Richmond magazine - January 2023

JANUARY

86

MAN IN MOTION

We spend a day in the life of Broadberry Entertainment’s Lucas Fritz. By Harry Kollatz Jr.

FINDING PEACE

A photographer finds community and calm in Charles City County

104

RICHMOND RESOLUTIONS

We highlight some o beat, intriguing or enlightening activities to while away the winter days.

By

Paula Peters Chambers; Images by Christopher “Puma” Smith

“THIS ISN’T A MURAL ANYMORE”

Murals tend to stay in one place — static images waiting to be seen and appreciated. Not this one.

Scot Crooker, chief content o cer at the Richmond-based Tilt Creative + Production marketing company, describes the moment that the project to honor Black-run newspaper The Richmond Planet with a mural began to grow beyond the outdoor wall of its Scott’s Addition studio this way: “Oh, this isn’t a mural anymore, is it? ere’s a big story here.”

What started as a collaboration between Tilt and artist Hamilton Glass grew, over the course of a year, to become “Birth of a Planet,” a 30-minute film about the influential newspaper.

e documentary, which premiered in June at the Richmond International Film Festival, will air in February on VPM. At its center is the Planet’s firebrand editor, John Mitchell Jr., who led the publication for 45 years, starting in 1884. e paper was 2 years old when Mitchell took over; he was just 21 years old. Under his guiding hand, the Planet was a daring counterbalance to established newspapers, which glossed over early Jim Crow racism and injustice that Mitchell knew well, having been born into slavery.

“Not being afraid to go where people say, ‘Don’t go,’ to uncover the truth of the story,” says director Sylvester Tucker, who is a senior producer at Tilt, “that, to me, at its heart, is what the whole documentary has been about.”

Mitchell became known as the “fighting editor,” arming himself with pistols as he published articles that shone a light on acts of brutality and the construction

of Confederate monuments.

In one incident covered in the documentary, Mitchell defied death threats to visit the site of an 1886 lynching in Charlo e County. In another, Mitchell wrote a pair of articles about an 1896 Essex County lynching, correcting coverage by other papers indicating both Black and white community members saw the punishment as fi ing. In doing so, the Planet gave a voice to those who’d long been denied one. e makers of “Birth of a Planet” were intentional about representation, as well. “Let’s try and tell the story through as clean a lens as possible,” Crooker says. “Let the people who own the story, in e ect, tell the story.” In addition to on-camera interviews with John Mitchell, great-great nephew of John Mitchell Jr., and descendants of Planet co-founder Albert V. Norrell, the documentary features narration from local rapper Daniel Jones.

As Tucker sees it, filmmaking is part of an unbroken oral tradition. “It’s just a way of us communicating information and passing on our story and our lineage to other

folks,” he says. “I’m a history major, and I love the aspect of telling a story. … When we get a chance to tell people our stories, you feel like, ‘Oh man, I’m not by myself.’”

“Birth of a Planet” was that proof of concept for Tilt. It’s the first film of its kind the company has made. e longest clip Crooker had created to that point was four minutes. “It was what you would call an organic process,” he says, adding with a laugh, “learned a lot.”

“Birth of a Planet” also reinforces Mitchell’s legacy in Richmond, which includes service on the Richmond City Council and the founding of the Mechanics Savings Bank, in addition to his work as an editor. “You’ll go around this town,” Tucker notes, “and you’ll see street signs, you’ll see murals of John Mitchell Jr., but no one knows who John Mitchell Jr. is. He’s one of the most famous unknown citizens of Richmond.”

—Davy Jones

“Birth of a Planet” will air on VPM in February. For more information, visit birthofaplanet.com

A documentary about Black-run newspaper The Richmond Planet will air on VPM in February

Press room of the Richmond Planet newspaper, seen in 1899

Q&A

BUILDING TOGETHER

A new Lego store aims to bridge the gap between community and creativity

By Mindy Kinsey

Kids and collectors alike were excited last summer when the Lego Group announced it would be building a new factory in Chesterfield. Fans of the world’s largest toy company wondered if the plant, scheduled to open in 2025, might attract a Lego Store to the region. Given the brand’s astounding popularity — the company posted 17% revenue growth in the first half of 2022 — Paul and Carrie Indelicato weren’t waiting to find out. Last month, the duo opened a Henrico-based franchise of Bricks & Minifigs.

