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athome in the upstate
notes
FROM HOME
VOL. 5 | No. 2 | 2007
“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.”
– Sam Keen
Layout EDITOR Kristy M. Adair STORy Editor Lyn Riddle Copy Editor Diane Jackson
Roll out those lazy, hazy days.
as usual, are fascinating. And their houses
Why is it that even after our children are
are distinctive.
grown and living life away from us we still
Did you know that there was such a
seem to have the feeling that the months
thing as an aviation community? I sure
of June, July and August should be a three
didn’t until I met the Barbours and their
month vacation? Our son hasn’t been
neighbors.
in school for several years now but I still
The Howards have a love of horses and
tend to think of summer as “down time.”
it certainly shows in the lifestyle that they
Doesn’t always work out that way in reality,
have created for themselves in their brand
but it’s still somewhat hard to relinquish
new home.
the feeling.
Bill Ducworth has been a well-known
Summer vacation used to drag by…
interior designer and decorator in the
now it flies. Time changes things. No
Upstate and Beaufort areas for a number
changing that.
of years. We now have the privilege of
We have some great homeowners for
you to meet within this issue. Their stories,
FEATURE EDITOR Lynn Greenlaw
seeing how he has used his creative mind in his own home. I thank them all for allowing us the opportunity to share their environments with you. Since this area of the country lends itself well to outdoor entertaining, check out the scrumptious recipes from Jorée for a summer patio supper. I can personally attest to how good they are. One of the perks of my job. Lots of other fun features inside. Hope you find yourself some respectability this summer.
PRODUCTION MANAGER Holly Hardin Advertising Sandra L. Peirce Account Execs Candace Christe Donna Johnston Nancy Long Karen McCrary Pam Putman Charlotte Reid Lenette Sprouse Michelle Ward DISTRIBUTION David Robinson Kevin Schemm GRAPHIC Design Michael Allen Rasheeda Mickel Joel Newcomer Adrienne Schmit Tammy Smith Kelly Stuart CLIENT SERVICES Anita Harley Jane Rogers Marjean Short Special thanks Mary McCarthy Our terrific writers and photographers The Entire Journal Staff EDITORIAL 864.679.1225 ADVERTISING 864.679.1200 DISTRIBUTION 864.679.1240 Publisher • Mark B. Johnston
Lynn Greenlaw Feature Editor
Please contact me with any suggestions or comments at 679-1239 or lgreenlaw@communityjournals.com. * ON THE COVER: Even the mailboxes are part of the uniqueness of the Foothills Aerodrome community. Photo by Brian Erkens. 10 | at h o m e
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148 Riv er st ., St e 120 • Greenv ille, S.C. • 29601
athome in the upstate A publication of Community Journals LLC (publisher of the Anderson, Greenville and Spartanburg Journals). Information in this publication is carefully compiled to ensure accuracy. No recommendation regarding the quality of goods and services is expressed or implied. Contents of this magazine are copyrighted © by Community Journals in their entirety. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior consent of the publisher.
5/23/07 7 30 18 PM
963-9536 875 NE Main Street Simpsonville, SC 29681
Introducing
ALTHORP L I V I N G
H I S T O R Y
The Althorp collection encompasses so much‌ excellence in design, classic interpretations for contemporary living, and an appreciation of beauty. Each piece provides a unique statement about the Althorp collection and the customer who purchases it.
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W
When Steve Bar bour a sked for his sweetheart’s hand in marriage several years ago, the proposal included a line not many young women hear. “It was, ‘I don’t know exactly where this is all going to go in the future. You’re just going to have to strap in tight and hold on for the ride,’” Fritzi, now Mrs. Barbour, remembers with a laugh. “And I knew what that meant – that’s the scary part.” Having grown up an Air Force brat, Fritzi had some idea what she was getting herself into by becoming the bride of a fighter pilot – and that’s exactly why she never thought she would. “I always said I would never marry a guy in the Air Force, and 15 years later there I am getting an ID card being a military dependent again,” she says.
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Those aren’t the only words Fritzi has munched on during the course of her relationship with Steve. Before the couple met on a blind date while they were both living in Virginia – he stationed at Langley Air Force Base and she building a successful career in real estate – Fritzi’s travel agent was under strict instructions never to book her on anything smaller than a jet. But love will make a girl do crazy things, and these days Steve and Fritzi can be found cruising the local airways in their RV-6A, a single-engine experimental home-built plane. Home-built. As in Steve built it.
