Nashville Interiors 2023 Vol. 35

Nashville Interiors

BUILDING A DREAM FOR A HOME IN VALLEY FORGE, DESIGNER TORI ALEXANDER WORKED WITH THE PROFESSIONALS AT PDI TO TRANSFORM THE WISHES AND WANTS OF THE OWNERS INTO A FOREVER HOME BEYOND ALL EXPECTATIONS.

ANTHONY M C GILL

Principal Clarinet, New York Philharmonic & Artistic Director, Music Advancement Program, The Juilliard School

JACKET IN: TUXEDO PARK GILLESPIE GREEN TIE IN: BILLIE OMBRE GREEN

KRYSTA RODRIGUEZ Actress, Stage & Screen

Founder, Curated by Krysta Rodriguez

ROHL Patrizia and Culinario Collections

Nashville Interiors

As the only all-design focused publication in the area, Nashville Interiors operates differently than other publications. We aren’t directed by the seasons on the calendar, but rather by the significant design and build events in Middle Tennessee. We know it benefits our partners to have a presence at each of these events, including Nashville Design Week, the Parade of Homes and, with this issue, the Antiques & Garden Show.

We have gotten our footing over the years, fitting what works best for our design community into a traditional seasonal print cycle, and now we are leaning into the biggest benefit we have of being all local — the ability to change and adapt to the needs of our advertisers and community.

So beginning with this issue, we have shifted to a “volume” labeling system: to showcase the new edition of Nashville Interiors in an overall series as opposed to shoehorning it into a season label that doesn’t quite fit. This issue is the 35th edition that has been produced since the launch of the magazine in 2000.

While our new print schedule isn’t traditional, it is tailored to the local design calendar. Our content isn’t seasonal. We are documenting a moment in time, taking a snapshot of what is happening in Nashville that will be revisited on coffee tables and in waiting rooms today — and years from now.

Partnering with print is our newly designed website, which is another way we have adjusted to meet the needs of our design community. As a showcase of all the features we have on our pages, the website also is a hub to focus on our premier partners, provide access to local design and art events, and show off our growing video projects and tours. Nashville’s design community is expanding and evolving, and we are here to document it all.

—Hollie Deese Publisher

Nashville Interiors

OWNER/PUBLISHER

Hollie Deese

2023

VOL. 35

SALES DIRECTOR

Pam Harper

EDITORIAL DESIGN

Ginger Katz

ADVERTISING DESIGN

Tracey Starck

COPY EDITOR/ CONTENT MANAGER

Jennifer Goode Stevens, GoodeEdits.com

DIGITAL AND WEB

MARKETING

Kim Samaroo

VIDEOGRAPHY

PRODUCTION

Kate Tran

Ashley McIntosh

ARTS EDITOR

Robert Jones

VENUE EDITOR

Jim Myers

CONTRIBUTORS

Mary Craven

Sam Calderon

William DeShazer

Pam Monaghan

Joe Morris

Anthony Romano

Caroline Sharpnack

Nicki Pendleton Wood

Nashville Interiors is the premier building and design guide of Middle Tennessee. We feature regional master artisans, designers, architects, builders, artists, collectors and retailers, and we bring you news of the region’s trends in building, design and development. We also showcase the inspiring spaces of our area’s eclectic group of residents.

ON THE COVER

For the Valley Forge home featured on the cover of this issue, designer Tori Alexander worked with the team at PDI Kitchen, Bath and Lighting to make a standout space with luxurious amenities. Starting with the star of the space, the bathtub, Alexander partnered with PDI for their professionalism, expertise and concierge customer service. The results? Cover-worthy! Photo by Mary Craven

Nashville Interiors is published by Deese Media LLC. It has continuously been in print since 2000.

All editorial and photographic content is the sole property of Deese Media LLC and is not to be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission of the publisher.

Nashville Interiors is available at select locations and events. For information on where to find a copy, receive an advertising rate sheet, request content reprints, suggest story ideas or notify with website or social media issues, email Hollie Deese, hollie@nashvilleinteriors.com.

Nashville Interiors

CONTRIBUTORS

MARY CRAVEN PHOTOGRAPHER

Whether working on interiors, lifestyle, branding shoots, weddings or with families, Mary Craven’s goal remains the same — to capture the raw, fleeting moments so they can last forever. Originally born in North Carolina, Mary has a passion for authentic connections that lead to photos of a preserved moment of time. Mary has specifically enjoyed getting to know local businesses in Nashville shooting for The Scout Guide. When she doesn’t have a camera in her hand, you can find her with her husband, Burney, and three daughters on their next travel adventure. This is Mary’s first cover for Nashville Interiors.

CAROLINE SHARPNACK PHOTOGRAPHER

Nashville native Caroline Sharpnack is an interiors and lifestyle photographer whose passion for photography started at age 13, when she was given her grandfather’s Canon AE-1. Since then, her love for the art has only grown, and she could never imagine herself pursuing any other career. Caroline has an ever-expanding love of design, and she adores collaborating with her clients to tell their stories and bring their visions to life. She has been photographing professionally since 2014, and her work has been featured in Nashville Interiors a number of times.

