AD
Love Local
ISsUe 1 2020
Transformations
DIY Garden IN THE CITY
Collector’s CONFESSIONS
Celebrating
Life in OUR River Valley REGION
4 Before & After 8 Wortman Home 38 Brian Ferguson Whole House Renovation 66 Emilee Kerner Kitchen 70 Home Exterior
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24 Features
DIY
27 Advice
4 Getting in the Spirit 20 Ron & Debbie’s City with Local Designers Garden
30 Let’s Talk About a Career in Real Estate
24 Collectors Confessions 36 Garden Guru
46 A Touch of Modern: Black Matte Interior Paint
27 Host A Low Country Boil 32 An Epic Bunk-Room 50 New House Build in Haynie’s Corner 58 A Sugar Plum Fairy Soiree
44 Quick Facelifts for Your Home
48 Organize, Donate, Haul Away 56 Inspiration to Solve Your Design Challenges
72 Finding Peace & Moving Forward
HOME RIVER VALLEY 1
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS We are excited to introduce you to HOME River Valley, a collection of the best in homes, decor, renovation resources, DIY, Garden and celebrations in our River Valley region. After 4 years of creating a following with our ENGAGED! River Valley magazine featuring the beauty and services of our local wedding couples and vendors, we are finally launching this sister publication, HOME River Valley to show off all the amazing houses, projects, service providers and creative small businesses we have in our area. Follow along with us as we explore the many faces of what "home" means to us here in our own backyard.
Cheers!
JoElle Knight and Nikki Davis
JOELLE KNIGHT
FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
CO N N E C T W I T H U S
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NIKKI DAVIS
MANAGING EDITOR
Meet The Team BEHIND hoMe JoElle Knight
Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief JoElle Knight has been in the design and event business for over 15 years. As Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ENGAGED! River Valley bridal magazine, she has the pulse on Tri-State area trends and the many small businesses that make our region home. It has been a long-time dream to create a regional Home Magazine modeled after the success of ENGAGED!. While weddings and events have always been her business, her heart has always been called to Home Design and creating a haven full of warmth, soul and personality. Whether it is dreaming up the next magazine issue, creating beauty for homes and styled shoots, or getting giddy over new design projects, she always has an eye for quality, design and new trends. Obsessed with décor, DIY projects and home renovations, she loves to overhaul houses and bring personality into her surroundings. When she is not writing, creating or designing, she is with her 3 kids and husband dreaming of new projects, summer yard sales and epic books. You can follow her on Instagram at @sycamorelifestyle
Julia Baker
Accounts Manager Just call her Mama Bear. Julia is not only our accounts manager, she is also Editor-in-Chief, JoElle Knight’s mother. With a career in sales, education and small business management, she was the perfect fit for representing ENGAGED! and now HOME River Valley. For years, she witnessed the passion and hard work put into the creation of these publications and we couldn’t be happier to have her at the helm of our partner accounts. You will find no one else who champions our brand more. When she is not building relationships in our local small business industry, she is loving on her grandchildren, traveling or doing home-reno projects.
Nikki Davis
Co-founder and Managing Editor Nikki Davis has been a leader in the local small business industry for almost 20 years and is the 2020 Athena Entrepreneur of the year. She began her career as a local photographer. Her passion for giving back has led her to be a driving force behind many local nonprofit agencies and initiatives. Nikki co-founded ENGAGED! River Valley bridal magazine and is the organizational mind behind the publication, where she uses her networking and writing skills to provide information and inspiration to our local audience. She, along with Editor-in-Chief JoElle Knight, have planned for years to create HOME River Valley and expand the reach of local small businesses and service providers. She lives in the Historic Boehne House in Evansville, where she, her husband and 2 kids are constantly taking on new restoration projects. She's also ramping back into flipping houses, too! Check out more about Nikki and her family's many home and lifestyle adventures on Instagram at @1000milemom
Bobbi Hammonds
Media Manager Bobbi has been our company's website guru since our Engaged River Valley magazine debuted and now handles the layout for both publications for each issue. Bobbi began her graphic career over 10 years ago, specializing in design and hand illustration. Her artistry can also be found in many of our photoshoots showcasing her 5 Pink Peonies LLC, custom stationery. A woman of many talents, she has written a children’s book, magazine articles and assisted many local businesses with their branding and marketing. Her greatest work though, comes at home as the mother of 5 girls, one of which is special needs. She has become an advocate for local families dealing with special needs children and her handicap parking campaign has been featured on multiple local news sources. Bobbi’s idea of fun is home renovation projects, whimsical drawings, being with her family and going to Disney World, her happiest place on earth. Follow her on Instagram @my_5_girls
Getting in the Spirit with
Local Designers
This holiday season the goal is to bring the cheer, and how better than to use some of our local small businesses like Mistletoe & Ivy for your full interior Christmas design from top to bottom, Piece of Cake for all of your dessert needs, and/or Sara Pillow of E.V.E.R (Evansville's Vintage Event Rentals) for your custom vintage furniture and dinnerware needs. Let the professionals come to your aid for the entire season or for your private (socially distanced and immediate family of course) event! For our holiday set up, we went with a glam, old world look.