Richmond magazine: How is Bricks & Minifigs different from an official Lego Store?

Paul Indelicato: An official Lego Store is owned by the company and sells the newest sets. Bricks & Minifigs complements those stores. It is the largest toy store franchise for buying, selling and trading new and used Lego sets, bulk bricks and minifigures. We also carry Lego-branded merchandise like storage tubs, backpacks and school supplies.

RM: What inspired you to open the store?

Indelicato: Both of my parents have been entrepreneurs my father opened a deli in the West End with a good friend, and my mother operated a bear- and doll-making business out of our home for years. Being around those environments really stuck with me. My wife, Carrie, and I have always loved Lego, and Bricks & Minifigs presented an awesome opportunity to pair that love with my desire to own a business. As we learned about the franchise and the company’s commitment to building strong Lego

communities around their stores, we determined it was the right fit for us.

RM: Is there a market for used Lego sets?

Indelicato: A huge market! Lego regularly retires sets, so collectors might miss out on buying them new or want a set they remember from childhood. On the other side, interests and hobbies change, so parents, or even collectors might be looking to sell their Lego sets. Customers can bring in just about anything Lego-related to sell or trade.

RM: We’ve heard building with Lego was a popular pandemic project for adults. Do you expect that your customers will primarily be children or adults?

Indelicato: We truly believe that we have something for every age group. We offer specific used sets priced for kids to afford with their allowance, as well as high-end collectible sets for adults. We have a dedicated space that can be used for birthday parties, but also for team

events and training. We want to offer summer camps that teach kids to use Lego to code or make stop-motion animations.

RM: You mentioned a commitment to building a strong community. What will that look like?

Indelicato: Carrie and I belong to the Richmond Lego Users Group and support their goal of growing the Lego community here. We are reaching out to the parent-teacher association organizations near our store, because we believe it is important to support the groups that support our schools and teachers. Lastly, we plan to support groups like Feed More, several animal shelters and the Autism Society of Central Virginia. It’s not enough to just own and run a business we want to foster a positive and fun place where people can experience the magic that Lego can bring to building together. R

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Paul and Carrie Indelicato, owners of Bricks & Minifigs

ON TRACK FOR A COMEBACK?

Chesterfield receives report on what’s needed for revival of Southside Speedway

By Hunter Reardon

When the last checkered flag waved at Southside Speedway before the COVID-19 pandemic, few would have thought it might be the final lap at the 60-year-old track. Of course, the pandemic wreaked havoc on many local businesses, including the local racetrack, which lost a year of revenue, crippling its finances. But now a group called Competitive Racing Investments LLC is hoping to purchase the track — which was bought

by the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority in 2021 for $4.5 million — and reopen it.

“It was sad to see Southside go away because there’s so much history and so many great drivers it produced,” says Chris Phelps, who raced there from 1990 to 2001. “It’s a tough place to run. Turns 1 and 2 are di erent than Turns 3 and 4. It’s one of those tracks where you have to know what’s going on.” Martyn Thake, president of Motorsports Consulting Services LLC, was

hired by Chesterfield County to review necessary safety upgrades to the speedway. According to ake’s report, issued in November, the track’s surface, outside retaining wall, catch fences and grandstands must all be updated or replaced at a cost potentially equivalent to building a new facility altogether. However, Lin O’Neill, who started an organization called Save Southside Speedway and leads Competitive Racing Investments, believes that the track’s surface does not need to be repaved.

“Old short-track racers will tell you that an old surface races be er than a new one,” O’Neill explains. “It wouldn’t be safe for Indy cars, but it would be perfectly safe for late-model stock cars and modifieds.” As an example, he points to North Wilkesboro Speedway, a former NASCAR Cup Series short track in North Carolina that was unused for over 25 years before being reopened — without a repave — to great fanfare in fall 2022.

O’Neill is also high on the potential economic benefit for the county. “A lot of people don’t realize how many people are involved at the racetrack,” he says. “My own race team, Lin O’Neill Racing, is a $200,000 race team that started here in 1979, and I’ve been paying taxes ever since.”

In his report, ake is less optimistic. “I have heard that there is a local group that [is] saying that basically they can come in, clean up a few things and be running next weekend,” he writes. “That is NOT the case, in my opinion, the facility is unsafe and needs comprehensive rehabilitation to bring it up to current safety standards.”

