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Portrait of a House

By
Lucy Merrill
-

 

Art gives beauty and depth to life, but living inside artwork presents a challenge. In a house that is as much a piece of art as a dwelling, these residents have to find a way to carry on the business of everyday life inside the frame.

Laura and Colby Clark’s approach to life in their work of art, an Italian-style villa in Mountain Brook, built in 1927, is to relax and enjoy it. The couple purchased the 14, 000-square-foot house in 2005, and endured six months of renovation to make it their own. During that time, the house, dubbed Villa Wofford-Clark in honor of the original and current owners, served as the 2006 Decorators’ ShowHouse.

When the Clarks were looking for a home in Birmingham, they had to be persuaded to take a look at the showplace. They didn’t think they would be interested, but that was before they walked inside and looked up. Beautiful wood floors and even more beautiful wood ceilings with intricately painted beams charmed them.

{Scroll to the end of the story for a slideshow gallery of the Clark's home.} 

“We walked through the house and our mouths were open, ” Laura says. “When they built the house, the original owners commissioned an artisan from Italy to paint the ceiling.”

Coffered ceilings still glimmer with the designs painted by that long-ago craftsman, and he was not alone. The house was built with a wealth of decorative artistry, including frescoes, wood carving, and even an indoor fountain. The original owners created a Mediterranean palazzo, and their vision has been well-preserved over the years.

All that classical beauty poses a problem. How do you furnish a work of art? It would be quite a challenge to match the style and formality of the elaborate artistic fixtures. The Clarks didn’t even try.

“Colby and I are casual people, ” Laura says. The family also includes two energetic girls, Madison, 12, and Abigail, 8, and the family dog, Murphy. A mustn’t-touch approach to decorating was never going to work.

“There’s nothing that’s off limits, ” Laura says. “You can see kids skating through the house and dogs running around. The floors are beautiful, but they’re durable. These floors have seen a lot of use.”

Initially, Laura answered the challenge by keeping many of the items supplied by decorators during the house’s charitable turn as a Decorators’ ShowHouse. But the family’s effort to put their imprint on the house has been an ongoing project. Recently, decorator Dana Wolter has signed on to help Laura fit their casual lifestyle into the house’s Renaissance atmosphere. “Even though they live in an incredible home, the Clarks are so down-to-earth, ” Dana says. “They want to make their home comfortable.”

Dana’s goal is to make the living spaces more functional and family-friendly, while respecting the house’s history. Elegance and casualness can coexist, such as in the great room, which the Clarks have nicknamed the “band room.” A graceful room, Laura uses it as a quiet retreat. But occasionally the room kicks off its shoes and rocks.

A family at home with rock and country guitar licks amid Renaissance trappings is not going to be overawed by a historic house. The Clarks never saw their home as a tiptoe-through art exhibit. Generations have lived, and partied, there, and all that life has left its mark. The Clarks recognized the warmth and energy from the beginning, and they feel they have continued that heritage.

“It’s beautiful, but it’s home to us, ” Laura says.

RESOURCES

interior design: Dana Wolter, Dana Wolter Interiors 205.563.5779 • danawolterinteriors.com flowers: Chris Carter Christopher Glenn 2713 19th Street South • Birmingham, Alabama • 205.870.1236 great room: custom L-shaped sofa and custom drapery: Dana Wolter Interiors Dirk Walker oil painting: Loretta Goodwin Gallery 605 28th Street South Birmingham, Alabama • 205.328.1761 whitewashed wooden chairs: Circa Interiors 2831 Culver Road Birmingham, Alabama • 205.868.9199 antique box: Henhouse Antiques 1900 Cahaba Road • Birmingham, Alabama • 205.918.0505 family room: sofa and chair pillows: Circa Interiors 2831 Culver Road Birmingham, Alabama • 205.868.9199 Henhouse Antiques 1900 Cahaba Road • Birmingham, Alabama • 205.918.0505 custom drapery: DWI Holdings www.dwiholdings.com foyer: Lee Industries upholstered chair: Circa Interiors 2831 Culver Road Birmingham, Alabama • 205.868.9199 • Arthur Price paintings: www.priceartcompany.com hardwood floor refinishing: River Bottom Pine 205.527.6848

Lucy Merrill

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Meet Fran Keenan

By
Lucy Merrill
-

With a degree in fashion design from the University of Alabama, Fran jetted for New York and career in fashion design with Polo and Tommy Hilfiger. Later she worked for the ultra-creative design duo, Diamond Baratta Design. “It opened my eyes to a new level of creativity, ” says the designer. “I’ve never looked at a room the same way since.

