April SouthPark 2023

Choosing

Visit

EAT. DRINK. SPRING.

My colleagues often hear me say: Sometimes, I wish every month was our Home & Garden issue. Sure, I really love reading and writing stories about great food, travel and local nonprofits. But the design community in Charlotte is strong — from the interior and landscape designers to the homebuilders and architects, not to mention the florists, artists and local craftspeople who add layers of creativity to their swoonworthy projects.

I admit, I feel a rush of pride when I see one of Charlotte’s local tastemakers getting a nod from a national or regional shelter publication like House Beautiful, Architectural Digest or Southern Living. It not only provides amazing opportunities for them to grow their brands beyond our city; it also elevates the community’s profile as a whole when our dynamic creatives are recognized for their expertise, style and business savvy.

But this issue isn’t just about design –it’s also about people. Like Society Social’s Roxy Owens, Coley Home founder Coley Hull is building a brand that will help ensure North Carolina’s furniture-making legacy continues (page 30). Interior designer Marie Cloud views her work almost like that of a storyteller (page 32). When starting work with a new client, Cloud admits she asks questions that may seem a little obscure at first, but that help her get to know them on a more emotional level.

“I genuinely design spaces for the soul of my clients.”

Myers Park homeowner Allison Abbott has a passion for repurposing thrifted, vintage and found items with contemporary pieces, creating an eclectic, one-of-a-kind home for her active family of five (plus a menagerie of pets). Designers Kim Moore and Nancy Targgart of Cashion Hill Design, who share a passion for discovering vintage treasures, helped her tie it all together. And plant by plant, Pete and Eve Pappas have created their very special backyard moss garden over four decades — nearly every flower, shrub and tree has a story to tell.

It sounds cliche, but our homes are more than just places to sleep and eat. They tell us something about the people who live there. Granted, for too many years, my home screamed “too preoccupied with work and kids to even think about decorating.” I’m slowly working to fix that. It’s easy to get inspired when I’m surrounded by so much creativity. Hopefully, this issue will provide a little inspiration for you as well — to go against the grain and create the type of home you’ve always wanted (page 90), rethink that perfectly good sofa your neighbor just kicked to the curb (page 102) or plant your very own “giving tree” right in your backyard (page 112). SP

CATHY MARTIN EDITOR

editor@southparkmagazine.com

IN THIS ISSUE:

1 - Judy Blume visits fans on the local set of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. (page 44)

2 - Behind the scenes: photographer Heather Ison at work (page 102)

3 - Davidson artist Hannah Yanetsko (page 36)

4 - Coley Home’s grand opening (page 30)

5 - Photo shoot fun at Slate Interiors (page 90)

World Class Living

BLVD.

28 | design

Two Charlotte designers channel vacation vibes in their new collections.

30 | interiors

Coley Home’s new westside showroom

32 | room reimagined

Marie Cloud creates a home office that’s functional from day into night.

36 | artists

Davidson’s Hannah Yanetsko transforms loss into art.

40 | performing arts

For soprano Melinda Whittington, opera combines her passions of singing, language, history and culture.

44 | film

Local love for Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.

48 | cuisine

Limani drops anchor at Phillips Place with seafood-focused Greek cuisine.

56 | tale of the plate

Chef Tommy Vance’s white bean and salami salad

58 | dining

17 patios to enjoy in the Queen City

62 | around town

What’s new and coming soon in Charlotte

64 | happenings

April calendar of events

DEPARTMENTS

69 | gardening

How to design a small but beautiful space garden

73| bookshelf

Notable new releases

75 | simple life

Coaching a youth baseball team helps a tired journalist find good news.

129 | swirl

Parties, galas and events around Charlotte

136 | gallery

Artfully Designed showcases Queen City creatives

ABOUT THE COVER

30

48

A sitting room by Susan Hill Interior Design is layered with soft, soothing colors (“Striking a balance,” page 90).

Photograph by Laura Sumrak.

FEATURES

82 | Make it mod styling by Whitley Adkins photographs by Olly Yung

Retro style inspired by Slate Interiors’ sleek midcentury-modern vignettes

90 | Striking a balance by Catherine Ruth Kelly photographs by Laura Sumrak

Empty nesters team with designer Susan Hill to create a home that harmoniously blends luxury and practicality.

102 | Marvelous menagerie by Catherine Ruth Kelly photographs by Heather Ison

A colorful Myers Park home encapsulates the verve, vibrance and vintage treasures of its exuberant owner.

112 |Story of a garden by Cathy Martin photographs by Richard Israel

Over more than four decades, Pete and Eve Pappas have transformed their Myers Park backyard into a peaceful moss garden.

116 |Pretty peaceful by Cathy Martin

Travel: Savor Savannah’s softer side with a stay at Bellwether House.

Heather Bryant, PA-C, Jonathan Kulbersh, MD, Courtney Whitley, FNP-C, Amanda Piligian, PA-C

LOCALLY SOURCED AND CRAFTED WITH LOVE

1230 West Morehead St., Suite 308 Charlotte, NC 28208 704-523-6987

southparkmagazine.com

Ben Kinney Publisher publisher@southparkmagazine.com

Cathy Martin Editor editor@southparkmagazine.com

Sharon Smith Assistant Editor sharon@southparkmagazine.com

Andie Rose Creative Director

Alyssa Kennedy Art Director alyssamagazines@gmail.com

Miranda Glyder Graphic Designer Whitley Adkins Style Editor

Contributing Editor David Mildenberg

Contributing Writers

Michelle Boudin, Jim Dodson, Asha Ellison, Vanessa Infanzon, Catherine Ruth Kelly, Page Leggett, Jay Sifford, Michael J. Solender

Contributing Photographers

Daniel Coston, Justin Driscoll, Heather Ison, Richard Israel, Laura Sumrak, Olly Yung

Contributing Illustrator Gerry O’Neill

ADVERTISING

Jane Rodewald Sales Manager 704-621-9198

jane@southparkmagazine.com

Cindy Poovey Account Executive 704-497-2220

cindy@southparkmagazine.com

Scott Leonard Audience Development Specialist 704-996-6426

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Brad Beard Graphic Designer

Letters to the editorial staff: editor@southparkmagazine.com

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Twitter: twitter.com/SouthParkMag

Owners

Jack Andrews, Frank Daniels III, Lee Dirks, David Woronoff in memoriam Frank Daniels Jr.

David Woronoff President david@thepilot.com

photo by Michael Blevins

Photo by James Wheeler

blvd.

people, places, things

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT

This playful, interactive installation by Amigo & Amigo, a global artist studio, will take over the NASCAR Hall of Fame Plaza as part of Charlotte SHOUT! The annual arts festival continues through April 16; Affinity is one of more than 20 public installations on view. Inspired by the human brain, each globe represents a neuron and connection. The colors change when the globes are touched, sending light traveling throughout the sculpture. For more events, visit charlotteshout.com SP

Affinity installation, art by Amigo & Amigo

Just beachy

Palm Beach pastels 

A new capsule collection from Society Social, the North Carolina furniture brand started by Roxy Te Owens, is the stuff vacation dreams are made of. The preppy grandmillennial brand has always had a timeless, coastal aesthetic, so the collaboration with The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach, Fla., feels like a natural fit. The rattan and upholstered headboards, dressers, swivel chairs, and more recently debuted in the legendary hotel’s redesigned guest rooms in celebration of its 75th anniversary. The best part: The items can be purchased at shopsocietysocial.com.

Coastal luxe 

These 100% solid brass knobs and pulls from the Charlotte Lucas Coastal Capsule collection with Modern Matter call to mind lazy summer days in a stylish beachside cottage. Lucas, who designed the 2022 Southern Living Idea House in Oriental, N.C., teamed with the local hardware brand on the collection, which is inspired by “the golden hour at the shore.” modern-matter.com SP

TWO CHARLOTTE-AREA DESIGNERS CHANNEL VACATION VIBES IN THEIR NEWEST COLLECTIONS.

PHOTOS COURTESY MODERN MATTER; SOCIETY SOCIAL PHOTOS BY CARMEL BRANTLEY

An open door to design

FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS OF HER E-COMMERCE CUSTOM FURNITURE LINE, COLEY HULL EXPANDS WITH A DECIDEDLY FRESH AND MODERN BRICK-AND-MORTAR SHOWROOM.

by Sharon Smith

In a light-filled storefront on Thrift Road, Coley Hull goes to work in her favorite new place. The showroom at Coley Home, which opened in February in the heart of Wesley Heights, is the culmination of her years working in design and textiles.

And it’s lovely.

Soft pastel hues flow through vignettes featuring living room, dining room and bedroom designs, with the focus on upholstered furniture. Each arrangement is sophisticated yet inviting. Comfort is key.

“We are very focused on comfort and spend a lot of time making sure our pieces are comfortable and stylish,” Hull says when describing Coley Home’s modern take on traditional frames.

Hull, who founded the company in 2019, says the showroom helps her market the brand and makes photo shoots easier, but it also allows customers to come in, see the furniture and ask questions. It’s the face-to-face connections that Hull has really enjoyed these first few weeks.

She’s also committed to keeping North Carolina connected to its furniture-making heritage. By owning and operating their own factory in Claremont, Coley Home has greater control over the process, which helps lower costs and shorten lead times. It’s good for business and their customers.

There’s another upside. “We have so many incredibly talented artisans in North Carolina that have passed down their craft for generations. Everytime I watch a piece go through the plant I am in awe of the craftsmanship and attention to detail,” Hull says.

While the showroom puts a spotlight on North Carolina and America-made craftsmanship, it’s also a deeply personal part of her own story. “I am so happy and grateful that I get to raise my family here,” Hull says about setting up shop in her hometown. SP

Coley Home is located at 2132 Thrift Road and online at coleyhome. com. In addition to retail, Coley Home has a trade program for designers.

For the paint color, interior designer Marie Cloud chose Benjamin Moore Hale Navy. The ceiling wallpaper is Austin Navy Plaid from Brewster.

ROOM REIMAGINED: Moody

blue

MARIE CLOUD OF INDIGO PRUITT DESIGN STUDIO CREATES A HOME OFFICE THAT’S FUNCTIONAL FROM DAY INTO NIGHT.

by Cathy Martin | photographs by Heather Ison

Interior designer Marie Cloud’s client wanted an office that could perform double duty — a place to get work done during the day, with a casual, comfortable vibe for relaxing after hours.

“I love masculine spaces,” says Cloud, who moved to Charlotte about nine years ago and started Indigo Pruitt Design Studio in 2017 after working for SherwinWilliams Co. The project allowed her to combine a moody aesthetic and varied textures while also tailoring the space to the client’s personality.

For this space, previously a formal dining room, Cloud chose a deep navy paint color for the walls and added an

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unexpected flourish with a plaid wallpaper on the ceiling. The wallpaper plays well against the houndstooth rug, Cloud says, and the pairing is a nod to the client’s impeccable personal style. For the artwork, the designer intentionally sought a soothing landscape with soft blue tones to complement the design. Custom glass doors allow the client to stay in tune with the rhythm of the family’s schedule throughout the workday. The brown leather sofa adds warmth and a spot to unwind as evening approaches.

“I genuinely design spaces for the soul of my clients,” says Cloud, who majored in design at Bowling Green State University in her native Ohio. The designer admits she spends a lot of time getting to know her clients in order to better translate their visions into reality. “I value my relationships deeply,” the designer says. “I have so much interest in telling someone’s story.”

The space now has a masculine, conservative aesthetic that’s also warm, comfortable and inviting. SP

Transforming loss into art

THE FIGURES IN HANNAH YANETSKO’S PAINTINGS MAY BE ADRIFT, BUT THIS YOUNG ARTIST IS FIRMLY GROUNDED.

by Page Leggett

You wouldn’t expect anything made using coffee grounds and roofing tar to yield something refined and beautiful. Then again, you wouldn’t expect a 24-yearold artist using those oddball ingredients to be as accomplished and eloquent as Hannah Yanetsko.

The Mooresville-raised contemporary artist, who now lives in Davidson with her husband and two young daughters, has a specific subject matter: oceans overpopulated with people. But these aren’t carefree vacationers enjoying the sun and surf. Yanetsko’s characters seem disconnected from one another. There’s a mysterious, melancholy feeling to her art. It’s no wonder people relate to it. She says of the connection between painting and viewer: “We’re all wading in some sense … through grief, disappointment and uncertainty.”

