At Home - Spring 2020

A magazine for Upstate living

ARCHITECTURE & ART

a tribute to James Neal and his friendship with Carl Blair

Spring 2020

THE ELEMENTS OF SOUTHERN STYLE

A season of gracious living

C U S T O M

L U X U RY

H O M E S

|

R E N O VAT I O N S

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P R O F E S S I O N A L

C A R E

R E N O V A T I O N S

Exquisite Home

Transformations after

before

Our team of Design-Build professionals can tailor your home to your unique taste down to the smallest detail, making sure every element looks and functions perfectly for you and your family. We offer complete custom remodeling and luxury renovation services for both the interior and exterior of your home.

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Home Additions • Outdoor Living Spaces

Build Your Legacy—Without Compromise.

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Walk-ins are always welcome, and appointments are available with our sales professionals to guarantee personal one-on-one a�en�on.

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Design is in the Details

SERVING THE UPSTATE FOR OVER 55 YEARS Locally Owned and Operated

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Threshold: atHome's doorstep

Within Reach

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY I N S P I R O 8 S T U D I O S

Elena and Marco Bottari intentionally preserved the original ash-stained wood paneling in their home designed by Architect James Neal in 1969.

Cables suspend useful additions, a must for family life, in beautiful aesthetic.

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at Home | SPRING 2020

9 Caledon Court, Suite A | Greenville, SC 29615 | 864.234.2901 | www.sallegalloway.com

CONTENTS Spring 2020

69 FEATURES

69.

Paris Mountain Perched The Blairs asked James Neal to design a home for their hillside lot. Today their only child, Ruth, has moved back into her childhood home with her husband.

90

84.

The Architect Across the Street The Bottaris moved to Greenville from Italy and their mid-century home came with an unexpected plus: they called the man who designed it neighbor.

90.

Living the Mod Life The Zureks are superfans of the mid-mod aesthetic and their home, originally James Neal's, sets the perfect stage for their period furnishings and collections.

ON OUR COVER: The vibrant art of Carl Blair in the mid-century home designed by James Neal was captured for our cover by photographer Rebecca Lehde.

CONTENTS Spring 2020

107 DEPARTMENTS

10. THRESHOLD 16. NOTES FROM HOME

The Collection: items and ideas to inspire 23.

28.

32.

34.

38.

41.

44.

51.

HOW-TO Making Soy Candles SAVE THESE DATES Spring Events ASKED & ANSWERED Framing OFF THE SHELF Humor STYLE SPOTTER Gingham IN BLOOM Faux Fillers COMPOSITION Sunny Mullarkey FRESH TAKE Laundry Room

InnerCella: home and décor, explored 53. Nook Crystal Clear Cellar 58. Detours Lake City 62. Open Table Planting Seeds

Modus: methods for home and life

41

44

99. Pantry Local Honey 103. Green Living Growing Lettuce 107. On the Table Chef Philip Bollhoefer 112. What To Drink Now Mail Order Wine 115. Matrimony Garden Weddings 136. Treasure Boxed Chocolate 144. FINI

"How lovely is the silence of growing things."

—Evan Dicken

ARCHITECTURE CONSTRUCTION INTERIORS

WWW.PLATT.US

Architect/Builder: PLATT | Photographer: William Abranowicz | Interior Designer: Cliff Fong | Landscape Architect: Westmore Design

Notes From Home

"Every great architect is– necessarily– a great poet.

He must be a great original interpreter of his time, his day, his age."

— Frank Lloyd Wright "If one truly loves nature one finds beauty everywhere."

—Vincent Van Gogh

F

Lynn Greenlaw Editor-in-Chief Contact me at lgreenlaw@communityjournals.com or call 864.679.1200 and leave me a message. I always welcome your comments and suggestions.

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at Home | SPRING 2020

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY I N S P I R O 8 S T U D I O S

I'm delighted to be in the presence of the captivating art of Carl Blair.

irst a confession. The quotes are from two of my favorites. One an architect of great renown whose homes I’ve been basically obsessed with for years and one an artist whose works of art I’ve always admired and travel to see wherever they are on display. They, to me, are perfect examples of creatives that were more than likely also respected by the two local creatives whose homes and artwork we are featuring in this our first ever tribute issue.

James Neal, an architect who not only designed homes, churches and buildings around our region and whose legacy lives on in the firm LS3P, is a local icon for many of the midcentury modern homes in Greenville. We are delighted to be able to feature three of the homes that he designed in the late 60s to early 80s. One of the homes was Neal’s own.

Another was the project of a collaboration between Neal and his friend Carl Blair, a teaching artist at Bob Jones University. Their friendship involved a unique way of providing the Blairs with a home and Neal with some fantastic art. You’ll find this to be an interesting read as you also discover what drove Carl Blair in his work and how it relates to the thought in the Van Gogh quote.

We are indebted to the Lairs, the Bottaris and to the Zureks for allowing us to feature these outstanding examples of mid-century architecture. Each of them displays the delightful personal style of the owners and we thank them for their willingness to share this with our readers.

Since this is the spring issue, we also have lots to tease you with as we move into that most glorious of seasons: floral ideas, how to successfully plant lettuce, humorous books to read, where to head to view a plethora of artwork, making soy candles, and tips for making your house tidy and art-filled can all be found within this issue.

Plus, two celebrations that are real stunners are awaiting you, so start your journey through all of the pages now and ENJOY!

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atHOME Magazine is published four times per year. Information in this publication is carefully compiled to insure accuracy. No recommendation regarding the quality of goods or services is expressed or implied. 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 prior written consent of the Publisher. Copyright 2019 by Community Journals, LLC, all rights reserved. Designed and printed in the USA. SUBSCRIPTIONS: atHOME Magazine is published Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. The cost of a subscription is $30 annually. For subscription information, please contact us at 864-679-1200.

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at Home | SPRING 2020

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Fifteen Years Young 2020 marks the fifteenth anniversary of AJH Renovations, LLC

and we would like to express our appreciation to the downtown

Greenville community for its support and friendship over the years. 2005 seems like another world to us now, being as it was

on the other side of the ‘Great Recession.’ Our first downtown renovation was on North Main St in 2005 and we’re glad to say the house still looks great. It’s easy to remember the first one, and there have been many more memorable home renovations

since, but we have to admit that fifteen years later we have

to sometimes be reminded that we worked on this or that home! We’ve watched downtown Greenville grow by leaps and

bounds, and have seen home values soar – and, of course, that success has paralleled our own. In 2017, AJH Renovations, LLC

was honored as one of the twenty-five fastest growing companies in South Carolina. We’ve backed off that heady pace

in order to diversify and to apply the Design/Build model to custom home building as well as residential renovations.

AJH Renovations, LLC has expanded to include two separate companies under the same corporate umbrella – AJH Custom

Homes, LLC and Designed for Downtown, LLC. The addition

of associate architects, a kitchen & bath design specialist, and an associate landscape architect to our experienced team

of field production superintendents and managers enables

the AJH family of companies to provide a seamless Design/ Build process from concept to final clean-up. Especially in the

current market of high material and labor prices – with home value appreciation leveling off – the ability to value engineer a

home’s design between our design studio and our estimating & construction group often enables our clients to realize their

dream at or near their budget. Fifteen years of experience in the downtown Greenville market also enables us to provide

advice regarding the overall value of the proposed investment relative to the neighborhood.

But the most gratifying aspect of turning fifteen is the continued

thrill of driving around Greenville and seeing our own projects standing proud in the midst of the overall growth and prosperity

of our wonderful city. We hear more and more folks giving this explanation for why they are moving to Greenville: “Because

we can.” AJH Renovations, LLC and her sister companies are

proud to be a part of such a one-of-a-kind community and look

forward to the next fifteen years of helping Greenville improve, one home at a time.

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Items and ideas to inspire

The Collection PG. 23

_ Crafted: Candle Making

_ Calendar: Spring Happenings _ PG. 32 Asked & Answered: Framing Art _ PG. 34 Off the Shelf: Laugh Out Loud Novels

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY C H E L S E Y A S H F O R D

PG. 28

_ Style Spotter: Gingham PG. 41 _ InBloom: Mixed Media

PG. 38

PG. 44 _ Composition: Sunny Mullarkey PG. 51

_ Cleaning: Laundry Room Basics

Flock, Knot or Pack...

Things new to this world feel endearing grouped, including a gaggle of soy candles tabletop. These handpoured darlings feel fresh in rosy hues and burn cleaner than ever before because of their high performance parts. at Home | SPRING 2020

23

The Collection Crafted

Match Point Pour your own soy candles for the home at Greenville’s own microfactory. / by Hali Wyatt /photography by Chelsey Ashford

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at Home | SPRING 2020

Crafted The Collection

O

ne of our strongest senses is smell.

Our memories are often coupled with certain smells and candles can revive those memories at the spark of a match.

When we light candles, we ignite the mood that accompanies them. If you’re looking to make your home serene and inviting, lighting a candle is the way to go.

Downtown Greenville houses its very own candle microfactory (and its rather adorable).

Magnolia Scents by Design produces thousands of hand-poured candles in seasonal scents, but they also offer candle-making classes that are open to the public several times a week. Choose your scent and color, even name and label it, all while learning about soy candles.

“Whether you're looking for a girls' night out or a date night, candle making classes are fun,” says Tina Rodgers, co-owner of Magnolia.

“Not only will you get to keep the candle you create, we also hope you'll learn something new and you'll be sharing the experience with people you care about.”

Homemade gifts have the potential to go terribly wrong. When you choose to make a “help-made” gift, you'll feel confident that you're doing it right, with instructors guiding you every step of the way. In this case, you can

make a professionally produced candle, support a local business and have a great night out Downtown. “People now are looking for experiences more than just something to buy,” says Rodgers.

Soy for the Home

Soy simply burns much cleaner than other wax alternatives. There’s far less black soot around the rim of the candle jar, providing a cleaner look when displayed. Soy wax is healthier to burn within the home in comparison to alternatives like paraffin wax, which is actually a petroleum byproduct.

The soy that Magnolia sources to make their candles has been harvested and processed in North America, an extra step they take to ensure the low toxicity of their finished product. It seems like we’re all becoming more conscious of what cleaning products, deodorants and toothpastes we use, why shouldn’t it be the same for the candles we burn?

Magnolia holds hour-long public classes for $25 per person, Sunday through Thursday.

Private candle classes are available with a reservation of six or more.

at Home | SPRING 2020

25

The Collection Crafted

1 You will be given a clean 10-ounce tempered glass, lidded jar. Choose your fragrance from the shelves of candles at the front of the store.

Soy candle making in four steps A candle making class is instructional and a heck of a good time.

The steps seem simple enough, but having a space dedicated to the process and all the equipment at hand, makes the experience extra satisfying.

2 Create a name for your candle and add the personalized label to your jar. Affix the wick in the bottom of the jar and pull it taut using a slotted T-bar.

3 Add hot melted soy wax to a beaker, then the fragrance oil and stir and stir and stir for several minutes.

Not up for a class?

Magnolia will fill any vessel you bring in, such as a coffee mug, wine glass, Ball jar, or even a coconut shell, with the candle of your choice for $1.29 per ounce. As long as your vessel isn’t plastic and can hold liquid, it’s good to go.

4 Add dye a drop at a time until you reach a desired shade though it will dry lighter. Continue stirring. Once your wax has reached an ideal temperature, you’ll pour it into the jar. The candle needs to set/cool for at least 2 hours, but overnight is best.

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at Home | SPRING 2020

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The Collection Calendar

SAVE THE DATE

Mark your calendar for these not-to-miss spring events.

m arc h

28

GREENV I L L E BRU N CH F E ST IVA L FLUOR FIELD Celebrate brunch with some of the most delicious food Greenville has to offer. Grab a tasty sample, a drink or two, and enjoy live music and a DJ! greenvillebrunchfestival.com

a pr il

5

S HALO M F E ST 400 SPRING FOREST RD, GREENVILLE, SC 29615 ShalomFest attendees will enjoy re­enactments of lifestyle events, live music, a broad spectrum of Jewish cultural activities including holiday celebrations, cooking demonstrations, and crafts. There will be presentations on religion, language and Israel, as well as games for children. templeofisrael.org/shalomfest

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T H E H O P E BA L L THE POINSETT CLUB The Hope Ball is an elegant black tie dinner and dance held to raise money for cancer patients. The goal for 2020 is to raise $650,000+ with the proceeds going directly to offer hope, help and healing. cancersocietygc.org/hope-ball

April 24-25 J OYFU L GA RD EN TOU R CHRIST CHURCH EPISCOPAL

Purchase a ticket and come explore some of Greenville's most charming gardens!

Proceeds from the garden tour benefit the historic grounds renovation project. ccgsc.org/gardentour

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The Collection Calendar

a pr il

April 24-May 2 ART F I E L DS LAKE CITY, SC

Up to 400 works of art will be on display in locally-owned venues, from renovated 1920s warehouses and professional art spaces such as Jones-Carter Gallery and TRAX Visual Art Center to the library, the history museum, the Ronald E. McNair Life History Center, restaurants, boutiques and other shops. artfieldssc.org

26

GV LM O D TO U R VARIOUS MAPPED LOCATIONS Experience the mid mod architecture of Greenville's neighborhoods during the second gvlMOD tour. Watch for a limited amount of tickets to go on sale in late March. The first tour sold out in a flash. @gvlmod or gvlmod.com

m ay

2

ST R AW BE RRY F E STI VA L AN D CO U NT Y FA I R 5 WHITNEY ST., SLATER, SC 29683 Beautiful scenery, great food, friendly people. All kinds of craft and food vendors, magic shows, Beach Bob, Georgia's Tea Room, and English Country Dancing!

9

VIBE 2020 VIBE (Very Independent Beer Event) takes the VIP concept and brings it home to the flagship location near downtown... limited tickets and world class beers! So we can invite our favorite local (& sort-of-local, hint hint) chefs to provide the food! communitytap.com/events

14-17

GREEK F E STI VA L ST GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL For four fun-filled days, Greenville becomes 'Greekville' as the magic of Greece comes to town! This 'Glendi' or party will include authentic Greek cuisine, as well as live music, dancing, and local vendors. greekforaday.com

May 8-10

A RT ISP H E RE DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE Whether you’re a Greenville native or looking to visit, Artisphere offers a one-of-a-kind experience. From award-winning restaurants to some of the most talented artists gathered on one of the quaintest main streets in the south, Artisphere won’t disappoint. artisphere.org

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at Home | SPRING 2020

TO P TO B OT TO M : P H O R O G R A P H Y BY L ATOYA D I XO N S M I T H ; P H TO G R A P H Y P R OV I D E D BY A R T I S T

Upstatestrawberryfestival.com

SEAMLESS

by DESIGN

PelhamArchitects.com

“Everything looks great and you guys were great to work with. That’s what I expected from your reputation and that’s what I got.”

864-304-4249 www.stargraniteinteriors.com jeremy@stargraniteinteriors.com

GRANITE • CAMBRIA • TRAVERTINE • MARBLE • ONYX • SLATE • SOAPSTONE

The Collection Asked & Answered

Frame Game We asked Amanda Bennett to help update our walls with tips, know-how and design ideas for art that feels fresh and integrated in our spaces.

small piece of molding that fits up underneath a mat to give the image depth.

