405 Home Spring 2020

Inspired Design for Central Oklahoma

Spring 2020

The Ross Home HISTORY, FAMILY, BEAUT Y

Embracing Floral Maximalism

Blanket Statement: Picnic Like a Pro

Photo provided by Avalon Homes

SETTING THE NEW STANDARD IN TRADITIONAL CABINETRY

Timeless design never goes out of style, and neither will this kitchen. Traditional style gets a pop of personality with a beautiful grey glaze finish and our signature color inset to the crown molding. Glass-front cabinets with curved mullion accents crest the upper cabinetry while creating eye-catching display space and lightening the room’s overall look.

Visit our gallery and see how fresh inspiration meets leading-edge innovation. Discover our curated collections of custom- built pre-finished cabinetry, vanities, designer hardware and quality CambriaÂŽ quartz that showcase style, versatility, and individual personality.

320 W Wilshire Blvd wilshirecabinetco.com 405- 286 - 6282

@wilshirecabinet

HOMERUN PURCHASE

|

MIKE THAGARD 405.242.2872

REFINANCE

|

NEW CONSTRUCTION

LAURA NUNNERY 405.242.2855

TYLER STROUD 405.242.2857

WE MAKE HOME BUYING EASY

12201 N. MAY AVENUE • OKC, OK 73120 • 405.755.1000 • QUAILCREEK.BANK

NMLS 470269

features

26

AT HOME WITH JOY REED BELT

Her Waterford condominium is ďŹ lled to the brim with art, art and more art. Home to Joy and her sweet little pup, Joy-Joy, their little corner of the world is perfectly-curated.

34

THE ROSS FAMILY HOME

DON RISI

A hop and a skip from downtown Oklahoma City, in a Norman Rockwell-esque neighborhood, lives the Ross family. They moved into their Crown Heights gem after an extensive renovation which brought the 1937 home back to its former glory and into the 21st century in one fell swoop.

4

405 HOME SPRING 2020

YO U R H O M E IS CH IC , S H O U LD N ’ T YO U B E TOO?

F E AT U R E D C U F F S BY: Lima Behar, Peter Schmidt, and Todd Reed

N A I F E H F I N E J E W E L R Y. C O M | @ N A I F E H F I N E J E W E L R Y SPRING 2020 405 HOME

5

departments

gallery 14 BLUSH CRUSH This shade of nudey pink is happy and sophisticated - and it’s showing up in all kinds of places!

16 MOOD BOARD Pair a tried-and-true navy with of-the-moment pink and the results are an instant classic.

18 FLORAL MAXIMALISM Test your petal mettle with bold bushels of bright blooms.

makers 22 GINNED UP Springtime sips mean two original botanical gin cocktail recipes.

24 SWINFORD’S WHIMSY Venture into the colorful world of ceramicist Suzi Swinford.

living 44 FOUR IN THE 405 A snapshot of what $450,000 will get you in the 405.

46 CHIC CHARCUTERIE With a little imagination you need never be bored with your boards.

Rachel Maucieri

70

48 MEET THE MASTERS Master builder Gary Randolph and daughter Ashley Randoph McAllister usher in a new era.

alfresco 68 PICNIC PICKS Why not pack a pretty meal and head for the park?

70 HOOP (THERE IT IS!) Extending Oklahoma’s growing season, organically.

in every issue 10 FROM THE EDITORS We’re ready to savor and celebrate spring and summer in the 405.

72 LOOKING AHEAD Greetings from the future! Fall 2020 will be here before you know it.

on the cover The Ross home in Crown Heights is a welcoming oasis filled with color, good cheer and a busy, happy family. We’ll take you on a tour of their 1937 Classic Georgian/Colonial Revival on page 34.

Photo by Don Risi. Flower boxes by Trochta’s.

6

405 HOME SPRING 2020

White-glove service for your big purchase Do you have big dreams for your home? If you’ve been thinking about a bigger house to call your home, you should talk with a Mortgage Banker at Commerce Bank about how to lock in your best rate soon.

We can help you explore a variety of home financing options, such as jumbo loans for homes larger than $484,351†.

While you focus on finding your dream home, put us to work on finding the right way to finance it.

Mortgage made simple. Stress less. We’ve got this. †Minimum loan amount is $484,351.

Jane Christiansen 405.608.2709 commercebank.com/janechristiansen nmls#1509266 commercebank.com/mortgage SPRING 2020 405 HOME

7

PUBLISHER

Jordan Regas jordan.regas@405magazine.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Christine Eddington christine.eddington@405magazine.com Editorial EDITOR-AT-LARGE | STYLIST

Sara Gae Waters COPY EDITOR

Steve Gill CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Lillie-Beth Sanger Brinkman, Steve Gill, Greg Horton, George Lang Art ART DIRECTOR

Christopher Lee GRAPHIC DESIGNER

David Hoff ner CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

WHAT ’S ONLINE

Carli Economy, Miranda Hodge Rachel Maucieri, Don Risi SOCIAL MEDIA & WEBSITE

Emiley Sexton emiley.sexton@405magazine.com

STORY IDEAS AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Your views and opinions are welcome.

Include your full name, address, daytime phone number and email to editor@405magazine.com. Letters sent to 405HOME Magazine become the magazine’s property, and it owns all rights to their use. 405HOME Magazine reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

405HOME is a special publication of 405 Magazine. It is published twice a year (spring and fall) and accompanies a subscription to 405 Magazine, which is available for $14.95 (12 issues), $24.95 (24 issues), or $34.95 (36 issues). Subscribe at 405magazine.com/subscribe or by mail, send your name, mailing address, phone number and payment to: 405 MAGAZINE

PO Box 16765 North Hollywood, CA 91615-6765 QUESTIONS OR ADDRESS CHANGE

Visit 405magazine.com/subscriptions or email subscriptions@405magazine.com.

BACK ISSUES

Advertising EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

Cynthia Whitaker-hill cynthia.whitakerhill@405magazine.com 405HOME ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Are you signed up for our Weekend 101?

Discover the Best in Oklahoma City Metro’s Dining, Events, Travel, & Homes

Katie Morgan katie.morgan@405magazine.com

Pam Link pam.link@405magazine.com

Raymond Brewer

Follow 405 Magazine on Facebook and @405Mag on Instagram and Twitter

405 HOME SPRING 2020

For multiple copy order information, please contact our office.

Drew Smith drew.smith@405magazine.com

Join the Conversation

8

BULK ORDERS

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Distribution S I G N U P T O D AY AT 405magazine.com/newsletters

Back issues are $9.50 (includes P&H) each. For back issue availability and order information, please contact our office.

©2020 405 Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of 405 Home content, in whole or part by any means, without the express written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. 405 Home is not responsible for the care of and/or return of unsolicited materials. 405 Home reserves the right to refuse advertising deemed detrimental to the community’s best interest or in questionable taste. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ownership or management.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 405 Magazine, P.O. Box 16765, North Hollywood, CA 91615-6765.

Subscription Customer Service: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. CST. 405 Magazine, P.O. Box 16765, North Hollywood, CA 91615-6765, Phone 818.286.3160, Fax 800.869.0040, subscriptions@405magazine.com, 405magazine.com/subscribe

environments for living akarenblackcompany.com | 405.858.8333 SPRING 2020 405 HOME

9

from the editors

RACHEL MAUCIERI

Embracing Maximalism

Embracing Maximalism

S

PRING AND SUMMER ARE, hands down, the plushest, snazziest, most colorful and over-the-top seasons in Mother Nature’s arsenal. Before the ground even thaws, she’s dazzling us with daffodils, crocuses, tulips and forsythia. In a perfect year, Oklahoma’s redbud trees start their show a little early, their purple and fuchsia dancing merrily against a crystal blue sky. Honeysuckle and wisteria perfume the air. Late spring and summer bring us every shade of green, vivid red crape myrtles, roses in every hue and showy fountain grasses. Glorious Mother Nature has never been a minimalist.

Neither have we, if we’re completely honest. So what better moment to celebrate the revival of maximalism than this one?

Come with us and explore the hoop houses at Prairie Earth Gardens (p. 70), and marvel at the sweet baby lettuces. Join us as we tour the home of Heather and Bob Ross and their family in Crown Heights (p. 34), a recent total renovation brought to life in a pretty color palette by Bebe MacKellar Bolen of Fanny Bolen Interiors. It’s the perfect home for a busy family.

10

405 HOME SPRING 2020

We’ll also spend some time in the art-filled home of the one and only Joy Reed Belt, owner of the Paseo-based JRB Art at the Elms gallery, which anchors Oklahoma City’s art scene. As you might imagine and will soon see (p. 26), her eye for composition and detail is brilliant.

Embrace the possibilities of botanical gin on page 22. Meet the talented Oklahomans behind Gary Randolph Custom Homes on page 48, and plan the perfect picnic on page 68.

Let’s all make a pinky promise: more picnics, less politics. More flowers, less friction. More beauty, more joy and more everything.

Viva maximalism!

Sincerely,

SARA GAE WATERS

CHRISTINE EDDINGTON

Editor-at-Large

Editor-in-Chief

FINANCING YOUR HOME IS WHERE OUR HEART IS

For more than a century, we’ve been refining our home loan process to be as refreshingly simple as it is thorough. Our roots are in home financing, which is why we put so much care into providing comprehensive loan options, sound guidance and open communication. Contact one of our experienced and devoted mortgage loan officers to find out how we can help you get into the home of your dreams.

