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CONTENTS
July 2017
62 FEATURES 17 INSPIRED INTERIORS
The Central Gardens chateau of Click contributor and food blogger, Andrea LeTard
62
KEEPER OF THE LIGHT
Light and airy, the once dark redwood-paneled interior of a handsome 1920s-era bungalow in historic Lombardy Place comes alive with the artwork and collection of its owner, Mary Mhoon Walker
71
FRONT DOOR & MORE
Your local home experts share insightful tips and industry trends
OUT & ABOUT 39 | 5th Annual Crawfish Music Festival 42 | Mississippi Music Awards 44 | 18th Annual Golf Tournament 46 | Southern Thunder
Harley-Davidson Bike Night
48 | Brussel's Bonsai Annual Rendezvous 52 | 38th Annual Blues Music Awards 56 | Blue and Gray Gala 58 | Live at the Garden: Summer Symphony Photo by Casey Hilder
myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 9
17
CONTENTS July 2017
•
Volume 11
No. 7
DEPARTMENTS 24 | PLACES Carriages, Cotton & Art A Brief History of the historic Woodruff-Fontaine House
28 | MUSIC Inside Lewis Ranch Exploring the Nesbit, Mississippi, Home with a ‘Killer’ View
34 | CAUSES New Ground Palmer Home’s Hernando location expands to provide service and support for underprivileged children
78 | THE POUR Blood Orange & Basil Margarita
28
This delightful seasonal margarita is sweet-tart with a refreshing herbal sweetness, and a rather fetching shade of fuchsia
24
78 10 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
FIND US ONLINE Click magazine is all about your life. Read stories, purchase event photos, download a digital copy of any issue online at myclickmag.com.
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CASEY HILDER
editor’s letter
It’s a Living Whether you live in a sprawling mansion or a cramped apartment, your home should be your castle. The focus of this year’s annual House and Homes issue of Click is all about fixing up your pad and making the most with what you’ve got. With just a little extra effort and a few dabs of paint, even the biggest fixer-upper can be molded into a warm, welcoming home. Don’t believe me? Just ask the local experts in this month’s “Front Door & More” feature on page 71. From kitchen counters to carpeting, these guys have a few choice tips to give your place a real sense of place. This month, we’ve profiled several area homes that offer wildly different takes on the average domicile. For starters, this month’s cover feature on food blogger Andrea LeTard offers a cozy take on a classy, cultured Southern hacienda that’s perfect for entertaining friends and family (page 17). In addition, seasoned writer Robert Lee Long takes us inside the eclectic home of artist Mary Mhoon (page 62, “Keeper of the Light”), who hasn’t invited a publication through the doors of her lovingly-decorated East Parkway estate since a New York Times profile piece in September of 1992. If the dazzling décor of those two homes isn’t loud enough for you, we’ve also got an exclusive inside look at Lewis Ranch, the former Nesbit home of Jerry Lee Lewis. In our guided tour, Lewis’ son, Lee Lewis, shares the mythology, memories and musical history of “The Killer.” See our writeup on page 28. Speaking of history, this month’s featured place is Memphis’ Woodruff-Fontaine House. This towering mansion has been the subject of many tall tales locally and has even inspired a few ghost stories about mysterious happenings on the property. If the Victorian aesthetic excites you, take a look at our story on page 24. So from all of us to all of you: Thanks for reading. Be it ever so humble, there’s no book like Click.
Casey Hilder
Write To Us:
Email editor@myclickmag.com or send us a letter at Click Magazine P.O. Box 100, Hernando, MS 38632. 12 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
CLICK
PEOPLE, PARTIES, and PLACES
Co-Presidents Jonathan Pittman & Angie Pittman Publisher Dick Mathauer Editor Casey Hilder editor@myclickmag.com
COPY + FEATURES Contributing Writers Tess Catlett, Casey Hilder, Robert Lee Long, Andrea LeTard
ART & PHOTOGRAPHY Art Director Jennifer Leonard Corbin Ad Design Nick Howard Intern Morgan Robinson Contributing Photographers Frank Chin, Casey Hilder, Mike Lee
ADVERTISING Sales Director Lyla McAlexander 901.461.4861 lyla@dttclick.com Sheri Floyd 901.208.1828 sheri@dttclick.com Diana Vaughn-Linville 901.361.7661 diana@dttclick.com
HOW TO REACH US
2445 Hwy 51 South | Hernando, MS 38632 website: myclickmag.com Customer Service/Subscriptions: P: 662.429.6397 | F: 662.429.5229
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Call 662.429.6397 or subscribe online at myclickmag.com. Annual subscription rate: $32.95. Click Magazine is published 12 times a year. Postmaster: Send address changes to Click Magazine, 2445 Hwy. 51 South, Hernando, MS 38632. We make every effort to correct factual mistakes and omissions in a timely and candid manner. Information can be forwarded to Casey Hilder; Click Magazine, 2445 Hwy. 51 South, Hernando, MS 38632 or by email to editor@myclickmag.com.
SUBMIT YOUR EVENT
Interested in having your next party featured in Click Magazine? Submit your event by going to myclickmag.com or email us at events@myclickmag.com ©2016 P.H. Publishing. Click Magazine must give permission for any material contained herein to be reproduced in any manner. Any advertisements published in Click Magazine do not con stitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s services or products. Click Magazine is published monthly by P.H. Publishing, LLC.
myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 13
contributors
July 2017
Tess Catlett A Southaven native and recent graduate of University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, Catlett is a former intern for Click. An avid and tenacious writer, Catlett has been featured in various publications including Vox Magazine, The Columbia Missourian and The DeSoto TimesTribune. When not writing, Catlett enjoys binge watching underrated TV dramas.
Brian Anderson Various events and this month's featured homes were shot by local photographer B rian Anderson, a Memphis-based artist that started shooting professionally about six years ago and has been featured in Southern Living Magazine, Oxford American, MBQ and the St. Jude Gallery Collection, to name a few. He primarily focuses on concerts, with a focus on blues and old-fashioned Southern music, as well as the Mississippi delta and cityscapes.
Erica Horton A Southern-born freelance writer, Erica finished her BA in journalism at the University of Memphis. She enjoys hearing and telling a good story. When she’s not writing or reading, she watches journalism nerd movies and plays with her niece and nephew.
Robert Lee Long Robert Lee Long, a seventh-generation Mississippian, is a former correspondent for Public Radio in Mississippi, past contributing writer for Mississippi Magazine and a veteran newspaper editor and journalist. He and his wife Laura and daughter Annie make their home in North Mississippi, outside Hernando.