E.V.E.R. is a rental company that works with you and your florist/coordinator to make your event distinctively yours. They offer a unique collection of high-quality glassware, china, furniture, backdrops, brass, and much more. Photos by Rachelle Baggett Photography Location - Historic Boehne House
Small Business Spotlight! Mistletoe & Ivy’s professional holiday decorators will design the perfect tree or theme for your house or business. They also decorate mantles, balconies, doors, and stairs. Each of their outdoor lighting jobs is custom created for each specific home or building. They install lights, wreaths, garlands, and do outdoor trees. When the season is over, they take it down and store it until next year. They can also use fresh seasonal greenery to create arrangements that will make your neighbors envious. From very large outdoor pots to table centerpieces, they do it all.
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Local bakery Piece of Cake specializes in delicious and beautifully decorated cakes, made from scratch cookies, brownies and treats. Contact them for personal or corporate orders!
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Bob Davis, Agent 1209 Lincoln Ave Evansville, IN 47714 Bus: 812-491-7888 www.evansvillesf.com
BefORE
BEFORE & After HOME RIVER VALLEY
The WORTMAN Home
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It’s not often you find out the stories of
in line with our new vision. We knocked
past lives lived in your home. Homes can
out walls, got rid of a stairwell (Fun fact:
become such a nostalgic part of a
over the past 10 decades each time a new
person’s life that it is, at times, hard to let
addition was added on to the house, they
go or go back. But sometimes, a home is
would make a basement under that
so special that generations of
addition and additional stairs to that
homeowners share their love and are
basement. What you ended up with is a
happy to pass stories on to the next
house with 3 separated basements and 3
family. This was our Wortman house.
stairwells, one to each basement! And,
Here is our renovation story: My husband Nathan and I became caretakers of this homestead almost 5 years ago. When we bought it, it had been renovated and added onto in each prior decade of ownership. The latest renovations had not been completed so we took on a house that had stairwells without stairs, a half-gutted kitchen, an
only two of the basement areas were connected by a single doorway, the other basement section was not connected so you had to walk upstairs through the house to its stairwell to reach it.) Once we floored over the stairwell, we had room to bump out the kitchen and create our vision of what we liked to call a "floating kitchen”.
added wing of raw construction, stained
From a five room area, we created a AFTER huge
carpeting, rotted exterior walls, broken
cooking, gathering and entertaining hub -
windows, a leaking in-ground pool,
truly the heart of the house. With the
overgrown landscaping and so much
kitchen, "floating" in the center you had a
more. Daunting is the most appropriate
great space for food prep and cooking
word to describe the task we undertook
while your kids, family and guests can be
to bring structure and charm back to this
with you but not in the way. With a sitting
old farmhouse. The bulk of renovations
room, dining area, breakfast nook and 2
took place within a year. Apparently, we
breakfast bars, it makes for wonderful
are crazy gluttons for punishment as we
family and friend gatherings. To bring the
also had a 3 year old and 6 month old
5 different room areas together, we
when we began.
created beams to run the length of the
Before, there was no consistency in design, continuity or emphasis on the farmhouse character of the house. Instead you had a hodgepodge of different rooms from different eras - 50's, 60's and on. Plus, we had the work of taking out unfinished prior renovations that were not 10 HOME RIVER VALLEY
spaces with chunky wood pillar supports. This visually divided the areas, created structural support and gave it a beautiful rustic look to compliment the old beam ceilings we uncovered and restored. During demo, we found that one area was originally an old porch with a bead board
AFTER
ceiling. While we couldn't leave the original ceiling open due to having to add insulation, we did want to keep the spirit of it and added a new planked bead board ceiling to the dining area as a nod to its past life as a porch. With a floating kitchen, we did not want many upper cabinets to block the openness of the entire space. To give needed storage, instead, we custom built a bank of cabinets with vintage seeded glass by the breakfast table. It also acts as a half wall to the stairwell behind it. Most people assume it is an original to the house as it has so much character. We added a new metal roof, all new windows and light fixtures fitting to our modern farmhouse look. We also added all new wood flooring and carpet to the entire house, drywall to half the house and completely gutted and refinished one
BEFORE
of the bathrooms. The original double fireplace, china cabinets and mantle mirror just needed cleaned and fresh paint to bring out their character and charm. The 3rd basement area (the one not connected to the other two) has just recently been completely renovated from a stone block, concrete floor basement to a spacious master suite and living area with it's own full bath. It now has double French doors that walk out to the backyard, giving it it's own entry and exit. The other major renovation we completed was to the yard. When we bought it, it was a broken down diving pool that took
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up almost all of the back fenced-in area. Huge overgrown bushes dominated the space around it and rotting wood steps, cracked concrete and a gravel area under the deck made up the rest. When we ripped out the bushes, they were so huge and overgrown, we actually found a lawn chair hidden in them! We filled in the pool, ripped out all the overgrown landscaping, tore up the old concrete and poured new walkways and seating areas, and built a new, much larger picket fence to surround the whole area.