SHELLEY HENTGES NMLS 788689 405-507-3132

STACY WILLIAMS NMLS 507327 405-507-3105

okfidelitybank.com 844-277-2163

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

11

“The greatest beauty lies in the greatest clarity.” Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

MERCY HOSPITAL PHYSICIANS TOWER

4200 W. MEMORIAL ROAD, SUITE 101

PHYSICIANS -OPTICAL.COM

405-749-4285

GA LLERY

Ideas, Objects and Life Hacks We Find Fascinating, Helpful and Beautiful

FLOWER POWER

CARLI ECONOMY

If one blossom is good, a fat bunch of flowers is fantastic. This spring, donʼt be shy. Throw your minimalist inclinations out the window and go big! See how on page 18.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

13

gallery color

14

405 HOME SPRING 2020

A Brush with Blush

BY SAR A GAE WATERS PHOTO BY CARLI ECONOMY

T H E R E I S N O D O U B T that the color pink has found its footing in the design world. Getting a boost back in 2016 when Rose Quartz was named the Pantone color of the year, operating in tandem with the rise of the ubiquitous Millennial Pink, this hue is no shrinking violet. The shade is calming, with a dash of quirky and unexpected.

Finding its way to covering couches in velvet and being woven into rugs, it really does make us swoon...or should I say, blush? From carpets to fabrics to wallpaper, here we have overlaid them all together to inspire you and see that from ceiling to floor, it’s the perfect shade.

Rug samples from Farrow and Ball | Wallpaper samples from Kasa Wallpaper Studio | Fabric Swatches from Linda Howell Designs SPRING 2020 405 HOME

15

gallery moodboard

Wallpaper from Kasa Wallpaper Studio

Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart. – ELIZABETH GILBERT

16

405 HOME SPRING 2020

Springing Forward

BY SARA GAE WATERS | PHOTO BY CARLI ECONOMY

I

N T H E WO R L D O F D E S I G N moving forward is a must.

Trends pop up all around us while the old, tried-and-true ways, the gorgeous traditions of bygone eras, are reinvented and presented as new all at the same time.

Mixing the old with the new is an art form...done well, it’s magic.

Pretty, shiny new things can and should serve as great inspiration – however, anchoring with the vintage, well-worn past brings balance and comfort.

Spring is inspiration incarnate. We watch the new season arrive and are inspired to fluff and start anew. Let your design whims be guided by the soft hues of spring: new blue skies and tiny pink blooms. Here’s to new beginnings and moving forward.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

17

gallery floral

Floral Maximalism A BLOOMING RIOT OF COLOR

BY SARA GAE WATERS | PHOTOS BY CARLI ECONOMY

W

E ’ V E M A D E I T N O S EC R E T H E R E

at 405HOME that we love, adore and are obsessed with all things floral. Especially fresh cut, real flowers and plants. We believe in the daily decorating of your home and your table; it is essential, and not just for special occasions. A fresh grouping of blooms can immediately lift the spirits.

While small is sometimes the way to go, and a perfect single stem in a vase can bring much joy, flowers en masse is something we can definitely get behind as a great way to bring masses of joy, and bushels of delight.

Choosing one color and finding different varieties to create a big, unabashedly joyful arrangement is easy, and it’s impressive. With our focal color of pink this spring, the combination of anemones, double anemones, ranunculus, roses and tulips in various shades proved to be just what was needed...flowers to the max!

18

405 HOME SPRING 2020

DAVID COLE DOBSON DAV I D C O L E D O B S O N .C O M

10 0 0 W. W I L S H I R E N I C H O L S H I L L S

843.8448

M A K ERS

Meet the People Who Make Life a Little Lovelier.

RACHEL MAUCIERI

MERRY POTTER

Suzi Swinfordʼs joyful pottery is bright, whimsical and intentionally imperfect.

Get to know her, and take a peek inside her cute studio on page 24.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

21

makers cocktail hour GIN COOLER The bartenders used Zephyr Gin for this classic spring/summer sipper. The abundance of elderberry in the botanical mix leads to a refreshing, almost sweet gin. For a cooler with even more punch, opt for the Zephyr Black; it still has plenty of elderberry, but the botanicals are more complex.

1.5 oz .5 oz .5 oz .75 oz

Zephyr Gin yellow chartreuse simple syrup fresh lemon juice

Wet shake and strain over rocks in a Collins glass. Top with Topo Chico and garnish with fresh basil leaf.

R OS E C O R D I A L The Botanist is a great introduction to more complex, botanical gins, because itʼs easy to sip, and the mix of ingredients donʼt weigh down the palate or introduce odd, geeky notes. Still, it can be challenging to mix a cocktail with, so the bartenders chose an ingredient thatʼs equally intense: rose cordial.

1.5 oz .75 oz .5 oz .5 oz

Gin Season

A PAIR OF COCKTAILS PERFECT FOR SPRING PARTIES

BY GREG HORTON PHOTOS BY MIRANDA HODGE

A

S A G E N E R A L R U L E , dry gin is

for making cocktails and the more complex, botanical gins are for sipping.

Of course, all gin contains botanicals – it’s essentially neutral spirit plus plants – but botanical gins can run the spectrum from a few plantbased additives to a few dozen, as in the case of Monkey 47. Basically, botanical gins can be used to make cocktails with extra layers of complexity and depth of flavor. We asked Julia McLish and Brenna Murphy at Barkeep Supply, 1121 N 22

405 HOME SPRING 2020

Walker in Midtown, to help us put together two cocktails that are easy to make at home.

Before she got started, Barkeep owner McLish said that the goal is to make a cocktail with great balance, not to let the spirit get lost in a swirl of ingredients. “You want the gin to shine through, not get covered up,” she says. “We picked ingredients that complement, not cover.”

If you are the adventurous type and want to make your own variations, McLish advised starting with equal parts acid (fresh lemon or lime juice) and sugar (agave nectar or simple syrup), and then adjust according to your preference.

The Botanist gin El Guapo rose cordial Lillet Blanc fresh lemon juice

Wet shake and strain over rocks in a Collins glass.

Top with Topo Chico and garnish with fresh or dried rose petals.

If you are more the sipping gin type, Letherbee Vernal Gin, Monkey 47 and Uncle Valʼs Botanical Gin all make for excellent neat pours, and the sheer volume of botanicals in all of them provides a fascinating experience of how different ingredients add to the layers and complexity of good gin.

IN L A U N C H E S

J U N E

1 3

INSPIRATION EVENTS COMMUNITY IN 4 0 5HO M E I S A N E W WAY TO LOVE YO U R FAVO RI T E DE S IGN G U I D E , 4 0 5HO ME . J O I N U S AS WE LAU NC H A NEW S E RIE S O F E V E N TS , G E T-TO G ET HE RS AND C O LLAB O RAT I ONS! W E’ R E L AU N CHI N G O U R FI RST E VENT O N J U NE 13 W IT H A L I M I TE D T I CK E T I NG AVAI LAB LE. I T ’S PART WO R KS H OP, PA RT B R U N C H A ND LOAD S O F FU N. SAVE T HE DATE A N D KE E P A N E Y E O U T FO R D E TAI LS, O R P U T YO U R NAME ON T H E I N V I TAT I O N L I ST AT 405MAGAZINE.COM/IN405HOME

See you in June!

makers kiln it In Swinford’s studio, a terra-cotta lady and mugs adorned with finger-molded roses line the stairs, which have been tiled with even more of her works.

Beauty in Imperfection THE WABI SABI OF CERAMICIST SUZI SWINFORD

BY GEORGE LANG PHOTOS BY RACHEL MAUCIERI

E

L E M E N T S O F H E R A R T I S T RY appear in every room of Suzi Swinford’s home. When she decided to redo the tile in her kitchen, she made every green-hued square on the backsplash and even tiled her copper range hood. On special occasions, she makes her grandchildren distinctive and wholly original ceramics that reflect their current interests. And when Swinford makes any kind of ceramic work, she never strives for symmetry: each piece in a series is unique.

In 2011, Swinford’s daughter was planning her wedding and asked if her mother could make serving pieces for the reception. That request opened up a new style for Swinford, who began finger-molding roses onto the sides of handmade bowls and other containers, and then glazing the pieces in brilliant white.

“The first piece I made was really wonky, but that’s what I’m all about. I like wonky stuff,” Swinford says. “I saw all of [Dale] Chihuly’s glass, and that became my inspiration.”

Her work dates back 34 years, when Swinford decided that store-bought dinnerware was not going to work in her home; she wanted to create her own plates. She bought greenware – clay creations that have been shaped but not yet fired – at House of Clay, the venerable pottery and ceramics store that has operated at 1100 NW 30th for more than half a century. Swinford painted the pieces and brought them in for firing, but eventually the proprietors proposed that she go for full self-sufficiency in her work.

“They suggested, ‘You should go take a clay-making class – you like this so much,’” Swinford says.

MAKING IT HAPPEN That love of ceramics and her innate creativity pushed Swinford through several phases and series of work, and examples of nearly every turn and twist of her artistic career can be found in both her Edgemere Heights home and the striking, Tuscan-style studio her husband John 24

405 HOME SPRING 2020

Freeform blooms await their glazes.

had built for her at the far end of their backyard. Inside the two-story workshop, Swinford keeps a high-end kiln at the ready, and nearly every surface is covered with bowls, trays, containers and tiles she created. These include several green-hued pieces with textured gold overlay, a design reminiscent of the lower-level detail in Austrian symbolist Gustav Klimt’s classic painting, “The Kiss.”

