Columbia Home & Garden - Summer 2009

SUMMER 2009

$3.95 USA

Enjoying the Outdoors Living on the Water Playing in the Backyard Cooking on the Grill

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BLOW AWAY THEM

TYPICAL RESULTS NOT EXPECTED

LORRI-ANN President & CEO

ALICIA Account Manager

SAM Senior Copy Editor

GRANT Art Director

MATT Creative Director

803.779.4005 • WWW.CARTERTODD.COM 1233 WASHINGTON ST., SUITE 101 • COLUMBIA, SC 29201 Columbia Home & Garden

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Table of Contents Summer 2009

COVER STORY 36 24

36

Cover

photo by

John Wrightenberry

A Portal on Columbia’s Life Aquatic – living on the shoreline in Arcadia Lakes, on the Saluda River, and on Lake Murray

FEATURES

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Taking Columbia Back to School – the re-purpose and renovation of McCants Elementary School

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Columbia’s Sparkling Fountains – a pictorial of the beauty and cooling effect of water features throughout the area

30 46

Backyard Adventure – vacationing at home doesn’t need to be boring Intelligent (Re)Design – advice on updating your décor with contemporary flair from three experts

30 42

Columbia Cooks

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Ryan Kerr, Columbia’s Culinary Sojourner

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Columbia’s Good Life Viva La Vista – September 12

The Lexington County Peach Festival – July 4 Sizzlin’ Summer Concert Series Blooming Butterflies 2009 Brew at the Zoo

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9 13

12 14 16

DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Notebook & Staff Contributors Artist Notes Advertiser’s Index

Columbia Home & Garden

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EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK hank you for the fabulous reception we received with the arrival of our Premier issue.

In our Summer issue, we celebrate the “Famously Hot” weather we all have to deal with from June to early September.

Staying cool is relatively easy when living on the water, and the Columbia area is blessed with an abundance of opportunities for just that: small lakes string through the terrain like shimmering beads, rippling rivers wind their way toward the ocean, and beautiful Lake Murray beckons at the northwestern edge of our area. Our cover story features several families that enjoy this special lifestyle.

Columbia Cooks tells the story of well-known Columbia-area chef Ryan Kerr, and he offers recipes for great summer fare he prepares on the grill at a family home at Lake Murray.

We also cover some of the many fountains that sparkle in the sunlight and fill our heads with the cooling sound of cascading water.

If your travel plans are limited this year, read about how your backyard can become a place of adventure. But if staying inside is more your cup of tea, three experts offer sage decorating advice on how to update your home’s décor and give it a contemporary flair, whether you are working with a shoestring budget or are ready for an entire makeover.

Artist Mary Gilkerson offers a sampling of her work with “Edisto II,” part of her Black Water River series.

And Columbia’s Good Life includes the entertaining Sizzlin’ Saturday Concert Series at Finlay Park, the patriotic Lexington County Peach Festival on the Fourth of July, Brew at the Zoo, the ongoing Blooming Butterflies exhibit at EdVenture, and ends the summer with the annual Viva La Vista food-tasting event.

Enjoy the summer!

Jennifer Soliday Carter

Publisher Lorri-Ann Carter Editor Jennifer Soliday

Carter

Advertising Director Alicia Morgan Advertising Consultant

Dana Lawson Art Director Grant Hughes Creative Director

Matt Hudson Contributing Photographers

John Wrightenberry Lisa Wilson Contributing Writers Sam Morton William Thrift Staff Assistants

Caty Fullerton Katie Jones Brittany Roof Cover Photo John Wrightenberry

Lorri-Ann Carter, Publisher of Columbia Home & Garden, personally delivers a copy of

Premier issue to Mayor Bob Coble.

the

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Visit us on the Internet for additional information, including links to our advertisers, subscription information, writers’ guidelines, and advertising opportunities. ©MMIX Columbia Home & Garden, LLC. All rights reserved.

No part may be reprinted without written permission from the publisher. Columbia Home & Garden is published quarterly for Columbia Home & Garden, LLC by CarterTodd & Associates, Inc., 1233 Washington Street, Suite 101, Columbia, SC 29201.

Subscribe to Columbia Home & Garden magazine at the introductory price of $12 for a one-year subscription. Each issue will be mailed to your home or office. Send check to Columbia Home & Garden, PO Box 50145, Columbia, SC 29250, or visit us online at columbiaHG.com to use credit card.

The editors welcome unsolicited manuscripts and photographs.

Please visit us online at columbiaHG.com for submission guidelines, or e-mail us at editorial@columbiaHG.com.

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Columbia Home & Garden

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CONTRIBUTORS Sam Morton A graduate of The Citadel, Sam Morton is the co-author of four fiction anthologies, author of a collection of short stories and poems, and author of a novel. A former editor of two regional business magazines and currently a contributing writer for Columbia Home & Garden, Morton also writes non-fiction for local businesses.

William Thrift A graduate of the University of South Carolina, William Thrift has traveled extensively in the US and abroad. After serving many years as a corporate regional manager for a private business, his creative side has emerged. He has written a novel, currently produces short fiction and non-fiction articles, enjoys songwriting, and dabbles in creative cuisine.

Lisa Wilson A graduate of Midlands Tech and Spartanburg Tech, Lisa Wilson currently works for Lexington Medical Center as a radiation therapist. Her hobby and favorite pastime, photography, has quickly developed into an important part of her life.

1-Year Subscription Order Online at columbiaHG.com

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John Wrightenberry Known for his rare blend of personality and talent, John Wrightenberry’s manner of putting his clients at ease and his natural artistic ability is evident in every image he captures.

His education and experience combines traditional photographic methods with fashion and photojournalism. You may visit John’s nationally award-winning studio at www. johnwrightenberryphotography.com.

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o l u m b i a’ s

Tasty wings are

G o o d

L i f e

Viva La Vista 2009

always a big hit.

he annual Viva La Vista celebration of great food and drink will be held in Columbia’s arts and entertainment district on September 12, from 2 to 7. There is no charge for admittance to this event, and it’s a tasty opportunity to try out samples of food from various restaurants located in the Congaree Vista area at the affordable cost of $1 to $4. In addition to the food, there will be beer and wine available. Viva La Vista also will have works from local artists, cooking demonstrations, and live entertainment.

This afternoon of fun will be followed by the Vista Music Crawl, which is H&G sponsored by Free Times.

Viva La Vista always draws a big crowd.