“Working in fashion first taught me the language of fabrics and color.” —Fran Keenan

“We did not subscribe to any rule book on this project.” {Click here to see the project in completion.} That new focus brought her to Birmingham, where she became decorating editor of Cottage Living magazine. “That’s where I fell in love with the idea of functional, beautiful living, ” says Fran. With the birth of her second child, she decided to go the work-from-home route and started her own design business.

“I help a client flesh out how they really want to live. Our homes and surroundings truly shape us, ” says Fran.

Fran’s daily joy is in her Homewood home, with husband, Matt, an attorney, and daughters Ella, 7, Harper, 4, and baby son Wilkes.

Lucy Merrill

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No Rules: Condo Design Colors Outside the Lines

By
Lucy Merrill
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Meg and Armand Margjeka are not white picket fence people. Marriage and even a new baby couldn’t put them in a suburban bungalow. Instead, they have made a home for their young family in a Highland Park condo with a remarkable interior tailored to their personalities.

“Meg and Armand are creative people who know what they want, ” says interior decorator Fran Keenan, who helped make the condo into a place where the proverbial different drummer was right at home.

Although Meg has a degree in business, the businesses she has pursued call for creativity and an eye for design. Living in Los Angeles, she and a friend launched a line of cosmetics for teens, which took her all over, even to an appearance on QVC in London.

“We considered it our business school, ” Meg says. Graduation day came when Meg decided it was time to return home to Birmingham. She took a job at Etc., a jewelry and accessory store in Mountain Brook Village. Owner Judy Abroms was looking toward retirement, so Meg was presented with a business opportunity that she has embraced with new lines and a larger storefront in Mountain Brook Village.

Armand, an artist and musician from Albania, has studied sculpture, painting, and drawing, but is currently concentrating on the music business. He has a newly released album, “Margo, Margo, ” and owns Pipe and Gun Studio in Homewood, a creative space where musicians from across the country record, produce, write, collaborate, and just hang out.

In keeping with the couple’s non-traditional approach to life, they had not one wedding, but two. The first took place in Arkansas, where Armand attended college.

“We had our wedding lunch at Chili’s, ” Meg says.

The casual nuptials came about because international red tape had snarled their plans for a wedding in Italy. Undeterred, the couple held the Italian wedding a year later just after learning that their son, Mercer, was on the way.

“He came to our wedding in Italy, ” Meg says. Mercer’s advent also spurred the couple to buy and renovate the condo. “We changed everything to suit us, ” Meg says. “I love everything casual. Armand is relaxed and he has helped me be less uptight.”

The first goal was to give the home an open feel, with a flow from room to room that is not interrupted with doors.

Scroll down for pictures and details of the Margjeka's home. See more style tips from Meg in “Meg's Must Haves”.

“Albanians have more communal spaces, ” Meg says. “So we wanted open space, with not a lot of doors and one room flowing into the others. Fran helped us catch that vibe.”

The rooms are specially suited to the Margjekas’ lifestyle. Instead of the usual living room, dining room and den, their home has an entry, gallery, listening room, and TV room.

“You walk into a round entry room, where all the doors are hidden (they open with touch latches) except for the French doors that open to the gallery, ” Meg says.

The gallery is an airy space with a recessed concrete “art wall” illuminated by LED lighting. The herringbone patterned floors push toward The Listening Room, where the couple enjoys the music that is an important part of their life. Adding depth are oriental rugs layered for a unique look that arose from Armand’s childhood.

“When Armand grew up, his home was wall to wall rugs, ” Meg says. “His mother made them and he remembers the hum of the machine and layers of rugs to sit on. We love this room. We can have a glass of wine, look at the view, and talk or listen to music.”

As in any home, the Margjekas’ kitchen is central to family life, and they made it to order. “We knocked out everything and created a blank canvas, ” Meg says.  She and Armand enjoy cooking together, so the kitchen boasts an eight-burner Wolf range and two ovens. Concrete countertops and a zinc-topped island provide workspace with style.

At the opposite end of the workspace is the keeping room, painted a rich eggplant, featuring a farm table and a custom banquette that runs the length of the room, and red bergere chairs, “two of my favorite chairs I have ever bought, ” says Fran.

“We wanted a bistro feel where we hang out, ” Meg says. “You can have meals at one end and read at the other end. There is a fireplace too.We can’t wait to use it.”

Contemporary art, traditional rugs, antiques, industrial artifacts, concrete walls, reclaimed oak flooring, a flat screen television, and a turntable with vinyl records—the mix of elements may sound like a baffling aggregation, but it has been put together with confidence from elements the Margjekas love. It makes for a striking and personal interior.

As Meg says, “We wanted to stay true to who we are.”