Swinford often creates such textures using grandmother lace or pressed paper patterns, placing the lace or paper on wet greenware to create depressions and relief on her objects. But beyond such devices, Swinford’s most important tools are her hands – specifically, her fingers. Each piece is formed manually. Groups of pieces will have the same color combinations or designs, but individual pieces have character.

Swinford and her faithful

She was never particularly interested in using throwing wheels.

“I’m not big on the wheel throwing, because it’s too symmetrical for me,” Swinford says. “It’s hard to do that, but it’s just never been my thing. It’s so funny, because people who like me tell me that they feel my fingers in their pieces. And I think, ‘Well, that’s good, because they’re going to be there.’”

In her kitchen, Swinford picked up a bowl and, for comparison’s sake, held up one of its siblings in a set.

“I would 10 times rather have a bowl like this than a perfect bowl,” she says. “And I’ve got a set of them, but they’re certainly not all alike.”

S H A P ES A N D C O N ES On the first floor of her workshop – a floor made of two-foot terra cotta tiles, each of which she stained with its own individual pattern – Swinford keeps 25-pound blocks of raw clay in a variety of earth tone shades.

Currently, she is working with mid-fire clay, which has a 4 to 6 cone level.

This is where the technical aspects of Swinford’s work come into play. A cone is a pyrometric measure of how much heat a clay can endure before it deforms inside a kiln. These are literally cones or, more specifically, clay pieces shaped like check marks with diagonal stems rising from a wider base. Rather than measure a kiln’s heat based on Fahrenheit degrees, ceramicists measure heat based on how cones react to that heat. If a cone deforms in such a way that it completely loses its shape and dimensions, the kiln is set too hot. A kiln with a proper adjustment for the clay being used will bend a cone in a perfect arc.

Swinford’s goal with each piece is for it to vitrify, so that all pores in the clay seal together and the piece is considered food-safe. When

studio buddy, Ollie, survey their work one early spring day.

a piece achieves vitrification, it will not absorb food particles, with or without glaze, though Swinford glazes all her work so that there is never a question of whether a buyer could fill one of her bowls with soup and risk it seeping through the surface.

“I always glaze mine,” she says. “I just think there are too many things that could go wrong. That’s just a thing that I do.”

T I M E I N V EST M E N T Many chapters of Swinford’s career are represented by the pieces in her studio. Vividly glazed ceramic flowers on her wall will likely never be made in quite the same way again; Swinford created them before lead-based glaze was taken off the market. Lead is responsible for the shine on the flowers, making these Swinford originals rare, irreplaceable pieces.

Still, she continues with other representations of nature, like a series of ceramic leaves she made using enormous sycamore leaves pressed into clay, and her bright studio – which is also a favorite sunning spot for Swinford’s constant companion, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Ollie – features staircase tiles painted several years ago with sunflower designs.

The first piece I made was really wonky, but that’s what I’m all about. I like wonky stuff.

Swinford is never sure how long it takes to make one of her ceramic pieces, though she said that each one spends a lot of time in her hands.

“It’s like those clay tiles,” Swinford says, referring to the hundreds of individual, copper-green tiles in her kitchen’s backsplash. “I’ve thought, ‘I’ve picked up this tile how many times?’”

If a piece has too much thick glaze that obscures the relief patterns, Swinford might be less proud of it, but even if it does not turn out like she envisioned it, the artist would rather flaunt the imperfection than call it a mistake. When she describes the creation of the white roses that adorn the pieces she started making when her daughter married, she does not speak of inconsistencies as if they were errors.

“The ideal way is to make little circles and gradually put it together, but it falls apart on me,” Swinford says. “So, I’ll take a strip of clay and just start going around and stick that on, and then I’ll go around it with another strip, then I’ll make a little hole (in the body of the piece) and stick it in there.”

Swinford pointed inside the piece, where she could still see a slight bump where the rose was pushed through the hole. But that bump is simply part of the character of her work.

“I could probably trim that off, but why?” she says. “I’ve been in workshops with people who, in a three-day workshop, they will get only one piece of work done. And I just think, really? I mean, who cares?”

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

25

A Life Amid Art J O Y

R E E D

O N G O I N G F O R

photos by Don Risi

405 HOME SPRING 2020

A F F I N I T Y

C R E A T I V I T Y

by Lillie-Beth Sanger Brinkman

26

B E L T ’ S

Having such high ceilings in her Waterford condominium, Joy Reed Belt enjoys her art stacked high on the walls.

Anchoring this wall in her living room is a painting, on aluminum, of restructured flowers by Oklahoma City artist David Crismon, with two 18th century drawings on each side. Below the Crismon painting is “The Last Arrival,” a Julian Rix landscape purchased at an auction after her fire. To its left is a painting of roses that Belt bought in Russia on a business trip; to its right is a painting of a Mississippi kite hawk by Debbie Kaspari that was in an exhibition at Belt’s gallery.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

27

28

405 HOME SPRING 2020

W

H E N

S O M E O N E

M E N T I O N S

Joy Reed Belt’s name these days, it’s generally in the context of art.

Since 2003, she has owned JRB Art at the Elms, a prominent gallery in the Paseo Arts District. And her late husband, John, an attorney, is credited with the initial vision to turn the Paseo, an old Oklahoma City neighborhood, into a revitalized, vibrant arts district.

For Belt, her art gallery is her “third act,” another reinvention of her life and career that began with teaching and included working in human resources and career development, as well as earning an interdisciplinary doctorate in education and psychology along the way. But even though making a living promoting artists and selling their works is Belt’s third official act, a love of art has always been part of each of her others.

Today, her condominium home at the Waterford is filled with art from floor to ceiling, tucked in corners and closets and spaces that she enjoys. Paintings and sculpture even welcome her home when she pulls her car into her garage.

“I start unwinding,” Belt says as she describes driving into her immaculate garage to a view of art. “This is my entrance hall. This is how I start experiencing my home.”

She collected much of the art she has in her Waterford home with her husband until his death in 2013, and she has memories attached to almost all of it. She finds comfort in having the works surround her, noting that she wouldn’t want to live in a minimalist home because “life is messier than that.”

“I have eclectic taste … Everything means something to me,” Belt says. She only brings art into her home if it “speaks to me. I have to have an emotional reaction to it.”

In her bathroom are artist Kay Orr’s watercolors that John Belt commissioned for his wife when they moved out of Nichols Hills to the Waterford. The series of paintings depict their former home.

(Opposite page) Looking from upstairs into Belt’s living room, you can see the extensive library that she and her late husband John Belt built over the living room when the moved in. The art above her fireplace includes a painting that Tommy Johnson painted of Joy Reed Belt years ago and a piece by Norman artist Sohail Shehada. Above her sofa is a large painting by an artist given to the Belts years ago in exchange for space that John Belt gave him to paint to get ready for a show. To the right is a Charles McCamey painting of a trolley from Oklahoma City’s early days. On the table in front of the sofa is a sculpture by Bernadette Esperanza Torres, who paints in the Kansas City, MO, area.

(This page, from top) The dining room features a large painting by the late Eugene Allen “Gene” Bavinger, an award-winning artist who also was known for his unusual Norman home, a landscape by David Crismon to the right and a three-dimensional kimono by artist Michi Susan. All are or were Oklahoma artists.

Joy Reed Belt with her rescue dog Joy-Joy in front of a close-up of a painting by Michelle Taylor of a little girl sitting at a table serving tea.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

29

“I have eclectic taste …

Everything means something to me.”

30

405 HOME SPRING 2020

(Opposite page) Joy Reed Belt’s home is full of color, art and other items like books that mean something to her, and she enjoys the comfort and memories attached to them. Above the closeup of the couch is a painting by Julian Rix. (Above) A three-dimensional kimono by artist Michi Susan.

There’s also a large painting by the late Oklahoma City artist Nick Backes called “Mother,” which hangs high in Belt’s living room. It was her late husband’s favorite.

That painting, she said, once hung in a private room in a restaurant called Casa Blanca in The Paseo – where Picasso is now – and John Belt tried to buy it when the restaurant closed. He finally tracked down the owner, who said he would let John know if he ever wanted to sell it. But that call never came. By chance, years later, in a conversation about art, John Belt expressed his love of that painting and artist to someone.

And to his surprise, “She looked at John and said, ‘I own it,’” Joy Reed Belt says. The woman had been given the painting after caring for the owner until his death. And she sold it to John Belt.

Other works make Joy Reed Belt’s home today its own gallery: A painting by the late Oklahoma artist Eugene Allen Bavinger, whom her husband knew in law school, and works by Michi Susan, D. J. Lafon, Denise Duong and Mike Lawson, all prominent Oklahoma artists, among many more. A painting by Charles McCamey depicts Oklahoma City when it had streetcars decades ago.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

31

32

405 HOME SPRING 2020

(Opposite page) A decorative table in Belt’s entryway is filled with photos of family; it includes photos of a baby Joy Reed Belt on the left and a toddler one of John Belt on the second shelf. Skip Hill’s painting “Las Meninas” hangs above it.

(This page, from top) In this view of the second-floor library addition are two stacked paintings by Oklahoma artists Jose Rodriguez to the left and Regina Murphy and Nick Irza, left and right, in the library.

In every room, Joy Reed Belt enjoys a view of the outside and displays art in her garden spaces, whether front or back. Here, she can look from her bedroom to a sculpture by Bernadette Esperanza Torres.