ART AS AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Yanetsko understands grief. She began practicing art at age 11,

shortly after her father’s death. Painting has helped her cope with the loss. “Painting is like me telling my life story,” she says. “It became a way for me to grieve in a way that felt private, and it’s been [something] I’ve returned to through different seasons of life.”

She was lucky to find early mentors. “A man at our church, Chris Underwood, was an incredible painter,” she says. “I’d sit in the lobby during services and gawk at his paintings on the wall and try to figure out how in the world he made that mark, how he built those layers. He became a mentor to me. I’d babysit his children, and he’d give me art supplies in exchange.” Her art teacher at Cannon School in Concord, Nathaniel Rogers, also helped her develop as an artist.

As a girl, Yanetsko wanted to become an artist, but it didn’t seem like a realistic dream. She assumed she’d go to college, then grad school and get what she calls “a quote-unquote, ‘respectable’ job.”

“It was a dream I allowed the culture of expectation to convince me I’d outgrow,” she says.

From left to right: Kylie Cajka, MSN, APRN, FNP-C Alyse Kelly-Jones, MD, FACOG, IF Lindsey Mosley, MSN, APRN, FNP-C

After starting at the University of Georgia as a pre-med major and then spending a semester in Italy, where she rediscovered her love of art, she realized she wasn’t on a path that felt authentic. She left school, returned home, continued painting, fell in love and got married in August 2019.

At the onset of the pandemic, her husband lost his job. “We were newlyweds, expecting our first baby in July 2020 and wondering how we could make money,” she says. “We were alone in the hospital for the birth; we couldn’t have family visit. It was extremely difficult.”

But the forced aloneness turned out to have a purpose. “In the solitude of the pandemic, trapped inside our tiny, little apartment, I started painting,” she says. “I posted a painting on Instagram. And someone reached out to ask if it was available and bought it.”

Suddenly, she realized she could make money doing what she loved. She had modest hopes — maybe she could sell one painting a month on Instagram? “I was feeling some traction, and the dream started coming back to life,” she says.

She contacted a handful of galleries, and within a few days, she’d heard back from Art & Light Gallery in Greenville, S.C. “I literally had no idea what I was doing, but I delivered my first body of work in April 2021, and it’s been nonstop since then.”

The gallery will host Yanetsko’s first solo show, The Space Between Love and Mystery, from April 4 - July 15 at Greenville’s James Beard Award-nominated restaurant, The Anchorage. Selections of her work can also be viewed at Art & Light’s main gallery.

THE UNLIKELY BEAUTY OF SCARS

Yanetsko paints daily in her home studio in Davidson. “My studio is beautiful, bright and full of windows,” she says. “It’s connected to our house, so the door’s always open. There are always paint footprints going in and out.” Those footprints belong to Adeline, who’s 3. Eleanor, 12 months, is too young to be interested in Mom’s work.

Her process begins with drawing her figures in pencil. She uses a palette of about five colors and builds in light, shadow and midtones. Next, she paints the background, then coats it in melted beeswax.

The third phase is “a holdover from childhood” when her explorations took her through the trash (where she found coffee grounds) and the garage (where she stumbled on her dad’s roofing tar). The concoction of coffee grounds, tar, paint and oil forms a gritty mixture she uses over the wax to “stain and exfoliate it,” she says. “I make circular motions all over the surface, which creates a scarring effect and a beautiful texture. The tar stains it; that’s how I achieve the depth in my work.”

In the next phase, she uses pen and pencil to “rough up the wax a little more, creating more texture.” The penultimate phase involves pouring epoxy resin over the surface. “When you put that high-gloss epoxy over it, it comes to life in a new way,” she says. “It looks refined, luxurious and elegant.”

Yanetsko says she has little control over how the coffee grounds/tar mixture will take to the surface and loves seeing what emerges. Just as her subject matter is mysterious, so is the

process that yields the finished product. The final touch: She encases her paintings in a natural-finish, maple shadowbox frame.

Then she sends them out into the world, where viewers bring their own perspectives to the work.

“My work is less about these figures — they’re sort of abstracted — and more about the perspective. You’re seeing these figures from an aerial view,” she says.

“There’s a quote that’s helped me navigate life, and it’s: ‘If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.’ Everything in life is about perspective. Having grief and trauma at different times in my life — but especially at such a young age — changed everything for me. Perspective doesn’t change what exists, but it changes how we engage with it.” SP

Love & mystery: Learn more about Hannah Yanetsko at her website, hsya.studio, or follow her on Instagram at @hannahyanetsko. See the work on view at Art & Light Gallery in Greenville, S.C., at artandlightgallery.com.

A Never Ending Story, 36 x 48

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Divas and dramas

Before Charlotte opera singer Melinda Whittington joins a rehearsal, she starts preparing months in advance of the performance. Whittington translates all the words — they’re typically in another language — so she understands what’s being said, a time-consuming endeavor for an average three-hour opera. She researches the origins of the opera and all its story iterations.

Prior to the first rehearsal, just two to three weeks before opening night, Whittington integrates the words, notes and rhythm on her own, then with a coach. “It is understood and expected that [cast members] will show up with everything learned and prepared — that is background work you do on our own,” Whittington says. “When we are together, it’s all about how you work with your fellow actors, where you’re going to move on the stage and what story you’re trying to tell and create.”

Whittington plays Violetta Valéry, the lead in La traviata, the final production in Opera Carolina’s 2022/2023 HERstory season. Performances are April 20, 22 and 23 at Belk Theater. La traviata, an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi, is based on La Dame aux camélias, a novel by Alexandre Dumas fils that was later adapted into a play. Set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave,

SOPRANO MELINDA

WHITTINGTON’S CAREER IN OPERA COMBINES HER PASSIONS OF SINGING, LANGUAGE, HISTORY AND CULTURE.

by Vanessa Infanzon

Violetta, a courtesan, falls in love with Alfredo Germont. Drama, love and tragedy ensue as the couple, from two separate worlds, try to remain together despite interference from Alfredo’s father.

Violetta’s character moves through the three acts singing in various Fachs (types) of sopranos. “It seems to be written for at least two, maybe three different kinds of sopranos,” Whittington says. “My challenge in La traviata is Act 1, where Violetta’s in party mode and sings the famous Act 1 ‘Sempre Libera’ which has a lot of coloratura (fast vocal passages in a high register) and a lot of high singing.”

Ten years ago, Whittington played Violetta at the Brevard Music Center, a training company for young singers, as part of a summer program. “My voice is really different now,” says the mother of two. “My voice has changed a lot over a decade and especially after having kids. [It’s] deeper, darker and richer, sits lower.”

Whittington’s father was a minister, and the family moved every two to five years, living in Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and finally settling in Wilson, N.C. In 2005, she graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a degree in music, followed by a master of music from UNC Greensboro. She later spent two years at the Academy of

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Though music had always been a part of Whittington’s childhood — her mother was a minister of music — she’d never been to an opera and had little exposure to classical music. In college, she learned about careers in music, took voice lessons and performed with an a cappella group. “I was able to gradually figure out that this was a combination of everything I love,” she says. “I loved being on stage and taking on a character. I loved singing. I loved studying languages. I loved studying history and culture, and I loved travel. All of these combined themselves into this field of opera that I realized I could study for the rest of my life and never scratch the surface.”

Like many other touring opera singers, she’s a contract employee. Whittington works with an agent to find work. Before the pandemic, she typically traveled four months a year. Now, with two young children, ages 2 and 4, traveling for a production isn’t ideal. She’s tried bringing the children with her on jobs, but it’s proven exhausting and expensive to find child care and housing on location.

Since fall 2022, between auditions Whittington’s been teaching voice lessons two days a week at Davidson College. This spring, she will release an album, Night and Day, featuring a progression of songs centered around the times of day.

For the last eight years, Whittington has performed one lead role during each of Opera Carolina’s seasons. “Opera Carolina is a little bit of a special case for me because it’s so near and dear to my heart and is my home company,” she says. “Maestro [James] Meena has been almost like a father figure to me as my career has progressed forward. A lot of my friends are in the symphony or work for Opera Carolina. It’s like a family to me.” SP

IN HER WORDS: Melinda Whittington

Comments have been lightly edited. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE ROLE TO PERFORM?

It might sound cliche to say, but the one I’m working on at the moment. If I had to pick, it’s probably Violetta (and not just because it’s the one I’m working on at the moment!).

HOW SHOULD FIRST-TIME OPERAGOERS PREPARE FOR THE EXPERIENCE?

I would recommend reading a synopsis so you don’t feel the need to be glued to the supertitles. Extra good students could read the libretto (a translation of the full text of the opera) and/ or listen to a recording of the opera. But honestly, you can just show up and enjoy, even without doing any homework.

ON A FREE WEEKEND, WHERE DO YOU TAKE YOUR KIDS IN CHARLOTTE?

Most of the time we lay low — walks on the greenway, local playgrounds and spending time with family. We enjoy taking the kids to Discovery Place Kids or Science, and recently the Museum of Illusions was really fun for the 4-year-old.

DESCRIBE THE PERFECT DATE NIGHT WITH YOUR HUSBAND.

Checking out a new restaurant (right now, we are obsessed with Leah & Louise), hearing some live music (classical or otherwise), and one of our amazing local breweries.

IF YOU WEREN’T AN OPERA SINGER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?

I did a double major in psychology and considered either being a therapist or going into music therapy. I’ve also always wanted to get my certification to teach yoga.

HOW DO YOU STAY FIT FOR PERFORMANCES?

I follow an anti-inflammatory diet 90% of the time, and more strictly during shows — no grains, no sugar, very low carb and very high protein and (vegetables). I run or cycle 2-3 times per week, do strength training 2-3 times per week, and do yoga 2-3 times per week. Since having kids, sleeping is really a struggle for me, so I do meditation and breathwork to help.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS?

There are a lot of paths to get where you want to go, and it may look different than you expected or than it looks for others. Also, something my mom always said growing up: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Making small steps toward your goal each day and small choices that support that goal lead to big results in the long term.

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Life on the set

A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET IN COTSWOLD IS THE BACKDROP FOR THE FILM ADAPTATION OF JUDY BLUME’S BELOVED COMING-OF-AGE NOVEL, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET., SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE APRIL 28.

by Sharon Smith

Only Hollywood magic could make it snow in Charlotte during late spring. Much to the delight of neighbors on Cavendish Court in Cotswold, when the filming of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. called for a snowy scene, the white stuff did indeed materialize magically along the street.

The movie, filmed in locations across the Charlotte area, chronicles sixth grader Margaret Simon as she navigates puberty growing up in New Jersey as part of an interfaith family. Set in the 1960s, a midcentury-style home on Cavendish Court was the perfect place to re-create Margaret’s childhood home.

“It was fantastic. They moved in vintage cars and a vintage mail truck. They did a lemonade stand scene, a car wash scene,” says Sally Mueller, who has lived on Cavendish Court for 18 years and observed filming over the course of three months.

Some two years later, her face still lights up describing the excitement when their quiet street became a movie set in 2021. “It was so much more extensive than what we thought it would be,” she says. “We had no idea it was going to be as big as it was.”

Mueller got to rub elbows with Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates, who plays Margaret’s beloved grandmother. “I just started chatting with this lovely man on the set one day,” Sally says. Turns out it was producer James L. Brooks, who became a friendly face during filming.

But the highlight was meeting the author herself. Sally had already begged a member of Blume’s team for signed books to give the neighborhood kids. ”It looked like a little book club out there. They would sit on the lawn and watch the filming while they were reading.” Once word got to Blume about the “book club,”

This midcentury-style house on Cavendish Court, left, was used as the title character’ s home during filming.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SALLY MUELLER

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Conceptual rendering

CHAPTER 16

The Time Machine

Jeff’s heart raced. He didn’t expect a casual bike ride to transport him right back to his childhood 30 years ago. It was so clear: a Friday in fall right before a long, carefree weekend. Just like today. In that second, he realized everything was different, but in three decades nothing had really changed.

she arranged to meet the girls. “Well, isn’t that just what it’s all about? … We had the most lovely little conversation.”

More than 50 years after its release, the book still resonates with young readers. Margaret wonders about getting her period, what it’s like to kiss a boy, and whether she’ll be liked in her new neighborhood.