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We then turned our focus to the back deck which had no stairwell or access to the backyard - no idea why... We added a roof to make it a true 2 story porch. Of course, we also added a wood staircase down from it to the back play area. Now
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the upper porch gives you gorgeous views of the back play area, the woods and the lake. Before, you wouldn't have even known the lake was there as the trees were blocking all visuals of it. We quickly remedied that by cutting down some trees and opening it up so you can see it from the house and back porches. Now, deer, cranes, geese and turkeys all can be seen walking by or swimming in the lake. The deck is now what we call a gracious porch reminiscent of Southern porches and their focus on hospitality. A large antique bed made into a porch
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swing is the centerpiece of it, with outdoor couches and tables making it a main gathering area in the spring, summer and fall. 12 HOME RIVER VALLEY
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Finally, we took out all the old
same homestead lifestyle and cherished
landscaping and planted banks of classic,
all the hard work we put into it. As an
boxwood bushes and flowering
added bonus, once the house was put up
hydrangeas to compliment the old world
for sale, the previous homeowners and
vibe of the house.
the children who grew up there,
Did I mention there is an epic treehouse? Yes, one of the most unique things on the property is the 3 story treehouse with a suspension bridge, siding and a roof. It definitely gives the property a sense of Neverland as its seems a house for lost boys and magic.
contacted us and asked if they could tour the house. There is nothing more fulfilling than the approval and delight of others who have loved a house as much as you have. It was a gift to pass on to the new owners pictures and stories of those very people who had made this house a home.
There is also a cute cottage we use for storage and an old horse barn on the property. We replaced all the structural pillars of the barn and graveled the inside. With the property located in what we call, "horse country" it is perfect for raising livestock and horses. The vast majority of renovations were done by my husband and father-in-law and a rotating host of loving family and friends. We hired out the roof, the lawn grading and demo, concrete pouring and new electric throughout the house. Everything else was done by us. I am the designer and my husband, Nathan makes it happen. Together, we were able to make a dream home rooted in history and farmhouse charm. About a year ago, we decided it was time to move on and tackle a new house renovation. We couldn’t be happier that the home we created with such love, was bought by another family that wanted the
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Interview with new owner, Jessica Barnard What were you drawn to when you chose the house? The land it was on was a huge piece in purchasing the house but specific to the home: the back porch was gorgeous and I had visions of hosting events in the kitchen area. Â What are your favorite features of the house now that you live there? Back porch, whole house fan.
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S I N CE 19 9 8
210 Main Street Evansville, IN 47708 (812)424-Cake(2253) PieceofCakeBakery.com
We have the happiest birthday cakes in town!
DIY ULTIMATE ACHIEVERS
Our applause to all those office bubble pencil pushers, power-tool newbies and allaround un-skilled home owners who decide to roll up their sleeves and take on the ultimate project – one they Do By Themselves! If this quarantine has taught us anything, it is that DIY satisfaction is the sweetest achievement. Each issue we will be featuring our favorite DIY doers and their hard-won projects. We want to see your accomplishments and hear all about them. Email us your bid for bragging rights at info@HomeRiverValley
DIY
Garden
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RON & DEBBIE’S CITY GARDEN This is what we call a case of Pandemic Productivity! Local couple, Debbie and Ron Baker, had lost all hope for grass to grow in their narrow, hilltop backyard. With neighboring shade trees, poor soil and an infestation of mosquitoes, it was the last priority in their 5 year house renovation and a daunting thought to create an oasis in the ignored area. It took an inspiring trip to Ashville, NC to spark their imagination. Drawing design ideas from an Ashville neighborhood garden, they saved photos, drafted blueprints and waited for warmth in the cold months of winter. Then the pandemic hit. While they had already planned to plant a raised vegetable garden in the spring, COVID-19 gave them even more ambition to create a space worthy of enjoyment and evening glasses of wine. Debbie started her seedlings in the house and she and Ron went to work building multiple raised beds, trellis tunnels, fenced planting boxes, a compost pile, a backyard parking addition and a patio area created from old bricks. YouTube and Pinterest acted as their guides as they took on a spring and summer full of creation and sweat. The result is a delightful space abundant with heirloom tomatoes, flowers and all the squash, zucchini and peas you can imagine. You can find various grandchildren, grown-kids and friends running through the tunnels, sampling the produce or just simply taking in the ambiance of this once, dirt and weeds filled backyard. HOME RIVER VALLEY 21
COLLECTIONS
Collector Confessions - Why yes, I do need all these _______ (fill in the blank)! Does your heart skip a beat when you spot a piece of vintage china? Do you feel like a hunter in search of antique gold while hitting thrift stores? Have you almost caused an accident slamming on the brakes for a yard sale? If so, you've found your tribe! As lovers of all things thrifted, vintage and from a bygone age - we cannot wait to show off our collections and see yours! Send us your Collector Confessions photos and share with us what makes your heart happy! info@homerivervalley.com
collectors
Confessions 24 HOME RIVER VALLEY
AMANDA BENSON RETRO PASTEL PYREX "I love to look for vintage kitchen items that are in pinks, turquoise, light blue, pale yellow, and some black/white. I like to visit antique stores, thrift shops, flea markets, garage sales, etc. in search of pieces that I don't already have. I started my collection with 1 turquoise mixing bowl that I found for $15 in a little antique store in Roann, Indiana. This was in November of 2015. I've been collecting ever since. I like to set up at local swaps and flea markets to sell some of my extras or trade for pieces I don't have. I grew up with my mom taking me to auctions and antique stores. She's an antique collector too. (You should see her house). I caught the bug early on.
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MIKE LINDERMAN RETRO RADIOS ”Hello my name is Mike and I’m a radioholic” Our first Collector's Confession comes from Mike Linderman who sent us this pic of his retro radio collection. "I started when I was in high school and went into overdrive about 15 years ago. I look for cool designs, don’t care if they work. Last count I have close to 200."