A sculpture by Kansas City artist Bernadette Torres and a painting by Oklahoma City’s Beth Hammack reside on her outdoor patio. Belt said it is important to her that every room in her place has some view of the outdoors, with flowers and plants on patios adding to the aesthetic.

“I like for things to be beautiful, so I do what I have to do,” Belt says about all the gardening work she once did herself when she lived in homes with yards. “I can’t live here unless I see out.”

Belt still laments the art she lost in a fire about 30 years ago.

“We lost almost everything we had except what we were wearing,” she says. The Belts had to start their art collection over again, and she is sensitive to those who experience a loss like that.

In 1999, Joy Reed Belt was a busy executive as managing partner in a group called Outplacement International, and didn’t have much time for hobbies in her stressful job. So, her husband bought her a series of art lessons to help her relax.

“You are an artist. You just don’t know it,” Belt says her husband told her.

She started painting for fun in a tiny studio in the Paseo, and began hanging art from her home to decorate it. People began to notice her knack for displaying great art she had collected as she painted her own canvases. When John Belt bought the historic building where JRB Art at the Elms is now and began looking for a tenant, his wife wrote a business plan and applied with him for the chance to expand on her new interest.

Today, Belt knows the names of the artists whose work is displayed in her home, and knows many of the artists personally. She continues to host shows and promote artists at her gallery. And she lately has begun writing more on her blog about her art and experiences with it. Whatever her fourth act is, art will definitely be part of it.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

33

D R E A M S

34

405 HOME SPRING 2020

T H E R O S S F A M I LY ’ S C R O W N H E I G H T S I D Y L L

F U L F I L L E D

by LILLIE-BETH SANGER BRINKMAN

photos by DON RISI

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

35

W

HEN HE AT HER A ND BOB Ross found their perfect house in Crown Heights – a Classic Georgian/Colonial Revival home built in 1937 – it wasn’t for sale.

So they wrote a letter and sent a photo of their family to the then-owners, who have since become close friends of theirs, asking if they were interested in selling.

“We love the outside of your home and it looks like a terrific backyard, too,” Ross wrote, also noting that many of his children’s friends lived on the same street.

Turns out, it was the right time to sell for the previous owners, and the right time for the Rosses to move.

“I had been looking in the neighborhood for a really long time,” Bob Ross says. “We really wanted to be more urban.”

They had been looking in that area in part because they wanted to be closer to the school their children – Lilly, 13, and Frank, 11 – attend and to downtown, where Bob works. He is chairman and CEO of the Inasmuch Foundation; Heather is a community volunteer. Her organized

(Right) Designer Bebe Bolen MacKellar created the custom purple buffet for the dining room as a focal point that is unexpected and kept the room from being too serious. The pedestal dining table allows for big gatherings and is surrounded by reproduction Chippendale chairs in raw wood, and sits atop a classic Turkish rug with modern colors. The pieces work together to give the room a classic, modern design. A floral centerpiece from Trochta’s adds even more color.

(Below) The red oak staircase in the front of the house is original to the 1937 construction.

36

405 HOME SPRING 2020

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

37

office in their home has the family calendar on the wall, and pinned to the wall are letters, sports schedules and invitations, all reflecting upcoming commitments.

Since their renovation of it in 2018, they have been enjoying the home and the neighborhood, which the Rosses refer to as a “Norman Rockwell painting come to life.” Neighbors decorate extensively on holidays, including throwing a big parade on July 4 complete with homemade floats; they go caroling at Christmas; people are always out walking and visiting; and children are playing at each other’s homes.

The previous homeowners had already renovated the electrical wiring and plumbing and brought the laundry room out of the basement; their behind-the-scenes work also included putting in a heating and cooling system that uses geothermal energy. Those completed projects let the Rosses focus primarily on aesthetics – opening up the home’s interior, redoing the kitchen and the master bedroom and adding a pool and new landscaping in the backyard.

(Clockwise from left) A stainless steel vent hood offers a striking contrast to the white tile and cabinetry, and was in the home when the Rosses moved in.

This nook off the kitchen is one of the Rosses’ favorite intimate spots that they enjoy together – whether they’re drinking coffee and reading the newspaper in the morning or enjoying a glass of wine at night. John Derian decoupage plates that Heather Ross collects hang on the wall.

Art by Oklahoma City artist Ryan Cunningham adds color to the downstairs living room, which the Rosses use often to welcome guests. The living room is right off the kitchen at the front of the house and has lots of seating for fun gatherings.

38

405 HOME SPRING 2020

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

39

We were really trying to respect the integrity of the home.

40

405 HOME SPRING 2020

(Left) Color and light fill this upstairs master bedroom with a balcony that overlooks the backyard.

(Above) Hanging on the wall in the upstairs family room are baskets that Heather Ross has been collecting for years, made by craftswomen in Rwanda. Designer Bebe Bolen said she loved using them to add an interest to that space, especially since they represent the Rosses’ travels and mean something to them. “It is always fun to find inspiration when you start a project,” Bolen says, referring to the baskets.

“We were really trying to respect the integrity of the home,” Bob Ross says.

So, working with Kent Hoffman on the construction and Bebe Bolen MacKellar with Fanny Bolen Interiors on the design, the Rosses dove into crafting their perfect family home.

Total Environment, Inc., designed the backyard.

Today, it’s a home filled with color and natural light where the Rosses are making memories with friends and their family.

There are plenty of spaces for gatherings large and small, and the Rosses made use of all the nooks – including one for their dogs, who have their own space under the back staircase and can go in and out from there. Collections from their travels are focal points throughout the house, including Rwandan baskets hung in a family room upstairs. In the breakfast nook are comfortable chairs where the Rosses drink coffee and read their newspapers in the mornings or share a glass of wine at night, often waving at or talking to their neighbors as they walk by those windows.

The previous owners told them that there are even secret nooks in and around the staircase where the original owners hid their liquor during Prohibition.

In the basement, the family and their friends can play foosball, ping pong or pool or hang out and watch movies.

“This house, this corner, this block, is perfect to me,” Heather Ross says, noting the proximity to the Paseo Arts District and to the growing Western District. “The Memorial Marathon runs right by here. The neighborhood itself has all sorts of events … it is just so fun, and you do feel like you are much more a part of the city.”

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

41

Dream Home?

And now, Dream Rates!

Yes! Rates have drifted down to historic lows once again.

If you financed a home in 2017 or later, you might discover that NOW is the time to refinance, take on that home improvement project, or buy that new house. And, we are here to ensure you have a loan experience that is more than a great rate. From application to closing, we don’t just give you a loan, we give you the right loan. Kirkpatrick Bank.

Conventional Mortgage, FHA, VA and Jumbo Loans.

BARBARA DRAKE

CONSTANCE LADD

GINA BRITT

KATHY FRANKENFIELD

405.241.0831 bdrake@kirkpatrickbank.com

405.241.0832 cladd@kirkpatrickbank.com

Construction Lending 405.715.8914 gbritt@kirkpatrickbank.com

Director Private Bank 405.241.0810 kfrankenfield@kirkpatrickbank.com

kirkpatrickbankhomeloans.com

LI V ING

Each Day, Give Yourself the Gift of Living Well

RACHEL MAUCIERI

CHARCUTERIE FOREVER!

Charcuterie platters are at once elegant, beautiful and inviting. And the best news is that with a little prep and planning, you can create Insta-worthy platters yourself! Senior Writer Greg Horton tackles the tray on page 46.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

43

living four in the 405

Hometown Snapshot: Four in the 405

3400 Partridge Road Oklahoma City, OK 73120

1 NE Second St, Apartment 413 Oklahoma City, OK 73104

$453,000 Property taxes: $396/mo $137 per square foot

$464,900 Property taxes: $402/mo $238 per square foot

A stately Colonial in the established Quail Creek neighborhood, this four-bedroom, five-bathroom home built in 1966 features a completely redesigned interior perfect for large families or people who just like plenty of space. At 3,306 square feet, this home offers all the amenities of modern living along with the pleasures of having mature trees and a neighborhood that retains its value, year after year.

Featuring gorgeous views of downtown Oklahoma City and the amenities of modern urban living, this fourth-floor home in historic Deep Deuce is a masterwork of clean lines and understated industrial touches.

With three bedrooms, two baths and nearly 2,000 square feet, living downtown does not come at the expense of space. In addition to the apartment, owners will have two reserved and secure garage parking spaces, as well as a gated storage area.

Agent: Debbie Gray, CENTURY 21 GOODYEAR GREEN

debbiegrayc21@gmail.com

44

405 HOME SPRING 2020

Agent: Kathleen Forrest, METRO BROKERS OF OKLAHOMA

closing@kathleenforrest.com

PHOTOS PROVIDED

BY GEORGE LANG

O K L A H O M A C I T Y ’ S M E T R O built a reputation as a community where home buyers could get more house for their dollar, and that continues to be true – compared to most of the U.S., our city offers considerably more value in its available homes. With this new feature, 405HOME will compare homes in various parts of the city to show prospective buyers what they might expect when searching for that dream house.

This month, we explore homes listed for about $450,000 in four different areas of the metro.

7000 NW 39th St Bethany, OK 73008

1517 Oklahoma Ave Norman, OK 73071

$439,000 Property taxes: $384/mo $114 per square foot

$450,000 Property taxes: $390/mo $183 per square foot

Not far from the watersports at Lake Overholser, this enormous neo-Victorian with five bedrooms and six baths boasts wrap-around porches on both stories was originally a bed and breakfast when it was built in 1995. It was converted into a single-family home and offers many luxury touches, including several jetted bathtubs and living areas, as well as a detached garage.

