This romantic retreat welcomes guests into a storybook setting reminiscent of Christmases past with a style that feels very much like Downton Abbey.

Originally built as an opulent Italianate estate in the 19th century, the resort and its surroundings have been transformed into a world-class getaway. Visitors enjoy private cottages, all luxuriously appointed with a mix of Old-World charm and modern conveniences. Activities include leisurely tours of the property’s immaculate gardens, relaxing treatments at the European-style spa, and exciting recreational endeavors such as world-class golf, hunting at SpringBank Plantation, and horseback riding along scenic trails. 

Guests can dine in a variety of casual and upscale venues, such as the Woodlands Grill overlooking the golf course for breakfast, lunch, or dinner; the outdoor Beer Garden for sandwiches and craft beers; and the Rice House for a multi-course meal inside an 1840s farmhouse. At every meal, the resort’s official “Wine Snob” is available to make recommendations on the perfect pairing. In addition, this resident wine expert hosts wine dinners, spirits tastings, and other special events throughout the year. 

The enchantment can continue with a wave of a wand from Denise Webb, the resort’s “Fairy Godmother.” Whether you want your room lit with tea lights, a bottle of chilled champagne delivered to your door, or a surprise Christmas gift for your significant other, this talented planner has it covered—just one more way to take the  hassle out of your holidays (or any day). 

Adding to the Barnsley charm, complimentary s’more makings and firepits await guests during the holidays and all year long.

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS
Barnsley Resort offers a “Light Up the Holidays” package that includes luxurious cottage accommodations, a $50 resort credit, and a keepsake ornament. Weekday rates start at $249 per night Sunday through Thursday and $279 per night for weekends (Friday and Saturday). Rates are available November 29 through December 30, 2014. 

Be sure to check out the family fun holiday events such as a visit with Santa Claus, a live reindeer encounter, and musical performances during the “Lighting of the Ruins” on November 26. The resort also hosts wreath-making classes, gingerbread-building workshops, and elaborate holiday dinners on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve.  

For more details about these events, including specific dates and times, visit barnsleyresort.com.

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Experience the Wonder of Christmas at Callaway Gardens

By
BHG Staff
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Although many people dream of experiencing the twinkling glamour of Christmas in New York City, you don’t always have to venture that far from home to be surrounded in holiday glitz. Ranked by National Geographic Traveler as one of the “Top 10 Places to See Holiday Lights, ” Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia, presents the spectacular Fantasy in Lights show every year. Visitors to the show can enjoy a true holiday vacation by staying at The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens. Nestled among 6, 000 acres of inspiring gardens and preserved forest land at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains, Callaway Gardens offers a winter wonderland without the noisy mayhem of Times Square.

Upon arrival, guests are immediately immersed in Southern hospitality and holiday splendor. In season, the grand lobby beckons visitors to oversized armchairs next to a Christmas tree and crackling fire while cheerful bellhops prepare rooms and wait staff sets your table at the Ironwood Lounge (try the signature appetizer, Black Eyed Pea Hummus). Adults can relax at Spa Prunifolia (Try the Jack Frost package that incorporates a full-body massage and a refreshing peppermint foot massage). Looking for a day on the course? Take a swing on the Mountain View and Lake View Golf Courses for fresh air and inspiring vistas.

For more family fun, children have the pleasure of decorating Christmas cookies, emailing Santa a holiday wish list, listening to Mrs. Claus read stories, and making reindeer food for Santa’s flight crew. 

The show includes approximately 8 million lights, which is equivalent to the number of lights on more than 26, 000 standard 6-foot-tall Christmas trees.
 

FANTASY IN LIGHTS
The highlight of the holidays at Callaway Gardens is a driving tour through the 8 million lights that create 15 twinkling scenes, complete with surround sound. Christmas Tree Lane, March of the Toy Soldiers, Santa’s Workshop, and The Nativity are just a few of the awe-inspiring sites along the route. 