In November, the Board of Supervisors

ASH DANIEL

Supporters of the Southside Speedway revival rallied during an open-house forum at Clover Hill High School in July.

such as his characterization of Edward Livingston as “the most contemptible and degraded of beings, whom no man ought to touch, unless with a pair of tongs.” Randolph and Congressman Willis Alston mixed it up physically, first with tableware at a Washington boarding house, then with fists, before Randolph finally caned Alston bloody in a Capitol stairwell. He received a $20 fine.

He finally broke with the smallgovernment Jeffersonian DemocraticRepublicans in 1806 over the purchase of Florida from the Spanish, infuriated by what he viewed as extortion by a foreign dictator. Randolph couldn’t abide by the central-government Federalists and formed the “Tertium Quid,” or “ e ird ing.”

“The old Republican party is already ruined, past redemption,” Randolph wrote. “New men and new maxims are the order of the day.”

He opposed the War of 1812 as a land grab and predicted that the Capitol would burn, which it did in 1814. He also opposed slavery’s expansion into Missouri under the 1820 Missouri Compromise.

Randolph owned hundreds of people, but o en condemned the slave trade as an inherited evil and favored gradual manumission over outright abolition. He was among the founders of the American Colonization Society, which began as a way to transport free blacks to what is now Liberia. Randolph, however, pronounced this undertaking a failed experiment.

In 1826, then a senator, he fought a strange pistol duel with statesman Henry Clay, borne out of Clay’s belief that Randolph had called him a “blackleg,” or cheat, on the floor of the House. Clay demanded satisfaction. On a frosty Arlington field, the two each fired twice with li le e ect. ey shook hands and parted as frenemies.

Randolph’s intransigence assisted in creating the Senate filibuster. He spoke for hours opposing an infrastructure bill pushed by President John Quincy Adams and dressed and undressed midspeech.

In October 1829, Randolph participated

in the Virginia Constitutional Convention, where he railed against representative and voting apportionment and declared that the ratified constitution wouldn’t last 25 years; he was right.

In 1830, President Andrew Jackson accepted his appointment as special minister to Russia, which was considered odd, as nobody saw Randolph as a diplomat. He served 28 days before his health collapsed.

On his deathbed in 1833, he suddenly exclaimed, “Remorse! Remorse, remorse, remorse,” and wanted to see the word in a dictionary. An a ending physician wrote it on Randolph’s calling card. Randolph mu ered, “You have no idea what it is. You can form no idea of it whatever.”

He roused himself to reassert his intention not only to release his slaves but also

to relocate them to Mercer County, Ohio, and grant 10 acres of land to adults aged 40 and older. Randolph’s manumission foundered through disputes concerning three conflicting wills.

On May 24, 1833, after a brief spasm, Randolph died.

e ma er of his slaves’ fate remained unse led until 1846, when freedom was granted to the 383 enslaved people who remained. ey met hostility in Ohio, they didn’t take possession of the promised land in a free state and neither they nor their heirs ever received a nickel.

As for Randolph, he was buried at Roanoke with his face looking west, to keep an eye on Clay. en, in 1879, Randolph’s godson oversaw his disinterment and reburial at Hollywood Cemetery. R

A genetic aberration caused Randolph, depicted here in 1811 by John Wesley Jarvis, to not fully undergo puberty.

TRAVEL

SIT DOWN, STAND UP

Discovering civil rights history in Greensboro, North Carolina

By Martha Steger

If there’s an iconic image that captures the history of Greensboro, located in the rolling Piedmont hills of North Carolina, it’s a modest, L-shaped dime-store lunch counter.

In 1960, the whites-only luncheonette in the F.W. Woolworth in downtown Greensboro was the site of a peaceful protest against segregation by North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University students. After they were refused service, the students staged a sit-in. The protest grew and inspired other nonviolent, student-led protests across the South, including e orts by Virginia Union students in Richmond at the old Thalhimers on West Broad Street. Six months after the protests began, Woolworth desegregated its luncheonettes.

To commemorate the critical moment, a portion of that lunch counter now resides in the collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and a replica stands at the former department store’s site, now housing the International Civil Rights Center and Museum (sitinmove ment.org). The museum is a cultural touchstone and well worth a weekend excursion, a three-hour drive from metro Richmond.