A spacious 85-year-old home near the University of Oklahoma campus, this three-bathroom, two-bathroom family home sits on nearly two acres of wooded property and features a beautifully appointed chef ’s kitchen with a double-door commercial refrigerator. The massive master suite, plentiful storage space and freshly updated bathrooms complete the perfect home for people who love a rural feel but relish a short walk to Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Agent: Jennifer Hodge, ERA COURTYARD REAL ESTATE

jennifer.hodge@erarealestate.com

Agent: Breann Llewelyn Green, HAMILWOOD REAL ESTATE

breann@homesbybreann.com SPRING 2020 405 HOME

45

living entertaining A charcuterie board is best when you don’t overthink it. Be sure to taste each component individually and let flavor be your guide.

Charcuterie board by En Croute.

Tray Bien M

O R E T H A N J U S T A WAY

CONSTRUCTING CHARCUTERIE PL ATTERS LIKE A PRO

BY GREG HORTON PHOTOS BY RACHEL MAUCIERI

46

405 HOME SPRING 2020

to provide snacks for guests, a well-done cheese tray is also a challenging means to inspire creativity. Too often, the cheese tray becomes a tired canvas filled with the usual suspects: wheat crackers, raw almonds, Manchego, Brie and Bleu and some sort of fruit or fruit compote – what cheesemonger Becca Forest refers to with a sigh as “crackers, cheese and fruit.”

“One way to avoid the sameness is to work with themed trays,” Forest says. “If you want to do a breakfast theme, add candied bacon, cream cheese and miniature bagels. Don’t be afraid to be creative. There isn’t a list of what must go on a cheese tray.”

Forest said she thinks in terms of textures, heights of stacks, colors and ingredients. The textures help you avoid sameness in mouth feel, which can lead to all the ingredients running together. The easiest way to do this is make sure the cheese selection includes creamy, soft, semi-soft and hard selections. The accompaniments should vary in texture as well: crunchy elements with soft cheeses and soft fruits or cured meats with hard cheeses.

The height of each individual item contributes to the tray’s uniformity or variety. Forest said to experiment with the components. Fan the cheeses instead of stacking them. Scatter fruit and nuts around the tray rather than piling them all together, making sure accompaniments are next to the paired cheese.

A range of colors makes for a vibrant tray, too, so even if you’ve chosen mostly white cheeses, you can mix up the palette by selecting ingredients that pop with color: berries, olives, green veggies and citrus.

“Citrus isn’t utilized enough for pairing,” Forest said. “Not only does it add color, it adds much-needed acid, and some citrus pairs very well with certain cheeses. For example, Chevre is delicious with citrus.”

Talk to the cheesemonger at the store where you shop if you’re unsure of pairings. Whole Foods (6001 N Western) ensures the staff at their cheese counters are well trained and certified. If you’re in the Norman area, Suzy Thompson’s store Forward Foods (215 W Main) has been a leader in cheese education in the metro since the early ’00s, and her selection is diverse and impressive. In Nichols Hills,

owner-cheesemonger Crosby Dyke is behind the counter at En Croute (6460 Avondale), and she oversees an excellent selection and a welltrained staff. She’s almost always available to answer questions, too.

If the store doesn’t have a cheesemonger, Forest said to always check dates. Cheese is, in a sense, a living organism – it starts to break down within a day or two of being sliced, so two to three days is the limit for freshness. Heavy wrapping is preferable to thin wrapping, as well, as it protects the cheese from the damaging aspects of refrigeration. On the other hand, cheese wrapped in plastic will taste like plastic in only a couple of days.

As for building the actual tray, start with the cheese. A good formula is one ounce of cheese for each person, with one or two accompaniments per cheese. Distribute the cheese evenly across the board. “You want to encourage them to eat their way through the tray,” Forest says.

“Place the other accompaniments in dynamic

ways – scattered, fanned, stacked – and then save the crackers until last. They are not the focus and shouldn’t be featured as such, so tuck them in wherever you have space remaining.”

Always include palate cleansers in your tray.

Spun honey works, as does citrus. Also, look for fresh cheeses with high lactose content such as ricotta. Lightly pickled veggies are also workable, but stronger pickling can create palate fatigue quickly.

Forest has two admonitions for all her customers: First, never serve cheese cold. Let it sit out for at least half an hour before guests arrive. Just like good wine, the closer a cheese

is to room temperature, the more flavorful it becomes. Second, never feel like you have to put any particular ingredient on the tray. There are no “must haves” except cheese.

Crosby Dyke of En Croute gave us some basics for adding meat to a tray, and the rules of pairing wines, beginning with “Don’t overthink the pairings.”

“Some cured meats have black pepper or fennel – seasonings and ingredients that can make pairing harder, so taste everything by itself first,” she says. “Once you have tasted all the components, then start combining them by tasting.”

You want to encourage them to eat their way through the tray. Place the other accompaniments in dynamic ways – scattered, fanned, stacked – and then save the crackers until last.

En Croute’s owner and cheesemonger, Crosby Dyke, composes her boards with a flavor balance in mind. She’ll happily make one for you!

Two caveats: the body of the wine should match the intensity of the cheese, and don’t be afraid to pair white wines with meats.

“Brie is a cow’s milk cheese, so think in terms of creaminess,” Dyke says. “Th at means a nice Chardonnay should pair well with a mild cow’s milk cheese. Light-bodied reds would also work. For the meats, Riesling works great with the traditional Italian salumi, including the spicier pepperoni or sausages.”

Pairing by region is also a good rule of thumb. European food and wine have grown up together for centuries, and it’s a good idea to think in terms of terroir when pairing: French cheese with French wine, and Italian with Italian. Dyke said that also works for California products, especially wines from Napa and Sonoma paired with California cheeses. Bleu cheese is an interesting problem because the flavor is so pungent it seems to scream for a bold red, but the salinity and flavor profi le make a sweet or sparkling white a better pairing.

For the accouterments, the same rules apply: taste everything by itself, pay attention to salinity (the more salt in the food, the more sugar in the wine), and match intensity of flavor. Dyke recommends Castelvetrano olives, marcona almonds, berries in the form of compote or jam, even honey. “We use the honey as a palate cleanser of sorts, a balance of sweet to salty,” she says. Above all, start simple and have fun.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

47

living design

To Make a Masterpiece CHANGE AND CONSISTENCY FOR RANDOLPH DESIGN + BUILD

BY STEVE GILL | PHOTOS BY SARAH STRUNK AND SEAN KILGORE

F

O U R D ECA D E S I S A

long time in the business world. While that span has added to the expertise and burnished the credentials of OKC construction firm Gary Randolph Master Builder (which, as the name indicates, were extensive to begin with), it shouldn’t be too surprising that they changed the company name last fall. The original namesake will want to retire eventually, after all – but when he does decide to, his legacy is already in good hands, while staying in the family. Ashley Randolph-McAllister is the future face of Randolph Design + Build.

Randolph-McAllister calls the new name “a more modern take on the master builder phrase and concept,” and explained that the phrase isn’t the ceremonial title it sounds like; the difference between a builder and a master builder is a level of overall expertise that allows the latter to guide a project continuously from design to pricing to actual construction. “It’s being able to have the full mind and knowledge of the whole product from start to finish, all the way from putting the pencil to the paper to it physically being built and someone living in it,” she says.

That concentration of responsibility means reducing the potential for miscommunications and allows for greater flexibility in dealing with logistics. Thanks to Gary Randolph’s decades of

Functional and fun: a smaller space is the perfect place for a spiral staircase.

48

405 HOME SPRING 2020

It’s being able to have the full mind and knowledge of the whole product from start to finish, all the way from putting the pencil to the paper to it physically being built and someone living in it.

(Clockwise, from top left) Gary Randolph and Ashley Randolph-McAllister; a Fortuny chandelier in a recent renovation in Crown Heights; a live-edge stair in an urban-infill new construction home.

hands-on experience in both planning and executing construction projects, Randolph-McAllister says, “He can’t be blindsided, because he knows how it all works. If somebody says, ‘That can’t happen,’ he says, ‘Yes it can, let me walk you through it.’

So we can do some really interesting projects.”

Those projects can encompass anything from a single-room remodel to a new house built from scratch – starting with a conversation about the client’s desires and vision and providing plenty of guidance and clear communication, including about costs, along the way. “It’s a very organic, clean process; people feel comfortable working with us and they see there’s lots of opportunity for them to get what they want.” Randolph-McAllister added that a common element of their business – one that’s fairly uncommon among contractors as a general rule – is returning or ongoing customers. “One family we did a kitchen for, and then we did their attic conversion, and then they came back three years later and said, ‘I think we’re ready to sell and get out of the city; we’re buying a lot.’ So we went and looked at their lot and designed and ended up building them a whole new house. I think that speaks volumes; the reason we do get so much repeat or word of mouth business is because they see the quality in our work.”

Change is a part of life, but if we embrace it, plan for it and approach it the right way, the results can be tremendous … even masterful.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

49

ADVERTISEMENT

SWAT MOSQ U ITO MI ST SYSTEM YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN OUTDOORS!®

Y

our yard is a part of your home, and in good weather it should be part of your life. When you want to enjoy outdoor fun and leisure time in your own yard, you should be able to do so in complete comfort – and not worry about mosquitoes.