It is a wonderful addition to both traditional and contemporary art and can be used in conjunction with other mats and can even be added to the inside of the actual frame to give the look another dimension.

Q: I have a painting that I want to look finished but not necessarily framed, ideas?

A: Paintings on canvas are

often framed with a floater frame. This is a great way to give your art a finished look without being overdone.

The painting sits in the frame such that none of the image is covered up.

32  

at Home  |  SPRING 2020

Q: I n what instances can you repair an existing frame?

A: I f you have a frame that is

coming apart at the corners it is usually not a problem to put them back together.

Your framer will have to see it first to make sure that it fits in their vice and that it is made of wood and not polystyrene.

Q. H anging art: hooks, nails or wire?

A: M ost pieces of framed

artwork that have wire on the back can be hung with a picture hanger. If the piece is too heavy (about 50 pounds or more) we suggest that it be hung without wire. Putting buckles on the back and hung by two separate picture hangers will keep a heavy piece from falling off the wall.

Q: W hat can I do if framed art under glass is slipping, rippling or fading?

A: W ith the humidity in this area an image that has been dry mounted may occasionally ripple. This will not damage the piece and can usually be fixed by heating it in the dry mounting press for a few minutes. If an original or collectible piece ripples then that means that it has been framed correctly! You never want to glue or permanently adhere to an original. The ripples are part of the authenticity of the work.

Q: W hat are some tips for framing art on paper?

A: P osters, photography and

unlimited images on thin paper need to be drymounted to keep them from wrinkling or rippling.

With original works on paper you never want to dry mount them. They need conservation framing which means using all acidfree materials and small amounts of linen tape that hold the piece in the frame without compromising the work's integrity.

Our expert:

Q: W hat are some metallics that aren't silver or gold?

A: P ewter or champagnecolored moldings are great colors to use when you have both silver and gold accessories. These molding colors work with both.

AMANDA BENNETT

Owner Bennetts' Frame & Art Gallery bennettsartgallery.com

I M AG E P R OV I D E D BY B E N N E T T S ' F R A M E & A R T G A L L E RY

Q: W hat is a fillet? When do I need one?

A: A fillet is actually a very

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The Collection Off the Shelf

Funny Books Laughter is spring cleaning for the mind. / by A.K. Freeland / photography by Eli Warren

L

iterature transports us and our perspective. Whether your sense of humor calls for bizarre, ridiculous or witty commentary, the following authors offer timeless, yet timely humor. Lighten your grip and enjoy. There is nothing more cleansing than a good laugh.

A Comedy of Errors

Edgy, Quirky Wit

Laugh Out Loud

If you enjoy reading about someone who’s awkward dilemma compounds, this is your book. Judd’s marriage is publicly collapsing and he is returning to his childhood home to sit shiva to mourn the death of his father. Seven days and seven nights of hilarious and raw family situations are both relatable and heartwarming. “Never marry a beautiful woman…

You will never stop feeling like a gate crasher at your own party.”

John Irving is a master storyteller. His writing dazzles as much as his knowledge of humans.

This story is quirky and though wild, believable.

“Was this rooster disoriented by karaoke music?” says Juan Diego, the protagonist who is a writer on a journey. Irving has mastered irreverence.

The characters he meets along the way are memorable, timely and hilarious.

Published posthumously, this novel is on every “funniest book” list.

Ignatius J. Reilly is one of the most memorable characters of all time. A set-in-his-ways know it all, Reilly could not be less self-aware or more imposing. The dialogue is laugh out loud funny and still fresh after forty years. When explaining to his mother that he was fired from his job, Ignatius replied, “My excellence confused them.”

This Is Where I Leave You,

by Jonathan Tropper

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at Home | SPRING 2020

Avenue of Mysteries,

by John Irving

A Confederacy of Dunces,

by John Kennedy Toole

Wry with Spot on Commentary

Period humor that transcends time

Zadie Smith’s collection of essays proves she is as skilled with human observation as she is creating a fictional narrative. Her subjects center current culture and politics and her own life. Though not laugh out loud funny, Smith’s wit provides momentum as she moves from one topic to the next. Start with “The House That Hova Built,” an essay about her interview with rapper Jay-Z. “He likes to order for people.

Apparently, I look like the fish sandwich type.”

Originally published in 1889 as a farcical travel guide/boating excursion for Victorian England, the narrator is as funny as the nutty situations he is describing. Three friends boating down the Thames provide a glimpse into Victorian England and social satire that emerges as timeless. “I knew a young man once, he was a most conscientious fellow, when he took up fly fishing, he determined never to exaggerate his hauls by more than twenty five percent.”

Feel Free, by Zadie Smith

Three Men and A Boat, by Jerome K. Jerome

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The Collection Style Spotter

Checkmate

Gingham brings pop to spring interiors, tabletop and accessories of all kind.

In every variation, gingham is a graphic superstar. / by Stephanie Burnette

It is a pattern composed of three colors. The first is typically white, the second is a color of a specific saturation, and the third is the marriage of the two as they intersect, creating a color diluted by half. The effect was first created from the combed (or carded) yarn as it intersected on the loom.

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The origin of our modern gingham is ginggang or genggang, from Malay meaning “with space between” or “striped,” and likely a French derivation from sea traders guingan. The repeating pattern also occurs on the warp side and even along its selvage. The pattern is both symmetrical and reversable. For a project, there is very little waste using gingham even if turned on the bias. It is a geometric wonderkid.

We like the linear punch it lends to a room, drawing the eye to both its positive and negative space. On a settee or wingback chair, for example, it offers geometry to curved furniture. As drapery, it pulls the eye up allowing a room to appear larger. Replace lampshades with gingham ones in pairs. We like buffalo check gingham, in its large black and white pattern, to perk up living rooms, bedside tables and sideboards.

The pleasing repetition of gingham softens its (often) bold colorways: fuchsia pink and kelly green, neon hues, tomato red and the brightest of cobalt blues. It is the ultimate accessory in a room, so think of injecting it into interiors in even small ways: rainboots on a drainboard in the mudroom, napkins on the breakfast table, a tray on a kitchen island.

Turned on the bias, gingham gets extra adorable. Utilize it for outdoor throw pillows and a slew of wired ribbon for baskets and giftbags. Atop a table, gingham accessories add similar whimsy, a sunny nod to the season of picnics, pollen and warmer days to come.

1. PILLOW POWER The pillow slip by Caitlin Wilson is a 20”x20” dream for updating a sofa or daybed with petite tassels in contrasting colors. $78 for pillow, $29 for down feather insert, Caitlinwilson.com

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2. PARIS CALLING The woven dining side chair by Williams-Sonoma pays homage to the sidewalk cafes of France.

Bent rattan and synthetic wicker combine for a fresh take on classic seat. $295, Williams-Sonoma.com

P H OTO S P R OV I D E D B Y M A N U FAC T U R E R S

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Style Spotter The Collection

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3. NO STAIN BUFFALO Blue and ivory buffalo plaid get a remake by Ruggable, the machine washable 2-piece high traffic rug system. $199 for 5x7, Ruggable.com

4. PAMPERED PUP Classic slipcovered luxury for your pup by Serena and Lily with handcrafted Riviera rattan styling. $598, Serenaandlily.com

5. CUDDLE UP The Paxton Tufted Loveseat by Serena and Lily includes darling details like casters and turned legs and a deeper than expected seat. $2998, Serenaandlily.com

6. CHARGED AND READY “Toscana” Italian dinnerware by Sur la Table includes this versatile charger for amp-ing up most any pattern. Also available in dinner and salad plates. $50, Surlatable.com

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In Bloom The Collection

Burst Forth

FOR A STRIKING KITCHEN DISPLAY, COMBINE BLOOMS THAT ARE POTTED, CUT AND FAUX. / by Lisa Tice / photography by Chelsey Ashford

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The Collection In Bloom

When purchasing blooming plants, choose ones that are just beginning to bloom. Some open blooms and some still closed. At this stage, your plants can last from weeks to months.

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In Bloom The Collection

F

or me, one of life’s beautiful and simple pleasures are flowers.

Whether potted or a few stems in a vase, they are a must for my home.

There’s an area in my kitchen that is an everchanging floral display. And, I achieve it with little effort as it’s created with potted plants, simple bouquets and single stems.

My love of flowers began with my grandmother. She grew quite a variety of flowers but her most loved were roses.

Whenever in bloom, a green glass vase held a single rose on the windowsill of her pink kitchen. At other times, magic lilies, daffodils and irises sat gracefully in this vase.

She loved to tell me the story of a woman who cut a single rose and placed it on her kitchen table. The rose was so exquisite, she polished the table. Admiring the gleaming wood, she was inspired to clean her kitchen.

With the kitchen now sparkling around the lovely rose, she began to clean the living room. Soon every room in the house had been cleaned all because of the beauty of a single rose.

Just like the woman in the story, I am inspired by the beauty of the roses I grow year after year; my inspiration, however, does not lead to cleaning but surrounding myself with more flowers!

I always have flowers in my kitchen because it makes me happy and I spend so much of my time here. I actually designed my island with a space for a large arrangement positioned against the wall. Porcelain foo dogs have found a decorous home here too. They are white glazed and oversized and protect both my flowers and my kitchen.

Antique foo dogs, also known as Chinese lions or guardian lions, come in pairs and should be displayed together. They have long been a symbol of protection for the home and its inhabitants and have become a permanent element in my kitchen arrangement.

The large central planter is new glazed pottery. It holds a ZZ plant, which grows with very little water or care. I added potted orchids and pink kalanchoes to this container. Orange tulips and budding narcissus fill small planters and vases. When these flowers die, I pick up something else at the grocery store or local nursery to replace it. Late blooming camellia from my yard are a fresh colorful addition in early spring months.

I utilize faux flowers to mix with fresh flowers when I do events and spring is a good time to employ this trick. Faux dusty miller with its fuzzy textured leaves and

stems duplicate the real deal realistically.

They are currently selling these at Roots and I think they are fantastic. Don’t be afraid to cut them into pieces to get the size or arrangement you want. They also have some varieties of faux eucalyptus foliage which translates well into groupings. Both of these were added to my large container here for the contrast they create against the dark green ZZ plant.

If you have access to a blooming tree in the spring, a branch can provide drama and height, but if not, a faux branch or two can do the trick like the ones I used at the back of the central pot. The way to use faux effectively is to buy pieces that really get the texture right over all else.

Vases will be filled with mostly cut flowers from my yard. When planting flowers in your garden, choose colors that compliment your décor. Yes, pick your favorites but also varieties that have a long blooming period; so many flowers will bloom from late spring to early fall in our South Carolina climate. If you don’t have a garden, a few potted plants on your porch or balcony can provide a few cut stems each week.

My last piece of advice is something I hold true in my life: don’t wait for a party to enjoy the aesthetic of flowers in your home. Make you and your family as important as any guest.

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The Collection Composition

Within Natural Design Artist Sunny Mullarkey is grounded by the chisel. / by Tasha L. Harrison /photography by Latoya Dixon Smith

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A

deep connection to nature is clearly evident in the work of Sunny Mullarkey. The back of a moth can become a frame for a mountain range and the night sky. A feather can contain a waterfall.

It’s a juxtaposition that reimagines natural forms in a way that melds the tribe art of the Pacific Northwest with southern ecology.

The way Mullarkey brings these elements together is even more impressive when you consider the detail is carved into a block of wood to create a print; a micro level attention to detail that is a Mullarkey thumbprint.

“I’m drawn to the little things that are often overlooked. Things like beetles and moths, things that have so much intention, purpose, and natural design fascinate me.”

Composition The Collection

Printmaking is a medium with a lot of steps in the creative process. Sketches become drawings, drawings become carved images in lino or wood block, and finally, those carvings are used to create prints. Mullarkey dives into every part of the process and enjoys the physicality involved in each piece. The joy is evident in every groove made by the chisel that gives a piece its own fluidity.

In new work, Mullarkey explores playful realism and layers of pattern-on-pattern at a macro level. The grids and broken circles may seem like Mullarkey is having fun with geometric shapes but in reality, they are thirty-thousand-foot scenes of landscape. This series entitled, Imaginary Boundaries, was inspired by the view out of an airplane window on a recent trip to Denver.

“We were flying over really flat, agricultural land. And, from that distance it was all crazy grids with no pattern with lots of circles that met or didn’t meet in haphazard ways. It was just a perspective I would have never seen on the ground,” she says. “Just that shift in perspective made me realize that I am a tiny speck in all of this.”

Her work and the way she talks about it is reminiscent of Romanticism, an art and literature movement in the late 18th and well into the 19th century that, according to Isaiah Berlin, centered on “an effort to return to the forgotten sources of life, a passionate effort at self-assertion both individual and collective.”

Mullarkey’s modern romantic exploration of the world is one where humans can find their humanity within natural design.

“I’M DRAWN TO THE LITTLE THINGS THAT ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED. THINGS LIKE BEETLES AND MOTHS, THINGS THAT HAVE SO MUCH INTENTION, PURPOSE, AND NATURAL DESIGN FASCINATE ME.” —Sunny Mullarkey

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Composition The Collection

Paint the Town Sunny It might be possible to be a resident of Greenville and not have seen the framed art of Sunny Mullarkey, but I highly doubt if you’ve never seen her work. Take a walk around The Village of West Greenville, nearly every business has a sign painted by her hand.

Fun, colorful, sometimes abstract murals also grace walls across town including the north-facing wall of Project Host on Academy St., the eastfacing wall of Hammack Law Firm, part of The Stone Mural Project, and a new mural inside of The Commons for GB&D.

The growth her career has experienced over the last two to three years is evident by the number of murals she’s painted.

Anywhere in Greenville, if you tilt your head just so, you’ll see Sunny.

It has solidified her as not just an artist, but a highly recognizable local brand.

The t-shirt and poster art from last year’s 15th annual Artisphere also featured her design. “It was my first year as a participating artist at Artisphere, after being waitlisted for years, and then I got in and they asked me to design the poster.”

Sunny Mullarkey is returning to Artisphere, find her (and her bees, bugs and arcs) at booth 123.

Find her murals here: Art & Light Gallery 16 Aiken St. mural in partership with Eva Magill Oliver

Hammack Law Firm 223 W. Stone Ave. Part of the Stone Mural Project

Project Host 525 S. Academy St In partnership with Leadership Greenville If you've ever wanted to see a mural in action, Mullarkey is the featured muralist for ArtFields 2020; the mural will depict native birds. Learn more about ArtFields and Lake City, SC in our trip travel story, Detours.

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Composition The Collection

Name Game When your dad’s in the Navy you live a lot of places including San Diego, Sunny Mullarkey’s birth city. She was born at sunrise, 5:41am on the day of the summer solstice and was aptly named Sunny.

Smart Art Sunny Mullarkey is a Teaching Artist for SmartARTS Greenville, a program funded by MAC (Metropolitan Arts Council). Four to six times a year she spends up to 8 days with students in a Greenville County public school to accomplish an arts integration project at places such as League Academy, Greenville Middle, Stone Academy, Sterling Elementary and Bell’s Crossing Elementary.

Insta Fan Social media is a way Sunny Mullarkey follows some of her favorite makers and places. On Instagram she’s fond of: Jamie Molina @cuttyup “I love his sculpture, the tension between textures, and his use of color.”

South Carolina State Parks @scstateparks “How diverse and gorgeous our state is, from the coast to the mountains.”

