Absolute Indianapolis
Living
SEPTEMBER 2026
EXPECT MORE
INTERIOR LAYERS THAT LAST
TOM LAZZARA
THE FALL RESET
INTO THE SEASON
WHERE LIFE SLOWS TO THE PACE OF NATURE. OEGGROUP.COM
PROJECTS IN THE U.S. & BEYOND
AMANDALANTZINTERIORS.COM
NEARLY FIFTY YEARS OF FAMILY TRADITION
Same family. Same Traditions. New place to gather. Ambrosia in SoBro 5903 N College Av. Indianapolis, Indiana www.ambrosiaindy.com
Ambrosia & Accanto in Carmel 110 W Main St. Suite 100. Carmel, Indiana www.ambrosiacarmel.com
Ambrosia and Accanto are part of the Ambrosia Hospitality Group. Six locations, one family. Learn more at www.ahgindy.com
@ambrosia_indy @ambrosiacarmel @ahgindy
If you’re looking for a hi-fi listening bar with cocktails and small plates from some of the best mixologists and chefs around, well, you’ve found your next hang. Welcome to The Pretender. It’s more than a bar. We’re a space for sound. A place where analog is king, and licks, cuts, and chops take on a whole new meaning. Belly up to the bar, let the sound in. Shut up, and play the hits. 818 Logan Street, Noblesville, IN 46060 | thepretender.com
NOT ALL FURNITURE IS CREATED EQUAL. Inspired interiors depend on inspired choices. Houseworks gives homeowners and design professionals access to distinctive furniture, exceptional craftsmanship and personalized possibilities for bringing a design vision to life. HOUSEWORKS. WHERE INSPIRED INTERIORS COME TOGETHER.
4905 E. 82nd Street 317.578.7000
indyhouseworks.com
CORPORATE GIFTING! The one gift you know they’ll love! "I send DeBrand to all of my new clients...Exceptional quality and a truly luxurious experience!"
VISIT U
The Shops S AT Crossing at River ( Ne x Fashion M t to the all )
The Shops at River Crossing (next to The Fashion Mall) www.debrand.com | 317.669.0955
Photography By Gabrielle Noël
CONTENTS September/2026
42 EXPECT MORE
TOM LAZZARA
28 THE ABSOLUTE AGENDA
Welcome fall! This month’s agenda features global flavors and annual celebrations, arts festivals, racing, and Oktoberfest nights. Indiana loves the change of season, and your family will love the good times and autumn memories that come with the fun.
32 THE FALL RESET
Fall offers a natural opportunity to reset. At BodyBarMD, Dr. Christy Watson approaches wellness from the inside out.
38 INTO THE SEASON
Define your season with effortless layers, rich textures and standout pieces from 8Fifteen Boutique.
53 INTERIOR LAYERS THAT LAST
The best rooms build over years through a mix of old and new, inherited and discovered. This month we spoke with 5 Central Indiana interior designers about what this looks like in practice.
66 WORLD OF STONE
Darik Campbell of Plutus Marble has built a local source for natural stone from quarries around the world.
72 ON THE SCENE
Join us for the excitement as Chatham Hills wrapped its second year hosting LIV Golf's season finale last month.
75 SLOW BURN
Welcome to Charred, where an intimate steakhouse and bourbon bar has diners clamoring for a seat at the table.
82 'ROUND THE TOWN
'Tis the season for pumpkin patches, straw mazes and parades! Grab a flannel, don your scarf, and embrace every glowing autumn evening.
Volume 20. Issue 09. (#221)
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Absolute Living
Editor-in-Chief EDUARDO PEÑA
Managing Editor JUSTYNA PEÑA
Assistant Editor MATTHEW HUME
Writer SUSAN SALAZ
Photography SARA ACKERMANN JES NIJJER GABRIELLE NOËL SARAH SHIELDS
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By Susan Salaz
The
Absolute
Living
AGENDA
September
September 12 Noblesville Brewfest & Wine Garden Forest Park, Noblesville noblesvillebrewfest@gmail.com
September 18–20 Battle on the Bricks Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway indianapolismotorspeedway.com
Forest Park turns into Hamilton County's biggest tasting room for an afternoon each fall. Sample pours from dozens of regional breweries, wineries and distilleries, then settle in for live music and cornhole on the lawn. Every ticket supports the Forest Park Aquatic Center.
The road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway fills with GT and prototype racers for a weekend of wheel-to-wheel competition. Watch practice, qualifying and races across multiple series, then walk the paddock to get close to the cars and teams between sessions.
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September 19 Westfield International Festival Grand Junction Plaza, Westfield westfieldin.gov Grand Junction Plaza becomes a world map for an afternoon as Westfield's International Festival brings dance, music and food from a dozen countries to one stage. Sample global bites with a Snack Pass, catch performances from Chinese lion dance to Bhangra, and let kids loose with hands-on crafts.
October 2 Carmel Oktoberfest Carmel City Center, Carmel carmel.in.gov/459/Oktoberfest
September 19 Chinese Mooncake Festival Midtown Plaza, Carmel carmel.in.gov A dragon parade opens the evening as Carmel's Chinese Mooncake Festival brings the Mid-Autumn tradition to Midtown Plaza. Watch lion dancers and traditional performers move through the crowd, then sample mooncakes while children take part in lantern crafts and storytelling.