Andrea LeTard Andrea LeTard is a personal chef, cooking instructor, and creator of Andrea’s Cooktales, a recipe website and video series where there’s a story behind every recipe. Her recipes are what she calls “nextgeneration Southern” — fun and fresh with a modern twist using unexpected ingredients. Her recipes have been featured on The Today Show and she was chosen as a Top 100 contestant on MasterChef Season 6. She’s a regular cooking segment contributor on Local Memphis Live. Follow Andrea on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter or read her blog and watch her video series at AndreasCooktales.com.
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Tonya Thompson A Southern-born writer and editor, Thompson has spent most of her life between Nashville and the Mississippi Delta. Now, a contributing editor for Click, Thompson writes frequently on life in the South. Originally from Clarksville, Tennessee, Thompson enjoys vintage motorcycling and traveling with her husband and children.
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ARTS, CULTURE & PERSONALITIES
UP FRONT
Inspired Interiors The Central Gardens chateau of Click contributor and food blogger, Andrea LeTard Story by CASEY HILDER Photos by BRIAN ANDERSON & CASEY HILDER
PLACES p.24 | MUSIC p.28 | CAUSES p.34 myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 17
up front
people
F
For culinary maven Andrea LeTard, every dish has a story. That’s the basis of her food blog, Andrea’s Cooktales. The same could be said for every room of her shared four-bedroom, three-bathroom home in Midtown Memphis’ historic Central Gardens neighborhood. A Hernando native, LeTard settled in a little more than a year ago and has spent the bulk of that time entertaining guests, adding a bit of personal flair through decoration and repairing the home alongside her husband, Tres. She has been featured as a judge on the breakfast episode of Cooking Channel’s Big Bad BBQ Brawl, a frequent contributor to Local 24 cooking segments, as well as the mind behind some of the recipes for local clean-eating enterprise, Ultimate Foods. Her cooking influences include The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, as well as Italian Chef Giada De Laurentiis.
ENTRY
Visitors who step through the antique French doors of the LeTard home, built in 1928, are likely to be greeted by the tiny sentry of the home in the couple’s Brussells Griffon puppy, Rufus. The subdued cream-and-gray palette of the interior is accented by light, rustic floral throughout the house. Cattails, cotton stems and more add a touch of life in empty corners of the house and serve as a reflection of the Southern-born homeowner’s roots.
SITTING AREA
Any good home needs a reading nook, and the LeTard home is no exception. Light floral touches accent this cozy space, which is flanked with a book shelf stocked with an array of cookbooks and good reads. A nearby windows offers a wide view of nearby Peabody Avenue, perfect for people watching and scanning the streets for trick-ortreaters during Halloween — a favorite holiday in the LeTard household.
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KITCHEN
As a self-proclaimed “culinary journalist,” LeTard’s kitchen is an often-visited branch of the house. And it’s no surprise this space often doubles as both a testing lab for new dishes and office. “It’s kind of a family story,” she says of her interest in cooking. “About seven years ago, I inherited a family cookbook from my grandmother who lives in Coldwater, Mississippi. At the time, I didn’t cook at all, but began to notice that my entire family had contributed to this book in some way.” Her first recipe from the book, the well-kept family secret of holiday ravioli, was an ordeal. “I didn’t even have a rolling pin,” she says. “I had to use a wine bottle.” Andrea has since upgraded her kitchen area to include not just a rolling pin, but an assortment of cooking tools including a mixer and ceramic servingware. “I like to invite a lot of family friends over to try out new recipes,” she says.
FAMILY ROOM
The family room is where Andrea and Tres spend most of their time in the house. A towering pair of shelves stand sentinel over the room, showcasing photographic memories, family relics and some cleverly concealed storage spaces. Renovations removed the wall between the kitchens and the family room, allowing the nearby skylight to bathe the space between in natural light, perfect for shifting the mood from the “work space” of the kitchen to the relaxation space of the living room. “I really like the open floor plan here because it doesn’t feel like I’m closed off whenever I’m working in the kitchen, she says. myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 19
DINING ROOM
The dining room of the LeTard household is where Andrea showcases her cooking and entertaining skills, with countless meals served on the reclaimed wood table over the past year. Mismatched chandeliers throughout the house permeate the rustic, reclaimed vibe that reverberates from this room.
MASTER BEDROOM
The spacious master bedroom of Andrea and Tres showcases a fusion of the couple’s classical tastes while maintaining the modernized look and feel of the rest of the home. Converted luggage trunks serve as up-cycled nightstands on either side of the couple’s king-sized bed. “The luggage trunks in place of nightstands are kind of symbolic. We are big travelers, so it's a nice personal touch.”
20 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
ENTERTAINING ROOM
The LeTard home also boasts a “listening room,” featuring a selection of concert posters collected by Tres. A vintage record player fills out this decidedly minimalist corner of the upstairs area, offering the perfect acoustics to listen to classic rock tunes from the likes of The Rolling Stones, Gun N’ Roses and Jane’s Addiction.
myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 21
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662.536.3905 myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 23
up front
places
Carriages, Cotton & Art A brief history of the historic Woodruff-Fontaine House Story by ERICA HORTON | Photos by CASEY HILDER
THE FLOORS CREAK AND THE AIR IS still at the Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum. Restored in the early 1960s, and since filled with antique furniture and clothes, the staged 146-yearold home seems frozen in time. Ms. Rosemary, a volunteer since 1987, gives guided tours of the home. When asked what her favorite room of the three-story house is, she says, “I really like the downstairs.” Yet, during her hour-and-a-half long tour, she is able to tell visitors the smallest details, from the square nails in the original hardwood floors on the first level, to the purpose of matching chandeliers and the intricacies of a wax lamp on the second floor. Jennifer Cooper, Executive Director of the WoodruffFontaine House Museum, says it’s easy to fall in love with the 14,000-square-foot, three-story French Victorian mansion on 680 Adams Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. “I’ve been coming to this house since I was probably 10 years old. I never thought I would run it,” Cooper says. “Being here every day and getting to know the family history, dealing with the textiles and getting to see who donated them, researching about furniture and architecture, being hands-on and dealing with this time period is amazing.” The Woodruff-Fontaine House is one of what used to be 32 mansions in the neighborhood inhabited by affluent families in the city, contributing to the street’s nickname: Millionaire’s Row. Though the house is more than a century old, only two families ever lived there. Amos Woodruff, who was from Rahway, New Jersey, brought his carriage making business to Memphis in 1845 to further his business in the South. Business boomed, but his wife Phoebe hated living in the South and decided to go up North to stay for a while. Amos would visit her back and forth until finally, he promised to build her a mansion in Memphis if she would come back. 24 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
Phoebe agreed, so in 1870, Amos purchased the land for $12,600 and in 1871 had the house built for $40,000. Completed in a little under a year, the home boasts 16 fireplaces, 24 rooms, a basement that spans the entire length of the house, and a tower, which holds an additional two floors. “It’s Second Empire French Victorian style architecture, which is the most modern type of architecture in the mid-19th century,” Cooper says. “He wanted to show off his wealth, impress Phoebe, and get her to move back to Memphis. It’s rare to have this style in the South. Usually you see it along the East Coast and areas up North.” Amos’ lavish taste is evident in the small and grand details of the house. Rosemary pointed to and explained that the foyer moldings have small holes that once held jewels. When one steps further into the house, past the staircase and looks at the ceiling, one of many large chandeliers hang. The spiral staircase, tall windows, and a door with several signatures that opens to a brick wall, tell some of the many stories of the home. Four children and 12 years after moving into the home, the Woodruffs sold it to the Fontaines. The yellow fever epidemic that hit the City of Memphis affected Amos’ business. Cooper says there are no remaining Woodruff carriages to her knowledge in Memphis or in the country. Noland Fontaine came to Memphis in 1861 from Louisville, Kentucky when he was 21 years old. A clever man, he partnered with Napoleon Hill, who was the wealthiest man in Memphis at the time and together they created The High Cotton House of Hill, Fontaine & Co., a wholesale cotton and grocery business.
