Design & Build Magazine May/June 2015

Design & Build 

designbuildmagazine.net MAY/JUNE 2015 $6.99 

be inspired... 

Cover feature: 

Château Soleil 

Atlanta Symphony Decorators’ 

Show House and Gardens 

Take it Outside 

The Charm of an Outdoor 

Movie Screening

...for when you need a little more Zen. 

NOLAND ... ATLANTA’S BATH AND IDEA CENTER 

4084 Presidential Pky 

Atlanta, GA 30340 

Store Hours 

(770) 458-2111 (p) Mon - Fri 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

(770) 458-0290 (f) 

MTI “Adrian” Freestanding Soaker Tub

2 

Welcome to Design & Build 

... be inspired! 

MAY/JUNE 2015 • DESIGN&BUILD MAGAZINE 

Note from the Editor in Chief 

There are many types of architecture 

to fall in love 

with, but my new favorite 

is the French château. My visit 

to the Atlanta Symphony Showcase 

Home and Gardens is the 

joie de vivre behind this love affair. 

Château Soleil, a gorgeous 

Neoclassical home located on 

Northside Drive, was on tour this 

spring to raise money for the Atlanta 

Symphony Orchestra’s outreach 

programs. It is truly amazing 

to drive past the many fabulous 

homes located in this section of 

Atlanta, but quite another to get a 

glimpse inside one of the jewels 

of the neighborhood. This year, 

the event showcased the work of 

more than 30 of the top decorators 

in the city and what a “WOW!” 

factor there was. Even with so 

many different styles, the rooms 

exhibited a great flow—meshing 

well together—and each decorator 

took great pride in presenting their 

work. If you missed this wonderful 

home tour, go ahead and put it 

on your calendar for 2016, and in 

the meantime, plan to visit the 2nd 

Annual Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles 

Designer Showhouse, Sept 

11 - Oct 4 at Serenbe in the Chattahoochee 

Hills outside of Atlanta. 

It’s an easy drive and well worth 

the taking. Experience the magic 

of Serenbe, a community which 

maintains a focus on wellbeing. 

You may want to kick off your 

shoes, “buy some boots, and faded 

jeans and get back to the basics 

of life.” (lyrics from Waylon Jennings’ 

“Luckenbach, Texas”) 

Middleton Place is one of my 

favorite places on earth for many 

different reasons. This plantation 

in Dorchester County is a National 

Historic Landmark and home to 

America’s oldest landscaped gardens. 

It is a short drive outside of 

the bustle of Charleston, but miles 

away in serenity. I have fond memories 

of staying there years ago 

when the Inn at Middleton Place 

first opened its doors to welcome 

guests. It was a joy to revisit and 

explore the grounds once again, 

from touring the gardens and the 

stable yard to taking in the wonder 

of it all. If you decide to visit, I advise 

you to do nothing at all except 

turn off all your devices, relax, and 

take in the scenery. Perhaps you 

will catch a glimpse of a majestic 

Bald Eagle floating over the Ashley 

River, or just close your eyes 

to be transported back in time. It’s 

all up to you. 

DESIGN&BUILD, MAY/JUNE 2015 Issue (ISSN 2376-0656). Published bimonthly (J/F, M/A, M/J, J/A, 

S/O & N/D) by Kim Jackson Media Group, LLC., 183 West Jefferson Street, Box 4, Madison, GA 30650. 

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DESIGN & BUILD, P.O. Box 1085, Madison, GA 30650. 

President & Publisher 

William D. Medlock 

Editor in Chief 

Kim D. Jackson 

Editor/Creative Director 

Tracey Buckalew 

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TheMasters 2015 

www.blacksheepinteriors.com • 404.622.9001 

Shane Meder presents 

BLACK SHEEP INTERIORS

May-June 2015 

InspiringPlaces 

BeautifulSpaces 

8 Neoclassical Beauty 

The 2015 Atlanta 

Symphony Associates’ 

Show House & Gardens 

Atlanta, GA 

16 Beach Sexy 

Hilton Head Island, SC 

Suzita 

22 The Midas Touch 

Augusta, GA 

8 16 22 

Columns 

MILESTONES 

30 Intent to Reinvent: 

ChristChurch Presbyterian 

Depa rtments 

SIPS ALONG THE WAY 

42 Wine and the Arts 

THE FINAL NAIL 

62 When Opportunity Knocks... 

28 A NEW LIFE 

How a Small Town Rocks the Music World 

34 ART BY DESIGN 

Guitar Hero: Scott Baxendale 

52 GOOD FINDS 

SWASH by Whirlpool 

Tagg GPS Pet Tracker 

e-cloth & Universal Stone 

LG Twin Wash 

38 KEEPERS OF THE CULTURE 

The Color of Gullah-Geechee 

54 OUTDOOR SPACES 

Take that Party Outside 

(with recipes!) 

44 GREAT ESCAPES 

44 DESTINATION GOLF: The Inn at Middleton Place 

48 DESTINATION LUXURY: Hills & Dales Estates 

34 ART BY DESIGN 

Guitar Hero: Scott Baxendale 

38 KEEPERS OF THE CULTURE 

The Color of Gullah-Geechee 

TALK OF THE TRADE 

56 Design: At Home with Shane 

Shane Meder 

58 Remodel: The Perfect Marriage 

Vanessa Reilly 

60 Finance: Consider This 

Lee Abney 

Ghosts of Notre Dame 

30 x 40 

(price upon request) 

50 PET FRIENDLY SPACES 

Hidden in Plain Sight 

64 ADVERTISERS 

On the cover: 

At 14,000 sq. ft of opulence, the 

2015 ASO Decorator Showcase 

Home & Gardens boasts a room 

to satisfy every taste. 

suzitageorge.com 

Tel 239.248.0659 

4 


Cover photography 

by Kim Jackson 

Madison, Georgia

Contributors 

BQ vert seasons ad:Layout 1 3/11/15 1:04 PM Page 1 

6 

Doc Lawrence 

Veteran travel writer and published 

author Doc Lawrence 

combines three decades 

of experience on the road 

with expertise in wine, spirits, 

arts, fine dining and Southern 

heritage. One of the country’s 

top journallists, Doc, based 

in Atlanta, covers America’s 


Vanessa Reilly has been listing 

and selling homes in Atlanta 

for over a decade. In 2008, 

she married her love for interior 

design with her passion 

for mid-century architecture 

and flipped her first home. 

Since then, she has visualized, 


Jamie Miles 

After graduating high school, 

Jamie traveled to Dallas, 

Texas and attended Southern 

Methodist University. She 

received a B.F.A. in Video 

Cinema and a B. S. in Political 

Science. From there she traveled 

to Emory University in At- 

Shane Meder 

Shane Meder is an award-winning 

designer primarily serving 

Atlanta and surrounding communities 

for more than 20 years. 

His Atlanta-based firm, Black 

Sheep Interiors, is committed 

to offering highly personalized 

interior design to clients, helping 

them create the home of 

lanta, Georgia and received 

her Juris Doctorate. A twist of 

events opened the door to 

a creative writing platform, 

and once Jamie slipped her 

5’9 ½” inch frame through 

the wee opening, she never 

looked back. 

their dreams. While the majority 

of the firm’s projects embrace 

current home design and new 

construction throughout the 

Atlanta area, Black Sheep Interior’s 

work also includes homes 

and estates in New York, Chicago, 

San Francisco, Dallas, Hilton 

Head, Brussels, and London. 

stages, parks, galleries, artisinal 

farms and fine dining 

restaurants. Co-authored 

with TV Celebrity Chef Lara 

Lyn Carter, “Southern Thymes 

Shared” (Pelican Publishing) 

Doc pairs the wines of the 

world with Ms. Carter’s amazing 

recipes. 

designed and sold dozens of 

modern renovations in metro 

Atlanta. She is the Broker/ 

Owner of domoREALTY, a 

Real Estate firm that specializes 

in listing and selling some of 

the coolest homes in the ATL. 

Contributing Photographers / Images 

Mary Powell Photography 

Ed Castro Landscape 

Brandy Angel 

Kim Jackson 

Neal’s Design & Remodel 

Julie Herron Carson 

Dana Browner 

Bryan Patrick Flynn /HGTV 

Scripps Networks Interactive/DIYNetwork.com 

Pamela Baxendale 

Lee Abney 

Lee M. Abney is an 

attorney in Madison, 

Georgia focusing 

on Real Estate 

law. 

In his spare time, 

he is a father, 

husband, an avid 

runner, and occasional 

writer. 

Christine Tibbetts 

Christine Tibbetts is 

a veteran journalist, 

classically trained 

as a reporter and 

editor. A New Jersey 

native living in 

Georgia, she crafts 

stories focusing on 

the essence of places 

and the people 

within them. 

Lake Oconee,Georgia 

for 

Your 

Weekends 

for 

Your 

Seasons 

Begin your journey here! 

BRIAN QUINN 

Lake Oconee’s #1 Realtor 

c 706.347.2368 

o 706.467.3181 

bquinn@plantationcable.net 

lakeoconeegolfcommunities.com 

for 

Your 

Lifetime 

Lake Oconee Realty 

Tom Martin, Broker-in-Charge 

2800 Reynolds Walk Trail 

Greensboro, Georgia 30642

InspiringPlacesBeautifulSpaces 

Loren Taylor Interior Design - Grand Foyer 

Melanie Turner Interiors - Guest Bedroom 

C 

Neoclassical Beaut y 

CHÂTEAU SOLEIL IS THE 2015 ATLANTA SYMPHONY classically-designed, formal, terraced garden with inviting 

walkways that surround the saline swimming pool, 

Associates (ASA) Decorators’ Show House & Gardens 

home, held April 18 – May 10. This stunning neoclassical 

French château by architectural designer William T. Baker arrived to the building industry through a back 

and a large motor court for an inviting entrance. 

Founded in 1970, the Decorators’ Show House & Gardens is a fundraising 

Baker, was built in 1998 on two lushly landscaped acres. door. After graduating from Emory University with an 

cornerstone of the Atlanta Symphony Associates (ASA). All proceeds benefit 

At 14,000 square-foot, the grand estate is considered MBA in finance, he worked at Sun Trust bank where he 

the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s education and community outreach initiatives, 

which touch the lives of countless children and adults throughout great- 

one of the finest examples of European-style craftsmanship 

in Atlanta and is an early example of a Baker home. banking. Baker grew up in Nashville where his father 

soon discovered his real passion was architecture, not 

The house features six bedrooms, seven baths, four halfbaths 

and a 26-foot, domed, marble entrance. The house completing a few drafting classes, he was ready to open 

was a furniture maker, so design runs in his veins. Upon 

er Atlanta each year. Leading interior designers from across Atlanta, grace 

one of the city’s storied estates with a collective aesthetic vision, and the 

also boasts a Versailles-inspired grand living room with his business. Interestingly, Château Soleil was one of 

marble fireplace and a formal dining room with 16-foot the first houses ever drawn on a CAD program. Before 

“one of a kind” open house attracts thousands of visitors each year. 

ceilings, three intimate family rooms, and a separate then, according to Baker, all houses were hand-drafted. 

library and study. The grounds include a breathtaking, “Château Soleil was designed for a family who moved 

8 MAY/JUNE 2015 • DESIGN&BUILD MAGAZINE DESIGN&BUILD MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2015 9

to the Atlanta area. I was involved from the lot purchase 

to the completion of the house, which is situated 

along a ridge. The land slopes away from front 

and rear, which made it perfect from a gardening 

aspect, as well as providing spectacular views. In 

building, it is important to start with the land and 

study the property to determine the best place to put 

the house. Topography always determines the footprint 

of the house.” 