Carmel City Center swaps its evening pace for lederhosen and polka as Oktoberfest takes over Veterans Way and Hanover Court. The thirteenpiece band Der Polkatz headlines with German tunes and crowd favorites, while shops stay open late and a new outdoor refreshment zone lets guests wander with a drink.
September 26–27 Carmel International Arts Festival Carmel Arts & Design District, Carmel carmelartsfestival.org
October 3 Corks in Carmel Winefest Carmel Arts & Design District, Carmel corksincarmel.com
More than 130 juried artists line Main Street and Rangeline Road for the 29th year of the Carmel International Arts Festival. Browse painting, ceramics, glass and photography while dance troupes and bands perform across three stages, and stick around Saturday night for Art Rocks, the district's largest street party.
Corks in Carmel returns to Main Street for a second year of wine tasting in the Arts and Design District. Wristband holders sample unlimited pours from regional wineries, while everyone else can grab wine by the glass and browse work from local artisans.
October 10 Hamilton County RISE Fest Spencer Farm Winery, Noblesville risefest.net Nine bands take two stages for a full day of music at Spencer Farm Winery, where Hamilton County RISE Fest raises money for local nonprofits. Wander the winery grounds with a glass in hand, bid on silent auction items, and swing next door to pick pumpkins before dark.
September 23–November 1 ZooBoo Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis indianapoliszoo.com/zooboo Pumpkin Town takes over the Bicentennial Pavilion as ZooBoo turns the Indianapolis Zoo into a Halloween village of trick-or-treat trails and a notso-scary mirror maze. Meet witches at their cauldron, ride the Halloweentinged Roller Ghoster, and brave the trick-or-treat trail. Don’t miss Brewfari on October 3rd for an adults-only evening.
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Elegance Unhurried... Some things don’t need announcing — they’re simply worn, effortlessly, with the perfect fit underneath. Professionally Fitted. Exceptionally Served. Every size, Extraordinary.
By Susan Salaz
Dr. Christy Watson
The Fall Reset BodyBarMD
At BodyBarMD in Carmel, Dr. Christy Watson approaches wellness from the inside out.
H
er philosophy is simple. Before you can meaningfully change how you look and feel on the outside, you need to understand what is happening on the inside. This fall, that means taking a closer look at metabolism, hormones, weight, energy and overall wellness, then turning that information into a personalized plan that may extend all the way to aesthetics. By September, many patients can feel that something has shifted. Summer brings more sun exposure, travel, outdoor activity, changes in routine and, often, less attention to the habits that keep us feeling our best. Fall offers a natural opportunity to reset. “At BodyBarMD, we look at fall as a season to pause, evaluate what changed over the summer, and get intentional about what comes next,” Dr. Christy says. “It’s not just about your skin. It’s about understanding your body, identifying what may be holding you back, and creating a plan that supports your goals.” (promotional content)
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Start with the inside For many patients, that conversation begins with metabolic testing. During an initial consultation, patients may start with PNOE metabolic testing, a 10-minute breath analysis that provides real-time information about how the body is using oxygen, producing energy and burning fuel. “PNOE gives us information that a traditional snapshot of your health simply can’t,” Dr. Christy explains. “We can look at what your body is actually doing rather than relying on guesswork.” That information can help shape a broader conversation around metabolism, hormones, weight management, nutrition, energy and overall wellness. Instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach, BodyBarMD uses the data to help determine what an individual patient actually needs. “The goal is to understand the whole picture,” Dr. Christy says. “When we know what is happening metabolically, we can make smarter decisions about where to focus.” And sometimes, the most important part of a fall reset
isn’t adding something new—it’s addressing something that has been put off. Then turn to the outside Once the internal picture is clear, the conversation can turn outward. Summer often leaves its mark on the skin: sunspots, redness, uneven tone, dryness, texture changes and other signs of cumulative sun exposure. Fall is an ideal time to address those concerns because many treatments require patients to minimize sun exposure before and after treatment. “Timing matters,” Dr. Christy says. “Laser-treated skin is more sensitive to UV exposure, so the cooler, lower-sun months can make it easier for patients to follow their aftercare and get the most from their treatment.” At BodyBarMD, aesthetic treatments are selected based on the patient’s individual goals rather than a one-treatmentfits-all menu. For patients concerned with skin laxity, QuantumRF by InMode is one option. The minimally invasive ABSOLUTELIVING
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treatment delivers fractional radiofrequency energy beneath the skin’s surface to heat deeper tissue, creating immediate contraction while stimulating collagen remodeling over time. “QuantumRF is progressive rather than an overnight transformation,” Dr. Christy says. “We often think about the results in stages—early tightening followed by continued improvement over the following several months.” It can be particularly well suited for patients who are relatively close to their goal weight but are bothered by mild to moderate skin laxity. New mothers and patients who have lost significant weight may also be candidates. “When there is more weight to lose first, I want to make sure we address that before focusing on tightening,” Dr. Christy says. “The right treatment at the right time makes a difference.” Fall is also the season for skin renewal Once the foundation is in place, the rest of the aesthetic plan can be tailored to what summer left behind.