My own 10-year-old girls devoured the book in a few hours. They read it again. And again. A barrage of questions quickly followed, and so did plenty of good conversation. Just as it was for me back in fourth grade, the book is still a talker — though I admit the chatter back then was more among my friends than with my mom.

The movie is a talker, too. Mueller says neighbors bonded over the shared experience of witnessing a major film production. “It was like a movie family. It was just this lovely thing, everyone was so kind.”

Mueller can’t wait to see the film with her neighbors. She’s betting if the crew can make it “snow” in Charlotte, there’s a good chance they captured the magic of Judy Blume’s groundbreaking book. SP

Want to see the movie? Join SouthPark at AMC Park Terrace on May 2. Enter for your chance to win a pair of free movie tickets.

Sally Mueller is pictured with Judy Blume (in blue) along with friend Jennifer Daily and neighbor Victoria Stack. Mueller says filming was a welcome distraction as she stayed home recovering from a series of leg surgeries.

Sea fare

LIMANI DROPS ANCHOR AT PHILLIPS PLACE WITH SPARKLING INTERIORS AND SEAFOOD-FOCUSED GREEK CUISINE.

by

Few pleasures of the table satisfy so deeply as those served from Mediterranean kitchens. SouthPark gained a promising new entry late last year when Limani, a Greek-inspired Mediterranean bistro, opened in Phillips Place occupying the space once held by longtime culinary fixture Upstream.

Diners who came to love the now departed stalwart, which closed in 2020 after a 20-year run, need not worry: Seafood once again stars on the plate at Limani, where it’s delivered with warm Greek hospitality in a stunningly reinvented space.

Quality ingredients and an emphasis on simplicity yield light, clean dishes that pop with flavor and showcase the deft

Michael J. Solender | photographs by Justin Driscoll

Clockwise from top: Tomato salad, grilled octopus, and Limani chips

yet subtle hand of Executive Chef M.J. Alam and his local culinary team.

Acclaim for the New York-born upscale Mediterranean concept came soon after the opening of its flagship, Limani Roslyn, on Long Island in 2008. Success spawned a sister restaurant at Rockefeller Center in 2013, followed by an outpost last year in Boston’s tony Chestnut Hill. The Phillips Place location is the group’s first foray outside the Northeast. Proximity to SouthPark Mall and demand from local diners for a seafood-focused mainstay cemented the move, according to founder and owner Chris Spyropoulos.

Limani makes a bold first impression, with an open, airy and elegantly styled space. Bright and flowing, the contemporary-chic design first draws the eye to the 360-degree Greek marble-topped circular bar. Azure and beige tiled walls, soft blue furnishings and a soaring domed ceiling stretch toward the sky, lending to the room’s outdoor feel. There’s a coastal vibe, one meant to conjure an image

of the harbor of Limani, Greece, a small portside village on the Strymonian Gulf of the Aegean and the restaurant’s namesake and inspiration.

Seafood shines at Limani, and the culinary team credits the quality and freshness of the ingredients — fish is flown in twice weekly, Alam says. “I don’t want to do too much with these ingredients as they are the main focus — I simply want to showcase their beauty.”

Bestseller Loup De Mer is a prime example: Mediterranean sea bass, served whole and head-on, is butterflied and finished with a

Spring

simple ladolemono: Greek olive oil, lemon juice and briny capers that complement the sweet flesh. Accompanied by steamed cauliflower, broccoli and carrots, the dish sings in its simplicity. Meaty, earthy bigeye tuna offers a heartier lunch or dinner course. Sashimigrade center-cut loin is encased with an Egyptian sesame crust, seared and served rare with sauteed spinach and a walnut puree.

Flavor combinations don’t stray far from the traditional, with abundant touches of oregano, thyme, sea salt and garlic. But diners should not underestimate their magical alchemy when blended with care and married to their proteins in a quick dance over a

& Shopping Stroll

Loup de Mer Lamb chops

smoky fire. Case in point is Limani’s grilled Tunisian octopus: Marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, red-wine vinegar and oregano, the mollusk is seared on the grill and served warm, bathed in ladolemono and paired with sweet red and yellow peppers. The dish is a showstopper, with tender, salty rings cut on the bias and mounded high.

Lamb, a Greek specialty, is served as two thick chops with crispy fries. Carnivores find more to love with the Cowboy ribeye, sirloin, filet and pork chops, as well as an organic half bone-in chicken breast grilled and seasoned with fragrant rosemary and thyme.

Limani chips — crispy-fried, wafer-thin eggplant and zucchini coins served alongside salty fried kefalograviera cheese and atop a mound of tzatziki — are a fine starter and good to nibble on while perusing the menu. Salty, sweet and tangy, these addictive chips pair nicely with a Greek beer or a glass of red Oenodea, a Greek cabernet/syrah blend.

Sweet tooths will want to try Limani’s deconstructed baklava, a tower of caramelized, crisp-baked phyllo planks entombed in pistachio pastry cream, or karidopita, a walnut sponge cake served with honey lavender ice cream. SP

Baklava

Blood orange margarita

ALLEN TATE SOUTHPARK

CHARLOTTE | $4,950,000 7545 Morrocroft Farms Lane

Anthony Frantilla | 704.629.8669

CHARLOTTE | $2,750,000 933 Poindexter Drive

Amy Peterson | 704.533.2090

CHARLOTTE | $2,690,000

6207 Glynmoor Lakes Drive

Jean Benham | 704.363.2938

CHARLOTTE | $1,750,000 1213 Wareham Court Gay Dillashaw | 704.564.9393

Tale of the Plate: White bean & salami salad

CHEF THOMAS VANCE

by Sharon Smith

While this recipe works well any time of year, the growing season is almost here, and garden-fresh ingredients are bound to take this protein-packed salad to next-level goodness. Add some crusty bread, and you’ve got an easy, satisfying meal.

At Little Mama’s in SouthPark, the salad accompanies the mozzarella bar. Chef Thomas “Tommy” Vance grew up in a predominantly Italian American family in Long Island where food and fellowship go hand-in-hand. Vance says memories from potluck family barbecues fueled his desire to become a chef.

“White bean salad was always a staple. Everyone had their own recipe, but the main base was always a type of white bean, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and cured meat. The secret to this recipe is the balance of fresh lemon juice and high quality olive oil. Simple, but if done right really makes a difference,” Vance says.

White Bean and Salami Salad

feeds 3-5 people

Ingredients

1 cup sliced grape tomatoes

1 cup diced English cucumber

1/2 cup diced red onion

3 cups rinsed canned cannellini beans

1 cup diced salami

1 cup high quality extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped basil

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Cut grape tomatoes into 1/8 pieces and add them to a mixing bowl. Halve the cucumber lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Dice cucumber, red onion and salami. Try to make them all the same size, about 1/4 inch. Add to the mixing bowl.

Add remaining ingredients, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. The beans and vegetables need time to marinate and build flavor. Use high quality extra virgin olive oil (something with a dark bottle is best). Taste for seasoning. Add more salt or pepper depending on your palate. SP

For brunch

Bulla Gastrobar

4310 Sharon Rd., Ste. W01 | (704) 837-4422

Ready to add another stamp to your passport? The bright accent pillows, cabanas, umbrellas and string lights will transport you to Spain. The fountain view is worth the experience, too!

Easy Like Sunday

1600 East Woodlawn Rd., Ste. 100 | (980) 335-2428

Easy Like Sunday is a small eatery with lots of charm — and much more room to serve guests on the patio. Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Woodlawn Road, the patio is aways booming and is the ideal space to soak up spring vibes.

El Puro Cuban Restaurant

5033 South Blvd., Ste. H | (980) 219-8339

Enjoy the flavors and feel of old-world Cuba while dining near the red 1955 Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria at El Puro. The patio, decorated with lush tropical greenery, is sure to be a sweet escape.

Patio time

FROM GAME DAY TO GIRLS’ NIGHT, HERE ARE 17 OUTDOOR SPOTS TO ENJOY A MEAL.

by Asha Ellison

The weather outside is delightful. In spring, we trade the cold for longer days, enjoy the melodies of birds singing in the trees, and savor the heavenly scent of our favorite flowers in bloom. It’s also the season we go chasing warmth. We desire to soak up the sun, get together with coworkers after a busy day in the office, dance the night away or just find a suitable place to dine with our dogs.

Making new memories and creating magical moments comes easy when the setting matches the vibe. And our Queen City home isn’t running low on good energy or beautiful spaces. Ready to choose the perfect patio? I’ve got you covered with a roundup of worry-free venues that pass the vibe check. From date night to graduation, game day to girls’ night out, here are 17 patios I recommend checking out this season.

To celebrate a birthday

Dilworth Tasting Room - SouthPark

4905 Ashley Park Ln., Ste. J | (980) 938-4959

Bright and airy, the patio at Dilworth Tasting Room in SouthPark is bite-sized perfection and an ideal place for a small group to welcome another revolution around the sun.

Link & Pin - Arboretum

8128-1200 Providence Rd. | (980)-299-8006

This New American kitchen is a hidden gem, with gentle lighting and subtle waterfront views. If it’s a little too chilly, opt for a table inside where picture windows keep you close to the sunshine.

Date-night picks

Moon Thai & Japanese

4425 Sharon Rd. | (980) 224-8148

The concept that began in Coral Gables, Fla., has expanded to SouthPark. One of the newest restaurants to south Charlotte, Moon Thai & Japanese offers respective cultural specialties that you can enjoy on a cozy patio. Catch a spring breeze, take in the sunshine

BECKY MCGRATH TEAM CHRIS T. BLACK

CAY CRAIG

LUCY BUTLER

MELISSA COLLINS LEIGH C. CORSO

LINDA HENLEY THE HUNEYCUTT TEAM CHIP JETTON LAINA KAFITI HEATHER MONTGOMERY

LINDSAY REDFERN LISA RUPP SARA ROCHE TEAM LISA WARREN HEATHER WOLKING

(with optional umbrella coverage), and enjoy a tabletop fire pit on lingering chilly nights.

Yunta

2201 South Blvd., Ste. 130 | (980) 495-2253

Yunta, which combines Peruvian and Nikkei cuisines, is a great pick for date-night and meetups with friends alike. At Yunta, which translates to “friend,” the lush patio greenery will only amplify feelings of spring love.

For your anniversary

Peppervine

4620 Piedmont Row Dr., Ste. 170B | (980) 283-2333

This sleek and modern restaurant features a gallery of vibrant art. Outside, the glow of the fire pit and dazzling string lights nearby make dinner an ambient affair. The patio at Peppervine is the perfect place to people-watch and reminisce on years of love.

The Fig Tree Restaurant

1601 East 7th St. | (704) 332-3322

The Fig Tree offers two distinct outdoor spaces. Expect white-tablecloth dining, beautiful sunsets, romantic overhead string lighting and all the magic of the Elizabeth neighborhood.

Dog-friendly spaces

Suffolk Punch Brewing

2911 Griffith St. | (704) 319-8650

Suffolk Punch, which regularly hosts festivals and food trucks, is expansive. The cafe, coffee bar, taphouse and brewery is well-suited for fur babies and their humans. Guests are encouraged to respect each other’s space, which you’ll find plenty of on the patio.

The Lodge: A Sportman’s Grill

7725 Colony Rd., Ste. S4 | (704) 544-5226

With 19 local brews on tap, The Lodge is a homey American grill offering a diverse

menu, from Ahi tuna to patty melts — with vegetarian and gluten-free options to boot. The Lodge is all about keeping things uncomplicated. The laid-back, no-frills patio fits the bill and is a place where friendly Fidos are welcome, too.

On game day

Charlotte Beer Garden

1300 South Tryon St. | (704) 375-1776

You’ll find game-day fun at every turn at Charlotte Beer Garden, which boasts TVs, food and community on every level. Make your way to the rooftop for South End views, sunshine, libations and lively energy.

Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern

4810 Ashley Park Ln. | 704) 643-8535

Located across from Ashley Square at SouthPark, the Rusty Bucket is a neighborhood watering hole — the perfect place to enjoy the weather and catch your favorite spring sports teams on TV. While there aren’t any TVs on the patio, it’s a nice place to steal away for fresh air.

For girls’ night

The Waterman Fish Bar

2729 South Blvd., Ste. D | (704) 275-5558

You’re on a boat! Well, almost. Dining at The Waterman comes with the option of on- or below-deck patio seating. While this eatery is located on bustling South Boulevard, you could easily be sailing the sea of your dreams, with just a sprinkle of imagination.