(FACING PAGE) Both military brats, Steve and Fritzi Barbour describe the lot they purchased seven years ago as “seven acres of kudzu,” a far cry from the lush landscape they have created, with a little guidance over the years from Dabney Peeples. (THIS PAGE) Steve’s hangar, where he can be found tinkering and swapping stories with neighbors most weekends, is roughly the same size as the house. The Barbours are one of the 11 high-flying families that call Foothills Aerodrome home. SUMMER 2007 | 17
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Following a theme, the Barbour’s living room ceiling “soars,” creating a feeling of spaciousness.
Such a project probably doesn’t seem all that risky to a guy who followed his father and grandfather into the fighter pilot biz and did his Desert Storm duty obliterating tanks from the cockpit of an A10 – while simultaneously providing target practice to anyone on the ground with a firearm handy. And Fritzi has adapted. “The saving grace is that I don’t like long car rides, and we can be at the beach in an hour. Now that’s pretty good,” she says, acknowledging that packing light is a skill she acquired through marriage. “My friends wouldn’t recognize the way I travel.” The Barbours’ high-flying lifestyle is
facilitated by the fact that their airplane is parked in the backyard, inside a 2,000-squarefoot hangar. Steve and Fritzi are among a handful of aviation enthusiasts who call Foothills Aerodrome home. “It’s kind of like living with your plane,” Steve explains. “Some people live on a golf course, some people live on a lake … we live on a runway.” Located just off East Georgia Road in Simpsonville, the 3,400-foot grass strip of a runway that serves as the centerpiece of this aviation community was a well-kept secret until about 10 years ago. The runway was built in
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the 1980s by a couple of enterprising aviators looking to launch a residential airpark. The concept was ahead of its time and didn’t take off, and the farmer who owned the land foreclosed and took it back. A few years later he was approached again and Foothills Aerodrome was born. There are currently only 11 homes surrounding the communal runway, but each
of the 21 available home sites has been sold. And apparently they could easily be sold again. Steve says he regularly fields inquiries from people interested in buying their way into the community. “With all the hurricanes and other things going on down (in Florida), a lot of those people are coming up this way looking for more reasonably priced land,” Steve says of the
Steve and Fritzi Barbour designed their home themselves – sketching the floor plan on a napkin – and built only the space they needed laid out exactly the way they wanted to live.
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local aviation boom. But Steve and Fritzi won’t be selling. When they first started learning about aviation communities, they hoped to eventually retire to one. “You just think you’re not going to find it, especially not right here in his hometown,” Fritzi says. “But now we get to live on a runway instead of just
dreaming of retiring to a runway.” As broker-in-charge for Coldwell Banker Caine’s Williams Street office, Fritzi knows what sells in this market, but that wasn’t a consideration for the Barbours when building their 2,000ishsquare-foot home – which they designed themselves, on a napkin. And everything they’ve done since, they’ve done for their
own comfort and enjoyment, not with resale value in mind. “We built what we needed,” Steve says. “With her being in real estate she knew what she wanted and I knew what I wanted – a huge bathroom and a huge shower and a huge master bedroom, because in the military everything is small.”
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(ABOVE) The kitchen is Fritzi’s domain, where she “putzes” while Steve spends time with his plane and where she gathers up entrées and sides to share with neighbors at the impromptu get-togethers that happen almost weekly. (RIGHT) Steve’s home office is filled with memorabilia from his time in the Air Force and his family’s military history, with a number of special pieces commemorating his Desert Storm tour of duty.