IPL and Dye-VL can target sunspots, redness and other signs of photodamage. ClearLift can refresh the skin with little to no downtime, while CoolPeel offers fractional CO2 resurfacing designed to improve fine lines and texture without the prolonged downtime associated with traditional resurfacing. The goal isn’t to chase every imperfection. It’s to choose the combination that makes sense for the individual patient.
One of Dr. Christy’s favorite approaches is a combination BodyBarMD calls “the Nonni,” which layers ClearLift, Dye-VL and CoolPeel to refresh the complexion as a whole rather than addressing one concern at a time. “Fall is the perfect time to think about your skin as a whole,” Dr. Christy says. “You don’t necessarily need to wait until you have one specific problem to address. Sometimes the best result comes from combining treatments strategically.”
And the same philosophy applies to wellness. An inside-out reset At BodyBarMD, the fall reset isn’t about starting over or chasing a quick fix. It’s about using the change of season as a reason to pay attention— to your metabolism, your hormones, your energy, your body and your skin. “Feeling better and looking better aren’t separate conversations,” Dr. Christy says. “When you understand what your body needs on the inside, you can make more thoughtful choices about how you care for yourself on the outside.” So don’t wait until the holiday calendar is full. Fall is a chance to reset your routine, address what you’ve been putting off, and create a plan that carries you confidently into the holidays and the year ahead. BodyBarMD is located at 9650 Commerce Drive in Carmel, IN. Every plan starts with a consultation. Learn more at bodybarmd.com or follow along at @bodybarmd on Instagram for a closer look at the practice’s latest treatments.
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Fall Fashion
Into The Season Effortless layers, rich textures and standout pieces define the season’s style, in collaboration with 8Fifteen Boutique. 815 E 65th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46220
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Fall Fashion
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Where It All Comes Together™ Discover a new way to shop for your project.
Ferguson Home has the bath, kitchen and lighting products you need to bring your vision to life. Whether you’re refreshing the look of a single room or building a new home, our experts are here to help every step of the way, from product selection through delivery. Start your project or find your local showroom at fergusonhome.com.
CARMEL ©2026 Ferguson Enterprises, LLC 0925 3505
By Susan Salaz
EXPECT MORE Photography By Gabrielle Noël
Tom Lazzara of Custom Living
Tom Lazzara built Custom Living on a simple premise: “The quality of a home is defined not only by the materials used and the finished product, but also the experience along the way. We have a choice in how we serve our clients and one another.” Seventeen years later, that belief continues to shape every project and partnership the company takes on.
(promotional content)
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S
omewhere in the middle of a conversation, one simple question changed everything for a client. How did this homeowner fold her towels? No builder or designer had asked her that before. Years later, long after the renovation was finished, that moment of candidness stayed with her. "How else would we understand how to shape the cabinetry in the linen closet if we don't understand how you fold your towels?" Tom Lazzara, founder of Custom Living, says with a grin. It sounds like such a small thing, but that question captures the company's entire purpose. Tom studied finance and psychology at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, and he still leans on psychology every time he and the team at Custom Living work through the puzzle of a remodel or a custom build. It means understanding how people actually want to live in their homes, not just how those homes look. Half of it means listening closely enough to hear what a client hasn't thought to ask for. The other half means building a team that can deliver it. For Tom, the company's name is purposeful, too. "I never wanted the business to be built around one individual," he says. "I wanted it to stand for something greater. A team and a brand defined by trust, transparency, loyalty, and an unwavering commitment to top-notch service. A company that homeowners, employees, and trade partners could believe in for generations." "Working with Custom Living, you get a team who really thinks about how you
personally want to live in your space," says Caleb Fields, owner and maker at Carpe Diem Design Co., whose team has partnered with Custom Living on cabinetry and custom pieces for years. "Someone is thinking of every detail. Where everything goes, how you move. The result is always beyond beautiful. It's purposeful." Built on an Instinct Tom comes from a family that has spent two generations building businesses around downtown Carmel: Lazzara Real Estate, Joe's Butcher Shop, Wine & Rind, Ritz Charles, Anthony's Chophouse, Volio Vino, and Rubber Duckie Pools. If you have eaten, celebrated, or bought a home in this town, you have likely done so in a space his family has created. As a teenager, Tom started a painting company that grew to more than $150,000 in annual revenue while he was still a student at Indiana University. He doesn't talk about the number, though. He talks about the students it employed and how it helped them pay for college. It is this teammotivated instinct to serve that has led him to where he is today. After graduating from business school, Tom found real success at Pulte Homes, but what held his attention was outside the office: walking job sites, learning the craft from trade partners, then applying it to his own house on nights and weekends. By his second renovation, he was hooked. Years of consulting followed, along with a stretch as vice president of sales for True Homes in Charlotte. But the company he felt called to build was still waiting and came with the founding of Custom Living in 2009. At that time, says Tom, general contractors ranked just above
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Custom Living Chief Operating Officer Justin Schwab and owner Tom Lazzara
cable companies in national satisfaction surveys, near the bottom of nearly every industry tracked. Most people would read that as a warning to stay away from the business. Tom, however, read it as an open door. Homeowners had grown used to expecting too little. Budgets shifted without explanation. Calls went unreturned. Finish dates kept slipping. Contractors treated homes like job sites instead of the places where families actually live. Tom bet his personal values of honesty and fair dealing could hold up as a business model. "I believe homeowners should never have to wonder whether they'll
receive honest guidance, realistic budgets, quality craftsmanship or dependable communication," he says. "They deserve a trusted partner who provides confidence from the first conversation through the final walkthrough." Word spread on its own, with one satisfied client telling the next. What started with just him and a dream is now a team of almost 30 people who share that same vision and mission. "Our entire team, including our preferred trade partners and vendors, gets credit for Custom Living's success, currently and in the future," says Tom.