Not only are they pests, mosquitoes can be dangerous, since they carry infectious diseases like the West Nile virus, Chikungunya and Zika.

Let SWAT Mosquito Mist System take the sting out of outdoor living in your backyard with a custom mosquito control system.

SWAT’s innovative misting system is custom-configured to the specifications of your property and your needs, giving you control over a network of misting nozzles that

are placed almost completely out of sight, but make a clear, remarkable difference in keeping your yard free of airborne pests. The machine is set to automatically spray a solution that targets and kills annoying mosquitoes, but your yard will be safe for children, pets and food immediately after misting. Included is a hand-held remote so that you can have mosquito control in the palm of your hand. Your system can be monitored by SWAT via Wi-Fi and that service also includes a smart phone app – letting you enjoy the outdoors in comfort, with a system that’s completely worry-free.

SWAT also offers reliable and expert service for existing systems as well as scheduled yard spraying, so even if you don’t have a system installed they can help eliminate

mosquitoes before outdoor parties and protect your gathering from uninvited guests.

A solid Oklahoma-based company with 15 years in business, an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and exceptional customer reviews, SWAT believes that “You have the right to remain outdoors.”

Have SWAT Mosquito Mist System make your backyard great again!

405.610.7928 | SWATOKC.COM

The story of excellent design in the 405 is a story of talented individuals in every discipline, whose expertise has produced some of the region’s most iconic structures, interior designs, furnishings and more.

This section is part introduction and part celebration. Join us and get to know the movers, makers and shakers who make up our region’s design community.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

51

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Property ID: YQTRZ8

THE FACE OF

LUXURY REAL ESTATE SAGE SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY When Sage Realty Partners was launched in 2017 by cousins Chris and Rob Allen, its goal was to elevate the standard of OKC’s real estate industry. And unwavering in their values of integrity and respect, they quickly achieved that goal and rose to become one of the top brokerages in central Oklahoma. But we weren’t the only ones to take notice. Their growth and success quickly caught the attention of the most respected name in international luxury real estate, Sotheby’s International Realty. In September of 2019, a mere two years after its founding, Sage became the first Sotheby’s International Realty affiliate in Oklahoma.

Known for centuries as the premier provider of fine art 52

405 HOME SPRING 2020

through its impeccable auctions, Sotheby’s launched its namesake International Realty brand in 1976 to provide independently owned and operated real estate offices with a powerful marketing and referral program for luxury listings.

It has brokerages throughout the world in 70 countries, but only one ready to share the finest properties in Canadian, Cleveland and Oklahoma Counties with its clientele, while providing unparalleled service to those living right here in Oklahoma.

“We believe that everyone deserves million-dollar service,” says Allen. “Luxury is an experience, not a price point.”

So when you look at these faces in luxury, you’ll not only see real estate agents, but full-time, professional industry advisers. They each have the expertise and desire to deliver at the highest level, all while being backed by a global marketing superpower. That’s how Sage Sotheby’s International Realty challenges the status quo on what buyers and sellers should expect from their brokerage and why they are poised to continue what they started out to do… set the Sage standard.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Property ID: 793S8E

Property ID: ERCY4J

6430 N Western Ave, Nichols Hills, OK 73116 405.748.0405 | sagesir.com SPRING 2020 405 HOME

53

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THE FACE OF

DESIGNER TILE ARTISAN TILE STUDIO

Whether Sydnye Steen is traveling or watching a movie at home, she often finds herself zeroing in on the tile she sees in either setting.

“Sometimes I have to rewind if I see it on TV,” she says. “I’m always thinking about tile.”

And that’s a good thing. Steen runs Artisan Tile Studio in Oklahoma City. Her interest started more than 20 years ago while working for her father, who ran a natural stone fabrication and tile business. That’s where she got the bug. “Shortly after he retired, I opened Artisan,” she says.

54

405 HOME SPRING 2020

Today, Artisan Tile Studio provides unique tile and stone from throughout the world.

“I really have a passion for the tile side of the business. We work with interior designers, homeowners and builders,” she says. “We offer exclusive custom lines that can be tailored to meet the needs of the clients. New Ravenna and Maison Surface are two of our favorites.

Steen said tile, especially natural stone can be timeless or trendy. “There are so many looks you can achieve with tile” she says. “You can take one tile and make it work with several styles from modern to transitional to traditional to eclectic.”

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

7108 N Western Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 405.242.2227 | facebook.com/ArtisanTileStudio SPRING 2020 405 HOME

55

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THE FACE OF

CUSTOM FURNITURE THE WOOD GARDEN

Since Janice Carty and her daughter, Amie Cook opened The Wood Garden in Nichols Hills 25 years ago, it has been a business in a constant state of evolution. Today, The Wood Garden is a furniture and accessory store specializing in customization … but it didn’t start out that way.

“Most of our customers are word of mouth,” Cook says.

“We have to offer something more unique than chain stores do. That’s how it’s kind of evolved through the years; we started making unfinished furniture, then custom cabinets and antiques. We’ve finally settled into a creative niche.”

Perhaps Cook’s most favorite thing about her business is 56

405 HOME SPRING 2020

problem solving.

“Every day is a new day, and when I work on a project for someone, I love putting the puzzle pieces together,” Cook says.

“I love watching people when that lightbulb comes on and they see what we’re doing. I love showing people something new and unexpected that revolves around what they need.”

And it’s not just a question of providing a unique appearance; Cook also believes whatever projects she finishes should be usable.

“It needs to be livable for your family, and for what they use that space for,” she says. “It’s important to find out for each client, and that varies from person to person. Families are different sizes and ages, [and] some have children. I think my clients are people who really think about what they need, and do they have little ones, and whether or not a particular fabric will last.”

Together, Amie and Janice have worked together to offer a unique furniture store that offers creativity and custom design for everyone.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

7650 N Western Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 FURNITURE • DR APERIES • BEDDING • UNIQUE ACCESSORIES 405.848.9663 848.9663 • 7650 N. W ESTER N, OKC SPRING 2020 405 HOME

57

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THE FACE OF

ROOFING

TRIPLE DIAMOND CONSTRUCTION

Greg Derr got into the restoration business because he saw a chance to operate a business that is mutually beneficial to his company and homeowners.

“What sets Triple Diamond apart as a company is that we’re willing and able to take on the bigger and tougher projects, the complex claims – to do what other companies can’t,” Derr says. “We are guided by our vision, which is the relentless pursuit to do more in order to give more.”

The Pennsylvania native is the son of a Navy veteran, and when 58

405 HOME SPRING 2020

his father retired, the family moved back to his father’s native El Reno. The younger Derr graduated from El Reno High School in 2000. He worked in sales and construction before starting his own company with friends in 2010. In 2016, he bought out his partners, and now the Moore-based company uses its central location and 30 employees to service the whole state.

Derr said the niche they most often serve is roofing, primarily because Oklahoma gets a lot of storm damage, but the company can handle any general contracting issue. “I got into this because I like helping homeowners put things back together,” Derr says. “It’s a unique and fun way to help people.”

Triple Diamond also gives one percent of its gross revenue to Serve More, a local charity that started after the EF5 tornado struck Moore in May of 2013. Serve More also focuses on restoration and helping needy residents. This has been a wonderful partnership, and another way that Triple Diamond and Greg Derr live out their philosophy of doing more to give more.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

2306 N. Moore Ave., Moore, OK 73160 405.895.9972 | triplediamondok.com SPRING 2020 405 HOME

59

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

THE FACE OF

KITCHEN DESIGN KITCHEN SOCIETY DESIGN

Melissa Fitzgerald, recently moving back home from Denver, is bringing her impressive design experience to OKC. She said she’s inspired daily by all of the building and development going on here, and is excited to be back and be a part of it. One of her goals as a designer is to help educate homeowners on what makes a space truly custom. A huge part of this, she said, starts with space planning and cabinetry.

Custom cabinetry is much more than picking a trendy cabinet color. “I spend a lot of time getting to know the clients and find out how they use their kitchen, bathroom or mud room – and not only what their needs are, but what would make life easier,” says Fitzgerald. “For example, a coffee bar that goes completely away, hiding the mess, or organizational internal cabinet accessories.”

She is able to create these highly used spaces in clients’ homes using her own cabinet line, Society Cabinetry, which is 60

405 HOME SPRING 2020

completely customizable and gives her and the homeowner lots of room for creativity. “I felt in order for my company, Kitchen Society Design, to represent the highest quality in design, I needed to represent my own cabinet line. I selected this particular manufacturer because I love how beautiful and consistent the work is.”

Fitzgerald has won several awards in the last few years, including first place in 2017 and second and third place in 2019 for medium-sized kitchen design in the National Kitchen and Bath Association Colorado statewide competition; as well as the Colorado Homes and Lifestyles “Most Dramatic Makeover” Design Award in 2017 and 2019. This past fall, one of her kitchen designs made the Colorado Homes and Lifestyles “Fabulous List.”

When asked about trends, she responded, “I of course keep up with the current trends, but do not rely too heavily on them. I prefer to keep it classic.”

She is a fan of the current trend of returning to natural wood finishes. She is seeing a lot more wood tones, and lighter wood – oak, white oak, lightened walnut – seems to be more popular. She is also loving the use of dark dramatic color in kitchens and bathrooms.

In the end, Fitzgerald says, great design is timeless, beautiful and functional.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

405.589.1993 | kitchensocietydesign.com SPRING 2020 405 HOME

61

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

109 E. Main Street, Norman, OK 73069 405.321.1818 | misterrobert.com

THE FACE OF

FINE FURNITURE MISTER ROBERT

Keven Calonkey-Carl has had the same job her entire life, a rarity these days. The Norman native went to the University of Oklahoma after graduating from Norman High School.

