OKC, OK March 2024

Welcome to Our Home & Design Issue!

"The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not questioned."

-Maya Angelou

Whatever "home" means for you–security, comfort, family, etc.–for most of us it's our biggest investment and the space in which we spend most of our time. Home is where we tuck our children into bed at night, where we entertain extended family and friends for special occasions, where we seek solace after a rough week, where we express ourselves through our decor selection and the acquisition of artwork, and so much more.

For one Nichols Hills couple, their spacious home is a depository for items— think tapestries, furniture and various items of decor—collected during their extensive travels to Europe. In fact, the house itself (tiles, banisters, lighting, and more) reflects different periods of French and Italian architecture. For instance, the true chef's kitchen, designed by an Oklahoma City culinary expert, features a wood-burning oven from France and 300-year-old terracotta lintels from a Lyon chateau. Each room, from the 1960s-themed theatre room to the grand yet comfortable chef's kitchen, tells a story and invites guests to join in the laughter and festivities. See story, page 14.

When Isaac and Kelly Spear hired Davidson & Co. to build their first custom home, which they described as a “cozy modern farmhouse feel with an open-concept living space, excellent for hosting," they had a long list of special elements. Drawing on an architectural plan by Brent Gibson Classic Home Design, those elements included a topographic map wall in the study, a walk-in steam shower and custom beams in the living room, and a spacious  "outdoor living" patio space complete with fireplace and linear lava rock fire pit. When completed, the couple said, "Every ‘want’ was fulfilled, and we couldn’t be happier!” See related story, page 20.

There isn't room to highlight all the interesting content included in this, our Home & Design issue, so find a comfortable spot in your home, pour yourself a glass of wine (or other favorite beverage), and enjoy the magazine!

JERRI CULPEPPER, MANAGING EDITOR @CITYLIFESTYLE_CLEVELANDCOUNTY

this is different

OUR CLIENTS LOVE OUR DESIGN PROCESS

“CREATING

business monthly

24th Annual Red Earth Festival

This juried art market, slated for March 22-24, features original art by Native artisans at the National Cowboy Museum and Western Heritage Center. Festival guests will experience the artistic creations of some of America’s most celebrated artists as they offer for sale exquisite examples of contemporary and traditional paintings, beadwork, basketry, jewelry, pottery, sculpture, graphics and cultural attire. Native dance presentations and musical performances will be featured throughout weekend celebrations. RedEarth.org/ pages/upcoming-festival

Official Lucky's St. Patrick's Day Bar Crawl

Grab your leprechaun, shamrock, pot of gold and crazy St. Patrick's Day costumes and get ready to Shamrock 'n Roll on March 16!. Tickets include two-three drinks or shots, merch, an after-party and much more. Participants are encouraged to use Uber or Lyft to and from the bar crawl. Event by Crawl With Us. For tickets and more information, visit the Official Lucky's St. Patrick's Day Bar Crawl page on Facebook.

Fairytale Farms @ The Harn

Step into a living storybook as you join Little Red and her well-known friends throughout Fairytale Farms at this event, set for March 15-16. You'll pass by the three little pigs, have a teddy tea party at Goldie Locke's, go to school with Mother Goose, and traverse the entire property of the Harn Homestead. But watch out! Wolves, witches, and mischief are all at play throughout your journey. For ticket info, call the Harn, 405.235.4058.

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a european ODYSSEY

NICHOLS HILLS DREAM HOME INSPIRED BY TRAVEL

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY

BY KAYLIN HILL | KOLLAB CREATIVE CO.

In OKC’s Nichols Hills neighborhood, a dream home stands tall, echoing the rich tapestry of the European travels of its owners. Robert M. and Paulette Gordon are seasoned explorers of France and Italy who translated their wanderlust into a unique architectural marvel that seamlessly blends Old World charm with modern comforts.

From the moment you step into the 24-foot-high ceiling entry, the home whispers tales of chateaus and murals admired through their European adventures.

The winding staircase, inspired by French architecture, leads to hand-painted murals adorning the walls, even in the three-stop elevator. The basement, crafted to mimic a 17th-century Burgundy wine cellar, boasts plaster walls, purposeful floor cracks and a custom Alderwood wine cellar, creating an ambiance reminiscent of European cellars.

CONTINUED >

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Opposite page, left: The winding staircase, inspired by French architecture, leads to hand-painted murals adorning the walls, even in the three-stop elevator. | Top right: The entry to this Nichols Hills home exudes Old World charm. | Bottom right: The entryway arch is complemented inside in several places, including the one leading to this living area. | This page, top: Old World charm can be found even in the bedrooms. | Bottom: Paulett Gordon loves showing off their Nichols Hills home, which they have filled with mementoes from their European travels.

features a corner tub, tile floors and tub surround, and other fine details, including a cherub looking down over it all.

