Nashville
SUMMER 2021
Interiors
BEYOND TRADITION MODERN DESIGN CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH HOME PROJECTS, BIG AND SMALL. FROM FAUCETS AND FIXTURES TO LIGHTING AND MORE, PDI KITCHEN, BATH & LIGHTING PROVIDES ALL THE DETAILS TO MAKE UPDATING YOUR SPACE EASY AND SHOWSTOPPING.
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SimpliCITY has the experience to get you where you need to be in Nashville!
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Yvonne Kelly
yvonne.kelly@zeitlin.com | 615.415.9385
Caroline Rigsby
caroline.rigsby@zeitlin.com | 615.306.4152
Jackie Brown
jackie.brown@zeitlin.com | 615.854.5756
Alex Sloan
alex.sloan@zeitlin.com | 615.417.7118
Exclusively Represented by SimpliCITYNashville
NEW LISTING
1201 Canterbury Drive 3 BEDS | 3.1 BATHS | 3438 SQFT
$1,750,000
UNDER CONTRACT
9526 Wexcroft Drive 6 BEDS | 5 BATHS | 4,084 SQFT
$995,000 - Buyer’s Rep
ACTIVE
ACTIVE
City Lights – 20 Rutledge St, #201 3 BEDS | 3 BATHS | 1,834 SQFT
$1,299,000
SOLD
Encore – 301 Demonbreun St, #704 1 BED | 1 BATH | 865 SQFT
$540,000
SOLD
6321 East Valley Road 3 BEDS | 3.1 BATHS | 4,085 SQFT
$2,640,000
4513 A Idaho Ave 4 BEDS | 3 BATHS | 2,535 SQFT
$925,000 – Buyer’s Rep
Developments
Metro North Collection | 2132 9th Avenue N 8 Units | SOLD | $4,100,000
505 CONDOMINIUMS $100,000,000 SOLD
ZEITLIN SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY 4103 Hillsboro Pike #100 | Nashville, TN 37215 615.383.0183 | zeitlin.com
Nashville
Interiors
T
Welcome
SHOT AT ZION BOTANICAL IN THE 100 TAYLOR CREATIVE ARTS BUILDING.
here is a certain promise that summer brings that is almost impossible to fulfill — all the projects to be finished and holidays to celebrate and trips to catch up on. But as some of us try to accomplish two years of pentup travel, our homes are getting a breather from being our everything. At least for a few hot and humid months, before we all hunker down again for another surge in time for the holidays. Summer in Tennessee reliably delivers on one thing, and that is heat. Which is why suddenly, more than ever before, homeowners want a pool — especially if they’ve decided not to catch up on travel. Traditional pools are hard to get right now, but in this issue we feature Palmingo Pools, a woman-owned plunge pool company that offers homeowners a solution in less time, for less money.
turning to PDI for years. The pandemic didn’t slow them down one bit. If anything, it made them even more on top of their game in order to stay ahead of delays and inventory shortages. No matter how much new construction and forward-thinking design there is in Nashville, we can’t forget where we came from and the neighborhoods that built us. This issue we put a spotlight on historically Black Bordeaux and the new generation of homeowners who are breathing restored life into this mid-century modern gem. They are generating a beautiful buzz that is making Bordeaux yet another part of Nashville’s red-hot real estate landscape. However you spend it, enjoy the summer, and here’s to only a limited number of unbearably hot days left.
Also featured in this issue, and also owned by women, is Haustile, a company that has decided flooring shouldn’t be a design decision left to the end while other fixtures get the first say. Instead, the owners want the flooring to lead the rest of the style. Looking at their unusual patterns and colors, it’s hard to ignore their logic. When it comes to pushing the fixtures envelope, builders and homeowners all over town (including Richland Builders in the cover home) have been
8 | NASHVILLEINTERIORS | SUMMER 2021
—Hollie Deese Publisher
Tennessee’s largest selection of luxury patio furniture, billiard tables, and game room furnishings
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Nashville
Interiors SUMMER 2021
PUBLISHER/MANAGING EDITOR Hollie Deese EDITORIAL DESIGN Ginger Katz ADVERTISING DESIGN Mary Grace Gauerke Tracey Starck COPY EDITOR Jennifer Goode Stevens, GoodeEdits.com SALES Hollie Deese Pam Harper CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jenna Henderson
Michelle Morrow
William DeShazer
Caroline Sharpnack
Pamela Monaghan
Julia Steele
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Marq Burnett Emily Davidson Nemoy Maria Meyer 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. Nashville Interiors is published by Deese Media LLC. It has continuously been in print since 2000.
Visit the online edition of Nashville Interiors regularly for fresh content between issues, profiles of designers, businesses, artists and architects, extra photos we couldn’t fit in print, style tips, trend pieces and information about events, art openings and other design events around Middle Tennessee.
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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, contact Hollie Deese, hollie@nashvilleinteriors.com
ON THE COVER
SOCIAL
When creating custom builds, Richland Building Partners turns to PDI Kitchen, Bath and Lighting to bring the design of their spaces all the way home with a luxurious finish. From kitchen to bath, they worked together to deliver on all of the details that are important to Nashville homeowners, including this new build in the Nations featured on the cover. Mural by Nathan Brown.
Follow Nashville Interiors on social media for updates when new content is posted online and for behind-thescenes looks into photo shoots and insider events.
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Nashville CONTRIBUTORS Interiors MICHELLE MORROW
| PHOTOGRAPHER
Michelle started her photography journey in a middle school and high school magnet arts program in her hometown of Miami, Florida. While attending The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, she was fortunate enough to be awarded an internship at the Miami Herald. Michelle later landed her first job at the Boca Raton News, where she worked for two years. She went on to freelance for the Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale before moving to Nashville in 1999. She freelanced before being hired as a staff photographer for The Tennessean in 2000. She resigned in 2007 to focus on being a full-time mother to her two daughters. Michelle, however, never put her camera down and has been doing freelance photography since.
WILLIAM DESHAZER
| PHOTOGRAPHER
William 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 Wall Street Journal. His work has appeared in magazines from 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, Whiskey 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.
PAMELA MONAGHAN
| PHOTOGRAPHER
Pamela is a freelance photographer and owner of Wynd & Paisley Photography. She has a bachelor of arts from Palm Beach Atlantic University, where she met her husband. The majority of her work is wedding and lifestyle photography, but she’s always up for new and exciting shoots. Her work has been featured in multiple magazines, including Your Sumner and The Pink Bride, and she runs a blog called Girls Gone Mild. She lives on several acres in Portland, Tennessee, with her husband, three children and four Dalmatians.
MARQ BURNETT
| WRITER
Marq Burnett is a sports writer turned business reporter. He is currently writing for the Nashville Business Journal, where he breaks news and writes thoughtful, informative stories about the city’s business community. Marq moved from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to Nashville in May 2019 after a decade of covering the University of Alabama’s athletic programs. He enjoys all types of comedy, delicious food and staying active. He’s been known to crush a happy hour and loves meeting new people. This is his first time contributing to Nashville Interiors.
