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By
Lynn Nesmith
-

In the living room, an antique mirror and sideboard anchor a corner of the living room designed by Tracery Interio

A designer showhouse is the perfect venue for inspiration and innovation. The Cultural Arts Alliance Showhouse for the Arts in The Retreat, an exclusive beachfront neighborhood along Scenic Highway 30A, provides an enchanting canvas of ideas in a coastal setting. More than a dozen talented designers applied their signature style, transforming various rooms in this already stunning masterpiece and enlivening free-flowing spaces with all manner of imaginative design concepts.  

To capture panoramic views and prevailing Gulf breezes, architect Dawn Thurber positioned the main living spaces on the second floor. In keeping with the relatively open floor plan of the new home, designers were encouraged to use a peaceful palette that ebbs and flows from one room to the next as gentle as the summer tide.

Individual designers acknowledged the home’s architectural background of finishes and materials and generous natural light, enlivening spaces with bold fabric statements, neutral schemes and classic color combinations, appealing furniture placement, and artful vignettes. In the spirit of the stunning Florida landscape, the showhouse presents a unified scheme in deference to the colors of nature—the emerald waters, lush greenery, the sugar white sand, azure blue skies—erasing the barriers between indoors and out. 

With harmony in mind, Paige Schnell, Anna Kay Porch, and Bess Marshall of Tracery Interiors set the perfect pitch in a living room that exudes serenity through subtle textures, quiet colors, and mercury glass accessories. A painting by Mallory Page above the fireplace, accent pillows, and fresh flowers add calming splashes of color.  A striking pewter globe, a commanding chandelier, and a large architectural fragment introduce an appropriate scale to space.

With a mirrored ceiling and a bank of tall windows already in place, Susan Byrd chose a neutral scheme of light colored linens and textures for the open dining area, offering an elegant transition between the formal living area and modern Florida room. Comfortable chairs slip covered in a practical cream colored linen surround a contemporary farm table for a timeless arrangement in keeping with a relaxed coastal lifestyle.

Rounding out the home’s gathering spaces is a media room and adjoining porch designed by Dale Trice, Kati Lockley, and Tina Vital of Design Services of Florida.  Located on the first floor, the cloistered media room offers a spot curl up with favorite old movie on one those rare rainy days at the beach.  Two sets of French doors open to an inviting arrangement of contemporary furniture and views of Draper Lake.

The home’s inventive floor plan carves out a gracious guest house above the garage. Although adjoining the main house, a separate stairway off the foyer provides privacy while allowing easy access to main living spaces. Lizzy Rose outfitted the guest kitchen and dining area as a playful counterpoint to the main house’s more formal stance. Atlanta designer Tamara Bickley echoed the whimsical attitude in the guest bedroom with a few bold accents of color in an otherwise white room. 

In the third-floor master suite, designer Susan Massey plied her trademark style of merging old and new with the perfect balance of relaxed elegance. A plush sisal rug anchors the conversation area and a pair of Aubusson rugs adds a softer touch along a decidedly modern bed. 

A simple wooden sideboard anchors a corner of the guest house’s cozy living area designed by Lizzy Rose. A collection of seashell prints rounds out the symmetrical vignette.

For a gracious guest suite on the second floor adjoining the main living spaces, Holly Floyd Shipman achieved a theme of serenity. A medley of textures combines with the quiet colors of the sea and sky, as well as existing ornate blue tile work of the bathroom. For an eclectic mix of art, Holly stayed close to home, hanging an abstract beach landscape by her sister Sherry Floyd Sandquist above the bed and a positioning a bust by her cousin Felecia Floyd Basham in the elegant bath.

Proximity to the water is a luxury to be explored, and this Showhouse for the Arts revels in the immeasurable sights and sounds of the Gulf with purpose and delight. The décor is all about the beach. Rooms exude an invitation to linger and relax, while the sheer elegance of the various designs shines with undiminished style and grace. 
 

resources:

Designers: Paige Schnell, Anna Kay Porch & Bess Marshall of Tracery Interiors  Rosemary Beach and Birmingham • 850.231.6755 or 205.414.6026 • traceryinteriors.com  Susan Byrd of Pizitz Home & Cottage Seaside • 850.231.2240 • pizitzhomeandcottage.com  Susan Massey of Bohlert Massey Interiors Seacrest • 850.231.3940 • bolhertmassey.com Jennifer Hunter of Domicile Life Santa Rosa Beach • 850.622.1030 • domicilelife.com  Lizzy Rose Auburn, Alabama  • 817.921.9290 •  lizzyroseportfolio.com  Holly Floyd Shipman Santa Rosa Beach • 850.510.6777 • [email protected] Tamara Bickley of Tamara Bickley Design Santa Rosa Beach & Atlanta • 404.509.9616 • tamarabickleydesign.com Luanne Reeves Kelly of Luanne Kelly Interiors 850.520.0128 Tammy Massey of The Art of Dwelling & Todd Dunbar Reeves ID Modern Interiors Santa Rosa Beach & Destin • 850.294.9404 • tammymassey.net  Libby Baker Speight of Baker Design Company Santa Rosa Beach • [email protected] Dale Trice, Kati Lockley & Tina Vital of Design Services of Florida Seagrove • 850.231.6842 • designservicesfl.com  Bill Musso, Todd Falconbury & Lauren Dott of Musso Design Group Atlanta • 404.873.1773 • MussoDesignGroup.com  real estate sponsor: Blake Moran, Destin Real Estate Company Santa Rosa Beach • 850.231.6052 • destinproperties.com  builder: Onno Horn of Domicile Luxury Homes Santa Rosa Beach • 850.622.1030 domcilelife.com architect: Dawn Thurber of Thurber Architecture Santa Rosa Beach • 850.534.0338 • Thurberarchitecture.com Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County 850.622.5970 • culturalartsalliance.com
 

Text by Lynn Nesmith

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10 Things We Love About June Mays’ Garden

By
BHG Staff
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1 June makes the most of her space, fitting more than a dozen distinct garden rooms into an area the size of two city lots.