In the tasting room, a solid walnut table handcrafted by the homeowner’s father takes center stage, surrounded by antique murals from Belgium and France. The true chef’s kitchen, designed by an Oklahoma City culinary expert, features a wood-burning oven from France and 300-year-old terracotta lintels from a Lyon chateau.

The house has become a canvas for cultural celebrations: Turkish and Korean weddings, a Latin American birthday party and more. Each space, from the 1960s-themed theatre room to the grand yet comfortable chef’s kitchen, tells a story and invites guests to join in the laughter and festivities.

This unique abode also serves as a source of inspiration for the next generation. The daughter, influenced by the home’s design, has embarked on her own journey, building a home that echoes the timeless elegance and cultural richness experienced in the family’s European travels.

The dream home stands as a testament to the enduring impact of well-traveled lifestyles, where every corner is a canvas, and every room is a story waiting to be told.

The basement features a custom alderwood wine cellar.

This charming bathroom

In the tasting room, a solid walnut table handcrafted by the homeowner's father takes center stage, surrounded by antique murals from Belgium and France.

A winding staircase leads to the basement, crafted to mimic a 17thcentury Burgundy wine cellar.

A corner fireplace, European architectural details and numerous items from the Gordons' European travels give this room a true European flavor.

Custom Home Surpasses

Couple’s Expectations

ARTICLE BY JERRI CULPEPPER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAYLIN HILL | KOLLAB CREATIVE MEDIA & KORIE SMITH | KTM INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY

““We had a specific vision for our next chapter that Brent Gibson and Davidson & Co. perfectly brought to life.”

Beautiful but comfortable surroundings and gads of space for family living and entertaining, both indoors and out. Those words describe the new Edmond home designed by Brent Gibson of Brent Gibson Classic Home Design ( BrentGibson.com) and built by Oklahoma Citybased custom homebuilders Davidson & Co.

Mike Davidson, who runs the family-owned company with wife Amy and son Jacob, says they worked closely with Isaac and Kelly Spear to create the Spears’ 4,301-square-foot, two-story home, which features five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a study and a game room.

Other features include foam insulation and a high-efficiency heat-and-air system to reduce operating costs and conserve energy; a Generac wholehouse backup power system; high-end kitchen appliances; custom countertops; hickory wood flooring throughout; walk-in steam showers; and automatic lighting and audio controls.

A large outdoor living area with a fire feature and vaulted ceiling allows the family to enjoy time outdoors even when the weather is a bit dicey. Curved retaining walls add beauty and function to the backyard.

The Spears home was one of several Davidson & Co. has custom built based on Brent Gibson’s designs.

“The first one,” Mike recalled, “was back in 2016; it was a 6,200-square-foot, one-story French Tudor home on 20 acres—and our second new build for that client. Brent is so creative, and his ideas truly unfold off the page as we are meeting with him and clients around the drawing table.”

PRAISE FROM THE HOMEOWNERS

The Spears spoke highly of their experiences working with the Davidsons.

“This was our first custom home,” Kelly said. “We chose custom because we had trouble finding a home that included our desired lot size, location and certain features of the home. We had a specific vision for

our next chapter that Brent Gibson and Davidson & Co. perfectly brought to life.”

Isaac and Kelly agreed that working with both the Davidsons and Brent was easy from day one.

“They intentionally took time to listen to every idea, give guidance and patiently help us build our dream home,” Kelly said. “There was no request too big, and they genuinely cared about the details to give us a home better than we could ever imagine!”

When meeting the design and build team, the couple described their dream home as a “cozy modern farmhouse feel with an open-concept living space, excellent for hosting.”

“We challenged them to seamlessly tie this space into our back patio, which they accomplished beautifully by including a 17-foot accordion door and linear lava rock fire pit,” Isaac recalled.

“They delivered over 300 loads of dirt to finish our outdoor vision. We love the white and black contrast, but also wanted large cedar beams, along with a gorgeous metal standing seam roof. We wanted plenty of rooms to host our out-of-town family and had a vision for an upstairs that was completely kid-centric.

“Some other unique requests,” he said, “included a topographic map wall in the study, walk-in steam shower and custom beams in the living room. When the team heard our ideas, they brought the home to life wonderfully! Every ‘want’ was fulfilled, and we couldn’t be happier!”

ABOUT DAVIDSON & CO.

Davidson & Co. was launched 30 years ago, in 1994, two years after Mike and Amy tied the knot.

