Nashville Interiors 2022 Vol. 34

Nashville Interiors

LIGHT THE WAY

CREATE VISIBLY DIFFERENT SPACES WITH LIGHTING THAT IS MORE THAN JUST AN AFTERTHOUGHT OF NEW-HOME AND RENOVATION DESIGN. A WEALTH OF FIXTURES AND OPTIONS LET EACH ROOM TELL ITS OWN STORY — AND THAT OF ITS OWNERS.

M C GILL

ANTHONY

Principal Clarinet, New York Philharmonic & Artistic Director, Music Advancement Program, The Juilliard School

JACKET IN: TUXEDO PARK GILLESPIE GREEN TIE IN: BILLIE OMBRE GREEN

Actress, Stage & Screen Founder, Curated by Krysta Rodriguez

Nashville Interiors T T Welcome Welcome

here is something so contradictory about paper that will never cease to fascinate me. As a material, it is so fragile. It can crumple and rip and tear, and it disintegrates when it gets wet.

But there is a finality to paper that can last lifetimes — when the pages of this magazine are printing, for example, anything we got wrong, anything we wish we had done differently or can’t believe we missed, is over. It’s done. It’s upsetting and frustrating, but it is a constant lesson to pay attention and to work hard to get it right the first time.

There are no do-overs with paper. No post-publishing edits. If this is how we are documenting facts and stories and history, getting it right is important.

You can run a correction, sure, but knowing you can’t just change something quickly online holds you to a different level of accountability. Knowing you are telling someone’s story in a way that can impact their business makes you sit up in bed at night in a panic, hoping you spelled their name correctly but knowing if you didn’t, prepress has already plated your pages and you can’t do anything about it now.

We believe in this idea of documenting things correctly. We are honored to be telling people’s stories, marking down on paper these moments in time, in these people’s lives and livelihoods, in Nashville. We love what we do, and we hope you love reading the stories of the people who make this city.

—Hollie Deese Publisher

VOL.34

Nashville Interiors

OWNER/PUBLISHER

Hollie Deese

DIGITAL MARKETING

Kim Samaroo

SALES DIRECTOR

Pam Harper

EDITORIAL DESIGN

Ginger Katz

ADVERTISING DESIGN

Mary Grace Gauerke

Tracey Starck

COPY EDITOR/ CONTENT MANAGER

Jennifer Goode Stevens, GoodeEdits.com

AD DESIGN

Tracey Stark

VIDEOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Ashley McIntosh

ARTS EDITOR

Robert Jones

VENUE EDITOR

Jim Myers

DISTRIBUTION

Whit Gilbert

CONTRIBUTORS

Reed Brown

MartyPaoletta

Sam Calderon

Allison Elefante

William DeShazer

Karen Parr-Moody

Nicki Pendleton Wood

Joe Morris

Pam Monaghan

Nashville Interiors is the premier building and design guide of Middle Tennessee. We feature regional master artisans, designers, architects, builders, artists, collectors and retailers, and we bring you news of the region’s trends in building, design and development. We also showcase the inspiring spaces of our area’s eclectic group of residents.

Nashville Interiors is published by Deese Media LLC. It has continuously been in print since 2000.

All editorial and photographic content is the sole property of Deese Media LLC and is not to be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission of the publisher.

Nashville Interiors is available at select locations and events. For information on where to find a copy, receive an advertising rate sheet, request content reprints, suggest story ideas or notify with website or social media issues, contact Hollie Deese, hollie@nashvilleinteriors.com

ON THE COVER

Designer Aimee Lee Kinssies worked with the team at Circa Lighting to ensure that all the spaces that make a home, built with intention by the team at Leverick Homes, were lit in just the right way to showcase not just the design, but the moments and memories that would take place there. Photo by Allison Elefante.

Nashville Interiors

CONTRIBUTORS

ROBERT JONES | ARTS EDITOR

Robert Jones founded Overton Arts in 2018 with the goal of creating a picture frame shop that emphasizes community engagement by embracing nonprofit arts initiatives and programming. Overton Arts combines a traditional workshop with an art studio to provide clients with not just a transactional relationship, but a connection to the wider arts community. In 2020, Overton Arts donated $2,500 to Gideon’s Army in support of their ongoing efforts to use restorative justice programs to build resilient kids and healthy communities. Last year he sponsored the Just Us program at The Oasis Center, which provided LGBTQ+ youth with a liberating space to be authentic and celebrate the fluidity of identity, to help reach their full potential.

WILLIAM DESHAZER | PHOTOGRAPHER

William Deshazer is an editorial and commercial photographer based in Nashville. He spent 12 years working at various newspapers, including Memphis’ Commercial Appeal and the Chicago Tribune. He’s a regular contributor to The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. His work has appeared in magazines like National Geographic, Golfweek, ESPN The Magazine, Runner’s World and O, The Oprah Magazine. His interior photography has been used by Holiday Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Davis Jewelers. William has been recognized by Photographer of the Year International and the National Press Photographers Association. When not taking pictures, William is either writing music or exploring locally and beyond with his wife.