2 The garden features a variety of plants suited to both sunlight and shade to fill every space with flora and fauna.

3 Benches and chairs are strategically placed around the garden, offering visitors the chance to stay and soak in the surroundings. “I love having plenty of seats to lure people outside, ” June says.

4 The trellis on the garden shed allows climbing plants to intertwine with the building softening its edges and integrating it with nature.

5 The garden offers sweets scents year-round. Honeysuckle, daphne, and sweet box blooms in the winter. Gardenias, roses, and ginger lily giving off aromas in the spring and summer months.

6 Zoysia grass paves the allée created by a row of cypress hedge and bank of oak leaf hydrangea. This path leads to the rambling stone walkways beyond.

7 June practically planted a whole forest of trees in one area. Varieties of Carolina silverbell, hemlock, sourwoods and more make up this wooded grove.

8 June under plants trees and shrubs with perennials to achieve a better balance with her arrangements.

9 Water features generate a gentle, alluring sound that enhances the tranquil feel of the garden.

10 June grows strawberries in front of the shed as perennial ground cover. This time of year, she also goes out each morning to get some for her cereal. “I share with the birds. There’s plenty enough to go around, ” June says.

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Be Sweet to your Mama

By
Cassandra Lenard
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She taught you to tie your shoes and match your clothes. She combed your hair, packed your lunch, and did your laundry—even after you moved out. It’s been great, but Mama’s worn out.  On Mother’s Day, let Mama put her feet up while you prepare her a delicious brunch she’ll never forget. And while we all know it won’t make up for everything she’s done for you, it sure is a tasty way to say “thank-you, Mama.” 

 

Lemon Pound Cake

¾ cup butter
1½ cup sugar
3 eggs
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2¼ cup flour, sifted
¾ cup buttermilk
rind of three lemons grated
Lemon Glaze (see below)

1 .Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs.

3. Sift dry ingredients together and add to the batter alternating with the buttermilk. Stir in the rind.

4. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Prepare the glaze while loaf is baking.

5. Turn out onto rack and cool completely. Pierce the cake in several places with a fork. When bread is cooled, spoon glaze over top.

Lemon Glaze

Juice of 2 lemons
3/4 cup powdered sugar

1. In a small bowl, blend ingredients until powdered sugar is dissolved.

 

Roasted Asparagus with Goat Cheese and Bacon

6 bacon slices
2 pounds medium asparagus, tough ends trimmed
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
1 3½- to 4-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon dried basil

1. Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Crumble bacon; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 500°.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine two tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar and ½ teaspoon dried basil.

4. Arrange asparagus on large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil mixture and coat asparagus well. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast asparagus until crisp-tender when pierced with knife, about 7 minutes. Arrange asparagus in single layer on platter. Sprinkle with goat cheese and bacon. Drizzle with remaining lemon juice and 2 teaspoons olive oil.  (Can be prepared 1 hour ahead. Cover with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature.)

 

Peachy Keen Mimosa

¾ cup champagne chilled
¼ cup white peach juice chilled

1. Mix three parts champagne to one part white peach juice.

2. Garnish with an Alabama strawberry.

 

Strawberry Pecan Parfait

1½ pounds strawberries
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
4 cups vanilla Greek yogurt
honey (We like Jimmy Carmack’s Pure Alabama Honey which you can find at Whole Foods)

1. Thoroughly rinse strawberries and cut off stems.

2. Slice strawberries to a ¼-inch thickness

3. Layer yogurt, strawberries, and pecans.

4. Drizzle honey over dish, garnish with mint spring and serve.

 

 

Broiled Portobello Topped with Creamy Scrambled Eggs

6 4-5-inch-diameter portobello
mushrooms
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 large eggs
2 red bell peppers
½ purple onion
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
7 1/2 tablespoons butter

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Line large baking sheet with foil.

3. Remove and discard mushroom stems. Scoop out and discard tough inside centers where mushroom stems were attached.

4. In a bowl combine minced olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Brush both sides of mushrooms generously with olive oil mixture.

5. Place mushrooms, dark gill side up, on prepared baking sheet. Broil mushrooms about 5 inches from heat source until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Turn mushrooms over; broil until tender when pierced with knife, about 7 minutes longer. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Before continuing, rewarm in 350° oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.)

6. In a heavy skillet, melt 1½ tablespoons of butter and saute´ red bell pepper and purple onion until onions are soft, but not caramelized. Set aside.

7. Whisk eggs, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, chopped rosemary, bell pepper, onion, salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Melt 5 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add eggs to skillet and stir gently in circular motion with wooden spoon or heat-resistant rubber spatula, releasing cooked eggs from bottom of skillet and allowing uncooked portion of eggs to flow underneath. Cook until eggs are set but still soft, about 4 minutes total. Dot with remaining 1 tablespoon butter.

8. Arrange hot portobello mushrooms, gill side up, on plates. Top with eggs, dividing equally. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, dividing equally, and serve.

