your mid-south home and garden magazine July / August, 2011 | www.memphisfixmagazine.com
SPACES REDEFINED Garden Contest Winner
Elegant
Photos by Dale Cox Story by Holly Whitfield
EVOLUTION Before
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he most humble room in the home, the bathroom, is expected to have perfect plumbing and ventilation, decent lighting, and adequate storage - all in a space with the square footage of a closet. It’s no wonder bathrooms are most often the targets of remodeling homeowners. When designer Ami Austin visited her client’s existing bathroom, the only positive she saw was the openness of the floor plan. Otherwise, the lighting was poor, the fixtures and large jacuzzi tub were outdated, and the storage was strangely non-existent despite the size of the room. During the renovation, the oversized bath and shower were removed from the window area and a steam shower and soaking tub were installed in place of a cluttered vanity. Imported rectangular Italian tile was laid in a brick pattern on the floor and wall in the bathing area for a clean look, along with a rectangular bath and Emperador marble surround and shower bench. River rock and travertine tiles were used in the shower floor and ceiling, respectively.
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To answer the client’s needs for storage, custom vanities with plenty of drawers and cabinets were installed in a hisand-hers style. Natural illumination was incorporated from the skylights and windows, combined with recessed lights in the ceiling and vanities, a chandelier, and crystal lamps on the vanities. Pocket doors were added in the bath area for privacy and floor space, and the designer suggested custom cut rugs instead of a smattering of bath mats. “Details are important to me,” explains Austin. She chose beveled mirrors and a curved Ogee edge to the marble vanity counters to reflect the elegance of the redesigned space as well as the ambient lighting. Custom faucets in the bath and sinks added to the personalized feel. “This dramatic makeover works with the flow of this elegant home and really brings tremendous value,” Austin shares. Once a dark, dysfunctional bathroom with little privacy, this master bath is a now modern, serene spa.
DESIGN Ami Austin of Ami Austin Interior Design ARCHITECTURE Joey Hagan of Architecture, Inc. TILE AND STONEWORK Triton Stone MARBLE Julie and Corey Wade of Granite and Marble Services CONSTRUCTION Tim Walters of Distinctive Home Designs
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A GRANDVision
A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS YEAR’S GARDEN CONTEST WINNER
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welve years ago, anyone who saw Steve and Missy McClendon’s large backyard would have had a difficult time envisioning anything but a lot of grass and a few trees. Today, the couple’s lovely Germantown home is surrounded by an incredible display of gardening, landscaping and art. “With patience, dedication, hard work, and luck, we think we have created a masterpiece,” explains Missy. Masterpiece is the perfect word to describe her thriving garden, a labor of love that immediately proves its worth upon visiting the paradise.
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Step into the back yard, and you’ll enter a space that seems reserved for something special. A few tall trees and shrubs provide plenty of cool shade, while the bright green lawn stretches between the plant beds and ponds. The soft sound of running water mingles with the call of birds, a relaxing atmosphere perfect for a steamy summer night outside or a brisk autumn morning walk. Several seating areas provide a place for quiet delight or outdoor entertaining. The water features are the focal points, with three separate ponds accented by babbling brooks, waterfalls, and bright koi. Fieldstone pathways guide the visitor through the vibrant, landscaped beds and separate areas containing the open-air gazebo, arbor, antique bench, or the Art Deco style fountain. A colorful collection of flowers and a brick path surrounds a century-old oak tree in the front yard, giving guests a hint of the heaven behind the house. The McClendons have put in countless hours of their own time to materialize the vision of transforming their ¾ acre field of grass into a wonderland of variety. “I am most proud of how my husband and I worked together to make our vision come true, one step at a time,” shares Missy.
COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGES: “I enjoyed that guests can wander beautiful gardens along the stream, only to be delighted by a grand finale: a gorgeous lily pond.” -Lana Zepponi of Chestnut Hall “They have a wonderful water garden with a nice display of Arkansas fieldstone that is used well to pull the whole space together.” -Michael Christie of Christie Cut Stone
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