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Susan Gregory 61 5 . 2 0 7 . 5 6 0 0
ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT
Buying or Selling? CALL ME FOR YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS! • Representing Buyers, Sellers, and Custom Builders for over 25 years • Ranked as one of the top residential agents for PARKS and Middle Tennessee for consecutive years • Consistent multi-million dollar producer • Recognized on nationally ranked “RealTrends” top agent list • Listed multiple times as “America’s Best Real Estate Professionals” by RealTrends
Call Susan Gregory! 811 9 I S A B E L L A L A N E | B R E N T W O O D , T N | 3 7 0 2 7
Office: 615.370.8669 Mobile: 615.207.5600 gregorys@realtracs.com NASHVILLEINTERIORS.COM | 15
Nashville CONTRIBUTORS Interiors EMILY DAVIDSON NEMOY
| WRITER
Emily is a freelance writer for local and national publications. She loves writing articles of all kinds, from features to gift guide roundups. Emily also works as a creative project manager and content curator for a branding and marketing agency. When she’s not at her computer or reading a book, Emily can be found at live music venues or on her yoga mat. She has a lifelong interest in design and is a graduate of O’More College of Design.
CAROLINE SHARPNACK
| PHOTOGRAPHER
Caroline is an interiors and lifestyle photographer based out of her hometown of Nashville. Caroline’s passion for photography started at the age of 13, when she was given her grandfather’s Canon AE-1. Since then, her love of photography has only grown, and she could never imagine herself pursuing any other career. Caroline has been photographing professionally since 2014. She has an ever-expanding love of design, and she adores collaborating with her clients to tell their stories and bring their visions to life.
MARIA MEYER
| WRITER
Shaped by early and frequent trips to the contemporary wing of the St. Louis Art Museum, Maria Meyer brings her love of art and design to her work as an interior designer at Dryden Architecture and Design. Her work is driven by providing opportunities for meaningful exchanges between people and the spaces they inhabit. Her design-focused writing was first featured in Nashville Interiors’ “Phoenix on Fatherland” article, published in 2019. In this issue she explores the homes and stories of the mid-century modern architecture of Bordeaux. Maria is an advocate for Nashville Design Week, volunteering with the organization since its inaugural year. She currently serves as the director of programming. On the weekends, you can find her walking her dog, Sandwich, at Shelby Bottoms.
JULIA STEELE
| PHOTOGRAPHER
Julia is a freelance photographer and photography professor based in Nashville. She has experience in many fields of photography, but architectural and interior photography are by far her favorite specialty. Her formal training is from Savannah College of Art and Design, where she received her BFA in photography in 2006, and from the University of Georgia, where she received her MFA in photography in 2011. Julia also shows her photographs and teaches photography at Belmont University and Middle Tennessee State University. She lives in East Nashville with her husband and two children.
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Luxury cabinets for those unaccustomed to compromise
To schedule an appointment call 615.371.8385 7108 Crossroads Blvd, Ste 304 Brentwood, TN 37027 www.frenchscabinets.com
GENY’S FLOWERS
MODERN DESIGN WITH A LEGACY OF TRADITION SINCE 1868
FLOWERS | HOME DECOR | GIFTS genysflowers.com
INNOVATE RENOVATE CAPTIVATE
At Leverick Homes, we pride ourselves on innovative design and quality construction to create spaces owners will enjoy now, and for a lifetime. We know that each project is someone’s home, so our personal attention at every step of the building process, from design to development, ensures no detail is overlooked and everything is done to our high standards.
photos from Ruby and Peach
Since 2012, this diligent approach to go above and beyond with distinctive design in renovations and new builds has not wavered, even as Nashville’s development has exploded. With experience renovating in historic districts, developing new construction, and expanding our real estate holdings portfolio, the team at Leverick Homes continues to steadily build on our established reputation in the town we love. Nashville is our home and we want to make it yours too.
849 Wren Road Goodlettsville, TN 37072 www.leverickhomes.com
Nashville CONTENTS Interiors
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26 30 SEASON’S BEST 26 THE This summer our favorite items are all about bright colors and feminine florals.
LUNCH 30 DESIGNER The stunning courtyard café at Restoration Hardware has become a favorite place to spend an afternoon for many area designers
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ELEGANCE 44 RELAXED A new lakefront build in Hendersonville embraces the family’s love for spending time together while offering special places for everyone on their own.
COOL 55 KITSCH A couple’s quirky Paragon Mills home takes inspiration from the famed Monkey Bar in New York City.
TOUCHES THE PLUNGE 34 FINISHING 60 TAKING Richland Builders turned to PDI Kitchen, Bath and Lighting A local entrepreneur in search of a pool solution for her to bring home the modern finishes, fixtures and lighting they need in their modern designs.
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sloped yard launches her own company instead.
NASHVILLEINTERIORS.COM | 21
Nashville CONTENTS Interiors
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REBORN SPOTLIGHT: ASHLEY TRABUE 64 BORDEAUX, 85 ARTIST Homeowners of a new generation embrace the historically Embracing what is beautiful about the female form — as black neighborhood’s architectural importance.
THE LINES 78 OUTSIDE A woman-owned tile company takes creative risks with unusual designs that put flooring first.
well as the emotions swirling inside — with nudes and abstracts.
BUILT, BY HAND 90 MAPLE A woodworking apprenticeship gives job training and mentorship opportunities to at-risk youth.
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outdoor furnishings
Nashville Design Collective 351 Merritt Avenue l Suite 110 l Nashville, TN 37203 629.702.2893 kolocollection.com
Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 @ 5PM BRIDGESTONE ARENA | NASHVILLE, TN
After Show Celebration @ 7PM THE OMNI HOTEL
SCOTT HAMILTON & FRIENDS
BENEFITING
TO BECOME A SPONSOR for this signature benefit, please contact Karri Morgan at karri.morgan@scottcares.org. FOR ICE SHOW TICKETS, please go to www.bridgestonearena.com. www.ScottCARES.org | 1.844.SCOTT84
Making homes beautiful since 1968.
Bradington-Young • Bernhardt • Hooker • King Hickory • Sam Moore • Universal & more
BINKLEY NASH FURNITURE AND DESIGN | 224 NORTH LOCUST STREET | GALLATIN TENNESEE | 615.452.7096 | BINKLEYNASHFURNITURE.COM
INTERIORS
SUMMER’S BEST
OUR SEASONAL WISH LIST INCLUDES ALL THINGS LIGHT AND BRIGHT TO MAKE OUR HOMES THAT MUCH HAPPIER.
It doesn’t seem to make sense to hold back on what we really want anymore, design-wise, so go bold in your entryway with this Koket 8-Light Chandelier, $12,800. After all, coming home should be a true delight every time. Perigold.com.
Silestone by Cosentino launched the Ethereal collection, a showcase of their commitment to innovation and sustainability, with four new colors (Haze, Glow, Dusk and Noctis) that pay tribute to nature through its aesthetic — a marble-inspired, artistic interpretation of the patterns cast in the sky. This marks the brand’s second collection made with its new HybriQ+® technology, which uses 99% reused water, 100% renewable electric energy and a minimum of 20% recycled raw materials. Cosentino.com
We can’t get enough of the soft, subtle floral patterns from Shabby Chic, including these Painted Floral Drinking Glasses, $12 for the set. Handpainted and oh-so pretty, we can’t wait to serve cocktails in them poolside all season long. Shabbychic.com 26 | NASHVILLEINTERIORS | SUMMER 2021
Since 1994, Deborah Rhodes Tabletop has offered luxury table linens and tabletop accessories to compliment all styles and table settings — from formal gold-plated porcelain to casual dining. This season we love her Border Scallop Placemat, $35. Deborahrhodes.com.
Brighten your home this summer with the beauty of nature from a Cascade Westerlay Orchid. Starting at $40, this signature vertical orchid offering is from Westerlay, a family-owned farm that uses tradition, innovation and sustainable growing practices to produce stunning orchids. Westerlay.com Add a pop of color to the picnic table with a Lacquered Salt Mill, $60, and Lacquered Pepper Mill, $80, from Hudson Grace. Memorable enough to make a design impression, they will be that much harder to miss when looking out over a buffet spread. Hudsongracesf.com.