Self-taught Artist Lisa Congdon @lisacongdon “She’s so honest about how she’s built a career.”

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A Fresh Take The Collection

Storage Hero The laundry room can work harder and smarter in your home. / by Jeffrey Dooley

T

he laundry room is one of the home’s most underutilized spaces. Lots of overflow items can be functionally stored in your laundry room, keeping all in order. Functionality is key in my everyday life as well as my design approach and these simple tips can help you discover new uses for the space we call the laundry room. We spend a lot of time here, so don’t overlook it as a place to add your own creative touches and design style.

Everything In Its Place Tips for the toughest working room in the house Keep the washer door open to allow the washer to dry out completely to prevent mold or mildew in the tub.

Use color-coded caddies to organize cleaning supplies by room making it easy to pick up and go when you’re ready to clean a particular space.

The laundry room is the wrong place for a decorative rug, but the right place for wallpaper. A smaller room can handle a big, colorful print and brighten workspaces.

The laundry room is a place for both batteries and lightbulbs. Clear, stackable shoe boxes fit these boxed items well.

F or folding, install a counter over your machines. Or, create a folding station by mounting a piece of counter material to your wall that comes down when needed.

Put furniture sliders on the feet of your washer and dryer to make it easier to slide them out to clean dust and fallen items, every six months.

Use white stackable recycling bins for organization and storage needs. I personally love the Kuggis line of boxes from Ikea.

I S TO C K

Keep laundry essentials in food safe containers with “lock-tight” lids for an organized aesthetic (and label them for safety). I like the OXO containers.

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Bottle Service Planned storage can stun in form and function. at Home | SPRING 2020  

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InnerCella Nooks It took an architect, a cellar designer and a custom builder working in tandem to create illuminated wine storage constructed of glass, acrylic and steel.

Vertical Perspective A modern mountain home puts wine collecting front and center. / by Allison Walsh / photography by Inspiro 8 Studios

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WINE STORAGE is having a moment, stepping out of closets and cellars and tucked away nooks, taking a rightful place in the home. Architect Matt Tindall is all for a boundary-busting design, so when a client building at the Reserve at Lake Keowee was willing to think outside the wine cellar, he was all in.

“The homeowners requested some substantial wine storage and we also wanted to make it a focal point in the design,” Tindall says. “Even though this is a mountain house it also has a more contemporary design, so we felt it was appropriate to have some fun with it.”

Tindall’s vision involved capitalizing on the floating stair feature, and the bank of windows behind it, to create the appearance of the bottles floating in the middle of the stairs. The floor plan originally called for the stairs to wrap around an elevator, but the homeowners chose to forgo that feature in favor of a show-stopping display of their favorite bottles.

The torch was passed to Sexton Griffith Custom Home Builders to bring this vision to life. “We wanted something that would look wonderful now and look like it was part of the original design,” says Barry Griffith.

Cellars South, a local designer of custom wine cellars, joined the design team and from there the concept went through several iterations. The

InnerCella Nooks

final product is a frameless glass box enclosure, open to the ceiling, that houses the Elevate acrylic wine cradle display system by Kessick Wine Storage Systems. A vertical steel rod supports the trays, and the entire unit is lit from below courtesy of LED lighting recessed in the floor. Natural light from the home’s ample windows dances around and through the colored glass and clear acrylic.

“When you have different bottles of wine in there and the light passes through it becomes a really unique feature,” Tindall says.

As stunning as this unit is, its construction is relatively and intentionally simple.

“We wanted something that would look wonderful now and look like it was part of the original design” —Barry Griffith

“We tried to be efficient with space and with the client’s money so not too much would be lost if they decide to one day repurpose that area,” Griffith says. “The walls and shelving can be disassembled without a lot of effort and reassembled somewhere else if needed.”

The home was designed to take advantage of the mountain views

and the topography of the lot, and from this staircase you can look down over the front courtyard as well as clear through to the wall of windows at the back of the home showcasing the peaks in all their glory (a scene so intoxicating these lucky homeowners may never need to open a bottle).

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InnerCella Detours

Recommenced

by Art Lake City is a town in creative resurgence. / by Sandra Woodward / illustration by Tatjana Mai-Wyss

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LAKE CITY is an idyllic town and what it may lack in numbers, it makes up for in originality. Since the creation of its acclaimed arts festival, ArtFields, in 2013, Lake City has welcomed tens of thousands for its unique celebration of the arts, as well as the annual Tobacco Festival (promoting history, not tobacco use) and Rhythm and Qs, a party in honor of music and food heritage.

Downtown reflects this new energy with a lovely boutique hotel, an infusion of shops, inviting spaces and so much public art, such as the trompe l’oeil swarm of honeybees

by Asheville artist Matthew Willey; it covers the front of the building at the corner of E.Thomas and S. Alcline Street. And, a new mural on Sauls Street by Florida artists Andrew and Sarah Wilson, which celebrates Lake City’s farming tradition with a bundle of green beans painted across its exterior wall.

In fact, bring along a cooler for fresh local produce from Matthew’s Fruit Stand, an old-fashioned open-air market, right across the street from this mural. And don’t miss out on walking into Frye’s Meat Market, a specialty butcher shop.

Lake City boasts top-notch galleries full of contemporary works along with precious places to stop for a meal or snack (from hot dogs and ice cream to barbecue and catfish). Visit the Dr. Ronald E. McNair Memorial to pay homage to SC’s heroic astronaut.

Moore Farms Botanical Garden is well worth a visit too, so check its website for visiting options, since there are no scheduled hours.

Bear in mind that Lake City is interesting any time of year but visit during ArtFields in April for the full weight of what this forward-thinking community has to offer.

InnerCella Detours

TRAX VISUAL ART CENTER The large, flexible, sophisticated art gallery and sculpture garden in the heart of downtown is not your typical small-town venue.

122 Sauls St. | (843) 374-0262 traxvisualartcenter.com JONES-CARTER GALLERY The down-home feed and seed exterior belies the 21st century energy and vision of the exhibits in a modern, state-of-the art exhibition space.

105 Henry St. | (843) 374-1505 jonescartergallery.com THE ELEGANT BEE This carefully curated mix of period furniture and accessories is a favorite.

They specialize in 18th and 19th century antiques with a fresh, sophisticated vibe along with elegant accent pieces.

112 Sauls St. | (843) 687-4757 MAIN STREET MERCANTILE A top-quality shop offering home decor and accents among many other options of apparel, gifts for any occasion and other treasures in a friendly, welcoming update of a downtown storefront.

111 E. Main St. | (843) 374-2333 EAST MAIN MARKET Vintage furniture and decor items and whimsical collectibles. There are some nice quality upholstered pieces, attractively painted case goods, and plenty of accent pieces.

139 East Main St. | (843) 373-2165 eastmainmarketllc.com CHERAW RIVER WOODWORKS For treasures in need of restoration or repair, this is a unique company.

From re-caning chair seats and repairing and refinishing furniture, they provide precise restoration of wood, metals, even textiles.

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Where to Eat (and Retreat) in Lake City The influence of ArtFields in Lake City’s revival cannot be overestimated, and the explosion of venues for dining and accommodation in the immediate downtown area reflects the vibe. The Inn at the Crossroads boutique hotel and its elegant on-site restaurant, Crossroads Bar and Grille, offer sophistication in a beautifully restored space. Other restaurants provide everything from morning coffee and pastry to a variety of dinner choices. In addition to barbecue, Piggybacks also offers a fine rendition of fried catfish. Grab a hot dog or gourmet ice cream at the aptly named (and very cute) Snax. A place named Linger offers specialty coffee and fabulous pastry or meet a friend for breakfast or lunch at Baker’s Sweets.

The Shrimper is Lake City’s go-to for great seafood and Lisa’s at the Railway features meat-and-three fare in the quaint former train station.

What is ArtFields?

In 2013, a group of passionate, committed residents put their collective energy and clout behind an event unlike any other in the state. The 9-day celebration of the art and artists of the Southeast would be called ArtFields, a name that would fuse the new vision (the Art part) and the area’s long-time but dwindling agricultural economy (the Fields part).

With local retailers and other venues— like the library and the history museum— exhibiting the juried submissions, the entire town would be transformed into a living, walkable art gallery.

Today, 400+ works of art are on display each spring and ArtFields awards more than $140,000 in cash prizes to participating artists. The annual event is April 24-May 2 this year, but its spirit never leaves Lake City with indoor and outdoor public gifts of art gracing corners and buildings of this re-energized downtown, with more on the horizon.

Start exploring at artfieldssc.org

Lake City boasts a dozen works of public art installed in downtown with plans for three more by the end of spring of 2020, including a mural depicting native birds

by Greenville's Sunny Mullarkey. Read more about her in our feature story: Composition.

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Nurturing Bounty An essay about sowing seeds. / by Julia Sibley-Jones

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NOW THAT THE MORNINGS boast that cool, clean air and the robins flock the yard; when at noon my bees are an active cloud churning around their hive; when I can step onto my front porch in the early evening and see Leo roaming high in the Southeast; now it finally feels like Spring. And Spring means seeds.

P H OTO BY A A R O N B U R D E N O N U N S P L A S H

Open Table

InnerCella Open Table

Late last year I checked out Greenville’s wonderful Seed Library. It is a cooperative venture between the County’s Soil and Water Conservation District and the Library System. Housed at the Berea branch in an old-school card catalogue, the Seed Library offers more than 50 varieties of seeds.

With my library card I could select up to 10 packets. I also picked up the helpful Growing Guide and a brochure for the Read, Eat, Grow program which offers “a fresh perspective on food literacy.”

I like that the term literacy has moved beyond mere reading and writing to encompass a broader understanding of knowledge and basic competency in a subject.

Literacy implies and imparts character. It suggests that you once were willing to be wrong, to be a beginner, to be vulnerable to a new truth. It suggests humility.

Humility is a wonderful by-product of literacy and I yearn for a world with more people steeped in both.

Unfortunately, I’m not in charge of most people in the world, so I’m going with what I have and directing the education of my children, ages 11 and 7. My goal is that they are literate in theater, religious services, team sports, the taste of all vegetables. I want them conversant in French, mathematics and camping. I want them fluent in governance with an allegiance to the common good transcending any political party or platform.

Above all, I want them to be curious. Scratch that. The highest virtue I stress is kindness, but just slightly below that is curiosity.

We used to call someone like this a renaissance man. I’ve always

aspired to that, even with the obvious disadvantage of not being a man. A less gendered term is polymath, meaning someone fluent in multiple fields including sciences, technology, the arts, philosophy.

While my fingers strolled among the seed packets, my mind catalogued the harvest of curiosity I desire for my children. I hope they’ll understand plate tectonics and that the universe is expanding.

Be able to define syncopation.

Give an example of onomatopoeia.

Change spark plugs and install a ceiling fan.

My fingers were only at Carrot, but my mind was racing ahead… sew on a button and mix a mean cocktail. Play a decent hand of poker. Demonstrate perspective in drawing. Hold a strong opinion and

“

We used to call someone like this a renaissance man. I’ve always aspired to that.

“

—Julia Sibley-Jones

feel the thrill of conceding a new point of view. Sink a free throw or the eight-ball or a four-foot putt. Be an engaging, intelligent dinner companion to whomever is seated left, right and across.

Tomatillo. Write a dang thank you note. Listen generously, follow an argument, be threatened by neither fame nor fortune. Offer and accept a sincere apology. Or compliment. Anticipate someone else’s needs. Ask good questions.

Listen for the thing not said. Never be stingy in giving nor blinded by receiving love.

Zucchini. Grow and cook their own food. That seed I can plant now.

My children will help me plant our Seed Library seeds. Lavender, rosemary and mint to delight the fingers, nose and tongue.

Marigolds and sunflowers to delight the eyes; and bee balm to attract the contented buzz of our bee colony. We’ll buy vegetables from local farmers throughout the summer and wheedle some friends to share their hens’ fresh eggs.

With luck we’ll enjoy the taste of our neighborhood distilled into amber honey.

Maybe this summer we’ll manage a trip to pick peaches for that delightful rosemary-peach jam I used to make. In the Fall, we’ll pick apples and make apple butter. And while the last batch is simmering in the pressure-cooker I’ll take them outside. We’ll notice the air honing its knife-edge and I’ll point out Pegasus soaring across the vast night sky.

JU LIA SIBLEY-JON ES IS AN ESSAYIST AN D AUTHOR OF TH E MONTH LY BLOG , TH IS U NCHARTED NOW.

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LIVING

The working relationship of architect James Neal and artist Carl Blair brought modern sensibility to Greenville.

homes of good design / by Brendan Blowers / photography by Inspiro 8 Studios

At First Impression MATER IA LS D IFFE R , but what architect

and artist create is kindred. James Neal and Carl Blair wrestled with things wild-or phantom-- until their ideas could be contained into careful arrangement of form and line. The result impacted not just the culture of Greenville in its day, but the city’s aesthetic and landscape evermore.

Charles Eames once said, “the role of the designer is that of a very good thoughtful host anticipating the needs of his guests.”

James Neal is often noted for this, anticipating the needs of the occupants who would live in the homes he planned.

Specifically, when designing a home for Carl Blair, Neal created a place where the Blair family flourished. Neal accepted partial payment for his work in-kind from Blair: plans for art, art for plans, art for art when all is considered. Two immense talents, putting in the work, a collaboration that turned into a life-long friendship.

During an illustrious career, Neal designed hundreds of places in the Upstate of South Carolina-- schools, offices, churches and municipalities-- but it’s the residences he shaped in the mid-century epoch that reveal his most personal work.

When designing a home, Neal never included style without substance, wouldn’t trade practicality to impress. He believed everyone deserved a well-designed home and it's a testament to his talent that the mid-mods he built more than half a century ago continue to be celebrated today, lived in and cherished for what they are: thoughtful, timeless and homes of good design.

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Blair-Lair Residence DESIGNED BY JAMES NE AL

“When I am gone, I will be more alive than ever.”

—Carl Blair (writ ten on a scrap of paper in his home studio)

PARIS M OUNTA IN was a favorite place

to traverse for Carl and Margaret Blair.

As newlyweds they’d barrel up narrow Altamont Rd in their Chevy Impala until the steep mountain rock face glowed with the brilliant orange reflection of the setting sun. It was on one of these drives that the Blairs found a 1.25 acre lot with a for sale sign. It was a private densely wooded parcel, in the mountain’s lush valley, tucked between mature trees and bordered by a steep ravine.

“They decided this was their dream place,” says Ruth Lair, Carl and Margaret’s only child. She remembers hearing the story of how her parents had acquired the land as one of many recalled miracles in Blair family lore. “They loved the mountains, the trees, the terrain of the Upstate,” Ruth says.

As a boy, Carl, who often had to sleep on the couch so his Mother could offer room and board to his Depression-era relatives, would go outside to lie in brown fields under the Midwestern sky, watching swirling storms form over the horizon.

He took in the world in a sensory way.

Years later, as he majored in art at the University of Kansas, Carl’s connection to nature-- the land, trees and animals— emerged to become celebrated paintings.

Carl and Margaret Blair moved to Greenville in the summer of 1957 to teach at Bob Jones University. Carl had earned an M.F.A. from the Kansas City Art Institute and collected some life experience as a member of the Army Core of Engineers when drafted to serve in the Korean War. “My Dad saw a lot of hurt around him. He wanted to be realistic in his art that life was good, but hard. He didn’t sugar coat anything,” Ruth says.