LOOKING BACK

The museum was founded in 1993, opening 50 years to the day after the Feb. 1, 1960, sit-ins began in Greensboro. The art deco building, designed by architect Charles Hartmann, reflects the bold

geometric patterns and bright colors of the movement, along with exotic styles from Asia and the Middle East.

Vintage TV news coverage of the force used against the unarmed student protesters, displayed on monitors at the museum, will send chills down the spines of visitors. Older visitors might learn details previously unknown to them, such as the planning that had gone into the protest, as revealed during a reenactment of a session in the students’ dorm room in 1960. Following the first day of protest, 20 students joined the original four, and so the protests grew, day upon day. The immediate impact was the change in segregationist policies by Woolworth and other establishments.

I began my tour on the center’s lower level, with its reenactment of the sit-in on life-sized video screens — set against the backdrop of the 1954 Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education. The “Hall of Shame” display depicts the broader period of racial-justice protests in the United States during the 1960s. Walking through the reproduction of the “Colored Entrance” at the Greensboro Rail Depot, I stopped to read about the roles of churches, schools, political

institutions and the courts in the civil rights movement. Displayed items include a pen used to sign the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a Ku Klux Klan robe and hood, and the uniform of a Tuskegee Airman, one of the African American fighter pilots in World War II who had hailed from Greensboro.

The Battlegrounds exhibition — part of the center’s permanent display — showcases specific instances of segregation in housing, transportation, accommodations, dining and entertainment, and voting that were occurring across the United States.

FROM TOP: BILL RUSS; DAN ROUTH PHOTOGRAPHY

International Civil Rights Center and Museum

The International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro has a replica of an F.W. Woolworth lunch counter that was the site of an in uential protest against segregation in the city.

Finding Peace

County

Images by Christopher “Puma” Smith

Words by Paula Peters Chambers

Charles City County might be thousands of miles from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, but it feels like home to Christopher “Puma” Smith.

“It was comfort, peace of mind, stillness for me,” Smith says of the first time he visited the area. “The social interaction is very similar to where I grew up. You can be on a porch, hanging out with friends, and people drive by, sticking their hands out the window just to say hello. It’s the same with me hanging out in my yard in St. Thomas.”

Smith found photography through music. More than a decade ago, while on tour in Portugal as a vocalist with the band Thievery Corporation, he decided to document his experiences. “I went to a local mall, picked up a digital camera and got hooked,” he says.

He continues to work as a musician, but Smith is drawn to the art of photography as a different form of expression. “There are people who want the cameras pointed at them; there are people who would rather be behind the camera,” he says. “I like to see someone who is really talented or [see] a story and be the person telling the story.”

In 2019, when a friend from the store Richmond Camera took Smith to Charles City County, he felt an instant connection. “It was the country vibe, the rural vibe that a racted me,” Smith says. As he photographed the social justice protests in Richmond following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Smith found himself traveling more o en down Route 5, seeking to learn more about the history of race relations not only in the United States but in Virginia.

“History is packed in Charles City,” he says. “It’s nothing new within the story of America, but people in Richmond have no idea that it’s there. You can see the racial divide but also see collaborations that proved that people who disagree on a racial topic can also collaborate on other things. Within that collaboration, that racial divide breaks down. Prejudices, which are basically ignorance, dissolve in time.”

Action

at Wilson’s Wharf reenactor, 2021

During the May 1864 Action at Wilson’s Wharf, two regiments of the United States Colored Troops successfully defended a Union supply depot against a Confederate cavalry division. Smith says of D.C., a battle reenactor, “He was very serious about his part. He had a speech — almost a performance — that he kind of demanded I listen to first.”

A photographer discovers community and calm in Charles City

Princess Anne Hunt at Evelynton Plantation, 2021  Members of the Princess Anne Hunt Club gather October through March for riding and fox hunts. Smith captured honorary whipper-in Jerel Johnson during one hunt’s opening ceremony, before Johnson began his work helping the huntsman keep the hounds on task. “Most people think [the job] is not letting the hounds stray, but it’s much more difficult, a much more disciplined part of the hunt,” Smith says. Founded in 1927, the club’s territory extends from Richmond to Williamsburg and King William County to Suffolk.

“When

or

a walk

Princess Anne Hunt hound walk, 2020  Huntsman Martyn Blackmore of the Princess Anne Hunt Club tosses a biscuit to one of the club’s hounds following a daily morning walk around Westover Plantation, where the hounds have their kennel. “[The club] has more than 90 hounds, and they know every hound by name,” Smith says.

they hunt

go for

and a hound strays, they are called by name.” Smith took this shot with his 1960s Hasselblad camera.