When we saw local muralist Tess Davies post to Instagram her artistic solution to a blank TV taking up space over her fireplace, we had to share. After painting a mural, she took a picture of the area the TV blocks, uploaded it, and now when the TV is asleep it blends into the mural. Genius! Contact the artist for pricing. Tessdaviesart.com.
NASHVILLEINTERIORS.COM | 27
BUY | SELL | RENOVATE | CONSULT
YOUR GO-TO REALTOR FOR LUXURY NASHVILLE REAL ESTATE CALL 615•512•7126
1610 WEST END AVE, SUITE 115 NASHVILLE, TN 37203
The courtyard restaurant inside Restoration Hardware provides a beautiful space to meet clients over lunch.
A Designer Indulgence
A
fter the reemergence, going out to eat inside anywhere was a treat we all looked forward to, and one place seemed to call to us more than it ever did pre-Covid. Now it draws us inside often — a most beautiful, elegant and somewhat indulgent way to pass an afternoon after months and months of looking at our own walls. At the RH Courtyard Restaurant in Green Hills, surrounded by crystal chandeliers and lush layers of greenery, it suddenly seems entirely appropriate to pay $20
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for a salad. And on any given workday over the past few months you were likely to see a local designer or industry rep and their team ensconced for hours over laptops and truffle fries, enjoying one of the most beautiful off-site work spaces in town. We can’t say we blame them, and we know we can’t wait to go back. RH Courtyard Restaurant at Restoration Hardware, The Gallery at Green Hills, 2101 Green Hills Village Drive, open daily 10 a.m.-9 p.m. NI
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SKIN. SIMPLIFIED. W E LC OME TO S L K , Nashville’s five-star rated single destination for the best in skincare and beauty. We focus on anti-aging and regenerative medicine and have expertly curated a selection of the most effective and essential procedures in aesthetic medicine for you all under one roof. Each service we offer has been carefully screened for outstanding science and results. We have done all the research and homework so our patients don’t have to, making beautiful skin simple.
www.slkclinic.com 615-873-4110 5202 Centennial Blvd, Nashville TN, 37209
@slk_clinic NASHVILLEINTERIORS.COM | 31
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INTERIORS
Ahead of the Curve IN NASHVILLE, THE TEAM AT PDI BECOME PARTNERS IN PROGRESSIVE DESIGN
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BY HOLLIE DEESE PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHOWCASE PHOTOGRAPHY AND RAINER SCHUERTZMANN
C
hris Barnhizer of Richland Builders isn’t afraid to push the design envelope. With builds in older neighborhoods like Green Hills, Sylvan Park, Hillsboro Village, the Gulch and the Nations that are embracing infill development, his designs are modern and not what one would consider traditional Nashville style. But they soon might be. “For us it’s really about being ahead of the curve,” Barnhizer says. “I used to go out to Vegas and California and fell in love with the modern architecture. Then I saw that the people there were moving here, and the way that designs were changing, we really saw a need for it.” And people are responding, with agent and buyer reaction and with sales, giving them the verification that what they are doing is different — and needed. “Our philosophy is just to be the best in class in design and max everything out from a finish level — really differentiate ourselves from the pack,” he says. “We really spend the money on the finishes.” Barnhizer says he turns to his designer Cheryl Kittel and the team at PDI Kitchen, Bath & Lighting, including Mary Soeder and Jackie Gibbins, to deliver those innovative features and high end finishes because they have a real understanding of his design aesthetic, even if it isn’t yet a typical Nashville look. “They really just work extremely great together and select some amazing things,” he says. “And they make sure it gets executed exactly how they envisioned it on the front end.” Barnhizer began working in Nashville in 2009 and started his own company in 2017. Lately he has been doing more large-scale multifamily builds like The Odyssey, a 75-unit condo project under construction near Centennial Park, as well as modern, single-family residences. And PDI can help facilitate ordering for projects as big as he needs.
Richland Builders turns to PDI Kitchen, Bath & Lighting to help them choose fixtures that are design-forward.
NASHVILLEINTERIORS.COM | 35
“We had worked with some firms that just didn’t really have the eye and the vision for what we’re wanting to do,” he says. “And Mary has such great feedback — she knows the product so well. And she’s in love with the product. You can tell. She’s always reminding us of the most cutting-edge, cool styles that match our brand. It’s more of a partnership. It’s more like she’s on our design team than just a supplier that we’re buying stuff from.” Soeder attributes that to the fact so many people in the showroom have been there since they opened in 2014. “We have a lot of experience with the projects and the market,” Gibbins adds. “And we do help all the customers who come in, regardless of how big their project is. So from the time that they walk in through the door until the time that the project has done, we handle it all.” PDI works to make the process as stress-free as possible, working behind the scenes to address any and all little irritants before the customers even get wind of them. “We understand what the customer wants, and we’re able to provide it,” Soeder says. “And it’s seamless. They don’t know what we’re doing behind the scenes.” Even post pandemic, the team at PDI were able to finetune their ordering processes to ensure that they had the inventory when they needed it — and to make sure to order in time so that what they wanted would still be available when they needed it. “It’s like having a trade partner who helps us stay ahead of that. And that’s huge for us,” Barnhizer says. Small business owners like Katie Shah and India Mayer of Of Note collaborated with the team at PDI on their East Nashville influencer house, Note House. They needed designs and fixtures that were eye-catching enough that style influencers would want to take pictures in front of them over and over again.
Barnhizer works closely with his designer and reps at PDI to make sure his choices are ordered on the front end of a project so everything is ready when needed, like the ET2 Pirouette pendants in the kitchen and, below, the Fanimation TriAire ceiling fan, WAC Stack chandelier and Elk Cassandra pendants in his own personal home.
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INTERIORS
Clockwise, a Delta Pivotal Kitchen Faucet and Kuzco Mina light fixtures finish a forward design from Richland; the bathroom of the influencer Note House in East Nashville features a Delta Trinsic grab bar and Delta Contemporary faucet.
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PDI can even help with outdoor lighting, connecting the inside and outside of the home with Kovacs Pediment outdoor fixtures.
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Clockwise from left, helix-shaped ET2 Pirouette pendants from PDI; a photographable moment at the Note House influencer space in East Nashville, outfitted with a Lydia freestanding tub by MTI Baths, a Brizo 12” Rain Head in Luxe Gold and a Brizo Invari tub filler in Luxe Gold; Kichler Branches lighting in a guest room from Richland.
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For a TriStar Bank renovation in Columbia, Tenn., Art Deco inspired fixtures from the Echelon Lisa McDennon Collection for PDI.
PDI also had a hand in the Hinkley Hospitality renovation of the TriStar Bank federal building in Columbia, Tennessee. With a vision to maintain the integrity of the building’s history and complement the 100-year-old brass accents throughout the building, the Echelon fixture from the Lisa McDennon Collection for Hinkley captures all of that with an updated art deco feel. “PDI is a family-owned company, so it’s very much about relationships,” Soeder says. “We have worked very hard over the past seven years to partner with people in and around the area and to educate ourselves on the process, so we can be like an accessory to the designer.”