Virginia, Noland’s wife, was a local. They had nine children, of which seven lived to maturity. When Virginia died in 1928, family heirs didn’t want to keep the house any longer so they planned to sell it to a man that was going to make it an antique store. The deal fell through and it was sold to Rosa Lee, who lived next door. Rosa Lee ran an art school out of her home. She needed more space so she purchased the house and used it and the carriage house on the property for the James Lee Art Academy, where about 10,000 students attended for free. She died in 1936 and her director and best friend Florence McIntyre continued to run the art school in 1959. Rosa Lee deeded both of these houses to the City of Memphis under the condition it remain an art school. Once the school, now the Memphis College of Art in Overton Park, moved out of the Woodruff-Fontaine House the City of Memphis planned to tear it and the James-Lee House down until the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities (APTA) stepped in 1959 to save them. When the home reopened for tours, it was strictly for architectural admiration. However, donations started coming in from generous patrons to help stage the home. About 97 percent of all of the furniture, clothing, and decorations are donations all from the same era that the home was built. “We say good morning when we come in and good night when we leave,” she says. “I feel like the Woodruffs and the Fontaines are part of my family.” myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 25
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LOCAL • FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS
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INSIDE LEWIS RANCH Exploring the Nesbit, MS, Home with a ‘Killer’ View
D
Story by ROBERT LEE LONG | Photos by CASEY HILDER
DRIVING THROUGH THE BLACK, WROUGHT-IRON FRONT
gates of the Southern Colonial brick ranch-style abode of singer Jerry Lee Lewis, one feels more like a celebrity than a tourist. Envision a black stretch limousine with the likes of Kris Kristofferson or Johnny Cash stepping out in black, pointy cowboy boots and ambling up the brick walk to the front door of the rambling mansion “the Killer” called home. There were many visitors throughout the 44 years that Lewis lived inside these walls and to 30 year-old Lee Lewis, each one was special. It’s the house on Malone Road with the “killer view.” The fans are returning to the singer’s home after a hiatus of several years, and filing once more through the ranch’s gates, famously emblazoned with a silhouetted Baby Grand piano. The Jerry Lee Lewis Ranch on Malone Road has once again become a popular tourist destination. Lewis lives just down the road with his seventh wife Judith. At age 81, Lewis still plays several concert dates a year.
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Lee Lewis His son Lee Lewis, who grew up in the house, is the ranch’s caretaker. He lives just two minutes around the corner on Pleasant Hill Road. “I was born in Memphis but I spent the first 18 years of my life right here,” says the 30-year-old Lee Lewis, officially Jerry Lee Lewis, III, born in 1987. Sporting a yellow, fuzzy, jazz-style goatee, the affable, good-natured Lewis is more than just a friendly tour guide. He was a witness to musical history. He recalls late-night parties with a virtual “Who’s Who” of the music world before he, as a curious youngster, was ushered off to bed. “Kris Kristofferson has been out here — Kenny Rogers has been out there — Johnny Cash was out here a long time ago,” says Lee Lewis. “There are really too many to list. The thing about those guys is they connect on such a musical genius level. Dad tells a story that one time he was at Graceland and he was playing the piano there. Elvis wanted him to play ‘Come What May’ over and over and over.” The younger Lewis was also able to give insight into a man known for his raucous, rowdy, larger-than-life personality. “The Killer is a persona,” says Lee Lewis. “Granted, he is a Rock N’ Roller if there ever was one. At home, he is humble.” Lee Lewis paints his father as a private, introspective man, who, once off tour, would amble into the kitchen in his bathrobe for coffee and take his breakfast to his room. The 30 acres that comprise the Lewis Ranch afforded one of Rock N’ Roll’s most famous originators the privacy he desired. “It gave him stretching room,” says Lee Lewis, adding that Lewis fell in love with the rolling hills and tree-shaded property when he first set eyes on the ranch, way back in 1973. “From what he told me, he was driving around down here one day and noticed this place was for sale and he says ‘this is where I want to be.’ At the end of the day, this was always home,” says Lee Lewis. “I mean, he’s been married several times and moved around several times, but he’s always come back here,” the younger Lewis added. The home held a “soft opening” for tours in April myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 29
30 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
and tours are slated during the week, upon request, now at $30 per person. Walking through the home is almost like taking a trip inside a time capsule — with blue shag carpet that is. “We have his Million-Dollar Quartet Gold record and his other gold records, his awards, his show clothes from the 50s and 60s,” Lewis says. “The fact he hung on to all these things is a testament to him.” “His troubles with the IRS are well documented,” Lewis says. “I was here when they came in and tagged everything.” Yet, Jerry Lee Lewis was able to hang on to some of the most intimate and personal memorabilia. His got his old, upright piano back from the IRS and it never stays out of his sight. The singer has possession of it in his new home. Yet, the spirit of the Killer has never left. “Everything in the kitchen is original — except for the bar top and the sink,” Lee Lewis says of the intimate, almost tiny kitchen, just off the garage. “I was about five when they put the wallpaper in,” says Lee Lewis. In Jerry Lee Lewis’ own handwriting is a small chalkboard on the kitchen wall, scrawled in Lewis’ neat cursive. He has left a note saying he misses his “big dogs” and urges visitors in the house to “pray.” He signs off his note with the word “peace,” and underneath it, a hand-drawn peace sign from the 60s. “Daddy is religious,” Lee Lewis says, rather matter-of-factly. “He did go to Bible College down in Waxahatchie, he says that he didn’t get expelled but he got thrown out for playing ‘My God Is Real’ boogie-woogie style. It was all that left-hand work on a piano that got
him thrown out.” Fans of Lewis, whose hits like “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lot of Shaking Going On,” skyrocketed up the music charts in the late 1950s, have never forgotten the rockabilly singer from Ferriday, La. Parked high on a bluff overlooking the man-made lake that Lewis frequented on his jet ski, his cream yellow 1990 Cornish Rolls Royce gleams in the early morning sunlight. There are other relics nearby. A vintage 1960s Coca-Cola machine dispenses Lewis’ favorite beverage. A walk inside the “Killer’s” kitchen, reveals Coca-Cola themed wallpaper. Kitchen appliances also date from the 60s. In the den just off the patio and a few steps