ROBERT JONES | ARTS EDITOR

Robert Jones founded Overton Arts in 2018 with the goal of creating a picture frame shop that emphasizes community engagement by embracing nonprofit arts initiatives and programming. Overton Arts combines a traditional workshop with an art studio to provide clients with not just a transactional relationship, but a connection to the wider arts community. In 2020, Overton Arts donated $2,500 to Gideon’s Army in support of their ongoing efforts to use restorative justice programs to build resilient kids and healthy communities. Last year he sponsored the Just Us program at The Oasis Center, which provided LGBTQ+ youth with a liberating space to be authentic and celebrate the fluidity of identity, to help reach their full potential.

WILLIAM DESHAZER | PHOTOGRAPHER

William Deshazer is an editorial and commercial photographer based in Nashville. He spent 12 years working at various newspapers, including Memphis’ Commercial Appeal and the Chicago Tribune. He’s a regular contributor to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. His work has appeared in magazines like National Geographic, Golfweek, ESPN The Magazine, Runner’s World and O, The Oprah Magazine. His interior photography has been used by Holiday Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Davis Jewelers. William has been recognized by Photographer of the Year International and the National Press Photographers Association. When not taking pictures, William is either writing music or exploring locally and beyond with his wife.

TENNESSEE’S PREMIERE SOURCE FOR HARDWOOD FLOORING

Nashville Interiors CONTRIBUTORS

ANTHONY ROMANO PHOTOGRAPHER

Anthony Romano is a portrait photographer based in Nashville. Specializing in creative portraits, branding and headshots, he has a keen eye for capturing unique and striking images. His background in graphic design, along with his experience as a marketing director, add to the creative arsenal of services he provides to his clients. Anthony brings a creative and artistic approach to his work, resulting in portraits that are not only technically excellent, but that also truly capture the essence of his subjects. This is Anthony’s first issue shooting for Nashville Interiors.

SAM CALDERON PHOTOGRAPHER

Sam Calderon is a Nashville-based photographer who specializes in corporate, real estate and event photography. A native of South Florida, Sam was always drawn to photography and cinema, exposed to his father’s videography work in El Salvador. Sam met his mentor in Nashville, who took him under his wing and taught Sam everything he knew. Since then, Sam has been able to build his clientele, travel and expand his business. Sam has been shooting for Nashville Interiors since 2022.

DENISE SIMONS HOST

Denise Simons is a lifestyle expert and visionary in interior design, television production, public speaking and global music production. Her Emmy-nominated show LifeStyle with Denise Simons helped launch her Nashville Concert, which she produced with her masterful guitarist husband, Jackie Simons. It has now been seen in more than 20 countries. Denise is passionate about three things — her faith in God, her marriage and her creativity, and she takes them all on with a twist of humor!

JIM MYERS | WRITER

Jim Myers is an award-winning food journalist who has trained his eye on the intersection of Southern culture and the natural world for more than 25 years. Currently the minister of culture for Nashville’s iconic Elliston Place Soda Shop, Jim thinks every good day starts with a buttermilk and orange sherbet milkshake. Jim wrote about 1 Kitchen for this issue of Nashville Interiors.

Photo by Christy Hunter

CONTENTS Nashville Interiors

28

34

FEATURED FINDS

Fun finds to kick off 2023.

BUILDING A DREAM

Designers work with the professionals at PDI Kitchen, Bath & Lighting to create custom spaces that make clients’ dreams come true.

46

QUALITY CONTROL

Design and build firm Trace Ventures doubles down on customer service and luxury construction.

52 WAY OF LIFE

A Greenbrier native buys the farm surrounding his property to preserve his family’s way of life and build a dream home with local resources and connections.

57

SECOND TIME AROUND

A designer scoured the web and secondhand resources to create a sustainable space.

68 FIRED UP

Bang Candy creator turns passion for ceramics into a second business.

74

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: ELLIOTT SCHUESSLER

A creative embraces his artistic dreams in his 30s.

78 ADVENTURES IN DESIGN

Thom Filicia is one of many lecture speakers at this year’s Antiques & Garden Show.

88 VENUE: 1 HOTEL

Farm to table returns in a bountiful way at downtown hotel.

FAVORITE FINDS

NEW YEAR, NEW MUST-HAVES TO KICK OFF 2023

The Collecto x Johanna Ortiz home line is a first for fashion-turned-tabletop designer

Johanna Ortiz and the curated homeware retailer and wedding registry. The collection from the Colombian fashion designer includes plates, woven baskets and placemats, ikat linens and napkins, and more. Starting at $150 at collectoworld.com.

The oversized 14-ounce candles from Roam Homegrown have everything going for them — they are all-natural, phthalate-free and woman-owned. Based out of Austin, the brand offers beautifully poured soy candles that have a burn time of 75 hours in scents like dry gin + cypress. $38 at roamhomegrown.com.

We love a good collaboration, like the Halsted collection release from Room & Board’s partnership with Cambria. The selection of tabletop items are handcrafted in a number of Cambria designs and are available at Room & Board locations across the country. Starting at $45 on roomandboard.com.

The structure of a painting inspired the design of Ochre, the National Gallery’s new restaurant in London, and we are obsessed with the design from Red Deer that takes palette cues from the name “ochre” — in burnt oranges, yellows and browns. These tones are continued in the textiles within the restaurant, ranging from luxurious velvets, boucle and embroidered textiles to raw cottons and linens, and they informed the design process from the start. The addition of hand-patinated brass details throughout further adds to our need to visit this space during our next trip overseas, as do the handmade ceramic tables by ceramicist Emma Lloyd-Pane.