NICKI PENDLETON WOOD | WRITER

Nicki Pendleton Wood is a serial reupholsterer of furniture and has a very odd collection of lamps and light fixtures. She recently moved from her overgrown cottage after 24 years and now has her first tray ceiling. Her most cherished pieces of furniture are two early 18th century English card tables, a pair of Danish Mid-Mod benches and bookcases made by each of her grandfathers. Her favorite art is four miniature portraits on currency by Nashville artist Joseph Love, aka doughjoe. Her three-decade writing career has included journalism, feature writing, nonfiction and marketing copy in food and dining, health care, lifestyle and more. She has written or edited (so far) nearly 100 cookbooks along with history books, coffee table books and pictoral essay volumes. She’s a Nashville native and a mammographer. She loves board games.

ASHLEY MCINTOSH | VIDEO

Ashley McIntosh is a recent graduate of Nossi College of Art in Madison, with a bachelor’s degree in videography and film. Ashley got her start after borrowing her first camera from a friend. A one-woman show, Ashley now acts as her own director, camerawoman and editor, collaborating with her subjects to bring their ideas to life in a new way. She plans, shoots and edits videos for the Nashville Interiors YouTube channel while also producing content for a number of other music and lifestyle clients.

Nashville Interiors

CONTRIBUTORS

KAREN PARR-MOODY | WRITER

Award-winning writer Karen Parr-Moody has been a top journalist for the past two decades. She began her career as a New York City journalist for the fashion newspaper Women’s Wear Daily, where she wrote about fashion designers and luxury goods. As a writer-at-large for InStyle magazine, she landed rare interviews with celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Natalie Portman, Heidi Klum and Sarah Jessica Parker. Since 2010, her features in Nashville magazines have chronicled fascinating details about the interior design, landscaping and architecture of the area’s finest homes. She also writes about antiques, land development, business, sustainability and health.

ALLISON ELEFANTE | PHOTOGRAPHER

Allison Elefante is a Nashville-based interior and architectural photographer, and her company, Ruby and Peach Photo, has become a mainstay with local designers, builders and artists in the industry. She is classically trained in photography and graduated from the Art Institute of Philadelphia. Allison developed a passion for interiors over the past several years and is genuinely excited when she walks into the rooms of her clients. Her work is widely published on social media and in local magazines, and she has shot several covers for Nashville Interiors. When she isn’t behind the camera, she enjoys time at home with her husband and three young children.

Redend Point SW 9081

Redend Point is a nourishing and intriguing hue inspired by the deep care we feel for our communities, our connections and our crafts. It is subtle, warm and restorative, suitable in commercial or residential spaces where mind and soul can relax and be refreshed.

Explore the 2023 Color of the Year at swcoty.com/designer

NASHVILLEINTERIORS | 2022 Vol. 34

©2022 The Sherwin-Williams Company.

CONTENTS Nashville Interiors

SPOTLIGHT:

MAKING A MASTERPIECE

CHINN

FEATURED FINDS

ALL THE THINGS WE CAN’T SAY “NO” TO RIGHT NOW

Bedding like the kind at the fanciest hotel is always the goal, and Sobel Westex definitely delivers, with carefully crafted, luxurious yet affordable hotel-quality linens, pillows, bedding, towels and more. Featured in more than 8,500 hotels, the 100% cotton jacquard five-piece bedding collection features a stately 2-inch stripe pattern and reverses to a petite elegant diamond pattern reminiscent of classic Italian ironwork. sobelathome.com

Delta Children has partnered with The Gap for the first-ever babyGap-branded nursery furniture and baby gear collection in the U.S. In a partnership that leverages the strengths of both brands, the companies share a commitment to delivering highquality, elevated and versatile products to parents across the country in a classic American style that meets the needs of onthe-go families. “Our new collection allows us to continue providing families with a diverse range of baby and kids products to meet their ever-changing needs and evolving styles,” said Joseph Shamie, president of Delta Children. gap.com, deltachildren.com and amazon.com

Say goodbye to boring block soaps and say hello to new sculptural soaps by Netherlands designer Lex Pott. These knot-shaped soaps aren’t just sculptural, they’re also ergonomic. Handmade with natural ingredients in the Netherlands, each soap comes in a beautifully designed box for easy gifting. $24 at 54celsius.com

The latest collection from Brett Designs Wallpaper is simultaneously subtle and vibrant, uniquely inspired by everyday objects — from the mark of a wet bottle on paper to paintings by Amy Silliman and even Amazon boxes. Customizable in scale and color through Cloth & Kind, clothandkind.com

A home bar that’s primed and ready for cocktail hour is something that will never go out of style in Nashville. And with party season fully in swing, Neville Johnson’s latest fitted home bar is the perfect solution to adding a dedicated drinking space with serious Gatsby vibes that has already found fans in celebrities like Cameron Diaz and Salma Hayek. The bar features open shelving with mirrored back panels and ambient downlighting, with closed Shaker-style cabinetry that has been incorporated to conceal anything unsightly. nevillejohnson.co.uk

Beautify a table and enhance every culinary experience — one plate, one bowl and one dish at a time with Stone+Lain pieces made of porcelain, china and stone. Offering highquality tableware that’s also highly affordable, Stone+Lain believes that a formal or casual table moment should be priceless, not pricey. From dreamy, marbled designs to sleek minimalist motifs, there is a set for every table. Search for Stone+Lain on amazon.com.