Columbia Home & Garden

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o l u m b i a’ s

G o o d

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The Lexington County Peach Festival he summer heat and the celebration of our nation’s independence combine into a special event, the Lexington County Peach Festival, which has grown from a small community gathering honoring both the peach and America’s freedom, to a huge event with attendance estimated to be approximately 40,000. Held in the beautiful Gilbert Community Park in Gilbert, South Carolina, on July 4th since 1958, the festival has grown to provide a variety of entertainment at three park stages throughout the day, along with a Revolutionary War re-enactment, a parade at 9:30 a.m., and a fireworks display at 10:30 p.m. All of that and the shade are included free of charge to festival

goers; but also available for a fee are children’s rides, arts and crafts, and concessions. The Gilbert Community Club, sponsor of the festival, raises funds through the sale of delicious food that includes lots of “peachy” culinary opportunities such as peach ice cream, peach cobbler, peach sundaes, and even peach tea, as well as BBQ dinners, BBQ and chicken sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, and ice-cold soft drinks.

The Festival is primarily a one-day event starting with a peach recipe contest sponsored by Lexington County Farm Bureau and followed by a patriotic parade which consists of over 100 units that reflect community and national pride. The day continues with a variety of choices for the crowd to enjoy: arts and crafts vendors, a Peach Festival Auto Show, and an

Antique Tractor and Farm Equipment Show.

The Peach Queen beauty pageants are held prior to the July 4 event, and for the first time in the Festival’s history, the Lexington County Peach Queen Pageant will be affiliated and represented in the South Carolina Pageant.

The three stages of entertainment, held all day, from 9:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m., when the fireworks show ends the day’s festivities, include local talent as well as The O’Kaysions, Weekend, Mama’s Home Cooking, Shagtime, and H&G City Lights.

Getting the peaches ready takes community effort.

One of last year’s floats with a patriotic theme.

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u m b i a’ s

G o o d

L i f e

Sizzlin’ Summer Concert Series njoy fabulous entertainment in downtown Columbia’s Finlay Park every Saturday night all summer long.

The Sizzlin’ Summer Concert Series is provided by The Columbia Action Council. The opening band begins at 6:00, and the headliner starts at 7:00.

Bring your own picnic, refreshments, chairs or a blanket, and either sing along, dance, or just sit back and enjoy the show. Food and drink vendors H&G are on hand as well.

m a g a z i n e

Sizzlin’ Summer Concert Schedule Date

Band

June 20

Second Nature Variety/Beach with Marry A Thief Alternative

June 27 Eugene Dykes Band

with Heart n Soul July 4

Genre

Big Band 50’s & 60’s

Coastal Breeze Band Variety/Beach With The Fossil Record Alternative

July 11 Black Bottom Biscuits Country

with Salt Creek Rock/Grass

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July 18 Danielle Howle Americana

with Bodies Full of Magic Folk/Rock

Elliott of Elliott and the Untouchables gets the crowd’s attention at one of last year’s concerts.

July 25 Love Handles Rockin’ R & B

with J’Ouvert Steel Band Steel Band

Evening concerts are entertaining for everyone.

August 1 Tootie and the Jones

with Soul Mites

Pop Soul/Funk

August 8 The Finesse Band

with Daniel Kyre Band

R&B Blues

August 15

American Gun with Joal Rush

Bring your own picnic or enjoy food from the vendors.

Alt. Country Pop ESTABLISHED 1940 njoy casual dining in Columbia’s oldest and finest Italian restaurant. Located in an historic 19th century firehouse, Villa Tronco boasts an extensive wine list and serves traditional Italian favorites.

256.7677 1213 Blanding St. Columbia, SC 29201 www.villatronco.com

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o l u m b i a’ s

G o o d

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Blooming Butterflies dVenture’s newest attraction, Some Monarch “Blooming Butterflies,” is a 2,500 butterflies travel square-foot outdoor enclosed 3,000 miles to their nature exhibit featuring more over-wintering home than 20 species of native butterin Mexico. Now, flies. The exhibit opened in they’re almost in May and will become a yearround educational resource, with live species on the your backyard! premises during spring, summer and early fall each year.

Specifically designed for children but of interest to nature lovers of all ages, “Blooming Butterflies” provides hands-on scientific exploration of lifecycles, genetic diversity, and environmental adaptation of butterflies. The outdoor learning lab will feature butterflies indigenous to the Southeast along with a variety of native and subtropical vegetation.

Magnifying instruments and informational signs throughout garden walkways allow children to examine nature up-close. A garden shed provides a viewing window where chrysalises can be seen during various developmental stages.

Admission to “Blooming Butterflies” is free to A Satchel Ford EdVenture members and only $3 for non-members Elementary School with standard museum admission. For more inforstudent was one of the mation about the ‘Blooming Butterflies’ exhibit or EdVenture Children’s Museum, visit edventure.org first to get an up-close look at a Monarch.

H&G or call (803) 779-3100.

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Organizers sort through the plentiful stocks of beer at last year’s event.

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o l u m b i a’ s ne of the most popular events in the Southeast, held during the heat of the summer here at the Columbia Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, is the annual Brew at the Zoo. This year’s “suds sippin’ safari” will take place on August 1, in the evening from 7:00 to 9:30. Guests will be able to enjoy samples of cold, frothy beer, from domestics to imports to specialty micros. They can either choose their brew and meander through the Zoo or hang out in the plaza and listen to live music by the Caribbean Cowboys. No one under 21 will be admitted, and the event will be held rain or shine. Visit the Zoo website at riverbanks.org for H&G additional information.

G o o d

L i f e

Attendees get “banded” after showing an I.D.

Sample many brew varieties to find what suits your tastes best.

All photos were provided by Riverbanks Zoo & Garden.

Columbia Home & Garden

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Taking Columbia Back to School renovation and re-use of an historic

Columbia landmark

B y W i ll i a m T h r i f t

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he goals of historic preservation and urban renewal sometimes clash over whether to raze abandoned and forgotten structures in order to erect new, modern ones, or to preserve and reuse structures with historic significance to the community. The philosophy of South Development Corporation is to merge these two mindsets into one: “promoting historic preservation through adaptive reuse of historic buildings and preserving the historic style of neighborhoods through the design of new homes.� columbiaHG.com

Historic McCants Elementary School gets a new purpose in life as an exciting living environment.

Huge windows light up the open floor plans.