Between resort activities, guests can tackle their shopping lists at a variety of stores inside The Christmas Village. For a finishing touch, make reservations with a character meal featuring Rudolph, the Gingerbread Man, and more.

To book your family’s holiday trip to Fantasy in Lights and The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens, 706.489.3300 or callawaylodgeandspa.com

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The Difference is in the Details

By
Ragan Wesson
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During the holidays, guests of Rhanya and Mike Eskridge are likely to be greeted with the aroma of homemade chili and the sounds of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”—that is, if they can get past the Eskridges’ welcoming committee. A crew of rescue dogs greet visitors with friendly barks and sloppy kisses. 

“I love to entertain during the holidays, ” Rhanya says. “I always serve simple meals and prepare all the details ahead of time so that I can enjoy my guests.” And it’s this plan-ahead entertaining style and friendly demeanor that have provided the design inspiration for her home. 

Although the original house was built in the 1940s, it was renovated by Brian Barrett of Barrett Architecture Studio 10 years ago for the previous owners. The original windows and 8-foot ceilings were replaced by a vaulted cathedral ceiling and large stately windows. Formerly brick, the exterior received a stone façade, giving it more of an elegant farmhouse feel.

Rhanya’s friend and designer Alison Smith worked to create a welcoming interior that would hold up to both pets and children. When it came to the grand linear expanse that makes up the living area, Alison delineated furniture to create cozy sitting areas. “We broke it into three sections—a sitting area,  a foyer, and a living room—and let them work together as one space, ” Alison explains.

Since Rhanya claims to be afraid of too much color, Alison focused on neutral tones with a sprinkling of blue accents and subtle patterns. An antique Oriental rug and a blue-velvet settee lend an air of elegance, while the 9-foot-long sofa covered in cream linen speaks to the durable nature of the interiors. The result is a warm, inviting area that serves as the hub of the home for both the Eskridge family and their many guests.

  

ABOVE LEFT Alison Smith (left) and Rhanya Eskridge

ABOVE RIGHT The square dining room features a custom round table conducive to dinner party conversations. A two-tiered chandelier hangs above the table emphasizing the height of the ceiling. Upholstered chairs add a touch of shimmery elegance.
 

  

ABOVE RIGHT A simple but elegant banquette adorns the family’s breakfast area, and a rustic farmhouse table lends a cozy and welcoming air. Cedar red throw pillows add texture and interest while mirroring the colors of the Oriental rug. 
 

Decorating Simplified

Alison and Rhanya offer easy decorating tips that can be used for the holidays and year round. 

Use preserved boxwood wreaths for a lasting impression.
Wreaths make a big statement above the kitchen sink. “I wanted to make this commonly used space special since the family spends so much time here, ” Alison says. Added flair comes in the ribbon. By layering a cedar red on top of a neutral, the ribbon repeats the colors of the Oriental rug in the adjoining breakfast area.

  

Incorporate decorative accents that complement the style of the space.
Angel silhouettes pair perfectly with the vintage English pub doors in the home’s central hallway. While the rectangular wooden doors add architectural interest to the space, the curved lines of the angels’ wings soften the edges. Outside, a simple garland of cedar and pine frames the front door. A store-bought wreath gains notice with the addition of artichokes, pinecones, chartreuse greenery, and a plaid bow.

    

Snip greenery and flowers from your own yard or buy from a grocery store to create inexpensive, DIY arrangements.
Alison created a bold arrangement of holiday colors to anchor the dining room table (above left), while sprinkling smaller arrangements throughout the house, as seen on the guest bedroom table at right. “Placing live garland and branches in unexpected places, such as in a chandelier or a bathroom, adds warmth and texture to any space, ” says Alison.