The return of the Barwell Collection, Soho Home’s signature crystal glassware collection, gives everyone a taste of the club’s high-quality crystal just in time for the holidays. Shop from decanters, ice buckets, wine glasses, brandy glasses, martini shakers and champagne coupes, all etched from SoHo’s signature cut crystal at the historic Rogaška Glassworks factory in Slovenia. Just in time for the holidays, the collection makes for a perfect gift or for hosting an epic soiree. sohohome.com

Aside from how stunning the custom designer pieces from Julie Dasher Rugs are, we also love the work the company does to improve labor practices in the traditional, centuries-old international rugmaking industry — forging direct relationships with women weavers around the world to help better their lives and the lives of their families. “Our goal is to hire women weavers and purchase their rugs directly from them, eliminating unnecessary brokers and their exorbitant markups in the supply chain,” Dasher says. “This places more money in the hands of the women actually doing the work.” juliedasherrugs.com, contact designer for pricing

Made in the USA, Modular Closets are DIY organizational units that you can order online and custom mix and match to meet your exact organizational needs for a space, room or closet. It can be as simple as a file organizer to as complex as a full closet redesign — or even adding a closet to a space where there was none before. There are plenty of la carte accessories to add, too, like pull-out hampers and baskets, closet valet, scarf rack, belt rack, tie rack or a jewelry tray.

modularclosets.com

BRING

The experts at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery are here to help create a home that’s as extraordinary as you are. Any project, any style, any dream—bring your inspiration to fruition at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery. Visit fergusonshowrooms.com to discover more and find your nearest showroom.

Finnian Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet

From Historic Remodels to High-Rise Buildouts.

For the last 30 years, our design process has helped homeowners create and execute ambitious plans in virtually all segments of construction — from residential additions and remodeling to new home construction and custom building. As Nashville has grown out (and up), so have we. We now also specialize in custom high-rise buildouts. No matter the project, our dedication to quality remains steadfast. Our expectations have always been high because we know it’s our job to exceed yours.

lot must come together to create the perfect living space. Whether it’s a renovation or new-home build, attention must be paid to everything from layout to landscaping. One common factor in every room, as well as the exterior, is lighting.

In the past, that has often meant floodlights out front (on timers or motion detectors, if you’re feeling fancy) and a mix of ceiling fixtures — maybe some track lighting, a couple of recessed cans and a table lamp here and there for a splash of color. No more.

Now lighting offers a way to customize each space, and that’s more than different types of bulbs and the ability to automate on/off capabilities. Designers work with architects, builders and homeowners up front to create lighting palettes that augment the home’s design in both clear and subtle ways. The result is a property that is worth seeing in every sense of the word.

“When we get involved with a designer or builder, we’ll typically start with the architectural lighting, everything inside the ceilings to LED tape and under-cabinet, and then

Circa Lighting of Nashville specializes in working with all aspects of planning and design of the lighting for their clients’ projects.

move to the decorating lighting phases,” explains Gena Dorminey, business development specialist with Circa Lighting, which was founded by Gale Singer in 1998 to change the way lighting was sold. The business is now becoming Visual Comfort & Co. as he and brother Andy Singer unify their companies.

Working with a full-service provider has many benefits, not least of which is having someone with strong experience in lighting on hand for live and virtual meetings to discuss options.

“We are a full-service provider, so it’s not just shopping online or placing an order. We meet with everyone in our showroom to walk through selections and guide them through the process,” Dorminey says. “We’re not just out to sell lights to you — we want to be there from the project’s beginning to its end. We often get involved before people break ground, and we can do very detailed programs that include many different types of lighting to meet specifications. From lighting and bulbs to warehousing, we can provide it all.”

CREATING A UNIFYING THEME, NOT A COOKIE-CUTTER TEMPLATE

Circa’s ability to provide turnkey services is why interior designer Aimee L. Kinssies has collaborated with them on 10 homes and counting. As she works to give interiors a unique look, preferably ones she hasn’t used before, she says having lots of options is essential.

“The quality, the unique looks and all the designer collections they have is a huge plus for me,” Kinssies says. “The way they work with designers is amazing, from dropping in some specs on the website and getting options to going into the showroom and seeing what those look like. It’s very easy to source from them.”

She recently teamed with Circa and Leverick Homes, a Nashville-area team that has been designing, renovating and building homes since 2012, on a new property that’s coming to market. She worked with Burton Electric on the installation.

“This house is a combination of modern and timeless fixtures, because I wanted them to feel proportionate to the rooms they are in,” she says.

A “dream team” of Aimee Kinssies, Circa Lighting, Leverick Homes and Burton Electric recently collaborated on a new build to show every part of the project in the best possible light.

“I wanted to mix different finishes, from matte black to brass, elements that are my go-to’s but also create a lot of interest. Lighting is the jewelry of the house, and so it’s important that it be interesting as well as functional. People hire a designer for a reason, and that’s because whether it’s a builder or homeowner, they want a unique look.”

Leverick Homes co-owner Ali Daher agrees, adding that “We don’t just grab lighting off the shelf at Home Depot. We work with a lot of people who are artists at what they do, and that’s why each of our homes is unique.”

Daher also agrees with Kinssies on the notion of lighting as jewelry, or “bling.”

Ali Daher, left, and Jeremiah Pierce of Leverick Homes collaborated on this new build and are enthusiastic and mindful about the role lighting plays in a homeowner’s overall experience.

Aimee Kinssies worked to pull all kinds of influences together to create the perfect mix in this recent new build.