When Carl discovered that the down payment for the plot on Oakleaf Road was $500, Ruth remembers her mother retelling how her dad had said, “Margaret, we don’t have $500.”

In truth, the Blairs had come to Greenville with very little but faithful optimism. As Ruth describes it, “they didn’t have two nickels to rub together.”

Initially, they lived in faculty housing while Carl took a second job working nights at the Greenville Art Museum.

Then, something miraculous happened.

Carl won an art contest with exactly $500 in prize money.

A mid-century home appears to rise organically from the property, as was the intent of the architect James Neal.

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During that time, Carl Blair and James Neal became friends. The two families would often see each other at various Greenville community events as Margaret was a member of many local clubs and organizations. When the time came to build, the Blairs knew that Neal was the best choice to design their home and Ruth recalls her father calling his association with James Neal “the mutual admiration society.” He considered Neal one of the most respected and soughtafter architects in the region. The only issue that remained was payment and, while Neal was an advocate for building affordable houses, he didn’t work for free.

But Neal liked Carl’s art so the “mutual admiration society” worked out a deal: Neal would trade architectural plans, and even oversee the building process, in exchange for paintings.

The home Neal conceived for the Blairs was quite possibly the most affordable residence he ever designed, but to Carl and Margaret it was a palace. “My parents held Neal in the highest esteem, he impacted our daily lives in a profound way with the environment he created,” Ruth says.

Neal knew about Carl’s affinity for the land and nature here and made sure to make it central to the home’s design. “The home blends in and rises up from nature,” Ruth says. Organic designs that are one with nature are an element in many midcentury homes, and Neal realized that goal as well as anyone could.

There was only one thing missing from Neal’s layout. Carl worked many hours in the studio at Bob Jones, with fellow artists Emery Bopp and Darell Koons (together, the three members of the art faculty department founded Hampton III, one of the first commercial galleries in the Upstate) but that didn’t mean he didn’t need a home studio for cutting, framing, sculpture and general inspiration-gathering.

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Together, one wheelbarrow-full at a time, Carl and Margaret dug out the crawl space to make room for Carl’s paints, canvases and cuts of wood. “Whether it was digging out this studio space or working in the yard, they were very connected people. They did it together,” Ruth says.

Carl leaned on his experience in the Army Core of Engineers to mix and pour the studio’s concrete floor. The carpet that covered that floor has been removed, but Ruth and her husband, Mike Lair, have left the rest of the belongings much as they were when her father would use his bandsaw to cut and shape boards into the whimsically ironic bird and dog sculptures he became known for later in his career.

The Blair home studio is a treasure trove, demonstrating Carl’s lifelong devotion to the elements of art-- both in action and in countless lessons to his students-- many of whom also have significant careers in art. In 2016, the Greenville Metropolitan Arts Council honored Blair with the exhibition "Artists Touched by Carl R. Blair", which featured the work of 55 Upstate artists (a sample of the hundreds) he had inspired including Dave Appleman, Diane Kilgore Condon, Amy Price Panosian and Raymond Giddens.

While the shape of the home studio is narrow and compact, the space feels much deeper. In addition to his dried paint palette and framing supplies, there are stacks of music CDs, finished canvases leaning against the walls, handwritten notes to Margaret and others collaged with old portraits of the artist; in one, Carl looks boyish and academic in his glasses, too young and innocent to be holding the Army-issued rifle slung over one shoulder. In another photo, taken much later in his life, he appears on a stage in South Carolina accepting the Verner Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts.

"He wanted to be realistic in his art that life was good, but hard" —Ruth Lair

A R T P H OTO G R A P H E D BY E L I WA R R E N

[above] Alabaster Bank by Carl Blair [left] Ruth Lair, the only child of Carl and Margaret Blair, and her husband Mike.

They are delighted to be living in Ruth’s childhood home which provides them the opportunity to continue the legacy of her father and James Neal.

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Neal designed a home to fit the Blair family’s simple, yet artistic life. It was outfitted with two master bedrooms, so Ruth’s Aunt Gladys, known in the family as “Auntie G” and the woman who raised Margaret for much of her life, could live with the Blairs when she retired from teaching.

Ruth has fond memories of a peaceful, playful homelife on Paris Mountain. “It was a very artsy house that also had art everywhere. The environment was always fun.” She remembers putting her shoes on in the morning and finding a laughing Carl had stuffed socks in the toes.

Margaret, who held a masters degree and also taught at BJU, loved to read.

A prized reading spot was the outdoor screened gazebo Carl gifted his wife shortly before her death from Lou Gehrig’s disease. Margaret could often be found in the gazebo, surrounded by flowers and trees, reading her Bible.

The Blairs spent a lot of time outdoors.

“He liked to go outside and walk around the yard, that was Carl’s thing,” Mike says, remembering when his father-in-law was at home in his element. The Blairs also loved gardening. In their time, the yard was pristine and had paths cut through the grass, a picnic table, an art-covered patio and little stone retaining walls to designate different areas.

Carl had a special emotional connection to boulder-sized rocks. He’d spy them on his long meandering drives and pay to have them shipped to the property where they’d take a prominent place in the yard.

“Every time I’d come home, there’d be one more rock,” Ruth says. As a boy Carl and his cousins would clamber up a large rock quarry in his backyard.

After Margaret died, Carl told his neighbor, Don Knapp, “I’ve been eyeing this stone.” Sure enough, a few days later it was delivered to the house to take its place among the rest. During their marriage, Margaret had been Carl’s rock.

“My Mom was an inspirational person.

My Dad would always say she was the strongest person he’d met,” says Ruth.

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A plot of wooded land just over an acre was the perfect sanctuary for Carl and Margaret Blair.

A sculpture by Carl Blair is perched on a pedestal within sight of the gazebo where Margaret Blair loved to spend time reading.

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Inside the front entrance of the home is a painting that Carl Blair did in memory of his wife. She loved flowers and she was his “rock.”

Hence, the loving tribute that he included in the lower righthand corner of the painting.

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The Blairs were hardy people; they had lived through the Depression and didn’t take things for granted. When an ice storm hit Greenville in 1993, pine branches pummeled the house and damaged the roof. The front-page headline from the Greenville News on March 14th read: High Wind, Cold Spread Misery Across the State. Instead of evacuating, the Blairs, who lost power for days, took refuge in their bedroom. When it happened again in 2005, they refused an offer to stay at the Knapps and be warmed by a gas log fireplace.

Knapp recalls bringing Carl a long twisted branch he had found in the yard.

He knew the artist liked to craft snakes out of them. To Knapp’s surprise, Carl took the stick and turned it into one of his signature snakes, gifting it back to his neighbor. Today, the piece hangs in Knapp’s living room. “He was a genuine man who knew what was important in life. I think he had it all figured out,” Knapp says.

A few years ago, when Carl was battling Parkinson’s Dementia, Ruth left Ohio to stay with her father. She noticed his physical decline, but his artist’s soul was still very much alive. She awoke one morning to find her dad in the den, staring out the window at the patio. “Ruth, Ruth, come here,” he said, “Look how the light is hitting the furniture like golden lightning.”

Carl was still creating paintings in his mind.

“He was always noticing the thing that the ordinary person would not notice,” Ruth says. “He wasn’t interested in painting mountains and trees realistically.

He was trying to capture the wind blowing, the movement of light, all of the elements that are there.” Whether it was an early morning fog on the mountain, a late snowfall or a hazy evening in October, they were all captured in Carl Blair’s vapor-like brush strokes.

Blair died just two years ago and today the responsibility of preserving his art and the family home falls squarely on the shoulders of Ruth and Mike. The

P O R T R A I T P H OTO G R A P H E D BY E L I WA R R E N

couple share the Blair’s admiration for the home’s designer. “Jim was a genius,” Ruth says of Neal. “He was so virtuous and the most humble person ever. My dad would have considered Jim Neal an artist.”

The Lairs plan to make this home their permanent residence and some renovations have been made. “We need to be true to ourselves like my parents were. They always had elements of different styles mixed together,” Ruth says.

Working with the contractor Greg Wilburn and interior designer Sherry Stanley, the Lairs have opened the interior rooms up a bit, painted the walls a clean paper white, but retained Neal’s original

dark molding and driftwood grey accents.

They’ve added an additional bathroom, laundry and closet without changing the parameters of the roofline.

They’ve also redone the floors. Sounding much like an artist herself Ruth says, “I researched all the woods and I just fell in love with walnut. It was speaking to me. I loved the grain, the tone.”

She also selected a striking granite for countertops in the bathrooms and kitchen. The natural stone has striations of color, blues, grays and an earthy rust.

“For me, it looks very artistic,” Ruth says.

With the renovations coming to a close, the couple have begun hanging several

Carl Blair and his daughter, Ruth, sit beneath one of Carl’s favorite trees with views of the wooded property in the background.

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The Lair home is filled with paintings, drawings, and sculptures that are the life work of Carl Blair.

"The renovation was a huge endeavor and a labor of love in tribute to our dear friend and architect, James Neal and my beloved parents, Carl and Margaret Blair" —Ruth and Mike Lair

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A LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE The renovation was accomplished by Wilburn Inc with the help and input of Designers Choice Cabinetry, CSW Design, Above All Plumbing, Current Electrical Services and Metal Works, Clayton Tile, Gallery of Lighting, Jeff Lynch Appliances, ProSource, Stacy’s Flooring, Suburban Paint, The Tile Shop, Upstate Granite Solutions, Windows, Inc., Interior Designers Amy Emery and Candace Morgan, Rhonda Grimberg & Jim Douglas, Jose Perez, TMP of Greenville, Stylist Laurilyn Davis Hall, Thrive Interiors and art installation by Lewis Carl.

Art in the Lair's home is part of the Permanent Collection of Carl & Margaret Blair. Work outside of this collection is represented by Mary Praytor Gallery in Greenville, If Art Gallery in Columbia and Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art in Charlotte.

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of Blair’s paintings, in addition to showcasing a wooden John Acorn sculpture he had acquired in trade.

Aside from its lineage, the home has everything the Lairs were looking for: one story, a great location and plenty of spare bedrooms for their grown kids or guests.

Ruth has taken on the task of digitally cataloging the thousands of pieces of art her father left behind. She and Mike also hope to eventually make the home studio suitable to show more of his work, including his first self-portrait.

It’s the piece that revealed his color blindness to his Kansas art instructors when they asked Carl why he had painted himself green.

The home in its new iteration still feels a little abstract to the Lairs, “like one of Dad’s paintings,” Ruth says, but the couple are looking forward to its next chapter. They even took a drive up to the Altamont Club where Carl and Margaret were longtime members.

“You’re way up on the mountain, being with a whole group of people in one room that have something in common, living on the mountain,” Ruth says. “Sometimes Dad would paint a bright red sky and people would think ‘that’s not realistic,’ but then we saw that red sky going across and it was gorgeous.”

Carl Blair’s drawings of whimsical animals, from which he created sculptures, are forever etched into a frosted glass door within the home.

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The World According to James Neal James “Jim” Neal was part of a group of progressive and likeminded architects in the 1950s to the 1970s who studied the work of architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and E. Fay Jones and shared their ideas about good design.

Neal succinctly grew an architecture firm that for 50 years has left an indelible mark on the Upcountry of our state. Neal opened his studio in 1969 with a focus on residential construction and light professional buildings. No job was too small, no client too unimportant, to deserve his full attention. He believed in the highest quality of architecture regardless of scale.

He and his wife, Margaret “Leonette” Neal, actively contributed to the community and culture of downtown Greenville. They were engaged members of First Baptist Church, the Poinsett Club and on many boards and committees that worked towards the betterment of the county at large.

“A lot of the legacy values that Jim had he got from his dad,” says Scott May who first joined Neal’s firm in 1988 and today is the Greenville Office Lead of LS3P. May recalls that Neal’s father ran a local lumber company and his business values ran deep with Neal. “Treating people right, doing the right thing, making sure people got what they paid for, Jim Neal was a generous but shrewd businessman,” says May. “He would call on a Friday afternoon at five-thirty just to see who was still in the office.”

John Edwards, Associate Principal with LS3P, remembers Neal as someone people in Greenville sought out for his perspective and guidance on major decisions in the development community or life in general.

Again and again, Neal was called “a true gentleman” and “a man of character;” he was referred to as studious and organized.

As an employer, adjectives such as fair, honest, kind, humorous

and demanding were evoked, depending on the circumstances.

He served as chairman of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee and counted Greenville mayors William Workman III and Knox White among his friends. And while he encouraged local government to prioritize Greenville’s downtown redevelopment, he also never abandoned a personal campaign for affordable housing.

“I think he was most fond of his residential work from 1969 through the 1980's, where he could apply the mid-century aesthetic principles that appealed to him on a personal level,” says Edwards. Today, mid-century architecture has many fans who enjoy its appeal, but at the time Neal was designing what at best could be called a growing movement. May says, “He was pushing the boundaries for Greenville designing homes of that style.”

Creating potential was something Neal relished. In 1990, he overtly moved his firm to a derelict building at 110 W. North St. “It was 20,000 square feet of space that needed to be loved on” says May. Edwards recalls it this way, “Jim believed that architects had a duty to be deeply involved in service toward improving their community.

A walk down Main Street in 1990 revealed that great things could be on the horizon for Greenville, but that horizon appeared pretty far away at the time.”

By the end of the century, Neal was managing the firm and his partner Robin Prince, was doing the majority of design work; but, Neal remained very collaborative. “He usually had a couple of good words and directions to make the project better.

They called him the velvet hammer.

He was pretty diplomatic,” May says, “even if he didn’t like something, he’d find something good to say about it and then he’d tell you what needed to be changed.”

Residential architecture often requires walking a tightrope of disagreements and disputes with homeowners and contractors.

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[continued] Nobody was better at knowing how to balance these hard conversations than Jim Neal. May says, “He exerted his will in a way where he’d get what he wanted but you never knew what hit you.”

One such time, when a mason hadn’t built a wall correctly on a residential jobsite, Neal decided to make a show of it. “He had this old plaid sport coat he would wear whenever he wanted to make a demonstration,” May says. It had been raining and Neal confronted the mason explaining the wall was “just not right, you need to do what needs to be done.” When the soft touch didn’t suffice Neal took the plaid coat off, threw it on the ground, stomping and pushing it into the mud. He walked off the job site without another word. “The next day the mason had the wall correct,” May says.

As the firm grew and evolved over the years, hundreds of churches and buildings including the Greenville Chamber of Commerce; the Billy Graham Chapel at the Cove in Black Mountain, North Carolina; and the Brooks Center at Clemson all began as drafts of innovation in the mind of James Neal.

Neal retired in 2005, leaving May in charge. “He wanted to step away at a time when he felt like he left the firm in good hands,” says May, “He was more about making sure that the next generation was going to be able to lead.”

Today the firm has a residential design studio within LS3P of four dedicated architects including Kirsten Schoettelkotte, who says Neal’s legacy is central to her day-to-day work life.

“We will say ‘yes’ to anything because of Jim’s perspective on it all. Every client, even if they don’t have a massive budget deserves to have someone who knows a lot about architecture to take a look to see if they can help a little. That was how Jim looked at things.”