And they don’t let things fall apart on delivery. Gibbins and Soeder say they rely heavily on Drew Rico, who handles delivery logistics, and he makes sure the client is happy with the last mile of service. “We can hit it out of the park everywhere else, but if something happens on the warehouse side it can all fall apart,” Soeder says. “And Drew has done a wonderful job getting his team to understand that they’re an extension of that. We’re an extension of them. We’re all in this together.” NI
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Audio/Video Technology & Integration Lighting & Systems Design Electrical Contracting
(615) 261-9930 877 Seven Oaks Blvd. #540 Smyrna, TN 37167
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DESIGN • POWER • INTEGRATE
INTERIORS
Relaxed Elegance HIGH DESIGN MEETS LAKEFRONT LIVING IN HENDERSONVILLE BY HOLLIE DEESE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLINE SHARPNACK
INTERIORS
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F
or a family of five building their dream home in Hendersonville, the most important aspect was that the design reflected what was important to them — spending time together as a family, with plenty of room for everyone to be themselves.
Aimee Lee Kinssies of ALK Designs was able to complete the project during the summer of 2020, despite the pandemic, because construction on the 7,000-square-foot Hannah Custom home never slowed down, and delivery and inventory had yet to really become an issue. “We weren’t really looking at long lead times yet,” Kinssies says. The homeowners, Audrey and Hunter Owen, love to travel and wanted a light, breezy interior that evoked the feeling of being on the beach with all the comforts of being at home. And with three children, every inch of space needed to work in a way that best served the busy family. “The most important thing was that every room was functional and super-livable and not too high maintenance,” Kinssies says. One of the spaces that perfectly embodies that feel is the primary bedroom. It’s large enough to double as a family movie room for the Owenses, with a sofa at the foot of the king-size bed where they can all pile in together. “We have so much furniture in that room, and it still feels open and spacious,” Kinssies says.”But they will all climb in there at night and watch movies together, which I think is super-sweet.”
The grand entrance, crafted by Iron Lion Entries, is bold in black and white, but it creates an indoor-outdoor connection right from the beginning that carries throughout the whole house.
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Aimee Lee Kinssies of ALK Designs chose to plank the vaulted ceiling of the primary bedroom with wood to warm up the space. The whole family can pile in on the bed and sofa and watch movies together. NASHVILLEINTERIORS.COM | 47
INTERIORS Continuing to draw attention to what is really important to the family, a gallery wall upstairs displaying special keepsakes and photos brought Audrey to tears when she first saw it. “It was just such like a beautiful moment to showcase the kids’ art and special memories,” Kinssies says. Having those special moments that really help anchor a family into their home as they make ever more and lasting memories is crucial, Kinssies says, because a home is a foundation in so many ways. She likes to make sure that everyone has their own space when they need it, but also that there are areas that keep the family close. “You have this common ground in the whole house where everyone just loves being together, and then kids grow up with a sense that their parents want them around and they want to talk to them and they want to interact and they want them to sit at the island and do their homework instead of just going upstairs,” she says.
The gallery wall upstairs is a showcase of special family memories and children’s artwork. Below, the glass doors of the living room open up to the outdoor entertainment space.
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The kitchen is the perfect place for the kids to hang out and do homework during meal prep.
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Family time is important to the Owenses, and their outdoor space makes it incredibly easy to have a party at a moment’s notice.
And there is nothing mundane about the artistic touches throughout the family-centric home. A paneled wall in the dining room was custom-designed in CAD and created with applied molding, with a secret door hidden in the trim. Window coverings are motorized to take advantage of the tall ceilings, including in one bedroom with 27-foot ceilings planked with wood to warm up the space. A Tilda chandelier from Arteriors mimics the glow of wax candles. The grand front entry doors, done by Iron Lions, embrace the contrast of light paint with black trim that is carried throughout all of the windows of the house. The living room opens to the kitchen, and the windows slide out to the outdoor space and pool — ideal for entertaining. “They want to be the house where the kids come over to their house and play,” Kinssies says. Beyond the pool, they have their own personal dock on Old Hickory Lake with a pontoon boat ready for a family afternoon on the water.
Aimee Lee Kinssies of ALK Designs
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Hannah Custom Homes made sure the Owenses had all the right elements to make a forever home that could grow with the family.
“With the house, we wanted to achieve this relaxed elegance, even in the kids’ rooms, so the home will grow with them,” Kinssies says. “We wanted it to be functional. We wanted it to reflect their lifestyle, which is supercommunal, both with their own family and with their friends. But it is also a house that will grow with them and grow with their needs.” NI
Visit our new showroom in Franklin 256 Seaboard Lane, Ste. C-103, Franklin, TN 37067 Open Tuesday - Saturday | www.NashvilleLamps.com NASHVILLEINTERIORS.COM | 53
36 Years. 40,000 Designs. Experience Matters. 615-742-1955 closetcompany.com 54 | NASHVILLEINTERIORS | SUMMER 2021
INTERIORS
Frieda Projansky and Russell Somer had fun during the pandemic decorating their home in retro kitsch decor.
K itsch Coo l BY EMILY DAVIDSON NEMOY PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIA STEELE
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Couple’s quirky Paragon Mills home takes inspo from famed NYC tavern, Monkey Bar.
rieda Projansky and Russell Somer take an unapologetic approach to design in their playful, eye-catching home. The fun-loving couple purchased the house in 2020 and soon developed an appetite for decorating during the pandemic. Bold colors and striking retro patterns dazzle in the themed-room, tchotchke-filled space.
“The thing I love about kitsch is that it’s very self-aware that it’s loud,” Projansky says. “Kitsch is not trying to be subtle — it’s meant to be obnoxious.” Kitsch design ignores standard principles of interior decor, like balance and moderation. The only rules are to have fun and explore creativity without limitation.
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The house boasts original artwork from famed Monkey Bar in New York. Somer’s family owned the neighboring lodge, Hotel Elysée, which is widely known for the piano bar featured on “Sex and the City” and “Mad Men.”