RESOURCES

Condo Design Colors Outside the Lines Fran Keenan Design 205.821.8183 architect: John Hudson, Hudson Architecture 406.709.1029 contractor: Structures Inc. Will Kinnebrew, project manager • 205.663.4252 • www.structureshomes.com flooring: KMAC Greenworks 2850 35th Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama • www.kmacgreenworks.com woodwork: Aaron Lane, Lane Woodworking 205.337.2811 concrete work: Jeremy Darnell, Vessels of Expression 205.613.0538 metalwork: Manuel Hernandez, Hernandez Forging 205.655.4766 entry: Italian light fixture: Circa Interiors and Antiques 2831 Culver Road, Birmingham, Alabama • 205.868.9199 listening room: rugs: Paige Albright Orientals 2814 Petticoat Lane, Birmingham, Alabama • www.paigealbrightorientals.com armoire: 1st Dibs, New York www.1stdibs.com kitchen/keeping room: appliances: AllSouth Appliance 4 W. Oxmoor Road, Birmingham, Alabama • 205.942.0408 • www.allsouthappliance.net banquette: Mark Jordan, Mark V. Jordan Upholstery 334.279.0056 chandelier: French Market Antiques, Interiors Market, Pepper Place, Birmingham, Alabama • 205.323.4700 bergere chairs: Robuck and Company Antiques 425 Peachtree Hills Ave NE • www.robuckandcompany.com bar sink: Triton Stone 205.592.0202 • tritonstone.com nursery: painting: Amy Pleasant amypleasant.com custom changing table: Manuel Hernandez, Hernandez Forging 205.655.4766 oval crib: Stokke www.stokke.com bubble chandelier: Liza Sherman, New York www.lizashermanantiques.com master suite: concrete end tables (also chair in entry): Vessels of Expression 205.613.0538 linens: Suite Dreams 2409 Montevallo Road, Birmingham, Alabama • 205.414.1922 teak platform: Lane Woodworking 205.337.2811
 

Lucy Merrill

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Meet Marcia Unger

By
Molly Montgomery
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Originally a studio art major, Marcia Unger unexpectedly fell in love with interior design at an early age. She found her passion decorating for friends, and for more than 20 years she has been designing spaces in Birmingham and the surrounding area.“I was always helping friends decorate, so I decided to make a career change and do something completely different, ” Marcia says.

Over the years, Marcia Unger Interiors has evolved and grown into a thriving design company.

Marcia says she doesn’t feel that she has one signature style, but instead appreciates mixing design concepts and using pieces that don’t traditionally go together. “I think it’s really important to mix styles and textures and introduce unexpected elements into a room that add another layer to the story, ” Marcia says. “Whether it’s fabrics or art, I try to make things cohesive but interesting.”

“I look back at some of the things I did early on, and it’s a progression of styles and the ever-changing world around us that has dictated change. Today, I like very sleek but warm interiors.” – Marcia Unger

Designing for a variety of clients, Marcia has learned the art of helping homeowners realize their personal style. “Listening is very important, and it’s also important for a client to trust you, ” Marcia says. “Then, you can help them go down the path, but also help them make a change.”

In any space, Marcia says no matter how big or small the project, the space should be something that “lives” well, and quality of materials is essential. {Click here for “Cottage Contemporary” — a project of Unger's recently featured in Birmingham Home & Garden.}

“Functionality and comfort are my two main goals, ” Marcia says. She welcomes every project, no matter the size. “There’s no magic formula, it just depends on organization, listening, and a good team, ” Marcia says. “All of those things go into making a job successful.”

For years, Marcia ran Les Trois Marches, an antiques and design shop in English Village. Today, she continues to thrive in her design business but prefers to work out of her home.

Marcia Unger Interiors: 205.870.1380 • 2445 Fairway Drive,   Mountain Brook, AL 35213

Molly Montgomery

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Cottage Contemporary

By
Molly Montgomery
-

Building a home on a pie-shaped lot that once held the neighbor’s swimming pool seemed like a challenge to most people. But walking through the rooms of the expertly-styled home today, it feels as if the house has been nestled into its hillside spot forever. Built in the style of an old English cottage and accented with manicured garden spaces by landscape architect Ben Page, the newly constructed home fits seamlessly into the historic neighborhood.

“We tried to build in the style of the neighborhood, ” says Architect Chris Tippet of McAlpine Tankersley Architecture. “Birmingham has a lot of English Tudor—and that’s really what the house is—a cottage version of it.”

Empty nesters looking to downsize, the homeowners interviewed a number of architects and studied several floorplans for two years before finding a combination that made their dream of building on such a challenging lot possible. Chris presented a plan for a four-bedroom, 4, 500 square-foot home that gave the couple exactly what they were looking for—a house one room deep that would graciously fit on the lot.

“They wanted to be able to live on one level, ” says Chris. “The house is one-room deep so you can get light from both sides.”