RESOURCES
Interiors: Alison Smith,   Alison Smith Interiors • [email protected]. 205.427.3547; Architect: Brian Barrett,  Barrett Architecture Studio • 700 29th Street South. 205.250.6161. barrettarchstudio.com. Dining room: chandelier: Chelsea House mirror: Uttermost table: The Nest • 2720 19th Pl. South. 205.870.1264 sofa: Restoration Hardware. restorationhardware.com; armoire: At Home Furnishings • 2921 18th Street. 205.879.3510. athome-furnishings.com; art in bedroom: Meredith Keith 205.910.5369. meredithkeith.com; fireplace stools: overstock.com

text by Ragan Wesson • photos by Jean Allsopp

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Garden View

By
BHG Staff
-

Homeowners Dr. Chandler and Jane Paris Smith have long had an appreciation for Japanese gardens. So when they decided to bring the beautiful elements of the Orient to their own property in Vestavia Hills, they turned to landscape artists Max Garcia and David Swindal of GartenFest. 

Situated on three acres with natural rock outcroppings, old growth hardwoods, and towering pine trees, the land had the ideal foundations for the garden. As with all of their projects, Max and David worked with the property’s natural topography in a way that allowed the garden to evolve without a drawing or even a specific plan. Because of this, every garden is a one-of-a-kind creation.

To anchor the Japanese garden, Max and David incorporated a tea house, an iconic symbol of the Orient. The house is framed by a Japanese architectural element known as a moon gate that serves as a pedestrian passageway. While traditional Japanese plantings surround the beautiful structures, the designers also incorporated unexpected varieties such as camellias and French hydrangeas to ensure colorful blooms year-round. To connect all of the garden elements, they added a serpentine stone path that winds throughout the space, bringing harmony and balance to the overall scheme.

What is a Japanese Tea House?

Tea houses are built with the sole purpose of holding tea ceremonies. The houses were first introduced in Japan during the Sengoku period (c. 1467-c. 1573), a time when the central government had little power and wars were commonplace. The structures were built mostly by Zen monks and served as a place of escape for those seeking tranquility away from the chaos. Such simplicity and solitude has continued to be the motivation behind tea houses of today.

A traditional Japanese tea house is surrounded by a small garden, often featuring a water pool and a path, or roji, that leads to the house. One doorway serves as both the entrance and exit, symbolically separating the quiet inside from the crowded outside world. There is no furniture in the house, and guests must kneel to enter, all in an effort to encourage humility and simplicity.

GartenFest • 414-6740. [email protected]

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Statement Piece

By
BHG Staff
-

Like most artists, Elizabeth Adams needed a muse. This Montgomery native found hers in vintage and antique jewelry pieces that recalled long lost sentiments. Bringing their stories to life again became her mission—and the name of her business. 

An ex voto is a physical expression of gratitude representing miracles or answered prayers. This notion guides all of her design decisions. Her necklaces and bracelets incorporate finds such as old lockets, a chain or case from a pocket watch, or treasured charm. Because they are old, they exude worn patinas, scratches, and sometimes even a tooth mark from a baby. 

Drawn to Georgian and Victorian pieces, Elizabeth works with artisans and craftspeople to replicate and reinterpret these lost treasures into modern limited editions and one-of-a-kind pieces.

  

“My dad is an artist. I spent every Sunday of my childhood going to art openings. When I turned five, my mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I asked for a party with brie, ginger snaps, and strawberries.” —Elizabeth Adams
 

  

Relocating to Birmingham five years ago, Elizabeth opened her first store in Mountain Brook Village and began a home renovation that would suit entertaining and family life. Her home, formerly a dated French design, exhibits her fondness for reinvention. “When I found it, I knew it was something that I could work with, ” Elizabeth says. Just like her jewelry designs, Elizabeth loves to find something old and make it new again.
 

Ex Voto Vintage • 2402 Canterbury Rd. 538.7301. exvotovintage.com
Visit Ex Voto's website and join their email list to be entered to win a $250 gift card.

A portion of all proceeds go to The Cure Starts Now Foundation for pediatric brain cancer research.