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"Beautiful homes are expected," says Tom Lazzara, founder of Custom Living. "What defines the Custom Living difference is delivering an extraordinary experience along the way."
Behind the Scenes If you were to walk into a Custom Living weekly site meeting, you would meet an incredible front-line cast: an architectural designer coordinating the layout and plan details; an interior designer orchestrating the finishes and fixtures that shape how the home feels to live in; and a project manager keeping every trade partner moving in step to execute the vision. Among them they carry the schedule, the budget and the quality of the finished product, stewarding it from preconstruction through final walkthrough. Just as often, a client already has an architect, builder or interior designer of their own, and Custom Living folds directly into that existing team rather than replacing it. Tom's philosophy is to bring everyone in at the very beginning, before anyone locks in a single decision. The common disconnects that derail other projects don't get the chance to happen at Custom Living, because the same people who helped shape the project are the ones building it. That shows up in ways clients rarely see directly. On one custom home, Custom Living's in-house architectural designer measured a homeowner's car and worked its exact turning radius into the garage design before a single wall went up. "That is such a great example of the level of detail they bring to a project," says Diana Daniely of Ferguson Home, who has partnered with Custom Living for 15 years. "They don't make assumptions. They figure it out and design around the homeowner's actual needs." Behind the front-line team is a skilled bench, including preconstruction, purchasing, accounting, support staff and
a roster of trade partners, some of them working alongside the company since the very beginning. They get the same honest scopes and fair terms that clients do, because a team treated with respect is the one that shows up to get something right. "Over the years, we've had the opportunity to work on some great projects together," says Kevin Bricking, owner of Carmel Glass and one of Custom Living's longtime partners, adding that they not only appreciate the design expertise and attention to detail, but also the people behind the business. "We really enjoy working with Tom and the entire team at Custom Living. They bring a thoughtful, personal approach to every project, with a genuine commitment to creating something special and unique for each client." Processes Yielding Results Delivering consistently on promised expectations requires dedication and systems. Custom Living has spent nearly two decades building proprietary processes for design collaboration, budgeting, project management, quality control and client communication. Every one of them exists to take uncertainty out of the building experience and replace it with confidence. That means the work happens in a deliberate order. A project moves first through design and feasibility, where concepts, scope and a realistic budget take shape together instead of separately. Then comes preconstruction, where the team locks in construction documentation, finish and fixture selections, trade partner assignments and budget validations. Only then does construction begin.
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That follow-through doesn't end at the final walkthrough. "Custom Living doesn't consider the relationship over when the project is complete," Diana says. "They stand behind their work and continue to work with their vendors and partners to take care of the homeowner for the life of the project." For a family, the difference is enormous. The hard decisions, and the surprises that can come with them, happen on paper before anyone touches the home. By the time demolition begins, the plan is already clear, which is how a renovation stops feeling like a season of ongoing disruption and starts feeling like a process with a timeline and a budget a family can trust. "We have a perfect record of imperfect projects," says Justin Schwab, chief operating officer. "There are too many human hands involved for everything to always go exactly to plan. However, it is our responsibility to make it run as smoothly as we possibly can by being proactively prepared so we can react quickly to problems and find solutions." Doing What They Do Best Custom Living works across historic and new home renovations, additions, interior and exterior remodels, kitchens, baths and a select number of custom builds each year, including last year's Home-aRama show home. "That is such a wellbuilt home," says Dave Wells, co-owner of Inspired Closets. "They paid so much attention to detail and invested so much in the craftsmanship and quality, even in the things you don't see. The team at Custom Living is top notch, and it showed on this home." While they could be doing far more, Tom has chosen not to. "We've had
a lot of opportunities to go big, and we've always held back so we could provide the families we work with what it is that we do best," he says. Ask Tom what keeps him doing it, and the answer has nothing to do with new facades or square footage. "It's pretty romantic when it gets down to it," he says. "We have the opportunity, with our artistic skills and problem-solving abilities, to change how somebody lives, raises a family, entertains, enjoys holidays, and more. How amazing is it that we get to help create that!" That "we" is not a figure of speech. Take away the architectural designers, the interior designers, the project managers, the preconstruction team, the trade partners who have been alongside them, and there is no Custom Living, only an idea. That is the bar Tom set out to raise, and the one his team still measures itself against today. Homeowners deserve a team that treats their investment, their dream and their home like it is worth getting right. They deserve the questions nobody else has asked, and the confidence that comes from a team that has already planned three steps ahead. That is what it means to expect more, and it is what Tom's team delivers, together, every day. Visit Custom Living at The Barrel Building, 5335 Winthrop Avenue in Indianapolis. Learn more at customlivingusa.com, and follow @custom__living on Instagram for project updates and behind-the-scenes looks at builds and remodels throughout greater Indianapolis.