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“A lot of people were surprised we didn’t build a bigger house,” Fritzi says. “But it’s space laid out the way we want to live, not necessarily what the market says a resale should be, because we don’t plan on going anywhere else.” Their seven-acre homestead provides plenty of green space for Fritzi to put her master gardener training – and her husband – to work, and the couple enjoys the four-legged and feathered friends that regularly stop by. The spacious lots also keep neighbors close enough to lend a helping hand or stage impromptu get-togethers – which they do on an almost weekly basis – yet far enough away to give everyone plenty of elbow room. The Foothills Aerodrome community revolves around a 3,400foot grassy strip of a runway a few miles outside downtown Simpsonville. The resident pilots communicate by radio to coordinate takeoffs and landings. 22 | a t h o m e
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Most weekends, Steve and Fritzi do the yard thing together, do their own things in the hangar and house, respectively, and then Steve sticks his head in the back door and invites his bride out for a “hundred-dollar burger.” They’ll fire up the plane and grab lunch at one of their favorite aviator-friendly establishments in North Georgia or Rutherfordton, N.C. Or they’ll dine at home and take a sunset cruise – one of Fritzi’s favorite reasons to eschew gravity. From the looks of things, the couple who weren’t sure where they would land have reached their cruising altitude. ö
(ABOVE) Many plane owners like to put their personal stamp on their hangar, where so many hours are spent fixing this and tweaking that. (LEFT) The Barbours recently hosted a regatta for their fellow aviators. Similar to a poker run, the event required pilots to demonstrate their skills by reaching a specific set of coordinates within a certain time frame, all determined by Steve. 24 | a t h o m e
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Find your inspiration at DOTI! Custom Window Treatments Extensive Furniture Selection Lighting and Accessories Design Services That Reflect Your Lifestyle
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105 Wall Street, Suite 6 • Clemson, SC 29631 SUMMER 2007 | 31
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ideas in bloom
Floral design
Internationally known floral designer Ron Morgan and his interpretation of a Helen DuPre Moseley untitled painting.
Throw out the rules (along with the cut-off stems)
Written by Lydia Dishman • Photos by T.J. Getz & Mark Massingill Editor’s note: Carolina Foothills Garden Club and the Greenville County Museum of Art brought renowned floral designer Ron Morgan to Greenville for an event titled In the Company of Art and Flowers. Before his visit, works of art from the museum’s collection were selected for interpretation by various members of the garden club. We regret that we are unable to show them all. Ron also displayed his creative talents by offering a demonstration of his amazing floral design abilities. A sampling of his work from that day is included in this article.
Int imida ted by the
idea of do-it-yourself floral arranging? Meet Ron Morgan, an internationally renowned floral designer who throws out all the rules along with the cut-off stems. Using fruit, vegetables, denuded branches, berries and, of course, flowers, he creates tablescapes that are imaginative, tactile and defiantly nontraditional. SUMMER 2007 | 33
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Photo provided by Artistic Lightscapes
When
Written by Leigh Savage
NIGHT Experts help put your home in its best light
falls
You don’t even think about it during the day, but it’s the single most important investment you can make to change the way your home looks – and functions – once the sun goes down. It’s landscape lighting, and according to those whose handiwork illuminates Upstate homes, there’s much more to the process than meets the eye. “Without light, there is no space,” says Jeff Prieboy, owner, with wife Ivey, of Pickens-based Artistic Lightscapes. He explains that without outdoor lighting, evening brings blackened windows, shrouded architectural features, obscured beauty and limited functionality. He is passionate about transforming homes through lighting, and is fulfilled when clients, who once questioned the need for so many fixtures, are flabbergasted the first time night falls on their newly enhanced home. SUMMER 2007 | 41
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simply unique Architectural Landscape Lighting. “For example, if you light a tree a certain way, you can create depth and tie the interior and exterior spaces together.” When formulating a lighting plan, he thinks of the home and its surroundings as a blank canvas. “We want to paint our lights into that scheme subtly,” he says. “We want to highlight the architecture and to see the important elements of the landscape.” A mix of techniques such as triangulation (which creates a focal point with lights for depth in a triangular shape), reflection, downlighting, uplighting and silhouetting can guide visual direction and create a subtle yet cohesive overall effect. “The beauty in a great installation, a great design, is to see the effect of the lighting, not the source,” agrees Edge. “You never want to see the bulb.” He says floodlights and post lamps would be the “enemy” of the landscape lighting professional, while shielded uplighting is often a better choice, providing good visibility as well as beauty.
