At home 1

The Albany Herald • www.albanyherald.com • Saturday, May 7, 2011

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2 THE ALBANY HERALD • AT HOME • Saturday, May 7, 2011 • www.albanyherald.com

Welcome Home South Georgia South Georgia has some of the most beautiful homes to appreciate and enjoy.

We have very talented people in business locally that help you, the homeowner, maintain and beautify your home. It is our hope that South Georgia At Home will entertain you with features and resources for all your future projects.

Keep Your Carpet in Tip Top Shape Along with professional cleaning, routine vacuuming is the most important thing you can do to extend the life of your carpet. Soil particles build up and actually begin to cut away at the fibers. It is recommended that you vacuum your carpet at least twice a week. Or better yet, attack your high traffic areas as much as possible (living rooms, entryways, stairs) and leave the lighter traffic regions for later when you have the time for a more thorough cleaning.

Testimonial: “Heaven’s Best can work miracles on your carpet. I recently sent him to one of my clients to clean a carpet that was heavily soiled. It looks almost brand new. The client was amazed ad very satisfied with his performance. His professionalism and his promptness certainly shows in the quality of his work. I highly recommend him.”

-Mary Linda Cotten Agent for Coldwell Banker Walden & Kirkland

Windham Builders has over 15 years of new home construction, commercial construction and remodeling experience. The company focuses on quality built custom construction and strong customer service. Windham Builders LLC is a locally focused homebuilder serving Southwest Georgia.

Bert Windham, President of Windham Builders, is an Albany native.

He has building experience in Atlanta , North Florida and Southwest Georgia . Bert joined Touchstone Homes, one of Atlanta’s top 25 homebuilders, in 1996 as a builder and quickly moved up into the Construction Manager role. He oversaw the construction of up to 300 homes a year. It was there that Bert learned the value of efficient construction and excellent customer service.

During his career, Bert has gained experience in all facets of construction. He has specialized in single family construction, from production construction of multi million dollar custom homes, remodeling and renovations. He has been involved in acquisition and development, construction of commercial property, office condominiums, town homes and multi family homes.

Bert’s focus on quality and details is evident in every home he builds. Windham Builders is focused on offering strong customer service and great custom built homes.

THE ALBANY HERALD • AT HOME • Saturday, May 7, 2011 • www.albanyherald.com 3

Featured Builder Tall Pine Builders, Inc. Jonathan Hornick is the president of Tall Pine Builders, Inc, which has been in business since 2006. Jonathan is an Albany native. He graduated from Westover High School in 1992 and then attended North Georgia College, graduating in 1996. After college, he went on to be a commissioned officer in the United States Army from 1996 to 2000.

Jonathan was a project manager for U.S. Constructors, Inc. from 2000 to 2006 and now serves as president of Tall Pine Builders, Inc. He was a member of the Associated General Contractors, served as president of the 2005 SCDOT Leadership Development Class, and is a member of the Home Builders Association of Albany and Southwest Georgia.

When asked how Tall Pine Builders got its start, Jonathan said, “When I was younger, the first thing I did when the new Southern Living magazine got to the house was flip to the back and check out the newest plan. At that time, I did not know that I would become a homebuilder. In 2006 we took a childhood intrest and built a compnay on it.”

Tall Pine Builders, Inc. has built homes in Dougherty, Lee, Terrell, and Sumter Counties. They will build within a 60 mile radius of the Albany area. Hornick believes that the open line of communication that Tall Pine Builders keeps with their customer sets them apart from other builders. From his personal experience, Jonathan says, “I remember the first home my wife and I built before I was a homebuilder.

After the ink dried on the contract the builder was very difficult to get in touch with. I did not need a play by play, but a weekly update would have been nice. The builder was a competent craftsman just a poor communicator. The home turned out great, but there was too much stress wondering what was going on. I swore if I was ever a homebuilder there would be one area I would change. Always have open lines of communication.”

Tall Pine Builders currently has projects in Bradford Court, Morgan Farm, and Indian Oaks. Please visit their website at www.tallpinebuilders.com to see their available inventory.

Both of the homes pictured above are located in the Indian Oaks Plantation Subdivision in Lee County.