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TIMELESS ELEGANCE
By Susan Salaz
Interior Layers That Last The best rooms rarely happen all at once. They build over years, through a mix of old and new, inherited and discovered, practical and personal. This month, we spoke with five Central Indiana interior designers about what that kind of home actually looks like in practice, and no two answers landed the same way. One starts with architecture, another with pattern, another with the history already built into a house. What ties them together isn't a shared style but a shared instinct. Nothing is accidental, and nothing looks like it arrived in a single trip to the showroom. What emerges instead is something less manufactured and much more interesting to live in—homes that read like a story, one choice at a time, by the people who actually live there.
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INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Amanda Lantz Interiors focus is architecture, not furnishings. "We're thinking about the walls, ceilings and floors before we ever get to the furnishings," Lantz says. From there, she layers in oversized rugs that anchor a seating area, lighting at different levels, textiles and pieces sourced from client collections and travels around the world. Lately, she keeps circling back to walls and ceilings as an opportunity, not an afterthought. "We're really trying to limit exposed drywall wherever we can," she says, pointing to wallpaper, wood paneling and mineral paint as ways a room signals more finish and depth. "The client always drives the aesthetic," she says. "We want to understand how our clients live and what they're naturally drawn to.” This approach shaped a recent project built around a client's black-and-white David Yarrow photograph of a lion, an animal with real meaning for the family. Rather than hang the piece in a hallway, Lantz placed it just outside the study and designed the entire moment around it, turning a passage between rooms into its own well-designed vestibule. This year marks 10 years since Lantz opened her firm, a milestone that prompted a rebrand to Amanda Lantz Interiors along with a new website and The Amanda Journal, a space where the firm shares its projects and design point of view. Visit Amanda Lantz Interiors in Carmel City Center at 800 S. Rangeline Road, Veterans Way Suite 250, or online at amandalantzinteriors.com. Follow @amandalantzinteriors on Instagram.
For Amanda Lantz, owner and principal designer at Amanda Lantz Interiors, every project starts with curiosity about her clients and how they actually live. "Everything is consequential when I begin to shape spaces that are so cherished to the people that live or work in it," she says, adding that her first
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INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Shine Design Interiors co-owner and designer Jennifer Finn, shaped a recent project—led by Finn and built around the homeowners' collection of Native American pottery and art. They used the pieces throughout the space, letting them stand out while also guiding the colors and textures around them. "Collections can add so much personality to a home," Brooks explains, "and when they're anchored within a space, they can really help ground the design." Brooks and Finn pay close attention to a home's architecture and period when choosing pieces, adding to what's already there rather than working against it. Vintage pieces always draw them in, bringing soul to a space and helping it feel more collected and personal, the small imperfections giving a room character rather than taking away from it. Brooks sees that instinct as a response to a wider design fatigue, with clients tired of seeing the same spaces repeated online and craving something more personal. "We love mixing pieces, textures and styles to create a space that feels collected, rather than like everything was bought at the same time," she says. Brooks and Finn also team up to run Shine Design HOME, a brick-and-mortar shop that mixes vintage finds with pieces from local makers, lighting, furnishings and home accessories. Visit Shine Design Interiors and Shine Design HOME at 7216 N. Keystone Avenue in Indianapolis, or online at shinedesigninteriors.com and @shinedesigninteriors on Instagram.
At Shine Design Interiors, layers start with the foundation of a project, then carry through to how it's styled. "We're always thinking about how different elements work together, whether that's mixing metals and wood tones, layering textiles, or bringing in different textures," says Sunshine Brooks, founder and principal designer. The goal, she continues, is a room that feels warm and personal rather than too perfectly matched. That philosophy, shared by
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INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Heidi Woodman Interiors "I want each space to feel as if it's been collected as a family over several years, even decades," she says, but makes it clear that her version of layering doesn’t mean just adding more. “I love to add architectural detailing to the walls that lean into the story of a home, rather than add meaningless things to a wall.” Her material choices demonstrate this narrative desire. A favorite finish right now is Rosso Assiago. “There are actual fossils in this marble,” she explains. "The depth is absolutely stunning." Woodman has been finding interesting ways to use marble in her projects, including in architectural mouldings, door casings, baseboards and hand-carved profiles full of detail. “It is such a gorgeous, timeless stone that looks great in modern or traditional homes,” she adds. Heidi Woodman's client list stretches from Calabasas to North Carolina to Ireland, and this year it adds a new market entirely. Drawn by New England's historic architecture and daring design choices, Woodman is settling in Rhinebeck, New York, where she’s opening a storefront in nearby Hudson. “If anyone wants to come visit me in the beautiful Hudson River Valley, I’d love to see you," Woodman says, but adds that Indianapolis will always be home, and part of her team will continue to be based here, continuing to selectively take on projects throughout the Midwest. Visit Heidi Woodman Interiors online at heidiwoodmaninteriors.com and follow @heidiwoodmaninteriors on Instagram.