Livable luxury is a trend we will never tire of, and the family-friendly sofas from Valyōu Furniture have removable covers that provide easy care and keep your investment always looking new, even with furry friends around. Our personal fave is the Feathers Collection created by acclaimed Italian designer Mario Capasa. Available in three-, four-, five- and six-seat configurations, starting at $1,199.95 (three-seat) at valyoufurniture.com.

inPOWERED Lights will be your best friend during a power outage — these stylish, everyday lamps switch on automatically when the power goes out. Plus, they charge phones and tablets with no electricity, and the company donates a portion of all profits to programs committed to helping women entrepreneurs. Starting at $59.99 on Amazon.

SHOULD BE A LUXURY EXPERIENCE BUILDING A LUXURY HOME

Working with Legend Homes was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made! The decision to build from the ground up can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time and during a pandemic. The Legend team never missed a beat; they made the process so easy and fun with no delays. They are trustworthy, collaborative and their weekly communication updates through the app and throughout the process were superb. They were always available to answer questions and provide great advice even after we closed. We are so grateful for their team and our dream home. We would highly recommend Legend Homes to anyone considering building a new home in Middle TN.

Amanda & Kevin

Prices beginning at $1+ Million

For more information visit: livealegend.com

BRING YOUR VISION TO US

The experts at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery are here to help create a home that’s as extraordinary as you are. Any project, any style, any dream—bring your inspiration to fruition at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery. Visit fergusonshowrooms.com to discover more and find your nearest showroom.

Building a Dream

WORKING WITH PROFESSIONALS AT PDI KITCHEN, BATH & LIGHTING, DESIGNER TORI ALEXANDER CREATES CUSTOM SPACES THAT DELIVER ON A CLIENT’S EVERY DREAM

BY HOLLIE DEESE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARY CRAVEN SHOWROOM AND SOEDER PORTRAIT ANTHONY ROMANO

Designer Tori Alexander collaborates closely with PDI Kitchen, Bath & Lighting to perfectly capture clients’ visions for their new or renovated spaces.

The pressure of being an interior designer seems to come from all sides: from the builder to facilitate fixtures, from the vendors to manage deliveries and from the clock to get it all done on schedule. But ultimately, the most pressure is internal — the responsibility the designer feels to give the client more than they are asking for, to make their dreams reality and to elevate them beyond expectations.

Tori Alexander of Alexander Designs usually has about 20 design projects in various stages of completion, so not only does she need her team to be strong and committed, she needs dependable vendors who offer the level of concierge service her clients expect.

One of those vendors is PDI Kitchen, Bath & Lighting on Sidco Drive in the Design District. And their secret weapon is Mary Soeder, business development manager.

Soeder, a Nashville native, became accustomed to working with designers and their preferences while at PDI in Atlanta. So when she came home to open the Nashville showroom, she headed straight to the organizations she knew would connect her with local designers. She attended events and made connections and let it be known that she wanted to be their preferred place to shop.

“I discovered a lot of designers were looking for a place to go that was fresh, where we could build together,” Soeder says. “We were able to create the environment, together with designers, of what they wanted us to be. They helped us figure out what the niche was in Nashville, and it was an opportunity to start with something and grow what everyone wanted.”

Though the showroom operates in a way that appeals to designers, the public can be a part of it too.

“Designers wanted a place where they could send clients to talk about high-end products, work off a budget or send specs and get finished samples — just really be a trade resource for them that is open to the public but not flooded with people like a big box store,” Soeder says.

So when Alexander came to Soeder asking for a standout bathtub as a starting point for a dream bathroom in Valley Forge, Soeder collaborated with Alexander to find the right piece for the client’s vision — channeling the look of a beautiful Parisian hotel inspired by a recent trip.

“Everything was based on that tub,” says Alexander, who worked with Oak Builders on the construction of the space. “The floor plan was created for it. This is an example of where I told Mary that I needed a showstopper tub, and she knew what I would want.”

Bringing PDI in on the front end of a project helps the designers and builders stay on track and minimize problems with delivery and supply, as well as find pieces they might not be aware of themselves.

“ “ I discovered a lot of designers were looking for a place to go that was fresh, where we could build together.

PDI Kitchen, Bath & Lighting’s Mary Soeder, business development manager, works in close collaboration with designers and the showroom’s knowledgeable consultants to find or choose the perfect pieces, finishes and fixtures.

A client’s trip to Paris inspired the look that Tori Alexander and Mary Soeder put together for their bathroom — sophisticated and clean, and all about the bathtub (which you will see when you turn the page).

“We knew this was going to be a more sophisticatedlooking space,” Soeder says. “There was going to be a lot of attention to detail. It was going to be a brand new bathroom, but it needed to look like it was straight out of an older French hotel.”

It also helps the designer to have a friend on the inside. The end result may be stunning, but the process can be stressful — not something to burden the client with unnecessarily.

“It can feel uncomfortable in phases of the process, and because the client lives there during it, they see up close and personal all those uncomfortable stages. So they need to trust in the overall vision to get to that finished project,” Alexander says. And it isn’t just industry folks who get that level of service at PDI. Homeowners who walk into the showroom will get knowledgeable help from the

consultants on staff, who are chock full of knowledge gleaned from working with designers.

“When you use them, you actually get a little bit of insider professional help that you don’t have to pay for,” Soeder says. “They are drawing from previous experiences of working with the trade.”

She knows that PDI is not the only distributor in Nashville and that people can go other places. PDI just works to offer such a welcoming, knowledgeable, accessible environment that they won’t want to.