Edwards agrees. “He believed that the design of houses was an integral part of making a good design firm into a great design firm, and that all other areas of practice benefited from having residential design work in the office.”

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Carl’s creative mind produced not only paintings, but fanciful snakes made from pieces of branch found on the property.

TO P T W O I M AG E S P H OTO G R A P H E D BY E L I WA R R E N

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Bottari Residence DESIGNED BY JAMES NE AL

“I could see the hand of the architect when I walked in the house.”

—Marco Bot tari

PRATO, A SMA LL TU SC A N TOWN near

Florence, Italy is known for two things: the frescoes in the town’s cathedral by Italian Renaissance artist Filippo Lippi and a textile business dating back to ancient times.

It’s the history of textile production that Prato shares in common with Greenville. For nearly three decades, transplants from the Bottari family have lived in the Upstate, running the US operation of Mariplast. In 1993 Elena’s father, Tiziano, opened a manufacturing plant stateside. First Elena’s brother was tapped to run it, but after five years he moved back to Italy and Elena and Marco were asked if they were interested in taking over. “We thought, maybe a couple of years and still, here we are,” says Marco in his northern Italian accent.

Southern culture grew on the Bottaris.

Living in a Cape Cod style house in 2003, it was photos of a James Neal designed home in the Parkins Mill neighborhood that caught their eye. The home was being sold by the original owners and the Bottaris were the first people to see it; they made an offer right away. It wasn’t until they moved in that they learned their home’s architect, James Neal, lived across the street. “It was a pleasant surprise. He shared a lot of information with us,” Marco says.

James Neal designed the plane and levels to compliment the natural rise and fall of a creek bed, while the clustered roof continues the blunted cone shapes of the trees that border the backyard.

The Bottaris assured Neal that they wouldn’t change anything about the design of the house and even after Neal’s passing, they have kept their promise.

“We really tried to preserve the style as much as we could,” Elena says.

The house rests on an ample landscaped yard abutting a small creek that runs across the home’s impressive glass-lined side. Its orientation ensures that the floor to ceiling windows never cast a glare or take in direct sunlight, making it both energy efficient and attractively lit any time of day.

Neal also designed the plane and levels to compliment the natural rise and fall of the creek’s bed, while the clustered roof continues the blunted cone shapes of the trees that border the backyard. The aesthetic touches were not coincidental, a testament to Neal’s meticulous attention to every detail.

“Each area of the house is totally different,” Elena says. For example, there are two separate rooms that open to the outdoors, but at a completely different level.

The size of the kitchen (small by new construction standards) is the only thing the Bottaris wish was different. They remedied it by adding a grande-size stone pizza oven to the outdoor patio by

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the garage. The outdoor oven not only offers a more spacious cooking area, but a physical connection to la famiglia as well; the Bottaris had the terracotta pizza slab and custom door imported from their hometown of Prato. It’s the closest they can get to the taste of a Tuscan pie 4,700 miles away.

They also replaced formica counters in the bathrooms with Carrera marble and removed carpet in the master bedroom.

New locally milled hardwoods match the original hardwood present throughout the rest of the house, even down to the same oak pegs.

An interesting design feature of the master is separate “his” and “hers” attached bathrooms. “When we bought the house, we thought we would replace them with one bigger bathroom, then we started using them and thought, ‘No, let’s keep it!” Elena says.

Having at least one small space in the home to call their own might be a smart idea, considering the Bottaris run a business together and have known each other since grade school. “My older brother married her older sister, and that’s how I met her,” Marco says.

The Bottaris are excellent caretakers of their historic James Neal-designed home.

Last year, they painted the entirety of the exterior, restored all of the wood accents and fixed a drainage problem in the basement.

Their next project will be to redo the driveway and potentially consider solar panels. They drive an electric car and take conservation seriously and Elena holds a natural wildlife habitat certification.

“It’s something we care about,” she says, “trying to make improvements where we can for the environment.”

The house does feel a bit emptier now that their sons have moved out of the matching back bedrooms. Today, one room houses a studio desk designed by Rei Kawakubo, founder of the fashion house Comme des Garçons. One-part smooth granite, the other unrefined iron, the table dubbed “Grey Triangle” is a rare piece of experimental high fashion-meets

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Elena and Marco Bottari (pictured with photos of their sons, nieces and nephews at different stages of life) have updated the kitchen while remaining true to their promise to James Neal not to make dramatic changes to the home’s design.

The home features unique lighting fixtures that provide international style to this family’s home.

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[this page] A side patio, hidden from view of the street by its placement, speaks to the talent of James Neal who was meticulous at site development details. [opposite page] The cabinet in the living room is a 16th century antique that belonged to Marco’s mother.

It survived a perilous journey to the US and adds another touch of international decorative style to the home.

“Each area of the house is totally different” — Elena Bot tari

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industrial design. According to Elena, only a few were made in the late 1980s.

The table is one of several haute pieces the Bottaris have brought with them from the design houses of Europe, including two chandelier installations designed by famed German designer Ingo Maurer, referred to as the “poet of light.”

Bold lighting fixtures form a welcome contrast to the clean lines and unadorned molding in the rooms. An Italian designed wall-mounted lighting fixture called “The Torch” adorns the brick wall by the front door. “It looks like something from the Middle Ages,” Marco says. The living and dining rooms are furnished with pieces from England, Germany, Spain, Italy and Denmark.

An ornate cabinet in the living room is a 16th century English antique that belonged to Marco’s mother. “We were very concerned to move it from Italy,” he says, but it survived the shipping container undamaged.

The blend of old-world European with the avant-garde in a home grounded in mid-era aesthetics works surprisingly well, yet another reminder that good design is often versatile and timeless.

Walking from room to room, it’s hard to believe the home is already fifty years old.

“It shows how advanced they were; it’s incredible,” Marco says.

A subtle but useful Neal flourish is a gallery hanging track built into the top molding that runs throughout the home’s common areas. Several large abstract canvases painted by a family friend in Amsterdam hang from it. The couple calls it artfully designed.

“I could see the hand of the architect when I walked in the house,” Marco says, “It has character.”

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Zurek Residence THE HOME OF JAMES NE AL

“We’re guardians of this home.”

—James Zurek

T HE T ERM “TIME C A PS U LE ” entered the

public vernacular around 1938, a few years before the mid-century modern home movement would sweep across America, but stepping into James and Rebeca Zurek’s home in Greenville feels like stepping inside a life-sized time capsule. Almost everything in the home, from the curtains to the coasters, is from the mid-century mark. “I don’t think there is anything new in here,” says James.

For the Zureks, a passion for this time period is a way of life. The couple moved in January of 2019 to Greenville from San Diego, where they had lived for 13 years in a mid-century modern home near the beach. Now they rent that home, while enjoying the slower pace and southern hospitality of South Carolina.

They brought their twenty-plus year collection of mid-century ephemera with them; many pieces acquired at the renowned Pasadena Flea Market. “We used to go almost every month,” Rebeca says.

The Zureks looked for homes in Asheville but drives through Greenville revealed the type of home they were hunting for. “We were hip to the fact that there are several homes that have this style in the area,” James says.

Multiple angles, vast expanses of glass, and wrap-around decking are perfect examples of mid-century modern style designed by James Neal for his family home.

One of those homes was architect James Neal’s former residence, a fourbedroom, three and a half bath house Neal designed for his own family. While the Zureks never met Neal personally (he died in 2014) the sellers knew what they had and “were very respectful of the style and didn’t try and make it something it wasn’t,” James says.

The home is a mid-century gem with multi-levels, wrap-around decking and extra designer flourishes like dark trim banding that hides overhead accent lighting (a feature that runs throughout the house.) It’s an ideal stage for the Zurek’s ever-expanding collection of vintage homeware.

Chairs and couches in the living room are from the early fifties, smattering the room in cherry reds and yellow gold.

Much of the furniture still has the original upholstery, making the palette accurate to what would have originally been in a mid-century home. “When you look at the original fabrics and materials, there’s color all over the place, in upholstery and wallpaper-- color was everywhere. Look at the cars with fins and turquoise and chrome.” James says.

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Magazines from the era provide inspiration for the Zurek’s interior decorating. “We’ve got quite a collection of ‘60’s era Better Homes and Gardens and Architectural Digest, plus a lot of Sunset publications,” James says of the iconic California magazine that for over 120 years served as a tastemaker for midcentury design.

Asian artifacts were a popular motif in mid-century American homes. According to an art exhibition at the Asia Society Museum in 2009, the Rockefellers began acquiring pieces from Japan and China in the mid-mod era and by the 1960s had amassed more work from south and southeast Asia for their private collection.

On the Zurek’s bedroom dresser is an antique ceramic sculpture from China depicting a water carrier that they love.

“We think we should be the guardians of this stuff. If it’s survived, we think ‘let’s get it’ because who knows what might happen to it?” James says.

James grew up on 50s rock and roll.

He and his brother even played together

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Rebeca and James Zurek, transplants from California, brought with them the perfect style for the former Neal home.The couple are longtime fans of the era and this house was destined to be theirs. They have preserved all of the original details of the home and have plans to restore some that have disappeared.

Although the kitchen has been updated, it still maintains the dark wood trim around the room’s perimeter and surrounding the casement windows.

in a popular Rockabilly band back in California called the “Palominos.” The back of the house is a shrine to early rock icons, and many more musicians such as Johnny Cash (whom James met twice).

James’ extensive music catalog takes up two whole rooms and includes a working antique record player and a DJ booth where James records his “Gospel Boogie” radio show for Asheville’s WPVM. Not to be outdone, Rebeca has an impressive collection of vintage Barbies from the 50s and 60s. Rebeca grew up in a mid-century modern home in Tijuana, Mexico. “My house I used to live in as a girl was a mid-century house, with two-tone wood inside and sliding doors,” she says. She knew there was something special about her parents’ home when a nine-year-old boy who was trick-ortreating one year for Halloween said, “Wow, your house is very cool, it looks like the Brady Bunch!”

The Zureks have plans to match and replace the dark trim banding which is missing from the master bedroom.

They also put in a pocket door to convert the hallway bathroom into an en-suite to make the guest room more accommodating for overnight visitors.

Original laminate floors have been upgraded to a natural bamboo, which looks especially nice in the sunken den.

Neal outfitted the den with a stunning cedar ceiling that continues down the hallway. The fireplace encourages lounging on the Eames chair or curling up in the similarly-low-slung two-seater sofa.

When the Zureks first arrived in Greenville, they discovered a mid-century painting in a local thrift store. It sits in the hallway across from their wedding

The Zurek’s collection of furnishings, colors, and accessories are a perfect fit for the time frame of this Neal designed home.

As James Zurek says, “I don’t think there is anything new in here.”

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The low level exterior of the entry to the home deceives you to not anticipate the multiple levels that lie within.

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The home is a mid-century gem with multi-levels, wrap-around decking and extra designer flourishes like dark trim banding that hides overhead accent lighting.

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portrait which, of course, has a vintage frame. But no picture can outdo the almost 180-degree view the Zureks enjoy of the neighboring woods via floor-toceiling glass sliders. Neal’s placement of the home’s foundation not only considered available light, but makes the home appear to hover among the trees when standing inside.

James knows his home may not be everyone’s “cup of tea” and he’s comfortable with that. “Whether it’s craftsman, mid-century modern or federalist, I appreciate when people have an interest in a particular style,” he says.

Style is something the Zureks have in abundance: a groovy blend of Googie space age, Southern California, South Pacific and swinging 1960s all neatly tied together in an impeccably designed midmod wrapper. And, while James knows they may not need more retro furniture or Sputnik light fixtures, like a true collector, he says with a spark in his eye, “We’re always on the hunt.”

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N EW S E AS O N… N E W LO O K … with designer finds from 4Rooms

Come see our new Introductions from Rowe and Robin Bruce.

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Pantry

Pg. 100

Gardening Pg. 103

On the Table Pg. 107

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P H OTO G R A P H Y BY C H E L S E A L A N E P H OTO G R A P H Y

M et h od s for h ome an d life

Bee's Knees The sweetness of spring, on wings abuzz, signal a season of pollen, produce and promise. at Home | SPRING 2020

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Modus Pantry

The Power of Honey Our essential sweetener.

/ by Kim Buffington / photography by Chelsea Lane Photography

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Pantry Modus

Honey-Do List

Do choose local honey. There is a lot of enthusiasm for honey in the Upstate, including these sweet spots.

T

here’s a reason that honey is a term of endearment – it’s a sweetness that we can’t live without. Its robust flavor profile puts honey at the top of the list of pantry darlings. It’s hard to beat a spoonful here or a drizzle there. But there’s more to know about this satisfying golden liquid and those busy bees that create it.

Honey is a jack-of-all trades in the kitchen arsenal. It’s a quick substitute for sugar in your coffee or trickled over Greek yogurt with granola and fresh fruit. It’s also an unexpected condiment atop fried chicken or fish because its sweetness melds perfectly with savory flavors and crispy textures. For grilling, it works excellently in marinades, helping you to achieve those coveted grill marks without overcooking your food.

Not one to miss the party, honey also makes an appearance at happy hour. Many cocktails, such as the prohibition-era classic Bee’s Knees, call for honey as a main ingredient. It’s also a secret weapon for mixologists because it can often be substituted 1:1 for simple syrup.

When procuring honey, it’s imperative to read the labels and understand the terminology.

Good, pure honey is a bit of an investment, as is the case with most top-quality ingredients.

Look for the words raw, unfiltered, unheated and unprocessed as they indicate a straightfrom-the-comb approach to production. Honey keeps just fine in the pantry indefinitely–it really doesn’t spoil. Crystallization does happen; if you notice any in your jar or bottle, simply put the container in some warm water to liquify the honey.

Buzz-Worthy

Climate change and continued development are putting bee populations at risk. Small changes in your own yard can make a big difference in your local bee populations. ake your home garden a M haven for bees by planting bee-friendly flowers like cosmos and zinnias. Hint: bees like flowers that have open petals that stand upright making the pollen easier to access.

Create a water source for bees – a bird bath or simple bowl or container will do.

Remember to change the water daily to avoid attracting mosquitos and flies.

Give them a home! Yes, bees like having a place to stay. Look for bee homes online or at DIY stores. If you’re especially handy, you can make one yourself.

Skip the pesticides in your yard – even organic varieties can be deadly to bees.

The Carolina Honey Bee Company - A family-owned and operated independent retail store in downtown Travelers Rest with a solid assortment of quality honey and beekeeping supplies.

Swamp Rabbit Café & Grocery- A popular market on the Swamp Rabbit Trail offering honey from several local purveyors.

Bee Well Honey - Honey farm plus beekeeping supplies and a great place to take classes, in Pickens.

Seasonal farmers markets There are several in our area.

Choose the market closest to you and go straight to the source. Connect with farmers directly and ask them about their bees and harvesting practices.

Honey Varietals Wildflower: multi-floral local sources. Seasonal. Amber.

Blueberry: grab it if you can find it. Buttery finish.

Sourwood: trees bloom once a year in upper SC/WNC/ north GA. Light Amber.

Buckwheat: very strong taste, mineral rich. Dark.

Saw Palmetto: short palms from SC and GA coast. Woody.