Text by Cassandra Ramos Lenard, Styling by Cathy Still McGowin

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Fresh from the Spring House

By
BHG Staff
-

Spring Vegetable Stew with Corn Broth

Serves 4

Corn Stock and Broth
3 Ears of Corn
1 Carrot, peel and cut into a large dice
1 Onion, cut into a large dice
3 Stalks of Celery, cut into a large dice
2 Bay Leaves
8 Black Peppercorns
1 Head Garlic, Halved

Vegetables
16 Baby Carrots
1 Bunch Jumbo Asparagus
2 Cups English peas, shelled

To make the corn stock, start by shaving the corn kernels away from the cob and set kernels aside. Next, place onions, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, black peppercorns, and the bay leaves in a pot of cold water with the shaved cobs. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, then strain with a sieve or colander and cool. Set aside.

For the vegetables, use baby carrots, asparagus, English peas, and garlic scapes.(NOTE: Garlic scapes are the tops of the garlic that are about to go to bloom. They lend a slightly sweet garlic taste. We get ours from a local farmer from Booger Hollow in Dadeville.)

When working with the asparagus, be sure to cut off the woody end at the bottom before blanching. Blanch all of the vegetables separately in salted water and remove when tender. Then, place them directly into ice water to keep the colors bright.

Using the corn kernels previously shaved from the cob, lightly sauté them in a pan with a little bit of canola oil, salt and pepper. Be careful not to get the pan too hot—you don’t want to brown the corn. When done, set the vegetables aside and reserve.

To make the corn broth, add the sautéed kernels to a blender with 4 cups of the corn stock. Puree until smooth, adjust seasoning to taste.  

To finish, reheat all of the vegetables in the corn stock. In a separate pot, heat the pureed corn broth. Plate the vegetables in a shallow bowl, add 2 ounces of the corn broth. Next, using a slotted spoon, remove the heated vegetables from the stock and place on top of the broth. Finally, add a protein of your choice. We prefer a sautéed Red Snapper.

Springhouse at Russell Crossroads • 12 Benson Mill Road • Alexander City, AL 35010  256.215.7080 • springhouseatcrossroads.com

* Special congratulations go to Chef Chris Hastings on another outstanding win —  a 2012 James Beard Foundation award, considered the “Oscars of the food world.” Nominated five times in six years, Hastings won the accolade under the category Best Chef: South. Cheers to you, Chef!

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Curb Enthusiasm

By
Cassandra Lenard
-

Rob Martin of Get More Curb Appeal thinks that you should be as proud of the outside of your house as you are of the inside. A residential designer by trade and former Architecture Editor for Southern Living, Rob, along with Ada Love, Jason Somerville, and Julie Thorton, create stunning, affordable plans to help you update your home and yard. “The great thing, ” says Rob, “is that everything we do is cosmetic. It’s not structural.” This means that you can recreate the look of your home at a fraction of the cost. After filling out a questionnaire and sending in digital photographs of your home and yard, the company will create customized plans for your home. You will also be provided with a detailed list of all the products and materials you will need to implement the plan. “Any contractor will be able to take this and put it into action, ” says Rob. But many of these improvements are so easy and affordable that you can do them yourself.

Initially this home had little to no landscaping.

Five Easy Ways to Improve Your Home

1. Update your front door. Your front door is the focal point of the exterior so you want it to be unique. If you’re feeling bold, try using color.

2. Repaint. A new coat of paint can refresh even the most dreary house. And, don’t be afraid to paint brick!

3. Add new exterior fixtures. Try to find unique light fixtures for your front entry that encompass the style of your home.

4. Add window boxes or shutters. These can add a pop of color as well as create a warm cottage feel.

5. Examine new columns. This is particularly important if you have wrought iron that can often become lost in the exterior design.
 

Produced by Cassandra Ramos Lenard

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Tudor Revival

By
Cara Clark
-

For Katy and Brandon Bishop, house hunting Was a straightforward endeavor. They knew exactly what they wanted and where they wanted it. Finding their historic Tudor-style home in the Hollywood area of Homewood was simply a matter of waiting for the right real estate to become available. “We love the character of the older homes—the style, the history, the charm, ” Katy says. “We looked for six months, then saw a ‘Coming Soon’ sign in front of a 1925 Tudor on the street we wanted.”

Though the Bishops knew the house needed considerable work, they still moved forward. “We talked to architects and builders and found out we could make it work for our family of five, ” Katy says.

To add a floor to their newly acquired historic Tudor, the Bishops went straight to a remodeler they trusted. “Twin Construction does a lot of work in the Homewood area and has a great reputation.” — Katy Bishop

Adding a second story, Twin Construction converted the three-bedroom, two-bath cottage into a five-bedroom, three-bath home. For the interior décor, the Bishops worked with Jan Ware of Ware Designs.

“She’s one of those people that you love the second you meet her, ” Katy says.

“She is easy to work with and I love her look. It’s a clean, simple, easy-living style. It’s sophisticated but comfortable.”

Jan and Katy set about transforming the house using a lighter paint on the traditional outdoor Tudor beams.

“I really love old English Tudors, ” Jan says. “But I didn’t want this home to look like a typical Tudor with dark Tudor board. It already has the dark, old brick. I wanted to lighten things.”

For the interior, Jan chose easy-keeping fabrics to withstand the wear and spills inevitable with young children. She also wanted to blend the home’s English design with Katy and Brandon’s modern flair.

“We took an English look and spiffed it up with touches of contemporary, ” Jan says. “There aren’t many fluffy details.” In the den, a pair of sofas covered in linen make the space comfortable for children. An elm wood coffee table was discovered during one of Jan’s trips to the beach. “The kids can lay up there and put their feet on the table, and I’m not worried about them hurting anything, ” Katy says. “Also, you can dress the room up and have adult time.” Iron sconces mounted on wood flank a limestone fireplace at one end and reflect the home’s era of origin.