“At the end of the day, we’re all consumers,” Soeder says. “And what we strive for at PDI is helping you through the whole process. We’re trying to get creative with you to get your problem solved, or to get something in the timeframe that you need. We want to be a part of that project and not just a vendor. We want to be here for you.”NI

Jessica Bandstra, Owner & Head of Design

Quality Control

DESIGN AND BUILD FIRM TRACE VENTURES REFOCUSES AFTER DECADES OF GROWTH

BY HOLLIE DEESE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM CALDERON | PORTRAIT BY ANTHONY ROMANO

After more than 30 years of growth, the team behind Trace Ventures is making sure their legacy extends beyond the quality of the work they do to exemplify the quality of the company’s character.

Founded by Art and Martha Stinson in the early 1990s, the company was sold in 2015 and Adam Wayne soon joined the team as vice president to handle the company’s commercial development. Wayne left briefly to start another company, Clear Building Group, but last year he returned to Trace Ventures as president.

Putting Wayne at the helm is all part of Trace Ventures’ plan to wrap their arms around Nashville’s fast-paced growth and focus on the level of customer service that goes hand in hand with high-quality builds for commercial and residential clients.

“We are the full package,” Wayne says. “The design and build goes from the first phone call through the final walk-through. If you need a structural engineer, if you need an architect, if you need a pool designer or a landscape architect — we coordinate all of that. Our ideal client isn’t someone looking for the cheapest way to get things done. They want it done the right way.”

Trace Ventures put heart and soul into this historic renovation of a home in Forest Hills. Their company prides itself on being able to manage and coordinate all aspects of any project.

Born in Canada, Wayne went to college in Florida and was living in Miami when he met his wife while on vacation in Music City. She’s a Nashville native, and their relationship eventually brought him to town to stay.

For most of the time since Wayne moved here, he has worked with Trace, focusing on bringing quality and service to the growing firm, building the in-house team of contractors and expanding the range of clients.

In an effort to keep more things in-house, the company launched Trace Electrical a year ago, employing electrical contractors to use on their own jobs, but who can also hire out for other projects. They are aiming to do the same with carpentry.

“The company’s changed. The way we do business has changed,” Wayne says. Certainly, there haven’t always been many high-end condos in town. Now they are working on their second penthouse on the top floor of the 505 — the tallest residential building in the state.

Despite all the downtown growth opportunity — within a year there will be an additional 700 apartments within a one block radius of the Trace Ventures office on Church Street — downtown living and luxury builds in Nashville is just one area of focus where Trace shines.

Their expertise as a company, Wayne says, really lies with the historic homes that represent Nashville’s past. After all, he and his wife are raising fifth-generation Nashvillians, so the mark he makes and homes he restores are a little more than business as usual. It’s personal.

“We are striving to provide a higher level of service,” Wayne says. “We want people to feel comfortable with

our guys in their homes.” In many cases, clients are living through the renovations — plastic curtains and all — so finding that comfort level with the team is huge.

“Our project managers get to know these people,” Wayne says. “We try to match personalities with the homeowners. We know the quiet ones. We know the ones who are more talkative.”

Because ultimately, a renovation project between homeowner and builder is a relationship of trust, and in Nashville, your name still means something in business.

“When people think of Trace,” Wayne says, “I’d like them to think of quality, customer service and trust.” NI

Having the space for family to gather without bumping into each other was important to Shipman, so there is plenty of room between the oversized island and the counters. The hutch in the kitchen was custom made by Skillington of Karmal Skillington.

This recent project for Trace Ventures took a Forest Hills home and updated it with meticulous attention to detail — and geometry!

Below: Adam Wayne, president of Trace Ventures

Preserving Place

A GREENBRIER NATIVE BUYS THE LAND SURROUNDING HIS PROPERTY AND BUILDS A HOME WITH PLENTY OF PRIVACY

BY HOLLIE DEESE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILLIAM DESHAZER

Andy Legate and his wife, Wanda, had just gone through a major renovation on their home and were ready to relax and enjoy when life threw them a curveball.

“We were already in our forever home,” Wanda says, laughing. “But then we went to this land auction, and I realized I was going to be doing this all over again.”

Andy, a Greenbrier native and owner of Springfield Steel, says he only intended to see who was buying the land around them. After all, a big development would have them considering moving to a place less crowded.

But it was the mindset of keeping development from encroaching on his own backyard that inspired him and a friend to go in on the land together. That day. Basically, on a whim.

“I had no intentions of buying anything,” swears Andy, who ended up

going in on 60 acres that day. “But when we got there, it was a big old farm. And I said, ‘Well, let’s get a number together.’ So we bid on it and wound up with it.”

Andy took 33 acres, and his bidding partner took 24. And pretty soon he and Wanda began the process of building again. So in the spirit of community they turned to local resources to help create a forever home — one last time.

“We live in our space,” Andy says. “I don’t like to go so far as to say that you’re not scared to get the floor dirty when you walk in, but I don’t feel like you’re in a made-up space where you can’t touch anything.”

Steve Stringer, a longtime custom home builder that Andy met on an earlier project, was chosen to create the space, and designer Shaun Dougherty of SDI Designs was selected to help push them out of their comfort zone — while keeping all the comforts of home.

“She just really did a great job of listening to me, and also bringing me

Andy and Wanda Legate worked with designer Shaun Dougherty to “get out of their comfort zone” and still wind up with all the comforts of home in Robertson County.

out of my comfort zone and getting me to look at things a little differently, which was great,” Wanda says.