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photo: kennykenny collinscollins photo:

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Installation of Landscape, Hardscape & Water Feature by The Collins Group

by Aspen Builders

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Romaine Calm Lettuce is an approachable spring crop. / by Julia Sibley-Jones

P H OTO BY K E N A N K I TC H E N O N U N S P L A S H

I

yearn for the smell and feel of turned earth. I eavesdrop gardening blogs and daydream about English cottage gardens. I crave the crunch of a fresh salad. It’s time to plant.

Lettuce is one of the easiest and most satisfying plants to grow. It works in shallow containers on the patio or rows in the garden. And in the Upstate, early March is the perfect time to plant. In our part of the world, leaf lettuce grows better than head lettuce, but smaller head varieties like Marvel of the 4 Seasons Butterhead and Tom Thumb Butterhead grow well in containers.

Find seeds at most nurseries, garden supply stores and feed-and-seed stores. South Pleasantburg Nursery in Greenville sells varieties of organic and heirloom seeds, including lettuce. Seeds for the South is a small family-owned business (in Graniteville, SC) that sells vegetable seeds for planting zones 7,8 and 9. Check out their website for the drool-worthy pictures and helpful descriptions of 14 lettuce varieties. The key to attractive residential vegetable beds is to choose varieties for beauty as well as taste.

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Green Living Modus

Planting How-To

for regeneration. At this point, the leaves may look scrawny and for sure will taste bitter.

Once you harvest lettuce, wash it thoroughly to get any soil or bugs off. If you can’t eat it right away, it will save for a few days in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Make sure that it’s bone dry before refrigerating, though, or it will rapidly decompose.

For a longer lettuce season, you can sow new seeds every two weeks and choose a heat resisting variety. But then again, the real estate of your vegetable garden may be in high demand as summer draws near.

I S TO C K

First prepare the soil. Lettuce needs a loamy soil, which means crumbly with a good mixture of clay, sand and silt. It’s best to work in some compost about a week before planting, which will help loosen the soil and give the seedlings some immediate nutrition. Plant seeds about ¼ inch deep and cover with potting soil. Because the seeds are so tiny, it can be easier to scatter lines and then weed to the desired 6-8” spacing between seedlings.

Need some instant gratification?

Purchase potted plants at any home and garden center and even some grocers (such as Whole Foods) but look for containers labeled organic.

These plants can be put in the ground as early as March 1st or as late as mid-April when many of the area’s annual plant sales occur, such as the one at Greenbrier Farms in nearby Dacusville.

Rows should be 18-24” apart but we’ve all been guilty in an urban setting of planting tighter rows; and short-lived crops, like lettuce, are more forgiving than deeper rooted veggies fighting for water.

Block young plants from too much drying wind and water to six inches, keeping the soil moist but not soggy.

When plants are taller, trim away any leaves lying on the ground to help avoid rot. Remember that plants in a raised bed or container will mature faster than those planted directly into the colder ground.

Whether grown in rows or in containers, try adding some complimentary edible plants. If you planted garlic in the fall and have a bit of room, this can be an ideal spot for some spring lettuce. If not, consider planting chives, which are delicious with lettuce. The allium family of plants (think garlic, chive, shallot, scallion) are known to help control aphids which will happily eat your lettuce before you get to it.

Most lettuce grown from seed is ready to harvest in about 75 days.

Pick mature leaves which will be 5-6” tall or opt to harvest baby lettuce leaves a bit sooner. Just like a dog left too long unattended, lettuce will ‘bolt’ or run away from you. This means that its growth has turned from producing delicious leaves to creating flowers and seeds

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©2020 RE/MAX, LLC. Each Office Independently Owned and Operated. 20_302408

On the Table Modus

Bone-In, Fruit Forward For the love of ingredients, Chef Philip Bollhoefer of The Montford Rooftop Bar brings us a dish worth every step. / by Stephanie Burnette / photography by Chelsea Lane Photography

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Cast Iron Pork Chop with Pickled Rhubarb and Strawberry Compote

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B

rining, pickling and preserving are age-old practices, adding seasonal flavor to meats and produce. The steps are simple but require some time to sit around and marry, which equates to a bit of planning.

Proteins that have been brined cook evenly, ideally presenting a soft earthiness that’s hard to replicate otherwise. Paired with what’s been pickled and preserved, the crux of spring-- a bridge between a season of want and a season of abundance— can be clearly identified in each bite.

The finished plate is photo-worthy for sure. Cooking at home can sometimes mean relying on butchered, boneless proteins but it’s fun to play with chops and bone-in pork is a glorious cut of meat. Area butchers are happy to supply same sized chops, simply call ahead. A 12-hour brine inserts a hefty amount of flavor into buttery pork, the addition of honey in this recipe balances a tincture full of late winter’s heavy hitters, rosemary and bay, and early spring's fresh green super star: parsley.

Remember to pat a brined chop dry before adding it to a greased cast iron pan creating a sear that is restaurant worthy.

Fruited entrées do not need to taste sweet or be calorically charged. Chef Bollhoefer created this dish to crown a chop with what speaks to spring in our part of the Carolinas: the rhubarb harvest and a flush of strawberry, herbs and produce on hand.

Cast Iron Pork Chop with Pickled Rhubarb and Strawberry Compote Pork Chop Brine 2 tbsp Honey 2 Bay Leaves ½ sprig Rosemary 2 sprigs Thyme 4 sprigs Parsley 6 cloves Garlic, crushed 1/8 tsp Red Pepper Flake ½ tbsp Peppercorns 1/4 cup Salt 8 cups Water Method: Combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and chill completely before adding pork chops.

Allow pork chops to brine for 12 hours.

Remove from brine, rinse and pat dry with paper towel.

Pickled Rhubarb 1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar 1/4 cup Water 1/2 cup Sugar 2 tsp Salt 1 tsp Mustard seed 1 Whole clove 15 Black peppercorns 1 tsp Pink peppercorns 2 Lemon slices 2 Rhubarb stalks or 1 cup Method: Trim off tips (leaves) of rhubarb. Slice the rhubarb stalk in ¼ thick slices and reserve.

Place lemon slices, peppercorns and clove in a cheesecloth and tie with a piece of twine. Combine all ingredients except rhubarb in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature and pour over rhubarb. Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Strawberry Compote 1 tbsp Shallot, minced 1 tsp Vegetable Oil ½ cup Red Wine, pinot noir preferred ½ tbsp Cornstarch 1 tbsp Water 1 tsp Black Pepper, ground 1/2 tbsp Sugar 1/2 tbsp Rhubarb pickling liquid 1/2 tsp Salt 1 cup Small Diced Strawberries Method: In a small saucepan heat the oil on medium heat. Add shallots and cook until translucent, about 1 minute. Add red wine, salt, black pepper and sugar and simmer for 5 minutes. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl or ramekin to make a slurry. Add to red wine mixture and return to a simmer. Add Strawberries and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and add pickling liquid. Sauce can be used immediately or chilled and stored for up to 2 days.

To Finish Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat cast iron pan over medium high heat. Add enough oil to create a thin “film” in the cast iron pan. Sear pork chops on one side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown, flip and transfer into oven. Cook pork chops until an internal temperature of 145 degrees is reached.

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Order In

Six celebration-worthy wines you need in your glass. / story and photography by Pete Martin

V

isit most wine stores and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all the wines from a seemingly endless number of wineries. But in reality, the number of producers is far greater than what's on the shelf. Many smaller wineries only sell wines direct, and many larger producers don’t offer all their wines to retail. Most wineries, however, will ship. Whether you order a bottle for a special occasion or join a wine club, mail-ordering wines is a great way to explore special, unique bottlings. Don’t know where to start? Here are picks from six of my favorite wineries.

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THE

GALLERY

J O A N H E R L O N G & A S S O C I AT E S | S O T H E B Y ’ S I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E A LT Y

SHOWCASING THE BEST IN UPSTATE SC PROPERTIES – SPRING 2020

Custom studio @ 502 McDaniel Avenue Alta Vista. List price: $1,499,605 Sold in one day — multiple offers

Welcome to the Spring Issue of The Gallery!

We launched The Gallery in March 2019, a collection of the finest homes in the Upstate, to positive reviews.

Clients asked, “When is your next issue?” An annual was not enough.

We partnered with the creative minds behind “At Home” magazine to produce The Gallery quarterly, showcasing our Clients’ properties in a format as timeless as their homes.

In addition, our firm offers other singular, innovative services that you won’t find anywhere else, which attracts the best Clients, properties, and associates: Closing Concierge Service: In concert with Keable and Brown P.A., personalized service that recognizes that our Clients’ most valuable asset is their time.

White Glove Concierge Service: Enables clients to make their homes market-ready with minimal hassle on their part, relying on the coordination and financial commitment on our part.

Complete Client Transparency: Our Clients are always “in the loop” in terms of feedback and all written communication with agents and customers regarding their property.

Non-Compete Broker-In-Charge: Agents take note: our BIC’s sole purpose is coaching, supporting, and recruiting top-notch associates. No rote, boring classroom training.

When Sotheby’s International Realty invited me to join their unmatched, genuinely global network three years ago, I had fewer than 12 agents. Our size has more than doubled, but I’m as picky as our Clients: I’m committed to smart growth, one excellent associate at a time. Every JHA-SIR associate delivers unmatched service to our Clients as they buy and sell across the Upstate, and anywhere in the world.

jha-sothebysrealty.com

Joan 2

Joan Herlong Owner/CEO The Upstate’s Number One Realtor of the Decade* *Source: GGAR MLS Sales Volume 2010-2019

The parlor has lost its place in the modern home.

It was the room at the front of a fine home, set aside for important conversations, for receiving guests. It was home to a big pot of chat brewed among friends, where neighbors engaged in lively debate.

The only realty firm in South Carolina with a podcast, we brought this virtual space back in 2019 with “The Parlor Podcast,” available in video format on Facebook Watch, audio format on Spotify / Apple Podcasts. At The Parlor, we host with interested and diverse guests who share conversation, anecdotes, ideas, and philosophies every month. We’ve talked with business leaders, entrepreneurs, thinkers, do-ers, from near and far. Topics range from business ethics, to the mechanics of building a new business, to being a fly on the wall at the moment the idea to bring professional soccer to the Upstate was launched.

The Parlor enjoyed a really cool first season. Our chief goal for every company meeting at JHA-SIR is that “everyone leaves the room smarter.” As the host of The Parlor, I’ve learned so much from every guest, every topic. Our growing audience has responded in a big way, by recommending new guests. We have an inviting line up of varied guests and stories for 2020. Tune in!

FACEBOOK WATCH (VIDEO): www.facebook.com/theparlorpodcast APPLE PODCASTS (AUDIO): http://bit.ly/ParlorGvl SPOTIFY: http://bit.ly/TheParlorGvl

864.297.3450 | 1 McDaniel Greene Greenville SC 29601 Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated

JACK HERLONG Host, The Parlor Podcast Non-Compete BIC

Luxury Properties

112 Welling Circle Hollingsworth $3,499,607

Listed by: Joan Herlong 864.325.2112 | Joan@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

jha-sothebysrealty.com

STUNNING. Brand new, custom-built by J. Francis Builders for these original owners, on acre lot in private, gated Manor section of Hollingsworth, just 10 minutes from Greenville’s magnetic Downtown. 10,000 square feet of COMFORTABLE LUXURY, with amazing extras! You’ll be wowed by the 2-story foyer with marble tile floor & custom wrought iron balustrade, then drawn into the OPEN Great Room with screened porch, POOL & spa beyond. True cook’s kitchen combines artistry with efficiency: beautiful granite island with breakfast bar, breakfast bay, double ovens, gas cooking, Thermador appliances & HUGE walk in pantry with coffee bar & microwave. Main floor master features multiple closets, gas log fireplace, sitting room, His & Hers bathrooms and MOST AWESOME MASTER CLOSET EVER.

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Luxury Properties

Your KNOW-HOW Realtor with the EXPERTISE of a Builder

Reid Hipp 864.449.1779 Realtor 22 Years Experience

jha-sothebysrealty.com

CONTRACT IN LESS THAN 1 MONTH

4

4 White Crescent Lane – Kingsbridge

500 Taylor Road – Greenville

This home is an entertainer’s delight in a highly desirable neighborhood. 6 bedroom, 8 bath, 2 bonus rooms on a 1+ acre private setting with unparalleled indoor and outdoor living, Oversized salt water pool with waterfall and hot tub. Beautiful painted brick and completely remodeled. $1,950,681

Country living on almost 14 acres with pond. Includes indoor/ outdoor in-ground gunite pool, which has been covered by floor inside the HUGE party room enclosure. Zoned R-20, (sub-dividable into roughly half-acre lots or more).

ENJOY THE ACREAGE AND PRIVACY. $1,200,607

Listed by: Joan Herlong 864.325.2112 | Joan@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Listed by: Joan Herlong 864.325.2112 | Joan@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Luxury Properties Find your own tranquility at this breathtaking property convenient to I-85 surrounding you with serenity and lets you feel worlds away. Stately home on an expansive 66 acres and includes one of the largest privately owned arenas in the area. $1,360,670

6415 Liberty Highway – Pendleton

Agent: Amy Hammond 864.314. 4000 Amy@ JHA-SothebysRealty.com

dedicated to the extraordinary. the exceptional. the unique.

jha-sothebysrealty.com

Amy Hammond | 864.314.4000 amy@jha-sothebysrealty.com

5

Luxury Properties jha-sothebysrealty.com 6

Patrick Furman

Alexis Furman

Caroline Turpin

864.283.4560

864.630.3952

864.704.4610

REALTOR®

REALTOR®

REALTOR®

Luxury Properties

27 UNITS • 2 AND 3 BEDROOMS OPTIONS PRICED STARTING AT $559,601 8 UNITS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE: 60 DAYS CONTRACT TO CLOSE! ADDITIONAL UNITS TO BE BUILT

855-GRN-VLLE ART@JHA-SothebysRealty.com • www.AugustaRowTownhomes.com

jha-sothebysrealty.com

LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF AUGUSTA STREET AND CLAUSSEN AVENUE

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Luxury Properties

STATELY HISTORIC HOME

LIKE NEW CONSTRUCTION

2407 Augusta Street – Augusta Road Area

217 Cammer Avenue – Augusta Road Area

This impeccable historic home in the heart of the Augusta Road Area is absolutely oozing with original charm and detail. The current owners have done many updates, while preserving many of the original features. Almost 3600 sq ft, this large home could be yours today! $574,605

Want new construction, without the wait? This home was built in 2015 by the reputable AJH Custom Builders.

Walking distance to the charming Rockwood Park & just a stone’s throw from Augusta road shopping & dining! $774,605

Agent: Grace Herlong Loveless 864.660.3925 | Grace@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Agent: Grace Herlong Loveless 864.660.3925 | Grace@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Your Journey Home Starts Here.

jha-sothebysrealty.com

Jay McDonald works with many top agents in Greenville and he is available seven days a week.

Day or night, Jay always answers his phone and is ready to be your dedicated home loan professional.

Whether you’re buying, refinancing, or renovating a home – Jay is ready to guide you.