 The dining room hosts a variety of finishes and textures: a natural wood table with a wax finish, shimmery drapes, and white painted chairs. Metal artist and designer Lucy Smith created this floor mirror for the dining room. To see more
of her work and see Lucy’s home, click here.

In the dining room, Katy wanted to use the dining table and chairs she’d grown up with. For an update, host and hostess armchairs were given a metallic silver pattern finish to match the drapery, and four guest chairs were shellacked by artist Daniel Whitsett for a contemporary look.

Instead of a formal living room, Jan suggested a reading room. In the center of the room, a wood coffee table is comprised of driftwood pieces with a glass top. The table from At Home is teamed with a sofa and two reading lamps from Richard Tubb.

“We didn’t do a formal living room, but a reading room instead, ” Jan says. “It’s a great conversation room, small but warm, with wall-to-wall linen silk windowpane drapes in back. It’s casual but gives an elegant feel and brought in creamier yellow to blend with the earth tones.

“It had been a really awkward space, and I did not know what to do with it, ” Katy says. “When Jan came in, she made it look so beautiful.”

A tapestry by Sally Powell brings in cool blues and mossy greens. The chairs are cane pieces refinished in gunmetal gray, with down-filled cushions covered in a herringbone polished cotton. 
Like other elements in the home, the reading room is part of a design concept the Bishops find lovable and livable.

The master bedroom on the main level remained untouched in the construction, just getting an interior update.

 A focal piece, an oil painting of geese in flight by Birmingham artist Laura
Beers, is another simply elegant element in this silvery steel and slate gray master bedroom. laurabeersart.com

The custom headboard in dark slate cut velvet is comprised of three panels and defined with silver nailhead trim. Set between two small windows made use of the natural light while anchoring the bed in the space.

A cozy sitting area includes a desk and two chairs, along with a figure painting that brings a strong turquoise to the soothing space. Beneath the painting, a contemporary lamp on the desk “is a totally modern pop, ” says Jan.

Also in the master bedroom sitting area is a figure painting by artist Catie Radney, an Alexander City resident, captured Jan’s attention with its subtle splash of turquoise. dkgallery.us

A mercury glass floor lamp beside the desk and a Lucite ghost chair in front are combined with two antique French chairs, reupholstered in pale gray flannel and positioned on opposite sides of a stool covered with charcoal gray embroidered fabric.

The pewter-sheen bed cover, complements the custom titanium silk drapery with Scalamandre-tape trimmings. A lotus flower fixture in silver hangs above the bed.

“I think the fixture added a little flair to the room, ” Jan says. “It’s romantic, yet cool and edgy.”

“Despite the renovation, this is not a big house, ” Katy says. “But with the smart, thoughtful additions, it fits our family just right.”

RESOURCES

interior design: Jan Ware: WARE DESIGNS 205.585.7891 • janwaredesigns.com front door finish: Daniel Whitsett, PAINTWORKS DESIGN STUDIO paintworksdesignstudio.com • 205.879.2751 den: sconce: VILLAGE FIREFLY 205.870.4560 custom pillows on sofa: through WARE DESIGNS elm vintage coffee table: PIZITZ 850.231.2240  • theseasidestyle.com/pizitz-home-cottage cream pots on the coffee table: RICHARD TUBB INTERIORS 205.324.7613 • richardtubbinteriors.com console: AT HOME: • athome-furnishings.com • 205.879.3510  mirror above console: CENTURIES 205.879.2295 dining room: antique chairs finished by Daniel Whitsett, PAINTWORKS DESIGN STUDIO dining room host and hostess chairs and window drapery by J.F. FABRICS through WARE DESIGNS mirror by LUCY SMITH METALS through WARE DESIGNS library: cypress and glass coffee table: AT HOME: “trees” canvas by Mary Margaret Binkley from ArtVentures through WARE DESIGNS sofa: RICHARD TUBB INTERIORS master bedroom: coverlet by BAG A TELLE 205.414.6001 painting over desk: Monty Stabler Galleries 205.879. 9888 • montystablergalleries.com desk lamp: AT HOME 205.879.3510 • athome-furnishings.com custom Kravet headboard through WARE DESIGNS coverlet: BAG A TELLE painting beside bed: Laura Beers through Jan Ware WARE DESIGNS master lamp and chandelier: VILLAGE FIREFLY remodel by: TWIN CONSTRUCTION 205.802.3920 • twincompanies.com.
 

by Cara D. Clark, produced by Missie Neville Crawford

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Hollywood Showcase

By
Cara Clark
-

During Prohibition in the 1920s, a different sort of movement was underway in the Hollywood area of Homewood. Hollywood Land Company changed the landscape with a planned community of Tudor and Spanish-Mediterranean style homes. That era is celebrated with the bi-annual Historic Hollywood Tour of Homes, a project of the Holly Oak Garden Club. For the 2011 tour, a Spanish revival-style house owned by Rebekah and Mort Taylor, served as a decorators’ show house where Homewood decorators and retailers showed their styles. Check out the local talent and transformation that turned an echo of a home into a look for today.

Hollywood on Tour

The Taylors purchased their Hollywood house, circa 1925, in 1999, partly because they admired the work of its architect, George P. Turner. “The Mediterranean architecture, the mature wooded lot, and the neighborhood drew us in.” Rebekah says the decorators just enhanced the home’s features. “It’s amazing how beautiful the house is even when it is completely empty, ” Rebekah says. “The furnishings and other items were the icing on the cake.” Chairman Stephanie Kennedy saw a great opportunity to showcase the work of some of Birmingham’s talented designers in one of Hollywood’s first houses. The Holly Oak Garden Club hosts a tour of homes every other year. The 2011 tour raised approximately $15, 000 to support beautification projects in the neighborhood and Shades Cahaba Elementary.