Dougherty, who began her career at Renaissance Tile and Bath before working at Marc-Michaels Interior Design in Florida, loves to take risks with design, but she knows how to make them work in a traditional space.

“I like to have fun,” Dougherty says. “I want the process to be fun. I bring a lot of humor, and I make it very relaxed. I don’t try to make it so serious because it is one of the three major things in your life — you get married, you have babies, you build a house.”

Dougherty made sure each room had unique touches, whether those were millwork, a simple furniture piece, a piece of art … there was a piece in every room that was special to Andy and Wanda that was also a bit unexpected. Wanda’s office is a perfect example of that, especially since she never had her own home office.

“I’m not sitting at the dining room table, I’m not sitting at the bar,” she says. “I have a place. I am part owner in the business, and just having that workspace is, honestly, it’s been so good.”

Dougherty made it even more special by gifting her with something to remind her how truly unique Wanda is: a neon sign behind the desk that says “What the hell.” It’s a phrase Wanda is known to say and an attitude Dougherty wants her to always embrace.

And she didn’t leave Andy out, gifting him a piece of art of one of his favorite cars, a Chevrolet SS, framed and hanging in the powder room.

“I really pulled Wanda out of her box,” Dougherty says. “She never thought in a million years that she would have a house like this, and it is beyond anything she ever would have ever done for herself. She put every ounce of trust into me and never said no to anything.”

The area Andy and Wanda agree is their favorite is the main living space, which includes the kitchen, living room and dining rooms and is, in itself, 1,200 square feet.

“We love that everybody can be in the same room together,” Wanda says.

And between weekly grandkid visits and long workdays, the comfort they find within the walls is what the Legates love best. What Dougherty achieved definitely feels like them.

“I want the design to reflect who you are and who your family is, what your lifestyle is,” Dougherty says. “I don’t necessarily go with trends because, at the end of the day, you are living in your space and you want it to feel like you.” NI

Designer and Chattanooga native Shaun Dougherty worked with the Legate family on their final forever home — to embody their spirit, like with the “what the hell....” sign pictured above.

Second Time Around

HOW A DESIGNER SCOURED SUPPLIER WAREHOUSES, THE WEB AND MORE TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE SPACE

BY JOE MORRIS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLINE SHARPNACK

Homeowners who poke around used-goods stores are trying to thread a particularly tricky needle: find a great sofa or chair or bookcase — and do it on a budget. It can be a complicated endeavor, as one person’s “thrift” is another’s “vintage,” and is priced accordingly.

Imagine a designer whose goal is to outfit an entire home, inside and out, with vintage, antique, reclaimed and other tossed-aside and forlorn materials. It’s a holistic view of sustainable design, and it’s something that Chelsea Conrad of CircDeco has jumped into with both feet with a 1920s bungalow in East Nashville’s Cleveland Park neighborhood. The project used a wide range of products that ticked all the small-footprint boxes: Most if not all furnishings and finishings were locally or sustainably made, repurposed from other projects, antique or secondhand. And in the case of items that had to be new, they were purchased as part of a carbon offset plan created with Terrapass.

“I wanted to renovate a property from the ground up using only sustainable resources,” says Conrad, who relocated to Nashville from New York a few years ago and who studied at Academy of Art University and the Fashion Institute of Technology, or FIT.

“Our culture is so much about obsolescence: ‘cheap and cheerful,’ seasonal products, planned turnover. And beyond that, you have the grotesquely wasteful way that things are packaged — why do you get a massive box with one tiny thing in it? I wanted to get away from this ‘snacky’ mentality of home design.”

A childhood near Lake Tahoe meant an ingrained appreciation for the environment, one that was further honed by enforced home time during the COVID-19 lockdown. She saw people gutting their homes and then installing “inexpensive and brutal material” that would sunset in a year or two. Her response? The property at 1110 Pennock Ave., which she purchased with the help of Realtor and friend Brian Vance from a developer who’d let the site become a neighborhood eyesore. It was a perfect project for her business —

The home’s interior furnishings are a combination of secondhand, refurbished and antique pieces collected from different sources and all “telling a story,” says Chelsea Conrad.

whose very name derives from how the renewable circular economy (Circ) meets the world of interior decor and design (Deco).

“The first thing I did was get friendly with the neighbors, because they were very unhappy that the people who’d been there a long time had been kicked out,” Conrad says. “And then I started poking holes in my business plan.”

The treasure hunt begins

What that meant, for the most part, was remaining below budget caps. Finding reclaimed wood floors at a reasonable price, for instance. Or molding. Or paint. Or tile. Or furniture. The list can, and did, go on and on. After vigorous searches, the right material would turn up, or a good alternative would appear, so Conrad carried on.

“I bought some flooring that had been discontinued,” she explains. “I located a lot more items that had been returned or remained unsold. Environmentally friendly grout? I found some — in Italy. So shipping

was costly, but the lesser of two evils compared to using regular grout. Then there was the women-owned tile company, which had a custom line they’d had to remake. I bought the first batch that was just sitting on their lot.”

And through it all, she questioned vendors about sustainability, employee benefits and more — so it wasn’t just about refitting and flipping on the cheap. “If you can’t readily find the information about how things are made, it’s a bad sign,” she explains. “I wanted to know how companies did things, how they treat their workers. When I found vendors who could easily answer those questions, we were able to work together.”