Heidi Woodman has always gravitated toward historic homes. The smaller ones with quirks and character are the kinds of houses that have always caught her attention. This instinct shows up clearly in one of her largest projects to date, a northern Indiana home where she's incorporating corn crib slats into both the interior and exterior—a nod to her clients' childhood on a farm.
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INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Stephanie Wiott Designs Wiott Designs, is turning her attention to wallpaper. The Carmel designer has partnered with Painted Paper on an SWD wallpaper collection launching at Spring Market 2027, as well as a second collaboration with UKB on a vanity line. "It's exciting to translate the SWD point of view into products that allow us to explore pattern, material and craftsmanship in a new way, and that designers and homeowners can bring into their own spaces," she says. Wiott shares that she is drawn to wallpaper and fabric with a sense of the past, the kind she can put in a fresh setting. "I love using something that has a sense of history or familiarity and then giving it a fresher context," she says, adding that texture especially gives a room warmth without asking for the spotlight, another way to build depth without any single element taking over. Wiott's broader philosophy follows the same thread. She wants a home to be beautiful but says it should first and foremost feel like the people living in it, often by working with pieces a client already owns rather than starting over. "I think the most interesting interiors have a past, a present, and room for what comes next," she says. For Wiott, there should be a sense of discovery in every space—something inherited next to something new, a beautiful textile alongside a piece with a little age and patina. Those layers, she says, are what give a home its depth. Visit Stephanie Wiott Designs at 30 1st Street SW in Carmel, or online at stephaniewiottdesigns.com. Follow @stephaniewiottdesigns on Instagram.
After successfully debuting a cabinetry collaboration with Unique Kitchens & Bath at High Point Market last spring, Stephanie Wiott, founder of Stephanie
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INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Kara Grider Design Pattern is one of the ways she gets there. "Pattern— small, repeat, subtle pattern—is what speaks to me, especially when it comes to furniture selections," she says. It isn't just about solid chairs and solid sofas anymore, she says, pointing to an upholstered sofa or a set of stools as places she now reaches for a print instead of a plain fabric. Layering those patterns with texture, some subtle and some bold, keeps a room from feeling flat or matched. "Layered living is really about intentional design. Every layer should have a purpose, whether it adds function, warmth, texture, character or tells something about the people who live there," she says. She's drawn to natural materials for that same reason, pointing to the variation in stone, the grain of wood, or the patina on an unlacquered metal as details that make a space feel collected rather than overly produced. That instinct traces back further than her design career. Growing up, the first day of school was always her favorite, driven by the excitement of meeting new people. "That same curiosity is a big part of why I love what I do today," she says. "Getting to know my clients, how they live, what they value, what they're drawn to, and how they want to feel in their home, is something I'm incredibly grateful to be a part of." Visit Kara Grider Design at 12851 Broad Street, Suite 150 in Carmel, or online at karagriderdesign.com. Follow @karagriderdesign on Instagram.
Kara Grider, founder and principal designer at Kara Grider Design, describes her role as an extension of her clients. "My goal isn't to create a beautiful home that could belong to anyone. It's to create a home that feels unmistakably theirs," she says. That means a design process built on asking questions, taking feedback and refining along the way, so the finished home reflects the people living in it.
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Clothing, Shoes, & Accessories! A M A N DA U P R I C H A R D • A M B R E B L E N D S • B A C K 70 B U R G E S S • E M I LY M C C A R T H Y • FA R M R I O G R E AT A M E R I C A N • L O V E T H E L A B E L • T H M L & M O R E ! 8659 River Crossing Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46240 Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm | Su n d a y 1 2 p m - 4 p m Follow along! @monkeesofindianapolis monkeesofindianapolis.com
By Susan Salaz
World of Stone, Close to Home Plutus Marble At Plutus Marble, founder Darik Campbell has built a local source for natural stone from quarries around the world.
(promotional content)
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tep into Plutus Marble's Indianapolis showroom and you're surrounded by color. Slabs of marble and quartzite stand in rows across the massive space, veined in patterns so vivid they could pass for artwork. The man responsible for all of it didn't grow up dreaming of stone. He got into the industry in 2011 with almost no background, and the material won him over. "I fell in love with natural stone and decided to learn as much as I could. It has been my passion since," says Darik Campbell. That passion led him to open Plutus Marble in 2020. He assembled a small team, found a location, and by Thanksgiving of that year he was already in Italy on the company's first buying trip. The timing made sense. Indianapolis had a strong network of designers,
custom builders and fabricators, but for years they sourced their natural stone somewhere else. Darik built Plutus to close that gap, and word spread past Indiana, too. The business now ships material across the country, all still sourced through this single Indianapolis location. Staying put means every slab that reaches the floor has passed through his own hands first, not a regional buyer's. "We are just one of one and have focused on Indianapolis as our flagship location," he says, a distinction from most other stone suppliers in the Indy market, which tend to operate multiple locations across the Midwest. Darik and his team travel the globe for material, and they buy only premium blocks and bundles, never anything discounted. "The look, quality, finish, and expectation far outweigh the factor of cost in a material," he says. That standard has earned Plutus access to rare blocks other suppliers never get shown. Darik calls the business a boutique supplier despite its size (the showroom is 55,000 square feet, with room to grow). The boutique part comes down to color. Most of what ABSOLUTELIVING
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lines the aisles are shades of marble and quartzite that clients say they have never seen before, not the engineered quartz or porcelain that give every slab the same repeating pattern. Plutus carries a little of both, but the floor space tells you where its heart is. Homeowners, architects, designers and builders all walk through the same doors, and Darik welcomes each one the same way, whether they know exactly what they want or are discovering natural stone for the first time. International suppliers have taken notice, too, now making their own trips to Indianapolis to show Plutus their material first. Clients often tell Darik the showroom reminds them of stone markets in New York, Miami and Los Angeles. "Indianapolis is a fantastic market and our clients now have a place to find that one of a kind and spectacular piece of natural stone art," he says. Plutus Marble is located at 5150 W. 76th Street in Indianapolis. Learn more at plutusmarble.com, and follow @plutusmarble on Instagram for a closer look at the stone arriving each month.