Indaco

2046 South Blvd. | (704) 741-9004

Located at Atherton South End, Indaco is an Italian kitchen specializing in wood-fired pizzas, handcrafted pastas, fresh in-house sodas and more. Imagine toasting the good life under the stars with your best girlfriends on the 44-seat patio. Hey, it could happen.

For graduations and other celebrations

The Jimmy

2839 Selwyn Ave. | (704) 979-4242

A beautiful, vibrant and covered patio only adds to the charm of this “Italian-fare, French-flair” restaurant. Another thing to love? The semi-open kitchen, natural lighting and gorgeous bar.

Village Tavern

4201 Congress St. | (704) 552-9983

You know you’ve found Village Tavern once you spy the red awning at the entrance. With ample space and shimmering lights, the patio here is great for any spring celebration, from graduations to bridal showers. SP

Cherry-picked

 NoDa Brewing launched Cheerwine Ale, a wheat beer infused with the iconic cherry-flavored soda. “For years, people have incorporated Cheerwine into barbecue sauces, cocktails, desserts and more, and now we’re adding beer to that list,” says Joy Ritchie Harper, vice president of marketing for Cheerwine and a fifth-generation member of the founding family. The 106-year-old brand started in Salisbury. Cheerwine Ale is sold at various retail outlets in four-packs of 16-ounce cans. It’s also available on tap at NoDa’s Charlotte location, as well as select restaurants and bars.

 Open Tap debuted its two-story taproom at 5010 Carmel Center Dr. It’s the passion project of owners Scott and Brooke Thorne, a south Charlotte couple who envisioned a spot where neighbors and families could gather and children could play in a safe, enclosed space. Repurposed barnwood, natural stone and hand-hewn logs were incorporated in the “modern log cabin” structure by Cluck Design. Seating options include a mezzanine, covered patio and yet-to-open shade garden. Open Tap plans to host a run and cycle club, yoga and

meditation classes, and other community events. The self-serve taproom is open seven days a week and offers 64 taps with wine, beer, cider and craft soda plus a rotating lineup of food trucks. The taproom is kid-friendly, but leave Fido at home — dogs are not allowed. opentapclt.com

New and coming soon:

 Chapter 6 is eyeing a summer opening at The Line in South End. It’s the sixth restaurant from Rare Roots Hospitality (Dogwood, Fin & Fino, Dressler’s). The menu will highlight flavors from the western Mediterranean regions of Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, France and Italy. chaptersixclt.com  Curry Gate opened a second location at 5516 South Blvd. The restaurant serves Indian specialties like curry, kofta, biryani and tikka masala. currygates.com  Monarch Market , an 18,000-square-foot food hall with 12 stalls, a full-service restaurant, three bars and a private event space is coming to uptown’s One Independence Center. monarchmarketclt.com  Biggby Coffee opened at 10215 Mcintyre Ridge Rd. in Pineville, the first Charlottearea location for the Lansing, Mich.-based chain. SP

Monarch Market

Events + activities

Pet Palooza Walk for the Animals

April 1 | 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The annual fundraising event for Humane Society of Charlotte includes live music, food trucks and pet-focused vendors. humanesocietyofcharlotte.org

Jazz in the Garden: Tom Braxton at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

April 1 | 6 p.m.

Bring a picnic and enjoy live music on the grounds. No outside alcohol permitted; beer and wine will be available for purchase. Tickets are $45; members receive a 20% discount. dsbg.org

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. A Celebration of the Music of Aretha Franklin

April 7-8

A tribute to the Queen of Soul at Knight Theater, with a live band and vocalists singing all the greatest hits. Tickets start at $25. blumenthalarts.org

Into the Woods

April 11-16

The Tony Award-winning musical with a cast of classic fairy-tale characters stops in Charlotte with performances at Belk Theater. Tickets start at $35. blumenthalarts.org

Charlotte Earth Day

April 15 | 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

In conjunction with Charlotte SHOUT!, this year’s family-friendly celebration starts with a parade with Paperhand Puppets and drumSTRONG, features various performances

April HAPPENINGS

and food trucks, and encourages attendees to explore the ecosystems of the Earth. Free to attend. First Ward Park, 301 E. 7th St. charlotteearthday.com

Charlotte StrEATs

April 15-16

The second annual food and beverage festival takes place over two days at Gateway Village. On Saturday, a Tasting Tour includes bites from 20 restaurants, cooking demos, craft cocktails and live music. Sunday’s main event features food trucks, a neighborhood cook-off, demos, music and more. Tasting Tour tickets start at $75; the festival on Sunday is free to attend. cltstreatsfestival.com

Charlotte Wine + Food Week

April 18-23

This annual event supporting local nonprofits features restaurant vintner dinners, a wine collector’s gala and live auction, and the signature grand tasting, with more than 100 wines, live music and bites from local restaurants. This year’s proceeds benefit four Charlotte children’s charities. For tickets and more information, visit charlottewineandfood.org

Women of Distinction Fashion Show at Quail Hollow Club

April 20 | 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

This event from the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary honors three local women and includes a fashion show featuring local boutiques, a silent auction and luncheon. Proceeds support educational opportunities and scholarships for students from the local Boys & Girls Clubs.

Opera Carolina presents La traviata

April 20, 22 and 23

Verdi’s tragic love story set in and around Paris comes to Belk Theater. Ticket prices vary. operacarolina.org

Charlotte Ballet presents Peter Pan at Knight Theater

April 21-30

Take a magical journey to Neverland in this never-before-seen version of the classic tale, with choreography by Charlotte Ballet II Director Christopher Stuart. Tickets start at $30. charlotteballet.org

Straight Jokes No Chaser at Spectrum Center

April 21 | 8 p.m.

Mike Epps hosts this comedy tour, with appearances by Cedric the Entertainer, D.L. Hughley, Earthquake and DC Young Fly. spectrumcentercharlotte.com

BOOM Charlotte at Camp North End

April 21-23

Expect the unexpected at this performance and visual-arts showcase that includes contemporary and experimental works. Some performances are free; fringe-artist performances (dance, spoken word, music and more) are $10. boomcharlotte.org

Lost Girl at Central Piedmont Community College

April 21-30

A coming of age tale centered around Wendy, J.M. Barrie’s beloved character from Peter Pan. Performances are at the new Parr Center theater. Tickets start at $10. cpcc.edu

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSH BANNEN

Charlotte Wine & Food Week

Regional Festival of India at Stumptown Park in Matthews

April 26 | noon - 6 p.m.

This offshoot of the annual Festival of India includes performances, an art gallery featuring works by more than 40 local artists, cultural exhibits, a bazaar and a food court. Admission is free. indiafestival.net

Phillips Place Spring Market + Shopping Stroll

April 29 | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Celebrate the spring season with exclusive store offers and activities. Shop local artisan vendors, enjoy live music, a mobile coffee bar, kids’ crafts and more. phillipsplacecharlotte.com

Queen’s Cup Steeplechase

April 29

Events include a hat contest, pony rides and Corgi races, but for many attendees, it’s all about the tailgating. Proceeds support Alzheimer’s Association of Western North Carolina. Gates open at 10 a.m.; opening ceremonies start at 12:30. queenscup.org

Museums + galleries

In Transition at Elder Gallery

through April 15

J. Stacy Utley’s first solo exhibition at the gallery includes paintings and photographs that examine issues related to gentrification. “As an architect, Utley recognizes the ways in which urban development frequently poses a threat to underserved and exploited communities. As an artist, he has developed a visual

dialogue to address this threat.”

eldergalleryclt.com

La Isla del Tigre at SOCO Gallery through April 26

This solo exhibition by Jackie Milad features 12 vibrant multimedia works by the Baltimore City-based artist. The title is a reference to the Honduran volcanic island where Milad’s mother is from. The show runs concurrently with Refrigerate After Opening, a solo exhibition by Charlotte artist Andrew Leventis. socogallery.com

Ways of Working at Jerald Melberg Gallery

through June 3

A solo exhibition of works by Romare Bearden highlighting many of the artist’s most frequently used mediums. Though best known for his collages, Bearden also created screenprints, etchings, monotypes and more. jeraldmelberg.com SP

Scan the QR code on your mobile device to view our online events calendar — updated weekly — at southparkmagazine.com.

June

3:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Join

Scan here for tickets and more information.

Charlotte StrEATs

ALLEN TATE REALTORS ® SOUTHPARK

ON

VIEW FEBRUARY 11–MAY 21, 2023 | MINT MUSEUM UPTOWN AT LEVINE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Examine the impact of Pablo Picasso and his rich artistic practice on Romare Bearden and his work.

Bearden/Picasso: Rhythms and Reverberations is generously presented in Charlotte by Bank of America, the City of Charlotte, Duke Energy, Mecklenburg County, M.A. Rogers, Ann and Michael Tarwater, North Carolina Arts Council, and Moore & Van Allen. Additional generous support is provided by: Leigh-Ann and Martin Sprock; Robin and Bill Branstrom, Sally Cooper, Laura and Mike Grace, Marshelette and Milton Prime; Posey and Mark Mealy, Chandra and Jimmie Johnson; Marty and Weston Andress, Mary and Walt Beaver, Betsy and Alfred Brand; Sarah and Tim Belk, toni and Alfred Kendrick, Beth and Drew Quartapella, Rocky and Curtis Trenkelbach, Charlotte and John Wickham; Mary Lou and Jim Babb, and Jo Ann and Joddy Peer. In-kind exhibition support provided by World Affairs Council of Charlotte. The Mint Museum is supported, in part, by the Infusion Fund and its generous donors. Bearden/Picasso: Rhythms and Reverberations is organized by The Mint Museum. IMAGES (from left): Romare Bearden (American, 1911-88). The Open Door, 1979, lithograph. Collection of the Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC. Gift of Jerald Melberg. 2009.88.1. © 2022 Romare Bearden Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY. Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973). Nature Morte devant une Fenêtre Ouverte sur l’Eau, stencil after a work by Pablo Picasso 1923, gouache on silkscreen on paper. Musée Picasso, donation Pablo Picasso, 1979, MP3505 © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée national Picasso-Paris) / Adrien Didierjean © 2022 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts | 500 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28202 | 704.337.2000 | mintmuseum.org

Small wonders

HOW TO DESIGN A SMALL BUT BEAUTIFUL SPACE GARDEN

by Jay Sifford

Property in Charlotte has become a precious commodity. As a result, many people are downsizing in order to live in their preferred parts of town. In other cases, a large house is no longer needed, and folks are feeling the need to simplify. As a child, I dreamed of living in the Biltmore House. As an adult, smaller spaces began to intrigue me.

Whether considering interior or exterior areas, small spaces can be challenging. Quality craftsmanship and materials become even more important in tight spaces because we see things up close. Additionally, small spaces generally need to be functionally flexible to allow for multiple uses. Perhaps you have downsized and, as a result, find yourself with a small courtyard or tiny corner lot and are coming up short thinking about how to transform your diminutive space into a multifunctional yet beautiful immersive garden. Fortunately, there are some design principles that can come to your rescue.

Paint can cover a multitude of design sins. Many smaller spaces are bordered by several different fence styles, along with one or more materials cladding the exterior walls of the home. Such a scenario reads as disjointed and haphazard, and fights against creating a tranquil outdoor space. If possible, considering painting the different surfaces the same color. Even if you choose a bold color, the disparity will be neutralized and the effect will be a neutral palette upon which to build. If feasible, consider repeating a paint color that you have used for your interior to create a seamless, homogenous indoor/outdoor environment. If painting is not possible, tall, narrow screening plants can mask the disparity.

Consider simplifying your outdoor planting containers and furniture. Many people own a collection of outdoor pots in a myriad of colors, styles and materials. Think about replacing those mismatched pots with others of one style, color and material for a cohesive look, then vary the sizes and shapes for interest. Built-in planting troughs will simplify the

look even further. Additionally, consider donating your disparate collection of outdoor furniture and replacing it with furniture of one style. Doing so will create a clean, tranquil vibe with no clutter. You can add color through cushions, art and lush plants. Slight elevation changes can create garden “rooms” while preserving precious space. A simple 6-inch step-up can signify a change in purpose without adding walls or high partitions. I built a 6-inch-high deck on the back third of my new 300-square-foot walled courtyard to create a separate dining space. A low built-in trough planted with Carex further separates the area without compromising the open feeling. Visitors are amazed at how this actually makes the space feel larger rather than smaller. If you find yourself with a small, sloped backyard rather than a courtyard, terracing the space can greatly enhance your usable square footage.