His saddle, a framed fringe-jacket — the one worn in a duet with Dottie West — are on display, along with several pianos. “Aunt Linda and dad played 'You Are My Sunshine’ for the Last Man Standing CD in 2012 on this one,” says Lee Lewis. In the front parlor, near an ornate white upholstered French-style couch with gold-gilt legs that graced an album cover, is a 1970 Wurlitzer electric piano — the very first electric piano that Jerry Lee Lewis ever owned. Even unplugged, the piano still emits an eerie, almost otherworldly tone. The ghost of a younger Jerry Lee Lewis still haunts the imagination of legions of fans who tour the house and grounds. One imagines the long-maned singer with his curly, blond ringlets pounding the ivories and kicking over a piano stool on the silent, dark 60s model black-and-white Silvertone cabinetstyle television set, positioned underneath a window. The curtains are drawn, casting the room in a pall of mid-morning twilight. The curtains, it seems, are more than just sheer, musty fabric. They hang suspended above the old television like a veil separating this world from a long ago one that exists only in memory. In fact, the entire home is like stepping back through a time machine. Lewis bought the home in 1973 and the home still reflects that era, with its blue crush shag carpet, glittering chandelier and famed photographs lining the hallways. “The blue carpet is definitely original,” says Lee Lewis. “It’s like stepping on a cloud. Dad says he bought the chandelier in
“From what he told me, he was driving around down here one day and noticed this place was for sale and he says ‘this is where I want to be.’ At the end of the day, this is home.” from the famous piano-shaped swimming pool where the legendary singer entertained friends and family, a pinball machine stands against a wall. “Dude, from the time I could play a pinball machine, I was playing it on this one right here,” says Lee Lewis, with a wide grin. Inside the home is a collection of the singer’s snazzy, sporty shirts, suits, boots and shoes, which includes a gold pair. “Dad has always had style,” Lee Lewis says, as he holds up a silk shirt from his father’s colorful and eclectic wardrobe.
‘75. This chair was reupholstered within the last 15 years,” Lewis says, pointing to a favorite arm chair enjoyed by his father in the front parlor. It was starting to show a little age.” Lewis himself shows no signs of slowing down.“He’s 81 now — he turns 82 this year — and he just played the Stagecoach Music Festival to about 100,000 people in ninetydegree weather,” Lee Lewis says with an incredulous stare. “Willie Nelson actually has a song written about him that he outpaces the normal man.” myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 31
Lee Lewis suddenly switches the conversation from his father’s music concert tours to the tours he now conducts at the Lewis Ranch. There are personal touches throughout the house. Inside the front entrance, Lewis’ collection of meerschaum pipes sit on a gold leaf, lacquered hotel room desk from the old Peabody Sheraton Hotel in the 1980s. The hotel was being renovated at the time and it’s thought to be a gift from the hotel management, finding its way to 1595 Malone Road. “They thought Daddy would like to have it,” Lee Lewis says. Lewis’ gold records from the Sun Recording Studio days and autographed photos, including a personal note from Kristofferson, greet visitors in the entrance foyer. A framed photo of Lewis’ beloved pet chihuahuas, Topaz and Diamond, smile back at fans. A flag presented to Lewis from NASA hangs proudly on the wall. The flag flew on the moon. Lewis holds the distinction of having his music blared back to earth from the moon, one of the only musicians accorded that honor. Apparently, the manager of Lewis’ old rival and friend Johnny Cash leaked word that Cash’s music might be going to the moon. NASA didn’t like the leak and Jerry Lee Lewis’ music was destined for interstellar flight. Aside from extraterrestrial relics, there is memorabilia from Lewis’ younger days. The Victrola that once belonged to the singer’s parents from Ferriday, La. is included on the tour along with family photographs of “Papaw” Lewis, the singer’s grandfather and other family portraits. Outside a sliding glass door, Lee Lewis gestures towards the pool, which is in need of repair, and the lake where Jerry Lee Lewis famously broke his leg while jet skiing. “The lake is amazing,” says Lee Lewis. “He had it stocked right after he moved in here, with catfish, bream and crappie. He had a strict throwback policy, so I can tell you the fish are getting pretty big these days.” As the tour winds to a close, Lewis scratches his goatee, and remembers yet another story. It’s as if the walking tour of the house still elicits memories and stories from the younger Lewis. “That’s for another day,” Lee Lewis says with a broad smile. 32 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 33
up front
causes
New Ground Palmer Home’s Hernando location expands to provide service and support for underprivileged children Story by SARAH VAUGHAN | Photos courtesy of PALMER HOME
WHEN CHASITY AND HER SIBLINGS CAME TO
Palmer Home’s Hernando campus, the thought of graduation was far from her mind. Now she’s not only completed high school, but graduated Bellevue’s nursing school, enjoying a career as a nurse at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Chasity’s brother just earned his Associate’s Degree this spring, and her sister graduated high school and will be attending the University of Memphis in the fall. The story of Chasity and her siblings could have been a very different one. Every day, children are abused, neglected, and abandoned. Life can be a long and difficult journey with many roadblocks. For many underprivileged children around the country and in DeSoto County, Palmer Home has provided shelter, stability, and security, along with the education, healthcare, and love these children so desperately need. “What’s unique to Palmer Home is our approach to how we care for the children,” says Kellum Kim, Director of Marketing. “Each child is viewed using the whole child approach — physical, emotional, educational and spiritual. We have monthly reviews, called Whole Child Reviews, in which we gauge where each child is in each of those four categories and address areas where they are lacking with an action plan.” 34 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
Palmer Home’s greatest measure of success is the children themselves. Many have come to Palmer Home behind in school or with undiagnosed dyslexia and other learning disorders that have prevented them from completing high school, only to catch up several grade levels to graduate on time and to go to college or a trade school that allows them to become self-sustaining adults with gainful employment. Another child under Palmer Home’s care came to them with severe gaps in education and was not on track to graduate on time through no fault of her own. She took three math classes so she could graduate this year and is on her way to Northeast Community College in the fall.