His client for Château Soleil possessed a real interest 

in French architecture. “They had spent time 

in France, and had a vision for a home that would 

be symmetrical in style. The first floor ceilings are 

12 feet high. This is important, because it enables 

you to correctly proportion the French doors and 

windows. In French architectural design, doors and 

windows are more than a two-to-one ratio. They are 

taller and thinner...60 inches wide,” Baker explains. 

“While it is symmetrical and formal, this is still a 

really fun house. When you go into the foyer, there 

is a vestibule hall that leads to a two-story rotunda. 

This is a real surprise to anyone who has not been 

here before.” 

The house is very cheerful and colorful, and has 

a great visual connection to the grounds and gardens, 

with a wonderful circular flow. “The owners 

presented me with a program for the house,” Baker 

elaborates. “They wanted a master on the first floor 

with a his-and-her bath, along with a guest suite, 

kitchen, formal dining, study and breakfast room, 

all on the main floor. This is a large program for 

the first floor, and it still needed to be symmetrical.” 

In neoclassical times, the French saw symmetry in 

nature and in certain forms, shape and proportions. 

As a result, they believed that certain proportions in 

nature are more pleasing than others. 

Baker shared with me the steps that he takes 

during the construction process, particularly for designing 

an estate home. 

Lot selection is the first criteria to consider. 

The type of home to be built will be dictated by 

the topography with driveways and garages. It is at 

this time the builder should look to see if there are 

views, or natural lighting upon which they should 

capitalize. 

Second is to develop a program for what the 

owners want. How many bedrooms? How many 

types of other rooms? How they will entertain in the 

house, and how many people do they expect to entertain 

in the dining room? How do the rooms relate 

Stuart Pliner Design - Butler’s Pantry and Dining Room Hall 

Robert Brown Interior Design - Master Bedroom 

Boxwoods - Formal Dining Room 

10 

MAY/JUNE 2015 • DESIGN&BUILD MAGAZINE DESIGN&BUILD MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2015 11

Rooms Revamped - Kitchen 

Vern Yip Designs - Family Room 

to the exterior gardens? All this has to be considered. 

Third is to understand what style or materials 

for which the clients have ideas. Maybe they want a 

French house or want a stone house with a slate roof. 

Perhaps they want a family friendly house. It’s best if 

they are familiar with many types. If not, we start going 

through a photo journey—the discovery process— 

sometimes short, sometimes long, until we are all in 

agreement that the details are complete. 

Lastly, as the designer, I come back with suggestions. 

I will bring them fresh ideas; things they have 

not considered but will add to the overall design. 

Baker believes it is important for a house to live well 

and age well, and those are two very key goals. “You 

want a house to live long and happily, to be multiple 

generational. Houses have their own You want to know the 

lives... I design houses that age well, quality of construction is 

with sustainable architecture being the 

going to be the highest 

goal. Houses built since the mid 80’s 

have been a turning point as to when 

possible, because it is 

construction quality jumped. The quality 

of today’s construction is far supe- 

the client perfection. 

so important to give 

rior, due to building codes becoming 

- William Baker 

more stringent.” 

Baker’s favorite projects are the estate 

lot houses which he claims bring “the joy of his 

profession for me.” He prefers to oversee the entire 

project from construction plans forward, and has a 

handful of architects, decorators, landscape architects 

and contractors that are his preferred partners. 

“ 

“ 

William T. Baker. Residential Designer 

Mr. Baker founded his Atlanta based firm, 

William T. Baker & Associates, in 1985. He 

has received numerous awards for his work 

including the prestigious Arthur Ross Award 

for Architecture in New York City in 1993, 

the Urban Design Commission Award for 

Excellence in Atlanta in 2005 and The Georgia Trust for 

Historic Preservation - Preservation Award for Excellence 

in Rehabilitation of a Historic Structure Atlanta, 

Georgia, 2002. 

In 2004, he published his first book, New Classicists, 

an international best seller that has been translated into 

Mandarin. In 2008, he published a second book, Architectural 

Excellence in a Diverse World Culture, discussing 

the principles of architectural aesthetics. Since then, 

he has published Great American Homes Volumes 1 and 

2 featuring more recent work from his portfolio. 

This talented individual is the Founder and Principal 

of one of the foremost residential architecture firms in 

the United States today. He has achieved an international 

reputation for high-design combined with a keen sensitivity 

for plans that live well. 

He enjoys a reputation for the impeccable design of 

private residences, commercial projects, and historic 

renovations. His work spans the world and has been featured 

extensively in print and broadcast media. He writes 

and lectures on a variety of subjects including architectural 

design, theory, and the history of architecture. 

DB Written by Kim Jackson 

12 


Where to get the Look 

Ann Wisniewski 

AJW Designs, Inc. 

Powder Room by Kitchen 

Design Students 

Art Institute of Atlanta 

Recreation Room 

Beth Kooby 

Beth Kooby Design 

Terrace & Staircase 

Powder Rooms 

Randy Korando & 

Dan Belman 

Boxwoods 

Dining Room 

Barbara Peacock-Snook 

California Closets 

“His” Master Closet 

Cathy Rhodes 

Cathy Rhodes Interiors 

Rear Stairwell & Terrace 

Landing 

Chip Wade 

Chip Wade Creative 

Front Terrace & Side 

Kitchen Patio 

Douglas Hilton 

DWH Interiors 

Grand Stairwell 

Hanna Seaton & Ed Castro 

Ed Castro Landscape 

Pool Deck 

Gregg Irby 

Gregg Irby Gallery 

Gallery Cafe 

Danielle Rollins & 

Bill Ingram 

Ingram Rollins 

“Hers” Master Bath & Closet 

Jessica Bradley 

Jessica Bradley Interiors 

Laundry Room & Pantry 

It took a 

village... 

Chateau Soleil Grand Entrance 

Maxine Hyland & 

Danielle King 

Kings Home furnishings 

Rear Stairwell & Landing 

Bryan Kirkland, Iesia King 

Kirkland & King Design 

Assoc. 

Guest Room 1 

Kimberly Grigg 

Knotting Hill Interiors 

Nursery & Bath 

Loren Audrey Taylor 

Loren Taylor Interior Design 

Foyer 

Bill Hudgins 

Lush Life 

Upper Terrace 

Melanie Turner 

Melanie Turner Interiors 

Guest Bedroom & Bath 

Nina Nash 

Mathews Furniture 

Rear Entry Hallway 

Lance Jackson & 

David Ecton 

Parker Kennedy Living 

Gentlemen’s Study 

Patricia McLean 

Patricia McLean 

Interiors, Inc. 

Guest Room 2 & Bath 

Steven Pararo & 

Bebe Mengistu 

Pineapple House Interior 

Upper Hall & Family Room 

Ed Castro Landscape - Pool Deck 

Chip Wade Creative - Side Kitchen Patio 

Robert Brown 

Robert Brown Interior 

Master Bedroom & 

“His” Bath 

Robin LaMonte 

Rooms Revamped 

Kitchen 

Michael Boyd 

Smith Boyd Interiors 

Living Room 

Staci Steen 

Steen Designs, LLC 

Rear Entry Powder Room 

Stuart Pliner 

Stuart Pliner Design 

Butler’s Pantry/Dining Hall 

Vern Yip 

Vern Yip Designs 

Family & Breakfast Rooms 

14 



“ 

The floors were just basic wood planks - nothing fancy. I wanted to see the knots...the character... 

I wanted them to be perfectly imperfect. I had them painted black, and then one coat 

of polyurethane finished them up. The’ve been great to hide the wear and tear from the dog’s 

nails, and clean up with a simple mixture of vinegar and water. 

~Kimberly Durrence, homeowner 

“ 

Beach Sexy 

The St. Simons house owned by 

Kimberly Durrence is adorable. It 

really is. Sexy, romantic and airy, 

without being overly feminine or 

fussy, this beach island residence 

inspires you to visit….and stay. 

W 

WITH A CREATIVE STREAK THAT MANIFESTS ITSELF 

in many areas of her daily life, Kimberly is self-confident and 

bold, letting her imagination run free when choosing pieces 

to adorn her home. “I really wasn’t going for feminine or romantic,” 

she says, as I’m oohing and aahing over her home. “I 

simply put things together that I love, and somehow they just 

work.” Antique rifles left to Kimberly upon her father’s passing 

are arranged over the fireplace in a room dominated by an 

airy, beach-inspired vibe splashed with a little pink here and 

there. Incongruent, yet it does indeed “work.” It’s an example 

in eclecticism for sure, arranged into a visual feast which carries 

a comfortable ambiance irresistible to guests of either gender. 

Bought from the original owners 26 years ago when Kimberly 

and her [then] 10-year-old son moved from Reidsville, Ga 

to the coast, St. Simons Island met the requirements the recently-single 

mom was looking for—a place to make a fresh start 

in a community that was small enough for her pre-teen son to 

roam safely. The house they chose had been the first one in the 

subdivision, and actualy had an interesting inception. Kimberly 

explains that the home was built by a couple and their son (an 

16 

MAY/JUNE 2015 • DESIGN&BUILD MAGAZINE

“ 

The space pictured at the 

bottom of this page actually 

has a secret room 

behind one wall. The 

grandkids love it. If you 

look for it, youll see a little 

glass handle between the 

two chairs. It opens up into 

a play area! 

“ 

“ 

There is a lot of space 

here, but it’s just 

myself and Mime, my 

rescue, and I love to 

ramble around 

the house. It’s a 

magical place. 

~Kimberly Durrence 

“ 

architectural student at the time) 

as a “family project.” Similarly 

fearless in the quest to experiment, 

Kimberly has added onto 

the house (and redecorated) three 

times. 

“Architect? I’ve never used 

an architect,” she laughs, in response 

to my inquiry. “And I 

only use contractors who don’t 

use the words, ‘It can’t be done’ 

or ‘That won’t work,’” she continues. 

“I use Tommy Allen for 

my projects now. When I tell 

him my ideas, he says, ‘Well, 

I’ll have to let that marinate for 

a little bit.’ Then he comes back 

to me with a plan.” As far as the 

décor, Kimberly simply says, “I 

just take a color or fabric from 

one room and ‘float’ it through to 

another.” 