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Inviting Design

By
Lacey Howard
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In Colonial Hills, a close-knit Mountain Brook neighborhood, Rita and James Dixon welcome plenty of friends—including the 10 boys on their street who are frequent visitors to their 12-year-old twin boys’ playroom—throughout the year and especially during the holiday season. “We have people from the neighborhood over a lot, and we entertain often for my husband’s work, ” Rita says. “The house has the perfect floorplan for us.” 

But the floorplan wasn’t the selling point more than eight years ago when the Dixons purchased the property, just a few streets over from where they lived with their toddler sons. It was the fact that the home was in their same neighborhood—an area they loved. “But the house needed a lot of work, ” says Rita. “It didn’t even have central heat and air. So we tore it down and built from the existing footprint.” 

ABOVE The living room mantel takes on a holiday look with tallow limbs, magnolia, French tulips, ranunculus, spray roses, peonies, and dusty miller. “The wood came from James & Co. in Collinsville, Alabama, near Fort Payne, ” Rita says. “It is Atlantic cedar that we bought from Campbell’s Soup. The company grew the mushrooms for their soups on it.” Melanie adds, “And there is no stain on the wood; we simply waxed it.” 

 

The new home’s floorplan, created by Birmingham architect Chip Gardner, is traditional by design. “I really wanted the look of an old Tudor home, ” Rita explains. She requested formal living and dining spaces, as well as a large kitchen and family room for gathering. And she asked for all the sleeping spaces to be upstairs, a definite nod to older design. Chip adds, “The house is mostly English in style. It does have some details that might be considered Arts and Crafts in spirit, but generally it has the Tudor Revival feel of many 1920’s-era homes.” 

Once the exterior was under way, Rita began the daunting process of finishing out the interiors and decorating her dream home—and she soon found herself overwhelmed. She confided her frustrations to Melanie Pounds, an acquaintance at the time who had just started her own design business. Soon, Melanie says, the two were trading favorite design books and “our tastes and the body of the house grew together.” The pair collaborated to give the new home the elegance of age but the function for modern life. 

Melanie and Rita kept many of the Dixons’ furnishings from their former, much smaller home, which was decorated in a French Country style. They also shopped for new-old items from The Hen House, Robert Hill, and Circa Interiors. Other pieces came from and shopping trips to New Orleans and Atlanta. 

As a result, the house has an airy, French aesthetic with its mix of antiques and clean-lined pieces. And each time Rita and James open their reclaimed oak door to welcome family and friends, Rita knows there is no other place, or neighborhood, she’d rather call home.

ABOVE Built-in bookcases in the dining room were crafted from the same cedar as the living room mantel. Rita displays her Rothschild Bird china on the shelves and drapes the built-ins with magnolia garland with tallow berries. On the dining room table, amaryllis, magnolia, pine, and juniper come together in an antique bronze vessel, creating a dramatic focal point. “The buffet and chairs are from the old house, and the mirror is from Hen House, ” Rita says.
 

  

ABOVE LEFT In a study off the living room, bay wreaths adorn bookcases while silver samovar with seeded eucalyptus and eucalyptus pods create a trophy holiday arrangement. “This cozy space on the side of the house was a part of the original footprint, ” explains Melanie. She says it’s a room that discovered its purpose after the Dixons had lived here for a while. They needed a bar area for entertaining, so Melanie designed a custom wheeled bluestone table with a leather skirt to sit in the small study.

ABOVE RIGHT In the living room, the Christmas tree’s glass ornaments sparkle with sunlight from the window and reflect the room’s color palette. “We used different tones of honey and browns and greens in this space to complement the warmth of the wood, ” says Melanie.
 

ABOVE The serene master bedroom features antique furnishings and a soothing wall color—French Gray from Farrow & Ball. A landscape painting by artist Michael Marlowe and a lemon-leaf garland on the tester bed give a nod to the view from this room. “Because you see lots of treetops through the windows, we pulled in the blue-green elements from outside, ” Melanie says.
 

  

ABOVE LEFT Holiday flair isn’t reserved just for public spaces. Here, festive wreaths don the privacy screen in the master bath.