NIKKI DAVIS FENTON AND L.E.SMITH HOBNAIL CAKE STANDS HOME River Valley’s co-editor Nikki Davis’s collector confession is for vintage cake stands!! It started with seeing her sister’s L.E. Smith glass jadite hobnail collection (including finding the elusive cake stands as gifts for her), and her collection currently includes a mix of L.E. Smith glass hobnail and moon and stars pattern, a few Fenton pieces, and miscellaneous vintage and blue glass pieces. She’s on the hunt for any blue and green vintage pieces and any hobnail L.E. Smith hobnail stands, but her dream cake stands that she is on the hunt for include: turquoise Fenton silvercrest, pink or turquoise “Spanish lace” pattern Fenton and Fenton Blue Opalescent Hobnail. Give her a shout if you come across them “in the wild” aka at a local thrift store or while rummage saling. 26 HOME RIVER VALLEY
ENERTAINING
Host a Low Country Boil
Want to give your friends and family a dinner
experience unlike any other? When our friends, Nancy and Ted Denning, food service veterans and owners of Touch of Home Catering and Uncle Ted’s Food Truck, told us they wanted to start offering Low Country Boils to customers, we jumped at the chance to be the first to host. What is a Low Country Boil? Typically only found in parts of Southern U.S. coastal regions, a boil, or as sometimes called, Shrimp Boil, is a one-pot meal for the masses. Legend has it was originally called Frogmore Stew and was made famous by Richard Gay, a National Guardsman who had to figure out how to cook a meal for over 100 soldiers. It is said he used an old family recipe. The meal was an instant hit! The dish was named Frogmore for the town he was from. Eventually, when the postal service eliminated the name Frogmore, the dish was renamed Low Country Boil. A Low Country Boil includes shrimp, corn, sausage, potatoes and Old Bay spice. It’s perfect for a large crowd or even just a handful of your favorite people … just remember, the more people you have, the bigger the pot you’ll need. You can serve this Low Country HOME RIVER VALLEY 27
Boil Recipe with Old Bay on newspaper or on a big disposable tablecloth like we did for a casual atmosphere and easy clean-up. We had a few of our guests bring their favorite desserts, setting them out on the porch for a cozy treat station. Classic red and white tablecloths are perfect for setting a casual outdoor atmosphere and wood boxes and lanterns gave us a down-home, candlelit vibe. Sunflowers and mums in yellow and reds coordinated with our crab, corn and checkered tablecloths making everything cohesive and inviting. As an Experience Dinner, Ted and Nancy provide all the food and offer upgrades such as crab legs in addition to shrimp. We decided to get the best, and Ted not only showed our guests how to properly enjoy a boil, but also showed us the best way to crack open our crab legs - no fancy tools needed! He and Nancy poured the spread down the middle of each table in typical Low Country fashion and let guests pick their helpings with individualized tongs. The outdoor setting and stories made for one of the best dinner experiences any of us have ever had! Perfect for rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, and family get-togethers, this experience is one you and your guests will never forget!
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ABOUT A CAREER
IN REAL ESTATE At F.C. Tucker Emge REALTORS®, our mission is to match people with homes, but the most important aspect of real estate centers on the relationships we have with our customers, clients, colleagues, and everyone else that makes the industry hum. Since the world is filled with all sorts of people, we like our agents to mirror the diversity of the community around us. Almost all of our agents come from a different career entirely, and represent a rich cross-section of the Tri-State. Very rarely does a person start and end their real estate career on day one of their working life. A much more common trajectory is for people to fall into the real estate world from another career for one reason or another. There are as many different types of REALTORS® as there are houses! We are always looking to grow our F.C. Tucker Emge family with people who want to make a difference in the community. While it may be daunting to think about entering into the world of real estate, it is quite accessible. Here are our recommendations for how to become a real estate agent: 1. Talk to an F.C. Tucker Emge agent about their real estate career. 2. Attend one of our Virtual Career Sessions (that we hold once a month at noon via Zoom) to learn more about the tools and training F. C. Tucker Emge has to offer. 3. Sign up for an accredited real estate class and pass it. (We can help you get signed up for that.) 4. Pass the state licensing exam. 5. Sign-on with F.C. Tucker Emge REALTORS® as we offer the best training and support among real estate brokerages in the area. 6. Broadcast to all of your friends, family and associates that you are in the business. 7. Start selling! Being a REALTOR® does require a set of life skills that will make your path in this business easier. The ability to communicate effectively and solve problems are high on the list. Common sense, adaptability and patience come in handy. If you are willing to work hard, you will find success as an F.C. Tucker Emge REALTOR®. Let’s Talk!
For more information... visit FCTuckerEmge.com/Careers/ or call John Briscoe at 812.479.0801
F.C. TUCKER EMGE REALTORS ®
An Epic Bunk-Room
When my husband and I built our home
for the bunks, we wanted each bunk to
19 years ago, we had one daughter, who
have a cubby, outlet, and light. We
was a little over a year old, and no
wanted the room to have a separate TV
thoughts of ever outgrowing its space.
and playing area. We wanted to make
Fast forward a few years, and we had
sure the closest was large and
upped our household size to a family of
accommodating. All these things took
seven, with five lovely ladies under our
time to layout. Thankfully our builder and
roof. Yes, five daughters.
the architect we worked with were great
Our 3 bedroom home had every inch
at helping us create the addition and
utilized, to the best of our ability, and
execute it to perfection.
space was running out. Our girls were
Construction began in late spring of
getting older, we homeschool, and I had
2018. The rainiest year on record I
started a business I ran from home that
believe, at least it felt that way! By
needed space. So, in 2018 we decided to
September we were finally at the stage
add-on to our family’s home. Not only
were we could start building our bunk-
was this more cost effective than moving,
room bunkbeds.
it allowed us to create a space especially
My husband and I built them ourselves.
for our 4 youngest daughters.