As casual as that comment may 

sound, design sense is indeed a 

creative gift. An eye for color and 

balance can surely be learned, 

but innate talent is effortless and 

brilliant. Kimberly credits the 

awakening of her eye for design 

with summer afternoons spent at 

Summerford Drug Store in Reidsville. 

“From the time I was a 

little girl, I’ve loved magazines. 

I’d spend the day in town with 

Daddy, and the first thing I’d do 

is go to the book aisle in the drug 

store and pick up the design and 

house magazines,” she explains. 

“I’d spend all afternoon going 

through them one-by-one.” 

As we wrap up the interview 

with a discussion of how the 

small yard was transformed into 

an English parterre, Kimberly 

says, “You’ll see when you come 

to visit.” Sometimes overly sensitive 

to imposing on another’s 

hospitality (and privacy), I seldom 

act on invitations to stay at 

someone’s home. It’s just who I 

am. That being said, I don’t think 

I’ll be able to resist seeing this 

property in person. I take a deep 

sigh of relaxation just from the 

photos—imagine being there in 

person? 

Let me know when my room’s 

ready, girl. I’m on my way! 

DB 

Written by Tracey Buckalew

“ 

I feel like I’ve done a ying 

and yang balance in this 

house. It is feminine, but 

men are comfortable 

here. They seem to appreciate 

the use of space, 

the black floors and 

checkerboard accents. 

~Kimberly Durrence 

“ 

Where to get 

the Lo ok 

LIVING ROOM (PG 14-15): 

Chunky coffee table: 

The Market on Newcastle 

marketonnewcastle.com 

SITTING ROOM: 

Checkerboard coffee 

table: 

Pierce and Parker Interiors 

pierceandparkerinteriors. 

com 

Rattan Chair: 

The Market on Newcastle 

marketonnewcastle.com 

CURTAINS AND UPHOLSTERY: 

custom-made 

Nelda’s Slipcover Shop 

912.571.1403 

WALLPAPER: 

Elizabeth Varn Interiors 

912.634.6288 

WHITE FUR RUGS: 

WalMart (yes, really!) 

walmart.com 

ECLECTIC ACCESSORIES: 

Collection and Antique 

Warehouse 

Hwy 17, Brunswick


M idas 

T ouch 

Donnie Thompson is well known in 

Augusta as the “Man with the Midas 

touch.” He opened Windsor Jewelry 

in 1975, and it grew from a small, four 

showcase storefront in the National 

Hills Shopping Center on Washington 

Road to the premiere jewelry business 

in the Southeast. Adoring customers 

come from far and near to bring 

home the green Windsor jewelry box. 

In the past 40 years, Windsor has occupied 

three different buildings without 

moving more than 300 feet, and now 

resides in an impressive two-story brick 

building just a stone’s throw from the 

Augusta National Golf Course. 

22 


THE SPARKLES ARE NEVER ENDING AT WINDSOR, 

with an array of fine watches, diamond rings, bracelets, and 

necklaces on display to dazzle the eye. In fact, you will find 

enough glittering baubles at Windsor, which ranks in the top 

five for an independent jewelry store in the U.S., to celebrate 

any occasion. There are more than 4000 engagement/anniversary 

rings alone resting quietly in a showcase which runs 52 linear 

feet and is 18 inches deep. That’s a lot of rings and enough to 

satisfy even the most discriminating buyer. The staff is friendly, 

helpful and very available. Donnie is at the helm, and along 

with his son Shane and daughter Christina, they operate a family-owned 

business where the customer is definitely made to 

feel welcome. 

Life as a jeweler leads to travel, and while on a trip to Geneva, 

Switzerland to buy watches, Donnie stayed in a villa that 

had become a boutique hotel. It captured his imagination, and 

as time passed, he thought often of the villa, with its spectacular 

views and high ceilings. Eventually, Donnie sketched out 

his vision and gave the drawing to Architect David McArthur 

to formalize. Plans to build his dream Chateau were underway. 

He purchased a tract of property located on the Savannah River 

which was at one time, an Indian trading ground. Private and 

secluded, the site is just below where the rapids end and offers 

a pristine natural environment that is still very accessible to the 

city. 

Throughout the build, Donnie was involved in all aspects of 

the construction. It was his vision for the great room walls to 

be made of limestone with gleaming cherry floors. The builder 

couldn’t visualize the concept at first, but agreed with his 

choices after the house started coming together. The house is 

a massive 13,000-square-foot structure that feels even larger, 

with perfectly proportioned rooms. All the walls in the house 

are made from 2 x 6 boards (as opposed to 2 x 4), and the interior 

doors that were used for the bedrooms, kitchen, etc., are all 

actually exterior grade, and very heavy. Thompson explains that 

regular interior doors would have been overwhelmed in such 

a big space. Balconies off the upstairs bedrooms overlook the 

great room as well as opening out to spacious porches offering 

a splendid view of the river. 

All the rooms are big, offering an incredible feeling of openness, 

and finished with wonderful molding. Donnie choose to 

paint everything one color, use only one type of tile and one 

wood which offers a feeling of cohesiveness inside the home 

and lends to the ancient feel of a European villa. The bedrooms 

are large (the master bedroom has 2900 sq feet itself) and in order 

to create a more intimate feeling, the space is separated with 

large cabinetry which Donnie designed. Cabinetmaker John 

Murdock made custom interiors for the house, including much 

of the furniture, mirrors, and cabinet. He created clever touches 

such as vents made to look like old ship hatches. 

The kitchen is located off one side of the great room with the 

master bedroom on the opposite side. There is a fabulous walkin 

pantry, what seems to be unlimited Quartz counter space, 

Viking appliances and two dining areas adjoining the kitchen. 

The formal dining room is accessed through an archway from 

the kitchen, while informal dining is enjoyed in the great room, 

with nice views of the river. 

Stretching along the back of the house is a beautiful patio 

area, lower than the main floor of the house. “I lowered the 

deck so there would not be any visual obstruction from the windows,” 

said Thompson. “The water is really blue along here, 

just like the ocean. This is as good a view as you can get anywhere 

around here.” 

The house is filled to the brim with Donnie’s collections of 

military history which is largely museum quality. There are authentic 

Civil War Records and an Atlas of the Rebellion. He 

has some trench binoculars, an impressive collection of military 

hats, a carrier pigeon coop used during WWII, a suit of armor 

and original documents from 1610 that were from Jefferson 

Davis. There is a stunning silver tea service made from British 

coins were melted down after the Revolutionary War and 

made by friends of Paul Revere. Indian artifacts on display were 

found during the construction of the house. 

All in all, it is an impressive setting filled with priceless objects 

that has the feeling of home. Everything in the house has 

a sense of history which can be awe inspiring, but at the end of 

the day, it’s all part of the furnishings to Donnie. “My favorite 

part of this home is the main living area,” says Donnie. “It’s 

beautiful in the evening.” 

DB 

Written by Kim Jackson 

24 


A Gift 

For Cooks & Wine 

Enthusiasts 

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Carl White, award-winning host of “Life in the Carolinas.” 

Ron Erwin BROKER 

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This beautifully restored and well maintained home in 

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aNewLife 

A Tribute 

The Madison Chamber Music 

Festival is made possible 

through the significant support 

of the Robert M. and Lilias Baldwin 

Turnell Foundation. 

Robert and Lilias Baldwin 

Turnell were both natives of 

Madison. Robert was a visionary 

who, along with several 

others, formed a foundation 

to purchase and protect the 

1895 Graded School Building 

in which the Madison-Morgan 

Cultural Center is housed. Lilias 

became the patron whose quiet 

and generous support continued 

Robert’s vision and was 

a major factor in enabling the 

Cultural Center to become a 

regional leader in the performing 

and visual arts. The Madison 

Chamber Music Festival is dedicated 

to the memory of Robert 

and Lilias Baldwin Turnell. 

T 

How a Small Town Rocks the 

International Music World 

The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center began life in 1895 as one of the first graded public schools 

in the South and served Madison’s students until 1957. The stately red brick Romanesque Rival 

building is situated on what amounts to a city block, and it’s preservation is an example of the 

forward vision prevalent in this quaint small town. By the sustained efforts in the early 1970’s of 

leading Madisonians including Robert Turnell, Kay Tipton and Joe Bell, the Morgan County 

Foundation Inc. was formed to preserve and protect the stately building. Through many different 

means and with significant assistance, funds were raised to purchase the facility from the school 

board and reopen it in 1976 as an art and cultural venue. 

IT’S EASY TO EXPERIENCE A FEELING OF REVERENCE FOR 

the Madison Morgan Cultural Center when you pass through the 

large wooden doors at the top of a wide flight of concrete stairs. As 

you enter the main hallway into a uniquely well preserved historical 

school building which now serves as a museum and performing 

arts venue, a journey back into history awaits you. 

The Cultural Center draws an audience that is both local and 

regional with a wide variety of programming from art exhibits to 

live performances on the main stage of what was originally the 

school auditorium. Cultural Center members, board members, the 

dedicated staff, and countless volunteers work tirelessly to keep 

the doors open and provide a center that is unique to a small community. 

While there are many events that are particularly well 

received, none is the equal to the Chamber Music Festival, held 

each year from May through June. Over the previous decade, the 

Chamber Music Festival has partnered with the incomparable 

Christopher Rex, Artistic Director and Principal Cellist with the 

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to bring world class Chamber music 

to Madison. Performances are staged in a wide variety of venues 

including private homes, restaurants and the Cultural Center itself. 

Now in the 13th year, the event has grown in prestige and continues 

to attract world-renowned musicians. Past performances 

include sibling virtuosos David and Julie Coucheron, violinist and 

pianist, respectively; award-winning violinist Chee-Yun; Russian-born 

pianist Natasha Paremski and Ukraine-born Valentina 

Lisitsa, the first “YouTube star” of classical music who converted 

her internet success into a global concert career. Because the venues 

for this festival trend toward seating for the intimate-sized audience, 

artists linger and mingle amongst guests after the concerts. 

Rebecca Bonas, director of the Chamber Music Festival, says, 

“It’s big-city quality with small-town hospitality.” This year’s 

lineup is once again stellar. Performances for the 2015 series include 

The Kruger Brothers at the Cultural Center auditorium, the 

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Brass quintet at Town Park, the 

Grammy-award nominated Eroica Trio and the Dover Quartet, 

winner of the 2013 Banff International String Quartet Competition 

with special guest Christopher Rex. 

DB Written by Kim Jackson 

28 


MileStones 

Intent to Reinvent 

ChristChurch 

Presbyterian 

atlanta 

Church and worship is sometimes as much 

a “being within yourself”as a physical location. 

It is okay to find church on a golf 

course, fishing or horseback riding on a Sunday 

morning, because what could be better 

than the great outdoors created by the 

divine being? For others, “church” must always 

be inside a beautiful sanctuary in fellowship 

with one another. A fallen Southern 

Baptist, I find myself on many Sunday mornings 

kneeling inside a small, plain and beautifully 

humble Episcopal church but other 

Sunday’s not... for one reason or the other. 