“Each individual room needs lighting that ties into the space, and creates the right mix of light and shadow,” he says. “It needs to be right for the room, not just stuck in there so people can see their way around.”

Kinssies describes this most recent Leverick collaboration, which is a custom-built spec home, as an opportunity to work with the entire development team to create a space for a specific buyer in mind. In this case, she says, most likely professionals from their 30s to 50s who are after that mix of classical and more modern. Chances are, those buyers will like what they see, Circa’s Dorminey says.

“Aimee strived to create a universally modern feel and also brought in lots of Old World charm,” she says. “’The space feels very European, very inhabited by someone who’s not super-traditional, but also not super-contemporary or modern either. It’s a great mix of fixtures.” NI

SHOULD BE A LUXURY EXPERIENCE BUILDING A LUXURY HOME

Working with Legend Homes was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made! The decision to build from the ground up can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time and during a pandemic. The Legend team never missed a beat; they made the process so easy and fun with no delays. They are trustworthy, collaborative and their weekly communication updates through the app and throughout the process were superb. They were always available to answer questions and provide great advice even after we closed. We are so grateful for their team and our dream home. We would highly recommend Legend Homes to anyone considering building a new home in Middle TN.

Amanda & Kevin

Prices beginning at $1+ Million

For more information visit: livealegend.com

BY KAREN PARR-MOODY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY REED BROWN AND MARTY PAOLETTA

This stunning kitchen is in the Legend Home entry in the Parade. Collaborators were Studio 36 Design and Jack Herr Designs.

The Home Builders Association of Middle Tennessee’s 2022 Parade of Homes, sponsored by Pinnacle Financial Partners, happened 60 years after the first Homearama, a self-guided tour of cutting-edge homes put on by the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati in 1962. The tour tradition has continued across America ever since and has been embraced by professional groups such as the HBAMT, whose recent iteration was a showstopper.

The event occurred from Oct. 8 to Oct. 23 in Rosebrooke, Brentwood’s newest luxury residential development, and featured six stylishly decorated and landscaped homes. Located off Sunset Road, the 150-plus picturesque acres became the Rosebrooke community through a partnership between CPS Land and Ford Classic Homes.

With home prices ranging from $2 million to $7 million, Rosebrooke claimed the highest average price per home recorded for the regional Parade of Homes. Rosebrooke is an oasis of tree-lined sidewalks winding through a charming neighborhood plan, and it boasts such amenities as adult and children’s pools, a clubhouse, an event lawn, and walking and biking trails. Some of Tennessee’s best builders led the homebuilding teams for the six properties: Brian Sipple of Sipple Homes, Thomas Edmondson of Ford Classic Homes, Paul Huff of Stonegate Homes, Keith Schumacher of Schumacher Homes, Andy Ferguson of Legend Homes, and John Zelenak of Aspen Construction.

Top: The private study in the Sipple Homes contribution to the Parade combines French influences with Southern elegance. Collaborators were LRK and Providence Interiors. Above: Stonegate Homes contributed this 10,000-squarefoot stunner to the 2022 Parade of Homes, sponsored by Pinnacle Financial Partners. Collaborators were Julie McCoy Interiors and Southern Land Company.

The Pinnacle Financial Partners 2022 Parade of Homes provided visitors with scads of information about renovations and redecorating — perfect for everyone, even if they aren’t seeking a mansion in Rosebrooke’s tree-lined utopia. The event allowed everyone to discover new trends in decorating, construction, appliances, home products and services.

Each Rosebrooke home celebrated the barefoot luxury of enjoying one’s hospitable abode. The houses, decorated to reflect the latest trends, embodied the best in architectural design, finishes, technology and artistry.

Sipple Homes’ five-bedroom, eight-bathroom home features a custom-built curved staircase, a formal dining room with a walk-in wine room, a private study with detailed millwork and the main bedroom suite with a sitting room and separate wardrobe closets.

“It is a classic, timeless design,” Brian Sipple says of his company’s French-European home. “Guests had a real appreciation for the timeless architecture of the home.”

Sipple says the home includes many design ideas homeowners can replicate — precisely, Sipple says, his team’s house features a desirable color palette.

“Guests will likely implement many of the color schemes we had in the home,” he says. “We used warm white colors with warm, soft blues that make our spaces feel elegant and comfortable.”

Interior designers for the event included Julie McCoy for Stonegate Homes, Autumnflora Miklich of Bella Vita Interiors for Ford Classic Homes, Lisa Biggers of J.J. Ashley’s for Schumacher Homes, Stephanie Handley of Studio 36 Design for Legend Homes, and Julie Brown of Providence Interiors and Alissa Sipple for Sipple Homes.

Chesney Ford, sales manager for Ford Classic Homes, says, “We saw a real appreciation and excitement from this year’s attendees for interior design, space planning and craftsmanship.”

Far right: The floor-to-ceiling Calacatta marble fireplace surround is a showstopper in the Parade’s Ford Classic home.

At right: Homes from Aspen Construction and Stonegate Homes were full of unique touches, both inside and outside.

Her company’s elegance-meets-comfort home was voted “Most Livable.” It also won “Best Outdoor Living” for a party-worthy space with a wood-burning fireplace, kitchen with grilling station, inground pool, spa, cabana and firepit area. The home served up several courses of drama, from the great room’s motorized floor-toceiling draperies to the bonus room’s glass wall to a floor-to-ceiling fireplace surround made of polished Italian Calacatta marble.