With interior designer Marcia Unger’s help, the couple transitioned from the traditional design of their former home, just a few miles away, to modern elegance. Starting with a blank canvas brought new design goals. The couple discarded the majority of their old furniture. “We bought almost everything new, ” Marcia says. “We got the coffee table way before we had plans, and also believe it or not, the fire screen.” {For more on Marcia, click here.}

For the owners, the design change was a big jump. The home’s main living area is one large room on the first floor, divided into three separate areas. The master suite, and the kitchen reside on opposite ends. Bedrooms for guests or visiting grandchildren are tucked upstairs so the owner’s can close off the space as when not in use.

The open floorplan meant that the formal living area, dining room, and casual sitting room, needed to be cohesive and complementary, while still maintaining the individual intention of each space. Marcia used strategic furniture placement to define each area, and specific pieces played very important roles.

In the casual living area, a large rustic table and bold black iron chandelier act in tandem to create both a partition and a bridge between a formal sitting area and a family den.

The formal living area, is set with four matching armchairs gathered around a cocktail table for converstation. A grand piano nestles into a bay window. The brightly colored painting is even more vibrant in the neutral space.

In the dining area, casual mixes with elegant to create the perfect space for meals with friends and family. “We used a rustic antique table, and put really gorgeous chairs with it. They are tremendously comfortable and very sleek, ” Marcia says. Connecting it all, a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf spans the length of one wall in the expansive room, displaying family photos, books, and eye-catching accent pieces arranged to add character and personality. “The bookshelves took a lot of time, and I think they look phenomenal, ” Marcia says. “I love the library lights above as well, because they are so edgy and so contemporary.”

In the kitchen, top-of-the-line appliances were combined with Emperor Dark marble countertops. Details include wood and travertine tile floors and a stained cypress beamed ceiling. The breakfast nook features an antique wine tasting table and wooden chairs in the alcove of a bay window.

Whether entertaining or spending time with grandchildren, these owners have found a home that offers the perfect balance for their lifestyle. Planning and persistence paid off, and they now have a space to relax and enjoy friends, family, and great design.

Resources

interior design: Marcia Unger: Marcia Unger Interiors 205.870.1380 architect: Chris Tippet: McAlpine Tankersley Architecture 334.262.8315 • www.mcalpinetankersley.com builder: George Kurtts: Kurtts Construction 205.991.5719 landscape architecture: Ben Page: Page|Duke Landscape Architecture 615.320.0220 • www.pageduke.com living room sofas and chairs: R. Jones. & Associates Inc. 214.951.0091 • www.rjones.com coffee table: Interiors Market 404.352.0055 • www.interiorsmarket.com dining chairs: Stewart Furniture 276.744.0185 • www.stewartfurniture.com kitchen fixture: South of Market 404.995.9399 • www.southofmarket.biz dining fixture: Niermann Weeks Company 410.923.0123 • www.niermannweeks.com kitchen cabinets: S&H Cabinet Works 205.663.6381 kitchen appliances: Wolf range, Sub-Zero ovens and warming drawer: Kohler sink kitchen stools and living room rugs: Hiltz Lauber 205.879.0039 • www.hiltzlauber.com patio table and chairs: Restoration Hardware 205.967.1901 • www.restorationhardware.com patio clock and club chairs: MCJ Company Interiors 205.458.2700 kitchen sconces: Urban Electric Company 843.723.8140 • www.urbanelectricco.com draperies: Donghia www.donghia.com

Molly Montgomery

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Top 10 Favorite Plants

By
BHG Staff
-

Many homeowners are apt to choose the newest, most “In Trend” plant material. But these choices have a shorter lifespan and require more maintenance, irrigation, and fertilizers. I prefer using timeless native varieties that are already adapted to our climate.

Here are my top 10 native plants that I love to use in Southern gardens.

1. Buckeye – Aesculus pavia

A beautiful deciduous shrub or small tree. It has red blooms and a leafy texture.  They do really well with Magnolia, Beech trees, and Oakleaf Hydrangeas because of pH, water, texture and shade necessity.

2. Piedmont Azalea – Rhododendron canescens

It is a specimen deciduous shrub. It has pink fragrant blooms and a fine leaf texture. This shrub works really well near other acid loving, heavy textured plants.

3. Swamp Maple – Acer rubrum

Also named Red Maple. It is a very common tree used in the American landscape. It has excellent fall color and is great for creating shade and controlling views. This tree is good to use in soil types that do not drain well.

4. Oakleaf Hydrangea – Hydrangea quercifolia

This is a strong “go to” plant for me because of its proven adaptability and success. It has an amazing white bloom, beautiful fall foliage, and can handle an array of sun requirements.

5. Dwarf Witch Alder – Fothergilla gardenii

This plant is another great landscape plant for its beautiful white flowers, nice shape that it naturally keeps, and its ease of maintenance. It is a bit more sensitive to moisture and light requirements so make sure it is used in the right spot before planting.