I’ve toured cathedrals around the world 

and in most major cities and still appreciate 

the reverence that falls over me as I pass 

through the doors of a place of worship. 

Atlanta is blessed with many breathtaking 

churches, cathedrals and synagogues, 

many of which are richly steeped in tradition. 

My children were confirmed at Saint 

Phillips Cathedral and wedding vows were 

said out loud at Peachtree Christian Church, 

surely one of the most beautiful places to 

be wed in Atlanta. Sometimes, though, tradition 

breaks the mold as with Christ Church 

Presbyterian. The congregation realized 

that preserving and repurposing a building 

was preferable to destroying and rebuilding 

it. I’m thinking that God Almighty would be 

pleased... 

30 


WHEN THE CONGREGATION AND STAFF OF ATLANTA’S 

Christ Church Presbyterian realized they had outgrown 

their original space, they set about searching 

for a new location that 

would accommodate 

their growing numbers 

as well as serve 

the community in a 

profound way. “Our 

congregation is committed 

to serving both 

our neighborhood and 

the City of Atlanta 

through welcome, outreach 

and worship,” 

said Rev. Dr. Paul 

Gardner, the senior 

pastor. “We outgrew 

our former facility and 

needed a larger space 

where we could worship 

and meet together, 

invite people to join us and 

provide gathering spaces for youth, classes, meals, 

counseling and ministry work.” Seven years ago, the 

congregation purchased a three-story office building 

at the corner of Peachtree and 25th Streets, just a 

few blocks from their former location, and began 

the process of clarifying what they wanted 

to do with the site. Church members 

agreed they wanted to incorporate 

as much of the existing building 

as possible into a new facility, 

rather than destroy it. 

“Christ Church researched 

and interviewed a number of 

architecture and construction 

firms,” said Ted Hall, owner’s representative 

for the project. “The building 

committee was familiar with Gertler & Wente 

through their innovative repurposing of a 1913 

Manhattan parking garage into a spectacular new 

church for Redeemer Presbyterian Church. We believed 

G&W could bring fresh and exciting ideas to 

Atlanta to transform our vision for a new sanctuary 

into a beautiful design. And Van Winkle Construction 

has a great deal of experience building churches including 

some of metro Atlanta’s iconic sanctuaries.” 

The two architecture 

firms collaborated on a 

design that expanded 

the existing building 

on its south side and 

elevated the roof and 

windows above a 925- 

seat sanctuary with 

a cross formed from 

narrow windows on 

the north-facing wall. 

Seating inside the sanctuary 

is accomplished 

through stackable chairs, 

rather than permanent 

pews, making the room 

flexible for other uses 

apart from worship services. 

The Peachtree 

Street side of the building 

features a subtle tower with three crosses facing 

north, south and east. An inviting courtyard transitions 

visitors from the busy city streetscape to the 

more contemplative areas of the building. 

“As New Urbanists, we like to push buildings 

out to the sidewalk to encourage interaction 

and pedestrian traffic – goals 

shared by Christ Church,” said 

Jerry Spangler, AIA, LEED AP, 

and founding principal of TSW. 

“The new church features a coffee 

shop facing Peachtree Street 

and an art gallery on the building’s 

south side. The contextual 

modern design helps the structure 

blend in with its neighbors, and we used 

steel and glass in the construction as well as 

more traditional church building materials like 

brick and stone. The exterior is clad in a largescale 

porcelain panel along with the brick, glass and 

steel. Passers-by know it’s a church, but they might 

have to take a second look to be sure,” he said. 

DB Written by Julie Herron Carson 

“Christ Church is a dynamic, young congregation 

with a strong mission of reaching out to the 

community. In our early meetings with church 

leaders, they stressed their desire for a visible, environmentally-friendly 

church building that invites 

people in and serves the community in ways beyond 

traditional worship. They wanted the structure 

to make a strong architectural statement 

and reflect the forward-thinking, modern dynamic 

of Midtown. At the same time, we all agreed 

that using as much of the existing building as was 

feasible would be good for the environment and 

cost-effective for the church.” 

~Larry J. Wente of Gertler & Wente 

32 

MAY/JUNE 2015 • DESIGN&BUILD MAGAZINE

ArtByDesign 

Guitar Hero 

Although big guitar manufacturers like Gibson and Martin are certainly respected 

among guitar players, a custom piece from Master Luthier Scott 

Baxendale is requested by many of the top performers in the country. He 

keeps alive the art of handcrafting guitars, refining the painstaking techniques 

and intricate processes necessary to a construct an instrument that 

is extraordinary in quality. Often, they are one of a kind. When we caught 

up with Baxendale for this interview, we were not surprised to find he’d been 

honored as a 2014 Rare Craft Fellowship finalist by The Balvenie, in partnership 

with the American Craft Council. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Scott 

Baxendale. 

S 

SCOTT BAXENDALE CRAFTED HIS FIRST GUITAR 

in 1963. Used as a prop for his band “The Shaggy Dogs,” 

ten-year-old Scott made cardboard guitars with wooden 

necks, strings from fishing line, knobs out of buttons, 

and painted them for effect. He and his band mates then 

“went on tour,” at their elementary school, singing a 

Beatle-inspired original, “I Want to Hold Your Paw.” 

“I’d give anything to have one of those guitars, now,” 

Baxendale laughs, as we talk about his past creations. 

He had no way of knowing how prophetic that boyhood 

project would be. Eleven years later, Baxendale would 

begin making guitars in Kansas with famed designer, 

Stuart Mossman, effectively building a knowledge base 

that would support a successful career. 

Eventually, Baxendale opened a guitar shop across 

from the Bluebird Theatre in Denver, which became a 

scheduled stop for bands on tour. Musicians praised his 

work on their instruments and the tonal quality of his “reworked” 

guitars and, by word of mouth, his fame spread. 

The design of a guitar’s brace pattern is largely responsible 

for the quality of sound, and Baxendale has 

developed a signature shape, weight and position that 

perpetuates a continual ripple of excitement throughout 

the musical community. This pattern was developed after 

years of studying and working on hundreds of prewar 

Martin guitars at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville. “The 

30’s Martin and Gibson’s were the Holy Grail of acoustic 

guitars,” he says. Working on what he believed to be 

the “best of the best” allowed him to analyze and study 

how and what made those instruments produce such a 

rich tone. 

It’s this knowledge and practical experience that affords 

Baxendale the ability to interpret what he observes 

in his clients mannerisms, blend that knowledge with 

their aspirations—and inspirations—and painstakingly 

create a carved masterpiece that inspires its owner to 

stretch their creativity. 

Baxendale’s talent has been sought 

after by Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Carl 

Perkins, James Burton (Elvis/Ricky Nelson/ 

Elvis Costello/ John Denver), Chris Hillman 

(Byrds/Flying Burrito Brothers/Buffalo 

Springfield), Willie Nelson, Jorma Kaukonen 

(Jefferson Airplane), Greg Lake (Emerson 

Lake & Palmer), Joe Walsh (Eagles/James 

Gang), Donovan, Mick Jones (Clash), and 

John Mellencamp. 

Other well-known customers are: Jeff 

Tweedy (Wilco), Jimmy Herring (Widespread 

Panic), Jason Isbell, Dave Barbe, 

Mitch Easter, and Luther Dickinson. 

34 


the mandolin 

behind every 

great man... 

The concept for this mandolin was originally conceived 

in Denver as a commission for a customer. 

This one, he started building for himself in 2007. 

Put on the back burner until he had time to devote to 

a personal project, Baxendale simply couldn’t find 

time to finish it. Inspired by the F5 mandolin design, 

which is characterized by f holes instead of the 

traditional, circular sound holes, the design was, according 

to Baxendale, “complicated and difficult.” 

But finish it he did, and admits he finds himself 

taking it home and playing it frequently. With his 

friend Jack Logan writing and performing the lyrics 

that Baxendale sets to music, the duo are recording 

an album. 

the craft 

Now located in Athens, Baxendale’s shop 

constructs and reworks guitars, and here is 

where Baxendale’s Luthier Academy teaches 

students the mechanics of guitars in two intense, 

six-month sessions. His students do a 

re-build, and then create a new guitar from a 

kit, or build their own in the advanced class. If 

making a guitar is not of interest, students can 

opt to develop skills with restorations, or train 

to be guitar tech. 

Comparable to a full-time job, the Academy 

requires a commitment of five days a week 

from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Robert Motes, 

the very first student of the Luthier Academy 

in 2010, how he would rate the program. “Out 

of one-to-ten, you mean?” he asked. “About 

a 30. Scott FAR exceeded my expectations.” 

ASSEMBLED WITH SCRAPS OF WOOD from the 

custom guitars that her husband makes, Pamela Baxendale 

is an artist in her own right. Aside from the inherent coolness 

of owning a piece of art that was made from the same 

piece of wood from which a guitar was constructed for, say, 

Mike Cooley, Jimmy Herring, Patterson Hood or Luther 

Dickinson, the wood is often valuable or exotic. Ebony, 

Brazilian or Indian rosewood, and curly maple are used, as 

are remnants of mother of pearl or abalone accents. 

Each face is unique and individual, created “in the moment” 

by inspiration. Bits and pieces are collected by Pamela 

as if she’s on a scavenger hunt. Sometimes they are 

found in scrap piles, sometimes 

they are simply old buttons, 

used guitar picks, or bowties 

fashioned from pieces of spruce 

found in an old garage. 

“This face (shown right) was 

inspired by Mike Cooley of 

the Drive-by Truckers. It was 

donated to Nuci’s Space for a 

Silent Auction at the 40 Watt 

Club in Athens. This face has 

scraps of wood Scott used to 

build the original Cooleycaster 

guitar and the Cooleybird 

Acoustic guitar. I also included 

one of Cooley’s used guitar 

picks, and a patch cord from his 

pedal board. Spenser Frye, of 

Athens Area Habitat, donated 

the lovely piece of weathered 

pine. 

The bottom image is a sculpture 

of a Whippet face, mounted 

on a nice weathered board 

from the Habitat ReStore, made 

from scraps of Baxendale Custom 

Rosewood, Slope D Acoustic Guitar, that Scott built 

for Ken Latimer, who rescues Whippets. When Ken told us 

about his Whippets, I knew I had 

to make this face for him to hang 

in his cabin in Virginia. 

The piece shown at left was 

also donated to Nuci’s Space for 

a Fund Raiser. He is made with 

scraps from Jimmy Herring’s 

Baxendale Superlative custom 

guitar. His hair is from the Indian 

Rosewood back, and the Spruce 

from the top, as is the right eyebrow. 

Ebony weights for the 

bracing were cut from the little 

piece on top of his head. The 

block in the left hand corner is 

the form that Scott cut his pearl 

for the headstock inlay. I used it 

for my Baxendale signature. 