“Abuse, neglect, abandonment, and poverty are colorblind,” says Kim. “They do not care about gender. These children were in situations where, for whatever reason, parents were unable to provide the stability that a child needs. The word orphanage has such a negative connotation to it. Palmer Home is different; we are caring for modern orphans. We are known for keeping siblings together. We’re not just providing a warm home; we’re providing family and stability and a plan to overcome their past instead of using their past as an excuse not to succeed.” “Those of us who live in comfort, we get to deny pieces of our story exists. These children don’t get to ignore their story,” says Drake Bassett, President Palmer Homes is able to rescue these children through a variety of ways, from court order placements to grandparents who fall ill or who are unable to provide for their grandchildren financially or otherwise. Since its founding in 1895, Palmer Home has served thousands of children. They have 102 in their care today, 72 in residential care at the Hernando and Columbus, Mississippi locations, and 30 who are in foster care under the Palmer Home ministry Jonah’s Journey. In 2016 alone, Palmer Home: • Served 145 children • Rescued 54 children • Educated 40 children at Palmer School (at the Columbus location) Recently, Palmer Home’s Hernando location expanded to include three new cottages that will house an additional 24 children. In addition to its previous three cottages, its total capacity is now 48 children, who will move into the new homes before the beginning of the next school year. Their Hernando location features stunning state-of-the-art homes on acres of land with a large lake and walking trails. A $10 million wellness center is also in the works. The center will serve as a community hub featuring on-site playground facilities, rooms for tutoring, a pool, and a fitness center. For those interested in contributing to Palmer Home, there are a variety of ways to invest in their endeavors. Monetary donations as well as toiletries and other needed items can be made by visiting www.palmerhome. org/donate. Members of the community are also welcome to visit the Hernando campus to learn more about Palmer Home. The organization welcomes individuals, churches, civic groups, schools, and businesses who are interested in seeing firsthand the work of Palmer Home. myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 35
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5th Annual Crawfish Music Festival Organized by the South Branch Lions Club, the annual crawfish music festival has been feeding the stomachs and souls of DeSoto County for the past five years. Each fest features live music by talented locals, all-you-can-eat crawfish, and a kid’s zone. Photos by MIKE LEE myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 39
out & about
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out & about
Linda & Witt Lucas
Mario Allen & Dishana Wright
Paula Shaw & Jennifer Jacobson
Mississippi Music Awards Throughout the year, the Mississippi Music Foundation works to bridge the gap between listener and artist by hosting educational events free of charge. From seminars to conferences, the Foundation is dedicated to connecting the community with its rich musical history, as well as celebrating its contemporaries. Photos by MIKE LEE
Paige & Phillip Hutcheson
Kristi & Jonathan Hall
Dynazia Sumlin, Tatiyona Thomas & Cateria Jackson
Awards This culminates at the annual Mississippi Music Awards. On May 6, these local artists were honored for their vast musical contributions:
Tommy & Kim Lucas
42 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
Best Mississippi Blues: Blues King Best Mississippi Country: Randy Reiter Best Mississippi Rock: Trilogy Best Mississippi Artist: Aaron Coker Best Mississippi ALT: Wilson Harris Best Mississippi Roots: Mississippi Stomp Song of the Year: Danny Ray’s “I Am Your Man” Lifetime Achievement Award: Jerry Lee Lewis
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out & about
18th Annual Golf Tournament Every year, DeSoto Dawgs, the DeSoto County Chapter of the Mississippi State University Alumni Association, hosts a golf tournament to benefit the MSU Alumni Scholarship Fund. Held at Cherokee Valley Golf Club, the 18th annual tourney was followed by a short program and award ceremony. Photos by MIKE LEE
Bobby McRee & Vernon Simpson Greg Perry, Stephen Fulton & Will Rice
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44 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
Durward Chamberlin, Gordon Burke & Russell Lee
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out & about
Southern Thunder Harley-Davidson
Bike Night
At Southern Thunder Harley-Davidson’s monthly Bike Night, attendees are invited to grab a plate of free food, crack open a cold one, and kick back to live music under the water tower stage. Local rockers No Control took the stage on May 19. Photos by MIKE LEE
Tonya & Shawn Kraft
Brian Myers & Wes King
Kelsey Simmons, Dakota Charles & Brandon Pollet
Calvin Maudlin, Johnny Green & Jim Little
46 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
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Junethea Williams & Dillon Barnes Jr.
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out & about
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Brussel's Bonsai Annual Rendezvous Every year, Bonsai hobbyists from across the country meet in Memphis to spend Memorial Day weekend with some of the world’s top Bonsai artists. The 2017 Rendezvous featured demonstrations, seminars, and more from: Marc Noelanders, Kathy Shaner, Rodney Clemons, Suthin Sukosolvisit, Mauro Stemberger, Mark Fields, and Pedro Moralis. Photos by MIKE LEE
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out & about
38th Annual
Blues Music Awards Although it’s based in Memphis, the Blues Foundation is committed to preserving blues music across the globe. Since 1980, the Foundation has served the community at large through scholarship, mentorship, and more. Every year, the Foundation hosts the Blues Music Awards and other flagship events to celebrate industry pioneers and introduce up-and-coming performers. Photos by MIKE LEE Jim & Karen Jackson
Glenn Michelson & Claudia Deming
Fabian Diaz & Cecilia Alexejew
Gilles Chabenat, Marc Glomeau & Tia Gouttebel
Tisha Bowden, Micki Free, Kata & Bro. Paul Brown
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Awards On May 11, the Foundation doled out awards in 24 different categories, including:
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52 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
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B. B. King Entertainer: Joe Bonamassa Best Emerging Artist Album: Jonn Del Toro Richardson’s Tengo Blues Rock Blues Album of the Year: Tedeschi Trucks Band’s Let Me Get By Traditional Blues Album: Lurrie Bell’s Can’t Shake This Feeling
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Blue and Gray Gala Presented by Jim and Natalie Meeks, the Blue and Gray Gala is a “blue-tie” affair benefitting University of Memphis athletics. Hosted at Shelby Farms Park, the gala looks back on the year’s accomplishments and celebrates the university’s outstanding student athletes. Photos by MIKE LEE Kim House & Jeff Morris
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Live at the Garden:
Summer Symphony Memphis Botanic Garden’s summer concert season kicked off Memorial Day weekend with a special orchestral event sponsored by Gossett-Audi. Mighty Souls Brass band provided pre-show entertainment, and La’Porsha Renae joined the Memphis Symphony Orchestra as the evening’s featured guest soloist. Photos by MIKE LEE Jamie Patterson
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keeper light OF THE
Light and airy, the once dark redwood-paneled interior of a handsome 1920s-era bungalow in historic Lombardy Place comes alive with the artwork and collection of its owner, Mary Mhoon Walker Story by Robert Lee Long | Photos by Brian Anderson
myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 63
S
Shadow and light are in constant play in the Memphis home of Mary Mhoon Walker, which she shared for nearly three decades with fellow photographer and her late husband Perry Walker. Known to most of Memphis and the art world as Mary Mhoon, her name reflects the lineage of a founding Tennessee family with Welsh, French and Basque roots. Metaphorically speaking, with its celestial connotation, it takes on an even more mystical meaning. But if her name conjures up the image of an Old World master, her style is decidedly avant garde. Mhoon made a headdress fashioned out of chicken feathers when she missed out purchasing an authentic ceremonial headdress at an art auction. “It worked on me so much, I decided to make one,” says Mhoon, a woman with an intense, almost studious gaze and pensive, searching eyes — the eyes of a landscape photographer whose terrain is often stark and spare, but imbued with a special luminosity that is, all at once, curiously enigmatic and strangely surreal. Mhoon’s home reflects her art and the world inside that she has created. Skylights let in soft, gauzy sunlight. The walls are the color of sun-bleached bone. Large windows give a glimpse of the vibrant, lush green gardens that envelop and almost completely engulf the home, nearly hidden from the street. “I needed light and air,” says Mhoon. “I stopped being a photographer some time ago, but I will tell you that the light is almost as important as the image.” Mhoon is straightforward about the renovation. The walls simply had to go. “It took a year and a half to pull out walls and extend them,” says Mhoon. “One of the things I insisted upon was that all of the walls would be made of wood, so I could nail something up and take something out without shrieking, ‘hole-in-the-wall!’ When you have sheetrock and wallpaper, you have to deal with that.” 64 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
Above The patina of well-worn Spanish leather adorns this MidCentury, Moderne Barcelona chair in the spacious living room, just off the foyer. Chairs in the spirit of Gustav Stickley are positioned conversational-style under a canopy of light.