Columbia Home & Garden

In addition to its receiving past accolades in North Carolina and praise for neighborhood designs in Greenville and Greer, the Columbia Historic Foundation awarded South Development Corporation its 2003 New Construction in an Historic Context Award for the Laurel Hill subdivision in Columbia’s historic Earlewood neighborhood. South Development has now taken its vision one step further with the acquisition of the Fannie C. McCants Elementary School adjacent to the Laurel Hill development in Earlewood.

The McCants Elementary School was built in 1931 and named for Columbia High School’s first full-time librarian and a pioneer in Columbia’s education system.

The school was designed by architect J. B. Urquhart, whose signature design can be

seen in many other schools and government buildings in Columbia dating from the early 1900’s, including the Logan and Wardlaw schools, Columbia High School, Benedict College, and Eau Claire Town Hall.

The main building, completed in 1931, consisted of several classrooms and a main hallway running the length of the building. Additions to the McCants School, including the auditorium and additional classrooms, were added in the 1940’s and 1950’s, and were also designed by Mr. Urquhart. Working with South Development, architect Dale Marshall, a member of the Vista Guild, has designed eleven units in the present U-shaped building.

Load-bearing walls of the original hallways and the divisions between the sections of the building have been kept intact for

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structural purposes and to facilitate the plumbing for kitchens and bathrooms.

The school’s entrances have been preserved, creating foyers common to a few units at each point of entry. The wide foyer spaces feature lighting fixtures compatible with the era of the school, and these fixtures operate with photosensitive

activation in order to provide energyefficiency and security throughout the day and night. Firewalls have been added between the units, and a sprinkler system protects them throughout the entire building. All windows and doors have been hard-wired with a security system monitored through Carolina Security.

We build strong kids, strong families, strong communities.

Original schoolroom style doorways had transoms.

This door re-use works well with an at-home office.

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Art from the past offers a nostalgic feel to the space.

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In order to provide further insulation in each unit, the original single-pane windows have been replaced with new, energy-efficient ones while maintaining the scale and style of the originals. For the nostalgic residents, some of the vintage classroom doors, complete with overhead transoms, have been recovered and are available for installation.

The Auditorium has been divided into two units, one utilizing the double doors in the main entrance portico of the auditorium, and the other featuring the original stage and backstage wing areas. The interior of the school’s cafeteria is being built for wheelchair access with extrawide doorways, raised electrical outlets, and lowered plumbing and light switches.

The unit in the school’s original kitchen has a private entrance and would be perfect for a roommate scenario with two bedroom suites, each with their own baths, a powder room, and common kitchen and living areas.

Throughout the school, the existing plaster walls remain intact (complete with murals painted by children over the years), and a vapor barrier has been added along with studs and drywall to provide a comfortable, modern living space to the residents. The layers of brick, plaster, insulation, and other new building materials have given the first few residents pleasant surprises in the form of low heating and air costs for spaces larger than the average in-town home.

All but one of the units features outdoor spaces with a deck, private courtyard, or a combination of the two. There are even plans for a rooftop terrace on a few units, which will provide a sweeping view of the verdant Broad River basin and canal less than a mile in the distance.

Off-street parking is not a problem with three spaces available for every unit inside the brick and iron fence surrounding the school. Additional street spaces are also available to residents and guests. columbiaHG.com

Buyers of McCants units have the opportunity to customize features such as cabinets, countertops, paint, lighting, appliances, and fireplaces – basically anything except load-bearing walls and code-specific features such as electrical outlets. For instance, unit E has been designed in a traditional style with neutral paint colors, cherry cabinetry and granite countertops in the kitchen, a fireplace with an ornate mantle and surround, and custom built-in shelving and cabinets in the living room.

At the other end of the spectrum, unit J has been designed in a contemporary style using sleek lines for cabinetry, poured concrete for the countertops, a colorful, high-contrast paint scheme, and modern fixtures and appliances.

In addition to a customized, tranquil living space, residents of McCants Luxury Townhomes enjoy close proximity to downtown Columbia, the Vista, riverside parks on the Congaree and Canal, and highway access on either I-126 or I-277.

Residents can also become members of one of Columbia’s most active and influential neighborhood associations, the Earlewood Community Citizens Organization.

South Development Corporation has pioneered urban living in the Carolinas, but they’re not done with Columbia yet. Plans are underway for the Saluda Ridge development featuring homes with granny flats close to downtown. Granny flats are selfcontained living units typically detached from a main single-family dwelling. They are characterized by a “studio” configuration of one bedroom, one bath, a sitting room, and a kitchen. They are also known as in-law flats, accessory dwellings, guest cottages, garage apartments, and backyard cottages. Granny flats offer the potential for a wide variety of living opportunities, such as a convenient place to house elderly parents, extra income from renting the unit, or living space for a caregiver of someone living in the main house.

South Development Corporation, a member of the newly formed North Columbia Business Association, continues to consider the needs of Columbia’s contemporary homeowner, whether designing and building new neighborhoods in an historic context, or practicing the ultimate in recycling by utilizing and preserving an existing and important structure like the McCants School, making it vital to future H&G generations.

Columbia Home & Garden

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Columbia’s Sparkling Fountains

cattered around Columbia and its surrounding suburbs in both public and private locations, residents and visitors alike are delighted to find a beautiful array of fountains. At once stunning in their beauty and refreshing in their ability to create a sense of calm, they serve as places to gather and centerpieces for community living in today’s busy and often noise-filled world. Wonderful reminders of the simplicity of nature and its most basic elements, we invite you visit these beautiful fountains.

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left A huge fountain is the stunning

centerpiece for the traffic circle at the Village at Sandhill.

right The Thomas Cooper Library

at USC has a reflection pond with three fountains.

bottom Finlay Park is the scene for

lots of activities all year long.

Columbia Home & Garden

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Photo by Robin Vrondrak Photography and provided by Riverbanks Zoo & Garden

left

&

below As water

cascades through the center of the Riverbanks Botanical Garden, the view takes on entirely different personalities during the day and night.

above Quail Ridge offers an old-fashioned

neighborhood gathering spot.

below Myrtle Court is full of charm

with an old horse trough.

Photo provided by Riverbanks Zoo & Garden

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below Lake Carolina greets

visitors with a huge fountain at the traffic circle.

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Artist Notes

A

Mary Gilkerson, Edisto River II 2009, Oil on Canvas

s South Carolina’s landscape becomes increasingly urbanized, it becomes more difficult for people to connect with the natural environment.

