ON THE WATER’S EDGE From the Garretts' front door, you can see a sprawling lake view.
THE DON RUSSELL HOME Julie and Pete Garrett loved Don Russell homes even before they found their very own in Southern Hills.
hen Julie and Pete Garrett moved back to Springfield after being away for a decade, Julie says she knew she either wanted to live in the country or on the lake. As fate would have it, the couple didn’t end up doing either. Instead, they found the perfect hybrid—Southern Hills. The Garretts' chateau-style home looks out on one of Southern Hill’s three lakes, and it backs up to another. It also has a natural spring that the Garretts, along with the ducks, turtles and blue heron, all love gathering around. The blue heron actually ate up about 60 koi fish Julie had stocked in the spring before she gave up and let the local wildlife fully move in. “I just enjoy the 50
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tranquility of sitting by the water,” Julie says. The Garretts moved into the home 11 years ago after their real estate agent walked them through. “We flew here and bought it within 3 minutes of coming inside,” Pete says. Besides the views and the rolling hills on either side of the property, it was the house itself that hooked the Garretts. The home was built in 1984 by architect Don Russell. Russell is arguably best known for building what has been named The African Queen on Lone Pine Avenue. The Garretts have long been fans of Don Russell homes. Even when they lived on the coast and were collecting nautical-themed antiques, Julie and Pete would decorate their homes in Don Russell’s more rustic aesthetic. Like most Don
Russell homes, the Garretts’ includes a water feature—the lakes. Unlike most Don Russell homes, the Garretts’ is contemporary. Live-edge wooden beams and repurposed brick floors have been traded for coffered ceilings, Napoleon grey marble used both inside and outside and lots and lots of mirrors. The backsplash behind the stove is mirrored, the mirrors in the master en suite fold out for a better view, and the wall flanking the living room fireplace is mirrored. There’s also a built-in tiki bar because it was the ’80s, after all. The Garretts love each and every bespoke feature of their home almost as much as they love the country-esque setting. “There’s nowhere like it,” Julie says. “It’s like having our own nature preserve.”