ABOVE RIGHT In the powder room, the brown backsides of magnolia leaves complement the patina of a distressed gold mirror. 
 

RESOURCES
Interiors: Melanie Pounds Interior Design,  205.541.7339. Architect: Chip Gardner,  Gardner Architects LLC,  205.871.7188. gardnerarchitects.com. Floral design: Cindy Bankston [email protected]

text by Lacey Howard • photos by Jean Allsopp

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20 Ways to Be Inspired

By
matt
-

Located at the Preserve in Hoover, the 2014 Birmingham Home and Garden Inspiration Home is in keeping with this traditional neighborhood that blends Southern style and modern amenities. The home features designs and products from some of Birmingham’s top retailers and manufacturers. Each room showcases the best of what’s in store, as well as creative ways for displaying and arranging. Look for details such as the built-in banquette, beamed ceiling, custom cabinetry, and outdoor entertaining area. 

Here, check out some of the design tips from our experts. Visit the home to discover even more.

1. Make a statement. Double porches and grand columns make a sweeping gesture on the street side of the home. 

2. Add instant character. Painted brick, reclaimed floors, and beams, lend a sense of age to this new home. 

3. Streamline. Interior designer Alison Smith chose tile, lighting, colors, and fixtures that would create transitional continuity throughout the house while setting a pleasing backdrop for a variety of furniture. 

ABOVE Scandinavian Design Gallery, Rainbow Paint / Pratt and Lambert. Ceiling Color: Postal Blue. Wall color: Granitine

 

4. Choose an accent color. Though each room showcases its own style, the underlying color scheme is neutral, layered with texture and soft pops of blue. 

5. Invest in artwork. You don’t have to buy it all at once. Save up to purchase one-of-a-kind pieces you will want to live with for a long time. And remember that it’s okay to leave some walls empty.

6. Choose fine finishes. The quality of design shows through with close attention to every last detail.

7. Be mindful of storage. Think through storage space needs. The kitchen provides floor-to-ceiling cabinets, with a variety of door heights and drawer widths for maximum use. An adjacent pantry stocks drygoods and items not in everyday use.

8. Choose timeless materials for the big stuff. You can always change a throw pillow, but it’s much harder to change an entire kitchen. 

9.  Layer old and new—especially in a new home. It gives an instant sense of comfort and character.

10. Don’t underestimate the impact of light fixtures. Whether traditional or fun and funky, light fixtures play a big role in the overall design of a room.

11. Pay attention to texture. Using a variety of textures in the interiors keeps it visually interesting without feeling overdone. 

ABOVE Stock and Trade, Cole Hall Lumber (beams). Wall color: Seed Pearl

12. Add plenty of seating. The great room includes matching sofas, comfortable armchairs, and stools that can easily be moved as needed.

13. Don’t shy away from color. Blue and pink rev up the study while bright yellows bring life to the nursery. 

14. Build in room to entertain. Unused attic space became an upstairs media room. (Be sure to sound proof!) 

15. Create a second living area for kids. An upstairs den offers room for the younger sect to gather.

16. Mix up styles. The living room combines traditional elements with modern pieces for a pleasing balance.

17. Define interesting spaces. A built-in banquette in the great room hosts casual dining. It also serves to break up the grand linear space.

ABOVE The home boasts five bedrooms—each with its own personality. In the master bedroom, the theme is pure elegance. A beaded chandelier and mirrored bedside tables add to the sophisticated look, while the upholstered headboard creates a focal point. At Home / Three Sheets. Walls, ceiling, trim color: Mauve Mystique

18. Splurge on comfort. Opt for luxurious linens and inviting upholstery designed for lounging.

19. Choose energy-efficient appliances. Costs may be more up front, but they’ll pay off in the long run.

20. Make outdoor space an extension of your home. Slipcovered chairs and iron chandeliers create a true dining room on the covered back patio with the added benefit of an outdoor kitchen and seating area around an outdoor fireplace.

“This home is an example of some of the best design in Birmingham. There are so many great resources and ideas that will inspire readers and visitors alike.”