Clockwise from top: American Beech, Serviceberry and Yaupon Holly

6. American Beech – Fagus americana

Mid story tree is a beautiful addition to any estate type property or anywhere you are trying to add a sense of maturity. It has great papery white bark and holds its yellow leaves all winter. This tree is very unique in its characteristics and once established, can handle virtually no water.

7. Wax Myrtle – Myrica cerifera

One of my favorite landscape plants can act as understory trees or screening shrubs. It is best NOT to fertilize this plant because it creates its own Nitrogen from the air. It also does really well in high and dry sites all the way down to wetland areas. It also has a great fragrance and is semi-evergreen.

8. Standard Yaupon Holly – Ilex vomitoria

This shrub is one that I have just started using a good bit. It originally had a bad taste in my mouth due to its over used variety “Nana” (Dwarf Yaupon). I have found that it is a great screening shrub to small tree that is virtually bullet proof (It is a tough plant when it comes to water and sun necessity).

9. American Alumroot – Heuchera Americana

Great full shade perennial. Deer typically leave this alone because of its abundance in the wild. It is mainly used for its showy foliage and the success it has in the modern landscape.  This, just like most of my list today, needs very little supplemental water once established.

10. Serviceberry – Amelanchier arborea

It is also called “shadbush”, which to fishermen, indicate when the shad (bait fish) are most active in the rivers.  It is also widely accepted in the modern landscape for its white flowers, red berries, silver bark and fall color. This is not the toughest plant on my list today, but is still very well equipped for our climate.

Daniel L. McCurry
fathernaturelandscapes
www.fathernaturelandscapes.com
c. 205.533.4809
o. 205.307.5972
Follow Father Nature on Facebook!
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Birmingham’s Got Panache

By
BHG Staff
-

Interiors Southeast is the first book in an international series showcasing the impressive work of professionals who effortlessly meet all of the challenges of design, expressing the homeowners’ lifestyle and sense of style in thoughtful and creative ways. Featuring the original and diverse residences of professional interior designers in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina, the book offers an insider look at private retreats and delves deeper as the experts share their philosophy and advice gleaned through years of industry experience. For more, pick up a copy of the September/October issue of Birmingham Home & Garden today.

 

Marjorie Johnston & Co.

Marjorie Johnston & Co. / 2841 Culver Road / Birmingham, AL 35223 / 205.414.7860 / www.mhjinteriors.com

Marjorie Johnston and Wendy Barze have been taught by experience that the home is defined by who lives there. No matter the scope of the project, the challenge in designing is to interpret and fulfill the homeowner’s vision through the choices of fabrics, furnishings, and accessories. Rooms should be subtle and comfortable, while simultaneously exhibiting a classic, fresh design with unexpected twists. At the core of every project, a subtle Southern aesthetic prevails, living casually with fine things.

Jane Hawkins Hoke

Jane Hawkins Hoke / 2102 Cahaba Rd # A / Mountain Brook, AL 35223 / 205.879.3406

As the granddaughter of Harry Hayden Hawkins, who established Hawkins Israel in 1929, Jane has an innate passion for design. In Jane’s three-decade career, she has designed many home interiors and developed even more friendships. Although she enjoys creating vacation homes in the mountains and at the beach, her first love is designing the places that people call home, beautiful primary residences throughout the city of Birmingham.

Richard Tubb

Richard Tubb Interiors / 2829 Second Avenue South / Birmingham, AL 35233 / 205.324.7613 / www.richardtubbinteriors.com

Richard Tubb Interiors is an ever-evolving showroom of furnishings and vingettes set in spaces that look like you could actually live in them. In the living room above, Richard designed the space for a family of four. His design intentions are always for a room to have timeless appeal and be lived in and enjoyed daily. His foundations often begin with neutrals, mixing in pattern and color with artwork and accessories. Photo by Mitchell Sargent

Circa Interiors

Circa Interiors & Antiques / Birmingham and Charlotte / www.circaonline.net

Creating a timeless design requires a keen eye and a deep understanding of past trends. For Cindy Smith and daughter Whitney Johnson, those attributes translate into a refined ability to extract just the right elements from certain periods to create a classic, functional ambiance. The foundation for each room centers on quality furniture that won’t tire over time. Combining antiques and new pieces, conventional with contemporary, the quality furnishings impart a quiet, confident style. Photo by Steven Young

J. Edwards Interiors

J. Edwards Interiors / Jenny Edwards / 2839 Culver Road, Suite 203 / Birmingham, AL 35223 / 205.870.5100 www.jedwardsinteriors.com

“Designers are, in effect, part visionaries and part realists, ” says Jenny Edwards. “They must see the ideas that the homeowner may describe or create a vision based on their observations of the homeowner’s lifestyle. For Jenny, this philosophy seems second nature. Growing up in an artistic, well-designed environment where everyone respected what they had, Jenny has held onto her roots and developed a talent for seeing fresh ideas and knowing how to use them to design tasteful, beautiful spaces. Photo by Beau Gustafson

Images and words courtesy of Interiors Southeast (Panache Partners, published by Brain Carabet and John Shand, distributed by IPG.)

