Design & Build Magazine May/June 2015

“
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