  

ABOVE LEFT Summer Classics, Peacock Pavers, Evolutia

ABOVE RIGHT Issis and Sons. Wall color: Anthracite

ABOVE Homewood Southern Fireplaces, Stock and Trade

ABOVE hhgregg Fine Lines, Triton Stone, Evolutia (Flooring), McCormick Cabinets

ABOVE Defining Home, Paige Albright Orientals, Drapes: King Cotton

ABOVE The guest bedroom is all about tradition. A four-poster bed and a flowing bedskirt emphasize the classic style. Alabama Furniture Market. Lighting: Inline Electric and Lighting. Wall color: Stone Hillside

  

ABOVE LEFT Triton Stone, Ferguson Bath and Kitchen Gallery

ABOVE RIGHT The nursery takes a simplistic approach with minimal artwork and a modern light fixture that captures the eye. Swaddle. Wall color: Pro white

You're Invited!

The 2014 Inspiration Home will be decked for the holidays and open for tours November 13-December 14 (Thursday-Sunday). Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased online here or at the door.

The Preserve • 359 Chestnut Park Lane, Hoover.

Directions to the Home: I-459 South to Exit 13-B, Hwy 31. At Crest Cadillac, turn LEFT onto Patton Chapel Road. Turn LEFT onto Preserve Parkway. Turn LEFT onto Heritage Park Drive. Take first RIGHT onto Preserve Way, then RIGHT onto Chestnut Park Lane. 

Thank You to our Inspiration Home Sponsors

BYROM BUILDING CORPORATION, Developer
Marty Byrom and Colt Byrom
Byrom Building Corporation has been a vital part of the Birmingham homebuilding industry for over 31 years. Byrom has designed and built hundreds of custom homes in the Greater Birmingham Area in premiere subdivisions such as Greystone, Woodridge, and Redmont Park.  Each home is custom, so no two are alike. byrombuildingcorp.com

DAVID SMELCER, Residential Designer
As a long-time collaborator with Byrom Building Corp., David Smelcer works with Marty and Colt Byrom to create homes that are functional, distinctive, and beautiful. davidsmelcerdesign.com

ALISON SMITH (Alison Smith Interiors), Interior Designer and Design Liaison
Designer Alison Smith worked with Byrom Building on surfaces, finishes, and colors.She also served as the decorating liason with Birmingham shops and vendors to ensure harmonious design. [email protected]. 205.427.3547

DAVE EYRICH and DUANE PRITCHETT, Landcape Architect,  Environmental Design Studio edsincweb.com

ACME Brick/Jenkins Brick Company • 205.988.3913
Air Engineers • 205.991.6850
Alabama Furniture Market • 205.668.9995
Alagasco • 205.326.8100
American Concrete Foundations & Walls, LLC. • 205.995.1099
At Home • 205.879.3510
Builders Millwork • 205.425.0880 
Cole Hall Lumber • 205.663.2900 
Nick Daviston Insulation • 205.823.1000
Defining Home • 205.803.3661
Ferguson Bath & Kitchen Gallery • 205.254.3454
Green Valley Farms • 205.665.1355
Habiframe Inc. • Nashville, TN. 615.474.4972
hhgregg • Hoover,  205.402.0975
Inline Electric/Lighting Showroom • 205.322.2600
Issis & Sons • Hwy. 119,  205.620.6926; Pelham,  205.663.2310; Hwy. 31,  205.874.9586; Hwy 280,  205.981.2311
Evolutia • 855.277.5495
Landscape South • 205.985.0844
McCormick Cabinets • 205.631.3702
New Latitude Moving • 205.988.9000
Peacock Pavers • 251.368.2072
Rainbow Paint & Decorating • 205.822.3548
Ready Mix USA • 205.986.4800
Reed Plumbing • 205.481.0303
Scandinavian Design Gallery • 205.985.4507
Southeast Installations Inc. • 205.965.1902
Southern Fireplaces • 205.803.1118
Stock & Trade • 205.783.1350
Summer Classics • 205.620.6660
Swaddle • 205.870.3503
The Systems Shop • 205.408.0140
Three Sheets • 205.871.2337
Triton Stone Group • Birmingham. 205.592.0202
West Elm • 205.968.7651

birminghamhomeandgarden.com staff

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Living Memory

By
Cathy Still McGowin
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The call of a childhood home is something Southerners know well. For some, families move on and home is merely a memory of a time and place. For others, like the Pryors, home is still a part of their everyday lives—a place that recalls not just their own childhoods, but also five generations of family before them.