Artist Mary Gilkerson depicts that direct experience in Edisto River II from her current Black Water Rivers series. These paintings and monotypes are based on regular walks and trips by the artist along three black water rivers close to her home in Columbia: the Congaree, the Edisto, and the Wateree.

While they are renderings of nature, the new monotypes and paintings are at times Columbia Home & Garden

highly abstracted, characterized by sweeping shapes, lines, the intersection of lines, and the skewed grids the lines create. Some of the works have strong geometric qualities or juxtapose geometric and organic shapes. As a body, the work also explores the effect of light, atmosphere, weather, and the passage of time on nature’s formal elements. The works are, Gilkerson says, “intuitive and abstracted responses to the experience of the black water river environment.” Gilkerson grew up in Columbia and graduated from the University of South Carolina. Her work is handled by if ART Gallery in the Vista. For more information on the artist and her work, visit her H&G website: marygilkerson.com.

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Backyard Adventure

By Sam Morton First time visitors have no idea what they are about to see in this

“If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t go any further than my own backyard...”

Dorothy Gale, a farm girl from Kansas

Cottontown backyard.

he events of 9/11 started the trend. People vacationed closer to home.

They took an RV rather than an airplane. They went to the Grand Strand rather than Grand Bahama Island. The economy, in its current state, has pushed them all a step further. Today, rather than travel at all, people have begun looking at the asset right under their feet: their home and, specifically, their backyards.

From outdoor kitchens and outdoor living spaces to elaborate play sets and spas, the backyard has become the new entertainment hub for many families. Sam Koontz sells Rainbow play sets and commercial playground equipment. He could have chosen to stress the high-end parts and high-grade polymers that make up the equipment or the warranties that come with them (it’s the lifetime of the equipment, by the way, even if it “lasts 150 years”). Instead he commented on the value of having kids in your backyard.

Nicely shaded by the huge tree in the center, the backyard gives visual pleasure.

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columbiaHG.com

The chandelier hanging from a tree limb provides ambient lighting after the sun goes down.

“It’s the same reason our parents put a pool in the backyard 30 years ago. Your kids are in your yard and you know what they’re doing. Your kids have an opportunity to get to know their neighbors and friends, and you get to know their peer influences,” he said. Koontz adds that interacting with your children in your backyard gives you an opportunity to impart important morals and values, and you get the chance to know they’re doing the right thing. Why? Because they’re in your backyard where you can see them.

In addition, he said having a play set gets your kids outside in the fresh air getting exercise. “We all hear about the epidemic of childhood obesity in this country,” he said.

“This gets them outdoors. Computers and technology are great things, but we see all the time they can be dangerous things, too. This is good, clean fun that parents can control.”

Rainbow sells play sets made of highgrade plastics and wood—either redwood or North American Timber, and they have sets ranging in price from $1,299 to $20,000.

Vowing that he won’t sell customers anything they won’t use, Koontz said his clients can customize from a catalogue. “We have over a hundred castles with a hundred different options. You don’t want a slide or a sandbox, but you want a picnic table, it’s done.”

On the opposite end of that spectrum is a serene garden meant for adults, and what housemates Paul Bouknight and Joe Haynes have created behind their historic Cottontown home is perhaps one of the most inviting and elegant spaces in Columbia. Intricately terraced, the backyard steps down past beautifully landscaped flowerbeds, a Koi pond, and lush vegetation to a swimming pool and large outdoor fireplace with a sitting area. Less than a hundred yards off a busy main road, it’s peaceful and quiet without a hint that automobiles are skittering by.

“The place has a Kiawah/Key West tropical feel,” said Bouknight, who explained that he and Haynes put in the gardens because they both prefer the outside to the inside. “We weren’t driven by the economy or any consideration like that. We have rocking chairs and porch swings. We don’t travel a lot on weekends. Our backyard is a vacation spot for us. It’s just the lifestyle we prefer.”

Columbia Home & Garden

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Though the space is meant for them and their friends to enjoy, the men also think about others. A side garden serves as an impromptu doggy park for any of their friends who bring pets. It is set off by an iron and brick gate guarded by an arbor covered in deep green clematis. And situated just blocks from the Commission for the Blind, the pair take that into consideration also. “We planted banana plants and other aromatics; so when they train with a cane down our street, our garden will always serve as a landmark,” Bouknight said.

One thing Haynes and Bouknight don’t have—most likely because of their stunning gourmet kitchen inside—is an outdoor

kitchen, which in the last few years has been all the rage in remodeling and new construction projects. Cliff Cinamon, owner of Design and Remodeling Solutions, won the 2009 Columbia Remodeler’s Award in the outdoor living category. He said Columbia is the perfect place for an outdoor room.

“The mild climate we have has made screened porches popular for many years,’’ he said. “Outdooor rooms and outdoor kitchens are just an extension of that.” The backyard has always been a place for the grill, but what Cinamon and contractors like him build are far and away better than the three-legged charcoal burning contraption that is always harder to put together than to use. “The grills we install in an outdoor kitchen can range anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000, but you get a double or triple whammy on your investment with the value an outdoor living space creates for your home.”

A beautifully planted side terrace provides a quiet, shaded sitting area.

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columbiaHG.com

Next to the pool, a vine-covered pergola adorned with lights covers an old-fashioned porch swing and a cozy sitting area.

The unique pool has builtin seating at each end. The fireplace makes the area a yearround delight.

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Outdoor kitchens can be as simple as an elegant grill area.

Over

25 Years Experience

Cinamon said when he begins an outdoor addition he takes several things into consideration. The grade of the property can make a difference with regard to the space available—or the work required to make the space available—for the kind of project you want. Owners have to make decisions on many options: whether they want brick pavers, concrete, or stamped concrete; the kinds of appliances they want; water features; water sources and draining; and, most importantly, access.

Perhaps the most popular outdoor feature people crave is one that’s been around since the 1950s—the backyard pool, complemented by its sister product, the whirlpool spa. “People tell us the reason they want these things is that if you have a pool or spa up and running, you don’t have to drive anywhere to get to one. Over the long haul, that saves you money,” said Lance Lanier of Lanier Pools and Spas.

Perhaps because of the economy and maybe despite it, Lanier said he has been swamped—no pun intended—this season.

“People look for things to increase their value,” he said. In this case, he wasn’t taking about monetary value, but the quality time families and neighbors get from a pool.