These before and after photos show the author’s new 300-square-foot enclosed courtyard. Black walls and floor neutralize the space while repeating the interior floor color. A step-up deck with a low planter adds dimension while maintaining an open feel.

Think of ways to keep the eye low. Eyesores such as utility poles or lines and neighboring garages that exceed the height of privacy fences are generally above eye level. Horizontal fence slats or external home cladding will keep the eye low and moving around the space, making it feel larger. Vertical fences or cladding, by contrast, will pull the eye upward. Our eyes are hard-wired to follow lines. Use this natural inclination to your advantage when designing your small space.

Walkable 10-Stop

 This garden, designed by the author, was previously covered by inexpensive artificial turf. The redesign created an immersive, peaceful space. Wide bluestone plinths extend into the planting beds, creating continuity and interest while making the space feel wider.

 This garden, built on a small corner lot, lacked privacy. The planting scheme, full of interesting colors, textures and shapes, creates an immersive environment by keeping the eye low and busy.

On a related note, when installing stepping stones in a longer, narrower space, consider using longer rectangular stone plinths laid to partially span the area. Doing so will spread the eye out, causing the space to appear wider than it is.

Now let’s move on to the fun part: the plants! Plants used in a small area must bring multiseasonal interest to the space. For example, I would never use peonies in a small garden, as they bloom magnificently for two weeks then become mundane green blobs until they finally turn brown and crunchy by late summer. I would, however, use irises or Japanese maples. Even though the irises bloom for only a couple of weeks, their spiky foliage remains through the season and adds a strong, happy vertical element to the landscape. Japanese maples generally have exquisite spring and fall foliage color then provide sculptural focal points when leafless through the winter months.

Go heavy on foliage color and texture to create an immersive, tranquil garden experience. Small conifers, smaller clumping bamboos, ferns and grasses are perfect choices for integrating texture into the garden. Coleus and heucheras are indispensable when it comes to introducing bold foliage color. When choosing flowering perennials, consider those with long bloom seasons. Many of the verbenas, dianthus, Stokesia, asters, sedums, summer-blooming alliums, hardy geraniums such as ‘Rozanne,’ and coreopsis are recommended choices.

Finally, have fun creating your magical garden space. Use these design guidelines to create a unique place that is all your own. SP

Jay Sifford is a Charlotte-based landscape designer who specializes in contemporary, Asian and transitional gardens. His work has been featured in Southern Living, Country Gardens and Fine Gardening, as well as Houzz and several books. siffordgardendesign.com

NOTABLE NEW RELEASES

compiled by Sally Brewster

The Language of Trees: A Rewilding of Literature and Landscape by Katie

Holten

In this gorgeously illustrated and deeply thoughtful collection, Holten gifts readers her tree alphabet and uses it to masterfully translate and illuminate beloved lost and new, original writing in praise of the natural world. With an introduction from Ross Gay, and featuring writings from over 50 contributors including Ursula K. Le Guin, Ada Limón, Robert Macfarlane and Zadie Smith, Holten illustrates each selection with an abiding love and reverence for the magic of trees. She guides readers on a journey from creation myths and cave paintings to the death of a 3,500-year-old cypress tree, unearthing a new way to see the natural beauty all around us and an urgent reminder of what could happen if we allow it to slip away.

Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb

A riveting page-turner about a determined professor who uncovers a shocking secret about the most famous American composer of all time — that his music was stolen from someone else, a young Black woman. In 1920s Manhattan, Josephine Reed, is living on the streets and frequenting jazz clubs when she meets the struggling musician Fred Delaney. But where young Delaney struggles, Josephine soars. She’s a natural prodigy who hears beautiful music in the sounds of the world around her. With Josephine as his silent partner, Delaney’s career takes off — but who is the real genius here?

Homecoming by Kate Morton

Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959: At the end of a scorching hot day, beside a creek on the grounds of a grand and mysterious house, a local delivery man makes a terrible discovery. A police investigation is called, and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most shocking and perplexing murder cases in the history of South Australia. Many years later and thousands of miles away, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for almost 20 years, she now finds herself struggling to make ends meet. A phone call out of nowhere summons her back to Sydney, where her beloved grandmother, Nora, who raised Jess when her mother could not, has suffered a fall and been raced to the hospital. At Nora’s house, Jess discovers a book that chronicles the police investigation into a long-buried crime: the Turner Family Tragedy of Christmas Eve, 1959. It is only when Jess skims through the pages that she finds a shocking connection between

her own family and this infamous event — a murder mystery that has never been resolved satisfactorily. An epic novel that spans generations, Homecoming asks what we would do for those we love, and how we protect the lies we tell.

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees live three robots: fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there, too. They’re a family, hidden and safe. The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labeled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio — a past spent hunting humans. When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio’s former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. Together, the rest of Vic’s assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming. Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by

David Grann

On Jan. 28, 1742, a ramshackle vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up on the coast of Brazil. Inside were 30 emaciated men, barely alive, and they had an extraordinary tale to tell. They were survivors of His Majesty’s Ship the Wager, a British vessel that had left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain. While the Wager had been chasing a Spanish treasure-filled galleon known as “the prize of all the oceans,” it had wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia. The men, after being marooned for months and facing starvation, built the flimsy craft and sailed for more than a hundred days, traversing nearly 3,000 miles of storm-wracked seas. They were greeted as heroes. But then, six months later, another, even more decrepit craft landed on the coast of Chile. This boat contained just three castaways, and they told a very different story. The 30 sailors who landed in Brazil were not heroes — they were mutineers. SP

Sally Brewster is the proprietor of Park Road Books. 4139 Park Rd., parkroadbooks.com.

Birds of paradise

THE BAD-NEWS BIRDS HELP A TIRED JOURNALIST FIND GOOD NEWS.

by Jim Dodson

Ihear a voice and look up. The face is much older, the voice deeper. But both are so familiar.

“Hey, Coach,” says Peter Gay, giving me what I used to call his sly fastball grin.

I stand up and we hug.

“You grew up, buddy.”

“And you grew old, Coach.”

“Funny how that happens.”

We both laugh.

Forty years ago, Pete and his brothers, Fred and Rodney, and their friend, Alvin, were the invincible infield of an inner-city Atlanta baseball team I coached for two spring seasons called the Highland Park Orioles. I nicknamed them the Birds of Paradise because most of the players came from a tough inner-city neighborhood where, by agreement with their anxious parents and guardians, I dropped them off near a street named Paradise after every practice and game.

Atlanta, in those years, was anything but a paradise. Due to the infamous “Missing and Murdered” crisis that besieged the city between 1979 and 1981, in which 30 Black kids and young adults were abducted and murdered by an unknown person or persons, the city that declared itself “too busy to hate” earned the distinction of being the “Murder Capital of America” for several years running.

Looking back, going out at my editor’s suggestion to write a sweet little feature story about the hopefulness of spring baseball tryouts in my Midtown neighborhood and getting strongarmed by a frantic league director to take on a wild bunch of Orioles whose coach never bothered to show up was one of the most fortunate things that ever happened to me.

In the spring of 1982, I was the senior writer of the Atlanta JournalConstitution Sunday

Magazine, the oldest Sunday magazine in the nation, where Margaret Mitchell worked when she wrote Gone with the Wind. During my six years there, I’d written about everything from unrepentant Klansmen to corrupt politicians, presidential campaigns to repo kings, a constant stream of violence and social mayhem. Upon reaching age 30, I decided that I was rapidly becoming a career burnout case. In a nutshell, I’d had enough of covering the sorrows of my native South.

An early tipping point came while working on a story about Atlanta’s famed medical examiner, Dr. Robert Stivers — reportedly the inspiration for the hit TV show, Quincy — when I actually saw my next-door neighbor, a med student, gunned down in his darkened backyard doorway by an assailant. The young man died as his hysterical girlfriend and I waited for the EMTs and cops to arrive. The cops took their own sweet time, shrugging it off as just another drug deal gone sideways. I followed the ambulance hauling my neighbor’s body downtown to the medical examiner’s office to await his autopsy. Talk about art imitating life’s worst moments.

My editor, a charming true-blue Atlantan named Andy Sparks, had spotted my brewing crisis and suggested I write about “lighter” subjects for a time. So, I went over to the rutted ball field with pen and pad and not a lot of hope in hand.

Our first practice was chaos. The team horsed around and barely paid attention as I placed them into tentative playing positions. Somehow, I managed to get the four best players into key spots. Pete and Alvin would rotate between pitching and playing third, Fred at first base, and Rodney catching.

On the way home, I stopped at a popular neighborhood joint called Woody’s just two blocks from the ball field, foolishly thinking that if I bought them a milkshake and got to know them better, the four best players on the team might help me whip the

Birds into shape. Instead, they hooted and hollered and made such a rude ruckus that the owners tossed us out and warned us not to come back unless we could learn to behave.

“I remember how you gave us a lecture about being gentlemen in public places,” Pete says as we sit together at Woody’s 40 years later. Its milkshakes and steak-and-cheese sandwiches today are better than ever.

Peter Gay is 53 today, a hard-working father of three grown children, a popular volunteer football coach, and a recruiter for Booker T. Washington High in the center city. He’s dressed in the bright blue colors of the Washington Bulldogs.

Two years ago, he called me out of the Bulldog blue after finding me on the internet.

“Tell me,” I said. “Is Woody’s still there?”

A day later, Pete sent me a photo of himself in front of the Woody’s sign. We made a plan to meet there when I came to Atlanta for my latest book research.

That first season, the Birds of Paradise never lost a game. Or if we did, I don’t recall it. We often won by football scores. Pete had a lethal fast ball. Alvin’s curve was unhittable. Rodney was an awesome catcher and Fred played first base like a pro. Even better, the Birds calmed down and became true gentlemen on and off the field, though I spent a small fortune on milkshakes once the other members of the team learned about my gambit and got in on the post-game treat.

“You kind of bribed us to behave with milkshakes,” says Gay today. “But I get that now. It really worked.”

Because of the Birds, I stayed for one more spring in Atlanta. In year two we went undefeated. A coach from the all-white northern suburbs even proposed a “Metro” championship game at his team’s immaculate facility. We set a date for the game, and I went out and purchased new orange jerseys with my own money. A few days before the match-up, however, my opposing coach called back to say that some of his parents were concerned that my kids might feel “intimidated about playing in such a nice facility.”

I assured him the Birds wouldn’t be intimidated. We both knew the meaning of his code words.

“Well,” he said uneasily, “maybe . . . next year.”

There was no next year.

After the season, the owners of Woody’s threw us a party, and I left Atlanta for Vermont, where I learned to fly-fish, knocked the rust off my golf game and found a whole new career — and happiness — writing about people and subjects that enrich life.