We let the girls write little notes and draw
We wanted to assure the space would
artwork inside the bunks as we built them.
grow with them, but also accommodate
It was a family affair, and I couldn’t be
all their current needs.
happier with the way it all turned out. The
When we sat down to create the plans for
girls say it is like they get to have a
the addition, the bunk-room was the main
sleepover every night. This by far is the
focus. We wanted to plan this room down
best project my husband and I have ever
to the outlets. We had built a home
taken on and I still am amazed by how it
before and knew what we were getting
turn out.
into. There were little things, that once
-Bobbi Hammonds
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our home was done being built in 2001, that we noticed could have been done better. We didn’t want this to happen again, especially with this room. We needed the perfect amount of space
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GARDENING
Garden
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LATE FALL IN THE GARDEN Come November, the garden season is winding down in southern Indiana, but fortunately for us the winters don’t last too long, and spring will roll around in a few short months. Even as we enjoy the waning days of fall, we can still get our hands into the earth and plant some hope for next year . . . under the ground our hope will grow, preparing for the first warm days.
work in a little wood ash and at planting and a source of sulfur (Epson salts, sulfur or gypsum). Add a source of nitrogen in the spring. A light mulch (1”) will help suppress weeds.
Garlic. Anytime in November and early December is prime time to plant garlic. You can order “seed” bulbs from most home garden seed companies (or take your chances with the grocery store’s bulbs). There are two main types: hardneck and softneck. Softneck is mostly what we see in the grocery stores because it keeps longer in storage. Hardneck is typically more winter hardy and can stand our tight wet soils better, but either will grow here. For both varieties, split the bulb up into individual cloves. Plant them (root down!) so that the tip is just barely sticking out above the soil line, 6” between plants and rows 18” apart. I like to make the rows 30” apart so that I can plant a row of spring veggies between the garlic. Like many vegetables garlic appreciates being planted on a slight berm so that they aren’t sitting in the mud. They will generally sprout quickly and then die back in the dead of winter, only to return in the spring and be ready to harvest in June. They are not picky on soil type but I like to
Genesis 1:12 – The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
Flowering Bulbs. It’s also not too late to plant tulips, daffodils or crocuses for a spectacular spring display.
-David Uhr, PhD David has been an avid gardener for 40 years and worked as an agriculture researcher for 30 years. He and his wife Valerie do all of their home gardening together.
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BEFORE & After HOME RIVER VALLEY
Brian Ferguson Whole House Reno
AFTER These pictures were sent by local interior designer, Brian Ferguson. His 1930's bungalow got a complete transformation, and we are loving his layered, textured style against the light bright walls! Brian told us "Opportunity is just what I saw when we first viewed the 1930s bungalow we now live in. Despite its outdated appearance and state of disrepair, there was something so charming about the house. So two years ago in July, we signed for our first home in the University of Evansville neighborhood and went to work on our new blank canvas – as blank a canvas as mauve carpets, mustard walls and years of neglect could provide. After a full six
BEFORE months of renovations – including a new kitchen and bathroom, refinishing hundredyear-old flooring, taking out a wall and copious amounts of paint I was able to reach the fun part… designing the space. My love for unique chairs is what initially drew me to the designers and pieces of the mid-1900s. Mid-century inspiration, coupled with my partner’s love of collecting, sets the tone for Our space. From truly vintage to reproduction replicas, I have filled our home with one-of-a-kind pieces collected from across the Midwest that all invoke interest and masculinity." Bravo Brian!
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QUICK FIXES Wanting a project to give a corner of your home a quick facelift? Take a look at these inspiring projects that will give you a boost of accomplishment and creativity. Drab Hutch to Poppin Coffee Bar! Reader Kristina Gentil calls this her quarantine 2020 project. Since March she says she has cleaned out every closet and painted almost every room in her house. Now, with those things done, she still had the itch to start something new. She says she had always wanted a coffee bar and turned her sights to an old, drab hutch. Some
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paint, hardware and the removal of the glass front doors transformed it into a fun and functional piece for their home. Hard Used Dresser to Refined Piece
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Our friend Maria Coleman said when she got this dresser
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it was in pretty bad shape. Instead of just painting it first, she gave it a good sanding from top to bottom. Once ready for paint, she went with a classic cream color but kept the top its natural wood, just staining it to give it a refreshed look. Some old hardware from her stash gave the top drawer some refinement and the rest she left with the original handles.
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The bright shiny colors make me happy. That's pretty much the main reason I collect. I like to surround myself with pretty, colorful things."