Lanier points out that with newer model heaters, people in Columbia could conceivably keep a pool open nine months out of the year. The trick is to invest in a good quality product with a reliable company behind it. “That way you don’t have any problems. And in that case, it’s kind of hard not to enjoy a swimming pool.”

Times are tight, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice happiness. Maybe it’s the best time of all to gather your family close and get to know each other again. In many cases, the road to entertainment and joy aren’t over the rainbow, they are just a H&G few steps out the back door.

All photos except the grill are by Lisa Wilson The grill: Photo provided by TEC Infrared. columbiaHG.com

weddings life portrait art

JOHN WRIGHTENBERRY Columbia Home & Garden

photography

102 Thornhill Rd Columbia, SC 29212 803.781.2130 www.johnwrightenberryphotography.com

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A Portal on Columbia’s

Life Aquatic

By William Thrift here’s something about being at land’s end, with the world at your back and a sea, lake, or river ahead, that makes thoughts recede, leaving nothing but the essentials to contemplate. For most, watching the ebb and flow of a body of water seems to diminish, even erase troubles and worries and replace them with a feeling of comfort akin to the repetitive motion of an old rocker. Stand on any shore for awhile, and you begin to see the cycle of life played out by birds, fish, or other small creatures among the stoic plant life that thrives nearby. A connection with that cycle is formed that often helps us to put things into perspective and gives new meaning to our lives.

There is a richness in the simplicity of living by the water, and the Midlands of South Carolina offers a generous helping of lakes and rivers which some Columbians call home. Among the many activities and pastimes such as water sports, bird watching, or horticulture, some have discovered the cathartic effect of sunlight shimmering across little waves, the flitting of a brillianthued bird, or the unfurling of leaves and petals beneath the sway of an ancient oak at the water’s edge. Here is a minute sampling of how the lives of a few Columbia area residents have been transformed and affected by living on some of the area’s many shores. below The Sullivans’ screened porch has

become a vital part of their living space.

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above Debby and Guy have beautiful views from the many windows in their house.

Guy and Debby Sullivan

Nestled next to the Saluda River, the Quail

Hollow community became known to Guy and Debby Sullivan by visiting his sister, who now shares the other half of their Hilton Head-style duplex. Even though it is only minutes away from all the amenities of Columbia, including the Riverbanks Zoo’s Botanical Garden, the Sullivans always considered the place to be a resortlike retreat from the hustle and bustle of town. Along with their rescue dog, Danny, the Sullivans enjoy the serenity of the manmade lake and island preserve separating them from the winding Saluda River. Guy’s specialty is interior design and he has used all the tricks in his bag to create a stylish, modern home which takes full advantage of the attractive waterscape.

It’s more than a porch. Entertainment is a way of life in a waterfront location, and what better way to enjoy it than to locate a large dining table and sectional wicker sofa under the high-ceilinged screen room overlooking the lake, island, and river. In order to let neighbors and visitors know when they’re welcome to drop in and hang out, the Sullivans installed a simple string of lights around the top edge of their expansive screened living and dining area. Now everyone knows: it’s on when they’re on. It also wasn’t a difficult decision to harvest some closet space from the guest bedroom to create a wet bar just off the newly renovated kitchen. One of a regular home’s features that the Sullivans chose not to include are curtains in the living area – they aren’t necessary and would only detract from and disrupt their view of neighbors and others enjoying the paddleboats on the lake, kayaks and canoes on the Saluda, and fishing and relaxing on the island. columbiaHG.com

Bernie and Teri Gaudi

fter A

spending over fourteen years living and working in arid places like Beirut and Dubai, Bernie and Teri Gaudi were ready for a change of scenery.

Although not originally from South Carolina, they knew that wherever they settled, it needed to be green and wet; so eventually they chose one of the picturesque lakes in the Arcadia Lakes section of Columbia. Inside their house, they keep mementos of their desert days, like a collection of brass Kuwaiti coffee urns and giant incense burners from Iran, but outside they have cultivated an oasis all their own.

The Gaudi’s yard teems with flora such as daffodils, lilies, and other flowering plants, potted vegetables, figs, and tall trees. They take pride in the variety of plants they are able to raise in the rich climate provided by the unique proximity to the water. Mr. Gaudi spends his days buzzing around the yard from his greenhouse, to the plantings around their circular patio, and onward to the thick, flowering shrubs bordering the opposite side of the property. Meanwhile, the waterfall, a focal point of their backyard, cascades down the slope to the lake. Mrs. Gaudi relaxes on the patio beside it or enjoys the serenity of the view from the rockers on the back porch. below Bernie and Teri Gaudi enjoy waterfront living in the

Arcadia Lakes area.

Guy and Debby Sullivan love the view of the Saluda River, just across the pond behind their house.

Columbia Home & Garden

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Gaudi (continued)

top Teri loves relaxing on the porch and watching Bernie, with a beautiful view behind him. left Bernie is shown in his greenhouse next to

the lake.

Nothing goes to waste. The water they use in their yard comes from, and returns to, the lake. In addition to a compost drum, they keep a worm compost system using earthworms to generate compost tea, a super-rich liquid which Mr. Gaudi mixes with water until it’s “the color of a fine Scotch.” In addition to providing handy bait for any of their visitors who want to fish, he uses the “tea” mixture to nourish the many species of plants including his prize-winning orchids, which he raises with meticulous care in a humidity, temperature, and sunlight-controlled greenhouse.

Cultivation and perpetuation. Like something from a Gregor Mendel experiment, Mr. Gaudi uses the technique of air layering to duplicate the indigenous azaleas, camellias, and gardenias growing around the lake. By scraping the bark from a section of branch and packing nutrientrich cloth around the bare area, the branch generates a root system, which can then be harvested and planted.

bottom Virl Caughman wanted a Lake Murray view as a backdrop for her elegant waterside entertaining.

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Virl Caughman

L ake Murray is at the heart of Virl Caughman’s

world. She has lived on the lake for twenty-six years, and a few years ago, she opted to move just across the water to the Lexington shore in the Pilgrim’s Point neighborhood. Built by well-known Lake Murray builder, Donna Gardner Builders, Ms. Caughman’s home combines the low maintenance she needs with the breathtaking waterside vistas she desires. For Ms. Caughman, the sunsets on her veranda rival those at Mallory Square in Key West and provide her favorite backdrop for poolside cocktail parties and formal get-togethers. She also loves entertaining her children and grandchildren who not only enjoy the patio and pool areas, but also have access to water sports from her dock.