The last sculpture was my donation 

to the silent auction for 

Breastfest Athens, 2014. I started 

with a piece of wood shelving 

bought from Athens Area Habitat. 

Her hair is cut from a rosewood 

guitar back, her nose is 

mahogany, lips are curly maple. 

Her left eye and eyebrow are 

rosewood scraps, and there are mother of pearl highlights 

on her eyes. The lock of hair on her left side is a top brace, 

cut and shaped from spruce. I thought it was befitting to 

include a pair of spruce guitar top, sound holes, as breasts, 

and topped her off with the perfect accessory, a pink bow, 

made from spruce, for her hair. “ 

Pamela and Scott can be reached through the company 

website at www.baxendaleguitar.com. 

DB Written by Tracey Buckalew 

36 


KeepersOfTheCult u re 

Gullah-Geechee 

Sweet grass basket weavers along Low Country byways introduce travelers to 

the distinctive culture known as Gullah Geechee, but experiences with a vibrant 

depth exist behind the scenes. 

Passionate people along a four-state southern corridor are preserving language, 

music, folklore, art and structures because theirs is a culture shaped by specific 

and distinctive circumstances. There is no other like it. 

Follow this cultural landscape from Wilmington, North Carolina to St. Augustine, 

Florida. It is an official National Heritage Area called the Gullah Geechee Cultural 

Heritage Corridor, and as a corridor with a name, it is very, very new. As a culture, 

it is very well established. 

T 

the color of 

THE REGION IS MARKED WITH OFFICIAL SIGNAGE 

along Highway 17 and highlighted with banners in tourism 

visitor sites; brochures and maps are in the works. 

Build awareness with these road signs; details about experiences 

are coming, says Dr. Herman Blake, executive 

director of the Corridor Commission, and the planning is 

extensive. 

In Georgia, explorations with depth are already possible 

at the Geechee Kunda cultural center in Riceboro, 31 miles 

south of Savannah, on Cumberland and Sapelo islands and 

at Seabrook Village in Sunbury, Exit 76 from I-95. 

Geechee Kunda tours are self-guided or formal, ranging 

from an hour to all day, including a meal with tradition, and 

always augmented with video. 

Seek out National Park Service 35-year veteran Michael 

Allen in South Carolina for the passionate story of this 

Corridor’s early visioning and careful development. 

“What history is not being considered?” Allen says was 

the focus of a multitude of gatherings. “We pursued a 

quest to identify the stories to be told and the voices telling 

them.” This fueled the visioning which led to the Gullah 

Geechee Corridor in North and South Carolina, Georgia 

and Florida, Allen says. 

The mission? Discovering what could protect, preserve 

and sustain this way of life. This is a living culture, people 

forcibly transported from their African homes to America’s 

south, surviving often in extreme isolation. 

Consider Geechee Kunda for an afternoon, an entire day 

or a special event for insight. This is a living museum for 

a living culture. 

Founders Jim and Pat Bacote recognize the grounds of 

their home and cultural center as sacred land and they share 

music, scholarly events, art of many dimensions and exhibitions 

both temporary and rotating to teach history and 

to present the dynamic, culture of Gullah Geechee people 

today. 

“Healing can come about by understanding the true 

history of the African presence in America,” Bacote says. 

“This is the epicenter of the African culture in America.” 

Retreat Plantation was the name of these 4,000 acres 

where rice, indigo and cotton were grown. Today’s owners 

consider their teams of artists, herbalists, actors, musicians 

and scholars to be “keepers of the culture.” 

Advance notice, or reservations for special events, opens 

DESIGN&BUILD MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2015 39

Local Art 

An impromptu visit three miles off Interstate 95 in Liberty County reveals 

artifacts, relics, implements and sculpture in the midst of buildings devoted 

to displaying textiles from Africa and Gullah Geechee artisans today, and 

teaching the crafts, lifestyle and history of slaves who shaped a culture of 

their African traditions in new, forced-upon-them location. 

even more opportunity, including 

access to the Bacote’s extensive 

textile collection from Africa. 

This is also the place to immerse 

in the language developed 

through merging linguistic traditions 

of Africans in America and 

preserved and utilized today. 

“A lot of energy is being put into 

this language,” Bacote says, “by 

historians, linguists, descendants. 

This language is our collective, 

shared history, not tribalistic.” 

Try your skills reading the 

charts in the Geechee Kunda exhibition 

hall. Order a Bible from 

Amazon and have the entire New 

Testament in Gullah and in English, 

Dr. Blake, Corridor executive 

director suggests. 

Take a boat for another Georgia 

Gullah Geechee experience. 

Water is the only route to Sapelo 

Island. 

Catch the Georgia Department 

of Natural Resources ferry outside 

of Darien to experience Sapelo 

Island and the Hogg Hummock 

community. 

Or reserve a few days at Eagle 

Island, in a handsome lodge on 

a private back barrier island and 

ask Capt. Andy Hill to take you to 

Sapelo. 

He keeps a vehicle on Sapelo, 

knows the way to the most divine, 

pristine beach named Nannygoat and is friends with Cornelia 

Bailey. 

She is a keeper of the culture, lived all her life on Sapelo 

and invites visitors to meet the ancestors through her 

skilled storytelling. 

Quick to point out, “This is a community. We send children 

to school. We protect the marshes.” 

Bailey works closely with SICARS—Sapelo Island 

Cultural Revitalization Society—and they partnered 20 

years ago with historic preservation teams from the Savannah 

College of Art and Design to renovate the First 

African Baptist Church. 

Such partnerships are anticipated along the Gullah 

Geechee Corridor, Dr. Blake says, now that a full-time 

director is in place. That only happened Jan. 2, 2015. 

“This is a sustenance community 

where people live 

from the land and from the 

sea; their homes are simple 

and utilitarian,” he says, 

“and their church has colored 

glass and high ceilings, 

good cross ventilation and 

heart pine. ” 

“The Sapelo church is iconic,” 

says Bob Dickensheets, director 

of external relations at SCAD and 

historic preservation expert who 

worked closely with community 

members and students on the restoration. 

After at least 20 years of 

structural instability rendering 

it non-usable, the church was restored 

with SCAD students on 

school holidays and weekends 

and Hogg Hummock residents “if 

the fish weren’t biting,” Dickensheets 

says with admiration for 

the island culture “which starts at 

sunrise and ends at sunset.” 

Sapelo’s Hogg Hummock Gullah 

Geechee community also 

documented and maintains their 

200-year-old cemetery named Behavior, 

restored the Farmers Alliance 

Hall and organizes cultural 

events to share the culture with 

visitors. 

Seabrook Village caught the attention 

of the Olympics in Atlanta 

in 1996, one of only a dozen Cultural 

Olympiad awards. 

Vernacular architecture—lots of 

it—is here with furnished homes, 

school and church from the late 

1800s when slaves leaving plantations 

formed an intact community. 

Interpreters come from the Gullah 

Geechee community, understanding 

the “making do” creativity of problem solving 

among people who had nothing. 

A good way to access Seabrook Village is through nearby 

Dunham Farms, 10,000 acres of lush Southern live 

oaks, long views across riverbanks, marshes feeding the 

ecosystems wrapped around a bed and breakfast inn. 

This land belongs to the same family receiving a king’s 

Grant in April of 1755. 

As the Gullah Geechee Corridor National Heritage 

Area broadens the spotlight on established dynamic interactions 

with these resilient people, it may also open 

access to other events and communities for travelers on 

Highway 17 to experience. 

DB Written by Christine Tibbetts 

40 


SipsAlongT heWay 

Wine and the Arts 

a natural relationship 

Fernbank Museum 

Jim Sanders is widely considered the father of fine wines in Georgia. For years, 

his wine store in the Buckhead section of Atlanta was a gathering spot for an 

assemblage of wine enthusiasts that included prominent physicians, Georgia 

Supreme Court justices, journalists, actors and playwrights. After consuming generous 

pours and enjoying his French-inspired, southern-influenced cuisine, happy 

guests purchased wines that bore the owner’s label, J.Sanders, about 170 

different ones mostly from Burgundy. 

Many regulars at his store were stalwarts with the High Museum of Atlanta Wine 

Auction, an annual multi-day celebration of wines of the world and the culinary 

creations of celebrity chefs, the primary fund-raiser for the acclaimed museum. 

JIT WAS THE HIGH THAT BROUGHT PICASSO TO 

the South with a stunning blockbuster just before the Atlanta 

Summer Olympics. As a result of the Museum’s auction 

gala, I met many notables in the world of wine, and one still 

stands out: Alexandra de Nanancourt of fabled Laurent-Perrier. 

We met for breakfast and confirmed an old tradition of 

enjoying flutes of Champagne with ham and eggs. The bubbly 

that morning was from her family’s Champagne house, 

and the stories she shared confirmed the romantic chemistry 

of champagne. 

The tradition of wine and the arts is firmly established. The 

Atlanta Symphony and the Alliance Theatre have long traditions 

as does the Michael C. Carlos Museum, the palatial 

marble facility on Emory University’s campus. Likewise, 

the Fernbank Museum of Natural History hosts events that 

combine social celebrations with enrichment programs. Tom 

Key’s magnificent Balzer Theatre at Herren’s next door to 

Downtown Atlanta’s Rialto Center for the Performing Arts 

incorporates wine and gourmet functions to keep the bank 

accounts replenished. 

From time immemorial New Orleans has celebrated the 

arts through the magic of wine. Le Petit Theatre du Vieux 

Carre is the oldest continuing theatrical company in North 

America, strategically positioned near legendary restaurants 

and luxury hotels. 

Savannah, Charleston, Tallahassee, Chattanooga, St. Augustine, 

Asheville and many other cities have their unique 

relationships that showcase music, fine art with Old and New 

World wines. 

Wines pair well with good music and visual art. Georgia 

O’Keefe’s flowers almost demand a bottle of Margaux, the 

noble Bordeaux. Gevry-Chambertain, Napoleon’s favorite 

red, goes down well with the love songs of Edith Piaf. Imagine 

a room full of celebrants enjoying Champagne with Beethoven’s 

“Ode to Joy” filling the air. Suddenly, there’s joie 

de vivre everywhere. 

The High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction is the largest 

fundraising event for the leading art museum in the Southeast.. 

The Wine Auction is the top charity fundraising event 

in Atlanta, ranked by Wine Spectator as the fifth largest charity 

wine auction in the United States and the number-one 

charity wine auction benefiting the arts. The funds generated 

amount to more than $20 million over the last 20 years, 

and support the Museum’s exhibitions and educational programming 

providing funds for dynamic youth education 

programs, which draw thousands of schoolchildren to the 

museum each year. 

Spivey Hall, Georgia’s concert counterpart to Carnegie 

Hall on the campus of Clayton State College and University 

merges fundraising events with aspects of the good life. That 

holds true for the Mobile Opera and countless other cultural 

shrines. 