Years later, their son Jacob (who is also a Realtor, with McGraw Real Estate) joined the husband-wife build team at the small-by-choice building company, which specializes in custom as well as spec homes.

“Mike and Jacob work together to make sure jobs run smoothly, schedule, meet and check on contractors,

Opposite page, top: This new Edmond home was designed by Brent Gibson Classic Home Design (BrentGibson.com) and built by custom homebuilders Davidson & Co. | Bottom left: Back view of the house shows the extensive outdoor living space and curved retaining walls. | Bottom right: Homeowners Isaac and Kelly Spears’ extensive wish list included a large, comfortable space for outdoor living.

Every ‘want’ was fulfilled, and we couldn’t be happier!

“ ”

CONTINUED >

This page, top: A kitchen with all the bells and whistles was on the homeowners' wish list...wish granted! Bottom: At the homeowners’ request, the study features a topographic map wall. | Right page: The Spears had a vision for an upstairs that was completely kid-centric.

order supplies and meet with salesmen,” Amy said, adding that she serves primarily as the company’s designer.

“As a low-volume builder, it allows us to be on the job sites daily. We also are unique in that we own a lot of our own equipment to fill in the gaps and can be hands-on when needed.

“As the house designer,” Amy said, “I meet and help guide all of our customers with all of the design aspects of their new home, from exterior brick and stone to paint selections, tile, plumbing, countertops, flooring, cabinet design hardware, etc.

“Most of our contractors,” she adds, “have worked for us for many years and are very skilled and knowledgeable in their fields and know the quality of standards that we expect as well.”

Most Davidson & Co. homes range in size from 3,000 to 6,500 square feet. You’ll find them across the OKC metro and in Edmond. They currently are building new homes in Annecy (in northwest OKC at 150th and MacArthur, across from Gallardia), Black Oak at Iron Horse Ranch, and in Edmond’s upscale Coffee Creek neighborhood and new Montmartre acreage community. They will also build on clients’ lots in other neighborhoods throughout the metro area or on land they own.

They are proud of their family-owned business’ growth and success over the past 30 years, a period marked with definite highs and lows in the housing market.

“I would say that what sets us apart is that we are intentional builders—we care about

the smallest details—and are easily accessible to communicate with; we are very knowledgeable; and we truly do care and are involved in about every single aspect of our customers’ new build,” Mike said.

CONSIDERING GOING CUSTOM?  ADVICE OFFERED

Mike offers the following advice for those looking to hire a custom homebuilder: “Always talk to current and previous customers about their experience with a particular builder, his allowances, cost overages, process, draw schedule, how they handle any issues that arise, etc. We also suggest speaking to their banker and their suppliers to ensure they are current on all of their accounts.”

The new homeowners also have some suggestions for those considering hiring a custom homebuilder.

“Find a builder who communicates well, cares about the details, and is flexible and patient. It’s impossible to not face a few challenges during the process, so choosing a builder who is creative and has experience was paramount to our success. Davidson & Co. exudes integrity, passion and quality. Mike, Amy, and Jake couldn’t have been more enjoyable to work with, and we highly recommend them!”

Learn more about Davidson & Company, a member of the Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association, at MikeDavidsonCo.com, and on Facebook and Instagram.

“This is the best I have ever seen. It was so uplifting. It spoke to everything that is good in this world.”

—Glen Duncan, Grammy Award-winning musician

“So beautiful and so moving! It has a very important message for the entire world.”

—Vikki Carr, world-renowned singer, four-time Grammy Award winner

Left page: This gorgeous bathroom features a walk-in steam shower, beautiful tub, a variety of tiles on the floor and walls, and elegant lighting.

This page: Homeowners Isaac and Kelly Spear, their baby and their dogs take time out to enjoy the covered porch area of their new home.

It’s impossible to not face a few challenges during the process, so choosing a builder who is creative and has experience was paramount to our success.

Top: Mike, Amy and Jacob Davidson (of Davidson & Co.) visit with Isaac and Kelly Spear in their new dream home. |

Bottom left: Elegant hanging lights are used to great effect throughout this home. | Bottom right: Vaulted ceilings with custom beams, hickory wood flooring and a knock-out fireplace make this living room an ideal space for family gatherings and entertaining.

A beautiful Juxtaposition

REMODELED KITCHEN BLENDS ELEGANCE AND FUNCTIONALITY

Urban Kitchens ( UrbanKitchensOK.com) owner and designer Jo Meacham compares a just-completed major kitchen renovation to the fairy tale of Cinderella, minus the glass slipper.

She explains that the Edmond home, built in the late 1990s, featured stained woodwork trim and cabinets in the kitchen and served the family well for many years.