TOP The Caughman pool adds to the beauty of the landscaping.

BELOW Virl Caughman and her friends enjoy a quiet moment beside the lake.

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Bert & Cindy Dooley

H aving grown up on Lake Murray, Bert and Cindy Dooley both know firsthand what the

ABOVE Bert and Cindy Dooley both grew up on Lake Murray.

ABOVE RIGHT The Dooley house takes advantage of the views that accompany 360’ of waterfront with a beautiful wrap-around elevated terrace.

BELOW The view from the interior of the Dooleys’ house is almost as breathtaking as the one from outside.

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water can come to mean to a person. Their first date was simply sitting together on a dock at the water’s edge, appreciating the beauty and serenity of the place they called home. In the years since, they have built their lives around the lake’s familiar shores. From their terrace, they take in sunrises across a seven-mile expansive view to Bomb Island. They enjoy the wildlife that frequents their shore including eagles, otter, deer, and a wide variety of birds.

The Dooleys also love to mingle, and they enjoy cruising and casually dropping in on people they know as well as meeting new friends around the lake. One of the many ways they have given back to their community has been by hosting a Fourth of July barbeque for their neighbors, family, and friends. Their expansive lawn and shoreline provide some of the best views on the lake for the fireworks shows. They have also hosted events at their home ranging from formal engagement parties to office parties and casual family gatherings. In fact, Bert and Cindy do so much entertaining that they purchased three acres of land across the street to accommodate parking for visitors.

One of their homes is their boat. The Dooleys spend a lot of time on it. They and their visitors enjoy a wide range of water sports including fishing, swimming, jet skiing, and water skiing. Among his many aquatic skills, Bert prides himself on his passion for water skiing, boasting to have skied on a boat paddle at one time.

The party’s not over when the sun sets. The Dooleys are members of one of Lake Murray’s several Full Moon Clubs, which enables them to spend some quality quiet time with select friends. Bert deftly navigates dark waters and anchors at rendezvous points, including the lake’s best coves and straits for celestial viewing. columbiaHG.com

Clifton & Kim Parker

C lifton and Kim Parker lived near Lake

Murray in a neighborhood with boat access, but they never knew what they were missing until Donna Gardner sold them another of her lakefront homes in the Pilgrim’s Point neighborhood. They now admit to the world of difference in the options of living right on the water.

With tall trees and sculpted, but natural landscape adjacent to their lawn, the Parkers relish the serenity of watching the varieties of birds and waterfowl coming and going while the rest of the world bustles on in the distance. They have established an area near the water with bird feeders for the various species and a homemade birdhouse dubbed “Birdside Baptist”, in which a family of bluebirds have taken residence.

The Parkers also enjoy entertaining family and friends, whether relaxing poolside, or taking their boat out for water sports, fishing, or just cruising on the lake.

Clifton summed up his feelings about waterside living when he recalled a recent vacation he took from the hectic trucking industry.

Rather than packing up and traveling to a destination, he decided to stay at home, relaxing and enjoying his personal resort.

“It’s like being on vacation every day.”

above Clifton and Kim Parker love living on Lake Murray. “It’s like being on vacation 24 hours a day,” said Clifton. below “Birdside Baptist” is the home to a family of

bluebirds at the Parker house on Lake Murray.

bottom The Parkers have a beautiful view across the water.

Crepe Myrtles will be blooming soon!

tanding by the edge of any of Columbia’s waterfronts can be mesmerizing. The water can obscure the horizon by mirroring the sky, creating an illusion of a distant shore, or flowing past to cleave the land. It can either make one want to stay put and settle down or set out across it thinking maybe those twinkling lights really are a pot of gold under the rainbow. Regardless of what it H&G may mean, the water lures us all and speaks to each of us in its own way.

Columbia Home & Garden

There’s always something blooming at Wingard’s

803-359-9091 1403 N. Lake Dr. (Hwy. 6) Lexington, SC 29072

www.wingardsnursery.com

41

S

Columbia Cooks Ryan Kerr,

Columbia’s Culinary Sojourner B y W i ll i a m T h r i f t 42

ometimes the path to happiness is as obvious as a road sign stating where to turn and what to do; but more often than not, one has to embark on a journey and try different routes in order to find the path that suits them. A few people are lucky enough to find their true calling in life, approaching the ever-elusive joie de vivre that accompanies whatever their passion may be. If one truly gets what one gives in life, then Ryan Kerr has found his way and seems to be accruing a bounty based upon what he’s giving back to the people and place he calls home.

Ryan grew up in Chapin and set out on his own, taking odd jobs in kitchens and bars at various places throughout the United States. He was called back home when his mother, Theresa Kerr, became ill and eventually succumbed to cancer, prompting him to settle down and take a job as a line cook in the kitchen of the Foxfire Grill in the Harbison area. With the sudden absence of Foxfire’s chef, Ryan seized the opportunity to take on more responsibility when he was offered the chef position.

Within several months, Ryan had developed the skills to enable him to move to the kitchen of the Blue Marlin under Chef Brian Dukes (an accomplished Columbia chef who, among other things, has done a stint at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City).

Ryan watched and learned, exercising his creative nature by developing menu specials and honing skills specific to a head chef, such as determining food orders and butchering.

While at the Blue Marlin, always keeping his ear to the ground, Ryan heard through colleague Cory Ellsworth that Mike Devy needed help with cooking at the Governor’s Mansion. In his spare time, Ryan began assisting with First Family meals, as well as conventions and other political events.

Ryan continued developing his culinary network; and while assisting at the Governor’s Mansion, he heard that Patrick Duggen (former Culinary Arts Director at USC) was looking for an instructor for the Chef du Jour program, which offers cooking classes to the public.

Ryan stepped up to the opportunity to work at the McCutcheon House on USC’s columbiaHG.com

Grilled Grouper • 5 lbs of grouper filets (about 10 pieces) • Ryan uses Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Redfish Magic seasoning, but your favorite blackening seasoning will do.

• Sea salt Lightly salt each filet and sprinkle one side only with blackening seasoning. Place filets seasoned side up on a hot grill and cook until they have seared grill marks (2 –3 minutes). Reduce heat to medium and flip the filets.

Continue to cook until desired firmness is achieved (5 – 8 minutes).

Horseshoe. With no formal instructional training, Ryan admits that the first few classes were enjoyable, but a bit clumsy.