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Projansky, who works in technology as a software tester, hails from Chicago. Somer grew up in Long Island, New York. The two have been dating for two and a half years. When they decided to buy a home, they were drawn toward neighborhoods near Nolensville Pike. “We’re really passionate about South Nashville and the diversity here,” Projansky says. “It’s basically a cultural mecca. It was important for us to live in a neighborhood that reminded us of where we’re from, to be surrounded by diversity.” The split-level home built in 1962 is a perfect fit for the eclectic pair. Somer’s band, Spirits Republic, rehearses on the lower level, which also houses a tiki bar. Upstairs holds the main bedroom, office, kitchen and parlor. The floorplan offers an ideal separation of space for people with varied interests. At 2,200 square feet, the four-bedroom, two-bath home offers plenty of room and includes an elevated deck and spacious yard. The house boasts original artwork from famed Manhattan drinking hole Monkey Bar. Somer’s family owned the neighboring lodge, Hotel Elysée, for the better part of the 20th century. The hotel is widely known for the piano bar, located just off the lobby, which was featured on “Sex and the City” and “Mad Men” and frequented by a long list of celebrities, including Ava Gardner, Frank Sinatra and Tennessee Williams. “The fact that we have a piece that was in the original Monkey Bar hanging right next to our tiki bar is so special,” Projansky says. “It’s serendipitous.” Somer’s grandmother, Carol Weinsoff, handed down her well-preserved 1950s furniture. Those pieces anchor the pair’s color-coded spaces. For example, the gold room — a parlor for hosting guests, having conversations and
drinking tea — features a pair of gold-hued couches, as well as a round, floral table and well-polished wood floors. “I feel grateful that we have a space that can allow for that,” Projansky says. “A lot of homes only have one living room or entertainment space.” The home office is painted dollar-bill green. “We’re both working remotely right now, and it reminds us of why we spend so much time in there,” Somer says with a laugh. “It’s our version of being serious and not too serious.” Differentiating the rooms allows the pair to define the purpose of each area. Each space has a different feel and theme, with accessories belonging to different styles and periods. The disharmony of the color palette is intentional. The red room is loud, vibrant and perfect for entertaining. Oozing with personality, the red and cream seating set is a standout feature. Projansky purchased it at a postmodern store in Chicago, though it took some convincing to get her then-roommate on board. “The guy selling the couches to me said he was glad I was taking them,” Projansky says. “He said that they had been in the showroom forever and that no one would buy them because they were hideous.” The space features a coordinating rug, large gumball machine, jumbo-sized apple sculpture and flashy guitars. Adjacent to the red kitsch area is the authentic indoor tiki bar. Ever-evolving and party-ready, the bar features a large tiki totem, pineapple string lights and color-coordinated knickknacks and tiki mugs. “It fits well with our style,” Projansky says. “Tiki bars in the ’50s and ’60s were all about playfulness and being whimsical and escaping your everyday life.” NI
Here’s to beautiful interiors...and exteriors. The Land Trust for Tennessee protects farmland, forests, parks, historic sites, and open space across the state. Help protect the places we call home. Visit LandTrustTN.org | (615) 244 - LAND Photo: Stephen Alvarez
123 Summit Lane
SOLD $6,300,000
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SPECIALISTS 2706 Belmont Boulevard SOLD $2,850,000
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507 S Margin Street NEW LISTING $1,950,000
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BUILDING, DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT
TAKING THE PLUNGE ENTREPRENEUR SEEKING POOL LAUNCHES COMPANY INSTEAD BY HOLLIE DEESE
Amanda Stone, owner, Palmingo Pools
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manda Stone isn’t the kind of person who takes no for the first and final answer — she likes to do her research to at least make sure there isn’t another option. So when she was told the sloped lot of her new Brentwood home would not be able to accommodate a pool, the wheels begin spinning for the natural problem solver. “I’m a believer that if someone wants something, then they deserve a solution if they’re willing to get creative and it’s something that’s important to them,” Stone says. So for the past five years Stone has done research on traditional pools, but also on smaller plunge pools after first being introduced to one at a friend’s lake house. She was immediately taken with their efficiency and ease of installation and began to dive deeper about them. “I was totally fascinated by the idea that you can enjoy them three or four seasons of the year because they’re more efficient to heat and cool,” she says. “Then it almost became a hobby of mine to just research. Where did somebody even get a small pool? What does that process look like vs. a normal pool? And this obsession led me to finding my first couple of suppliers.” The Oklahoma native had moved to Nashville while attending Vanderbilt University, and she launched her first company, A&M Agency, 10 years ago. Stone created Palmingo Pools just as she had started to shift away from A&M’s core of event marketing, when the pandemic hit, which also happened to be a boon to the pool industry.
“I really began laying the groundwork about a year ago when I was going through a lot of change in my other business,” she says. “Fortunately, with A&M we had already been branching out from doing just events to doing more broad types of marketing. My former business partner had her first baby and decided to step away from working for the time being. So while we were going through so much change with A&M, it ultimately ended up enabling me to rebuild our team in a way that gave me this new headspace and room to get creative in another space.” Stone found the right suppliers and created Palmingo Pools to give more people the opportunity to enjoy time outside together in their own pool. Most pools in Middle Tennessee take over a year to build — if the buyer can manage to secure an available contractor — and cost $150,000 or more. Stone sought to simplify the process, reduce maintenance and deliver a more affordable, yet high-end design option. “I really gravitate toward innovation, and I’ve noticed that some of my early clients tend to be entrepreneurial themselves, people who love thinking outside the box and people who love being on the front end of an emerging trend,” Stone says. “Once I came across a plunge pool, which can be installed in even the most challenging settings, I knew I had found a solution.” The full process of installing a plunge pool — crafted from prefabricated concrete, converted shipping containers or stainless steel — takes five months, with much of that
Plunge pools arrive on site, prefabricated and ready to install in just one day — with the help of a crane.
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In a limited number of standard sizes, plunge pools can be used in a number of different spaces, above ground or under.
timeframe allocated for plans, permits and production. Plunge pools can be installed in-ground, semi-elevated or fully elevated — or even built into a deck or rooftop.
“It saves space while also maximizing use and fun,” she says. “You don’t have to pick between the pool and the rest of the backyard.”
Palmingo Pools range from 5 feet by nearly 9 feet to 12 feet by 40 feet in size, with a starting price of $70,000. Stone works hand in hand with partners and suppliers on everything from excavation and concrete work to plumbing and landscape architecture. The ground preparation requires approximately two weeks, while the pool placement takes place in a single day.
And while she still doesn’t have a pool of her own, it’s only a matter of time. It will be included in the landscape architecture plan when she and her husband break ground on a renovation in 2023. With a 4-year-old, 2-year-old and a third girl due in November, they wanted to hold off on construction until they didn’t have a newborn at home.
Since the soft launch of sales earlier this year, she is already under contract on 10 pools across Middle Tennessee, plus more in Knoxville and Memphis. People have been drawn to the fact they can still have a yard and not have it totally dominated by the pool.
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“I don’t think I ever wanted to admit how important a pool is to me, because I know what an investment it can be,” Stone says. “But the more I thought about it, and then having my own kids, I started to really think about what I want their summers to look like, I just couldn’t leave the pool idea behind.” NI
GOOD FOODS I N G O O D S PI R I TS EVERY NI G H T. N O. 401 UNION STREET NA SH VI LLE , TN
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BUILDING, DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT
Bordeaux, Reborn HOMEOWNERS OF A NEW GENERATION EMBRACE THE HISTORICALLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD’S ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE BY MARIA MEYER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILLIAM DESHAZER
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ucked into the rolling hillsides north of the Cumberland River is the neighborhood of Bordeaux. It’s a storied area of the city steeped in history—once home to Native Americans, then farmers. It’s the location of the American Baptist College attended by John Lewis and of some of the first luxury real estate in Nashville—explicitly marketed to middle and upper middle class African Americans in the ’50s and ’60s. The acre-plus lots of Gold Coast, Haynes Heights and Enchanted Hills were snapped up by successful lawyers, doctors, architects and professors. In these neighborhoods dream homes were built, parties were thrown and community thrived. And, given the timing, the homes’ architectural styles reflected the area’s mid-century modern aesthetic: split-level and ranch homes featuring large windows and brick exteriors—some with long flat roofs, others with low-pitched gabled lines—all expressing horizontality and free of ornate decoration. Driving around these neighborhoods feels a little like stepping back in time. And it’s a little mind-blowing for anyone interested in architecture and unfamiliar with this rarely told story. The area has been skipped by the spotlight of Nashville’s real estate craze—an oversight that mostly boils down to systemic racism. However, Tifinie Capehart has emerged as a new champion for the neighborhood. A former urban planner turned real estate agent, Capehart has been focusing for the past several years on bringing value back to this historic neighborhood and working to be a change agent in the Nashville real estate game by retelling and reselling the legacy of Bordeaux.