Photos provided by Artistic Lightscapes
Home Decor & Gifts
Located between Haywood Rd & East North 221 Pelham Rd | 864.239.3999 SUMMER 2007 | 43
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simply unique
Photos provided by O utdoor Lighting Perspective The latest trend in this growing field is lighting a variety of spaces designed for outdoor entertaining and relaxing. Homeowners around the country are creating outdoor living areas including kitchens, grills, pools, decks, hot tubs and sitting areas, and the demand is especially high in places like the Upstate that boast great weather ideal for al fresco gatherings. The Prieboys, having lived in the heat of South Florida and the often-chilly temperatures of Illinois, say the climate in South Carolina is just right for outdoor entertaining, so it makes sense that locals are taking advantage of it. Edge, who has been in business in the Upstate for a decade, has also noticed an uptick in those seeking to extend outdoor living spaces,
especially in the backyard. Major projects he’s worked on include lighting chimneys, water features, brick ovens and fire pits. “These projects add tremendous functional value to a home,” Edge says. “They are great for entertaining purposes, plus they just look great, too.” Landscape lighting experts typically work with low-volt lighting, but safety is still a primary concern, as wires can be overloaded, become overheated and can even catch fire. Prieboy, who has given seminars on outdoor lighting safety, says customers should make sure the company they hire understands electrical codes, transformer capacity, wire placement and methods, product quality and other technical issues. He recommends finding a certified
Photos provided by A rtistic Lightscapes
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simply unique
KN OC R E K K
’S ER
P OC
Photos provided by Outdoor Lighting Perspective
company that provides a maintenance program, a warranty and extensive documentation. “It becomes second nature for someone who does it every day,” says Edge. whose business is locally owned but is part of the nation’s largest landscape lighting franchise. “We just have to have ample foresight and install it properly, with the capacity for future additions, not just for the here and now.” Prieboy sold outdoor lighting products before seeing the need for landscape lighting expertise in the Upstate, and is very particular about the products he uses, only working with brass or copper fixtures. “We made the decision to use the best products, period,” he says. “I will not put in aluminum fixtures.”
Discover the Timeless Tradition of Handcrafted Lighting 108 North Main Street, Mauldin 864-281-0290 Open Tuesday - Saturday 10-6
532 Haywood Road, Greenville, SC • 864-297-5600 SUMMER 2007 | 45
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The upper half of the property has been converted to rolling green pasture for Fox and Polo, the bay and retired show pony who live fulltime at Wildfire.
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A penchant
ponies for
Written by Allison Walsh • Photos by Patrick Cox
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S
St a c ey Ho w a r d g o t her first pony at 40. As a young girl she rode and showed horses, headed off to horseback riding camp every summer, and longed for a mighty steed to call her own. But it wasn’t until her daughter Darby took a shine to the equestrian life that Stacey realized her lifelong dream. Darby, 11, started riding when she was a wee girl of five and her parents enrolled her and big brother Morgan in a summer camp at Cleveland Park Stables in Greenville. “She really took to it, and I sort of encouraged that,” Stacey says with a mischievous smile. Because when Darby got bit by the horse bug, her mother got that pony she’d always wanted, and a new house to decorate. Husband Phil’s job as a chemical engineer has kept the Howard family on the move. Since migrating south from Manhattan in 1991 they have lived in six different homes – three in Greensboro, N.C., and three here. Phil currently serves as vice president of operations for Ethox Chemicals in Greenville. “One of the reasons I have no problem moving every few years is because we build and I get to go through the whole process,” Stacey explains. “I love decorating. It’s my passion.”
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The Howards’ Greer home is the sixth one Stacey has designed and decorated in the last 14 years. (Far right) Phil, Stacey, daughter Darby, son Morgan and dog Wilson. (Below) Stacey worked with the talented ladies at Charisma Home Furnishings and Gifts to find just the right pieces for her new home.
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Stacey, a real estate agent by trade, traces her love of interiors to her childhood. “As a kid growing up in Westchester I loved the old real estate there,” she remembers. “When we went to visit relatives and friends I’d always look around to see what they did with it.” The word “house,” built for them by IKE Construction, doesn’t really do the Howard home justice. What Stacey and Phil have created on just over 10 rolling acres in Greer is a true equestrian estate. Wildfire Equestrian Estates, to be exact. The moniker was inspired by fond memories of summer evenings spent huddled around the campfire belting out the 1975 Michael Martin Murphey hit of the same name.