However, with a few years of instruction under his belt, Ryan now conducts informative and thoroughly enjoyable classes.

People in the know have benefited by attending multiple classes, and Ryan has enjoyed seeing familiar as well as new faces in classes ranging from kitchen basics to specific regional Italian and French cuisine. USC’s Food and Wine Institute now allows Ryan to develop his own classes and choose his own curriculum and assistant staff.

While juggling his job at the Blue Marlin, assisting at the Governor’s Mansion, and teaching at the McCutcheon House, Ryan became aware that Chef William Turner was in need of a cooking instructor at Blythewood High School’s Pro Start program. By now, giving back to the community had become one of Ryan’s driving forces; and once again he volunteered to commit some of his spare time to work with the Blythewood students and guide them through cooking competitions, consequently developing his own dishes.

As any experienced chef will admit, after a few years it becomes necessary to Columbia Home & Garden

move on from one kitchen to another in order to stay current on culinary trends and learn different cuisines and techniques. As part of this transition, Ryan had planned on taking some time off from his kitchens around the Midlands and pursuing two of his longtime passions: new adventures and the outdoors. He planned to leave the Blue Marlin, hike the Appalachian Trail, and then return to find another kitchen in which to work.

Before he got a chance to head to the mountains, Patrick Duggen urged Ryan to talk to Chef/Owner Fulvio Valsecchi who was looking for a Sous Chef for his Ristorante Divino in the Vista. Although Ryan aspired to become a head chef, he was fascinated by Fulvio’s infectious passion for Lake Como and northern Italian cuisine; and he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to work with him. After a year and a half, Ryan and Fulvio are close friends and the position has enabled Ryan to learn the workings and nuances of a highly rated, chef-run kitchen.

The craving for new adventure and the opportunity to gain value through knowledge and experience have fueled Ryan’s decision to move to Italy in early 2010. He plans to take in Italy’s classic sights and immerse himself in Italian culture. Ryan hopes to take work in the kitchen of an Italian ristorante and spend some time learning about Italian cuisine straight from the source. At some point down the road, he plans to return with the hope of being able to use his experience to create cuisine that people can continue to enjoy.

One of the various kitchens around the Columbia area that Ryan recently invaded was that of his close friends and adopted family, the Barwicks, who live on Lake Murray. With a few select apprentices helping him in the kitchen and by the waterside grill, Ryan assembled some of his favorite summer creations; and he shares them now for the enjoyment and benefit of those who would like to cook them at home.

Normally prepared with red tomatoes, Ryan’s twist on gazpacho, a cold soup perfect for humid summer days, is to use yellow tomatoes and contrast the color with fresh basil chiffonade. Grills are popular in the warm months and Ryan fired up the Barwick’s grill to cook corn for the succotash, shrimp for the gazpacho

Ryan Kerr gets ready to watch the Barwick family enjoy their summer meal

Laney Barwick assists Ryan by straining the tomatoes through a chinois.

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vessels, asparagus, and grouper filets.

Sherry-macerated berries with banana cakes and mascarpone cream make a simple, but exotic dish to complete his menu. He recommends accompanying this meal with a lightly chilled white wine, such as Argentina’s lemony floral Phebus Torrentes, and a loaf of rustic fresh bread.

All of the ingredients can be found in any of a number of the Midlands grocery stores H&G and farmer’s outlets.

Gazpacho • 1 large yellow bell pepper • 1 large orange bell pepper • ¾ of a large peeled, seedless cucumber • 1 large white onion • 1 red chili, seeded and minced • 4 large yellow plum tomatoes

• 6 yellow vine tomatoes • 2 tbsp champagne vinegar • ½ cup olive oil • 1 tbsp caster sugar • 1 cup fresh basil chiffonade • Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste • 10 Large shrimp, peeled and de-veined (leave tails on)

Ryan skillfully grills the asparagus to perfection.

De-seed, chop and purée the yellow vine tomatoes in a food processor. Put the mixture through a chinois or other fine mesh strainer to produce yellow tomato juice. Seed and roughly chop bell peppers, onion, and cucumber; roughly chop plum tomatoes and place all ingredients except basil, red chili, and shrimp into a food processor. Purée all ingredients and press the mixture through a strainer into a large bowl with the back of a spoon to extract maximum flavor. Stir in the basil chiffonade and the minced red chili. Chill the mixture for 45 minutes.

Lightly oil and salt the shrimp and place on a medium-high grill. Cook both sides until shrimp is just firm and turns color.

Ladle the gazpacho into chilled dessert stemware, score the underside of each shrimp, and place one on the edge of each glass.

Grilled Asparagus • 2 bunches of fresh asparagus • Salt • Extra virgin olive oil • 2 garlic cloves, crushed Lightly salt and oil the asparagus, rub stalks with crushed garlic, and toss to cover. Spread the asparagus on a medium-high grill and cook until tender, rotating stalks to prevent burning (8-10 minutes).

Sherry-macerated Berries with Banana Cakes and Mascarpone Cream • 2 ripe bananas, pureed • Buttermilk pancake mix (your favorite brand) • ¼ tsp vanilla extract • 1 tbsp ricotta cheese • 4 oz mascarpone cream • 1 pint heavy cream • 2 tbsp confection sugar

• Dash of vanilla extract • 1 cup each of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and sliced strawberries • 1 cup sweet sherry • Fresh mint leaves for garnish

In a large non-reactive bowl, cover the berries in sherry, wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Using the pancake mix instructions, create a batter and add the bananas, ¼ tsp vanilla extract, and ricotta cheese. Make thirty silver dollar pancakes (about 2-3 inches in diameter).

In a large bowl, add heavy cream, mascarpone cream, confection sugar, and dash of vanilla extract, and mix well (until consistently fluffy).

Place one pancake in the bottom of a shallow dessert dish, layer with one tablespoon of mascarpone cream mixture, place another pancake on top, layer with another tablespoon of mascarpone cream mixture, place a final pancake on top and scoop on a tablespoon of mascarpone cream mixture and garnish with a mint leaf.

Scoop berries out of the sherry with a slotted spoon, scatter them around the pancake stack and serve.

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columbiaHG.com

Ryan’s adopted family, The Barwicks, hungrily await their dinner.

The beautifully presented dinner with grilled grouper awaits the lucky family.

