STORY OF A HOUSE

Warmed up minimalism meant for real life

MODERN MADNESS

by JESSIE AMMONS photographs by TREY THOMAS

“Before there was Pinterest, there was Amity’s laptop,” says Mike Ferguson, recalling the process of their Raleigh home renovation. His wife’s folders of screenshots, magazine scans, and general inspiration are how the couple arrived at a modern architectural design, which was at first a surprise to them both. “I didn’t think I had a huge draw to modern,” Amity Ferguson says. But as she culled through websites and catalogs, the preference was unavoidable: “I just kept getting cleaner and cleaner, more and more glass – more and more modern.” The couple have added their personal touch to a classic school of thought with warm wood finishes and textured decor layered with quirky thrifted baubles. “ I have lots of weird little clus-

INTENTIONAL SPACES

This page: The Japanese maple is original to the property, and the Fergusons were careful to protect it. The dress-form-shaped sculpture at the front entrance is by close friend Jada Kellison. Opposite page: For fun, Mike Ferguson plays keyboard in local band the Balsa Gliders. The desk in Ferguson’s office was originally from his father’s insurance firm building in the ’70s; Ferguson took it with him to medical school and has kept it ever since. He used to think it was clunky but sentimental, and now he loves it. “It’s really a beautiful piece.” The desk chair used to belong to Mike’s grandmother. Daughters Ellery, 11, and Baker, 8, spend most of their time outside, Amity says, while she tinkers in the kitchen. The vast, windowed layout makes it easy to watch the girls from the main living area.

ters of stuff,” Amity says. They seem curated rather than weird – a side table made of a huge old mailbox; collected busts and sculptures next to animal skulls from a friend’s farm in Efland; little figurines of various sentimental values – and are a cozy complement to the house’s subdued tones and clean lines. The Fergusons had been living down the road before buying the home in 2008. The house is across the street from Fallon Park, and Mike says he had always envied the proximity. “It’s the ideal location right across from the park.” While walking the dogs one day, he noticed renters moving out; before long, he was on the phone with the owner making an off-the-market offer. With their dream lot secured, the couple set to reckoning with the outdated house. Given their newfound “modern sensibilities,” Mike says, a friend recommended celebrated architect Louis Cherry. Together with builder John Sanders, Cherry redesigned the house while keeping much of its original footprint. It was Sanders’s

MEANT TO BE

Below: A collection of found objects spruce up daughter Ellery Ferguson’s bedroom. Opposite page: Amity Ferguson found the Oly shell chandelier before construction even began. “I knew it had to be the chandelier for the house.” Through a stroke of pure luck, and thanks to impossible-to-detect minor damage, a friend was able to get it free of charge from High Point Market. The artwork is by Ollie Wagner.

first modern house and the Fergusons’ first go-round, as well; the couple says the collaborative effort was a happy one. “Louis (Cherry) nailed it,” Mike says, “and John (Sanders) had great practical insight, as did Amity. … It was the perfect combination.” The renovation took two years, and the Fergusons, along with daughter Ellery, 11 (and the’ve since added daughter Baker, 9 this month), continued living down the street until it was finished. (“We could practically watch the construction,” Amity says.) Today, the sunny final product reflects the Fergusons’ comfortable style and also suits their love of entertaining. “This has been a natural place to gather,” Mike says, especially with their close-knit group of neighbors. “It’s built for it: There are so many open spaces.” Community, space, and personal flair are all at balance here. Says Mike: “We’ll never leave this house.”

PERFECT PROPORTIONS

This page: The house features many large windows, but is remarkably private. “We never even installed the blinds,” Amity Ferguson says, because the windows face mostly private courtyards. Front-facing windows are sheltered by concrete walls that are just the right height: During construction, Amity would stand at the kitchen islands while Mike and builder John Sanders went to the road to see where the wall should be for privacy. The only visible windowed space is the upper half of the staircase, which is where dogs Clementine and Dewey usually post up and keep watch. “If there are any neighbors we don’t know, they know our dogs,” Amity says.

Opposite page: The outdoor courtyard is used year-round for activities like watching the NCAA Tournament.