A BENEFICIAL LEGACY 

Hard as it may be to believe today, there was a time not long 

ago when much of the region was a wine vacuum. What was 

available was junk wine. With the introduction of fine wines 

from France by Jim Sanders and the instruction gained from 

his incomparable wine classes (thousands completed this), 

things gradually changed. The inclusion of wines into arts-related 

events particularly fund raisers owes much to Sanders 

and his generosity. 

A ticket to events like the High Museum’s annual wine auction 

translates into the outreach program. Few things inspire more 

happiness than observing children smiling as they behold a Monet, 

a Picasso or one of Reverend Howard Finster’s heavenly-connected 

works. In every group of young visitors, it’s possible that 

a future artist, author, actor, ballet dancer, composer or sommelier 

is born. 

DB Written by Doc Lawrence 

42 


GreatEscapes 

Photos courtesy of the Inn at Middleton Place 

DESTINATION: 

History 

EEscape life’s hurry and worry with a IT IS A CHALLENGE TO PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE 

description of Middleton Place and the Inn which is part of the 

visit to the unique and beautiful Inn 

historic grounds. With certainty, nowhere else in the world compares. 

The Inn at Middleton Place welcomes those seeking a 

at Middleton Place overlooking the 

Ashley River. The Inn is part of Middleton 

Place, a national historic land- 

among tall pines and live oaks - only a short stroll from Middle- 

peaceful retreat and offers unsurpassed natural beauty for a quiet 

vacation, or a weekend getaway. The Inn’s 55 rooms are secluded 

mark located 14 miles from downtown 

Charleston. Middleton Place 

ton Place, iconic feature of the South Carolina Low Country and 

home of America’s oldest landscaped gardens. Dramatic floor-toceiling 

windows bring into every room all the rich tones of the 

offers a unique vacation destination woodland setting, with sweeping views over the winding Ashley 

for those who are accustomed to River. Upon these banks a rice plantation flourished more than 

200 years ago. 

staying on the beaten path. 

The Inn was designed by architects W.G. Clark and Charles 

The Inn at Middleton Place in Charleston, SC 

(Architects W.G. Clark and Charles Menefee III ) is recognized for its 

outstanding concept and design by the American Institute for Architecture 

with its Honor Award, the profession’s highest accolade for individual 

buildings by American architects. 

Menefee III, who were inspired by the “thin shacks and sheds 

of insubstantial beauty” of the Southern vernacular building tradition. 

They are known for structures that are at once modest, 

rigorous, and economical in detail. Blending the ease and informality 

of the architecture of the historic South with the elegance 

of end-of-the-century modernism, they created a captivating retreat 

that is hard to leave. 

A perfect combination of modern design and environmentally 

sensitive layout is part and parcel of what makes this property 

unique. Every effort was made to integrate the structure into 

the landscape while at the same time complementing historic 

Charleston architecture; more specifically, the architectural ruins 

that seem to be emerging out of the earth and ancient forests 

and that can still be found throughout the Low Country. Very 

few trees were removed or disturbed during construction, and 

over the years, fig vines have grown to cover many of the Inn’s 

exterior walls. By design, the woods surrounding the Inn seem 

to be reclaiming the buildings, blending them seamlessly into 

the 100-year-old live oaks, Spanish moss, and other flora found 

along the banks of the Ashley River. Even the Inn’s 55 guest 

rooms, with their extensive use of cypress and minimal apparent 

design remind one of a quaint cabin in the woods. 

Admission to Middleton Place – home to America’s oldest formal 

landscaped gardens – helps seal the experience, and is included with 

each room rental. Guests of The Inn have access to all the points of 

interest which make Middleton Place so fascinating. In addition to 

the Gardens, begun in 1741, the House Museum (1755) offers tours 

daily and the Stable yards bring to life the sights and sounds of an 

18th and 19th-century plantation. 

DB Information courtesy of the Inn at Middleton Place 

44 


GreatEscapes 

DESTINATION: 

Gardens 

LaGrange is one of those warmly welcoming 

Southern towns that make 

strangers immediately feel at home. 

Walking around is easy, part of an almost 

effortless experience that fits into 

what many think of as the good life. 

When you experience this, you know it. 

THIS CITY OFFERS VISITORS GLIMPSES OF WHAT 

once was and a clear view of what now is, particularly with 

things cultural. LaGrange has a symphony, an outstanding 

museum, community theater, terrific restaurants, good local 

retail stores and stately homes. With LaGrange College as the 

hub the academic community assures uninterrupted vision. 

Hills & Dales Estate is in the historic district, close to 

downtown. Noted for gardens and advanced architectural 

design, the home and grounds was dedicated to public 

enjoyment by one of the South’s great industrial families. 

Featuring one of the most widely acclaimed gardens in the 

Southeast, the vision for everything here came from textile 

manufacturer Fuller E. Callaway who commissioned the 

noted architect Neel Reid of the Atlanta architectural firm 

of Hentz & Reid to design the home reminiscent of an 

Italian villa. Complimenting the beautiful Georgian Italian 

structure, the Callaway’s restored the gardens and carefully 

added fountains and statuary to enhance the Italianate 

character of this west Georgia Eden. 

When the family inheritance ended, the estate was given to 

the Fuller E. Callaway Foundation. After renovations and the 

addition of a very impressive visitor center, the estate opened 

to the public in 2004. Additional renovations on the second 

and third floor of the home were completed in 2010. Now 

visitors tour all three floors of the home, which is furnished 

“ 

A visit here is a stroll 

into the grandeur of 

architecture, botany, 

interior design and 

restrained opulence. 

Butterflies, songbirds and 

honeybees thrive among 

the carefully manicured 

grounds, among the 

best-preserved 19th 

century gardens 

in the South. 

“ 

Visitor information: www.hillsanddales.org. 

with family heirlooms and antiques, 

making it a well-maintained and quite 

enjoyable museum. 

Not surprisingly, Hills & Dales Estate 

is a popular place for weddings and 

cultural events. 

The facility management is community-oriented 

with an educational outreach 

program that includes growing orchids, 

gardening with herbs, plant propagation 

and seasonal gardening tasks. Hills 

& Dales Estate has venerable roots but 

the presence of families with children 

enjoying ancient boxwoods, spectacular 

flowers and fresh air confirms that the 

Callaway Foundation mission of public 

enrichment is working well. 

DB Written by Doc Lawrence 

Lodgings 

Immerse yourself in local 

flora by ending your 

day at nearby 

Callaway Gardens. The 

Southern Pine Cottages are 

private, spacious, relaxing, 

and exceedingly 

charming. Each of the 

155 units are tucked away 

in a gorgeous woodland 

setting and offer superior 

amenities in a relaxing, 

comfortable setting. 

www.callawaygardens.com 

46 


Inspired 

by life, 

freed 

by space. 

At domoREALTY, we’re 

passionate about architecture, 

marketing and design. 

Follow us on our quest for 

great design: 

tinyurl.com/domoprops 

tinyurl.com/domotweets 

tinyurl.com/domobook 

VANESSA REILLY 

vanessa@vanessareilly.com 

C: 4O4.556.1733 F: 4O4.974.9549 

O: 4O4.974.955O domoREALTY.com 

48 


domoREALTY.com

PetF rien dlySpaces 

HIDDEN 

in plain sight 

Start your own DIY project... 

Scripps Networks Interactive courtesy of DIYNetwork.com 

Spot doesn’t want 

a room to his own; 

he wants to share 

yours! That doesn’t 

mean he can’t 

have a designated 

space just for 

him alone. In fact, 

if you take some 

initiative from the 

ideas here, you 

won’t even have 

to sacrifice your 

aesthetics to do so. 

BEFORE WE WEIGH IN ON THE DOZENS OF 

ideas that can be used to incorporate pets into a beautifully 

designed room, you need to find the happy 

medium between what looks good and what pets will 

actually use. 

Number One: Cats love to get IN and UNDER 

things. This makes an end table with doors an unbelievably 

brilliant place in which to hide a litter box. 

Number Two: Dogs like to have a space to call their 

own. A place where they are out of the way of foot 

traffic—where they can watch the comings-and-goings, 

yet not get stepped on—is the ideal. 

Incorporating a front row seat from which your 

pet can supervise the goings-on into your carefully 

groomed décor can be a challenge, but it is doable if 

you simply think outside the box. 

Cabinet designers, remodeling companies, and 

pet-friendly interior designers know all the tricks. 

Some may even show you how to do it yourself, if you 

are so motivated. 

Cover an old couch cushion with fabric that matches 

your own decor. Instant dog bed. Have extra room inside 

an armoire, buffet, or side table, and you are willing 

to transform it into a hidden space for your fourlegged 

pals? Go for it! But, if you are not confident in 

your skills, we highly recommend hiring a professional. 

Once you make that first cut, there’s no going back. 

For those of you whose home is lovingly—and 

tastefully—shared with your pets, enjoy the magic of 

a home well synchronized for pets...and their humans. 

DB 

Photo left: Gidget, owned 

by Brian Patrick Flynn of 

HGTV, reclines in an end 

table that doubles as a 

dog bed. 

Photos opposite page: 

1 & 2) Flynn shares a before-and-after 

version of 

his visually-friendly, hidden 

litter box. 

3) Dana Browner built an 

under-stairs space for her 

dog Gracie. It is a wonderful 

concept for unused 

space. Notice the window! 

4) We love the idea that a 

pet gate can be tucked 

away behind a cabinet! 

Thank you, Neals Design 

Remodel, for this idea. 

5) Also from Neals, an under-desk 

space customized 

for fur-babies. 

...or plan ahead 

when building 

a new space. 

Incorporating 

your pets into 

a sophisticated 

living space is 

easier than you 

might think! 

5 

3 

this 

1 2 

4 

to this 

50 


GoodFinds 

Swash by Whirlpool 

Closet-sized dry-cleaning machine 

BEST BUY HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF OUR FAVORITE 

stores, with their interesting array of electronics, gadgets and 

check stealing products. On a recent ramble through Best Buy, 

we discovered our newest love: the Swash machine, by Whirlpool. 

The device is a collaboration between Proctor and Gamble 

(maker of soaps and washing powders) and Whirlpool. This 

slim machine is only a tiny bit larger than a men’s suit jacket and 

will fit neatly into your walk-in closet. You pull out a little vertical 

drawer, put a garment on the hanger, and attach some clips at 

the bottom to pull it taut. Insert a pod of cleaning solution, and 

in ten minutes, you’re item is refreshed and ready to wear. As an 

aside - you are not washing. This is a simple in -home refreshing 

for not-quite-dirty clothes. Swash your clothes in 10 minutes 

or less. By the time you are out of the shower, your clothes are 

wrinkle free, refreshed and ready for a re-wear! 

Need one? $499.00 at www.swash.com. 

Tagg 

GPS Pet Tracker 

Keep track of your little wanderer 

TEN MILLION PETS GET LOST EVERY YEAR. BE SURE 

yours doesn’t become part of the statistic. Not only can you find 

them when they’re missing, but you also have a record of where 

they’ve been and whether they are experiencing extreme temperatures. 