James Nemo Bradby, 2021

Smith went looking for Bradby, who was elected in 1967 as the first African American sheriff in the U.S. but died only three months later. His death is usually attributed to suicide, but Smith has talked with descendants in the county who believe the Ku Klux Klan murdered him. “He’s buried in Little Elam Baptist Church cemetery” in Charles City, Smith says. “That was easy to find, but it wasn’t easy to find the grave.”

Liberty Baptist Church, 2021  Smith was drawn to this church, built by freed African Americans after the Civil War, because it illustrates the limits imposed on Black people after emancipation. “For a while, Black churches couldn’t have Black pastors, or if they did, the pastors had to be supervised by a white pastor, and they also didn’t have the same pastor every week,” he says. “There’s a cemetery in the back with significant [county] ancestors. It was a significant landmark I felt I needed to see.”

Ridgley Copland, 2022

The Copland family operates North Bend Plantation, a Virginia Historic Landmark, as a bed-and-breakfast and a working farm, with corn, wheat and soybean fields. Smith says his first meeting with Copland came after he simply knocked on her front door. Because of the pandemic, they spent hours outside, exploring the grounds, with Copland sharing the property’s history. “She’s another person where I just pull up and hang out for hours,” Smith says. “She wants me to go to church with her and call her ‘Nana.’”

Chickahominy River, 2021

This cluster of bald cypress trees sits at the mouth of the Chickahominy River where it meets the James River at the southeastern corner of Charles City County. Smith found the spot one day as he was exploring the county and took the picture after he saw two eagles fighting over a fish. He notes that the river still bears the name of the region’s original occupants, the Chickahominy tribe, whose members still live in the county.

Benjah Photography at childhood home, Sandy Fields Farms, 2019  Ben “Benjah” White is a friend from the Richmond Camera store who introduced Smith to Charles City County. “I’d always seen [Benjah] in a professional setting, but that day, he was in overalls, and we just drove around the farm taking pictures,” Smith says. When a black snake appeared, Benjah stopped the car and picked up the benign reptile. “I just told him to hold it so I could take photos,” Smith says. “I waited for the right moment and got the snake sticking out its tongue.”

Black Gum Saddle Club member, 2021  Smith captured this image of a member of the Black Gum Saddle Club following a joint ride with the Princess Anne Hunt Club. BGSC is a Western horseback riding club with a predominantly Black membership; they have social rides and provide opportunities for area youth to get on horseback.

“A lot of horses aren’t very patient, especially when they’ve just come from a ride,” Smith says, “but this one was almost posing for me.”

Parrish Hill School, 2021

Of the more than 5,000 Rosenwald Schools that were built in the U.S. in the early 20th century to educate African Americans, especially in the rural South, three remain in Charles City County. This three-room school was built in 1920, replacing a one-room building that dated to the late 1800s. Smith says he’s found a class photo showing teachers and students at the school. Efforts are underway to preserve and restore the county’s Rosenwald Schools. R

Rather than greeting the new year with a grim self-improvement list that is, statistically speaking, doomed to fail, resolve to do something interesting instead. We highlight some offbeat, intriguing or enlightening activities to while away the winter days, no willpower or discipline required. Read a book, take a tour, learn a dance, make a smoothie, tell a joke, help a cause … once you get started, we’re betting you’ll be inspired to keep going all year long.

Richmnd Res luti ns

Toss, Catch, Repeat

Learning to juggle is surprisingly easy and extremely satisfying

People talk constantly about juggling their home and work lives. This year, skip the metaphor and have a li le fun by actually learning to juggle. A relatively simple skill to learn, it requires very li le equipment or space and just a few minutes of practice every day, but according to professional juggler Jonathan Austin, it’s good exercise for body and brain alike, and it’s also great for boosting your confidence. "It will impress your friends and family, and make you a happier person,” he says. Here are Jonathan’s instructions for ge ing started.

1. You will need three tennis balls, beanbags, or something similar. If you are right-handed, hold two balls in your right hand and one in your left; you will start with your right hand. Reverse all instructions if you are left-handed.

2. Toss one of the balls in your right hand in an arc a few inches above your head and catch it in your left hand. Then throw it in an arc back to your right hand. Practice tossing a ball back and forth in an arc.