Dining Room • Table Matters

The first step in making over the dining room was a fresh coat of paint. “Before we started, the walls were an ’80s pink color, ” says Harriet Luce, who works at Table Matters with owner Patricia Murray. “We chose floral white by Benjamin Moore to brighten things and to bring in the natural light.” The duo wanted to create an elegantly casual gathering space. They also wanted to work with the existing architecture. For instance, the arched top of an antiqued mirror repeats the arch of the stucco entry on the opposite wall. A round table and four chairs fit comfortably in the angular room. The decorators topped it with a beach linen cloth and Ikat fabric in a geometric pattern. 

“The topper for the table was actually the jumping off point for the blue accents, ” Harriet says. “I love that pattern, and it brought in just a little color.” Place settings are pale aqua Merletto by Arte Italica, combined with Craven plates in a porcelain ivory. The pewter-edged cereal bowls team with pewter-stem wine glasses by Emerson. Simon Pearce pewter napkin rings with ivory-colored napkins combine with Busatti silverware, Juliska stemware goblets, and silver-sand colored placemats by Deborah Rhodes to complete the setting.

The table’s centerpiece, designed by Margaret Proctor, is arranged in an Arno cloverleaf pottery bowl, handmade in Italy. A spray of spring blossoms in a pale aqua ceramic vase (Merletto by Arte Italica) resides on the Antwerp console.

Master Bedroom • Suite Dreams

Kendall Jackson of Suite Dreams enjoys creating restful retreats. Her usual approach begins with an ivory or white palette with added punches of color. “It’s a smart idea for everyone, ” Kendall says. “It allows you to change out your pillows or make small changes to create a new look without having to invest in all new bedding.” A wall of windows was carefully curtained to create privacy and soften the wall behind the headboard. “I loved the windows. Natural light is always so great, but since these windows were so close together, I felt like the room needed some privacy, ” Kendall says. “I’ve always been drawn to a wall full of sheers. It gives privacy while allowing natural light to come in.”

Kendall designed the custom headboard. “It’s nice having a comfortable place to sit up in bed, ” she says of the winged sides and high, tufted back.
The bedside tables, cream with distressed finishes, hold seeded glass lamps, replacing an overhead chandelier. “Lamps warm up the room as opposed to overhead lighting, ” Kendall says. Beneath the bedside table, a stool topped with white ostrich fabric upholstery is an added convenience. “It’s a nice way to have extra seating, ” Kendall says. “You can move it out and use it as a chair if you need it, or you can put it under the table if you need extra space.”

Girl's Room • CE Tolivers

With a do-it-yourself attitude and an ability to find diamonds in the rough, Carla Edgeworth began this girl’s room with “a fantastic iron bed” discovered at a thrift store. “This started my wheels turning, ” Carla says. “I wanted to do something unexpected with the bed, so I decided to create a soft feminine look for a little girl by painting it purple and adding a sheer linen slipcover and lavender ties. “Next, I found some beautiful plum and lavender linens at Suite Dreams and the rest fell into place, ” she says. “I have a young daughter so I knew I wanted to incorporate a desk for artwork, a floor-length mirror with hooks, and a trunk for dress-up clothes.” A floor lamp, an America’s Thrift Store find, was transformed with elbow grease, refinishing, and painting. Carla discovered the shutters and prints at Scott’s Antique Market in Atlanta.

Nursery • Pam Evans

With a 7-year-old son, Pam Evans reminisced about her son’s early days when designing the home’s nursery. “I used things from his nursery and took inspiration from the birth announcement paper to come up with the color palette, ” Pam says. “I love the colors. It has a little brown, old antique gold, and French blue.” Mixing antiques and contemporary pieces, Pam used antiques to complement the modern crib. A micro-check fabric hangs from an antique French corona. An Italian chest and French mirror add historical appeal. Personal items include her son’s handmade christening gown, a ceramic impression of her son’s hands and feet, a silver rattle, personalized wooden block, and an antique silver cup. “This project was like going down memory lane, ” Pam says. “It definitely stirred emotions.”

Living Room • Birmingham Wholesale Furniture

Dan Cash, an interior designer at Birmingham Wholesale Furniture, was drawn to the living room’s stucco walls (painted white), hardwood floors, stone fireplace, high ceilings, and arched French doors. “The architectural features made a great backdrop for a transitional-style taupe linen sofa, ” Dan says.

Mixing in hints of color and texture, a lime green, floral print club chair and painted French country cocktail table reside next to a cream-colored leather wing chair with nailhead trim. An oil painting by C. Stewart and tortoiseshell obelisks add weight to the airy room.