In addition to the Ford Classic Homes’ entry being a showstopper, it struck the right balance, according to its interior designer Autumnflora Miklich of Bella Vita Interiors.

She says, “I received many comments on the slab fireplace wall and modern ceiling details, which can give a home a more modern flair without being over the top.”

Above and at right: Features of the Stonegate home and the Ford Classic home drew rave reviews from Parade attendees. Bella Vita Interiors worked with Ford Classic Homes.

Lisa Biggers of J.J. Ashley’s created the interiors for the Schumacher Homes’ estate, the only Contemporary-English Manor style in the event.

“We received endless compliments on the home’s symmetry and how it sits on the lot,” Biggers says. “It’s just like an English manor should be.” NI

This Schumacher home, priced at $7.2 million, encompasses 8,700 square feet. Collaborators were J.J. Ashley’s and Jack Herr Designs.

Dream Home

WITH JENNY CHAPMAN

Jenny Chapman has lived in the Nashville and Middle TN area for over 30 years and represents Buyers and Sellers. She has a love for real estate and is highly regarded by her clients and professionals in the field. She is well connected and actively involved in the community.

Jenny possesses the skill and the determination to guide your transaction to a successful conclusion. Contact Jenny today so she will walk alongside you on your next sale or purchase!

Benchmark Realty, LLC

131 Saundersville Road, Suite 130 Hendersonville, TN 37075

Mobile: 615-319-9838

Office: 615-991-4949

jennysellstn@gmail.com

jennychapman.benchmarkrealtytn.com

Artist Spotlight BEXX CHIN

BY ROBERT JONES PHOTOGRAPHY BY BEXX CHIN

As a nonbinary queer person growing up in Jackson, Tennessee, Bexx Chin used photography as more than just a creative outlet; it provided a means of escape from the world around them.

“When I was in middle school, I was really into taking pictures for platforms like Myspace. I had these grandiose ideas that just became more and more elaborate,” they say. “I began roping in my siblings and friends until it got to the point where I realized it meant something more to me than just internet clout.”

That passion would lead Chin to Nashville in 2013, where they studied photographic imaging and fine arts at the Art Institute of Tennessee. Chin’s experiences growing up in the South would play a prominent role in their graduating project, titled Cattywampus. “Cattywampus was about documenting queer youth in the South and trying to capture the surreal Southern mystical aura within that,” Chin says. “I think there is a degree of rebelliousness about being openly queer in the South. It’s a very punk-rock thing to do.”

They found the “scruffiness” in the queer community appealing and wanted to honor it.

“They were ready to protect themselves and the people they loved, and I really wanted my work to capture that edginess — to show the dirt under the fingernails as well as the crazy hair and style,” Chin says. “It felt like everything from my teenage years solidified into one album, which gave me the freedom I needed to close that chapter of my life and enter adulthood.”

Another of Chin’s previous projects pays tribute to survivors of sexual violence by exploring the difficulties they face on the path to selfhealing. The artist’s willingness to address uncomfortable subject

Bexx Chin’s work has grown in scale and ambition as the Jackson, Tennessee, native has gained experience in set design and costume. Their work is distinguished by its emphasis on world building as illustration of a narrative.

ARTISTS AND MAKERS

Over time, Chin’s work has grown in scale and ambition as they have gained experience in set design and costume, and it is distinguished by its emphasis on world building as illustration of a narrative.

“I go for things that are very cinematic,” Chin says. “It all starts with a narrative concept, and then I go about trying to figure out how to capture that story within a single scene. As I’ve grown, I’ve tried to build concepts that are more and more ridiculous, with lots of moving parts.

“I have to be mindful of being overtaken by the set. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I’ve learned to think very carefully about the role I want it to play within my work.”

In addition to their photographic work, Chin is currently managing the launch of TAY.st. Named using an abbreviation of its Taylor Street address, TAY.st is a community-driven cafe serving the visitors and tenants at the 100 Taylor Arts Collective in Germantown. The collective is also where Chin continues their artistic pursuits.

“The project I’m working on now is a personal exploration of hereditary diseases — specifically dementia. Dementia is something that both of my grandmothers suffer with, so this project is about recognizing and coming to terms with the likelihood that I may have to deal with that myself one day.

“It is something that I worry about personally, and I see this as a way to give those anxieties a home outside of my head. Beyond that, I want to find a way to visualize the experience of diseases that aren’t necessarily recognizable from the outside.”

Chin can be contacted for commissions through their website, bexxchin.com. NI

The artist’s willingness to address uncomfortable subject matter gives their work a sense of depth, while their skill behind the camera makes these subjects accessible to the casual observer.

MAKING A MASTERPIECE

A RESURGENCE IN WOODWORKING CONNECTS CRAFTSMEN WITH DESIGNERS SEEKING CUSTOM, UNIQUE PIECES

BY NICKI PENDLETON WOOD PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILLIAM DESHAZER

Woodworking is having a moment, and designers in Middle Tennessee are lining up for custom work from area woodworkers — bespoke tables and chairs, custom fireplaces and handsome reception desks — all for their discerning clients who want more than function. They want art.