There are no curtains in the entire house and that is purely by design, according to Mhoon. “People are shocked — I have one curtain in the house and that is in the bathroom,” says Mhoon. Even the yard that surrounds the house with its abundant foliage is a work of art. The leafy enclave is art in its truest, organic sense. Wiry tentacles of azaleas sprout from the yard like protective arms. “I planted everything,” says Mhoon, who sees the home and outdoor gardens as an extension of her art and an affinity for the natural world. The dense foliage is reminiscent of ancient oaks and elms that shielded and embraced Mhoon and her siblings while growing up in a stately Georgian mansion at Poplar and East Parkway North, several city blocks from the cloistered, tree-shaded Lombardy Place neighborhood which she now calls home. Stepping on sturdy oak floors, Mhoon greets her interloper, welcoming him warmly The Hernando Farmers Market DOUBLES SNAP into her home and out of a drenching rain. Fre$h Savings lets you buy more fruits and vegetables with your SNAP card. She is attired mostly in black, and explains Swipe your SNAP card for $5 get $10... Swipe your SNAP card for $10 get $20… that she will be soon attending the funeral of Swipe your SNAP card for $20 get $40 for more fruits and veggies. a family friend. There is a large variety of products available from local beef, pork, gulf-shrimp, The Hernando Farmers Market DOUBLES In a soft voice, Mhoon explains the interior milk, eggs, honey and lots of canned and bakedDOUBLES goods.SNAP SNAP The Hernando Farmers Market Check the “Hernando Farmers Market” Facebook page for updates! of the former hunting lodge was completely Fre$h Savings lets youSavings buy more and vegetables your SNAP card. Fre$h lets fruits you buy more fruits and with vegetables with your SNAP card. gutted shortly after the couple purchased the Swipe your SNAPSwipe cardyour for $5 get card $10... for $10 getfor $20… SNAP forSwipe $5 getyour $10...SNAP Swipe card your SNAP card $10 get $20… home in 1980. The couple decided to knock Fresh Savings lets buy more and your SNAP card $20 get fruits $40 forand more fruits and veggies. Swipe your SNAPSwipe card for you $20 get $40for for more fruits veggies. down walls and paint the redwood-paneled vegetable with your card. There a large SNAP variety of products available local beef, pork, gulf-shrimp, There is a large variety of is products available from local beef,from pork, gulf-shrimp, walls white, to the horror of some of the locals milk,lots eggs, honey andand lotsbaked of canned and baked goods. eggs, honey of$10...Swipe canned goods. Swipe yourmilk, SNAP care forand $5 get your SNAP Check themore “Hernando Farmers Facebook page for updates! who viewed the home as almost a shrine to card for $10the get $20 etc. for fruits andMarket” veggies. Check “Hernando Farmers Market” Facebook page for updates! the past. But Mhoon is adept at transforming icons into living, breathing works of art. She has mastered the art of deconstructing Visit market manager table and Buy $1 SNAP tokens to purchase Get FREE $1 match tokens to purchase swipe EBT/SNAP card. any SNAP eligible foods. additional fruits and vegetables. anything of pretense and artifice, and stripping them down to their pure marrow and natural essence. Known as Redwood Lodge, the home was formerly owned by Clarence Saunders, and Visit market manager table and Buy $1 SNAP tokens to purchase Get FREE $1 match tokens to purchase swipe EBT/SNAP card. any SNAP eligible foods. additional fruits and vegetables. its tranquil surroundings afforded an escape Visit market manager table and Buy $1 SNAP tokens to purchase Get FREE $1 match tokens to purchase for the Memphis supermarket chain multiswipe EBT/SNAP card. any SNAP eligible foods. additional fruits and vegetables. Hernando Senior Shuttle millionaire whose pink marbled mansion, Transportation Senior Activities Activities forfor seniors agesages 50 and FREE Free Transportation totoSenior seniors 50older and older dubbed the Pink Palace, draws thousands of tourists each year. WEEKLY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: In these more secluded environs, Mhoon Exercise Classes, Line Dancing, Lee Summit Park, Farmers Market and more! has amassed an art collection that would Hernando SeniorMONTHLY Shuttle rival any studio in New York, Memphis ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: FREE Transportation to Senior Activities for seniors ages 50Center and older or Paris, where her daughter Laetitia lives. Malco Theatre, Shephards and Young at Heart Luncheon Transforming the house to suit her taste Hernando Senior Shuttle and personal sense of style, its atmosphere FREE Transportation to Senior Activities forWEEKLY seniors&ages 50 and older MONTHLY SCHEDULES OR is spartan but evocative. Contradictions CALL TO SCHEDULE A RIDE 429-9092 abound in the life and work of the artist.