“But, just like for Cinderella, the time had come for a change.”

Noting that planning is the most important part of any large renovation project, the designers from Urban Kitchens met with the family over a period of several months. Discussions focused on function and form, as well as “the look” they wanted to achieve.

The kitchen remodel left a large island in place, but entailed relocating the cooktop and replacing the cabinets with ones designed for specific uses. A new range, relocated on another wall, became the focal point of the project.

A full quartz backsplash replaced the tile backspash, adding another layer of elegance.

ARTICLE BY JERRI CULPEPPER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEGAN CROWE

All new appliances were purchased, as well as a microwave drawer and a new under-cabinet, drawer-style refrigerator.

“The white Shaker-style cabinets represent an elegant transitional style juxtaposed against the dark, Urban Bronze island and hood,” Jo said. “Changing from a tile backsplash to a full quartz backsplash added another layer of elegance, as did the addition of contemporary chandeliers above the island.”

designed by Urban Kitchens

Transformation complete, and a happy storybook ending for these satisfied homeowners.

Go to  Houzz.com/hznb/projects/faircloud-lane-kitchen-pj-vj~7369455 to see “before” photos.

The white Shaker-style cabinets represent an elegant transitional style juxtaposed against the dark, Urban Bronze island and hood.

Contemporary chandeliers were placed above the island, adding beauty and light.

A new under-cabinet, drawer-style refrigerator added functionality to the remodeled kitchen.

The new kitchen blends form and function ... and elegance!

MARCH 2024

events

A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS

MARCH 7TH - 10TH

Oklahoma City Ballet presents: Future Voices

Susan E Brackett Dance Center, OKC

The Oklahoma City Ballet will perform a memorable show with Future Voices: A Choreographic Showcase this March. Held within the Inasmuch Foundation Theater at the Susan E. Brackett Dance Center, this must-see event will feature entirely new works without sets or costumes under the direction of Artistic Director Ryan Jolicouer-Nye. OkcBallet.org/Performance/Future-Voices

MARCH 14TH

Canterbury Voices presents: For All the Saints

Civic Center Music Hall, OKC | 7:30 PM

Enjoy a night of unforgettable music during the Canterbury Voices special performance of "For All the Saints." The talented chorus of singers will embark on a musical journey that pays homage to the spirit of the Irish and the legacy of the saints.  CanterburyOkc.com/ ForAllTheSaints

MARCH 15TH - 17TH

Jurassic Quest

Oklahoma City Fairgrounds, OKC

Head to Oklahoma City to see this exciting exhibit full of dinosaurs that move, walk around and even play with guests. After interacting with Jurassic Quest creatures, guests can dig up fossils like a real paleontologist. This event is as fun as it is educational, so bring the entire family for a memorable day with Jurassic Quest. JurassicQuest.com/Upcoming-Events

MARCH 15TH - 17TH

TokenCon

Embassy Suites by Hilton Oklahoma City Will Rogers World

Bring friends to this three-day event in Oklahoma City, and pick up new games while demoing one of more than 500 offerings onsite. Visitors can also sell used board games at the TokenCon flea market, meet fellow gamers & strategists and hear from special guests in the board gaming community. Tabletop.Events/Conventions/TokenCon-2024

MARCH 16TH

Stockyards City St. Patrick's Day Parade

Stockyards City, OKC | 10:00 AM

This family-friendly parade kicks off at 10 a.m. with the famous Slash O Ranch Longhorns being herded down Exchange Avenue. Marching bands, bagpipes, antique cars, tractors, community groups, equestrian clubs and Stockyard City's own leprechaun round out this fun event. Shop unique, locally owned stores and enjoy an excellent array of restaurants and watering holes.  StockyardsCity.org

MARCH 22ND - 24TH

Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival

National Cowboy Museum & Western Heritage Center, OKC

This exciting event features representatives from over 100 tribes. See works by some of the nation's most celebrated artists, including contemporary and traditional examples of beadwork, basketry, jewelry, pottery, sculpture, paintings, graphics and cultural attire during the festival's juried art show and market. RedEarth.org

STOCK the BAR

1: Functionality trumps aesthetics, with a shift toward professional-grade barware.

2: Barkeep OKC ( Barkeepokc.com), 1121 N. Walker Ave., carries Cocktail Kingdom and Cocktail Emporium tools.

3: Collaborations with local artisans like Winship’s Bitters add a delicious local touch.

4: Stay tuned for their upcoming spring sale on glassware, bitters and tools. Barkeep OKC—your go-to for unmatched home bar supplies!

5: For must-haves, a shaker, strainer and jigger top the list.