But art can take time. And with the intensity of Nashville’s growth, it can be easy to forgo the artisans who actually “make” this city and all the infinite spaces within in favor of a fast-facsimile that is shipped overnight with instructions that, fingers crossed, make sense.

That isn’t heritage. Or artistry. And it certainly doesn’t have a story to tell.

From “statement” pieces to high-design collectibles, these area woodcrafters are turning out eyepopping pieces for restaurants, bars, homes and home offices. And they each have a story to tell.

COUPLE SCRAP PLAN, TRY SOMETHING NEW IN NASHVILLE M

att and Mandy Maynard had visited Nashville often from their home in Southfield, Connecticut. Though they loved it, moving here wasn’t the plan for the native New Englanders.

Their plan, in 2018, was to move into a Southfield house they’d bought out of bankruptcy and make it their forever home. They gutted it, remodeled it — and then sold it on a whim and headed to Tennessee.

Adjusting their path in life as needed wasn’t exactly new. That came during the 2008 housing crash when Matt’s career in new construction took a hit.

“We’d been running a pretty good size framing company — 40 to 50 houses — and the 2008 market crash ended that.”

He pivoted to remodeling instead, and then cabinetmaking, after realizing how much they were spending on work he had been doing since he was a child. His father was a home

builder and finish carpenter, so Maynard grew up with a hammer in his hand on job sites and spent summers learning everything he could about carpentry.

Their latest leap to full-time furniture production came during the Maynards’ own home makeover in their Nashville fixer-upper. Though Matt and Mandy shopped and shopped, they were unhappy with the quality of the pieces they saw.

“Every place you go to look at furniture now, whether it’s Ikea or a high-end place — everything feels like plastic. It’s all fake,” he explains.

They wanted beautiful pieces, but with four dogs they also needed sturdy. So Matt began making the pieces he couldn’t find, and Bark & Burl Woodworks was born.

The first piece Matt sold was a white oak dining table with bread board ends. Now he takes jobs big and small, and he works quickly.

Matt Maynard’s journey to starting Bark & Burl Woodworks got progressively specific — from framing to cabinetry to custom furniture. His goal is making the most of the beauty of the wood with all manner of tools and techniques.

“I try to turn out things fast as possible. I take on a mix of commercial and residential work. We have big commercial jobs, but we also do things like benches for residential homes.”

White ash is his favorite wood, he says. “You can get crazy beautiful grain and coloring. The open grain allows us to wire-brush pieces for a textured look. You can’t do that with maple.”

But he’ll work with any wood, especially if it has special meaning for the people who commission him.

“Someone came in today with a chunk of tree from their family vacation home to turn into a centerpiece.”

Maynard said he doesn’t necessarily have a defined look for his furniture building, but he lets the materials inspire each design.

“I buy a ton of lumber — if I see a piece I like, I buy it. I let it become what it becomes. I keep every defect — it really accentuates the piece and makes it feel alive.”

BARK & BURL WOODWORKS

1010 Fourth Ave. S. Nashville, TN 615-542-2396

barkandburlwoodworks.com

A MUSICIAN FINDS TRUTH IN MAKING

Kyle Levy’s early woodworking success embodied his handy side and his musical ambitions: He built his own drum set before moving to Nashville from the Midwest in 2013.

Things in Nashville went well — he and his band were nailing down a recording contract. To supplement his income, he started a handyman business called icanfixthatforyou.

He started it because, Levy says, “I’m from the Midwest.” His meaning is clear: Midwest values include being handy. “I grew up fixing things around the house.”

When he made simple tables for friends, it brought him joy. He has ADHD and depression “on a monumental level,” he says, and working at a joyful job was therapeutic.

Levy became choosy about taking on handyman jobs, eventually focusing on the ones that involved woodworking. He moved into the craft full-time, and in 2018 he established Broken Compass Woodworking.

Today he works with some of the area’s top designers, and his work was featured on the cover of the Summer 2022 issue of Nashville Interiors.

Whether it’s a white accent wall built for a stylish Nashville Airbnb or a redone fireplace mantel and cabinets in a Brentwood home, Levy’s designs are sleek and minimal. Except when they’re not, like the oversize reception desks he created for Blue Ridge Floors.

Or a complex design for a corner bar he recently completed in a Germantown

Kyle Levy of Broken Compass Woodworking guides a board to shape it for his next project.

kitchen. “It was a kind of weird corner of a room where walls zigzag,” Levy says. “The design is by Paige Williams Interior Design — very Mid-Century, with a really cool pattern on the front. The piece incorporates a woodpanel wine fridge. It was complex but turned out fantastic. It has a black quartz top and three floating shelves.”

It was a challenge, and surprisingly fun and fulfilling. Like working a puzzle. Or figuring out a piece of music.

As for materials, walnut is his favorite wood to work with. “I love the color. It’s hardwood, but it cuts like butter,” he says. “I love Mid-Century–inspired furniture, and a lot of that is walnut. Second to that is white oak. It’s very popular and hard to find right now in Middle Tennessee.”

And like so many makers, he’s found a community on Instagram, from clients to peers. “There are so many people ready to share their experiences, triumphs, failures and methods,” he says.NI

BROKEN COMPASS WOODWORKING

brokencompasswoodworking.com 419-487-0652 IG: @brokencompasswoodworking kyle@brokencompasswoodworking.com

ARTISTS AND MAKERS

Woodworker Alan Daigre refined his chair construction technique over the years until he found a way to make blocks of hardwoods yield to feel like leather to whoever’s taking a seat.

