Welcome to the Heron House STORY BY LONNA UPTON & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE
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Joe and Mila Hirsch met each other in kindergarten in Birmingham and have been playing together at Lake Martin ever since. Mila Hirsch’s family has had a home in Parker Creek since those early days when they enjoyed each other’s company, but last year, the couple thought it would be great to have their own place. “I sent my husband a link from Zillow, and the next thing I knew, he had bought a house – site unseen. It was built in 1983, and I was a little nervous to see it the first time, but we loved it immediately and couldn’t wait to make it ours,” Mila Hirsch said. The purchase gave them two lots that included two houses and a garage. The first job to tackle became the house by the water. Based on recommendations, they hired builder Jason McDade, owner of McDade House in Eclectic, to handle the custom renovations – adding dark wood plank ceilings to tie into existing ceilings; renovating existing baths and remodeling a room to add a new bath; and painting both the interior and exterior of the house, among other details. McDade will continue with additional building outside the home and the renovation of the other two buildings on the property. “We were very happy with what the previous owner had already done, but we wanted to remodel some areas and update others. Jason did a beautiful job with all of our ideas and plans. He worked hand-in-hand with us,” Hirsch said. Classically trained as an artist, Hirsch has taken a break from painting since COVID-19 interrupted her career, so she is focused on their two young children, decorating for family and the new lake house. She previously worked for a decorator, and the couple love antiquing together, so finding just the right pieces has been exciting for them. The Hirsches look forward to begin new family traditions at Lake Martin, but they also wanted the share their love of the lake. In addition to using the property to create their own memories, they offer it for rent. Both purposes were kept in mind as they planned and furnished the home.
44 LAKE
APRIL 2022
An antique ladder installed on the porch holds towels