I also realized that the Birds of Paradise gave me a gift those final two years — a healing glimpse of what real happiness is like. As another spring dawns, I’ve seen Pete and Fred several times and even attended the beautiful wedding of Pete’s daughter, Petera, last summer. Very soon, on my next trip to Atlanta, I’m planning to take my entire infield to very nice, grown-up dinner, with or without milkshakes. SP Jim Dodson is a

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- J. Harold

photographs by Olly Yung

styling team: Whitley Adkins, Sherri Bennett, Brooke Werhane Maples, Noelle Munoz, Pam Stowe, Palmer Stowe

makeup & hair by Anna Grace Makeup

photography assistant Alvin Hall

models Mya Brown and Skylar Elizabeth

represented by Directions USA

on location at Slate Interiors, 2025 Thrift Rd., Ste. 100, shopslateinteriors.com

RETRO STYLE INSPIRED BY SLATE INTERIORS’ SLEEK MIDCENTURYMODERN VIGNETTES

produced by Whitley Adkins

On Mya, left: Patbo Iris maxi dress, $450, Showroom; 1960s Jaques Piaget scarf, $24, Stash Pad; Noelle Munoz Jewelry sterling silver Gypsy earrings, $365, and sterling silver Gypsy bracelet, $525, noellemunozjewelry. com; Ras shoes courtesy Pam Stowe

On Skylar, right: Patbo Zamia maxi dress, $648, and Larroude Gaga pumps, $300, both from Showroom; Staud Beaded Bean bag, $225, ThirtyOne Jane; Noelle Munoz Jewelry sterling silver extra Gypsy cuff, $665, noellemunozjewelry. com; ’70s abstract print scarf, $24, Stashpad

Banquette, rug: Melissa Mallette @oysterwhiteinteriors; pillows: Nevin Stackhouse @houseofnevin_ luxe1020

Alemais Quinn dress, $595, Poole Shop; Giambattista Valli vest coat, $3,230, Capitol; vintage topaz earrings, courtesy Brooke Werhane Maples; vintage Herve Leger shoes and cuff, courtesy Pam Stowe; Kristin Hayes Johnny initial ring, stylist’s own, $1,650, kristinhayesjewelry.com

Screen: Jane Browne @assemblagecharlotte; yellow chair: Kaitlyn Summerour and Hannah Rich @decrumodern; rugs: Adrienne Davis @omg.adrienne.davis.design; lamp and side table: Nevin Stackhouse @houseofnevin_ luxe1020

Smythe Pagoda blazer, $795, Showroom; Dries Van Noten skirt, $685, Capitol; Bad Daddies T-shirt, stylist’s own; assorted necklaces courtesy Brooke Werhane Maples; Jeffrey Campbell slip-on shoes, courtesy Pam Stowe

Chair: Adrienne Davis @omg. adrienne.davis.design; buffet: Melanie Gregory @swankhomeinteriors; mirrors, vintage art: Jane Browne @assemblagecharlotte; pillow: Nevin Stackhouse @houseofnevin_luxe1020

Left: Bernadette Magali maxi dress, $990, Capitol; Khaite gold boots, courtesy Pam Stowe

Right: Rachel Gilbert Evana mini dress, $791, Showroom; Ganni shoes, $375, Thirty-One Jane

Headpieces by Brooke Werhane Maples

Home accessories: Melanie Gregory @swankhomeinteriors

Sofa: Kaitlyn Summerour and Hannah Rich @decrumodern; screen: Melanie Gregory @ swankhomeinteriors; coffee table: Jane Browne @assemblagecharlotte; rug: Adrienne Davis @omg.adrienne.davis.design

Vintage patchwork koi fish dress, $150, and Vivant tortoise-shell sunglasses, $10, both from Stash Pad; Lee Mathews Bonnie blouse, $460, Capitol; Demellier The Nano Montreal purse, $440, Showroom; Jeffrey Campbell shoes and necklace, courtesy Pam Stowe

1970s metallic Saks Fifth Ave. vest, $72, vintage patchwork wrap skirt, $120, and cat-eye sunglasses, $10, all from Stash Pad; Samsoe Samsoe Ivana dress worn as shirt, $210, and AJE New Weave bag, $395, both from Showroom; Jeffrey Campbell shoes, courtesy Pam Stowe; vintage brooch, stylist’s own

Sitting on sofa:

Sitting on floor:

Top: Ganni blouse, $275, and RIXO Kelly skirt, $210, both from Thirty-One Jane; Monies gold chain necklace, courtesy Pam Stowe; Tabitha Simmons leopard boots, courtesy Sherri Bennett; vintage Enid Collins of Texas wooden box pony purse and vintage belt, stylist’s own from East 8th Vintage

Bottom: Rhode crop top, $235, Poole Shop; A.W.A.K.E. Mode skirt, $790, Showroom; vintage ’40s bowtie, $32, Stash Pad; VienneMilano thighhigh stockings, stylist’s own, viennemilano.com; vintage necklaces, courtesy Pam Stowe; Suzanne Rae sandals, courtesy Sherri Bennett

Sofa, hide rug: Tristan Klobas @tristan_klobas; lamp: Melissa Mallette @oysterwhiteinteriors; side chair: Ted Morgan @queencitymodernclt

Left: Paco Rabanne printed maxi dress, $1,290, Capitol; vintage ’70s resin bone necklace, $48, Stash Pad; cream and gold disc necklace, courtesy Sherri Helms; Tara Grinna shoes, courtesy Pam Stowe

Right: Huishan Zhang Audrey midi dress, $2,685, Capitol; Larroude Gaga pump, $300, Showroom; Ganni check bag, stylist’s own, $300, Showroom; La DoubleJ headband, courtesy Pam Stowe

Credenza: Nevin Stackhouse @houseofnevin_luxe1020; chair: Kaitlyn Summerour and Hannah Rich @decrumodern; vintage art: Melanie Gregory @swankhomeinteriors

STRIKING A BALANCE

EMPTY NESTERS TEAM WITH DESIGNER SUSAN HILL TO CREATE A HOME THAT HARMONIOUSLY BLENDS LUXURY AND PRACTICALITY.

Above: Open shelving adds style and interest to the kitchen wall, accented with sleek brass sconces by Mitzi Dylan. Counter stools by Cyan Designs flank the Cambria quartz-topped island, finished with a waterfall effect. A pair of Visual Comfort light fixtures illuminate the space.

Situated just south of Charlotte in burgeoning yet bucolic Union County, Kim and Michael Chimenti’s neighborhood was developed to embrace a European countryside aesthetic. The Chimentis had lived there for nine years before breaking ground on the vacant lot next door in 2021. They initially purchased the bordering land for privacy but ultimately realized it offered the perfect opportunity to design and build their dream home.

“Our last home was built in 2007 and felt very traditional,” Kim Chimenti says. “We had tried updating it with paint and minor fixes and finally decided, why not take a shot and just build the kind of house we have always wanted.”

The Chimentis envisioned a more contemporary home that was fresh and minimalist yet warm and welcoming. “Sometimes

Opposite: A crystal waterfall chandelier by Visual Comfort sets a sophisticated, feminine tone in Kim Chimenti’s sitting room. The soft curves of the sofa and ottoman, both by Norwalk, are complemented by a pair of Fairfield swivel chairs. Patterned porcelain tile by the Tile Collection makes a statement around the fireplace.

by Catherine Ruth Kelly | photographs by Laura Sumrak styling by Kendra Surface

The ash wood dining table by Vanguard is surrounded by Bernhardt chairs, featuring plinth bases with castors for easy mobility. The Visual Comfort pleated linen lantern softens the space.

a modern design can result in a room that feels cold or uncomfortable, and we didn’t want that,” Chimenti says.

The Chimentis engaged architect Robert Foster and interior designer Susan Hill to guide them through the planning process and turn their dream into a reality.

“It’s ideal to start working with clients during the architectural phase because we can really focus on the form and function of the space,” explains Hill, who began her career working in commercial design in Florida before moving to North Carolina in 2012. Hill’s philosophy remains rooted in the commercial design approach of prioritizing form, function and safety before exploring personal style. “We first discussed how they wanted each room to function, then we discussed aesthetics,” Hill says.

The Chimentis entertain often, so a graceful flow throughout the house was paramount, especially in the kitchen area. The kitchen, dining area and great room are part of one large interconnected space with adjacent access to the butlery, pantry and laundry room.

A pair of Norwalk sofas and Leathercraft reclining chairs offer a comfortable and welcoming gathering space in the great room. The rattan chandelier is by Currey & Company.

Left: Swivel ottomans by Rowe are tucked beneath Vanguard console tables behind each sofa for easy access to extra seating.

The rich blue walls of Michael Chimenti’s office create a warm, inviting space. Rowe velvet swivel chairs front the Made Goods burled wood desk, which is both stylish and practical.

A Rowe console displays books, art and collectibles on the stairway landing. The blackened steel chandelier is by Regina Andrew.

The soaring 13-foot ceilings, sleek Cambria quartz and white oak cabinets stained in a soft gray contribute to the light, airy ambience in the kitchen. Punctuated by a pair of brass Visual Comfort light fixtures, the island offers prep space for cooking as well as a gathering space for guests.

The planning process involved customizing cabinet interiors to house the Chimentis’ most frequently used appliances. The towering cabinets that flank the range feature retractable doors and roller shelves for easy and quick access to food and supplies, keeping countertops and the exposed shelving clutter-free.

The expansive ash wood dining table next to the kitchen seats eight with the option of pulling up four ottomans, tucked beneath the great room consoles, for a larger crowd. “We typically entertain casually, but it’s nice

A serene painting from Designers Marketplace hangs over a midcenturystyle bench by Brownstone at the top of the stairs.

Kim Chimenti envisioned a “jewel box” for her butlerly, so Susan Hill added metallic accents and high gloss paint to make it shine. The backsplash tile from the Tile Collection features brass inlay details.

to have the option to pull the ottomans over if we want to have a seated dinner,” Chimenti says. “They are the same seat height as the dining chairs, so they fit perfectly at the table.”

A custom Moroccan rug, tribal pillows and natural woven light fixture infuse a global vibe to the great room. The black porcelain tile surrounding the fireplace adds depth and drama to the light walls and neutral upholstery.

In lieu of a formal living room and dining room in the front of the house, Hill worked with the Chimentis to create a sitting room for Kim in one area and an office for Michael across the hall. Kim’s sitting room is layered with soft, soothing colors, imbuing the space with an approachable elegance. The curved chenille sofa beckons a cozy conversation by the fireplace, which is accented with a

Opposite page: The velvet channel tufted bed by Parker Southern is the centerpiece of the primary bedroom, where masculine and feminine details are balanced throughout. Motorized blackout curtains in a pinstriped Thibaut fabric contribute to the serene setting.

The primary bathroom features Walker Zanger “Taj Mahal” marble, creating an elegant backdrop for the bathtub.

A three-legged chair and abstract art accent the barrel ceiling hallway, which connects the downstairs rooms.

A cozy king bedroom upstairs was designed for the couple’s daughter and her fiancé.

reeded wood porcelain tile in a geometric pattern. A waterfall crystal chandelier adds sparkle and glamour.

“Kim wanted this room to ‘shimmer,’ so we included metallic accents in the draperies, the ceiling wallpaper, the ottoman fabric, the pillows — it’s very feminine,” Hill says.

In Michael’s office, the rich blue color of the walls and cabinetry sets a masculine tone, softened by the earthy brown hues of the white oak coffered ceiling, glossy burled wood desk and plush velvet chairs.

“We made an effort to balance masculine and feminine elements throughout the house,” Hill says, “but the overall goal was to create comfortable and approachable spaces that would actually be used.”

The Chimentis agree that the goal was achieved.

“Susan was able to help us create some really impactful spaces that may have gone unused otherwise,” adds Chimenti. “Every room was intentionally designed to suit our lifestyle.” SP

Vendors/contractors:

Builder: New Tradition Homes

Architect: Robert Foster

Interior design: Susan Hill Interior Design

Cabinets: Mint Hill Cabinetry

Millwork: ITC Millwork/Ben Mendoza

Carpentry: Briner Carpentry

Furniture sourcing: Designers Marketplace

Matching Brownstone benches accent the upstairs hallway, accented by Baker fringed mirrors. Visual Comfort sconces illuminate the space.

Marvelous menagerie

A COLORFUL MYERS PARK HOME ENCAPSULATES THE VERVE, VIBRANCE AND VINTAGE TREASURES OF ITS EXUBERANT OWNER.

by Catherine Ruth Kelly

photographs by Heather Ison

Allison Abbott’s obsession with thrift shopping started at a young age. Childhood summers spent at Lake Martin, Ala., always included outings to the nearby flea market with her mom and sisters. Abbott would lose herself in the aisles while finding tiny trinkets and treasures to take home, she recalls.

“I loved the thrill of the hunt and was immediately hooked,” Abbott says. “Even now, whenever and wherever I travel, I always stop in antique markets or junk stores and try to pick up something.”

Hand-painted wallpaper by Griffin & Wong provides an elegant backdrop for the living room, which Abbott calls her “Ladies’ Room.” The blush sectional, sourced by Cashion Hill Design from a vintage store in High Point, surrounds a glasstopped rams-head coffee table that Abbott discovered at Sleepy Poet Antique Mall. She picked up the Asian console at a thrift store in Sedona, Ariz., during a family road trip. Antique brass sconces hang above the sectional. The stacked feline ottoman from a High Point store, can be taken apart for extra seating.

Farrow & Ball’s Setting Plaster sets the tone for the master bedroom. Abbott picked up the bedside tables in Sedona, Ariz., during a family RV trip. The wicker fan chair was sourced by Cashion Hill Design, and the marble-top commode came from SouthEnd Exchange.