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From the Ground Up

By
BHG Staff
-
Birmingham Home & Garden is excited to give you a sneak peek into our 2011 Inspiration Home at The Cove at Overton. This fabulous new home will be previewed in our November/December issue. Then our January/February issue will feature a blowout special section showcasing each room and all building and design products and ideas that went into making it. For those of you who cannot wait for the January/February issue, the house will be open for tours from November 19 through December 4, as well as December 10 and 11 as a featured home on the Independent Presbyterian Church Holiday House Tour.

To give you a taste of the quality and great ideas you will find in the 2011 Inspiration Home, we would like to introduce our building and design team:

Charles Kessler, Developer

The Cove at Overton, 205-999-9881

Charles G. Kessler, Jr. has been working in Birmingham real estate and development for more than 30 years. His reputation is defined by his commitment to building quality commercial and residential buildings and homes in and around the city. His ventures include properties in Homewood, Vestavia, and most recently The Parc at Overton in Mountain Brook and Pumphouse Village in Vestavia Hills, along with redevelopments of Heritage Parc in Hoover and Ross Bridge. Birmingham Home & Garden is excited about building our Inspiration Home at The Cove at Overton, a neighborhood bridging Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills. With every project, Charles believes in creating a lifestyle and a place to call home.

Chris Reebals, Architect

Christopher Architects

, 205-413-8531

“My love of community architecture was shaped by my surroundings: front porches, neighborhood cookouts, sidewalks, and street side sports were extremely influential, ” says Homewood native and architect Chris Reebals.

After attending Auburn University’s prestigious Architecture program where he played football and graduated with honors, Chris began his professional career with a large southeast architecture firm. In 2002, he began Christopher and Associates with an objective to listen and create. “By understanding our client’s vision, we can create unique and beautiful spaces which express personality and passion, ” Chris says.

Chris is an award-winning architect and the president and founder of Christopher and Associates, an architecture and interiors firm specializing in custom residential design and community planning.

Tracery Interiors, Interior Design

2405 Montevallo Road, Mountain Brook,   AL  35223, 205-414-6026
72 Main Street, Rosemary Beach, FL 32461, 850-231-6755

Tracery is a nationally recognized interior design firm founded by Paige Sumblin Schnell in 2004 on the principle that all aspects of design are interconnected and the visions and needs of the client are paramount. “The melding of styles and materials instills a home with personality and character, ” explains Page. “I love to mix clean lined furniture with vintage and antique pieces.” Projects are executed with passion and personal attention to detail. An enhanced quality of life is the ultimate goal.

Tracery’s designers work in collaboration with studios located in Rosemary Beach, Florida and Mountain Brook, Alabama. Paige guides the firm and is joined by designers Anna Kay Porch, Bess Marshall, and Doug Davis. Their diverse portfolio spans nationally.

Whether it’s a grand home, a modest renovation, or just a color scheme, Tracery creates emotionally evocative spaces with timeless appeal. Tracery has been published in Birmingham Home & Garden, House Beautiful, Southern Living, Food & Wine, Vanity Fair, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Coastal Living, Country Living, Florida Life + Travel, and Southern Accents.

Jenny Carpenter, Landscape Designer

205-991-6063

Jenny Carpenter, of Carpenter’s Creations, is a graduate of Auburn University with a B.S. in Landscape Design and Ornamental Horticulture. After working in Auburn, then Columbus, Georgia, she and her husband Bill moved to Birmingham.

Jenny has designed residential landscape designs in the Over-The-Mountain area, assisting homeowners and builders to achieve custom looks to meet individual needs. She also has enjoyed doing design work for second homes at Lake Martin, Logan Martin, Lay Lake, Lake Mitchell, Smith Lake, and Lake Tuscaloosa.

She assists business owners and developers with commercial properties and enjoys helping homeowners update their existing gardens and landscapes.

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Frank Stitt’s Guide to Successful Kitchen Design

By
Molly Montgomery
-

Frank Stitt knows a thing or two about kitchens. As the owner of Highlands Bar and Grill, Bottega, and Chez Fon Fon, he’s seen his share of kitchen designs and knows what works and what doesn’t. Frank recently spoke to AIA Birmingham at European Kitchen of Alabama about functionality both at home and in commercial kitchens.

“All the aesthetics come together when you create a place that feels really great. Architecture is so important, ” Frank says, pointing out that it’s not only the food that makes a restaurant successful, but also the atmosphere. Aesthetically pleasing kitchens rely on design as well. In fact, Frank stresses the importance of making the kitchen a focal point in any home.