THE PRESERVATIONIST
BILL PAINE AND KRISTIN WARE Shade from tree limbs dapples the drive leading up to Bill Paine and Kristin Ware’s property. Set back from the road, the gabled roof of the 1965 mid-century split-level gem emerges from the hillside it’s built into. The front facade, mostly consisting of windows, glows from the George Nelson bubble lamp hanging inside. The lamp was a gift from Bill’s father, which is how this story gets its start. After trading in their chips on a couple homes, including a Victorian in Lockeland Springs, the couple consulted Bill’s father, David Paine, an architectural historian turned real estate agent, landing on a home with architectural interest. They set their sights on single-level ranches, loving the long and lean lines the homes are known for, with little success. Then came Capehart, who had leads on several mid-century homes in Bordeaux. Capehart brought them to the Drakes Branch property in Enchanted Hills a couple times before they put in an offer. The issue was that the current homeowner wanted a certain amount, but it had to be appraised. Capehart compiled a package of evidence that hinged on statistics about homes in historically Black neighborhoods not appraising for their true value. Her research helped close the deal—and the divide between the asking price and the bank appraisal. The home’s original owners, the Owens, bought the property in 1963, built the home in 1965 and lived in it until roughly 2003. Over the next 17 years, the home changed hands several times. When Bill and Kristin arrived, the previous owner had made renovations that veered away from the original mid-century characteristics. The couple set to work bringing the home back to its swoon-worthy origins, including repainting the exterior trim a dark brown and the front door a turquoise—both original Eichler paint colors. The home’s roof peaks over the second-level split, creating a vaulted roof line above the main-level living space. Windows
follow the angled roof, allowing for an uninterrupted dialogue between indoor and outdoor space. That connection to the natural environment is a tenet that the mid-century style was built around. Cream colored brick with a natural cleft clads the length of the home, then transitions to a halfheight wall with open connections enclosing a courtyard. Vertical stained wood siding covers the overhanging second level. Stepping into the home, original terrazzo tiles cover the foyer threshold, and exposed wooden rafters overhead span the entire depth of the house. The vaulted living room is slightly below the kitchen and bathed in natural light from the floor-toceiling windows. An original smoked glass feature wall connects the living NASHVILLEINTERIORS.COM | 65
BUILDING, DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT
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BUILDING, DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT
Bill Paine and Kristin Ware have worked to restore the classic mid-century characteristics that were stripped from the home over years of renovations after it keft the hands of the original owner, including the connection between indoor and outdoor space.
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BUILDING, DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT
In their home since 2020, Bill and Kristin have filled the home with finds from places like Music City Modern and with art from their travels.
space to the dining room and reflects the surrounding light back into the home. Bill and Kristin moved into the home in the spring of 2020 and were pleased that throughout the pandemic they could inhabit all the rooms in the house for their daily living. The couple can work from their secondfloor offices, take in a sunset cocktail in the living room, then retire to the basement TV room after dinner in the dining room. “You could feel the way the rooms were supposed to be used,” Kristin said. For furnishings, they decorated with finds from Music City Modern and artwork collected on their travels. Additional work was done to accommodate modern living while preserving the architectural legacy— such as rewiring an original Nu-Tone speaker for bluetooth and shoring up the chimney of the fireplace in the outdoor courtyard. “The way we can honor the neighborhood is to respect the history of the house, learn as much as we can and be good neighbors.” Interested in homes with architectural history, homeowners Bill Paine and Kristin Ware owned a Victorian in Lockeland Springs before moving to Bordeaux and their mid-century modern.
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BUILDING, DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT
Eric and Patience Moore bought their Haynes Heights home directly from the original homeowner. Below, the couple love to entertain in their 1959-era home, just like the original owners did.
THE ENTERTAINERS
ERIC AND PATIENCE MOORE Eric and Patience Moore both graduated from Tennessee State University. Patience became active in Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., while Eric dedicated time to Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. “Going to TSU, all of our educators talk about how Bordeaux was the area 20, 30, 50 now 70 years ago—where all your Black professionals moved to. They couldn’t move to Green Hills.” That legacy stuck with the couple, and when it came time for them to move from Germantown, Patience knew she wanted to move to Bordeaux. “I wanted to be a part of that [history]. Talking about it gives me chills.” An opportunity arose to purchase the 1959 mid-century split-level home in Haynes Heights directly from the original owner, Rosemary Lewis, off market—and Capehart was there to broker the deal. The 2,800-square-foot home sits atop the 2-acre property. The long, shallow roof pitch enforces the strong horizontal lines of the house, then it dramatically butterflies over the attached open-air carport. Long, thin bricks, vertical cedar planks, glass and wrought iron make up the exterior palette. Inside the home, the primary level is organized around the
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BUILDING, DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT
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living room’s large picture windows that look out to the sloping yard below, giving the feeling that the home is nestled in the trees. In the winter, the room offers a direct view of the twinkling lights of downtown Nashville. The Moores went through a major interior renovation before moving in, working with Mitchell and Kristie Hodge for the architecture and design and Jadore Luxury Homes for the construction. The scope of work included a complete kitchen renovation, reworking the plan of the upstairs primary suite and adding in some support spaces—like a bathroom with quick access to the in-ground pool. Eric got his own closet to hold his sneaker collection, and Patience, a hair stylist specializing in curly hair at Jule Salon in Franklin, got a laundry room outfitted with a salon chair and hair washing sink. The Moores, just like Rosemary Lewis, love to entertain. When they moved in, they found a collection of old photos that detailed the Lewises’ exuberant social life: backyard barbecues and pool parties, costume parties and Christmas gatherings in the living room. “They kicked it, the people of this area. They seriously had parties,” Patience said.
Right, homeowners Eric and Patience Moore first heard about the historical importance of the Bordeaux neighborhood to the Black community as students at Tennessee State University. They worked with Mitchell and Kristie Hodge on their renovation before moving in.
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“They had to entertain in their homes because they couldn’t go out downtown.” Vibrant celebrations and cherished memories had been lived out in the home, and the Moores are proud to carry on that legacy. Over last year’s pandemic, they hosted outdoor movies in the driveway, and their side patio set the stage for al fresco dining and bonfires. They turned the lower level into a media room and kept the original built-in bar. “Everyone who has been to our house has had fun. We just hope that continues.” Left, the Moores have been creating memories with family and friends with parties out by the pool in the backyard. Below, the 1971 Kings Court home in Enchanted Hills owned by John and Toccota Ford was once the home of Dr. Harold Jordan and his wife Geraldine. Harold was the first African American resident physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
THE HOMECOMING THE FORDS
The Ford residence seems unassuming from the street. The acre lot is a V-shaped piece of land that slopes to the back with the narrowest portion along the street. The unique roof line is the most distinct feature—a low-pitched hip roof with flat-topped Mansard-like pop ups that remind John Ford of Pizza Hut. “What I love about this home is that you can tell it has this design from the future...from 1971’s perspective,” Ford says. A central vacuum system, Nu-tone speakers throughout and stilted slabs on the backside of the house lend to the “Jetsons”-style design. The Kings Court home in Enchanted Hills was built in 1971 and belonged to Dr. Harold and Mrs. Geraldine Jordan. Harold Jordan was the first African American resident physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and his illustrious career included being Chair of Psychiatry and acting dean of the School of Medicine—both at Meharry Medical College. For the Fords, moving into “Dr. Jordan’s home” was a special kind of homecoming. The neighbor across the street is a deacon at Temple Church, the church John grew up in, where the athletic center is named after his grandmother. John’s mother owns and operates a sewing studio down the road, and his wife, Toccota, grew up close to Kings Lane. It’s the community that the Fords wanted to come back to, and the iconic character of the home satisfied their desires for something unique and original within the Nashville market. Capehart 72 | NASHVILLEINTERIORS | SUMMER 2021
delivered the listing off-market to the Fords while they were still living in California, and thus they became the third owners of the house. A few elements needed to be brought up to speed for the family of six. They enlisted Jadore to do the work and leaned on their own expertise as veteran homeowners for the design. For their renovation, the Fords wanted to “turn the screws” and put their “thumbprint” on some of the signature features of the home while still being tasteful and maintaining the character. “It should have some tie-in back to what Dr. Jordan and his wife designed.” The spacious entry gallery boasts high ceilings, skylights and the original screened dividers separating the main hallway from the lower-level stairs. To one side of the gallery in a linear procession are the fully renovated kitchen, dining room and living room, bookended with sliding glass doors and a clear view to nature made grander beneath a newly vaulted ceiling. A long balcony stretches across the back of the home and offers an elevated experience of the back yard. The same perforated panels frame an opening between the dining and living room, which sits a few steps down. Wall to wall carpet was pulled up, and new flooring was installed to be more kid friendly. The Fords will keep the original built-in shelving, desk, heated
floor and avocado green fixtures in the kids’ bed and bath. The front portion of the first level consists of the primary suite. For this area, John and his wife decided to rework the floor plan to give themselves a spacious bathroom with a curbless glass shower, a soaking tub and dual vanities. The sleeping area anchors the suite, and a previously unconditioned room that might have been Dr. Jordan’s office will be turned into a luxurious walk-in closet complete with dressing tables, wardrobe-style cabinets and space to find a moment of quiet bliss. Downstairs, Ford plans on converting the library with original builtin bookshelves to a media room; he’s already purchased a Chesterfield sofa in anticipation. More storage, two additional bedrooms and a large family room with the original basement bar complete the picture of the 4,300-square-foot home. Ample outdoor patio space is tucked below the stilted overhang from the level above, providing more room for the family to spread out and enjoy time outdoors. The V shape of the parcel opens up in the back, and mature trees dot the yard. The Fords plan to introduce some fruit trees, a carryover from their time in California. For now the Fords are surrounded by best friends from childhood, aunties, pastors— even their accountant. “Here is home.”