Abbott stored a lot of her furniture and accessories when she and her family left Charlotte for Sun Valley, Idaho, during the pandemic. When they returned in 2021 and moved into their new house, she enlisted the help of Cashion Hill Design to incorporate her treasures and create a chic, comfortable space for her family, which includes her husband, three children, two dogs and a cat.

“I had a million ideas about what I wanted to do, and I knew Kim and Nancy could help me rein them in and create a plan,” Abbott says.

Kim Moore and Nancy Targgart, the duo behind Cashion Hill, have been working together since 2005. Like Abbott, they share a passion for vintage items. They strive to strike a balance in their

A cozy corner in the master bedroom is anchored by a “rescue” sofa that Abbott saw on the curb, hauled home and had reupholstered. Framed prints of Paul Montgomery panels adorn the walls, and matching yellow ottomans from Slate Interiors round out the space.

clients’ homes, merging old and new, rough and refined, to deliver a harmonious space that allows the homeowners’ style to shine.

“Allison wanted a little bit of everything — Palm Beach, Palm Springs, granny flair,” Targgart explains. “We didn’t want to rein her in too much; it’s her house, and we wanted it to reflect her and her family.”

Moore and Targgart collaborated with Abbott to bring her ideas to fruition, updating older pieces with fresh fabrics, selecting wallpaper and paint colors, and taking a road trip to High Point to

A collection of thrift-store art adds color to a corner in the family room. The Eames chair belonged to Abbott’s father-in-law.

The dark blue walls of the family room provide a dramatic backdrop for art collected by Abbott over the years. Abbott found the steer horns in a thrift store in Oklahoma and bought the framed Hermes scarf at a vintage sale in Idaho. The octagonal marble coffee table is from Slate Interiors.

This page: Brass pulls from Modern Matter Hardware complement the bar shelves that Abbott ordered from an artisan on Etsy. The paint color is Farrow & Ball Railings. Center: The etched mirror from a store in High Point was the impetus for the powder room design. Moore and Targgart found the fabric light fixture at a thrift store in South Carolina. Vintage photographs contribute to the retro chic vibe.

select new items to add to the mix. They let Abbott’s vivacious personality and innate sense of style guide their efforts.

“Allison is fun to work with because she is so enthusiastic and isn’t afraid to take risks,” Moore says. “We were debating whether to paint or wallpaper the powder room one day, and the next day she called and said she had painted it herself!”

Abbott always has projects underway. She loves to paint, needlepoint, cook and garden and is in the process of building a fence in her yard. She experimented with making candles and recently started an embroidery business. An animal lover, Abbott previously

The valances are covered in a Holland & Sherry block-printed fabric, which was the inspiration for the breakfast room. The dining chairs, hand-me-downs from Abbott’s mother-in-law, were repainted and reupholstered. Abbott found the abstract art during a trip to Florida. Cashion Hill Design sourced the light fixture and vintage Hollywood Regency table.

owned four chickens and is currently on the hunt for a white male peacock.

Moore and Targgart were mindful of Abbott’s active family and high-spirited lifestyle when designing her home. They focused on creating a beguiling, soulful space that exudes glamour with an undercurrent of nostalgia, while remaining warm, inviting and livable.

“Kim and Nancy helped me curate the entire aesthetic for this house, and we love it,” Abbott says. “I knew what I wanted, and they polished up my plans and brought them to life.” SP

Abbott works on her embroidery on the screened porch, which serves as her dining room, with pups Bruce and Bridget and Lyra, the cat. The wicker fan chairs came from a shop in Florida, and the metal dining chairs are from Etsy. Photo styling by Whitley Adkins.

Pete Pappas came across seven large square boulders years ago when driving to work uptown. The granite blocks were sitting on a vacant lot that was owned by the city, and Pete inquired about purchasing them. The city told him he could have them for free, if he’d come pick them up and make a donation of at least $200 to any local charity. The Pappases purchased the boxwoods on trips to the North Carolina mountains.

Story of a garden

OVER MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, PETE AND EVE PAPPAS HAVE TRANSFORMED THEIR MYERS PARK BACKYARD INTO A PEACEFUL MOSS GARDEN.

by Cathy Martin | photographs by Richard Israel

When Pete and Eve Pappas purchased their one-third-acre Myers Park property more than 40 years ago, no matter how hard they tried they couldn’t get grass to grow. “We always would plant grass a couple times a year — there was so much shade back there, it just didn’t happen,” says Pete, a local craftsman who longtime Charlotteans might remember as co-owner of SouthPark’s now-shuttered Zebra restaurant and, before that, The Pine Room in uptown.

A Japanese maple, left. An espaliered magnolia, right. While the process can take years, Pete Pappas says this one took right away. The couple purchased the oyster-shell birdhouse, below left, from a vendor at the Metrolina Expo, the massive flea market held in north Charlotte for decades before the land was sold to a developer in 2016. It inspired Pete to build similar ones as client gifts.

One day, Eve Pappas noticed some moss growing on the property, and that sparked an idea. “So, we just took a 5-gallon bucket and a flat shovel and scooped the moss up out of the creek bed,” Pete says. “We started bringing a little bit up at the time, and just let that garden evolve.”

And evolve it has. But the couple are no weekend warriors making regular trips to big-box garden centers like so many backyard growers. Instead, their landscape is filled with sentimental treasures given to them by friends or acquired from memorable sources over the years.

It’s a giving garden, too. “I remember when our kids were born, we bought a huge Japanese maple,” says Pete, whose two daughters are now in their 40s. “I bought one for each girl.” They planted Bree’s tree, which now stands about 35 feet, in the backyard; Lauren’s went in the front. The trees put out seedlings, and Pete and Eve would dig them up. “We’d raise them in 2-inch pots, then next year we’d put them in a 4-inch pot; next, we’d put them in a gallon-sized pot. I kept about 50 to 75 all the time,” Pete says. One day, their daughter asked to give one of the seedlings to a friend with a new baby. Since then, Pete figures they’ve given at least 300 trees away, including about 25 to Myers Park Country Club as he completed jobs on the property.

The 50-foot hemlocks surrounding the lot on three sides were barely larger than seedlings when Pete purchased and planted them. Before he got into the restaurant business, Pete taught at a

junior high school in Huntersville and would take the back roads to work. “When I left school one day I saw this guy had a table set up with some plants on it. I stopped, and he had about 20 hemlocks growing in a gallon coffee can.” He bought all of them.

A circular bed anchored by a statue is a particularly special spot, filled with Lenten roses, Solomon’s seal and autumn ferns that were gifted to the couple by Jesse Campbell, the founder of Campbell’s Greenhouses & Nursery in Dilworth before his death in 2016. The plants were a thank-you present after Pete completed a woodworking project for Campbell. “My cat’s buried there,” Pete reminisces. “It’s just a place for remembrance.”

The Pappases enjoy their little slice of nature every day, especially Eve, who enjoys manicuring and pruning. “She’s at peace when she’s back there,” Pete says. “I often kid and call it the garden of Eve.”

The neighborhood has seen significant change since the couple moved in more than four decades ago — the house next door, for example, was recently razed to make room for a modern hillside marvel that’s more reminiscent of California than Carolina. But it’s home for Pete and Eve, and it’s hard to imagine them ever leaving, given the memories here and the careful work they’ve put into creating their backyard sanctuary.

“When we moved in, we were the youngest people on the block, and now we’re the oldest,” chuckles Pete, 74. “It’s just evolved into a peaceful place.” SP

The shade-loving aucuba plants were purchased years ago “for a dollar and a quarter a bucket” from a woman who sold them at her property on Sharon Road.

Pretty peaceful

SAVOR SAVANNAH’S SOFTER SIDE AT BELLWETHER HOUSE, A BOUTIQUE INN THAT OFFERS THE INTIMACY OF A BED-ANDBREAKFAST WITH THE AMENITIES OF A LUXURY HOTEL.

by Cathy Martin | photographs courtesy Bellwether House

If your only experience in Savannah involves the rollicking waterfront entertainment district, a quaint hotel on a tree-lined street steps from Forsyth Park offers the chance to experience a quieter, more serene side of the Hostess City.

The 15-room Bellwether House debuted in fall 2021 and combines the charm and intimacy of a bed-and-breakfast with hotel-like amenities such as valet parking (free upon request) and an on-site cocktail bar. Wellness is also a focus, with yoga programs and a mini spa offering massages, reflexology, and a copper soaking tub that can be reserved for calming (or invigorating) herb- and floral-infused baths.

Built in 1876, the nearly 150-year-old property combines two Italianate-style townhouses, and no two rooms are

alike. Modern touches like plush linens and gray-washed furnishings blend with historic architectural elements — ornate ceiling medallions, carved stone mantels and tall narrow windows characteristic of mid-19th century homes. Quaint imperfections like squeaky wood floors remind you the place has a story; in-room details like yoga mats, picnic blankets and luxury eco-friendly beauty products embrace a more current era.

With its graceful arches and soft green-gray patina — and the longest contiguous front porch in Savannah — the hotel’s exterior makes a pleasing first impression. The porch provides a place to mingle with other guests — or a quiet spot to sip morning coffee and watch passersby as the city wakes.

There’s also a spacious brick courtyard behind the hotel, where guests convene at sundown for a Champagne sabering and toast. If it sounds pretentious, it’s not; it’s a celebratory gesture to mark the transition from day to night and spark camaraderie among guests (who, on my visit, hailed from across the U.S., from San Francisco to Boston). It’s also a great time to swap recommendations for local restaurants and shops, historical tours, and other cultural activities.

The cozy, two-stool bar opens nightly at 6 p.m. Don’t let its diminutive size fool you — wine, beer and craft cocktails are served here (the Nimbu Pani — honeysuckle vodka, lemon, mint, and coconut water ice — is a refreshing cooler on a warm day), or Bellwether’s friendly staffers can mix your drink of choice.

Bellwether’s culinary program was developed by Chef Ryan Whyte-Buck, whose menus are influenced by a variety of global cuisines. A daily brunch served from 8

a.m. - noon is not to be missed. Selections range from grilled shrimp and grits to a divine syrniki — fluffy pancakes made with cottage cheese and topped with pineapple chutney, Chantilly cream and candied pumpkin seeds. The beverage menu is just as extensive, from honey matcha lattes to lavender lemonade. The Milk & Roses — espresso with steamed cardamom and rose milk — is comfort in a cup.

After a day on the town or strolling through Forsyth Park, be sure to return in time for afternoon tea, when bite-sized sandwiches, scones and petit fours are served alongside house-made jams and charred rosemary butter.

With a location adjacent to both the downtown historic district and Savannah’s artsy Starland district, Bellwether House is close to a number of culinary hot spots like Husk Savannah (a 15-minute walk) and Common Thread (a five-minute drive) from the team behind FARM in Bluffton, S.C. Both are housed in elegantly appointed,

turn-of-the-century homes and serve elevated farm-to-table fare.

To sample more of Whyte-Buck’s global-inspired cuisine, head downtown to Folklore (in the space previously occupied by The Fat Radish). With warm wood tones, unpretentious service and a relaxed vibe, Folklore’s menu leans into Whyte-Buck’s experiences traveling across southeast Asia, with dishes like tempura cauliflower (tofu, sweet chili crisp, benne and herbs) and a mushroom pasta (tomato ginger miso, bok choy, peanuts). The South is referenced on the menu as well in dishes like the fried half-chicken with succotash and collard greens, and the pimento goat cheese, a palate-pleasing starter served with pickled veggies, honeycomb and warm lavash.

Back at the hotel, grab a nightcap from the bar, which is open nightly till 11 p.m., and enjoy the quiet moment in the courtyard before turning in for the night. SP

Leave the kids at home: Bellwether House is adults only — guests must be 21 and up, and there is a 2-person max occupancy per room. Rates start at $325 a night. Learn more at bellwether.house.

HOME Making it

Every month, SouthPark fills its pages with inspiration in home design and homebuilding, real estate, and indoor and outdoor living. Throughout this Home + Garden issue and in this sponsored section, we spotlight professionals that help bring these beautiful visions to life and make us all feel at home.