With a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 10 days, a map and 

directions to lead you to your pet, and text/email alerts when 

your little adventurer goes out-of-bounds, there is no reason to 

lose your furry friend ever again. 

The rugged, waterproof casing ensures that even rough play 

won’t damage the goods. Nationwide cell and GPS technology 

ensures that you can locate your little buddy anywhere in the 

US. 

Need one? $69.00 at www.pettracker.com. DB 

e-cloth and 

Universal Stone 

Perfect cleaning with just water 

CHEMICAL-FREE CLEANING IS PART OF MANY modern 

households, as the “green living” movement gains momentum. 

At first glance, the claim that a cloth could clean effectively 

with only water, seems unlikely. However, the proof is in the 

puddin’—I mean, the fibers. 

At a ratio of 1.6 million fibers per square inch (as opposed to 

the standard 90,000-200,000 of other microfibers) the e-cloth 

traps not only dirt, water and grease from hard surfaces, but also 

99% of bacteria. Then, when you rinse the cloth under a stream 

of hot water, all but .01% of trapped deposits are washed down 

the drain. 

Not just for cleaning, these cloths will leave your mirrors lint 

and streak free, and your stainless steel surfaces free of smudges 

and fingerprints. 

Good for at least 300 washes (guaranteed by the company), 

your e-cloth is certainly economical. 

For restoration of metals, plastics and ceramic, the Universal 

Stone product, applied with the applicator sponge, is a non-abrasive 

cleaning agent made from natural ingredients. It polishes, 

cleans and preserves all in one step. Fabulous! 

Need a set? $49.99 at www.ecloth.com. 

LG 

Twin Wash 

Two loads at the same time 

OH YEA, BABY! SPEND LESS TIME DOING LAUNDRY? 

We’re in! The Twin Wash is not an entire washing machine unit, 

it’s actually just a separate drawer that fits under any of LG’s 

front-load washers. It will handle your delicates while you’ve 

got the heavier loads up top. With an entirely different cycle, 

you literally can do two different things at the same time! 

This is so new it’s not even on the market yet, so keep a look 

out! 

www.lg.com. 

DB 

52 


OutdoorSpaces 

Take that 

party outside... 

Remember drive-in theaters? There’s 

something about watching a movie 

out-of-doors that adds a little zest to the 

experience. Those of you who saw the 

movie The Wedding Planner, watched 

as the characters fell in love during an 

outdoor movie screening at a park. It 

was romantic and charming. We don’t 

see why our readers can’t recreate 

that magic at home in their own back 

yardsṘ 

MOST OF US CAN GATHER THE MAKINGS OF A 

memorable movie night in just a few thoughtful moments 

and a search through a linen closet or spare 

bedroom. Sure you have to drag some things outside, 

and then have to drag them back indoors. Think of the 

memories made! It’s worth a little effort. 

Pillows, quilts, some candles, a movie projector or 

flat screen tv... Set the stage minimally or as extravagantly 

as you want. It’s your party! 

Be creative. Throw a white sheet over a fence, or 

tack it to the side of a shed. Want something with a little 

more structure? Folding-frame outdoor projection 

screens can be purchased for under $200, and come in 

several different types. Outdoor models can be inflatable 

(yes, really!) or manual, that set up on a tripod or 

braces. 

Let’s talk seating. There’s nothing wrong with letting 

kids pile on a blanket strewn with pillows, but for 

more sophistication, pull your patio furniture in front 

of the screen for more comfort. Futons are fabulous for 

outdoor lounging. 

Time to talk food. Ooey, gooey caramel popcorn, 

bottled drinks, gourmet popsicles...oh myyyy. The 

possibilities are endless, and the best part....you’re 

OUTSIDE! Spills and accidents—no problem! Be 

fearless! 

DB 

Chatham Double Chaise 

$349.00 – $1,249.00 

www.potterybarn.com 

Elite Screens Yardmaster 

Portable Outdoor Screen 

Starts at $189.78 

www.wayfair.com 

Party photos courtesy of www.bashplease.com 

Popsicles top row, 

left to right: 

Orange Rosemary, 

Fudge, Lemon Meringue, 

Root Beer Float, 

Berry Cheesecake. 

Bottom row: 

Banana Colada, 

Strawberry Shortcake, 

Cucumber Mint, 

Key Lime Pie, 

Peach Lavender. 

For a full recipe list, 

visit www.weedemandreap.com. 

Lemon Meringue 

Ingredients 

• 6 eggs 

• 1 c. cane sugar or coconut sugar 

• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice 

• 1 TBS. lemon zest 

• 8 TBS. butter 

• 1/2 cup cream 

• 1/4 cup cane sugar or coconut sugar 

Instructions 

In a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling 

water, whisk eggs, 1 c. sugar & lemon juice. 

Stir constantly until temperature reaches 

160 degrees. 

Remove from heat and mix in lemon zest & 

butter. 

With a mixer set on high, mix cream & sugar 

until whipping cream forms. 

Layer the lemon curd & whipping cream, 

then pour in popsicle molds and freeze for 6+ 

hours. 

Key Lime Pie 

Ingredients 

• 2 cans coconut milk or whole milk 

• Juice & zest of 1 lime 

• 3 TBS. honey 

• pinch of salt 

• 1 c. chopped macadamia nuts 

Instructions 

Mix coconut milk, lime juice & zest & honey 

in a blender/food processor. 

Pour into popsicle molds or cups and freeze 

for 6+ hours. 

Remove from mold & roll in chopped nuts. 

Banana Colada 

Ingredients 

• 4-5 bananas 

• 2 cans of coconut milk 

• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 

• 1/2 tsp. salt 

• 1 c. chocolate chips 

• 1/2 c. coconut flakes 

Instructions 

Mix bananas, coconut milk, vanilla, & salt in 

a blender/food processor. Blend. 

Toast coconut flakes in a pan over medium 

heat for about 5 min. 

Pour liquid mixture into popsicle molds, top 

with toasted coconut, and freeze for 6+ hours. 

Slowly melt chocolate chips in a glass bowl 

over a saucepan of boiling water, then dip 

into chocolate and freeze for 5 minutes. 

54 


TalkOfTheTrade 

Design 

q 

I just bought a home with box 

beams on either side of my 

kitchen island, one has to be 

there, the other is just boxed 

to create balance, can I do 

anything to make this more 

stylish? 

Add a weight line by creating a 

larger base at bottom, making the 

columns appear more centered. 

Depending on your ceiling, you 

may be able to create a detail 

on the box beams to match your 

crown molding, which gives the 

overall appearance of the room a 

more stylish and finished look! 

At Home With Shane 

In my every day journey from home 

to home and from client to client, 

I am inspired. 

Design & Build magazine brings you... 

Shane Meder 

Q: Is there a specific guide to use when selecting a rug size 

for my room? 

A: A rug should bring a space together. A guide I use is to always 

make sure the rug at least comes half way under the sofa. 

If the room has a fireplace, keep the rug two feet from the hearth. 

It is always better to choose larger sizes vs. smaller. A larger rug 

will make the space feel warmer and more comfortable. 

Q: What is your advice on choosing the right size of tile for 

my bathroom? 

A: Actually, larger size tile in smaller spaces make the floor 

feel larger because there are fewer grout lines. I am a firm believer 

that less is more. With a thin line of grout, it allows the tile 

to feel larger, and does not distract from the beauty and movement 

of the tile or stone. This is referred to as a butt joint. 

Q: Is there one room in the home I should not include family 

portraits? 

A: As a rule, I never place family portraits in dining rooms. It 

is the place that you host guests, and it is important to have soft 

art that dictates a calming and welcoming effect. 

Q: I am holding on to my mother’s porcelain lamps. 

Should I incorporate these heirlooms in today’s transitional 

living room? 

A: I highly recommend using your mother’s lamps. It will 

bring more sentimental value to your space. Adding a new shade 

and an acrylic base is a great way to reinvent them. 

Q: What is the best way to freshen up a vanity when remodeling 

a bathroom? 

A: Vanities typically are very easy to paint. By also adding a 

new top, such as granite or cement, you can freshen up the over 

all look. By updating the handles and knobs, you can totally 

re-create the style. When doing so, be mindful of the finish of 

faucet and lighting. They too, can be reinvented by choosing the 

same finish... 

Q: I have a dresser my husband and I started keeping 

house with, and we love it. However after moving here from 

Boston, we believe the very traditional style feels heavy and 

older and then the one in our new home at Reynolds. Any 

thoughts or ideas to help us keep it, but give it a new look 

in our new home. I love color. Do I dare explore with this 

dresser? 

A: One word... “paint!” And as for color, find yourself a palette 

that you love and want to explore! 

If you love color, think young and fresh, which is exactly what 

the dresser is longing for! 

Have a question for Shane? He is available by email at 

Shane@designbuildmagazine.net. 

He can also be reached through his website at BlackSheepInteriors.com. 

56 



Remodel 

The Perfect Marriage 

(of original & modern) 

There is something very sexy and 

satisfying about a renovation that has 

been tastefully infused with 

original details. 

Design & Build magazine brings you... 


SELLING MY SHARE OF REAL ESTATE 

over the years, I have seen all types of renovations. 

From a $100,000 lime green kitchen 

to a freshly carpeted bathroom floor. 

Many projects have left me scratching my 

head. When it comes to a remodel, everyone 

has their own personal style, but one theme 

that I’ve noticed over the years in the most 

striking renovations is a balanced blend of 

reclaimed original features in juxtaposition 

with intelligent, modern upgrades. There is 

something very sexy and satisfying about a 

renovation that has been tastefully infused 

with original details. 

My favorite style of renovation has always 

been mid-century modern. The clean lines, 

walls of glass, and natural flow of interior to 

exterior spaces tugs on my heart strings. It 

started as a hobby and morphed into an obsession. 

Renovating a mid-century home is 

like putting a puzzle together. How can you 

preserve the original features while updating 

the space so that it feels current and fresh? 

The most recent renovation project I had 

the opportunity to work on was a home built 

in 1972 located in the mid-century modern 

neighborhood of Northcrest. The original 

owners had taken pride during their ownership, 

and many of the home’s original features 

were impeccably maintained. We called it the 

“Lynnray House” and it boasted a dramatic 

elevation with a low pitch roof, multi-level 

floor plan and plenty of glass that let the natural 

surroundings in. 

The actual floor plan needed little modification. 

Just one wall was brought down to 

open the kitchen up to the main living space. 

The windows were replaced and expanded 

to enhance the love affair with the natural 

light and the interchangeable indoor/outdoor 

living. Surprisingly, the only original wood 

floors were in the bedrooms. The rest of the 

home had a lovely mud-colored carpet, which 

looked like it could have been original as 

well! We added wood floors throughout the 

home and blended them perfectly with the existing 

wood in the bedrooms. 