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The Senior Shuttle will pick-up and drop-off the senior at their home. Seniors can receive transportation in zip codes 38632 & 38651
myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 65
Left The warm, inviting kitchen of artist Mary Mhoon is furnished with an eclectic mix of furniture, including this simple, unvarnished pine table which she purchased at a flea market. Above These handcrafted garlands by Mhoon hang like wilted Queen Anne's lace. “Hey, I’m a Memphian,” says Mhoon. “Things cancel each other out constantly. Memphis is endlessly fascinating. I had a friend say to me once that anybody can make it in New York but in Memphis it’s impossible.” The struggle to be an artist in this Deep South city against the backdrop of continual racism and strife is a challenge, according to Mhoon. But the tension can also serve as a catalyst for an artist like Mhoon, who was once jailed for her stand on civil rights during the turbulent 1960s. “Memphis is fascinating because of the very real conflagration between black and white,” Mhoon says. “It’s almost hypnotic to me. I study it at almost level that I can.” Decorated boxes papered-over with old newspapers, are stacked one upon another and rest atop a battered, vintage suitcase, with seemingly an open invitation to unpack and explore their contents. Mhoon researched old newspaper articles, “ran them through the computer” and printed them, distressed and “antiqued them,” and covered the boxes with what looked like scraps of ancient manuscripts. “I slept on them and buried them in the yard to make them look old,” Mhoon says. Standing like a sentinel in a corner of the spacious, raised main gallery of the home is a prized piece of organic, abstract art, a 17foot cactus from Arizona which she and Walker legally purchased to become a part of their permanent collection. “To us, it looked like something that should have been in the Louvre,” Mhoon says admiringly. “I think it’s beautiful because it’s woven. We bought it off a nurseryman in Arizona. The nursery had a special license to sell dead stuff, so we bought it.” 66 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
The hand-carved statuary of a Mexican priest with its peeling paint, scarred face and flecked eyes stands by, ready to pronounce last rites on the cactus at a moment’s notice. The vaulted ceiling soars to more than 20 feet at its apex. The “bones” of the home arch upward and give the sensation of being suspended, almost floating on ever-rising platforms. Two staircases in the main room, as if the double helix of the home’s DNA, appear as if they have suddenly become disentwined, and wind separately to Mhoon’s studio on the upper left and her late husband’s on the right. There are objects of a primitive, ceremonial nature and religious expression throughout the home. Oddly enough to Mhoon, they are more of a curiosity, a fascination with the mystical superstitions of others than any innate, personal belief system. Still, these sacred objects have a strong allure. “I find the symbols of religion fascinating,” Mhoon says. “Such as the cross. It’s powerful. It’s a powerful symbol.” Mhoon is more of an active observer of the natural world than simply a curious spectator or impassioned curator of objets d’ art. “I like destroyed things,” Mhoon says as she caresses the wellworn Spanish leather of a vintage, Mid-Century Barcelona chair. Two other chairs, with simple, clean lines in the style of craftsman Gustav Stickley, are set in a conversational style. Rustic, with slight nicks and scars in the grains of the wood, the chairs evoke a certain charm and simple elegance. Mhoon, like her works of art, is a survivor, who has emerged after seven decades of an eventful life, with an inner grace, strength
and resonance. A mother of four grown children, a civil rights champion and a patron of the arts, Mhoon is a citizen of the world. “I spend at least two months abroad in all kinds of places,” Mhoon explains. There are echoes of the ancient Mayans among treasures and artifacts in her collection. She recounted a visit with husband Perry to rural Chiapas in southeast Mexico. “We stayed in a 17th-century convent and the Mayans would come out of the jungle,” Mhoon says. “They did not speak Spanish. The men and the women have the same hair and dress. The hair is black with their bangs straight. They wore a kind of tunic that comes down a little below the knee.” Religious icons from Portugal, Mexico and Russia adorn the walls of the dining room, which includes a built-in bookcase. In the adjoining bedroom, tortilla pans from rural Mexico fan out across the bedroom wall, constructed of French pine. Mhoon is a self-reflective and contemplative person. Books nearly spill out from the wrap-around bookshelves in a side reading room, just off the main entryway. It’s a spacious reading nook that looks out onto the gardens and street beyond. 68 JULY 2017 | myclickmag.com
Above Religious icons adorn the handsome dining room as more books await perusal. Below A favorite reading chair beckons a visitor to plop down for a “good read.”
Much like placing favorite books upon the shelf from a voluminous library, she amasses art and then pares down her collection to the very essence of what she chooses to create and display. Mhoon says her husband was more a minimalist whose eye saw the beauty of the primitive and often colloquial. “The New York Times pointed out my husband was more of a minimalist and I was more of a throw-it-all-on-the-wall person,” says Mhoon. The two artists, while true opposites, artistically speaking, were in perfect balance and in harmony with one another. There is a black-and-white photo of Perry Walker on the mantelpiece, one of two which were created by woodworker Steve Crump and “whacked to look old.” That rugged spirit and sense of raw emotional honesty that was a hallmark of Perry Walker’s life and art still pervades the home. Perry Walker is famous in art circles for the Saint Paul Spiritual Holy Temple, also known as Voodoo Village, the subject of at least one volume and a soonto-be-published book. The couple were at ease in the art world. Their home hosted the likes of fellow photographers William Eggleston, Murray Riss, William Christenberry and others. Handcrafted necklaces in the form of dried flower garlands hang on latticework like wilted Queen Anne’s lace in the morning sunlight against the backdrop of dripping rain outside. There is a certain fragility to the necklaces as they hang motionless, just waiting to be worn by some shaman or priestess. Our interview ends in Mhoon’s kitchen. We sit at a simple, unvarnished pine table which Mhoon purchased for $25. In the truest sense that Mhoon is a native Southerner, winding up in the kitchen is a perfect end to our conversation. It is always said that sooner or later, Southerners always wind up in the kitchen. The subject suddenly turns to wine and food. The rain has stopped. The sun breaks through the Memphis sky, sending ribbons of sunlight cascading down through the overhead skylights. For an artist like Mary Mhoon, the light never truly goes away. myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 69
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FRONT DOOR MORE
&
STORY AND PHOTOS BY CASEY HILDER
Your local home experts share insightful tips and industry trends myclickmag.com | JULY 2017 71
INTERIOR DESIGN Stacy McSpadden Chestnut Hall
Describe your personal style.
I would say I started out very traditional and Southern with lots of color, but as time has gone on, I’ve adopted a tone that we call “new traditional” here at the store, that still has lots of color, but cleaner lines. It’s still a traditional feel, so you can mix in your antiques and whatnot, but it has a bit of an updated look.
How do you determine what a room really needs?
It all comes down to the dimensions of a room and its purpose. If it’s a family room for gathering and watching TV, you know you’ll probably need heavy-duty upholstery that’s easy to take care of. If it’s a room that you won’t be spending as much time in, that aspect isn’t so important. If you have children or dogs, those details are definitely going to play into how you design your room.
What are some design trends for 2017?