8

Jay McDonald, Production Manager | NMLS: 659243 864.915.3031 | jmcdonald@primelending.com 750 Executive Center Drive, Ste. 107, Greenville, SC 29615 All loans subject to credit approval. Rates and fees subject to change. ©2018 PrimeLending, a PlainsCapital Company. (NMLS: 13649) Equal Housing Lender. PrimeLending is a wholly owned subsidiary of a state-chartered bank and is an exempt lender in SC. V010918

Luxury Properties

GRACE HERLONG LOVELESS 2019 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR & PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE RECIPIENT Over $9M Volume Sold 2019

864.660.3925

Grace@JHA-SothebysRealty.com Instagram: @HomesWithGrace

WALK TO GCC!

CUSTOM BUILT

This custom-built home with Steel-Beam construction has been impeccably maintained by the original owners, who designed it with love and so much attention to detail. Want to live within walking distance to GCC? Come see this home, and make it your own, today! $924,605

jha-sothebysrealty.com

33 Rock Creek Drive – Greenville Country Club Area

Agent: Grace Herlong Loveless | 864.660.3925 | Grace@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

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Luxury Properties

THE FURMAN GROUP thefurmangroupsc.com

Patrick Furman REALTOR® 864.283.4560 Patrick@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Samantha Snyder REALTOR® 864.601.4862 Samantha@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Amazing custom Charlestoninfluenced home nestled on Landsdown Avenue, the best-kept secret in Alta Vista. Walking distance or a short bike ride to all things Greenville, this amazing home is designed to live comfortably and entertain. A massive cooks kitchen paired with a spectacular outdoor area featuring a waterfall jacuzzi and saltwater gunite pool is an entertainer’s dream. $1,099,601

jha-sothebysrealty.com

Listing Courtesy of The Furman Group

10

27 Landsdown Avenue – Alta Vista

Luxury Properties

8 Batson Orchard Court – Taylors

515 Spaulding Lake Drive – Spaulding Farm

This secluded estate sits on 8 wooded acres, complete with trails and streams. You will feel far removed from city life yet only 15 minutes from downtown Greenville. Only blocks away is Pebble Creek Golf Country Club or hit the links in your very own golf simulator. $734,687

Traditional brick home on a waterfront cul-de-sac lot that enjoys views of private Spaulding Lake. Breathtaking views from every room and easy access for fishing, kayaking and a host of other outdoor activities. All this within walking distance of community amenities and award-winning schools. $669,615

Listing Courtesy of The Furman Group

Listing Courtesy of The Furman Group

National Geographic named the Jocassee Gorges one of the “World’s Last Great Places.” Translated to “Place of the Lost One,” Lake Jocassee is known for its yearround clear and cool waters and its exclusivity with only 37 home sites. This extraordinary property was designed to showcase the lake and offers views of an unrivaled summer sunset from every room. $2,600,676

Listing Courtesy of The Furman Group

jha-sothebysrealty.com

503A Round House Point – Lake Jocassee

11

Luxury Properties 9 Cobbler Lane – Cobblestone

154 Riverplace – Downtown Greenville

Custom built 2014 in gated Cobblestone on 0.76 acre level cul-de-sac lot. 6000+ square feet, also features 10’ ceilings, gorgeous site finished hardwoods, true Cook’s kitchen w/gas cooking & fantastic Butler’s Pantry w/2nd D/W & disposal, large sink & bountiful storage. $924,681

BEST LOCATION & VIEW. Includes 2 spaces in attached garage.

2 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, loaded w/extras: gas log fireplace w/ mantel, custom built-ins, plantation shutters, OPEN granite kitchen w/Wolfe gas cook top + griddle, built in microwave, wall oven, commercial-grade SubZero, breakfast bar. $799,601

Listed by: Joan Herlong 864.325.2112 | Joan@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Listed by: Joan Herlong 864.325.2112 | Joan@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Just Fabulous!

Fabulous Clients. Fabulous Listings.

OVER $200 MILLION SOLD LIFETIME AVERAGE SALES PRICE IN 2019 - $803K *

jha-sothebysrealty.com

I do business the old-fashioned way. A client’s home is their most important personal and financial investment. Every client is my most important client. Open, direct communication.

Katherine Hall

katherine@jha-sothebysrealty.com | 864.678.0820

*Source MLS Sales Volume Days 2019

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Luxury Properties

EXPERTISE. PROFESSIONALISM. RESULTS. Call me, I’ll always call you right back.

Matt Crider Broker Associate

TOP PRODUCING BROKER ASSOCIATE 2019 864.444.1689 | Matt@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Converse Heights

514 Otis Blvd., Spartanburg – Converse Heights

Agent: Matt Crider 864.444.1689 Matt@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

jha-sothebysrealty.com

Historic Tudor built circa 1927 conveniently located in the Converse Heights neighborhood. Original landscape architecture showcases the oversized double lot containing 0.80 acres. $899,302

13

Luxury Properties jha-sothebysrealty.com 14

UNDER CONTRACT

446 Augusta Way– Reserve at Lake Keowee

25 Lanneau – Alta Vista

These original owners of this incredible lake front estate are among the original founders of the Reserve at Lake Keowee.

DESIGNED FOR TWO FAMILIES TO SHARE! Four master suites! Two on main, two on Terrace Level. Architecturally designed, built with enduring quality. $1,480,685

A story-book street: tree lined, sidewalks on both sides.

Featuring 9 ft & vaulted ceilings, beautiful original “skinny” hardwood floors, eat-in granite kitchen, screened porch + spacious deck, overlooking BEAUTIFUL re-landscaped back yard with the coolest fire pit and seating area ever! $889,605

Listed by: Joan Herlong 864.325.2112 | Joan@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Listed by: Joan Herlong 864.325.2112 | Joan@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Where experience and hometown knowledge meet

Lane Robbat

828.817.4663 Lane@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Luxury Properties

Your Upstate Team

Sarah Lauren

864.230.5566 SarahLauren@JHA-Sothebysrealty.com

Less than one mile from Green Valley Country Club. This home is perfect for a growing family and for entertaining. 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, and 2 half bathrooms, full walk out basement, mountain views in the master. $642,617 Agent: Sarah Lauren

864.230.5566 SarahLauren@ JHA-SothebysRealty.com Agent: Lane Robbat

828.817.4663

jha-sothebysrealty.com

105 W Round Hill Road – Green Valley Estates

Lane@ JHA-SothebysRealty.com

15

Luxury Properties

need more space?

helping you navigate the real estate waters

beth nichols | 864.991.9121

beth@jha-sothebysrealty.com

jha-sothebysrealty.com

UNDER CONTRACT

16

125 Gascony – Montebello

1000 McElhaney Road – Green Valley Area

BRAND NEW HOME by IBI Builders in gated Promenade of Montebello. Custom Plantation shutters on all front windows on main, Thor commercial-grade appliances (fridge included!), encapsulated crawl space w/dehumidifier, for cleaner living, energy efficiency, additional storage! $769,609

Don’t miss the incredible 1200 sq ft heated/cooled work shop with additional covered parking/storage. Updates include marble kitchen w/stainless appliances, HVAC, newer roof, custom cabinetry, new windows, new interior & exterior paint, and more. 1200 sft cottage and storage barn. $949,690

Listed by: Joan Herlong 864.325.2112 | Joan@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Listed by: Joan Herlong 864.325.2112 | Joan@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Luxury Properties

31 Pinckney Street – Downtown Love older homes, but don’t love renovating? You will LOVE 31 Pinckney! Restored and updated charmer in historic Hampton Pinckney, circa 1905, and on the Historic Registry.

Enjoy walking to Main Street Downtown, to Swamp Rabbit, to Unity Park. $1,024,601 Agent: Alexis Furman 864.630.3952 Alexis@ JHA-SothebysRealty.com

REALTOR® | Sales Associate

864.630.3952 | Alexis@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

jha-sothebysrealty.com

Alexis Furman

17

Luxury Properties

Assisting exceptional clients to meet their exceptional goals.

864.906.1052 | mattnocks.com | Realtor® | Matt.Nocks@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

UNDER CONTRACT

The one you’ve been hoping for! Classic craftsman bungalow with 9 ft ceilings, custom hardwood floors, welcoming front porch, screened and vaulted rear porch with grilling deck and seamlessly updated and expanded in 2012. Also has a large detached two car garage built in 2019. 4 Beds, 3 baths. $679,605 Agent: Matt Nocks

jha-sothebysrealty.com

864.906.1052

18

30 Sevier Street – Augusta Road Area

Matt.Nocks@ JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Luxury Properties

Custom built, original owners, on 3.16 acre lot on the Saluda River, less than five minutes from PRISMA main campus. Five (or 6) bedrooms, including ideal InLaw/Nanny suite on Terrace Level with full kitchenette and separate attached garage. Two Rec Rooms. Billiard Room.

Walk-In Wine Cellar. Cook’s Kitchen. Two fireplaces. Too many extras to list here.

Privacy, Plenty of Space, and Proximity! $1,480,673 Agent: Joan Herlong

117 Pacolet Trail –River Reserve

864.325.2112 Joan@ JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Classic Service, Southern Hospitality.

Call Chris, he always calls you right back!

Christopher Gunter Sales Associate

jha-sothebysrealty.com

864.420.9719

Christopher@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

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Luxury Properties jha-sothebysrealty.com 20

Come to Our House Let us help you close on your First Home, your Dream Home or your Getaway-From-It-All Home.

KEABLE & BROWN, PA Real Estate Attorneys 109 Laurens Rd., Bldg 2, Suite A Greenville, SC 29607

864-250-4000 | contact@keablelaw.com | www.keablelaw.com

Luxury Properties

Immaculately built 5000+ square foot home.

Stone & brick exterior with a 800+ sq ft composite entertainers dream deck with views of Little Gilder Creek and private woods.

Built-in Cabinetry, Coffered Ceilings, Vaulted Ceilings, Extensive Trim and Crown!

Seller has spared no expense in making sure this home is complete. $675,681 Listed by: Michael McGreevey

864.735.0785

113 Stonebridge Drive – Avondale Heights

Michael@ JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Personalized Professionalism on Your Side Sales Associate and Top Producer

864.735.0785 Michael@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

jha-sothebysrealty.com

Michael McGreevey

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Luxury Properties

“Whether buying or selling your home, I am with you every step of the way.”

Charee McConchie Multi-million Dollar Producer | Over 10 years experience

jha-sothebysrealty.com

864.419.4554 Charee@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

22

14 Bella Citta Court –Montebello

Enjoy living outdoors & indoors in this incredible, custom home with pool, surrounded by privacy, with wonderful VIEWS! Set on secluded lot in private, gated Montebello, 5 minutes to Furman, less than 30 min’s to Caesar’s Head, a cyclist’s dream. Thoughtful detail in design & finishes, including Italian marble counters, soaring ceilings, and 15” wide-plank heart pine floors, authentic matte finish, reclaimed from 250 year old Mississippi mill. The concept is OPEN: to the outdoors, with immense covered porches on both levels, and versatile living spaces.

Gradito! $1,569,609 Listed by: Joan Herlong

864.325.2112 Joan@ JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Agent: Christy Henderson Ross

864-564.5936 Christy@ JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Luxury Properties

This could be happily ever after for your family as you run a wedding venue on your own property. 5 bedroom primary residence with 3 bed cottage, indoor and outdoor venue for wedding guests on almost 20 acres in Greer. $899,651

4031 Pennington Road –Greer

Buyers & Sellers Love Her

Byrd’s Eye View!

Serving Clients Across the Upstate ANDERSON • GREENVILLE • SPARTANBURG

864.908.5552 Dionne@JHA-SothebysRealty.com

Dionne DISPLAY hlfH Gallery V2.indd 1

2/20/20 4:50 PM

jha-sothebysrealty.com

Dionne Byrd

23

“If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.” – Jack Welch

YOU R C O M PE T I T I V E ADV A NTAGE One McDaniel Greene, Greenville, South Carolina 29601

864.325.2112 • Call her, she always calls you right back.

Joan Herlong, Greater Greenville’s Number One Realtor of the Decade. Source: MLS Sales Volume 2010-2019.

Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

What to Drink Modus

J. Bookwalter 1st Edition, $50

ORDER IT to experience Washington

state’s take on an old-world classic DRINK IT with fish, poultry, cream

sauces and soft cheese

As the story goes, owner John Bookwalter was inspired to make 1st Edition during a visit to Bordeaux, France, in 2010. First released last year, this wine is a blend of the three traditional white grapes of Bordeaux: sauvignon blanc, semillon and muscadelle. Aromas of fig, orange and kiwi are followed by richly layered flavors of tropical fruits and a toastiness suggests exposure to new oak.

Harvest Moon Pitts Home Ranch Estate Zinfandel, $50

ORDER IT to experience zin’s depth

and dimension

DRINK IT with grilled foods, beef

or lamb

A friend of mine told me she doesn’t like zinfandel because it’s sweet and one-dimensional. She needs to try this Harvest Moon. Winemaker Randy Pitts knows how to make zin; I’ve been a fan ever since we met in his winery 15 years ago. Pitts Home Ranch isn’t California zin as you likely know it; this is a complex wine with many facets. Here, spicy red fruits, cherry compote and black pepper mingle with the right touch of acidity.

Want It / Find It These wines are generally only available directly from the wineries, but these makers are happy to hear from you.

Hyland Estates Coury Old Vine Pinot Noir, $70

ORDER IT to experience an Oregon

pinot noir with a long finish

DRINK IT alongside grilled pork J. Bookwalter Wines: bookwalterwines.com Harvest Moon Estate & Winery: harvestmoonwinery.com Hyland Estates: hylandestateswinery.com King Estate: kingestate.com Lynmar Estate: lynmarestate.com Stonestreet Estate Vineyards: stonestreetwines.com

or salmon

Many Oregon pinot noirs are wonderful, typically reflecting a more traditional, restrained French style. This Hyland is no exception, though it offers a bit more body than many others. The Coury, which Hyland has biodynamically grown since the early 1970s, offers depth, complexity and balance. The wine blooms on the palate with flavors of plums, cherries, earth, tea and pepper. There’s a wonderfully long finish, too.

King Estate Blanc De Noirs Méthode Champenoise, $90 ORDER IT because bubbles are

special and this is worth its price tag DRINK IT with soft, creamy cheeses

and fresh fruit

You shouldn’t be surprised that this Oregon sparkler is made with pinot noir grapes. But these grapes are grown intentionally for sparkling wine. Oregon, it turns out, has an almost ideal climate and these grapes are picked early to ensure a bright, crisp taste. Aromas and flavors of lemon, herbs and green apples leave a delightful, lingering finish.

This is a rich, complex wine perfect for any celebration.

Lynmar La Sereinité Chardonnay, $70

ORDER IT to experience

chardonnay in its purest form DRINK IT with oysters, crab cakes,

grilled lobster or cheesy pasta

When I visited the Lynmar Estate in Sonoma, I was immediately blown away by the wines. La Sereinité is no exception. It is made from a blend of the best estate chardonnay. To focus on the grape, the juice is fermented in neutral oak barrels and small concrete tanks. If you’re tired of over-oaked chardonnays, look no further. Rich flavors of stone fruits, melon and citrus are balanced with beautiful minerality and acidity.

Stonestreet Bear Point Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, $65 ORDER IT to experience wine’s

ability to complement food DRINK IT with steak

Steak is on the menu of many a celebratory dinner, and for many, it demands a cabernet sauvignon.

Bear Point is the least expensive cab (by more than half) in Stonestreet’s single-vineyard collection, but it embodies everything I love about this Sonoma County winery. Flavors of plum, raspberry, tobacco and chocolate are deeply textured, yet impeccably balanced with just the right amount of acidity and tannins.