4 THE ALBANY HERALD • AT HOME • Saturday, May 7, 2011 • www.albanyherald.com

A Fine Design ■ Article and photos by JENNIFER KING | jennifer.king@albanyherald.com

DELTA

2150 Gillionville Rd. Albany, GA. 31707

(229) 888-8088

The Showplace

If you don't know who Edward Vason Jones was, he is quoted by Clement E. Conger, Chairman, Fine Arts Committee, US Above: The foyer features a hand painted Department of State mural. To the Left: The long driveway leads to Curator (1961-1992), as a dramatic front entrance. Below: A fountain being, "one of America's takes center stage in the courtyard. greatest neoclassical architects, an interior designer expert, and the perfectionist creator of American period rooms in the US Department of State, the White House, and numerous restored and newly created great houses in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and Mississippi."

You may be surprised to know that this nationally acclaimed architect and designer was actually from Albany, Georgia, and he was involved in the design of many houses throughout Albany and Southwest Georgia during his hey day. If you have ever taken note of the Albany Dougherty Judicial Building in Downtown Albany, then you have witnessed his work firsthand. Jones prided himself on his neoclassical design style.

This beautiful 1956 Albany home, also designed

by Jones, embodies his neoclassical style from the dramatic round columns framing the entryway to the beautiful use of heart pine inside the home. The large foyer is indicative of the detail that was put into each room of the home. The walls are covered by a breathtaking,

THE ALBANY HERALD • AT HOME • Saturday, May 7, 2011 • www.albanyherald.com 5

hand-painted landscape mural created by an Albany native artist. According to the homeowners, the mural painting was an amazing process to witness from start to finish. The mural started as a series of what seemed to be randomly placed colors and ended as a fine work of art. The owners of this fine estate are art lovers, and collect various styles of original artwork from all over the country and the world. Each piece is lovingly selected and has a story behind it.

To the left of the foyer is a staircase with a beautifully curved wooden handrail, which leads upstairs to a large bonus room, uniquely designed bathroom, and a wine cellar. Also to the left of the foyer is a impressive archway, which leads into the dining room. With wood floors, wood paneled walls and trim, and a fireplace, this warm room, much like the formal living room, is made even more inviting by the care that was taken in selecting each decorative item.

In this room there are floor-to-ceiling windows that open to the corridor. The oversized windows open wide enough to be used as doorways during parties. These large windows run the length of the corridor because this used to be the back of the house overlooking a patio. The corridor, which is the former patio enclosed, is impressive in size and is beautiful with its brick paver floor and huge arched windows. The patio was enclosed to allow for additions to the house, which were done in keeping with Edward Vason Jones' style. The addition to this portion of the house includes an office, a den, and a grand atrium.

The central focal point of the house is the stunning atriAbove: The atrium is flooded with um. The high glass ceiling light from the multiple windows and floods the room with sunlight, skylights.

See Design, page 8

Clockwise from Top Right: The living room has warm, wooden walls and built-in bookshelves; the corridor features a brick paver floor and french doors; the dining area is filled with items collected from around the country by the owners.

6 THE ALBANY HERALD • AT HOME • Saturday, May 7, 2011 • www.albanyherald.com

Ask the Expert: How to update existing cabinets

By Jennifer King When it comes to updating or renovating kitchens or bathrooms, you can quickly be overwhelmed by the cost of everything. If you are on a tight budget, there are things you can do to give these spaces a facelift without breaking the bank. For this issue's "Ask the Expert," we turn to Robison Woodworking & Construction, a family owned and operated business since 1984, for advice about updating cabinets.

Our expert was asked to tell us a few ways that homeowners can update existing cabinets. These simple changes can transform and update your kitchen without you having to dig too deeply in your pockets.

- Painted cabinets that have begun to chip or scratch can be refinished to breathe new life into them.

- Refinishing cabinets in a new color can bring the room to life and make it appear larger or brighter, especially if you change them from a dark color to a lighter color.

- If you have stained cabinets, have them refinished, so they will look new again.

- Changing out cabinet knobs or pulls can give your cabinets a fresher, more up-to-date look.

There are so many knob and pull options to choose from that the possibilities are nearly endless.

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- Have new doors for the cabinets made to replace the old, worn doors to give the kitchen an updated or more modern look.