“We all want to hang out in the kitchen. We all want be drawn into that warmth, ” Frank says. “For me, it was my mom’s kitchen that set the tone for what I do.”

“Kitchens are the incredible, strong, spiritual center of our home and our life, and I think that we’ve got to do whatever we can to nurture and accentuate it, ” Frank says.

10 Tips for A Successful Kitchen

1. Pivot Point. Keep essentials within reach. Kitchen layouts work best in a triangle design. Refrigerators, prep spaces, and sinks should be equidistant from each another, preferably less than 15 feet.

2. Have a Seat. Every kitchen is different. Some may accommodate 4-6 guests; others can seat 8-10. A breakfast bar is a great option for maximizing seating without sacrificing square footage.

3. Wash Up. Two sinks in separate locations are helpful. Designating a sink for prep and a sink for clean up helps keep messes to a minimum.

4. Let Your Garden Grow. Herbs add flavor to any chef’s cuisine. Guarantee freshness by planting an at-home garden. Some of Frank’s favorites include rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, and basil.

5. Act Professional. An excellent ventilation system is key to any well-functioning kitchen. Installing a professional-grade hood is both a good investment and will keep your kitchen fresh and clean.

6. Make it Count. It’s important to have prepspace as well as serving space, especially if the design incorporates a breakfast bar or counter buffet. Limestone or granite countertops add quality to quantity.

7. Give it Personality. Character and charm can come from folk art, retro lighting, or a rare flea market find. “My own kitchen is very simple, ” Frank says. “I have an 18th century French butcher’s table, slides for knives, and big marble slabs.”

8. Be Touchy Feely. Limestone sinks and wooden countertops invigorate the senses. Interesting textures and surfaces provide a stimulating environment for cooking and entertaining. Frank enjoys quality utensils that put you in contact with the food, such as sharp knives or a mortor and pestle.

9. Let Your Light Shine. Natural lighting is a must. Utilize windows and open spaces to bring in lots of outside light. Overhead lighting is important as well. Look for fixtures that are both practical and pretty.

10. Turn Up the Heat. Multiple ovens can be a huge time-saver when cooking for large groups. Frank says convection capability is essential, as well as a cooktop with at least six burners.

Tortellini Salad with Chicken, Pine Nuts, Sultanas, and Balsamic

Serves 4
The few times we’ve dared to replace this dish on the Bottega Café menu, our regular crowd screams in protest. It’s deliciously simple once you’ve assembled all the components, and very satisfying. I have been known to snack on this on those many afternoons when lunch has passed me by.

1/4 cup Homemade Mayonnaise* (see below) or high-quality commercial mayonnaise
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette** (see below)
2 small heads romaine lettuce, sliced into 1-inch-wide strips
4 cups (about 1 pound) cooked store-bought fresh cheese tortellini
Four 6-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts, grilled and cut into large cubes
1 heaping tablespoon pine nuts, toasted*** (see below)
1/4 cup sultanas (golden raisins)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, or quartered if large
1 scant tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the mayonnaise and vinaigrette together in a small bowl.

Toss the romaine leaves with half of the dressing in a large bowl and divide among four plates. Add the tortellini, chicken, pine nuts, sultanas, half of the tomatoes, and the parsley to the bowl and toss to coat with the remaining dressing. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Arrange on top of the lettuce leaves, garnish with the remaining cherry tomatoes, and serve.

To Drink: Pinot Grigio (Livio Felluga)

*Homemade Mayonnaise

Makes 1 3/4 cups

Homemade mayonnaise is one of the most versatile sauces there is. During my first book tour, a Southern grande dame exclaimed, “Southern ladies do not serve store-bought mayonnaise!” At the restaurant, we make mayo by hand with a balloon whisk and elbow grease, but the food processor does a good job. In a pinch, good store-bought mayonnaise (I like Hellman’s, called Best Food out West) is a fine stand-in.

1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of cayenne
1 1/2 cups canola or grapeseed oil
1 to 2 tablespoons warm water, if needed

Combine the egg, egg yolk, and salt in a food processor and process for 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice, mustard, and cayenne and process for 15 seconds with the machine running. Slowly pour the oil through the feed tube until the mayonnaise is thick and emulsified. If the mixture becomes too dense, stop pouring in the oil and add warm water, a little at a time, until the mayonnaise loosens, then slowly incorporate the remaining oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The mayonnaise can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

**Balsamic Vinaigrette

Makes a generous 1 cup
Balsamic vinegar has become a victim of its own success. True artisanal balsamic vinegar is one of Italy’s treasures, but there are many more imitation balsamics than the authentic variety, aceto balsamico di Modena, which is aged in wood barrels of decreasing size as it matures and concentrates. As with most ingredients, you get what you pay for. An excellent value is condimento balsamico di Modena. It’s not the ultraluxe version, but it captures balsamic’s true spirit—the fruitiness of ripe grapes transformed and matured—and is good for most purposes.

