STORY OF A HOUSE Georgian on my mind

STORYof a house

Georgian on my mind MODERN ENGLISH Above: The exterior of Pam and George Clark’s home. The tower salvaged from a Fayetteville high school is behind the trees on the left. Opposite, clockwise from top: Chocolate walls in the dining

A grand home exudes a room feature several colorful abstract paintings including one by Raleigh artist Meredith Kittrell on the left wall. The chandelier – playful happiness a box of glass tubes when found – came from Habitat for Humanity’s Raleigh ReStore. A funky blue carousel mirror fragment enlivens the living room.

by JESMA REYNOLDS

photographs by CATHERINE NGUYEN

S“Spitttin’ distance” is an apt Southernism to describe the distance between Pam and George Clark’s house on Clark Avenue and Snoopy’s Hot Dogs & More on Hillsborough Street, but that’s where any connection stops. Take one step through their iron gate, and it’s immediately clear that theirs is a world apart – from everything around it. Cloistered behind a serpentine brick wall, a breathtaking Georgian home with a stately two-story, white-columned porch overlooks a sweeping front lawn bordered with hydrangeas.

The house has been the Clarks’ since 2003, when a need to renovate the house they were living in inspired them to take a look at what was on the market. When they found the Clark Avenue property for sale, they didn’t think twice. The classic residence had been extensively renovated

IN LIVING COLOR

This page: Living room walls are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Chic Lime. A carousel fragment mirror found in Asheville hangs above an antique chest of drawers, the first piece of furniture Pam Clark bought. The painting above the fireplace was a gift from her father. All the fabrics came from her sister and interior designer Susan Tollefson. Wallpaper in the entry hall is by Osborne & Little. The white and black vintage lamp, one of a pair on the sideboard, was purchased at Legacy Antique Mall in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, where Clark also found the painting Bathers by Claude Howell.

Opposite, clockwise from top left: Bold wallpaper adds drama to the tiny powder room. In the library, Clark placed a pair of green velvet chairs she found at Shelton’s Furniture in Raleigh. In the breakfast room, a chandelier made out of tractor parts hangs above a custom farm table from Georgia Harvest Tables. Paper mats and napkins are from Clarks’ shop The Fort at 3512. A collection of glove molds found at the Raleigh Flea Market sit on top of the fish tank. The sunset painting is by Linda Sue Dickerson.

CHEAP TRICKS

Pam Clark thrives on finding good deals. Her office, above, is in a converted upstairs bedroom. She found the hot pink curtains at IKEA. The guest bedroom at left is a mix of flea market finds, IKEA, and Target.

NIRVANA

The pool terrace is a favorite spot for entertaining. Faux fescue placemats on the table reflect Pam Clark’s whimsical approach to design. Vintage glassware mixes with Vietri silverware and white china. The tower addition was salvaged from Fayetteville High School. A master gardener, Clark created a lush oasis around the pool.

and modernized by notable architects Perry & Plummer, who had used it as their personal home.

One of the house’s most distinct features is its tower, which was salvaged by the architects from Fayetteville’s old high school. As providence would have it, Pam Clark, who is from Fayetteville, has many relatives – including her mother – who attended the school when the tower was still intact. Today, with its large-scale circular windows, carved mouldings, and soaring 12-foot ceiling, the square space has become a favorite room for the couple to spend their mornings.

The classic architectural details of the house itself provide a lofty framework for Pam Clark’s evolving tastes, her love of color, and her mastery of mixing high and low. Within its stately rooms are flea market finds, pithy signs and pillows, quirky vintage wares, and traditional furniture. In the living room, a funky blue bubble-lit mirror (likely a carousel fragment) is a nod to Pam Clark’s fun-loving spirit. And because she loves a deal, she’s proud to share that her guest room is furnished with finds from Ikea, Target, and flea markets.

Gracious entertainers, the Clarks have often opened their home over the years for numerous parties, house swaps with friends, and recently, their daughter’s wedding reception.

In 2012, Pam Clark converted their freestanding garage – topped with a weathervane from the same Fayetteville high school – into a business called The Fort at 3512 where she sells “conventional and unexpected” gifts and vintage finds. She announces The Fort’s irregular hours with weekly emails to her customers that note when “the door will be UP,” times that often coincide with happy hour, which gives her another opportunity for entertaining and gathering.

A master gardener, Pam Clark has designed the house’s beautiful formal gardens, too. Around the pool and terrace are trimmed hedges, statues, and topiary echoing the classical style of the house. It is a cool spot where the Clarks often retreat and invite friends. Even in such a refined setting, Pam Clark’s whimsy is still at play: “faux fescue” ottomans serve as extra seating under a canvas cabana, and placemats of the same material rest beneath china and Vietri flatware on an outdoor dining table.

As with any gracious home, the Clarks have imbued their residence with comfort and warmth that is a reflection of their needs and styles. The result is a home that is both exuberant and energetic.