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Stacey’s ultimate vision for the property includes welcoming visitors to Wildfire through an automatic wrought iron gate at the top of the driveway and a row of majestic Leyland cypresses marking the way to the house. Spend a few minutes with her and you’ll have no doubt she will make it happen. Today the upper half of the property is dedicated to a lush pasture for Polo, a retired show pony, and Stacey’s horse, Fox, both of whom live full time at Wildfire, and a show ring. The original concept for the facility was to create a place where Darby could work with a trainer, but Darby switched disciplines and now trains under the direction of Leslie Krieger at The Meadows in Travelers Rest. The horse barn has room for six, but Darby’s
horse, Timothy, and three others spend most of their time in the northern part of the county. Riding trails have been carved through the woods behind the house, leading to the Enoree River. The Howards are working on a plan to extend the paths by joining forces with their horse loving neighbors. Behind the barn the Howards have promised to install a batting cage, and maybe an infield, for 12-year-old Morgan, who keeps Mom and Dad on the go with his travel baseball schedule. In the meantime both kids enjoy entertaining poolside. One summer in their new home was all it took for Stacey and Phil to realize that before swim season rolls around again they’re going to need a new grill – a much bigger one.
Stacey has a passion for creating unique, livable interiors. The kitchen takes farmhouse to the next level with eclectic touches such as dishtowels doubling as window treatments and cabinet fronts fashioned out of chicken wire. The elegant, yet cozy, master bedroom opens to the upper level of the deck, where Stacey has plans to create an outdoor living area with hammocks and screens.
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Morgan didn’t develop the same passion for riding as his sister, but still holds a special place in his heart for Amelia Bedelia. He keeps his parents hopping with his very busy travel baseball schedule. His bedroom reflects his love of all things athletic, particularly baseball.
“You should have seen the summer,” Stacey laughs. “It was wild out here – absolutely wild.” You might think that a homestead so heavy on outdoor fun would take a pass on the inside. You would be wrong. Every square inch of the home’s interior has been impeccably decorated and practically oozes personality. Stacey chose materials that would convey a natural feeling, such as stone, slate and unfinished wood, and burned up the internet looking for just the right fixtures. She also got a lot of help and inspiration from the talented ladies at Charisma Home Furnishings and Gifts. “I had a vision,” Stacey says. “I knew what I wanted and I just had to find it.” In the process she found a few new friends, including the woman who did
her window treatments and a fellow horsewoman in Wisconsin who supplied all of her faucets. And not just any faucets would do, particularly when you consider the fact that Darby and Morgan each have custom made copper sinks, designed by Mom, in their private baths. Morgan’s sink is festooned with inlaid balls and bats and Darby’s with a horse, of course. The master bath is the kind of place a gal could hang out for a while, even a gal who shares her boudoir with a guy. Stacey repurposed a huge farmhouse sink with two faucets for an eclectic twist on the double vanity, and threw in an elegant claw footed tub and quirky high tank toilet to round out the mix. And then there’s “the room,” which Stacey says every house should have. This
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Darby’s room is a horse-loving little girl’s dream, with equestrian details incorporated everywhere from the ceiling fan to the picture frames. (TOP) She spends most of her free time with her “boyfriend” Timothy, which suits Stacey and Phil just fine. (ABOVE) Darby’s dream bedroom opens to a sitting room. (LEFT) Stacey had copper sinks custom made and chose unique fixtures and knobs for Darby and Morgan’s private bathrooms. Darby’s, of course, has a horse theme.
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The backyard pool is a favorite summer hangout for the Howard kids and their friends – mom and dad are currently in the market for a bigger grill. The lower level of the home is dedicated to the kids, with a sitting area that opens to the downstairs deck and pool.
particular room is just off one of the rear entries to the home, making it perfect as a dumping ground for mucky horse stuff. But it also features floor to ceiling utility shelving and a craft table. It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that even Stacey’s catchall room is neat as a pin. If this seems like exactly the place you’d like to live out your days, watch the real estate listings. When the kids are off to college and Stacey has Wildfire exactly the way she wants it, she’ll likely be ready to do the whole thing over again someplace else. ù
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Stacey’s ultimate vision for the property includes welcoming visitors to Wildfire through an automatic wrought iron gate at the top of the driveway and a row of majestic Leyland cypresses marking the way to the house.
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Trends
Master bathrooms
Photo by Brian Erkens
Three Upstate residents share their quintessential master bathrooms. Dream. Discover. Do.
Who doesn’t enjoy a stimulating shower or a good long soak in a luxurious bubble bath? So why not add a little pizzazz to the décor of your master bathroom? It’s definitely one of the most used rooms in your house.