ON THE SCENE
Photography By LIV Golf
ON THE SCENE
LIV Golf at Chatham
Last month, Chatham Hills wrapped its second year hosting LIV Golf’s season finale. By the time the final putt dropped, fans had turned out in force, filling the grounds, galleries, Fan Village and the Infield—a 12th-tee party hole exclusive to LIV Golf Indianapolis. For Betsy Garfield, partner at Henke Development, the real win happened behind the scenes. “Hosting an event of this scale requires a different level of planning, coordination and flexibility,” she says. “From course preparation and operations to hospitality and the overall guest experience, it takes our entire team and our partners working together to successfully welcome players and fans from around the world.”
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ON THE SCENE
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Exceptional Flavor Begins on the Farm
HORMONE & ANTIBIOTIC FREE
NON-GMO
SUSTAINABLY FARM RAISED
In a world crowded with ultra-processed, factory-farmed proteins, Joeʼs Butcher Shop stands firm on only serving whatʼs real. This Thanksgiving, skip the supermarket and treat your family to a Joeʼs Farm Fresh Turkey. Sustainably and ethically farm-raised by the Kuck family in Ohio, every single turkey is non-GMO, free of hormones and antibiotics, and raised exclusively to our specifications for Joe's customers. Clean, sustainable protein isn't just a passing trend at Joeʼs. You can taste the difference!
SCAN TO LEARN MORE & ORDER TURKEYS AT JOESBUTCHERSHOP.COM
317.846.887 7 | 111 W MAIN ST. #110 CARMEL, IN 46032
By Susan Salaz
SLOW BURN
Welcome to Charred At Charred, owner Raffaele D'Eusebio has built an intimate steakhouse and bourbon bar designed around getting to know the guests in the room. Diners are already booking ahead to get a seat at the table. (promotional content)
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harred keeps its lights low and its kitchen open. Walk into the new Carmel City Center restaurant on a Friday night and the room glows amber, the open kitchen sending up the smell of beef hitting a hot grill, a bartender working a wall stocked with more than 100 spirits. Guests lean over shared plates in an intimate setting, the kind of proximity that makes the room feel more like a cozy dinner party than a restaurant. The steakhouse almost didn’t open at all. D'Eusebio first planned to launch Charred in early 2025, but the kitchen’s hood and duct system failed just before opening, and the interior needed a second full remodel before serving a single guest. Charred finally opened this summer, more than a year behind the original plan. None of that struggle
shows on a Friday night. A patient D'Eusebio says the delay gave the team more time to carefully consider the menu and bar. Charred now pours more than 60 whiskeys and bourbons alongside a custom Woodford Reserve barrel, plus wine and champagne built for guests who linger over a second round. "Most steakhouses focus on volume; Charred focuses on intention,” he says, adding that as a smaller, boutique concept, they obsess over the finer details. “Every element of the space, every plate, every pour is deliberately crafted to deliver the best possible experience. Nothing is accidental." The blueprint borrows from steakhouses D'Eusebio admires elsewhere, including the speakeasystyle rooms in Chicago, ideas his team folded into their own take on a modern steakhouse. The result reads more like a private lounge than a typical steakhouse dining room, dim corners built for quiet conversation. D'Eusebio, who also owns Ristorante Roma
in the Carmel Arts & Design District, built the steakhouse around what he calls "the craft of fire” and a deep appreciation for bourbon, rare spirits and wine. "Its dark, moody atmosphere pairs with an open-kitchen design that brings energy to the room," he says, adding that the plush booths offer comfort and privacy while the kitchen provides a sense of theater. Charred's focus on high-end liquor, refined hospitality and expertly prepared steaks makes it a destination for guests who value quality. The beef is 100 percent Certified Angus, never frozen, and sourced from Fischer Farms in Indiana. "Supporting local matters to us, and we serve steaks the way we like to eat them ourselves," D'Eusebio says, explaining that every detail in Charred was chosen on purpose, and he wants guests to feel that from the moment they walk in. "We're not done," he says. "Charred will continue to evolve and improve, always pushing to better serve our guests and the dining scene in Carmel and the surrounding area."