RESOURCES

dining room: Harriet Luce & Patricia Murray, TABLE MATTERS 205.879.0125 • table-matters.com • email [email protected] master bedroom: Kendall Jackson, SUITE DREAMS 205.414.1922 • shopsuitedreams.com bedroom: Carla Edgeworth, CE TOLIVERS [email protected] • 205.368.2554 bed linens: SUITE DREAMS 205.414.1922 • shopsuitedreams.com lamps: LA CASITA in Tampa, FL • 813.388.7156 lampshades: VILLAGE FIREFLY 205.870.4560 nursery:  Pam Evans of PAM EVANS INTERIORS and antiquities 404.643.9455 personalized block: CRAFT-E-FAMILY 866.996.2124 • craftefamily.com rocking horse: MAISON DE FRANCE in Leeds 205.699.6330 antique etchings: ARCENEAUX ART GALLERY 205.824.5800 living room: Dan Cash, BIRMINGHAM WHOLESALE FURNITURE 205.322.1687 • birminghamwholesale.com kitchen: Rob Garrard and Steve Thomas of SOHO RETRO 205.870.7655 • shopsohoretro.com • [email protected] • steve @shopsohoretro.com back patio: Lydia Pursell , LEAF AND PETAL 205.871.3832 • leafnpetal.com spruce party planning:  Missie Crawford and Libba Hardwick 205.937.0305 • sprucebirmingham.com artwork: Pam Till through ARCENEAUX ART GALLERY 205.824.5800 hallway art: BETH BRADLEY 205.901.4630 • [email protected] landscaping: CATER DESIGN LANDSCAPE, LLC  205.835.5652 • caterdesigns.com

Cara D. Clark

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Light and Bright

By
Sally Herring
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With three prior major renovations under their belts, Lane and Scott McGarrah knew what they were up against when they came across this 1950s rancher in Homewood. With an engineering background and an artist’s eye, Scott began the task of rethinking the original plans of the typical closed in rancher into one with an open, spacious floorplan. Their master plan eliminated the barriers of interior walls so that each area flows seamlessly from one to another, achieving easy and transition. Without physical walls to break-up the space, the arrangement of family pieces, yard sale finds and antiques, create three distinct living areas that function equally well as one.

Lane solicited the advice of Scarlett Gargis, a “dear friend” who, as she says, “has a good eye, ” in the selection of colors, fabrics, and accent pieces. Lane chose one color for the walls, trim, and ceilings in the main living areas to create a harmonious feel without the distraction of contrasting colors. Bringing even more airiness to the plan, the McGarrahs replaced the original, blocky front door with 8-foot glass and wood French doors and glass and wood sidelights topped off by a 15-inch transom. An abundance of windows and very few window treatments ensure that the expansive space is bright and filled with light.

“Instead of tearing down, I like refurbishing things. The original builder did an amazing job — true quality work.”  –Scott McGarrah

“Scott was adamant about increasing the height of the original ceilings, ” says Lane. They raised the roof in the main living area so ceilings could reach 12 feet. Accenting their dramatic height are pine beams and spruce planking.

The kitchen branches off the great room. Scott, an accomplished woodworker, did some of the work himself, including the hood over the stove and the island.  Built with whitewashed pine leftover from the basement flooring, the hood is supported by two intricately carved corbels that Lane found in Hannah Antiques.

For more images and information, scroll to the end of the story.

The couple wanted the cabinetry and accents to resemble antique finds rather than typical kitchen cabinetry. “Lane loves her Alabama white marble kitchen counters and the richness it has achieved over time, ” says Scott.

Another major change included the original master bedroom (page 26 of the March/April 2012 issue, on newsstands now). The re-do combined two bedrooms in order to create one luxurious suite. A tray ceiling was strategically added to create additional ceiling height. The space flows uninterrupted by traditional hinged doors, but when needed, pocket doors between the bedroom and the bathroom can be drawn closed.

A gleaming white clawfoot tub resides under a series of casement windows that are just high enough to provide privacy but still allow plenty of light to pour into the room.

Lane says that despite the inconveniences, they love the process of renovating, “Once my house is done I start looking for another project.”  However, after a recent family wedding and her retirement from teaching, Lane is just beginning to enjoy her new schedule and thinks they may be content to make this house “home” for a little while longer.

RESOURCES

subcontractor and site supervisor: DAVID REEVES 205.365.0376 paint: main living areas and master bedroom: BENJAMIN MOORE # 941 dining room: chandelier: INTERIORS MARKET AT PEPPER PLACE 205.323.2817 • pepperplace.net rug: HANNA ANTIQUES 205.323.6036 • hannaantiques.com kitchen: cabinets: CLASSIC VIEW CABINETS, TWIN CONSTRUCTION, INC 205.802.3920 • twincompanies.com den: sofa: BIRMINGHAM WHOLESALE FURNITURE 205.322.1687 • birminghamwholesale.com coffee table base: FRONTERA 205.320.1900 • fronterairon.com ceiling: RIVER BOTTOM PINE 205.914.4572 • riverbottompine.com exterior house paint: GARDEN URN, MARTHA STEWART FOR LOWES 205.942.2223  • lowes.com bathroom: tub: FERGUSON BATH, KITCHEN AND LIGHTING 205.254.3454 • ferguson.com light fixture: THREE SHEETS 205.871.2337 • threesheetslinen.com bedroom: roman shades: AT HOME 205.879.3510 • athome-furnishings.com

Sally Herring

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A Twist of Fate

By
Julie Gillis
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“We were not even looking to move, ” Vicki Brannon says. “In fact, we had just finished building our ‘perfect’ house, and our plan was to stay put.” But fate had other ideas that day in 1999 when Vicki stumbled across a newspaper ad for a historical stone house off of Shades Crest Road in Vestavia.

Harrison, Vicki’s husband, has always been a fan of anything constructed of stone. “I just knew I had to go have a look at the house for his sake and let Harrison know what I had seen, ” says Vicki. “But I really wasn’t thinking we would buy it.”

That mindset changed as soon as Vicki made her way down the narrow, winding road leading to the house. That was on a Wednesday, and by Saturday, the residence was theirs. Behind the main house, a detached garage with an upstairs apartment adds to the charm of the property. “The main house only has three bedrooms, ” explains Harrison. “When we moved in, each of our three daughters wanted her own room. So the only option was for our oldest daughter, who was a teenager at the time, to live above the garage.” 