Allen Tate Realtors | Crazy Jane’s | Holden Realty

Queen City Audio Video & Appliances

The Regent at Eastover | Reupholstery Charlotte | Window & Door Pros

RENEW, RESTORE AND REFRESH YOUR CHERISHED FURNITURE

Maybe it’s your great-grandmother’s antique sofa — with its beautiful, curved back and delicate details — that resides in the attic because the strawberry-velvet fabric doesn’t quite match your décor. Or perhaps it’s a sturdy, special chair that fills just the right space, but the fabric is faded and fraying.

This is where Reupholstery Charlotte can help. The 50+-year-old company provides furniture upholstery, with more than 1,000 designer fabrics to choose from. The company also works with commercial clients, from restaurants to hotels to retail centers. You’ll spot its work locally in places like Maggiano’s, SouthPark Mall, Myers Park Country Club, Napa on Providence and Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Reupholstery Charlotte’s turnkey process is simple, convenient and reliable, offering customers in-home appointments, along with free pickup and delivery in most cases.

“We save our customers a lot of time and frustration,” says owner Pat Taft. “There are not many fabric stores still open in the area, and it’s difficult to purchase fabric online. You need to see it and feel it to make sure it’s the best fit. We help select the best fabric, take the furniture on the spot and bring it back when completed.”

Turnaround time for most projects is about four weeks. All work is done by hand by Reupholstery Charlotte’s skilled, experienced craftsmen in the company’s large production shop. With an extensive background in customer service and a master’s degree in communication, Taft understands the value of exceeding clients’ expectations. And while reupholstering furniture is an eco-conscious choice that saves it from the landfill, Taft is honest with her customers. “I treat people’s money like it’s my own,” she says. “I tell them if they are better off purchasing new versus reupholstering a piece.”

ALLEN TATE SOUTHPARK

MADISON PARK | $525,000 4333 Castlewood Road Shelley Spencer | 704.907.3800

MINT HILL | $495,000 10309 Club Trophy Lane SasserFritz Team | 704.975.9577

CHARLOTTE | $459,000 3100 Wellhouse Court James Webb | 336.830.9062

ENHANCING EVERYDAY LIVING WITH THE RIGHT PRODUCTS FOR YOUR HOME

For 70 years, Queen City Audio Video & Appliances has built its business on one principle: “to set the standard for serving our family and yours.” It’s a mission that comes naturally to those who work at the family-owned company, founded in 1952 by Woody Player.

“We want to make sure we are best in class in everything we do,” says Roddey Player Jr., one of the three generations of the Player family behind the brand. To do that, Queen City stocks more than $27 million in local inventory — most of which can be delivered the same or next day — and guarantees its prices are the most competitive in the market. “It sounds cliché, but we really care about what we do,” Player says.

That dedication — and Queen City’s commitment to charitable causes throughout its history — solidified Player’s decision to join the business after working for several years at local media companies. He grew up at the store, helping during

summer breaks and holidays, and attributes much of the company’s success to its longtime employees.

“Their buy-in to our company and seeing the growth of their families has been incredibly rewarding. It’s well worth hearing the ‘I remember when you were this big’ stories,” Player says with a smile. His family has grown too, as he juggles work and family life with wife Meredith, a buyer at Belk, and their 16-month-old daughter Hollis.

What started as a TV repair shop is now an elite audio, video and appliance company with seven stores in Charlotte, Morganton and Winston-Salem. Along the way, it has racked up accolades Player is proud of, like Top Workplace and Best Appliance Store. As the Carolinas continue to welcome newcomers, he hopes to introduce the Queen City brand to them, too. “We want to get in front of all the new faces and make sure they know us, just like the rest of the community.”

Bobby Wildermuth, robertbobbyart.com

BUILDING LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH A CLIENT-FOCUSED APPROACH

For Lisa Holden, the real estate business is about much more than a transaction, an asking price or another sale. It’s about relationships.

“I learned early on how important relationship-building is to your success whether that be with your clients, other Realtors or the attorneys you work with,” she says. “If you treat everyone fairly, they will want to work with you again.”

And at Holden Realty the firm she founded 21 years ago — people do. Most of her business comes from former clients and referrals, and now, second-generation clients buying their first home. It’s an honor Holden appreciates. “They trust me and know I will take care of them,” she says.

For Holden and her seven brokers, that means a hands-on, client-centered approach. Once a contract has been signed, agents — not assistants — execute every step of the real estate transac-

tion. Clients appreciate the attention to detail, along with the ease of the process and the agents’ extensive knowledge of the market.

Collaboration is crucial to Holden, a woman of faith who counts each broker at the company as a friend. “I started Holden Realty because I felt I could do things a little differently than what I had seen,” she says. “We support each other and cheer each other’s successes instead of looking at one another as competition.”

That spirit of cooperation allows Holden agents to focus solely on their clients. Despite the steady rise in interest rates in recent months, Holden says the Charlotte market remains strong. Inventory is still limited, prices remain competitive, and Charlotte is a desirable place where people want to live. “The most important thing we can do is educate ourselves on our ever-changing industry, learn what new technology is available to help us navigate it and concentrate on what we can control for our clients.”

Simply the Best...

Sophisticated, fashionable yet comfortable interiors with YOU in mind

• Modern and Transitional designs for your home or office

• Fabrics, custom upholstered furniture, custom drapery and window shades, lighting, rugs, bed linens, case goods, original artwork, reupholstery, pillows and accessories

• No design fees with purchase

Simply the Best...

• Free local delivery

• Day and evening appointments available

Thank you for 25 years in business!

Sophisticated, fashionable yet comfortable interiors with YOU in mind

• Modern and Transitional designs for your home or office

• Fabrics, custom upholstered furniture, custom drapery and window shades, lighting, rugs, bed linens, case goods, original artwork, reupholstery, pillows and accessories

• Free local delivery

• No design fees with purchase

• Day and evening appointments available

Thank you for 26 years in business!

DANIEL COSTON

swirl

Gather & Give luncheon

Charlotte Convention Center

December 15, 2022

SEE MORE

PHOTOGRAPHS BY

Richard “Stick” Williams, Bev Lassiter and Peter Pappas

Joan Zimmerman, Amy Blumenthal and Jane Grayson

Jen Thomas, Terri DeBoo and Lois Ingland

Sheryl Tate and Bridget-Anne Hampden

Mary Tinkey, Bev Lassiter and Katie Cornwell

Linda Lockman-Brooks and Paula Guilfoyle Sabrina Brathwaite and Rita Miles

Whitni Wentz, Henrietta Thompson, Katherine Cowan and Lucy Dean

Jane Lockwood and Lucy Dean

Elizabeth Trotman and Arlena Hawthorne

Mary Beth Pulaski and Joye Blount

swirl

A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

Charlotte Concerts

Dinner and concert

Gambrell Center

November 21, 2022

To mark its 90th anniversary and partnership with Queens University of Charlotte, guests enjoyed a concert by renowned pianist Dmytro Choni of Ukraine.

Good Fellows Club

Charlotte Convention Center

December 14, 2022

Richard “Stick” Williams and incoming president Peter Pappas presided over a festive holiday luncheon which celebrated the nonprofit’s 106 years.

Carolyn McMahon and Sherrard Georgius

Kristen and Paul Anderson, Austin Adams and Susan Cybulski Dmytro Choni

Leon and Sandra Levine

Martha and Roddey Player

David Fisk and Anne O’Byrne

Sam and Carolyn McMahon

Mary Tinkey, Marinn Bengel and Bev Lassiter

CFD Chief Reginald Johnson and CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings Steve Luquire and Felix Sabates

Richard “Stick” Williams and Peter Pappas Teresa Williams and Jesse Cureton Smoky and Margaret Bissell Wintley Phipps

Howard Freese and Emilie Williams

Ervin Gourdine and Diane Lumpkin Peery

Claude Hamilton Natascha Bechtler Gail Brinn Wilkins, Daniel Lugo and Emilie Williams

Jerusha Fadial, Russell Newton and Murray Fadial

swirl

A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

Gray Holiday Party

Mint Museum Uptown

December 17, 2022

There was plenty of good cheer at the 11th annual Gray Holiday Party. The evening also raised money for local charities.

The Art of the State with Liza Roberts

Join author Liza Roberts for an entertaining evening highlighting North Carolina artists and the state’s vibrant, contemporary art scene. Special panel guests include: artist Anne Lemanski and sculptor Lydia Thompson.

Wednesday, April 19 • 6:30-8:30 PM Bank of America Headquarters 100 North Tryon Street

*Heavy hors d’oeuvres and refreshments included

Scan here for tickets or visit: bit.ly/NC-ART

William Benson, LaToya Evans, Arlena Hawthorne and Michyla Greene

Herb and Felicia Gray

Portia Kee and Arsha Faison

Joel and Katrina Wiggins

Natalie Frazier Allen and Hugh Allen Rob Hillman and Dr. Monique May

Raki McGregor, Kevin Poirier, Tish Guerin, Fred Shropshire and John Adams

Raki and Kim McGregor, Tish Guerin

Tia Bullett, Veda Stanley, Tiana James

PHOTOGRAPHS

Pape Ndiaye and Rep. Alma Adams

swirl

A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

World AIDS Day luncheon

benefiting RAIN Marriott Center City

December 8, 2022

At this annual event, guests heard impact stories about how RAIN helps people living with HIV. CTRL Lifestyle Group and Tommy Feldman of Tyvola Design were this year’s honorees.

At Bellezza, our goal is for all women to feel amazing and beautiful when they leave our store. We love hearing we’re the “best specialty boutique in Charlotte” and “a treasure box” of beautiful, international apparel. Stop by for a visit or schedule a private appointment and discover your beauty and style.

Keva Womble, Erin Barbee, Randy Renick and Jimmy Sanchez

Kyle Murray, Shannon McKnight, Jameka Whitten and Andria Smith

Debbie Warren Lee Robertson and Chelsea Gulden

Wesley Thompson, Jason Hardin and Eric Kelley III

Michael B. O’Hara and Ben Outen

Matt Harris and Ramona Holloway

Betsy Conway, Katherine Daly and Jennifer DeWitt

Joyce Brooks and Rodney Tucker

DANIEL COSTON

Shannon McKnight and Kyle Murray

DESIGN TIME

Artfully Designed is a Magnolia Network series filmed in Charlotte featuring color-loving designer Natalie Papier of Home Ec. and Frankie Zombie, the artist known for his bold designs covering everything from sneakers to surfboards. The creative duo joined Racheal Jackson, a muralist from Vancouver, Wash., in the four-episode series, which can be streamed on Discovery+. The trio teams up to tackle projects from a pool-house redesign to a primary-bedroom makeover, along with fun and functional spaces for kids. The show features “cameos” by other Queen City creatives, including House of Nomad’s Kelley Lentini and Berkeley Minkhorst (Papier incorporates a House of Nomad wallpaper in one episode), Twine & Twig cofounder Jacquelyn Tugwell, and local stylist (and SouthPark style editor)

Whitley Adkins. We also spied a fiber artwork by local artist Kat Sanchez in one episode. We asked Papier to describe the experience. Comments have been lightly edited.

What was it like having a camera crew follow you around? At first, filming felt very awkward and nerve-wracking. But as we got to know the crew and felt more natural around the camera, it became easier over time, and fun. There is a lot of prep work for filming with audio, cameras, lighting, etc. So it did make

for some long days both filming and doing our jobs for the clients. The three of you seemed to get along swimmingly. Are you as close off camera as you seem on the show? Yes! I already had formed friendships with both Racheal and Frankie and worked with them on client projects prior to the show. The friendship and respect are most definitely real. It wasn’t always a smooth ride, but we do balance each other out really well — and we always had each other’s backs when things felt too overwhelming.

Did any of the projects turn out better than expected?

They really all did! Working in the space during the design process always sparks our creativity and understanding of how we can add more functionality and fun.

Were there any hiccups or curveballs in the process?

Always. We had a sofa that was not looking like we could get it in the room, furniture backordered, an issue with construction of a fridge surround that had to be taken apart and rebuilt. [There were] some very late nights to ensure we had everything taken care of on time.

Will there be more episodes?

Maybe … (wink, wink). SP

Natalie Papier, Racheal Jackson and Frankie Zombie

What roads and paths will you take this year?! A compass from @monicarichkosann helps guide you on your new adventures and journeys. Might as well make it a beautiful one!

#monicarichkosann #compassjewelry. #newyear #finejewelry.