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Charred is located at 61 W. City Center Drive in Carmel City Center and welcomes guests 21 and older. Reservations and the full menu are available at charred-indy.com. Follow @charred_indy on Instagram.
Water made 40x better. Between the moment you wake up and unwind each evening, you’ll interact with water about 40 times. With a precision-engineered Kinetico water treatment system customized to your water conditions, each of those experiences can be better.
By Susan Salaz
’Round the Town Fall for It — Your Mini-Guide to Central Indiana's Best Fall Festivals
Central Indiana falls hard for pumpkin patches, parades and glowing autumn evenings. This year's lineup wanders a little further than usual. So grab a flannel and get out there! Stuckey Farm Orchard and Cider Mill Ongoing, weekends Stuckey Farm, Sheridan stuckeyfarm.com
Stuckey Farm keeps reinventing its own season, with the Sunflower Festival opening things up across a seven-acre field of blooms before Apple Pluckin' Days turns loose the u-pick orchard's 35-plus varieties. Cider Pressin' Days lets guests watch the mill in action, and Pumpkin Pickin' Days closes things out across 15 acres of pumpkins. The corn maze, hayrides and apple cider donuts run throughout.
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Zionsville Fall Festival September 11–13 Lions Park, Zionsville
zionsvillelions.com/fallfestival
Lions Park turns into three days of carnival lights, funnel cakes, and a parade the whole town shows up for. The Zionsville Lions Club's fundraiser is one of the town's longest traditions, complete with a Saturday morning parade down Main Street, carnival rides, live music and more than 100 craft and food vendors. A beer garden draws the adults on Saturday night, and the weekend closes out with a car show and bingo on Sunday.
Harvest Nights September 26 - November 1 Newfields, Indianapolis
discovernewfields.org
Every autumn, Newfields turns its gardens into a glowing, walkable spectacle, with thousands of jack-o-lanterns lining the paths and a projection show lighting up the historic Lilly House. Guests wind through fog-filled forests, cross paths with a rumbling ghost train and finish inside Mischief Manor, where every room gets a seasonal makeover.
Traders Point Creamery October sessions Traders Point Creamery, Zionsville traderspointcreamery.com
Traders Point Creamery turns its own garden into the draw each fall, with a Garden Educational Series that puts guests to work harvesting chef-selected pumpkins and squash before winter sets in. The seasonal Garden Dinner Series pairs that same produce with a chef-curated menu inside the restored 1860s barn. Both sell out early, so this one is worth booking ahead rather than showing up.
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Headless Horseman Festival October 1–25, Thursdays through Sundays Conner Prairie, Fishers
connerprairie.org
Conner Prairie has run its Headless Horseman Festival for more than 40 years, and each season brings a new storyline to the haunted corn maze. The grounds open in the evening for hayrides, axe throwing and fire performances, plus live music and seasonal treats at the Apple Store. Families with younger kids can stick to the tamer daytime activities, while the hayride after dark leans into real scares.
Back Roads of Brown County Studio Tour October 1–31 Nashville, Indiana bcstudiotour.com
Every October, more than 20 working artist studios throughout Brown County open their doors for this free, self-guided tour, timed to peak leaf season along the back roads. Visitors watch potters, painters, woodworkers and glass artists at work, then buy directly from the artists. Pick up a map at the Brown County Visitors Center and plan on losing an afternoon to the drive alone.
Night of 1,000 Jack-o'-Lanterns October 7–25 Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois
chicagobotanic.org
More than 1,000 hand-carved pumpkins light up the paved paths of the Chicago Botanic Garden after dark, making this one of the more upscale pumpkin trails within driving distance. The Garden's 385 acres take on a different character at night, and the walk pairs naturally with a stop to see the fall chrysanthemum displays if you plan the trip during daylight hours first.
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Morgan County Fall Foliage Festival October 8–11 Morgan County Fairgrounds, Martinsville
morgancountyfallfoliagefestival.com
Martinsville's longest-running festival has moved to the Morgan County Fairgrounds while downtown finishes a courthouse renovation, but the lineup stays familiar. Carnival rides, a classic car show, a harvest craft market, and a free stage of local performers fill four days, with a 5K run and one of Indiana's longest parades closing things out. Bring cash, since most vendors run on it. Mallow Run Winery Harvest Festival October 12 Mallow Run Winery, Bargersville
mallowrun.com
Mallow Run turns its lawn into a harvest party with food trucks, local vendors, and live music on the patio. Wine flows by the glass or bottle, and the seasonal menu adds an Apple WineA-Rita slushie and mulled wine for anyone easing into sweater weather. Kids get their own crafts station, and the winery sits close enough to Indianapolis for an easy afternoon trip.
Historic Irvington Halloween Festival October 24–31, Street Fair on October 24 Historic Irvington, Indianapolis irvingtonhalloween.com
Irvington throws the country's second-oldest and largest Halloween festival, and the neighborhood commits to a full week of ghost tours, costume contests and haunted house decorating before Washington Street closes for the street fair. Vendors, live bands and a costume parade take over the historic district, while a 5K run and a free kids' dash open the morning before the crowds arrive.
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