After completing a degree in Interior Design, she joined her family business at Mister Robert Fine Furniture and Design in Norman – but she always has been a part of the store, which her parents opened more than 60 years ago. Her mother, a designer, would take her on calls when Keven was just a toddler.

Design has shaped her whole life. She became sole owner of Mister Robert in 2019, and continues the long family tradition 62

405 HOME SPRING 2020

of providing Oklahomans with excellence in product, service, and design.

A winner of 18 Excellence in Design Awards from the American Society of Interior Designers, Calonkey-Carl works in both residential and commercial design, and believes her greatest strengths with customers are being a good listener and providing prompt, exceptional design solutions.

Calonkey-Carl also holds a certification-since 1982-with the prestigious National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), an accomplishment held by very few designers in the state. Mister Robert’s work is so well respected in the construction trade that they regularly work with builders and developers to design model homes.

“I make sure each home or commercial space looks fantastic, whether its contemporary, transitional, or traditional” she says.

“True Interior Design is not about forcing a client to accept the designer’s style, but to create a space that fits the client’s tastes. I love taking a client’s dream and turning it into reality.”

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

807 N Broadway Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102 405.888.7470 | plentymercantile.com

THE FACE OF

LIFESTYLE PLENTY MERCANTILE

Sometimes a store is just a store … but with the right people to provide great customer service and a thoughtful, committed philosophy, it can provide something more than simply retail.

Brittney Matlock, co-owner with her mother Traci Walton of Plenty Mercantile, said that Plenty is based on a desire to share thoughtfully made, cost-effective products with OKC – a desire that carries over beyond the walls of their establishment.

“We bring what we aim to live: a sustainable and responsible lifestyle in terms of consumption,” says Matlock. “We allow you

to purchase responsibly. That translates into the way we live our own lifestyles with low-waste homes and business. We reduce, reuse and recycle as much as we can.”

Since opening in 2012, they’ve added locations in Chisholm Creek and Edmond’s Spring Creek Plaza, and the flagship location in Automobile Alley is attached to The Venue at Plenty, an excellent warehouse and rooftop space available to rent separately or together for events.

Home goods to books to jewelry and accessories, there’s a wide selection to browse at each location, and all of it is carefully chosen. “What makes us different as a lifestyle brand is that we look out for the whole family, at any stage of life and any budget,” says Matlock.

“We want to create spaces where people can gather to celebrate life moments through intentional gifts and memorable events. We celebrate life.”

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

63

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

12100 N May Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 405.748.5774 | norwalkfurnitureokc.com

THE FACE OF

NORWALK FURNITURE AND DESIGN NORWALK FURNITURE Norwalk Furniture is a unique collaboration between two talented designers, Cindy Curley and Ryan Johnson, who have shared their immaculate design expertise with clients for more than two decades.

Their clientele expects the exquisite, and the team at Norwalk is dedicated to delivering just that. Curley and Johnson strive to give each client unique, personalized solutions to their design needs, whether they’re simply replacing a rug or redesigning an entire home.

64

405 HOME SPRING 2020

Curley enjoys the design process, and feels that breathing new life into a living space can be as simple as making one wellthought-out tweak. “I think a pair of ottomans you can tuck in front of a fireplace or under a console table provides function and whimsy,” Curley says.

Johnson agrees. “Every home is unique and every client is unique,” he says. “They all bring different aesthetics. But I have things I always love – things I gravitate toward. Every room needs something Asian. It transcends styles and kind of gives the room some interest. I always lean toward tailored textiles. For instance, a pinstripe will go with anything without being stuffy.”

Ryan Johnson said part of design is like solving a puzzle, while Curley embraces the fashion-forward nature of interior design.

Every piece of furniture offered by Norwalk is custom, made unique by that magical chemistry that can only occur when talented designers and imaginative clientele come together and create, as they do every single day under the guidance of Curley and Johnson.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Rich Young Design 15929 Aparados Way, Oklahoma City, OK 73013 405.249.3005 | universitydesign.com

THE FACE OF

COMMERCIAL INTERIOR DESIGN RICH YOUNG DESIGN

Rich Young’s United Airlines career took him around the world, but his second gig as a designer brought him back to Oklahoma. The Buffalo native and Oklahoma State University graduate said he started flipping houses in California after retiring from corporate sales and marketing with United, and one of his transformations was featured in a magazine.

“It just exploded from there,” he says. “My fraternity brothers knew from social media that I did design work, and they asked me to assist with the new Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity House at OSU.” The on-site, one-year project stretched to nearly two, friendships were renewed and Young knew the time was right to come home. He’s built a home in northwest Oklahoma City that was finished in late March.

“I had wanted to do a very cool, modern home that was reminiscent of my time in California. But as I came back into the landscape, I’m doing what I call a very modern farmhouse.

My goal was to create a space with a gallery like feel – very clean lines.”

As for his personal influence with clients, “I believe great style is possible on any budget. You can find the best stuff at consignment stores. Also, don’t be afraid to mix timeless pieces with contemporary, modern style. It’s a wonderful juxtaposition.”

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

65

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Carousel Consignment 2201 W Edmond Rd, Edmond, OK 73003 405.285.1250 | shopcarouselconsignment.com

THE FACE OF

CONSIGNMENT FURNISHINGS CAROUSEL CONSIGNMENT

Edmond’s Carousel Consignment specializes in gently used furniture and home decor items, from high-end dining room tables to antique telescopes.

The idea for the shop came from another business Joyce Spurgeon owns: A Real Home Away from Home provides temporary housing for corporate relocation clients and those looking for short-term housing options.

“We often end up with extra furniture that we don’t need,

or we need furniture that we don’t already have,” she says.

“That’s where the idea for the store came from. We built the first business using consignment furnishings from other shops in the area so it seemed natural to open a store of our own.”

Joyce, daughter Katherine and three talented ladies run Carousel Consignment. They offer a service for those looking to sell items without going through the hassle of doing it themselves, and are a great resource for designers, realtors, and homeowners looking for something unique.

“I love it when something really interesting comes in the door,” Katherine Spurgeon says. “We rarely have two of any one thing.”

Inventory is constantly changing with designer items being delivered every week. The shop stays open late for a “Red Carpet” sale event the first Thursday of every month, offering refreshments and big discounts.

“We offer lay-a-way and furniture rentals in addition to our friendly consignment terms” she says. “It’s very easy to shop. We don’t crowd the store and it’s very well-lit. We want people to come in, enjoy their shopping experience and genuinely feel at home.”

A LFR ESCO Enhancing Your Corner of the Great Outdoors

Carli Economy

NOT YOUR AUNT’S PICNIC

Packing and partaking of your repast en plein air requires a little forethought, and a big dollop of style. Allow us to set your imagination free, unburdened by tiresome chicken and lazy potato salad, your picnic will now wow! See page 68.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

67

alfresco outdoor dining

A Picnics Primer

BY GEORGE LANG PHOTOS BY CARLI ECONOMY

I

N P R E H I S TO R I C T I M E S , E V E RY

meal was a picnic. Humans just ate outside most days, usually after vanquishing the main course, but as civilization progressed, people started eating indoors more frequently, which made the idea of al fresco dining more of a novelty.

While the French term pique-nique was in use since the late-1600s to describe relaxation after hunting, a ritual memorialized in François Lemoyne’s 1723 painting “Hunt Picnic,” most historians agree that the modern concept of a picnic began shortly after the French Revolution, when the newly enfranchised citizenry would lay out blankets and dine on formerly royal grounds.

The accoutrements of picnicking have not changed much in a couple of centuries. If a table is used, most people think of gingham cloths, sandwiches and bowls of fruit salad, all passed around in a bucolic setting. If it’s done reclining on the grass of a park, a sturdy blanket is spread to keep the dirt and bugs away and a sumptuous feast of cold fried chicken and sides is brought out from a woven basket and served with lemonade or, for picnic brunches, champagne.

But recent evolutions in picnicking come down to two elements: developing palates and food science. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) established a “danger zone” for food between 40 and 140 degrees.

If the food is supposed to be cold, it can be left at room temperature for two hours before returning it to the refrigerator, and no more than one hour if, like it often is in Oklahoma, the temperature rises above 90 degrees.

“In truth, this happens all the time, particularly with home cooks,” said Kamala Gamble, who operates the catering service Kam’s Kookery and serves fresh food grown 68

405 HOME SPRING 2020

at her suburban farm, Guilford Gardens.

“It’s basically meat and dairy are the things.

I think onions can eventually go bad and kill you and stuff like that, or there’s botulism from home canning, though I don’t know if it happens that much. Butter can have an effect, but if you go vegetarian, you’ll probably be using olive oil anyway.”

Oklahoma State University’s Food Demand Survey (FooDS), an online study that measured food trends from 2013 to 2018, found the number of self-identifying U.S. vegetar-

ians rose four percent during the reporting period, from just under five percent to nearly nine percent. As such, food companies are responding to the demand increase by rolling out transitional vegetarian foods like Beyond Meat and Impossible Burgers — burger patties that mimic the taste and texture of ground beef. As more people choose vegetable-based diets, concerns over food safety are diminishing in some areas, although USDA still recommends food safety measures to ward off viruses and contaminations such as

Recent evolutions in picnicking come down to two elements: developing palates and food science. staphylococcus aureus, salmonella enteritidis, escherichia coli O157:H7 (E-coli) and campylobacter.