WORKING WOOD INTO ART A

lan Daigre’s chairs seem like an idea that someone should already have had. And maybe someone somewhere did. But here, in the Midsouth, that guy is Alan Daigre, and making flexible chairs of wirethreaded blocks is his signature.

He was mid-career as a clinical mental health professional when he randomly signed up for a woodworking class at Appalachian Center for Crafts in Smithville, Tennessee. “Absolutely changed my life,” he says. “It flipped a switch inside that I didn’t really know I had.”

In the five years it took to transition from social work to woodworking, Daigre (pronounced dayg) moved from producing ladderback “mule ear” chairs to his threaded-block chairs.

The economics of crafting drove him to combine a functional item with an innovative technique. He wanted to make furniture that people could use every day. But “to really get paid for my time, I needed something that got a little attention.”

Daigre is from Mississippi and was always drawn to rocking chairs. “We spent a lot of time on the front porch playing music, shelling peas, drinking beer.”

He tinkered with weaving chairs from rope, and although that wasn’t a big success, it did lead to his “one thing — one thing to be really good at.” And that was his chairs made from threaded blocks of wood.

The technique is simple but not easy: Each block is handled nine times to get the look he wants. Then a single steel cable laces through holes drilled in each block. “All those little pieces are individual blocks of wood, and all have two holes drilled through the middle. And we weave together those blocks through the frame of the chair.”

“The cables let the chair adjust to the shape of your body. It wiggles and adjusts to whatever body is sitting in chair. It’s almost like a leather chair because it all moves.”

Rocking chairs were pretty much all he made for about eight years. Many may have gotten

Shawn Massey works with Alan Daigre to help construct his signature threaded-block chairs.

acquainted with his work from his 2008 appearance on Tennessee Crossroads — and since, as the segment re-airs on occasion. Now Daigre makes office chairs, armchairs, barstools, dining chairs and footstools from his studio in Woodbury, Tennessee. Some chairs use just one wood color — natural variations produce a wave of subtle changes over the surface. Others mix up different woods for a playful harlequin pattern with the woods’ various colors and grains. And there are other, more elaborate finishes. In Middle Tennessee, the chairs are sold at Copper Fox in Leiper’s Fork. They also are available at Grovewood Gallery in Asheville, North Carolina, and Citywoods in Chicago. His chairs have been collected by former Vice President Al Gore and former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.

Dining chairs start at $1,500, and rockers start at $3,400. See more at alandaigredesigns.com. NI

Alan Daigre works magic on wood in his Cannon County studio and then sends his projects far afield to galleries and eager customers.

TRANSFORM THE WORLD FROM THE INSIDE OUT

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MAKERS TURN LEARNING CURVE INTO LONG GAME

Like so many newcomers to Nashville, Donny Fallgatter came to town with a plan to play music. But his career changed abruptly when his wife wanted a piece of West Elm furniture.

Fallgatter saw the price, got sticker shock and said, “I can make that.”

“And that’s how I started in woodworking,” he says.

Donny Fallgatter and Chandler Mitchell are Sawdust & Whiskey custom furniture.

When friends saw the stylish live-edge wooden table with hairpin legs, they wanted one. And just like that, Sawdust & Whiskey custom furniture was born.

Sometimes, Fallgatter says, he faced a short, steep learning curve — like when a chiropractor’s office ordered a dozen epoxy and wood stand-up desks. “I didn’t even know how to do epoxy,” he confides. “I watched videos.”

And sometimes it was about playing the long game. In 2011, the largest sugar maple tree in the state blew down in Chapel Hill, Tennessee. “The family kept the wood, except for one slab,” which they sold to a mill. Fallgatter discovered the slab and bought it. He sat on it for 12 years.

In those years, he focused on learning more about the craft. In addition to the YouTube videos, he turned to Instagram, where he found a community of other woodcrafters. He eventually began collaborating with Chandler Mitchell, who’s now his head of operations and design. Their collaboration turned into a synergy that “helped take it to the next level.”

Originally, their wood supply was from trees downed by storms — free wood is the best wood! Now he also sources from a Central American mill that focuses on sustainability. Maple burl is his favorite, since “it has so much character.”

And that historic maple slab finally found its highest calling — a table that Fallgatter and Mitchell made and took to this year’s Nashville Home Show. “We had it marked at $25,000 — it was the most expensive piece we had,” he says.

As minutes, hours and days of the show ticked by, the sugar maple slab table was still in their booth. “Then 30 minutes before the end of the home show, a guy came in,” Fallgatter says. “We told him the story of the wood. He knew the guy in the story AND he knew the tree! So he bought it. But it was hard to let it go because I’d had it 12 years.”

For now, it’s still at his shop, among many other gorgeous, glorious slabs of wood. If there’s any doubt about Fallgatter’s love for his materials, just check out his webpage. It’s shot after beauty shot of the hardwoods he’ll transform into furniture — while preserving the souls of their original trees.NI

SAWDUST & WHISKEY

Donny Fallgatter donny@sawdustandwhiskey.com 615-945-1710 sawdustandwhiskey.com

Sawdust & Whiskey does a lot of work with live-edge wood slabs, which brings the character of the trees in from the outdoors.