Recent trends show the way to equip your master bathroom for just about any style or need you may have. We have three very good examples on the following pages. Very different, somewhat eclectic, yet all very stylish and functional. SUMMER 2007 | 75
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B Bill
Ducwor
th
st an ds
in his foyer and reflects on the largerthan-life bust of Robert E. Lee in the opposite corner of the library. “The General dresses up for all our parties,” he says, eyes twinkling with mischief behind hip glasses. “I rescued him and
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Woodrow Wilson from a basement when the old West Fant Elementary was being torn down.” Ducworth leans in conspiratorially. “That is the way I’ve gotten most of the things in here,” he says and goes on with a broad grin, “that and hand-me-downs.”
Though he admits he can be his own worst client, the professional interior designer and owner of Ducworth and Company believes interiors should be a reflection of the individual and that “everyone should love their home.” He certainly does.
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A tour through the home he shares with Bob Roche is peppered with effusive praise for this photo or that statue. The total package is a marriage of history and classic design elements with a dash of humor mixed in. The Anderson native has
watched his neighborhood come full circle, currently undergoing a slow revitalization as the stately Queen Annes and other Victorianstyle homes are painstakingly restored, one at a time. Ducworth can remember passing this very house as a child, dreaming that
he might own it someday. “I don’t know why, I just always liked it,� he recalls and tells of spotting the previous owner, Anne Gambrill, confined to a wheelchair since childhood, but a staunch believer in taking in the fresh air in her extensive yard.
Many gatherings, everything from fundraising events for a few hundred to small soirees with friends, have been held on this greenspace.
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Ducworth says that when her parents died and she inherited the property, they were living in a huge old Victorian that faced the street. She promptly had the place torn down and set to work restoring the cottage built behind the big house. He calls it a bungalow, although it bears no resemblance to a Craftsman design. Instead, the wide porch that stretches across the façade, shuttered tall windows, and the generous application of ironwork mimic the homes of New Orleans that Ducworth says Ms. Gambrill was quite fond of. John Linley was hired to plan the renovation and addition to the cottage, keeping the needs of the physically-limited Ms. Gambrill harmonious with the design. Wheelchair ramps were put in, doorways were made wide, and a covered, heated “Esther Williamsstyle” pool was scooped out of the backyard and outfitted with a full cabana. French doors opened the master bedroom to the yard, facilitating the chair’s passage from indoors to out each morning. When Ducworth saw the For Sale sign in the yard twelve years ago, he couldn’t believe his luck, even though the place was in bad shape. “The bones were good,” says
(Above) The carport converts easily to an outdoor dining room. (Right) Bill with his buddy “Lucky.” 92 | a t h o m e
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Ducworth, undaunted by the prospect of a total makeover. It did take a while (he says sotto voce, “I had no money because I was trying to start a business”) but the rooms were revamped one by one, including those of the al fresco variety, which are Roche’s domain. Today the sunken garden boasts an artfully weather beaten urn and the raised lawn leads to the breezy porch stirred by swiftly spinning ceiling fans. Glossy “Charleston Green” shutters flank the tall windows that look out to clipped grass, shrubs and rows of perky white impatiens. An impromptu dining room was created within the carport. It retains its primary functionality as a place to park, though like General Lee, it plays dress up for parties too. A table is laid with plates, glasses and an artfully haphazard row of Granny Smith apples on a leopard print throw and bright green linen. A card propped up on a scrollwork stand depicts an ink drawing of the residence on top and lists Moroccan menu selections beneath. Two large glass vases holding sprays of palmetto fronds complete the tropical tableau. “That is just an old door,” quips Ducworth as he saucily points out a small piece of wood visible between the coverings. “The whole thing can be disassembled in minutes and hosed down,” he explains. That ease carries
(Bottom, left) A tribal mask completes the tropical table setting. (Bottom, right) The wrought iron gate and open brickwork epitomize the Creole style Ms. Gambrill loved.