At Flower Hill Farm in Athens, Alabama, stories run as deep and long as the nearby Tennessee river that enriches its fertile soil. Settled by planter Schuyler Harris (born in 1823), the Virginia native built Flower Hill in 1858, raising cotton, wheat, and corn. Today, the Greek Revival home is shared by five siblings—Lila, Luke, Patty, Schuyler, and Richard—each with their own memories and families to share it with.

Over the years, the home has been witness to the American Civil War and The Great Depression, yet it remained in the family through prosperity and despair. Luke Pryor, the family historian, shares history stored in an antique secretary. When family visits, he regularly pulls out photos and documentation of greats, great-greats, and even greaters, clarifying who is related to who and how. Through these doors have come pioneers, soldiers, planters, and teachers, all with their own stories to leave behind.

Lila, the designer in the family, is the keeper of the home’s interiors and entertaining traditions. “Most of the pieces are original to the house, ” she says, pointing out the styles ranging from Second Empire to Victorian to simple handmade pieces. “Fashions changed over the years, and new pieces were introduced to update the house along the way.” The timeline is a veritable museum of the last 156 years in the decorative arts (minus the postmodern period).

On this particular Saturday, the family, along with Birmingham cousins the Fennell-Humphrey clan, gathers to honor five women from their side of the family with a tombstone dedication in the family cemetery. Cedar trees and an iron fence mark the old plot with graves dating back to the early 1800s on a hillside in the middle of a wheat field. When these five women passed in the 1920s and 1930s, these families were struggling financially and there was no money for things like grave markers in the midst of The Great Depression. “Many people today have no idea of just how hard the 1930s were, ” explains cousin Rich Humphrey. “Had it not been for the Pryor side of our family, my grandmother and her aunts would have likely been buried in a pauper cemetary. Over 75 years later, our cousin Mary Fennell-Williams’s desire to honor their memory led the charge to place this family gravestone in their honor.”

After the dedication, family members from both sides of the clan exchange greetings around tables set for a reception. Roses and flowers cut from the property grace sterling and crystal vases. Southern recipes are served on silver and china handed down through generations. And as the family reconnects and pays tribute to those who have passed, it’s easy to see why Flower Hill holds such deep sentiment for everyone.

  

“I remember riding ponies between the boxwoods in front of our house, ” Lila says. “Now they are overgrown—but you can still make out the paths.”
 

  

“We may never know just what other directions our lives might have taken without the active care and involvement of those who have gone before us. We owe them a great deal and we have a wonderful legacy to remember and preserve for generations to come.”  — Rich Humphrey
 

  

Handpainted “wallpaper” runs the length of the stairwell. The piano, once a gathering spot for home concerts, is more often set as a buffet these days. Portraits of the five Pryor children, heirs to Flower Hill, hang on the stairwell wall.
 

“I believe it is very important that we strive to recall and understand the times of those who have gone before us. It is because of them and their lives that we have been shaped into who we are today.”  — Rich Humphrey
 

text by Cathy Still McGowin • photography by Jean Allsopp

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Antiques, Inspiration, and Integrity

By
matt
-

The anticipation rises and the pace picks up each fall as October approaches at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. This year, the excitement will reach its peak on the second day of that month when Antiques at the Garden opens to the public. Once again, the four-day event will bring together a number of highly regarded tastemakers from across the city, as well as many of the region’s most reputable antiques dealers. 