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THE NEW LEGACY BUILDERS THE CAPEHARTS
The Gold Coast neighborhood of Bordeaux is said by Nashville’s Metropolitan Historical Commission. to be Nashville’s first African American subdivision. Local African American businessman and entrepreneur Kossie Gardner Sr. was the owner and developer of the subdivision, which included 24 parcels of land and two new roads at its inception. Gardner was also a funeral director, a mason and an educator. He was invested in building and developing community. When Tifinie Capehart speaks about her work as a Realtor, you quickly understand that she is a change agent. Her commitment to shifting the perception of value and bringing opportunities for financial and social investment is a part of her work in continuing the legacy of Bordeaux. She and her husband, Eric, graduated from TSU and found success in their fields. Eric is a mental health counselor and the founder of a nonprofit organization for mentoring young men. After living and commuting from an Antioch townhome, they found themselves wanting to own something more substantial in Nashville proper. Their dream was to buy a plot of land and build a home of their own. The two separately found the same property for sale in Gold Coast, and they moved on it quickly, as both knew of the history of the neighborhood. “It was an honor to be able to bring our family and be a part of the history of this community.” They beat out other cash offers, relying heavily on her expertise in going through the Board of Zoning Appeals process to build on the land. Neighbors came out to the meetings and offered opinions on what not to build, which the Capeharts took in stride, explaining their plans and a shared desire to honor the architectural context of the neighborhood. They purchased site plans online and made small tweaks to customize them for their lives, including mirroring the dining room and kitchen so the kitchen opened to the living room, and enclosing a front sitting room to turn into an office. At the same time, Capehart was working on a zoning change for a client in Antioch, Province Builders. The Black-owned company, which typically does larger, high-end residential projects, offered their services. The house went under construction during the pandemic, and since playgrounds were closed, the family came to the site to let the children play. “They knew this was our land.” Victoria Morgan, of Haven’s Hollow Interiors, stepped in to take over the myriad decisions needed to finish out the house and to coordinate with the builder, who now is a continued client. The approach was to create a livable, comfortable and functional home for the family of four. While the home doesn’t have a classic mid-century aesthetic, it embraces many of the tenets of the era—large windows that invite in nature, a more open, social plan and efficient use of space. They now love to entertain, hang out in the backyard hammock, and lounge in the 74 | NASHVILLEINTERIORS | SUMMER 2021
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BUILDING, DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT
sun-soaked living room. The living room’s large windows are oriented toward the west, providing sunset views and rays of golden afternoon light—something that the family loves taking in together at the end of their days filled with learning and working from home. “It fills me with joy just living in this house,” Eric said. Also important to the Capeharts was the spirit of the home. “When you walk in, we wanted it to feel like a Black family lives here.” Art from Black artists, including works by Shabazz Larkin, hang on the walls, and the office houses a library of African American writers. Capehart describes the style as an “Afrobohemian vibe.” They painted the exterior a deeply saturated dark tone, and “The Black House’’ has taken on a personality of its own. “The home is a blessing to our family, and it will be blessing us for a long time, beyond our lives. To give our children an opportunity to have something that we didn’t have, they can have a head start; that’s important to me,” Eric said. Tifinie echoed: “Ditto. There is true value up here. Working in real estate, you have to prove the value of ‘The Black House,’ and we have an appraisal that says that value is there.” NI
Located in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Bordeaux in what Nashville’s Metropolitan Historical Commission identifies as Nashville’s first African American subdivision, Tifinie and Eric Capehart turned to Victoria Morgan of Havens Hollow Interiors to guide their design choices in their new build home.
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OUTSIDE THE LINES TILE COMPANY TAKES CREATIVE RISKS WITH UNUSUAL DESIGNS THAT PUT FLOORING FIRST BY MARQ BURNETT | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHELLE MORROW 78 | NASHVILLEINTERIORS | SUMMER 2021
BUILDING, DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT
Nashville muralist Nathan Brown painted the exterior of Red Rock Tileworks, the birthplace of Haustile.
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s they analyzed the tile industry, Kristin Ortiz and Lindsay Sheets noticed that there wasn’t a ton of creativity.
“We would love to do a floor tile and really push the narrative on what people are putting in their floors,” Ortiz said. “We’ve all kind of lived by this concept of the floor being an afterthought while the furniture or wall color are important. But we thought, ‘Why not base your design on what the floor looks like’ and really shift that conversation?’” That led Ortiz and Sheets to create their own company,
paving the way for the birth of Haustile. Utilizing cutting-edge technology, Ortiz and Sheets use high-quality American-made porcelain tile to transform design-forward motifs into conversation pieces. Ortiz said she and Sheets, creative design professionals with 30 years of combined tile experience, met six years ago and immediately hit it off. They often discussed starting a business together, but neither had the capital or bandwidth to do so with their jobs and lives in separate parts of the country. But after years of discussion, the stars aligned for the partnership to come together. NASHVILLEINTERIORS.COM | 79
BUILDING, DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT
A company that Sheets was working with went out of business, and Sheets went to their equipment auction. When she arrived, everyone in attendance were scrappers.
client-facing aspects of the organization. She flies in once a month, and when the duo isn’t together, they rely on video chats and daily check-ins.
She called Ortiz, who was standing on a beach in Puerto Rico.
Their personalities are different: Ortiz describes herself as “very impulsive,” as she likes to react and get things done quickly. Sheets is more thoughtful, pragmatic and methodical.