The exterior of the stone guesthouse blends seamlessly with the main residence that sits a few yards away. The Brannons replaced the garage doors below the apartment with ones that look more like a carriage house.

Over the next decade, that guesthouse served not only as a teenage suite that hosted many spend-the-night parties but also as a first apartment years later for two of the Brannons’ daughters after each graduated from college. With so much traffic coming and going during that time, the interiors of the guesthouse experienced quite a bit of wear and tear. So in 2010, with the space empty, Vicki and Harrison decided it was time to renovate.

“My sister recommended that I contact her interior designer friend named Michaele Travis to help with the project, ” says Vicki. “I was a little hesitant to call her because I really wanted to have a lot of say in the look of the guesthouse. I was worried that an outsider would want to take over.”

“I wanted a nature look but not a rustic feel. We were able to achieve that delicate balance through careful research in selecting the right accessories, furniture, and collectibles.” —Vicki Brannon

At their initial meeting, Vicki and Michaele quickly realized that they knew each other from their high school sorority days. “At that point, we were meant to be a team, ” says Vicki.  The duo quickly became a trio as Harrison stepped in to offer his ideas as well.

The common goal was to restore the apartment to a look that was in keeping with the character of the main house. “We started by pulling up all of the old carpet and replacing it with reclaimed pine floors, ” says Michaele. “Then we replaced all of the doors, windows, and trim. The baseboards that were originally in the apartment were very small and narrow, but houses built in the early 20th century had tall baseboards. So we installed those to make the guesthouse architecturally true to its roots.”

Keep scrolling down for more images of the Brannon's home.
For pictures of their fabulous garden, click here.
 

The next order of business was to find just the right color for the interior walls. “I was determined to paint the walls blue, ” explains Vicki. “On a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, many years before, I had fallen in love with the subtle blue hues of the grasses in the area, and I wanted to incorporate those colors. But we quickly realized that the space called for a more historical color. Blue could have taken away from the character of the guesthouse.”

Instead, Michaele picked out a more neutral shade and then incorporated the slate-blue tones that Vicki loves in the Oriental rug and the bird-adorned throw pillows on the sofa. “The rest of the room was sort of built around those accessories, ” she says.

Splashes of dark wood accent the room in the form of art boxes, swivel barstools, and a wooden flat-file chest. Spindle armchairs anchor each side of the sofa.

The original breakfast bar was replaced with one that is counter height to allow for a better view from the kitchen to the other areas of the apartment. “The original bar was so tall it divided up the space and didn’t allow for the open flow we were striving for, ” explains Michaele.

The guesthouse also includes a full kitchen that opens to the sitting area. Custom cabinets were installed and painted gray, and Sub-Zero appliances added the modern conveniences of today’s kitchens without taking away from the historical charm. For the countertops and backsplash, Michaele and Vicki considered marble because of its clean, fresh appeal, but they decided that the polished stone would appear too formal in the space. When they looked at granite options, Vicki felt that many of the busier patterns would be too overwhelming in the more simplified style of the apartment. Just when the women were ready to throw in the towel on their search, they came across a slab of granite that had the look of marble but with an antique finish that gave the piece some texture. “We could not believe we actually found a stone that met all of the criteria on our wish list, ” says Michaele. “It seemed to be custom-made for our project.”

In addition to the sitting area and kitchen, the open floor plan includes a space for sleeping. An iron bed and matching night stands anchor the area. Touches of slate blue appear again, this time in the pillow shams.
Now that the guesthouse is complete, the Brannons enjoy welcoming friends and family to stay overnight. “We have even spent a few weekends in the apartment ourselves, ” says Harrison. “It’s our own escape right in our backyard.”

Looking back on the project, Vicki, Harrison, and Michaele agree that while it was a lot of work, it was also a lot of fun. “The Brannons have a special place in my heart, as does their guest house, ” says Michaele. “Together, we have created a little oasis.”

RESOURCES

interior design: Michaele Travis of Michaele Barrow Designs 205.296.8168 contractor: Dean Lunceford of Lunceford Group Construction 205.682.2822 wall paint: Benjamin Moore “Grants Beige” HC-83 quatrefoil ceiling fixture/kitchen island and bath fixture: Circa LightinG circalighting.com • 877.762.2323 lamp on wooden chest: (base) Pottery Barn potterybarn.com • 888.779.5176 (shade) Village Firefly 205.870.4560 wooden chest, spindle chairs, jade lamp, and apothecary floor lamp: Richard TubB Interiors 205.324.7613 santos angel: The Nest 205.870.1264 coat rack/stand: Tricia’s Treasures triciastreasures.us • 205.871.9779 bamboo magazine holder: Hanna Antiques 205.323.6036 night stands and bedside table lamps: Three Sheets 205.871.2337 Flemish tramp art wooden boxes on right nightstand: Tricia’s Treasures, Hanna Antiques, and The Nest bull-and-bear bronze lamp and antique butterfly prints: Arceneaux Art Gallery 205.824.5800 barstools, bed frame, and bedding: Restoration Hardware pillow shams: Schumacher fschumacher.com • 800.523.1200 flooring: Floor Covering Options floorcoveringoptions.com hardwood floors: River Bottom Pine riverbottompine.com sofa by Bernhardt: Birmingham Wholesale Furniture birminghamwholesalefurniture.com • 205.322.1687 ottomans: All Coffee Tables allcoffeetables.com • 866.513.2570 window treatment fabric: Schumacher fschumacher.com • 800.523.1200 window treatments: Dana Larson Custom Window Treatments 205.979.4663 wrought-iron drapery rod: Robert Lehman Studio 205.324.0901 bamboo bookcase and bath cabinet: Tricia’s Treasures rugs: Paige Albright Orientals paigealbrightorientals.com • 205.877.3232 black boxes: Vagabond Vintage Furnishings vagabondvintage.com • Atlanta, GA • 404.351.6484 round wicker table: Richard Tubb Interiors lamp on round wicker table: www.interiorsantiques.com  • 205.822.9922 bowling pins: Restoration Hardware bath mirror: Pottery Barn mosaic tile in bath: Crossville Tile and Stone 205.871.2619 travertine tile in bath: Design Tile & Stone designtilestone.com • 205.324.8473 kitchen cabinets: Kurt Zolman of Zolman Fine Cabinetry 205.901.2909  kitchen cabinet hardware: Restoration Hardware paint on kitchen cabinets: Martha Stewart Colors “8085 Mourning Dove” door hardware: Southern Accents sa1969.com • 308 2nd Ave. SE, Cullman • AL • 877.737.0554 sub-zero appliances: AllSouth Appliance Group, INC. allsouthappliances.net • 205.942.0408 kitchen faucet: Rohl rohlhome.com • 800.777.9762 kitchen sink: Barclay Products barclayproducts.com • 847.244.1234 granite countertops and backsplash: Masonry Arts Stone masonryarts.com • 205.326.4440 plumbing fixtures: Kenny & company kennycompany.com