WOODWORKER FINDS ART IN FURNITURE’S FORMS

When Mark Whitley says he’s been doing cabinetry his whole life, he means it. “On my sixth birthday, I got a hammer — we had a little cabinet shop on our property. The first time I picked up a hammer and nail, it made sense to me.”

For some people, though, the hand of destiny must poke its finger into their faces more than once. “I went to college thinking I’d be a professor or minister,” he says.

He was headed to Vanderbilt Divinity School, but his path zagged a bit. (Whose hasn’t?) Whitley went back to what he grew up with — woodworking.

“It was then I discovered the art side of woodwork,” he says.

The wood Whitley most loves working with is Kentucky black walnut “for the way it carves and how tools interact with it.” Because it grows locally, it’s also sustainable, which is important to Whitley.

And he doesn’t follow any kind of pattern or sketch out his pieces; he can already see them, fully formed, in his head. Then he lets everything develop in real time at the workbench.

The art of that process is on full display in his distinctive “Twist” tables, with their whimsical interpretation of the space below the tabletop. The top is static, but the space below is all curves and swoops that are very un-table-like. He’s had a good run with those tables — particularly after

they were featured on A Craftsman’s Legacy on PBS in 2016. The commissions for them are still coming in.

Early on, though, it was craft shows like Kentucky Crafted, Craft Council, Smithsonian Craft and the University School craft fair in Nashville that got him a lot of exposure and business. “They were critical, really — the Kentucky Crafted market was 40% of my income,” he says.

He’s left the craft show circuit behind now, largely because he takes only about six projects a year. Almost all of those go to collectors.

His most recently completed project (at this writing) was challenging: two massive king-size canopy bed frames with tapering octagonal posts. The two colossal pieces took six months to make.

“They were extraordinarily difficult,” he says. “I’m one of the few shops that will take on a project like that.”

Next up is a bespoke 24-drawer apothecary cabinet, the second one he’s made in the past few years.

Geometrically, it’s the opposite of his tables: orderly and squared-up rather than soaring and expressive.

Whitley is always focused on his next project, but he still has the first thing he ever made — a chair constructed from boards that had been headed for the trash. So while his path has long since diverged from the ministry, he’s managed to keep a foot in the salvation business. NI

Mark Whitley, who takes about half a dozen woodworking commissions a year, likes to work in black walnut, for the feel of the wood and for its local character and sustainability.

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Someplace Special

DESIGNER TANYA HEMBREE INVESTS IN ACREAGE,

A VENUE AND A NEW TWIST IN HER CAREER

BY HOLLIE DEESE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM CALDERON AND LESLIE BROWN

They say life is made in the small moments, but sometimes it is more like life is made in the big decisions that are made in those small moments — in the kinds of choices that suddenly present themselves and you make a move. Or don’t.

When Tanya Hembree, interior designer and owner of Onyx + Alabaster in Franklin, was presented with an option she wasn’t even looking for, she just knew it was right. So she made her move.

“Dan and I were looking to potentially buy a rental property and had made an offer on something in

downtown Franklin about this time last year,” she says. Outbid by an all-cash buyer, Hembree and her husband widened their search beyond Columbia and, somehow in a residential search, a Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, venue on 36 acres popped up in her feed.

It caught her eye because it was about the same price as a small house in downtown Franklin. But more than that, it tugged at a dream that Hembree had long ago filed away, deep in the “maybe someday” category.

“In my heart of hearts, I’ve always wanted a venue because I love hospitality and gathering people and hosting.”

She could also see it being a sister business to her interior design services, offering full-service event planning and preparation, as well as giving her the space to serve so many more people than the coffee lounge in her retail space on the square in Franklin will allow.

They made an offer, it was accepted, and presto! Hembree, whose regular business was already operating at full

speed, was running a venue. Hembree spent the better part of a year renovating and designing the space, named Onyx Hall, taking her aesthetic of black and white and applying it to a traditional Tennessee barn setting.

She started by painting the barn all black. Then, she brought in some antique rugs and other soft touches.

“It is a standard country pole barn, all decked in wood finishes and barrels as lighting — super country,” she says. “Of course I liked that challenge, and I wanted to basically stick our brand’s style in the country.”

Now open, she has hosted a few gatherings and has booked her first wedding. She has availability, however, to host any number of events — from private dinner parties and fundraisers to family reunions and anniversaries.

Tanya Hembree of Franklin’s Onyx + Alabaster has poured time and energy into converting a Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, pole barn into an event venue — Onyx Hall — that reflects her brand aesthetics and broadens the capacity of her business.

The building can accommodate 175 seated at tables and more with other arrangements. She offers an all-inclusive plan customized to the guest, but she is also allowing outside vendors as she grows the hospitality part of her business. And as she gets to know the area.

“Until we found this property, we had never even heard of the city,” she says of Lawrenceburg. “It is a really sweet town, with an Amish community nearby. But you’re definitely seeing a lot of growth out this way too.”

Hembree talks about adding tiny living quarters on the property, which includes two creeks and a pond, and building something lasting for the community — and maybe for her family.

“We want it to be part of a legacy, whether that’s when we retire and want a simple life out that way or whether that’s handing it off to the kids. We really love it out there, and so we do want it to be long-term.” NI

PHOTOS: MARY PASTUH