Quick Facelifts FOR YOUR HOME
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DESIGN TIPS
A Touch of Modern:
Black Matte Interior Paint
Black matte finishes have recently become very popular in high end cars, luxury items, electronics, and even on our favorite personal items. Black can often be a stark color in a glossy format. However in a matte finish, black is becoming fashionable transforming private spaces into cozy, modern interiors. Personally, I absolutely love matte finishes. In my opinion, black matte gives a modern yet intimate impression with a high end opulent feeling, and I use it often in product development; finding that it elevates my design work in general. I particularly appreciate the fact that matte finishes hide blemishes while glossy finishes can bring attention to imperfections. My favorite black matte paint is SherwinWilliams Black Magic (SW 6991). I find that it compliments blue, beige, or a creamy white coordinating color. It’s a true black so it’s a perfect neutral that can be used in a variety of environments. I’m sharing a couple of suggestions if you want to incorporate this look into your own home. Paint a Dynamic Accent Wall I am passionate about four dark walls in a bathroom. An example of this is illustrated in the photo from a restaurant, The Americano, 46 HOME RIVER VALLEY
located in Scottsdale, AZ. I believe most people are reluctant to use dark colors in small rooms to avoid making small rooms feel even smaller, but with the right lighting, dark colors can create the perception of depth. My suggestion is to paint a single accent wall first because most of the time that will be enough color to shift the aura. My bathroom has great natural light with a large white and black shower and a tempered glass window so this color works beautifully there. It can be a refined way to create depth while keeping a stylish color palette. In a living room, this color can elevate your communal space. I’m lucky our living room has a lot of natural light. I would suggest using a black matte in a room that has good lighting or lots of windows to let the natural light illuminate the room. I find that it has an almost reflective finish because of the matte coating. Our living room is the room we spend the most amount of time in and it’s our gathering place. It opens to our kitchen and is often the center of attention at any party. Because of the matte finish, the room becomes inviting and contemporary exuding an edgy feel.
In my living room, I used a bold black and white textured rug that completed the room. I also staged this space with several black and white indoor planters which tie the wall and rug together and help bridge a seamless look between the vertical and horizontal. Bringing in a little texture is also a great finishing touch. Something like a natural macrame brings unique visual interest to spaces. This can also be achieved through photography. A dramatic set of black and white prints can bring a striking gallery ambience to your home. Don’t Be Afraid My husband was apprehensive when I brought home a gallon of black matte paint but after the first coat dried, he was sold. It's enhanced our open concept in a stunning way and completely changed the mood of our home.
Don’t Forget Finishing Touches You can do this with fixtures, mirrors, decorative elements, photography, etc., I especially love a soft bronze fixture or gold with black matte. My living room and bathroom both have metallic accents. This interior paint works well with almost any color since it’s a true black and makes all colors
At the end of the day, it’s just paint and can be easily changed. The investment is a few hours of your time and the cost of a gallon of paint. It may seem like a bold choice and if you need more convincing, use the SherwinWilliams color ColorSnap® Visualizer for Web to compare colors, see similar color palettes, or upload your own photo and paint your walls virtually at Sherwin-Williams.com. My rule: Create your personal design plan by only bringing things into your home that are both beautiful and pragmatic; daring to design with a focus on your authentic style. Happy designing! -Jacklyn Nicole HOME RIVER VALLEY 47
ORGANIZATION
Organize, Donate, Haul Away
Declutter your home for a more peaceful space Organizing your home has been a hot topic
charitable donations). However, some items
lately with TV shows like Tidying Up with
will never make it through quality control at
Marie Kondo and Get Organized With the
these locations, and it actually hurts the
Home Edit. If you haven’t watched them, you
supply chain if you take them there (more
should give them a try. Marie Kondo’s
time in sorting/clogs up their trash and
ideology of de-cluttering your home is
dumpsters, etc). That’s where our friends at
referred to as KonMari, and as she describes
REMOVEPRO can step in! REMOVEPRO is a
in the series, it involves going through your
residential and commercial on demand
home section by section “1) Clothing, 2)
business that can haul off your unwanted
Books, 3) Paper, 4) Komono (kitchen,
goods. Big or small, REMOVEPRO will haul it
bathroom, garage and miscellaneous) [and] 5)
all off. They are available to help with
Sentimental items.” Once you have gathered
projects such as moving out of a house,
your items together, you should go through
flipping a home, small remodels, and more!
each item one by one and only keep those
They also have the capability to have small or
items that “spark joy.” The Home Edit
large dumpsters delivered on location
founders Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin
depending on the space as well!
have four main steps in their organization wheel house according to one of their
For more information on REMOVEPRO, visit:
episodes: edit your space by paring down
www.REMOVEPRO.com/
what you have; categorize your items by
or contact: (812) 455-5570
putting them into manageable groups;
removeprollc@gmail.com
contain everything; and then maintain your space with the use of labels. But what do you do with all the extra STUFF that you DON’T need???? If the items are in good condition, you can always donate them or sell them through resale shops (see our sidebar list of Evansville area stores taking 48 HOME RIVER VALLEY
THINKING OF DONATING?
Hangers, the EVSC Student Clothing Resource 2319 Stringtown Rd Door 27 Evansville, IN 47711 (812) 435-8888 ext. 22212 Evansville Rescue Mission Thrift Store 2420 Washington Ave (812) 476-2097 St. Vincent de Paul Society Thrift Store 767 E Walnut St (812) 425-3148 World Wide Missions Consignment Store 301 N Congress Ave (812) 471-3466
BEFORE Goodwill 4660 W Lloyd Expy (812) 962-2772
AFTER
BEFORE
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LOCAL Home Tour HOME RIVER VALLEY
New House Build in Haynie’s Corner
Haynie’s Corner in Downtown Evansville
driving home from a meeting, I noticed
is THE place to live for art, architecture,
some vacant lots for sale. After research
and community. Filled with homeowners
and discussions, we bought a lot of land
and renters who relish being a part of the
and put our house in Newburgh up for
renaissance of this unique area, you can
sale. It sold so quickly, we were forced to
find everything from whimsical Victorian
find other temporary lodgings. As luck
homes, retro stone apartments and
would have it, we found a house to rent
recent new builds whose owners kept the
two blocks from our lot. It was Phillip who
neighborhood feel at the forefront of
introduced us to Nate and Noelle
their design. One stunning example is
Mominee of Mominee Design Build. With
the Pankey home built by Mominee
Nate’s laid-back demeanor, we hit it off
Design. We love the color and art infused
from the get go. We showed him several
into every corner, the thoughtful design
drawings/sketches/pictures of what we
to blend with the old neighborhood, the
were thinking, which he in turn
2-tiered porches and much more.