The result was a property with about 90% of its furnishings and materials repurposed from other projects. New purchases, such as a mattress and sheets, are made with sustainable materials as much as possible. Fixtures and fittings, when new, were purchased “open box” and usually deeply discounted. And while she’s not living in the property, she can’t bear to sell it.

“It took me two years to finish, three really if you count permitting and all the

Making old look new is just one aspect of this home’s design, as new items that were left out of other projects also found a place here.

slowdowns from COVID,” Conrad says. “I had to compete with contractors who were offering workers the chance to make higher pay elsewhere for throwing up a ‘tall and skinny’ house, but I had some people really stick with me. My Realtor, Brian, was in there with my partner James and me cutting plaster out of the fireplace and more. We were watching a lot of how-to videos. It was a real family affair.”

“It was amazing, and so much fun,” she continues. “I love the puzzle of a place. When you fill a home with previously owned things, it has a richness and history you can’t find with new products. If you have an antique dresser that’s 100 years old, it tells a story. It makes the home more special. I can’t wait to do this again.”NI

Remaking 1110 Pennock

Here are some of the many artisans, vendors, builders and more who helped make the property renovation a reality:

Nelson’s Renovations LLC

Chris Bolton Plumbing & Home Improvement

Oasis Design Studio (plants)

Red Rock Tileworks

Markraft Cabinets

Real Wood Floors

The Vance Group

Jacob the Electrician

Neptaly Amaya Painting

Caroline Sharpnack Photography

GasLamp Too Antiques

Blue Door Framing

Sheri DiGiovanna Tailoring (drapes)

Above: Creating a home was remade literally from the ground, up, including new wood flooring from a line that had been discontinued, as well as paint left over from, or unused for, other projects.

At left: Shopping for “second life” home goods also included finding just the right mix of artwork and accents to pull rooms together.

Above: Creating a home out of repurposed items meant blending new pieces with vintage ones, a challenge designer Chelsea Conrad said was a lot of fun and something she’s eager to do again.

JUNIPER GREEN

elegant, historic spaces nine acres of organic farmland chef-driven, seasonal dining intentional, inclusive hospitality

Left - Outdoor Pavillion Area Right - Wade Hall

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5410 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37205 615-352-5174

Monday—Friday: 9am – 5pm

4015 Armory Oaks Dr, Nashville, TN 37204 615-256-8686

Monday—Friday: 7:30am – 4:30pm

3201 Powell Ave, Nashville, TN 37204 615-385-3054

Monday—Friday: 9am – 5pm

Saturdays: 10am – 5pm

531 Lafayette St, Nashville, TN 37203 615-843-3300

Monday—Friday: 8am – 5pm

Saturdays: 9am – 5pm

FIRED UP

BANG CANDY CREATOR TURNS

PASSION FOR CERAMICS INTO SECOND LINE OF BUSINESS

BY JOE MORRIS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTHONY ROMANO

Sarah Souther may be in the candy business, but she doesn’t sugarcoat her entrepreneurial beginnings.

“I moved here 18 years ago, got a little drunk, came up with a crazy idea I followed through on and have been doing it ever since,” says the founder of the Bang Candy Company, a “sugar peddler specializing in whimsical confections” such as gourmet marshmallows, syrups and more that’s been drawing sweet-toothed admirers to Marathon Village to purchase treats — and see them made — since early 2012. Then a few years ago Souther discovered ceramics, fell in love with all things pottery and launched Hard Candy Ceramics even as she contemplates a return to her native Ireland in the not-toodistant future.

“I am still doing the candy, although I must admit I am so fed up with sugar,” says Souther, who hails from “a big, crumbling pile” in the middle of County Tipperary. “I am in the process of segueing out of the candy side, probably over the next year or so, so I can do more ceramic works and eventually go back to Ireland. The candy business will have a different person at the helm; I’m still figuring out what that will look like.”

Figuring out as she goes isn’t a new operational model for Souther, who freely admits that she never thought she’d launch one business, let alone two. Bang’s early days were as a farmersmarket sort of gig, very part time, until she had a conversation with her friend Mike Wolfe, who was opening a store in Marathon Village to complement his American Pickers show.

“He said I should open up beside him,” she recalls. “I replied that I had no interest in owning a store. Then I looked at this incredible building, met the landlord and naively went in without considering a host of other costs and headaches associated with a retail business. Still, it’s been great. We’ve had a built-in clientele thanks to all the foot traffic and have been part of a great and growing community of entrepreneurs.”

At left, plant (or anything else) holders; top right, lots of ways to plug this particular jug; at right, Sarah Souther’s newfound love of ceramics has turned into a whimsical line of fun, functional household objects.

TIME FOR A THROWDOWN

Then came ceramics. About five years ago, she opted to dabble in clay, kilns and all that goes with them through a class at Metro Parks’ Centennial Park Arts Center, and once again it was love.

“I became obsessed,” Souther says. “I did a basic pottery class, then moved on to Raku and handbuilding classes with Tom Rice, an amazing person and instructor. I joined in with a group of brilliant women, and it’s all been so much fun.”

That led to renting space at Old School Farm Pottery, a big move and one that was immediately followed by the COVID-19 pandemic and global shutdowns. Undaunted, Souther created a studio in her Lobelville home and has “been busily making things” ever since. Hand-building, throwing, types of glazes and firing … she likes it all.

“I really like putting different styles together, changing the shape of things,” she says. “I am not into making dust collectors of any description. My items must function, so lots of lamps, jugs and bowls, interesting and weird items with shapes that inspire me.”