Julie Gillis

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Color Coordinates

By
Cara Clark
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As an accountant, Amy Allen knows how to factor in all of the variables to get to the bottom line. In a house hunt, the objective was simple, yet oh-so-difficult: getting their hands on a home they had admired for years—a Spanish-style home in the Hollywood area of Homewood.

“Finally, my husband just knocked on the door one day and asked if they were interested in selling, ” Amy says. “They were. It was obviously meant to be.”

When they moved in 2006, the previous owner had remodeled, leaving no major structural changes to be done, but a significant amount of decorating for a transition from traditional to a more suitable setting for the Mediterranean design.

“We painted everything to make it very neutral, then spent our money on decorating instead of remodeling, ” Amy says. “Our former home was a very traditional wood frame house, and I’m traditional at heart. When we moved in here, I felt like we needed to start over. I brought my favorite things with me, but really started from scratch.”

Vibrant Interest
“I tried to guide her where we needed pops of color if we weren’t going to have art to give a space personality, ” Jenny says. “I love mixing plain pieces with different textures.” Jenny says her role was to add punches of color if she felt the elements of interest in a space were too bland.

“Amy was easy to work with. She allowed me to express some creativity in certain areas, ” Jenny says. “Some people can’t step out of their comfort zone, but Jenny could, and it really shows how beautiful a place can be when you have great pieces and are receptive to change.”

Amy believes being open to ideas is essential, but the number cruncher in her knows it’s important to be practical.

“I think you should invest money in things that are going to last, ” she says.  “I learned my lesson after decorating my first home that my taste has changed. This time, I tried not to spend a lot of money on trendy things. I wanted my trendy things to be side tables, lamps, and chairs. This way, I can change them when they go out of style.”

 

Amy contacted decorator Jenny Edwards of Jenny Edwards Interiors to restyle after receiving recommendations from several friends.

Scroll to the end of the article for a slideshow of more images and information.

“She’s very together and organized, and we worked well together—left brain, right brain, ” Amy says.
The inspiration for both owner and designer was the home’s historic character and color. “This house has so much charm and beautiful old tile, ” Amy says. “The fireplace has tiles with all different colors in it. As soon as I walked in the house, I knew that would be our palette. We planned everything around it.”

The bright fabric for the dining room curtains was the first color burst homeowner and decorator selected through an initial taste trial-and-error phase.

“Jenny brought hundreds of pieces of fabric, and I would say, ‘No, no, no, ’” Amy says. “We were getting to know each other. We came to that fabric, and I said, ‘Yes.’ Then we planned the dining room around that. I’m good with filling in. Jenny would tell me to search for this or look for that. I would do the legwork and take things out on approval. She would swing by and look at them and let me know if she liked them. That was our system.”

An important issue in decision-making was finding pet-friendly fabrics for the Allens’ two felines, which Jenny and Amy factored in when making decisions, often using Schumacher, one of Jenny’s favorite fabric houses.

“Keeping in mind that she had animals, we wanted fabrics to be durable enough but dressy enough for a particular space, ” Jenny says. One unique find in the decorating expedition was a set of antique needlepoint chairs, which Jenny located. “It’s unusual to find a set in such great shape with the needlepoint intact, ” Jenny says. “These also had all the great colors we were working with.”

The final project is at once traditional with just enough daring touches—something both the homeowner and designer can live with.

RESOURCES

interior decoration and all fabrics: JENNY EDWARDS INTERIORS 205.870.5100 • [email protected] dining room: needlework chairs: JENNY EDWARDS INTERIORS 205.870.5100 • [email protected] antique prints: ARCENAUX ART GALLERY • 205.824-5800  guest room: headboard and fabrics: JENNY EDWARDS INTERIORS den, second seating area: antique ottoman: MAISON de FRANCE • 205.699.6330 lamps: MCJ Interiors 205.458.2700 chairs: Interiors Market at Pepper Place 205.323.2817 • pepperplace.net  marble-top chest: MAISON de FRANCE in Leeds 205.699.6330
 

Text by Cara D.Clark, Styling by Missie Neville Crawford

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