Succotash • 6 ears of corn in husks (soaked in water 30 min) • 1 medium onion, diced • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half • 1 lb green peas, shelled (can also substitute 1 lb of butter beans or lima beans)

• 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1oz fresh basil chiffonade • ½ lb bacon, diced • 2 cups chicken stock • 1 tbsp butter • Salt and pepper to taste • Canola oil to coat the skillet

Pea preparation – add bacon to a hot, deep sauce pot, cook until crisp. Lower heat to medium, add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent. Add peas and chicken stock, bring entire mixture to a boil, and take pot off heat and refrigerate until needed.

Corn preparation – place corn in husks on a medium/high grill, turn them periodically for 15 – 20 minutes (expect some of the husks to blacken). Remove husks and silk, and cut kernels from the ears.

Assembly - In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil, then corn.

Cook corn about 2 minutes. Then use a slotted spoon to add the pea-bacon-onion mixture (it shouldn’t be too soupy). Continue cooking for another minute. Then add tomatoes and basil chiffonade. Plop in 1 tablespoon of butter, and toss the mixture in the skillet until the butter is melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste between tosses.

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iNTELLIGENT Tom Chinn at one of the interesting furniture arrangements at

Bohemian Home.

(Re) De

I

t’s just your luck, you know? After years of wanting to, several years past the time you would have liked, you’ve reached the decision to sell your home and move into a new space—one perhaps bigger, perhaps smaller, but definitely new, fresh, and exciting. Then one of the worst recessions in U.S. history strikes and the housing market freezes.

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columbiaHG.com

What’s a frustrated homeowner to do?

Redesign, of course! Television has set the stage with such programming as Design on a Dime or the Top Design reality competition. Your makeover doesn’t have to be extreme, but it can be radical without having to break your bank.

Columbia Home and Garden has assembled its own panel of experts—Tim McLendon, a local designer who has appeared on HGTV; Eleni Nine of Eleni Interiors; and Tom Chinn of Bohemian Home—to offer advice on how to give your home a great new contemporary look.

Contemporary is in, but what exactly is it? It’s a clean and spare style punched up with bold colors or unique elements. It makes a statement. It fashions an ambiance.

It creates space.

Most people begin a contemporary conversion by eliminating clutter. That includes taking down the pastel blue chicken wallpaper border above your kitchen cabinets. It means taking all those 5 x 7 brass picture frames off your television

cabinet and either grouping them on a wall or choosing just a few to accent your room.

“Contemporary style is one that’s more uncluttered throughout. The pieces you include are more practical, more detail oriented,” McLendon said.

“Contemporary is about clean lines and working elements of drama and interest into negative space. In other words, less is more; and if, for example, you are only putting one item on your entry table, what it is and where to place it has a little more importance,” said Nine.

To achieve this modern look, Chinn suggested the least expensive, but quickest, way to make dramatic changes is to apply a coat of paint. “Painting can transform the entire feel of a room. Of course, to achieve a contemporary look, you need to use a contemporary color palette.”

The shop for Eleni Interiors is located in Northeast Columbia at the Village Green of Lake Carolina.

Eleni Nine, a “hands-on” designer, keeps her sewing machine ready.

esign B y S a m M o r to n (Opposite) Centrally located on Devine Street, Bohemian Home offers an assortment of accessories to suit taste and style.

Columbia Home & Garden

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Work done at Wheeler Hill included the re-design of the stairway and the addition of storage and shelving.

Tim McLendon takes us into a house at Wheeler Hill to introduce the results of some of his interior design. Renovation work was done by Robin Kirk of ImproveAll .

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Lime green, lavenders, bright oranges and navy are on the horizon of popularity. The most inexpensive way to redesign a room, ironically, is the thing most people are afraid of, according to McLendon. “People give pause when you start talking about changing their rather neutral wall colors to something that stands out that much.”

If you’re designing on a budget, the panel offers more tips that cost little or nothing: simply re-arranging the furniture in your room can change its flow; balance and changing pillows on your couch can add depth and character.

“Accessories like lamps or rugs can make a notable difference, or you could complement the furniture in your room by adding a couple of side tables with modern lines,” Chinn said.

McLendon said it’s relatively easy to transition from a traditional to a modern look. “Anybody can do it. Bring in a couple of chairs and it’s a matter of changing around what you already have.” Voila! You have a new, fresh space.

Taking away dated patterns and replacing them with the simplicity of layered solids can make a big difference. Patterns are still in, Nine said, “But the great patterns

today have a retro feel. So, if you have floral drapes from 10 years ago, taking those down and putting up solid colored plain panels simplifies everything quickly. This can be done with pre-made panels, which will save you money and make it easier to throw some great patterned pillows on your sofa.” For a high-end look, Nine suggests having those pillows custom made. The same philosophy applies to bedspreads, pillows and furniture. Layering beds with solids and textures can update quickly.

What if budget is less of an issue, and you’re ready for a complete high-end redesign? No problem. That’s what people like Nine, McLendon, and Chinn are in business for.

Given a blank slate, Chinn said, he would start with art. “That’s very important in a home. If I were doing a modern makeover, I would choose a large-scale piece, something very bold. Or if I opted for smaller pieces, I’d design a grouping, so they would have a significant impact.”

Nine said in any contemporary redesign, simplicity is key. “I’d begin by taking things away from packed, crowded bookshelves and side tables. That can open up spaces quickly. I would keep your favorite columbiaHG.com

traditional items but add some new with a contemporary look also. Current looking pottery pieces and picture frames are a key update. Adding clear glass containers that have a fresh, clean feeling especially when they hold interesting natural elements works well. I would try things like stones, shells, and great looking metals.”

McLendon points out that he has been doing modern redesigns for a number of years; and beyond the simple process of using fewer pieces in a room, he also elects to use more neutral furniture while adding art that’s abstract and colorful. Rooms are the canvas, and elements like art and sculpture add the pop, flair, and panache that give the space its personality.

“A good designer learns to read people and gets a feel for what a homeowner needs,” he said. “My goal at the end of the day is to have people walk into a room I’ve designed, and have it look like it’s tailor made for the person who lives there.”

Whether you’re on a shoestring or the sky’s the limit, all three designers said you may want to start with a consultation. Bohemian Home offers free design services, while McLendon and Nine offer great consultation rates, all with no obligation to use their services or purchase the products they sell. If you can’t change the view outside the window by moving, you might as well change the view inside.

Now get started…there, just a little H&G more to the left.

Lots of style can be added with a new wall paint and bedding.

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