THE PINK FRONT DOOR

Visitors get a sweet welcome with the Wares' pink front door.

THE HOMES OF

Welcome to Southern Hills, one of Spring eld’s most picturesque neighborhoods.

WRITTEN BY ETTIE BERNEKING | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRANDON ALMS | ILLUSTRATIONS BY KATIE BATLINER

Even before Southern Hills was fully built, its creators, John Q. Hammons and Lee McLean Jr., knew it would be a hit. This was the 1950s, and they dreamed of spring-fed ponds, gently rolling hills, spacious lots and winding roads you happily get lost on. Today, the medley of midcentury houses and spacious ranch dwellings are still dream worthy. Maybe it’s all those long-established trees towering over the neighborhood. Maybe it’s the wildlife that dots the landscape. Maybe it’s the thatched roofs and 1950s charm, but whatver it is, Southern Hills has stood the test of time. Now we’re peeking into a few of the homes we’ve fallen in love with over the years. Some are remodels, some are relics of beloved architects, but they’re all part of that Southern Hills dreamscape.

THE PINK FRONT DOOR

If you’re looking for Misty and Chris Ware’s home, just look for the colorful entryway.

f you pull up to Misty and Chris Ware’s home, don’t be fooled by that pink front home, don’t be fooled by that pink front door. The soft shade of vintage pink was door. The soft shade of vintage pink was all Chris’ idea. He got the inspiration from all Chris’ idea. He got the inspiration from family trips to Palm Springs where front family trips to Palm Springs where front doors are equal parts design and function, which is exactly how the Wares have remodeled their new home. “Everyone always remodeled their new home. “Everyone always feels sorry for him, but I swear he picked it,” Misty says. When the Wares first spotted their 1957 ranch in 2018, they say it almost looked abandoned. It was a typical brick home with about 23 boxwoods that had all grown together to create a 5-foot tall fence in front of the home’s entrance. Inside, wood paneling, the home’s entrance. Inside, wood paneling, wool carpet and green paint and wallpaper wool carpet and green paint and wallpaper proved the home hadn’t been updated in a few proved the home hadn’t been updated in a few decades. Once the Wares moved in, everything decades. Once the Wares moved in, everything changed. The kitchen is now all white with changed. The kitchen is now all white with pops of color thanks to Misty’s design eye. That wool carpeting has been replaced with wood floors, and all 17 radiators were stripped out and replaced with central heating and air conditioning. It was a serious remodel, but the couple was careful to maintain the home’s character, which they loved. “We thought we would originally flip this home,” Chris says, “but we loved it. It’s hard to find 3,000 feet on one level with an acre lot.” The fact that the one level with an acre lot.” The fact that the home backs up to one of Southern Hills’ ponds home backs up to one of Southern Hills’ ponds was also a big selling point for Chris who always was also a big selling point for Chris who always wanted to live in the country. Misty grew up wanted to live in the country. Misty grew up having to ride her bike into town, so she wasn’t having to ride her bike into town, so she wasn’t sold on living outside of city limits. Southern Hills has been the perfect compromise. It’s charming and bucolic but centrally located. “I always loved Southern Hills,” she says. “I used to drop the kids off at school and then drive through here to look around and get lost. You can just meander in here.” Now, she can meander around the neighborhood and spot her own pink front door.

GRASSY VIEW

Like many Southern Hills homes, the Wares' house has a sprawling front yard. When the Wares bought the home, the front porch was blocked by massive hedges.

GATHERING PLACE

The home backs up to one of the lakes and gives the family a spot to gather around the firepit.

SUNNY SUPPERS

Pops of color complement the sunny space's more traditional elements.

COZY AT HOME

The couple kept the home's original layout in place and updated it with new paint, flooring and windows, The painting (opposite) hangs next to original built in shelves.

Photos by TK photographer Photos by Lori Hill

THE

Watch out Rountree, there’s another neighborhood Halloween Parade in town, and this one takes place in Southern Hills. Jay and Lori Hill started the event in 2010. To be fair, Rountree’s epic Halloween parade is what inspired them. Before moving to Southern Hills, the couple considered living in Rountree. They were drawn by the sense of community in the neighborhood. “You see a lot of people sitting on their porches and talking,” Jay says. “We ended up choosing Southern Hills, but we wanted to fi gure out a way to get to know our neighbors better.” It took a few years for the Hills to see more young families move in, but once they did, the Hills decided to bring a little bit of Rountree to Springfi eld’s south side. Now, every Halloween, Jay turns the family’s front yard into the parade meeting spot. There are popup tents, a fi repit, hay bales for seating and infl atables for the kids to play in, and attendees bring all sorts of chili, hot dogs, chips and sides. The fi rst year, the Hills posted hand-written signs around the neighborhood, and Jay estimates 20 people showed up. The second year, the crowd grew to 50, and now more than 100 people gather in costume to celebrate the night.

The event has been such a hit that Jay decided to throw together a similar event for the Fourth of July. The tents are hauled out of storage, tables full of food are set up, and neighbors form a line of golf carts, scooters and bikes all draped in patriotic fl air. Someone inevitably brings a vintage car to lead the parade, and the whole gaggle of friends stroll down the half-mile parade route through the neighborhood.

For most people, hosting two big events a year might be enough, but not for the Hills. Jay loves this stuff . His latest event is a kids’ fi shing derby each May. “Kids ages 2 to 18 are welcome,” he says. Contestants spend the afternoon trying to catch the biggest fi sh. Once they hook a fi sh, they reel it in, record its length and set it free. (The ponds at Southern Hill are catch and release afterall.) The event even has prizes donated from local companies including Bass Pro Shops and Lew’s Fishing, and like all of the Hill’s annual gatherings, the derby wouldn’t be complete without throwing burgers on the grill.