For me, inspiration often comes from my 

surroundings. In this case I drew upon the 

warmth of the original tongue and groove 

ceilings and offset the warm wood tones with 

a cool, modern, paint pallet. The new kitchen 

was opened up and streamlined and I intentionally 

chose to not use upper cabinets and 

instead opted for a larger bank of built-ins 

around the refrigerator. This kept the eye focused 

on the dynamic pitch of the tongue and 

groove ceiling - the starring character of this 

home. 

In the bathrooms, the old shower tile was 

replaced with large, white, rectangular tile 

that traveled vertically up the wall and visually 

added even more height to the space, 

again, playing up the T&G wood ceilings. 

The original tile was left on the floor and 

simply acid washed and re-grouted. This 

gave the bathrooms a bit of history and depth. 

All the fixtures, vanities and toilets were replaced. 

The finished product was a striking 

mix of contemporary and years gone by. A 

labor of love that told a story in the details, 

ornamented with special touches and infused 

with natural light. 

Have a question for Vanessa? She is available 

by email at Vanessa@designbuildmagazine.net. 

She can also be reached through her website 

at DomoRealty.com. 

58 



Finance 

Consider This 

Aceing your mortgage application 

Applying for a mortgage is a major milestone in 

your life. It signifies the purchase of a home and 

the achievement of the American dream. To 

make sure that the American dream doesn’t turn 

into a nightmare, several items must be considered 

before submitting your application. Mortgage 

companies will look not only into your current 

financial situation but also your ability to pay 

long term, especially considering the fact that 

your mortgage will be for 15 to 30 years. Below 

are the five factors which are most important for 

putting your best foot forward to 

qualify for a mortgage. 

FIRST YOU WANT TO CONSIDER IF YOU CAN AFFORD 

the mortgage for which you are applying. Generally 

speaking you should not purchase a home which is more 

than 3 times your annual salary. In the same vein you 

should not obtain a mortgage which accounts for more 

than one-third of your income. Assuming there is no major 

change in your income during the term of your mortgage 

this should ensure its ongoing affordability for you 

and your family. 

The second item to consider is the amount of the down 

payment. A target goal should be 20% of the purchase 

price for your new home. If you are unable to make a 

down payment of 20% you typically will have to purchase 

insurance which protects the mortgage company 

from default. This insurance is called private mortgage 

insurance and will remain a portion of your monthly payment 

until you reach at least an 80:20 ratio in debt to 

value. If you are unable to make a 20% down payment, 

one potential workaround to avoid private mortgage insurance 

would be to finance 80% of your loan through a 

first mortgage and the remaining amount through a second 

mortgage. You will need to discuss this with your 

mortgage broker to determine if it is an option for you. 

Applying for a mortgage will require a strong credit 

score. In order to build your credit score consider obtaining 

a credit card and using it for everyday purchases. At 

the end of each month pay off the entire balance. After 

doing so for 12 consecutive months you will see an increase 

in your credit score. You can also build credit by 

making on time car payments. If you initially do not qualify 

for a mortgage, try purchasing a home through your 

local bank and making on time payments for a period of 

12 months. Building your credit demonstrates to your 

mortgage company that you are a good risk and your 

chances of approval improve exponentially. Your credit 

score will likely be the determining factor as to whether 

you receive mortgage approval. 

In order to demonstrate to the mortgage company that 

you are a good candidate, you need to have been employed 

for a period in excess of one year. Job stability 

shows a funding stream that will be used to pay back the 

mortgage. Your mortgage broker will require copies of 

two or more years of tax returns, as well as W-2 and pay 

stubs showing continued employment. It is also typical 

for a mortgage company to contact your employer to 

verify employment during the loan process and sometimes 

on the day of closing. You will also be asked to 

sign documentation which states that your employment 

is unchanged and that your income is the same as what is 

reflected on your loan application. 

The final thing to consider before applying for a mortgage 

is that you have not requested credit for any other 

large purchase at the time of your mortgage application 

or while your mortgage application is pending before 

closing. During the underwriting process the mortgage 

company will review your income and credit history to 

make a determination as to whether they believe you 

can meet the terms of the mortgage. If you have recently 

made a new debt obligation, it will be hard to determine 

whether you can effectively service that debt in addition 

to your new mortgage. Once you are approved and preparing 

to close, if you were to purchase a car or boat, 

the credit used could be detrimental to your mortgage 

approval. If new credit is applied for and received during 

this period, oftentimes your mortgage approval will be 

withdrawn and the mortgage company will be unwilling 

to move forward with your loan. A good rule of thumb is 

to avoid applying for any new credit during the six-month 

period before applying for your mortgage and under no 

circumstances should you apply for new credit after your 

mortgage approval before your closing. 

Applying for a mortgage is a daunting task. There is 

a mountain of paperwork and requests for income verification, 

credit and job history. The process will be time 

consuming and sometimes frustrating. By considering 

the five factors outlined, you should have a smoother 

experience with your mortgage broker. If you are able 

to address these matters before completing your application 

and your mortgage is affordable according to your 

current income then getting approved for a mortgage 

should be attainable. Each mortgage company has different 

guidelines for approval, but improved credit scores, 

a solid down payment and a demonstrated ability to pay 

will go a long way in approval of a new mortgage and 

attaining the American Dream by buying a new home. 

DB 

Written by Lee Abney 

60 


TheFinalNail 

THE 

FINAL 

NAIL 

Jamie Miles 

writer, wife, mother and turtle wranglerY 

When Opportunity Knocks, 

Should You Always Answer? 

“I got a call out of the blue. This 

really nice guy wanted to sell his 

house before it went through the 

foreclosure process,” remembered 

Abney. Asking advice 

from industry friends, consensus 

was the 20-year-old house needed 

a little work for a reasonable 

amount of money. After walking 

through the house with the owner, 

Abney agreed, and within two 

weeks of that first phone call, the 

Abney family’s lakefront dream 

came true. What dream doesn’t 

need a little work? 

“The first time I go out to the 

house and it’s mine, I walk through the door and my legs turn black.” Fleas. Once the 

former owner’s dogs moved out, the insatiable pests picked the new owner as their 

next host. Conditions were so insufferable, the contractor refused to start work till the 

fleas were gone. But as the Man Who Came to Dinner, these teensy guests weren’t vacating 

their turf without a war. His foe firmly entrenched, Abney naively—by his own 

admission—set out 30 flea bomb cans. The result “was like I fed the fleas.” Round 

Two, Abney turned to the professionals. After their treatment, “it was like they fed 

the fleas.” The company tried a second time using so much flea-killing juice in Lee’s 

words, “the carpets went ‘squish, squish, squish’” — to no avail. Round One, Two 

and Three going to the fleas, who were now drunk on pesticide. 

Calling another company out of the bullpen, this pest reliever refused to treat the 

house until the carpeting was removed. A Catch-22 for Commander Abney, because 

no person of sound mind wanted to tear out the flea infested, insecticide-pickled carpet. 

Finally, with a Matterhorn of carpet in the dumpster out front, the all-out assault 

began. The new strategy treated the whole house, the attic, the crawl space and 30,000 

square feet of yard. Round Four found Abney KO’ing the fleas and the remodel could 

begin. Or so he thought. 

The first task was to remove wallpaper throughout the entire house. Like their fellow 

inhabitants—the fleas—the wallpaper refused to go peacefully. Every square inch 

had to be peeled off by hand. This left the interior of the house covered in bitty shards 

of discarded wallpaper, layers of dust, and riddled with ladders. “You couldn’t walk 

through the rooms because the floors were covered in ripped wallpaper. We went 

through the money from the bank in the first two and a half months.” He added with 

a slight grin, “Then it became too depressing to keep track of.” 

When he first bought the house and was given a two-month timeline, Abney envisioned 

a grand Fourth of July with hotdogs and fireworks, or a large Labor Day 

bash for family, friends and clients. After Labor Day came and went, he received a 

call from a good client who joked that his invitation to Abney’s Labor Day lake party 

must have gotten lost in the mail. “I had to tell him that my lake house is in shambles. 

There was no party.” 

Replacing the HVAC was the one big expense Abney knew about at purchase. But 

unforeseen time—and money-consuming roadblocks—kept appearing faster than a 

frisky flea reproduces. The front steps needed replacing. Then, because the former 

owners smoked, residual tar stains on ceilings and accompanying cigarette smell ended 

up being as hard to evict as the wallpaper and the fleas. Oh, and when a worker 

Attorney Lee Abney kept a 

lookout for a sweetheart deal on 

lakefront property since moving 

to Madison in 2001. Abney’s 

parents, living in Dublin, Georgia, 

had long entertained the idea of 

a place on Lake Oconee, close 

to Lee’s family and their son and 

family in Milledgeville. Then in 

June 2014, the perfect opportunity 

appeared. Or was it the perfect 

storm? 

used an upstairs toilet, an unknown leak flooded newly restored 

downstairs ceilings. 

While Lee spent nights after work and every weekend replacing 

faucets and painting walls with the construction crew, he 

wasn’t the only family member stressed by this home remodel 

gone south—north, east and west. Summer Abney, Lee’s wife 

and Morgan County High School math teacher, spent those 

same work nights and weekends home alone with the couples’ 

young son, McCullough. “Summer was 100 percent right,” Lee 

laughed. “I’m an eternal optimist, and she’s a realist. It turned 

into Lee’s Folly.” 

“The way I envisioned it, you hand someone a check, then 

come back out and the work is done.” Reality ended up to be 

quite different. Abney quickly learned that the more he distanced 

himself from the project, the faster things spiraled out 

of control. He realized early on that to afford the remodel, he 

was going to have to strap on a tool belt and don a painter’s cap. 

“Anything you could do with a drill and not have to have any 

construction skill, I did it,” he laughed. This included painting 

DB Written by Jamie Miles 

walls and working on the dock. He handled a lot of the cleanup, 

hauling loads of rotted wood and wallpaper scraps out to 

the dumpster. Weekends were packed full of trips with the contractor 

to Home Depot and Lowe’s to select materials and haul 

them to the house in his truck. 

Lee’s Folly—though painful at times—paid a big dividend. 

Three generations now have a beautiful lakefront home to enjoy. 

And, the ordeal gave Lee a new perspective on what his 

clients face. “Lots of times, I’ll close a construction loan, then 

later close the permanent financing. I’ll ask if they are happy 

with the house while making small talk. Now I truly understand 

what these people spent the last year doing.” Lee laughed that 

remodeling or building a house is like a part time job without 

an end date. “You just do it till it’s done.” What started out as 

a two-month rehab with a small budget, ended up taking over 

three times as long and costing double the forecast amount. And 

as of this printing, Lee’s Folly is not quite over. There’s one 

door left to weather strip, and one can light to be installed. No 

need to check your inbox for any Fourth of July invites just yet. DB 

DESIGN&BUILD MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2015 63

DB & 

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Design & Build Magazine May/June 2015

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