No Place Like Home

A THOUGHTFUL RENOVATION PROVIDED THE PERFECT BLANK CANVAS FOR THE HOMEOWNERS’ COLLECTIONS FROM GLOBAL TRAVELS— EACH PIECE WITH A STORY TO TELL.

“The entire house was designed to showcase the homeowners’ incredible collections. Every piece has a story to tell, and that story is carried from room to room.”

—Terra Mimikakis, Catori Design House

Architect Carrie Taylor designed the modern staircase. Its clean lines and bright white walls highlight two wooden oars the homeowners purchased on a visit to Hawaii. For years, the oars sat in a closet becausethe homeowners didn’t know how to properly display them. Catori Design House had them custom-hung to serve as a stand-out centerpiece in the home.

ome people travel the world over in search of adventure. is Vestavia couple, however, must look no further than their own living room. Practically every area of the space features pieces from their many globetrotting escapades—special memories or stories from faraway places brought to mind by each and every one.

But the home wasn’t always such a personalized haven for the owners. In fact, for many years, the couple felt quite out of sync with their house. “ e style was a little all over the place, not only with the design, but also with the functionality,” the homeowner says. “We wanted the space to have character, comfort, and cohesion, but we needed help to make that happen.” ankfully, the couple knew just where to turn to bring that vision to life and transform their outdated house into a comfortable yet carefully-curated home. It all began with a meticulous renovation orchestrated by architect Carrie Taylor, who artfully reimagined the disconnected areas. She began by opening up the

ABOVE: Custom steel cabinets with glass shelving served as a driving force in the design of the dining room. The cabinets provide plenty of space to display small pieces from the homeowners’ travels, such as wooden bowls, blown-glass items, and small pieces of artwork. The thin, almost translucent Hawaiian bowls on the dining table are made from Norfolk pine, which was originally brought to Hawaii to form masts for ships.

kitchen to the rest of the main living area and adding doors o the space to make movement to and from the backyard easier. She also took great care in the small details, removing traditional elements such as trayed ceilings and incorporating custom moldings and recessed lighting with clean lines for a more modern touch.

For the kitchen details, Carrie worked with Kristi Freeman and Terra Mimikakis of Catori Design House to meticulously plan out every feature for the homeowners, both avid entertainers. “Even the insides of the cabinets were speci cally designed so that every item has a home,” Kristi says. “ e sizes of some cabinets were determined by the size of the appliances. And we added outlets and charging stations in certain spots so that appliances can be used without even moving them. Functionality would be an understatement in this kitchen.”

To continue refreshing and reimagining what the space should be, Kristi and Terra out tted each room with comfortable, modern nishes that complement the homeowners’ art and

“To see everything we had purchased over so many years repurposed and displayed in a beautiful design—it’s like a diary of our travels and our lives.”

—the homeowner

collections. “ e design was really driven by those collections,” Kristi says. “I don’t think there is an accessory in the home that doesn’t have a story behind it.” e challenge became creating spaces and places to display the wide variety of items. Working with an array of art, blown glass, and wooden bowls, Kristi and Terra creatively showcased the pieces in speci c spots, from the étagères in the living room to the glass-and-steel cabinets in the dining room. e designers also reframed all of the artwork to better coordinate with the modern space.

For the furniture, the duo selected artisan and custom furniture, such as the running man console table in the living room and the metallic, eggshaped co ee table in the living room, to underscore the contemporary vibe. And adding to the wordly theme of the home, the dining room sports a black elm tabletop produced in a small northern Italian town just miles from where the homeowner’s mother grew up. Even with such a variety of pieces throughout the house, the end result is a comfortable, cohesive space that feels more like a relaxing retreat—no passport required.

RESOURCES: Interior Designer: Catori Design House Architect: Carrie Taylor Architect, Builder: Slate Barganier, slatebarganier.com Kitchen cabinets: Parsons Custom Cabinetry Kitchen and bathroom hardware: Brandino Brass Appliances: Allsouth Appliance Group Countertops/ backsplash: Triton Stone Group Rugs: Ben Soleimani and 18th Street Orientals Lighting: Circa Lighting

The Art of Display

From artwork to ceramics and antiques to tiny trinkets, there’s something truly special in seeking out unique finds— especially while traveling throughout the country or across the globe. Even better is bringing these items home and turning the collections into decorative focal points on full display. But figuring out how to do so in a beautifully balanced way can be over–whelming. Kristi Freeman and Terra Mimikakis of Catori Design House share their tips on creating and displaying collections.

Buy What You Love Don’t assume that everything you buy has to be alike. Buy what you love, regardless of how varied each piece may be. “The collection should be about spirit and what speaks to you,” Terra says.

Mix and Match A mix of materials, dimensions, and textures will create a much more interesting space. “It’s important to balance vingettes with a variety of items,” says Kristi.

Focus on the Art When purchasing artwork, don’t get caught up in the frame. If you like the art, you can always reframe the piece later.

Go With a Group Groupings could be based on color, shape, or material. For art, Kristi and Terra suggest measuring out the wall space first, then arranging the pieces on the floor to figure out what works.