Rather than overshadow food, Bear Point complements it (especially if that food is steak).

at Home | SPRING 2020

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12 Sevier Street Greenville, SC 29605 864-282-8600

embassy-flowers.com

Matrimony celebrations from home and garden / by Jennifer Dennis Monts

PA L M E R- H E R N A N D E Z W E D D I N G : P H OTO G R A P H Y BY S P O S A B E L L A P H OTO G R A P H Y

G E A N N A K A K E S S T R O N G W E D D I N G : P H OTO G R A P H Y BY R E D A P P L E T R E E P H OTO G R A P H Y;

Spring is the time we celebrate those who commit to love in the pages of atHome. This year we bring you two stunning couples who delighted not only in each other but also their invited guests with gorgeous locales, attire, refreshment and entertainment.

Cheers to the lifelong journey!

Modus Matrimony

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Matrimony Modus

Memory Makers Palmer–Hernandez Wedding / photography by Sposa Bella Photography

Melissa Palmer and Julio Hernandez are a couple who values their connection with family. Throughout their wedding planning, creating memories with those closest to them was a priority.

After being introduced by their mutual friend, Leslie Hass, at Greenville Fashion Week in 2018, their relationship grew and Julio remarked that he knew it was right.

He ordered a gorgeous engagement ring from Designs by Remy. Once he received the shipment delivery notification, there was no package to be found at his condo. He raced to the post office where a team of postal workers jumped to his aid to track down the precious package.

The couple had talked of marriage and even considered the idea of having their wedding at Melissa’s parents’ Thornblade home. Late one Friday night, Julio asked Melissa to step out into the back garden to look at potential ceremony locations.

Melissa’s mother encouraged her to join him outside, while her father (who had just arrived home from the

at Home | SPRING 2020

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airport and was in on the whole plan) looked on. There Julio got down on one knee and proposed in the exact location where they would be married just months later.

As Clemson’s Chief of Staff and Hispanic Outreach, Julio attends all the Clemson home football games with Melissa, a Clemson alumna with a degree in nursing. They thought they would wait until after football season to have the wedding but found a fall weekend without a game that would work perfectly. They jumped immediately into planning and things fell into place quickly.

Melissa’s mother, Marcy, has an interior design background; they worked closely together on all the wedding design details. Marcy has a lifelong collection of blue and white décor (something Melissa had also started collecting) and this became the basis for the color palette. The couple added in pops of orange to represent their love of Clemson.

In a flurry of activity, weekends were spent preparing the home, custom drapes were sewn in perfectly matched tones and the couple letter pressed their own invitations using calligraphy from The Script Shop.

On a lovely October day, family and close friends gathered for an intimate ceremony and Melissa’s cousin officiated. As a surprise to Julio a portion of the ceremony was read

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Matrimony Modus

"It's the home my parents built together, and they've been married for 40 years so to have this on top that, it's really special."

— Melissa Palmer Hernandez

at Home | SPRING 2020

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Matrimony Modus

[opposite page] Julio says that by planning their wedding in the Palmer family home, they have created lasting memories that he is often reminded of. Each time they pull into the driveway for a visit, he thinks back to their wedding day.

Modus Matrimony

[left] Melissa's ring from Atlanta Designer Remy was lost in the mail for a day until it was tracked down by Julio and an anxious post office. [below] The Palmer's lush back yard at their home in Thornblade created an ideal backdrop for the wedding ceremony.

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Matrimony Modus

[above] The Mother of the Bride collects blue and white china and has passed the passion of it down to her daughter. It became an integral part of the fall inspired wedding theme.

at Home | SPRING 2020

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twice, the second time in Spanish by his sister. Julio said it was very symbolic of two different worlds being united.

Following the ceremony, the couple hosted 130+ guests for an evening celebration at the home. The tent from Professional Party Rentals featured chandeliers and a long farmhouse table representing their families coming together and creating a new home.

Guests were served wine selected by the Clemson Wine Bar for the occasion and Julio’s former colleague, Chef Michael Granata, created dishes for dinner including beef tenderloin and paella. D.J. Sha, who just happens to be the house disc jockey for the Clemson Stadium, kept everyone dancing late into the night.

Now when Melissa and Julio visit Marcy and Joe, the couple returns to the memories created that day.

Julio says, “it is something that I will remember for the rest of my life.”

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Matrimony Modus

[right] The couple’s love for each other, and for Clemson, was apparent throughout the evening. The décor featured touches of orange, including candles that the bride received from her grandmother and had saved for a special moment.

SPRING 2020

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Cheers to Love The Engagment of Michelle Geannakakes & Sydney Strong / photography by Red Apple Tree Photography and Chugach Peaks Photography

Their relationship began in 2016 when Sydney Strong’s cousin introduced her to Michelle Geannakakes. Michelle had taken a travel nursing assignment in Alaska and Sydney had moved back to South Carolina from California following her graduation from the Gemological Institute of America. The two had lived in different states before, but now their long-distance relationship also included a four-hour time difference.

Sydney says she became a bit of a night owl and their relationship persevered.

In July of 2018 they arranged a trip to meet in Alaska, and Michelle had a suspicion there might be a marriage proposal in the works, especially when they took a helicopter ride to Colony Glacier and there just happened to be a very friendly photographer on board.

The glacier they landed on is very private as it can only be reached by air and there was an idyllic frozen glacial pool surrounded by an incredible panoramic view. Sydney quietly signaled to the photographer and asked Michelle to marry her.

She presented Michelle a ring she had designed and created herself: an oval cut diamond with their initials

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Matrimony Modus

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To top off the epic welcome party, The Free performed on a custom-built stage and guests danced late into the evening.

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embedded on either side of the stone’s setting. Engraved on the inside of the band was the Alaskan mountain range as well as the north star. Michelle said yes and the couple took breathtaking engagement photos before heading back to Seven Glaciers Restaurant at the Alyeska Resort to celebrate.

In August, they prepared to run the Lulelemon Seawheeze Half Marathon together in Vancouver, Canada and their mothers joined them for the weekend. Secretly, Michelle had been working with Sydney’s mother, Greenville jewelry designer llyn strong, to create an equally perfect ring for a second proposal. On the Capilano Suspension Bridge, with their mothers watching, Michelle surprised Sydney with her perfect ring, a Brazilian Paraiba tourmaline the color of the glacier in Alaska, set in rose

gold, but with a mountain range to represent Vancouver hidden in the undergallery.

The couple knew that they would want to throw a welcome party on Friday for their guests attending from far and near. Sydney asked family friend Dr. Glenn Head if it would be possible to hold the event at his home and the consummate host agreed.

Michelle and Sydney had their hearts set on pizza from Coastal Crust with lots of yellow label Veuve Clicquot bubbly; a nod to what they would often serve when entertaining in their own home.

Glenn elevated these plans with an ice wall to display all the champagne bottles, the couple’s dream band, The Free, and a custom-built cake swing to display a beautiful white cake from Bakery Off Augusta which,

at Home | SPRING 2020

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when cut by the couple, revealed a rainbow of cake layers. The party was topped off with a surprise visit by a pair of dressed unicorns, arranged by Sydney’s mother, lynn.

The ceremony occurred outside with a stunning view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The couple had an inverted Y-shaped aisle, with Michelle and Sydney each accompanied by their parents until they met in the middle, where the two then continued side by side to the altar. In another display of great attention of detail, Sydney had this Y-shape replicated in the buttons down the back of her wedding gown.

For their entrance the guitar and cello duo Wirewood played “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” while EB Cole, the lead singer from their reception band The Retreat, sang the lyrics in a slow tempo. Sydney recalls, “I am very visual but for it to come to life like that, I was blown away.”

Artist Ric Standridge captured the special moment in a live painting of the ceremony that was then displayed during the reception. The couple crafted their own vows with each promising to “always carry snacks.”

Guests enjoyed a seated familystyle supper prepared by Hotel Domestique’s Chef Haydn Shaak. The couple wanted to encourage dinner table conversation and they later learned many new friendships were formed that evening. The wedding cake was by Tessa Pinner, something the couple had booked even before selecting either a date or venue, and The Retreat kept everyone on the dance floor through the night.

Want to see the wedding and reception at Hotel Domestique? Go to our website for a gallery of photos.

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To see Sydney and Michelle's wedding album go to athomeupstate.com

Matrimony Modus

[left] Glenn, the host of the detailed party, had the space filled with lush arrangements and a live moss wall. [right] Michelle and Sydney knew that the wanted champagne and pizza for their Friday night welcome party, and host Dr. Glenn Head went above and beyond with this ice wall to ensure that the bottles of Veuve Clicquot were chilled.

J

Y

LUMBER COM AN PA D N OR SINCE 1934

Jordan Lumber Company, Inc. is a wood flooring specialty company in business since 1934 providing the highest level of quality and services.

Family owned and operated for over 85 years, we offer a vast array of wood flooring options that will please even the most discriminating taste.

www.JORDANLUMBERCOMPANY.com 104 Rutherford Road, Greenville, SC 29609 | 864-232-9686

CELEBRATING 85 YEARS

T H R E E G E N E R AT I O N S O F WO O D F LO O R I N G E XC E L L E N C E

Greenville Carpet One

226 Pelham Davis Circle, Greenville

864.281.0006 | www.CarpetOneGreenville.com Showroom Hours: Monday–Friday 8am–6pm, Saturday 10am–2pm

Renato Vicario and Janette Wesley WELCOME YOU to our new tasting room VICARIO is a beautiful marriage of art and science, where the pursuit for discovery and knowldege never ends, and where this journey is fully revered in the long awaited wow as you taste.

VICARIO TM

micro-distillery and farm

the tasting room is open Producing 15 amazing garden to glass liqueurs, and a super sippable Botanical Gin right here in the Upstate.

800 & 840 Old Jones Road in Greer S.C. Tuesday through Thursday by reservation only Friday and Saturday, drop by or reserve.

11:00 am until 6:00 pm

Reservations at SaluteLLC.com

Modus Treasure

1

Box Score Louis Sherry truffles play the long game with exquisite taste.

2

/ by Stephanie Burnette

W

hen a box of chocolate is called out by name by the likes of Fitzgerald to Salinger, the brand has made an impression on our cultural lexis. Louis Sherry chocolate is a twofer, beloved as much for its enameled tins as the novel flavors contained inside.

As a man of The Gilded Age, Louis Sherry was a sophisticate; form and beauty of object were as important as a thing's inherent qualities. His candy shop and restaurant, opened in 1881, were of high design and as the popularity of Louis Sherry confections grew, the retailer moved to larger, grander locations including a flagship store on Madison Avenue today occupied by Hermes.

The chocolate ganache filling is the same 19th century recipe and decadent truffle flavors have stood the test of time; culled from superior ingredients, ethically sourced, from countries worldwide. Whereas a pomegranate Meyer lemon truffle was foreseeable to our grandmothers, today it holds fresh expectation in the box. Pistachio Di Bronte? Passionfruit Kumquat? Turkish Coffee? Simply divine.

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3

Treasure Modus

4

1 SCHUMACHER, CHIANG MAI DRAGON LACQUER RED | DESIGNER 12-PIECE TIN, $40

For 130 years, the family-owned design house of Schumacher has created celebrated print for wallpaper and fabric. Chiang Mai Dragon is a chinoiserie motif, first inspired by an Art Deco print and for Louis Sherry comes in red or green.

2 HARRISON HOWARD, PETITE CHEVAL DE COURSE GREEN | DESIGNER 2-PIECE TIN, $8.50

Harrison Howard, born in 1954 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, was a devoted muralist for the home but more recently has become noted for his easel paintings and numbered prints of birds, animals and floral motifs.

3 ORCHID 1919 | JEWEL BOX 2-PIECE TIN, $8.50

A miniature take on the emblematic Louis Sherry Tin, this orchid colored tin was the company standard in 1919. It holds the same two pieces of chocolate, company best sellers: salted caramel and Sicilian orange.

4 HARRISON HOWARD, BIRD & BUTTERFLY | DESIGNER 12-PIECE TIN, $40

The classic dozen-sized gift box is filled with truffles cherished for their silky mouthfeel in fantastical flavors such as pomegranate Meyer lemon, passionfruit kumquat, Turkish coffee and pistachio Di Bronte.

5

5 MILES REDD, CUBIST | DESIGNER 12-PIECE TIN, $40

Miles Redd is heralded for his work with antiques guru John Rosselli and decorator Bunny Williams. He was the creative director of Oscar de la Renta Home for 10 years and Architectural Digest named him one of their “AD 100.”

6 JOHN DERIAN, SWIFT OR BUTTERFLY | DESIGNER 12-PIECE TIN, $40

The work of decoupage artist John Derian has been featured in every imaginable publication and The John Derian Picture Book became a New York Times best seller, a compilation of 18th and 19th century images.

6

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Louis Sherry is considered the oldest boxed chocolate brand and the Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets believes Louis Sherry introduced the idea of chocolate as a luxury gift.

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I M AG E S P R OV I D E D BY M A N U FAC T U R E R

The lavender tin with the floral motif is an institution of its own. A quick browse of Etsy will find vintage Louis Sherry boxes selling for more than their current retail price (and sans truffles). The enameled boxes are painstakingly assembled by hand, self-hinged and cast from original hundred-year old molds.

In the past decade Louis Sherry has reimagined its iconic boxed truffles, splashing the motifs of modern design legend across its surface. John Derian, Harrison Howard, the family owned house of Schumacher and Miles Redd have graced a Lewis Sherry lid. From the miniature “jewel box” to the standard 12-piece array or the grand two dozen, when the chocolate is gone, a gift remains to grace dresser tops, nightstands and coffee tables as its own captured art.

LLC

Closing Doors.

Changing Doors.

Opening Doors.

lilglenn.com LIL GLENN, Broker in Charge 864-242-0088 lil@lilglenn.com REX CARTER, Broker 864-423-2875 GINGER CARTER, Agent 864-787-1979

PRESENTED BY

ARTISPHERE.ORG

Original artwork by Joe Engel, “Hinterland”

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(Japanese Sumi Ink Marbling on Paper)

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CREATING A COLLAGE PAINTING

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205 West Faris Road Greenville

501 Pawleys Drive Simpsonville

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4 BR | 3 Full + 1 Half BA MLS#1406566 | $465,000

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Pam McCartney 864.630.7844

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atHome estates is a feature of atHome Magazine. To advertise your listing in atHome estates, contact Heather Propp at 864.679.1263 or hpropp@communityjournals.com

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Man of the Match Art and Architecture blend in synchronicity via the inspiration of Miguel de Cervantes' novel. / by Lynn Greenlaw

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at Home | SPRING 2020

P H OTO G R A P H Y BY I N S P I R O 8 S T U D I O S

A

rt is described as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form.

Architecture as the complex or carefully designed structure of something.

This piece of art by Antonio Proa, purchased in California, hangs in the hallway of James and Rebeca Zurek’s home.

It depicts the 17th-century Spanish literary character Don Quixote, the man of La Mancha, and presents itself as a unique combination of the two art forms. It, therefore, seems a fitting finale for this issue where the three feature homes combine the best qualities of mid-century modern architectural style blended with diversified styles of artwork throughout.

R E N O V A T I O N S

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before

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