Patterns: Taking the traditional aspects of design and reinvigorating it with fresh new patterns is big now. I just got back from market in April and I saw lots of florals, bigger patterns, and a use of color that we haven’t seen in the past four or five years. You’re still seeing some geometrics, but florals really stuck out the most. Colors: We’re definitely seeing a resurgence of red and other bold pops of color, which I love. We actually saw several red walls in the showrooms, something we haven’t seen in a while. So from the walls to the upholstery, it’s all about bold.
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Finishes: We’ve been seeing a real industrial look at market these past few years. Lots of metals with partially distressed wood, things like that. We’re not seeing that so much now, it’s more about the clean feel of pines and painted finishes. We’re still seeing lots of use of metal, but more like a pretty brass than the industrial look, for handles and drawers and things like that.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I look at Instagram and magazines like Traditional Home, House Beautiful and Architectural Digest. I like Lillian August, since she uses lots of color. We have several pieces from her on our floor at Chestnut Hall and it’s always fun to look at her showroom. I like her because she’s not afraid to use color at all.
How do you incorporate design choices that reflect a subject’s personality?
It all depends on what we’re working on. Sometimes I like to work out of my box with a style that I’m not really a huge fan of, because it’s a challenge. It may not be something that I’d put in my own home, but it’s always fun to work on something really different.
What’s one thing happening in modern design right now that you don’t like?
Probably anything overly minimal and ultra-contemporary. Sofas and chairs without a lot of cushioning and things that don’t look comfortable, that’s the opposite of my own style.
What do you tell someone working on a tight budget?
There’s a lot you can do without spending a lot of money. Sometimes it’s as simple as putting together a new floor plan. Something as simple as switching out the pillows on a good base sofa can really change the look of a room.
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FRONT DOOR & ENTRYWAY Emily Layson The Wooden Door What are some things I should keep in mind when decorating my front door and entryway?
Your front door and entry are the perfect places to add color and brighten things up. Even if you have a neutral color scheme in your home, your front entry should be bright and inviting. You can still be neutral and bright by adding a pop of white or yellow flowers to greenery.
What color schemes are in style this year?
Pinks and purples in different shades are big colors this year.
What’s a good year-round decoration style for my front entryway?
I love to decorate by using the colors and textures from nature. Any type of grapevine, moss, magnolia leaves, or cotton, with any pop of color is sure to last all year long and look great!
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Are there any general rules of thumb for curb appeal?
I would say a good rule of thumb would be to stick with a max of two bright colors, mixed with the neutrals. You can absolutely use all different colors, but choosing just two is a bit easier on the eye and has a larger impact on curb appeal. For a double door entry, I do think that each door should match. Buckets and baskets that hang are great for filling with seasonal flowers and greenery. These are much easier to change out seasonally than a wreath that has to be torn apart and re-made.
What are some ways to make your front door represent the rest of your house?
Pull in the same accent colors from the inside to the outside. Most homes have a few accent colors that can easily be carried into a wreath or basket.
HOME LIGHTING Pam Whitfield Magnolia Lighting What types of lighting go best in the following areas: the dining room, the den, the hallway, the bathroom.
A chandelier is typically the best light for a dining room. Recess lighting is often added for additional lighting or to focus on a specific piece of art or the center piece.
How can lighting affect the mood of a room?
The light level can affect the mood of any room. Bright light is functional and works well in kitchens, baths and other task areas. Layered lighting using lamps, recess lighting and overhead lighting can create a more intimate and inviting environment because the light levels can be controlled by the number of lights used at one time or using dimmers on any or all of the lighting can make a room seem more welcoming.
How can different styles of light fixture change the theme of a room’s decor?
Different styles of lighting can change the theme of the room simply by the design of the light itself. There are many option theme specific lighting. A light with antlers would certainly suggest a hunting theme, fixtures that are dainty in light whimsical colors might create a
theme for a little girl's room. Replacing a ceiling fan with a chandelier in a den or family room creates a more formal theme.Â
What do you generally want to be the brightest room in the house?
Most kitchen are the brightest rooms in the house simply because cooking and other task done in the kitchen require good light.
What are some current trends or big sellers in home lighting? Gold and chrome are some of the most current finish trends in lighting today. Metallic has made a huge comeback in residential lighting. Farmhouse/shabby chic is very popular, as well. Distressed woods with rustic metal are very popular. LED is a huge trend in lighting, whether it be replacing existing bulbs or purchasing fixtures with integrated LED diodes. The technology is making an impact on the way customers think about lighting selections. Magnolia Lighting is constantly trying to stay in touch with the current trends and technology in order to serve our customers well.
COUNTERTOPS & BATHROOM Kim Moore & Rob Whitlow Architectural Stoneworks What types of stone are best for kitchen counters?
Granite countertops are #1 on the “most wanted” list due to their durability and natural appearance. However, granite is not the only natural stone on the block. Another natural stone commonly used in kitchens is soapstone. Quartz is also a very popular choice. Quartz is a durable, man-made stone that comes in a wide variety of patterns and colors. The only downside of quartz is the burn temperature of 400 degrees, which is a little low.
What types of stone are best for bathroom counters?
Mostly the same as above, but we are seeing a trend with more quartz in bathrooms because it is so maintenance-free and offers a wide variety of solid colors to choose from.
What are some trending themes in countertop aesthetics this year?
Quartz with marble patterns, solid quartz in white, waterfall edges, reamless stainless sinks and anything gray or white.
What’s the best way to clean and maintain my countertop?
Natural stone is very easy to clean with dishwashing soap or natural stone cleaners. The only other maintenance is once-a-year sealing, which is easy to apply and hassle-free.
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THE POUR BLOOD ORANGE & BASIL MARGARITA Recipe by Serena Wolf
This delightful seasonal margarita is sweet-tart with a refreshing herbal sweetness, and a rather fetching shade of fuchsia. Yield: 1 cocktail
INGREDIENTS: · · · · ·
6 large basil leaves 3 ounces freshly squeezed blood orange juice 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice 2 ounces silver tequila Splash of club soda (optional)
For garnish: · Kosher or flaky salt for rimming the glass · Fresh basil · Blood orange rounds/slices
DIRECTIONS: 1. Start by rimming your cocktail glass. Sprinkle a little salt on a small plate. Moisten the rim of the glass with lime juice or water, and dip the rim in the salt. 2. In a cocktail shaker, gently muddle the basil leaves. Add the blood orange juice, lime juice, tequila, and a few ice cubes to the shaker. Shake vigorously. 3. Strain the margarita into the rimmed glass with ice. Garnish with fresh basil and blood orange rounds if you’re feeling fancy. Notes: If you have a sweet tooth, add a drizzle of honey or agave to your cocktail before shaking.
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