Letting the shallot macerate in the vinegar tames its bite while infusing the vinegar with its flavor.

1 medium shallot, finely minced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the shallot, vinegar, thyme, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside to macerate for about 10 minutes.

Whisk in the olive oil and taste and adjust the seasonings. The vinaigrette will keep for several days in a jar in the refrigerator.

***Toasting Nuts 

Toasting nuts brings out their flavor and gives them added crunch. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 325°F oven, shaking the pan from time to time, until the nuts are aromatic and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Monitor them carefully, as they can burn quickly. If you need only a small quantity of toasted nuts, you can toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant. We usually toast pine nuts in a skillet, so we can keep an eye on them; they tend to scorch easily because of their high oil content. Blanching hazelnuts or other nuts means removing their skins. To toast and blanch hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds, toast as above, then wrap the warm nuts in a kitchen towel and rub together to remove the skins (don’t worry about removing every last bit of skin).

Old-Fashioned Tomato Salad

Serves 4
The old-fashioned salad I grew up with is a vinegary mix of tomatoes cut into chunks, with some sliced cucumbers and onions all tossed together with a little fresh dill. This presentation is just a bit more refined. Make this only when the ingredients are perfect, in July or August, and tomatoes and cucumbers are at their best. Choose varieties such as Brandywine, Big Beef, Atkinson, German Pink, or Green Zebra. Use small pickling-type cucumbers, such as Kirby or thin-skinned Persian. Avoid tomatoes that have been refrigerated—their flavor will have suffered substantially.

For a heartier version of this salad, add some blanched or boiled little green beans, tiny beets, and/or just-dug new potatoes.

2 small Kirby cucumbers, skin removed in wide zebralike stripes
Sea salt
1 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia, cut into thin rings
2 tablespoons cider-honey vinegar (2 tablespoons cider vinegar plus 1⁄2 teaspoon honey) or red wine or sherry vinegar
4 to 8 nice tomatoes—a variety of flavorful types in different colors, sizes, and shapes, cored and thickly sliced
About 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, preferably an assortment, halved
3 tablespoons finest-quality extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
A handful of fresh herbs, such as chives, dill, mint sprigs, and basil leaves coarsely chopped

If the cucumbers are small enough that the seeds have not fully developed, simply slice them thin. If the seeds are noticeable, cut the cucumbers lengthwise in half and, with a small spoon, remove the seeds; then slice. Toss with a good pinch of sea salt in a small bowl and place in the refrigerator to macerate for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the thinly sliced onion with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar in a bowl and refrigerate for 15 minutes. (Macerating the onion slices both crisps them and tames their pungency.)

Arrange the sliced tomatoes attractively on a large platter. Scatter the cherry tomatoes over and around them.

To serve, drain the cucumbers and squeeze to remove any excess liquid. Toss with the onion slices and scatter over the tomatoes. Drizzle over the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar and the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss the herbs over everything.

To drink: Sancerre, Delaporte, Sancerre, Reverdy

Molly Montgomery

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Close Quarters

By
Callie Blackwell
-

When everyone else saw a hill, David Brush saw a pool. He’s not crazy. He’s the inventive landscape developer who transformed one of Birmingham’s rolling hills into a modern oasis created for restaurant owner, John Cassimus in 2007. John wanted the small space in his back lot to become a contemporary garden and with the help and ingenuity of David, he created just that. Of course, the biggest issue was space. The hillside was excavated and a retaining wall put in place to hollow out a workable area. “The more space that is grabbed can be used to create a marriage between reclaiming space but not having walls too big, ” David says.

The hill soon became a peaceful retreat with elements that optimized the area available and the wanted use of a contemporary design. The garden utilizes vertical plants to create dimension and also a unique gardening method called Espalier. Espalier is an age-old, plant-training technique, which creates beautiful and interesting plant formations. David designed this outdoor space with these plants in mind when he asked the developer to create hollowed out recesses in the retaining wall. “I wanted to create picture frames within the wall. The plants are the artwork.”

Using mostly greenery and blue pebbles for edging, the color palette pulls finishes off this serene escape. The entertaining aspect of this space was key in development and features three seating areas, an outdoor grill and speaker system that can be controlled from indoors. “John wanted it to be a social stage and an extension of the main room of the house, ” says David. John has since sold the house, but now, the pool is a playground for a new family.

David N. Brush Landscape Architecture • 76 Burnham Street, Birmingham, AL 35242; 205.408.2214; www.davidnbrush.com

Callie Blackwell

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