- If you'd like to update your old appliances, you can have the cabinets over the refrigerator modified to accommodate the new, larger refrigerators. You could also have the cabinets over the stove modified to change from a regular vent hood to a microhood (built-in microwave with vent).

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- Simply organizing your cabinets and drawers can make the space more appealing and more efficient.

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If you'd like further advice or services from this week's expert, Robison Woodworking & Construction, please contact Scott and Angie Robison at (229) 439-1777. In addition to cabinetry, they also specialize in painting, trim carpentry, specialty furniture pieces, and custom built mantles.

THE ALBANY HERALD • AT HOME • Saturday, May 7, 2011 • www.albanyherald.com 7

Your most powerful decorating tool: the Internet (ARA) - Redecorating used to be most fun for those who had the time to spend poring through interior design magazines, waiting for samples to arrive in the mail, and driving to specialty stores looking for exactly the right item for their redesign.

Today, remodeling ideas and items that would once have taken hours - or even weeks - to obtain are now easily available, thanks to the magic of the Internet. Where once you would have had to locate and drive to a specialty store for items like custom blinds, slipcovers or lighting, you can now browse and purchase a staggering variety of options all from the comfort of your home PC. Do-it-yourselfers will find plenty of inspiration and inventory online. Here are three interior decorating ideas that you can easily bring to life with the help of some Internet shopping: 1. Buying blinds Perhaps you remember your mother or grandmother driving from store to store in search of the perfect window treatment. While most department stores have always offered window treatments, in the past the selection has been limited and often pricey. Online resources solve the inventory and pricing problem and spare you a trip to the home improvement store.

Websites like Blinds.com offer thousands of costeffective options, from wood, aluminum and vertical blinds to cell shades, shutters and draperies.

Plus, shipping is free.

Changing window treatments is a great way to update the look of a room for a modest investment of cash. And replacing window treatments is one of the easiest DIY projects you can tackle.

Online shopping also makes it easy to update your window treatments according to the season. As summer approaches, replace tired old blinds with cellular shades that block heat and ultraviolet rays but still allow light to filter through. When colder months arrive, add a layer of insulation at your windows with lined draperies.

2. Lovely linens Sure you can find a big selection in terms of style at big box linen stores, but the variety of brands - not to mention lower-priced options might be lacking. Need especially deep-pocketed sheets for your plush pillow-top mattress? You'll probably find them in stores, but at a cost that may make you wish you'd bought an air mattress instead. Online, you can find options in every style, color and thread count imaginable - and often at prices that retailers can't match.

A Google search for "linens" yields nearly 40 million results.

Your biggest challenge will be deciding which online merchant to check out first. Some websites specialize in luxury linens, while others offer more basic and practically priced options. You may also find good deals by going directly to the website of a designer you like.

3. Simplifying slipcovers Long gone are the days when "slipcover" mostly referred to that awful clear plastic covering your grandmother put on the couch to keep the kids and pets from staining it. Slipcovers aren't just for sofas anymore, according to HGTV.com. You can find slipcovers for ottomans, armchairs, recliners, dining chairs and more - all online.

Modern slipcovers are a great way to change the look of a piece of furniture and the room in which it sits. Cheaper than reupholstering or buying new furniture, adding a slipcover can resurrect a treasured piece that may have worn upholstery but is still in good shape otherwise.

Whether you're looking to update one room or a whole house, online resources have made redecorating easier than ever. A few clicks of a mouse button can help you quickly create a new look, so you can spend more time enjoying your new decor than you did shopping for it.

8 THE ALBANY HERALD • AT HOME • Saturday, May 7, 2011 • www.albanyherald.com

Design Continued from page 5 and the many decorative plants surrounding the room appreciate the rays.

The walls in this room were created by the same artist who was responsible for the foyer's mural. The finish gives them an aged stucco appearance. Walking into the atrium is like being transported to Tuscany on a bright, sunny day.

Every room in this home has been lovingly decorated by the owners.

Every piece of art has a story. Jones' design style can be seen throughout the rooms and from the exterior. From a columned front porch to a courtyard with a fountain, the grandeur of the interior design is reflected outdoors. This home is truly a gem of Albany.