For now, she’s selling out of the Bang Candy space, as well as through an Instagram account and shows at such local spots as the Julia Martin Gallery and pop-up holiday fairs and other events.

“I do want to sell a few things, and I’ll keep right on experimenting to see what I end up with. Trouble is, I never write down my steps, so I tend to forget exactly how I created something I like.”

Will she take the business international once she’s back across the pond? Hard to say, as she’s not thought much beyond planning to take over “the family pile” and contemplate her next career from there. What’s more, even though she’s unwinding from the sugar biz, it’s never quite completely out of her life.

“I do still enjoy our CBD Dream Drops, which are a more recent development,” she says. “They are made with Delta 8 chocolate, so they can get you legally stoned in Tennessee. I have one every night before I go to bed and sleep like a baby.” NI

Ornamental, functional design (top left) is a hallmark of Souther’s work, which carries all the way down to such simple home goods as a set of bowls (lower left).

BY HOLLIE DEESE | PORTRAIT BY JARYL CABUCO

lliott Schuessler’s journey as an artist began when he was in his midthirties with an already-established career.

“I had 10 years of corporate experience, and I hated it,” he says.

E Artist Spotlight ELLIOTT SCHUESSLER

“There was some creative content, but it was all very restricted. I was in Prague launching a PR brand, and I fell in love with the city. I was in a good place personally, and everything that excited me just kept me coming back to the Lennon Wall.”

The wall, which is across the street from the French embassy, has been recognized as a symbol of freedom in Prague since the 1960s, when anti-government messages were painted on it in response to the Sovietled invasion of Czechoslovakia. After John Lennon’s assassination in 1980, tributes to the artist began to appear on the wall. Song lyrics promoting the ideals of peace and love that he represented became a defining feature of the wall, and it became known by his name. “It was just so bright and colorful, and there were always a couple of guys playing Beatles songs on their guitars. It felt like you could do whatever you wanted to do there, as long as it was fun. It was just the perfect setting.”

The wall called to him with its atmosphere — and with its opportunity.

“The first time I ever painted on it, I took the logo for the brand I was building and made a huge stencil at the hostel I was staying at,” he says. “I bought two cans of white spray paint and didn’t look back — I spent two and a half months painting different stuff on that wall every single day.”

It even became a slightly self-supporting enterprise, Schuessler recalls: “I put out a hat with a sign that said “Help me pay for my paint” and got enough to buy two cans the next day.”

Painting gave Schuessler the sense of freedom that he had long been looking for, and when he returned to San

Diego he invested what money and support he had into art supplies. As he transitioned from walls to canvas, his style quickly evolved to convey a sense of life through strong textures and bold movements. One tool he strictly avoids — the paintbrush.

“I find brushes to be really restrictive,” he says. “They’re so delicate, and I don’t feel the freedom with them that I do with spray paint or scrapers. They’re just not as fun to use.”

With his experience in marketing, Schuessler quickly built a network within the art world and began selling his work at markets and fairs across the West Coast. He relocated to Nashville in 2021.

“There is so much change here. I can watch the skyline changing from my window, and there are cranes everywhere. Obviously I want it to change for the better, but just watching the process is so exciting.”

Elliott Schuessler found the motivation for his art career while on a brand promotion trip to Prague. The city’s Lennon Wall kept calling to him, and he loved the freedom of contributing to the artwork it held.

PHOTO CREDIT - FADWA ZAOUI

ARTISTS AND MAKERS

Whether it’s The Lennon Wall in Prague or construction cranes in Nashville, Schuessler’s motivation is rooted in the excitement he sees and feels in the world around him.

“That’s why I’m wanting to work with designers, because I feel like you can plan the whole space. You’re not just painting a picture; you’re planning a whole environment, and I want to be a part of that excitement. It keeps me motivated to know that my work can find that kind of a home.”

To see more of Schuessler’s work, you can follow him on instagram @realdailylife. Scan the QR code to get information on his next solo show, coming in mid-April to downtown Nashville.

uses everything but a

create works

Artist Elliott Schuessler

paintbrush to

like the one at left. Spray paint and scrapers are two of his tools of choice.

PHOTO CREDIT - HOLLIE DEESE

Adventures in Design

THOM FILICIA SPEAKS ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCES AT THIS YEAR’S ANTIQUES & GARDEN SHOW

BY HOLLIE DEESE

From Feb. 3 to Feb. 5, the iconic Music City Center in downtown Nashville will transform into a one-of-a-kind shopping experience, housing more than 150 art, antique and horticulture dealers, three interactive garden showcases and an incredible lecture lineup from some of the top names in design — including acclaimed designer Thom Filicia.

As the go-to designer for clients like Tina Fey, Delta Air Lines, Jennifer Lopez, W Hotels and others in the worlds of finance, sports, media, fashion and hospitality, Filicia has a way of creating modern, yet classic, interiors that retain an

inviting aesthetic reflecting the individuality of his clients.

On Friday, Feb. 3, Filicia is going to speak about his “Adventures in Home Design” with Mary McDonald as one of the lecture speakers at this year’s Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville.

McDonald is author of the best-selling Rizzoli book Mary McDonald: Interiors: The Allure of Style, designs lighting, rugs, fabric, trim, furniture and jewelry, and she currently has lines with F. Schumacher & Co., Patterson Flynn and Chaddock. She also has starred in Bravo television’s Million Dollar Decorators and Property Envy.