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over indoors to a formal dining room that is formal in name only. The mirror top table is also virtually maintenance free. “We just Windex it.” The ceiling is rich, dark carmine, a color Ducworth pronounces universally flattering. “Everyone looks great in this room.” Back in the library, Ducworth gestures to the walls, paneled in Honduran mahogany, which he says “had faded to the color of an old paper bag” when he purchased the house. Now they are richer than chocolate, and as silky. Lined with a collection of miscellaneous volumes and set about with framed bits of history such as the front page of the Anderson Mail from the 1800s, and deeds he salvaged from a family attic in Alabama, they exude an instant comfort. A square grand, though tinkly and out of tune, looks lovely under the window scattered with picture frames and guarded by a fierce bear rug. The softspoken Roche pipes up to say it’s been in his family since the 1940s when his grandmother shot it. Indeed, there in black and white is the fearless huntress, standing tall with gun cocked and ready to fire. (No, the bear does not dress for parties).
(Right) Turning style sideways literally in the bathroom. A small oriental rug hung on its side makes an interesting window treatment. (Below) “This is a great room to wake up in,” Bill says of the master bedroom.
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Of master bedroom Ducworth says simply “I just love waking up in this room,” rhapsodizing about the sunlight streaming through the ironwork tracery on the French doors. The kitchen, they both concede, is the only room that is left undone. Cheerfully appointed with dark green and white awning-striped paper and bright white appliances, it will eventually get torn out and re-designed to make better use of its proportions. There are other plans to re-install a pool, this time in the front yard. A stone fountain sits in the corner to eventually be incorporated as a water feature. Topping out at around 1,900 square feet, the house is as well-suited to be a haven and retreat as it is to graciously accommodate a crowd, indoors and out. Ducworth says without a trace of his earlier mischief, “There is so much history here, even though it is not very old. It is a collection of families and great stories.” ù
(Above) Ripe tomatoes and bright gerbera daisies add a punch of color to the already cheerful kitchen. (Left) A green bottle collection fits perfectly in the shelved nook above a simple bistro table. (Following pages) The dining room is filled with favorites and guarded by a bust of Woodrow Wilson in a carved niche salvaged from a Catholic church. SU MME R 2007 | 95
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“This is my favorite room,� pronounces Bill of his library, as it showcases collections of historical books, artwork and ephemera.
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wine & dining
Dining
Alfresco written by Lynn Greenlaw
What’s more fun than dining out of doors during the summer? Somehow everything just seems to taste better when it’s eaten outside. Whether it be a simple hot dog and hamburger straight off the grill or something much more elegant like what we’re about to suggest, I guarantee you that it’s going to satisfy your taste buds.
photos by T.J. Getz
Joree Tamburro has created a delectable menu for the perfect patio supper. We’ve also included a recommendation of wines, compliments of the experts at North Hampton Wines, to accompany each course. Bon appetit! SU MME R 2007 | 107
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Cherry Tomato Feta Salad Serves: 6
Fresh Fruit Tart with Almond Paste Serves: 8
2 (16-ounce) packages cherry tomatoes, cut in half 1 small red onion, finely diced 1 English cucumber, sliced thinly, cut in half 2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley 3/4 pound Feta cheese, diced into 1/2-inch pieces 2/3 Cup olive oil 6 Tablespoons champagne vinegar
Dough: 3/4 Cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
wine & dining
Cream the butter and confectioners sugar together. Add the flour and cut together with a pastry blender until coarse and grainy. Place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch tart pan.
1/4 Cup confectioners sugar
Almond Cream:
1 1/2 CupS all-purpose flour
Grind almonds with 2 tablespoons sugar in food processor. In mixer, blend butter and remaining sugar, add egg, egg yolk and liqueur. Next, put in flour and almond flour. Spread in unbaked tart shell. Bake at bottom of oven at 425ËšF for 10 minutes. Lower oven to 350ËšF and bake for 10-12 minutes,
Almond Cream: 2/3 Cup blanched almonds 1/2 Cup sugar
3 Tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk, beaten together
In a large decorative bowl, place tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, parsley and feta cheese, then mix. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour over tomato salad and gently fold. Serve room temperature or cold. Note: Can be made several hours ahead.
Dough:
1 Tablespoon cherry strawberry liqueur 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Topping: 1 Cup strawberry jelly 3 baskets of fresh strawberries
or until golden. Remove and cool on rack. Topping:
Warm 1 cup of strawberry jelly until melted. Put glaze on top of almond filling. Cut strawberries into halves and layer around entire tart. Then spread more of the warmed strawberry jelly over the top with a pastry brush. Note: Can bake dough and almond cream the day before, then refrigerate. Put strawberries and glaze on top several hours ahead of serving time.
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