Gala in the Garden, a black-tie preview event sponsored by Sterne Agee, will kick off the weekend on Thursday night. Each day, the lecture series offers experts in the field sharing the latest ideas and inspirations. Headliners in the series include international floral designer Shane Connolly (read more below) and esteemed interior designer Mario Buatto. Connolly, who will speak on Thursday, October 2nd, is best known for his beautiful arrangements displayed at some of England’s royal weddings, including that of His Royal Highness Prince William and Catherine Middleton. Buatto, who has designed interiors for such celebrities as Mariah Carey, Malcolm Forbes, and Barbara Walters, will take to the lectern on Friday, October 3rd.

For more information on Antiques at the Garden, including a complete schedule of events, visit bbgardens.org.

Meet the Tastemakers

If it’s great design advice you are seeking, then Antiques at the Garden is the place to find it. Some of Birmingham’s best designers, architects, and style makers will display their work and share insider tips throughout the weekend event. 

Christopher Spitzmiller, Inc.,  Elegant Earth,  Falkner Gardens,  Gallery 1930,  Henry Sprott Long & Associates,  Jamie Inge Interiors,  King’s House Antiques,  King’s House Oriental Rugs,  Libby Greene Interiors,  Kinsey Marable,  Pat Hiden Interiors,  Patti Woods Interiors,  Rebecca Hawkins interiors,  Shepard and Davis Architecture,  Studio C Architecture & Interiors,  Taylor Dawson & Associates,  Thompson House Interiors,  Ware Porter & Co.
 

Guest Lecturer: Shane Connolly

Being awarded a Royal Warrant of Appointment from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales would seem to be the epitome of a career in floral design. But English floral designer Shane Connolly is not one to simply sit and bask in such celebrity status. Instead, his 25-year resume has expanded even more with the recent publication of his fourth book, A Year in Flowers, which makes its debut in the United States this fall. Birmingham will be the first stop on Connolly’s U.S. book tour and will include a speaking engagement at Antiques at the Garden, an annual event at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. 

Having trained for years with some of London’s leading floral designers, Connolly has established himself as a household name across the pond. But it was his role as floral designer for the wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William and Catherine Middleton that gave him an international presence, especially here in the States. 

Connolly describes his style as more “flower-led” rather than “design-led.” He explains that the goal is to “create an environment that the client is comfortable in rather than in awe of.” His focus is on the person as a whole instead of simply on the surroundings of a particular event. “In a way, it’s letting go of one’s own ego and providing a service, ” he says of working with each individual to find the perfect style. And this philosophy comes through in Connolly’s new book. “It’s very personal, ” he says of the published work. “It’s about my enjoyment of flowers and not about any floral wizardry.”

To learn more about Shane Connolly, visit shaneconnolly.co.uk. For information about Connolly speaking at Antiques at the Garden at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, as well as the other events taking place during that weekend, visit bbgardens.org/antiques.

2014 Schedule of Events

WHERE: Birmingham Botanical Gardens
WHEN: Public Show Hours: Thursday, October 2,
1 – 5 p.m.; Friday, October 3, 10a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday, October 4, 10a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sunday, October 5,
11a.m. – 3 p.m.
GENERAL ADMISSION: $10 per person. 
Members: Free (Limit 2 per membership)

GALA IN THE GARDENS
Black-tie Preview of the Show,  Thursday, October 2,
6 p.m. – 11 p.m. Tickets: $150* per person 

TASTEBUDS—DEFINE YOUR STYLE
Sponsored by Flower Magazine
Thursday, October 2, 10 a.m. – noon.
Tickets: $15 per person*

SHANE CONNOLLY, FLORAL DESIGNER
Thursday, October 2, 1 p.m. Tickets: $75 per person (includes show admission and a copy of Connolly’s book)

MARIO BUATTA, INTERIOR DESIGNER
Friday, October 3. Tickets: $30 per person*

*All proceeds from Antiques at the Gardens support educational programs at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

birminghamhomeandgarden.com staff

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