incorporated into his exceptional designs and ideas. Paired with Noelle’s interior
Owner Jim Pankey gave us all the details
tastes, we had no problems allowing both
on the process of finding and building
to have free reign on the build giving us
new in the Evansville Arts District.
the final product you see today."
"After our son Thomas graduated from high school and started college, Jeanette and I decided to down-size. Originally when we first met we lived in downtown Evansville and always liked the area. We both agreed to start looking for a house in or near Haynie’s Corner Arts District. We looked at several historical homes presented to us by Phillip Hooper of Berkshire Hathaway. Although the homes were nice, the thought of restoration, maintenance and upkeep, kept rearing its ugly head. Considering both of us work, we were not willing to take on a labor of love. Feeling disappointed as I was
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PINSPIRATION
INSPIRATION TO SOLVE YOUR DESIGN CHALLENGES Dark wood paneling? Soaring Ceilings? Odd room size? We’ve faced our share of design challenges! Thankfully with the advent of Pinterest there are tons of photos and inspiration just waiting to be found! Each issue, we will tackle some common design problems that have stumped our readers. Send us your current home photos and we will scour the depths of Pinterest to find the best Pinspiration to solve your home challenges! To kick this series off, Editor-in-Chief, JoElle Knight was recently sent
GE DESIGN CHALLEN
photos an old high school friend who wanted some help and inspiration.
Design Challenge :
WALL-TO-WALL PANELING Design Challenge: Walls and Walls of Solid Wood Paneling plus some Massive Mantles Home of: Stephanie Hoffherr “We have wood paneling throughout our house. I DESIGN CHALLEN GE
love all the natural touches, but it’s all just so heavy. Husband is 100% against painting. I am also struggling with the mantles. We have 3 in our house and they are massive. I have no clue what to do with them….Help!” As soon as we saw Stephanie’s home photos we immediately loved all the character there was to work with. The stone, wood and brick are beautiful and just needed some thoughtful décor to
LLENGE DESIGN CHA
turn this dated look into a warm, rustic design Stephanie and her husband would both be happy with.
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DON’T PAINT THE PANELING! Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about why. Gone are the days of the faux- paneled, dungeon dens of the 80’s. For so long, trends have had an aversion to this dated look, and rightly so! But, with designers showing more and more the beauty of wood, we say it’s time for paneling to make its comeback! Solid wood paneling, that is. No other style is more fitting for a laidback, cozy vibe than these looks. Whether you lean towards surf hut chic or a layered hunting lodge look, wood paneling works for both. We dove headfirst into Pinterest to find Stephanie an assortment of styles to pick from that showcases well-designed looks against the backdrop of wall-to-wall wood. White, blues, teals and bright greens work great with warm wood tones and keep everything from looking too dark. Remember, it is all about balance. And feel free to throw in a wall-mounted animal or two if that’s your thing.
Design Challenge : MANTEL DECOR As for Stephanie’s mantle challenges, we kept in the vein of the warm rustic looks we found and drew inspiration from Pendleton western styles and summer camp nostalgia. Anything natural will go with this look but we were particularly fond of these two styles.
Down!ad P"ty P$k H&e
Plum Fairy Soiree A sugar HOME RIVER VALLEY
Produced by Joelle knight
Feeling a deep need to make Christmas extraspecial for your little ones this year? With all the holiday and community activities being cancelled because of Covid, we wanted to give you some inspiration on how to bring the magic back. To create your own Sugar Plum Fairy Soiree, begin by taking cues from the soft color pallet of the famous Nutcracker ballet. Bring in lavender, pale pink and a sprinkling of burnished gold to set the stage for your sugarfilled feast. If you do not have a tall tree to display, use an inexpensive artificial white one and set it on top of a small table to create a sense of grandness. Adorn it with an assortment of pastel colored ball ornaments and inexpensive plastic snowflakes. Finish it off with a cloud of tulle fluffed around the base and a large snowflake as a tree topper. If you have a large piece of artwork already framed on the wall, rather than taking it down, cover the art with easy-to-remove wrapping paper and hang an iced wreath in the center to create a stunning display to welcome all your sugar plum fairies. Clear glass serving dishes and milk glass are ideal for displaying food and sweets. Glass domes and cake pedestals elevate anything to a visual centerpiece. Create tiered food displays by stacking assorted sized cake and dessert pedestals for your cupcakes and pastries. Chargers set underneath inexpensive white plates are a great way to bring additional color and style to your table setting. In lieu of tablecloths, raid your linen closet for vintage quilts or chenille blankets for a warm cozy look.