3. Toss one of the balls in your right hand. As it is peaking above your head, toss the ball in your left hand. Catch each ball with the opposite hand. Practice tossing and catching two balls.

4. Toss one of the balls in your right hand. When it is peaking, toss the ball in your left hand and almost immediately catch the first ball with your left hand. When the ball you threw with your left hand is peaking, throw the second ball in your right hand, then catch the ball you tossed with your left hand. This is a complete juggle, making you an official juggler. Practice some more.

5. Keep going: Throw a ball and, as it peaks, use the other hand to throw the next one, continually alternating right, left, right, left.

6. Practice about 20 minutes a day for a week, and you will be able to juggle continuously. Go show your friends and family so they will be amazed by your newfound skill. What will you learn next? —Jonathan

Austin

By Jonathan Austin, Craig Belcher, Elizabeth Cogar, Nicole Cohen, Mindy Kinsey, Harry Kollatz Jr., Laura Anders Lee, Eileen Mellon and Gary Robertson

Jonathan Austin runs Richmond’s only 24-hour emergency juggling and magic service. He also o ers comedy, unicycling and balloon animals. jonathanaustin.com

Best in Show

Earn bragging rights at the State Fair of Virginia

Apologies to Wilbur, but state fair competitions aren’t just about prized pigs.

The State Fair of Virginia hosts contests in more than 800 categories, including creative and culinary arts in addition to horticulture, livestock and equine.

Whether trying their hand at painting, learning to sew, planting a garden or baking with sourdough, millions discovered new passions during the pandemic.

The State Fair of Virginia is ready to support these pursuits, encouraging first-time entries in everything from fine art and photography to backyard honey, peanut

bu er pies and hot sauce.

“Preserved foods have completely taken off since the pandemic, and last year, we saw a record-breaking 175 quilts,” says Sarah Jane Thomsen, the fair’s manager of agriculture education and strategic programming partnerships.

Entries also increased for cut flowers, homemade salsas, leather goods and giant vegetables. “In September, a Virginia man new to farming broke the world record for his 103-pound bu ernut squash,” Thomsen says.

Thomsen turns to

Pinterest and local cra shops to keep up with the latest trends when she’s looking to create new categories such as wine cork ornaments, fairy gardens and decorated graduation caps. “There’s a li le bit for everybody,” she says. “We hope to connect with a

more diverse group every year. We love seeing people ge ing into a hobby, being creative and having fun.”

Entries are free for children and range from just $1 to $5 for adults. Guidelines are posted in late spring for September’s fair. statefair va.org —Laura Anders Lee

Smoothie Operator

Level up with these tips from a blending pro

to curb pre-dinner cravings, reach for almond milk and nut bu ers. And, says Lewis, kale and spinach are great green additions. “Make sure you’re pu ing vegetables in to complement the fruit.”

says. “It’s good for digestion, skin, anti-inflammatory.”

Teetering between a snack and meal, smoothies are one of life’s most customizable, efficient and nutrient-packed beverages. We caught up with Ashley Lewis, owner of The Beet Box, to learn the basics of the blended drink.

Lewis says there are a few foundational tips that that will make your blends be er.

For a more refreshing, lighter sip, freshly juiced apples or coconut water can be ideal bases. If you’re leaving the gym or trying

Lewis says she avoids ice and pre-packaged juices. “You can get into stuff that has added sugar, so just being mindful of that.”

Time of day is key. To jump-start her mornings, Lewis counts on her go-to — a zingy lemon- and ginger-spiked concoction. “Ginger is an add-on I like to do when I drink my morning-time smoothie,” she

Chia, hemp and flax seeds — aka “The Seed Trilogy” at The Beet Box — are also an easy way to amp up a smoothie. Lewis also recommends dragon fruit, whether it’s fresh, frozen or in powder form, for a quick boost of Vitamin C and a pop of color.

“The main thing for me, I’m always going 100 places a day. I can drink this and drive … I’m eating but not having to eat,” says Lewis of her love for smoothies. “Get it in on the go.” —Eileen Mellon

Ashley Lewis of The Beat Box

FROM TOP: JEFF SAXMAN; JAY PAUL

Chic and Cozy

By Kim Catley Photos by Gordon Gregory

When Lee Harmon Waters’ clients moved from the Midwest in 2020, they found a spacious home in Midlothian — but it was smaller than their previous house. This presented a storage challenge in their bedroom, where the wife’s love of books and the husband’s extensive workout wardrobe meant their closet was bursting at the seams.