Filicia and McDonald are following Aerin Lauder, Alice Naylor-Leyland and David Netto, who will speak about the beauty of entertaining at home during the first day of the show. On Saturday, Feb. 4, Christin Geall leads a panel on color theory for floral design after a lineup of leading designers — Corey Damen Jenkins, Suzanne Kasler, Celerie Kemble and Richard Keith Langham — discuss the tapestry of the home. NI

For tickets and show information, visit antiquesandgardenshow.com.

3 DAYS ONLY!

Bring your home and outdoor living ideas to life! Shop, compare and save with local, trusted experts in remodeling, kitchen & bath, decor, flooring & so much more!

Don’t miss star of HGTV & Discovery+, The Laundry Guy, Patric Richardson who gained national fame sharing new and better ways of caring for your apparel & home textiles.

Outdoor Living Showdown: See The Rock Place’s Belgard Outdoor Living Showdown for beautiful backyard inspiration.

Enjoy some Easter weekend fun and stop by the Bunny

Photo Booth with furry friends rescued by Nashville’s own Bunny Rescue!

Gifts & Gourmet Marketplace: From jewelry, gourmet foods, décor, and more, you can find the perfect gifts for others and for yourself!

1 HOTEL 1 KITCHEN

BY JIM MYERS

Sustainability has become such a ballyhooed buzzword that its meaning seems to be in danger of fading. It does, however, still resonate with a lot of good folks — like the ones who are taking it very seriously at 1 Hotel in downtown Nashville. They opened their doors in July.

A natural theme envelops you the moment you walk in, from rough-hewn boulders that double as the front desk to live plants on the walls, tables and pretty much at every turn.

The showplace bar and restaurant, 1 Kitchen, helmed by Top Chef alum Chris Crary, is a refuge from the crackling stress and strain of modern life. Its soothing woods, natural linens and simple aesthetic manage to be more warm than they are austere. Even the "save a menu—use the QR code" signs are tucked in with potted plants on each table. Tying the restaurant space together is a natural wood trellis that frames the ceiling with undulating waves of coarse linen. Thick rope loops connect wall dividers, and while they and the blown-glass light fixtures could lend themselves to nautical comparisons, the space feels comfortably earthbound and grounded.

Top Chef alum Chris Crary is culinary director at 1 Hotels and chef for its 1 Kitchen at 710 Demonbreun St. He works to source ingredients locally and sustainably, focusing on making what’s in season fabulous.

Crary, who has been with the 1 Hotel chain for four years, brings a California sensibility to his menu, but he anchors it in his grandmother’s family’s Tennessee roots. Like the decor, Crary's food is decidedly earthy, without too many overwrought ideas and ingredients. He lets the few constituent elements shine, like a simple pickled beet salad buoyed with whipped feta and spiced walnuts and sweetened with enough honey to balance it out.

His spiced Caesar is composed of full Romaine leaves, dressed well, and it has the sharp bite of fresh anchovies marinated with spicy citrus, instead of the salt-drenched and mealy numbers pried from a tin. Also a hit was the Bolognese with its tender curls of torchio shells and rich creamy tomato sauce anchored with ground chicken, allowing for a much lighter feel.

Taking the hotel's mission to heart, Crary appreciates the challenge of sourcing locally in a four-season climate, unlike California where fantastic local produce is available year-round. "We say that we celebrate local ingredients, and we do. I really do believe that the closer things are to home, the better they taste," Crary says.

1 Kitchen partners with a number of Tennessee farms and meat, poultry and fish producers to align with the organization’s missions of sustainability and ethical sourcing.

And that focus on sustainability extends to the bar. The signature cocktail we tried — the Violet Beauregard — was a light purple-hued drink laced with locally grown lavender and mint to build the base for gin and Lillet Blanc. It was floral without feeling “love shack” fancy, and well-rounded with just enough lemon — in other words, dangerously good.

Plans are in the works for a fifth-floor garden and apiary, while the kitchen strives to continue its mission for zero waste, composting and using recyclable materials where possible. The facility even brought in equipment to pulverize its broken glass to be used in sandbags for flood-ravaged areas.

In keeping with what’s de rigueur for Nashville’s downtown hotels, Harriet’s Rooftop bar opened in early December. There also is Neighbors, a casual café well-suited for lunch, that offers picnic fare — also locally sourced — 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. NI

1 Kitchen

710 Demonbreun St.

Dinner daily, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Bar service 4 p.m. to close, “light bites” available Brunch Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

About 1 Hotel

1 Hotel Nashville, the luxury sustainable hotel chain’s eighth global location, has 215 rooms, including 37 suites. It opened in July 2022 with the intent of being a “consciously cultivated urban oasis.”

"We're excited to bring a tangible demonstration of our overarching mission, vision and purpose — including a commitment to luxury sustainability, communities, holistic health and wellness, and natural design — to an iconic city, admired for its positive energy, devotion to live music, down-home hospitality, festive food and family fun," said Barry Sternlicht, 1 Hotels founder and chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group.

Contact the hotel at 615-510-0400 or through their website at 1hotels.com/Nashville.

PHOTO: ROB STARK

PHOTO: KRISTEN MAYFIELD; BUILDER: FOCUS BUILDERS

A three-day exhibition and celebration featuring the highest quality antiques, landscaped gardens, and horticultural lectures and events benefiting Cheekwood and ECON Charities.