BEFORE
To create the table centerpiece, use a vintage ceramic tree adorned with delicate flower cutouts made from tissue paper. Scour online
HOME RIVER VALLEY 59
markets and auctions to find ceramic Christmas trees. Do not worry if any of the plastic "light bulbs" are missing. Take out any remaining light bulbs and cover the hole with paper cutouts in the shape of flowers. Adhere to the tree with a small spot of glue such as Elmer's for easy removal later. Set your finished tree on a milk glass cake pedestal and cover with a clear glass dome for a showstopping centerpiece. Place cards, menus, and cupcake toppers all enhance the theme of the party, letting guests know the variety of desserts and beverages available. Fun additions, such a straw flags in snowflake glasses, add whimsy to sweet sips. No fairy would be complete without her magic wand. Put together a Wand Creation Station by displaying unadorned wands in a vintage silver champagne bucket or other vessel filled with clear acrylic beads. Craft wands can usually be found at your local dollar store. Put glitter in miniature glass bottles with Fairy Sparkles tags and sequins displayed in a cut glass bowl. Glue bottles receive a stylish makeover with new Sugar Plum Paste sticker labels. Your guests will love creating their very own decadent wands. To tie everything together liberally layer snowflakes throughout the party as they are an easy and inexpensive way to embellish everything in sight. Think of yourself as frosting the entire party with sparkles and snow. Finally, no sugar plum fairy party would be complete without its Nutcracker. Find one painted white or in another pastel color to complement the hues of the party. Your guests will be sure to leave with memories of a beautiful time, where magic was in the air and their childlike dreams came to life.
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BEFORE & After HOME RIVER VALLEY
EMILEE KERNER KITCHEN
AFTER Take a look at this amazing transformation by our photographer friend Emilee Kerner! “When we were looking for a house we knew we wanted a fixer upper, something we could personalize. The layout of this house had so much potential to make a large, open concept great room. We had to take down several walls, including one of which was load bearing and had to be replaced by a beam. But once it was all open, it was perfect. For the design, we wanted it to be really clean and bright. We also wanted a huge window over the sink, rather than upper cabinets, and an island as big as we could make it. Since we decided on no upper cabinets, we did a whole wall of cabinetry surrounding the fridge. We use one cabinet as
BEFORE Before a coffee bar, one as a pantry, and then the last houses lots of baby supplies. For the light fixtures, I wanted something unexpected. So we went with large-scale basket pendants over the island and then a funky mid-century fixture over the table. I’m not totally sure how to classify the style of the whole thing, but we love how it turned out!” – Emilee Kerner
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AFTER
AFTER
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BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE HOME RIVER VALLEY 69
After
After Look at this DIY home exterior cosmetic facelift! The home owners did stucco coating on the brick and painted the siding. Then had custom wood shutters created to finish off the look. Per the homeowner, "We hated the orange colored original brick and didn't want to get rid of the brown so we searched for a color pallet that would accommodate the brown."
Before
& After BEFORE HOME RIVER VALLEY
HOME EXTERIOR
ORGANIZATION
Finding Peace & Moving Forward
“I just want to thank Jesus! You just don't
where my closet was. I had to start purging
know the struggle has been real. When my
and getting rid of a lot of things. My
son passed away two years ago, I became a
granddaughter LaKenna helped me clean
hoarder and this room was so full. I couldn't
up a couple of days. We took out over
even walk through here. I buried my pain in
twenty bags of clothes and shoes. With all
buying clothes and shoes. That was just a
of this being said, God will force you to
temporary fix. My husband Kenneth
purge and put you in an uncomfortable
Flemming was patient with me, and he is a
situation to move you forward. I had been
real neat freak. He would just say
procrastinating for over a year now. I thank
something every once in awhile. So, last
Jesus to get this cleaned up. I can breathe
week with all of that rain the basement
now. A load has been lifted. Thanks to
ended up getting a lot of water on my side
everyone who helped me. Much love.” - Stefanie Flemming
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KIMBERLY KNOX JOHNSON
Charcuterie Boards NANCY STRATEMEYER DENNING
The hottest holiday trend of the year charcuterie board... whether you use it for Christmas cocktail hour, pre-dinner appetizer tray or a full meal! Charcuterie boards hit all the right foodie notes! You can make them as decadent or healthy as JACQUELINE DENTE FOWLER
you'd like! Check out some of WHITENEY MUNCY
NANCY STRATEMEYER DENNING
KATIE BOWENS
JACQUELINE DENTE FOWLER
NIKKI DAVIS
NANCY STRATEMEYER DENNING


RIVER CITY BY TIMBERVIEW FLOWER FARM
HEATHER VAUGHT
KRISTI NIX FRANCE
WE ASKED YOU TO SHOW US YOUR TREES, And you Lit up Our Pages
AMANDA BENSON
CHRISTINA WITHROW
WHITENEY MUNCY
KATHIE MCCONNELL
JAMIE NICOLE HANES
STACY BROCKETT FREEMAN
JOHSUA ARMSTRONG
RITA JOEST
ELISSA PAULSON
Local Christmas Tree Displays
ISSUE 13 2020
Wedding Planning
DURING COVID
Bonfetti
EPIC CREATIVITY AND FUN
Editors’ Picks
THE BEST OF 2019 WEDDINGS!
SHARING THE
love
IN OUR BEAUTIFUL
River Valley
REGION
CHECK OUT OUR SISTER PUBLICATION
ENGAGED-RIVERVALLEY.COM
Do you have an amazing home renovation or DIY project you would like to share? Message us on Facebook or Instagram @HOMERiverValley and your project just may end up in our next Issue!
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