Gamble recommends roasted or grilled vegetables, including indigenous Oklahoma vegetables like okra, summer squashes, green onions, tomatoes, corn and grilled potatoes for a spring or early summer picnic. In addition, there are elements of the vegetable-rich Mediterranean diet. One of Gamble’s outdoor dining staples is the panzanella salad, an easyto-make Tuscan dish.

“The panzanella salad, which is one of my favorites, has the tomatoes, the cucumber, the feta, basil and all that good stuff, and you just keep the feta in the cooler and serve that at the last minute and you’re good to go,” Gamble said.

A panzanella salad also includes toasted bread (the pan in panzanella), red onion and

For fantastic picnic fare think simple and portable.

Tomato-and-mozzarella salad, hummus, falafel and tabbouleh are safe, sumptuous and sophisticated.

bell peppers. Those with a taste for them can include capers, and the salad can be prepared either sauteed or baked. Fresh mozzarella can be used in lieu of feta and a packaged medium texture or homemade tofu can be substituted for vegan diets.

Corn is also a mainstay for picnics, and a lot of people love to throw corn on the grill and get some good roasting on the kernels before serving. However, corn really does not have to be cooked to enjoy.

“I eat corn just right off the cob,” Gamble said. “When the corn starts coming into the farmers market, I just pull it back and eat it.”

For those who cannot imagine a picnic without cold chicken, Gamble said the best preparations are either fried or smoked, then cooled before serving at room temperature. In addition, potato salad and coleslaw were favorites for outdoor dining for years, but then people

started becoming wary of egg-rich mayonnaise.

Eggs do not do well outside of controlled environments, but Gamble said picnickers just need to be smart in order to be safe.

“You make it and put it in a cooler,” Gamble said. “Those are your mayonnaise-related dishes.”

For picnic enthusiasts who still love a good coleslaw, there are the oil and vinegar versions, but if creamy is still desired, there are products such as vegenaise that are remarkably close in taste to traditional mayonnaise but contain no eggs. One of the dominant brands of vegenaise is made by Follow Your Heart, which began marketing its vegenaise over 40 years ago. Ingredients include safflower oil, brown rice syrup, pea protein and apple cider vinegar, but prepare to be fooled — the resulting vegenaise is almost indistinguishable in taste, color and texture. It could be a picnic saver for people who get scared around traditional preparations of coleslaw and potato salad.

If something more spicy is preferred, guacamole and salsa served with chips can fill the bill nicely. Guacamole is best made with medium-to-ripe avocados with lime juice, garlic, onions and tomatoes, and cilantro can be included for those born with the gene to like it. Many people worry understandably about guacamole turning brown when it is exposed to oxygen and have turned to remedies like leaving avocado pits in the dip or increasing the amount of lime juice used. However, Real Simple magazine did some tests last year to find the best way to keep guacamole attractively verdant, and the pits and lime juice produced little change. However, if guacamole is covered in a half-inch of water that is poured out before serving, the guacamole can stay green up to two days.

Do not forget watermelon for an Oklahoma picnic, which is available locally via the large number of watermelon growers in Rush Springs.

“We did some stuff with 612 and Commonwealth Urban Farms, people who we admire and respect,” Gamble said. “I did a big ol’ platter of watermelon salad with feta and basil. Everyone will relate to panzanella salad and watermelon at a picnic.”

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

69

alfresco growing

Hoop Dreams LOW-TECH INVESTMENTS IN LONGER GROWING SEASONS

BY GREG HORTON | PHOTOS BY RACHEL MAUCIERI

A row of sweet baby lettuces await their forever homes in a hoop house at Prairie Earth Gardens.

70

405 HOME SPRING 2020

C

HANCES ARE IF

you’re familiar with the term “hoop house,” you have a better than average understanding of farming. Rather than, as I pictured, something dangling from a tree on which birds or possibly humans could perch, the hoop house is essentially a more primitive form of greenhouse; it doesn’t have built-in heating and/or cooling systems, and, depending on the size, may have a large enough door to get a vehicle inside. Built from metal frames and covered with greenhouse-grade plastic, the hoop house is – in the words of Prairie Earth Gardens farmer’s market manager Christy White – “a season extender.”

White walked between rows of lettuce and mixed greens, some still not large enough for harvesting, and some on the last growth of the season. Trying to grow lettuce outside in February would normally be pointless, but the hoop house – or high tunnel, as it’s often called – extends the season by means of the greenhouse effect. The clear plastic allows light in, and then traps the heat.

“We can get an additional month or two, depending on the crops,” White says. “We can use shade cloths on warm days and frost cloths when the temperature really drops to ensure that extreme temperatures don’t kill the plants.”

Prairie Earth Gardens has approximately two acres under production during the winter months. In addition to the lettuce and greens, they have outdoor beds for winter-loving green garlic, a hoop house for peppers deep into the 80 acres and a greenhouse full of edible flowers that they sell to local chefs and bar owners.

Extending the growing season to 12 months means that the dips in revenue associated with seasonal farming are much less drastic than in outdoor farming alone.

Work is complete on a 30’ x 96’ hoop house that will be used this year to greatly increase capacity.

Jamie Ohlheiser, field manager and farmer, said they will use the large space for tomatoes.

“Using a hoop house, you could actually start the tomatoes in March if you use frost cloths, but we’ll bring them in in April, which will still put us a month early and require less work,” Ohlheiser says.

The new hoop house is double sheeted, so it will get warmer than a single-sheet tunnel. A garage-style door on the south side will allow summer wind to move through the hoop house when the sides are up, helping the air to circulate and cooling things down a bit. Hoop houses tend to require twice as much plastic sheeting as the width of the frame, so that the sides can be tucked in to keep cold air out. Professional-grade hoop houses also come with cranks that allow farmers to raise and lower the sides to take advantage of warm days and make access easier.

Jacob Sanders, one of the co-owners of Circleculture Farms in the Paseo neighborhood, will be using a hoop house this year to expand production on the farm he shares with his partner Megan Sisco. They plan on using the extra space to grow salad greens and cold weather flowers, which they will be selling at The Market at Commonplace when it opens this year. With limited space in the city, Circleculture relies on high tunnels and low tunnels to increase production space and time. Low tunnels, especially, are good for home gardeners.

When combined with a raised bed, low tunnels make backyard farming much easier. Sanders said to use only greenhouse-grade plastic and metal for the frame.

It’s not uncommon to see frames made from PVC piping, but Sanders warned against it.

(Clockwise from top) the Prairie Earth team, hominid and canine; manager Christy White with a salad-to-be; a hoop house in action.

“It’s an inferior material that will degrade faster, and while I do see Visqueen occasionally, it’s best to go with greenhouse-grade plastic for better insulation and results,” he says.

Megan Sisco uses the tunnels to isolate certain species of flowers to prevent cross-pollination, which

means she has to introduce pollinators manually to the tunnels. On the other hand, they allow cross-pollination in their sweet pepper hoop house at Prairie Earth Gardens.

“The cross-pollination doesn’t affect the flavor – they’re all sweet peppers,” Ohlheiser says, “but we do see beautiful color changes,

like purple and orange, from season to season.”

For home gardeners, Sanders and Sisco recommend reading Eliot Coleman’s Four-Season Harvest for a solid, readable, practical introduction to high tunnel farming. The book is available on Amazon.

SPRING 2020 405 HOME

71

looking ahead

You’re Such a Card

BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON | PHOTO BY CARLI ECONOMY

W

H I L E W E C E R TA I N LY LOV E modern convenience

and the immediacy of texting or emailing, there’s something really exciting about finding an envelope with your name on it in your IRL mailbox. When pondering our Fall 2020 issue of 405HOME, we naturally thought of the holidays, and that made us think of mail. As in cards. Turns out, the founders of Agreetable, a new line of easy-to-stock-up-on cards for all seasons were thinking the same

72

405 HOME SPRING 2020

thing and we’ll share their story with you. We’ll also bring you our second installation of our wildly popular Home Away column. Last time, we ensconced ourselves in the amazing Adolphus Hotel in Dallas for a few days; this installation takes us to Kansas City’s 21c Museum Hotel which will knock your socks off. As we scour the 405 for brilliant designers, talented chefs and the stories we love to tell, we invite you to embark on your own odyssey: look for beauty each and every day. It’s everywhere.

Come experience all South Oklahoma City’s most elegant neighborhood has to offer while touring a street of new, innovative homes from five of Oklahoma’s most unique luxury custom builders.

May 30 - June 13, 2020 ABC Supply Company Acme Brick BancFirst Bryan’s Flooring Builder’s First Choice Canterra Homes Craig Smith Building First American Title & Trust Co. Glazing Concepts Huffman Custom Homes

@GalleryOfHomesAtRivendell

Tickets on sale April 4th Thanks to our generous sponsors and builders, all ticket proceeds will go to local nonprofit organizations.

GalleryOfHomesAtRivendell.com

Lennox Industries Metheney Concrete Metro Appliances & More Mill Creek Lumber & Supply Morrison Supply P.B. Odom, III Pacific Shore Stones Pella Windows Stonewall Homes Tatum Homes Wet Lawn Sprinklers

@GalleryOfHomesAtRivendell

Keven Calonkey Carl Professional Member ASID NCIDQ Certified

Est. 1958 • 109 East Main • Norman • 405.321.1818 • MisterRobert.com •