In 2022, they approached Contented Interiors’ Waters, who had worked with them to decorate and furnish their first floor, about redesigning their bedroom and closets.

Waters says space wasn’t entirely the issue — although the couple did have some purging to do, the layout wasn’t working. They each had a walk-in closet, set along a hallway with a cutout niche.

“They had builder-grade wire shelves, and random furniture to try to hold everything that didn’t fit in the closets,” she

says. “They had several bookcases, low dressers and workout clothes stashed in plastic crates.”

Custom cabinetry was critical, Waters says, so she turned to McGlade Fine Finish. Together, they designed floor-toceiling shelving, cabinetry and a laundry storage unit, as well as a tall dresser to fill the hallway niche.

“You have to maximize your vertical storage,” Waters says.

With the storage challenges addressed, Waters turned her attention to the bedroom’s design. Her clients are working parents with demanding jobs, so she wanted a calming and cozy environment that reflected their Frenchinspired aesthetic.

Waters used decorative molding to add visual interest and texture, painting it, the walls, baseboards and ceiling the same purple-gray to create a lowcontrast look.

The molding also helped address the room’s lack of symmetry. Since they

weren’t moving any walls — beyond removing the closet doors — or making dramatic changes to the existing structure, Waters created balance through drapes, trim and matching nightstands. She also exchanged an existing light fixture for a pair of symmetrically placed wall sconces.

Finally, as the closet redesign eliminated much of the need for dressers and storage in the bedroom, Waters kept the furniture simple and focused on finding a signature piece to showcase the wife’s library. She scoured several local Instagram accounts for vintage furniture until she found an antique secretary from Revival Consignment.

“It was in their house before I had even presented the design plan,” Waters says. “We were able to take all the samples upstairs and see how great they would look together.

“When you fall in love with something, you have to trust that you can make it work.”

Custom details create ambiance and smart storage in this newly reimagined bedroom

Designer Lee Harmon Waters used decorative molding to add interest and balance.

The eclectic furnishings include a pair of antique Spanish chairs and a Sam Forrest co ee table. The painting is by Catherine Venable, and the outfit on display is from India.

BEDROOM

A painting by Dawson hangs above a bed from the Crate & Barrel Tate collection.

DEN

The midcenturystyle room divider was custom-crafted from sapele wood with a walnut finish.

Vinyl recording enthusiasts, Ne and Dawson keep a small portion of their impressive album collection in floating walnut cabinet.

DINING ROOM

The ceramic sculpture is by Cri Kars-Marshall; the large print is one of a pair by Timothy Van Laar.

along the ceiling line above the fireplace, as well as dark cherry paneling on the wall. The upper windows were leaking, so Ne wanted them removed.

“Our vision was oddly similar, but he wasn’t sure about losing the windows,” Ne says, noting that the change is now one Dawson embraces. “We didn’t lose anything [in terms of light], and the [new] white walls make it so much brighter.”

The couple further modernized the home by fashioning a new bedroom out of two separate but connected spaces — a room that they believe was an in-home theater, and an o ce with more paneling and another fireplace. By filling in a wall, they created a formal dining space as well as a private first-floor suite, so often found in today’s newer homes. A wall was added upstairs, separating a bedroom from a bathroom added in the 1980s renovation, making for a total of four bedrooms and three full baths.

The house’s Sherwin-Williams Pure White walls are the perfect foil for the couple’s art collection, much of which is by local artists or self-made. For the most part, furnishings came directly from their previous home, matching the new house’s vibe without missing a beat. “It was odd watching our stu move in,” Dawson notes.

“It was like we had been trying to move into this space before we even got here.”

The goal, Neff says, is to enjoy the house and embrace its location, which is what attracted their attention in the first place.

“This is really why we bought the house,” she says, gesturing to the 25-foot wall of windows behind her swivel chair.

“We wanted to make this part of the house be pretty clean and neutral. We wanted the inside to have really clean lines to allow us to bring the outdoors in and not compete with it.”

kitchen kitchen

Georgia Kukoski says she’s always loved designing pantries for her clients and was thrilled to have the opportunity to design a walk-in pantry for herself.