They quickly decided to bid on the production line equipment, and they were in business. Ortiz said it was “kind of just a fluke” when describing the business’ origin story. “Being a woman-owned manufacturer is tough, but we’ve been able to wear many hats and make this work,” Ortiz said. “We feel like what we’re producing is going to shift the narrative on how people think about floor tiles. It’s a buzzword, but we want to be ‘disruptors’ by changing what’s available in the floor tile arena with some really bold, interesting and fun designs.” The duo splits their responsibilities in a way that works for their personalities and their home bases. Sheets is based in Nashville. She goes to the factory and manages production and all of the ins and outs that go into producing the product and running the business. That includes the hiring of employees, human resources, payroll and more. Ortiz, based in D.C., handles the sales side and other
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Those differences allow the business to thrive. “We complement each other well,” Ortiz said. “We have strong design backgrounds, but different aesthetics. It gives us a great portfolio of designs—we have a taste of a bunch of different things that appeal to a lot of markets.” The duo has decided to go the direct-to-consumer route, which Ortiz said is a new thing for tile—and more difficult because they need to build a brand. Traditionally, tile manufacturers sell to distributors. “We’re in a world where everything is going direct-toconsumer because everyone wants to buy online,” Ortiz said. “If you can buy a car online, why not tile? And why not focus our sales on direct-to-consumer?” Ortiz believes the company will benefit from having their finger on the pulse of millennial buyers as she believes that generation is going to be their biggest market segment because they’re leaning more toward design.
BUILDING, DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT
Across, Lindsay Sheets, left, and Kristin Ortiz of Haustile. Here, a worker in Kentucky helps execute the final product.
Left, Sheets and Ortiz gor over logistics and designs. Above are some patterns Haustile is putting on flooring.
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She also believes Haustile will be able to tap into first-time home buyers, people who own shortterm rentals and others as they grow their client base. Ortiz said the ultimate goal is to have the strongest brand possible. She wants to eventually have two production shifts and to be internationally known. “I would love to have our product all over the world one day,” Ortiz said. “Now that we’re getting out of COVID and I can travel more, we want to collaborate with up-and-coming artists from different cities. We want to bring life to young artists who might not be known yet, but who have a great story—so we can help other people build their brand and their story. That’s the best form of collaboration in art.” NI
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ART, ARTISANS AND ANTIQUES
Artist ASHLEY TRABUE Spotlight BY HOLLIE DEESE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNA HENDERSON
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shley Trabue has something to say as an artist, and while it might be uncomfortable for some, her goal is to ultimately make people feel more comfortable in their own bodies and with their own emotions through her art. Raised in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Trabue began coming to Nashville to see live music as soon as she could drive, and after becoming acquainted with Belmont University through friends, she got a scholarship to attend there and graduated in 2012. Like many creatives, she had always been drawn to the arts but felt it wasn’t a viable career choice. Even her grandfather, a draftsman by trade, found himself waiting until retirement to fall in love with painting and photography. “I would grow up visiting his studio, and art was just always in the background,” she says. Today, she is a full-time artist and coach, fully embracing her creative nature. One style she works in is nudes, combining her abstract eye with the beautiful nature of all women’s bodies. Expanding her interest in portraiture, she was able to process the treatment for her eating disorder through her painting of women, meditating on and embodying the idea that bodies are inherently beautiful. “At the time I couldn’t look at myself and feel like my parts were lovely, but I could take photos of my friends and see their like curvy bits and think, ‘Oh my God, they’re beautiful. I’m going to paint them.’” And so painting nudes became a bridge between loving other people’s bodies and learning to love her own. “I don’t think that everything’s beautiful, but I definitely think that everything is worthy,” she NASHVILLEINTERIORS.COM | 85
ART, ARTISANS AND ANTIQUES
Ashley Trabue allows her emotions to come through into her abstracts, offering a canvas for inner feelings to find their voice.
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ART, ARTISANS AND ANTIQUES
As a woman in the art world, Trabue thinks it is important to portray women from a woman’s perspective, not just always relying on how men see women.
says. “That makes a difference. My work used to be a lot more wrapped up in being a certain size or a certain shape. And gradually over time, I shed that and came to embody this ideology that it might not be society’s versions of beautiful, but it’s beautiful to me, and the whole of me is worthy — I can feel beautiful regardless of whether the mirror showing me stuff that I’m uncomfortable with.” She also likes to take back the burden women have borne in the art scene for so long, their bodies as portrayed by men. Portraying women from a woman’s perspective isn’t sexualizing them, unless that is what they want to explore. It can be an expression of the wholeness of women, not just their looks. “We were taught to be abusive to ourselves, and this is our survival mechanism — because the more bulletproof we are, the more perfectionistic we can be, the safer we feel. That’s a valid coping mechanism, but it doesn’t always serve us,” Trabue says. When Trabue is working with a woman on a custom piece, she thinks about what the woman wants to cultivate in her life. “Because a lot of women are putting themselves last, are choosing other people over themselves,” she says. One woman she worked with had a chronic illness. Her
relationship with her body was very wrapped up in functionality, so that art project was all about channeling grace and acceptance. For other women it is about having their bodies be more than a punching bag for perceived imperfections. “Our bodies carry our emotions,” she says. “They carry our traumas. They carry our memories. And it can be easier just to pick on our bodies than to deal with the wounds that exist and the stories and the trauma and the things that are living inside of our tissues.” Trabue moves away from figurework for her abstracts, but she says it is all connected — the body is the vessel, and the abstracts are the feelings inside that vessel. Getting her internal anxiety out on paper, creating and drawing, eventually transformed her anxiety into a scared creature that she was able to control, through art. “The thing I’m realizing more and more is that I feel passionately about helping people live more artfully, with more joy and vibrancy,” Trabue says. “We are living in these oppressive systems that squish you down, and you forget who you are and you forget your worth. These pieces are tokens that can hang on people’s walls that remind them of their worth.” NI
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Schuyler Anderson, left, Will Anderson and Piper of Maple Built.
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Maple Built,By Hand WOODWORKING APPRENTICESHIP GIVES JOB TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO AT-RISK YOUTH BY MARQ BURNETT | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHELLE MORROW
ART, ARTISANS AND ANTIQUES
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s swaths of North Nashville continue to feel the impact of gentrification, Will Anderson believes programs like his are even more important.
Anderson is the co-founder and executive director of Maple Built, a woodworking apprenticeship that focuses on employment, job training and mentorship opportunities for at-risk youth. “If anything, I think that the young people we work with need us now more than ever,” Anderson said. “We strive to be a consistent presence for them.” Anderson is reminded of one family Maple Built has worked with for years that directly felt the fallout of gentrification. Anderson said all the boys in this family grew up in the same house over the course of 10 years. But one day, the family received a letter informing them they needed to move out in the next 30 days. From that moment on, Anderson said, the boys began a life of bouncing from place to place within the city and county. However, Anderson and Maple Built work to remain in contact and continue to support the young men; they are still attending the same school. “These young men are basically couch surfing their way through junior high and high school,” Anderson said. “We’ve been able to keep up with them and follow them to the different places around the county where they’re staying.” Maple Built is a nonprofit organization founded by brothers Schuyler and Will Anderson and housed at 1003 Buchanan St. in North Nashville. The Anderson brothers had originally started Salemtown Board Co. in 2012 to accomplish the same mission, but they quickly realized that the needs were too large for a
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One of the primary avenues through which Maple Built creates jobs is through Salemtown Board Co. Started in October 2012 as a means to provide on-the-job training for the youth of North Nashville, young men learn general woodworking skills such as operating various saws and sanders, learning to measure and how to glue up wood.
Custom commissions include furniture and art in addition to the skateboards.
small skateboard company to meet. That led them to establishing Maple Built in 2016.
as how to show up on time, how to communicate with an employer, navigating personal finances, setting up a bank account and more.
Anderson said the majority of the organization’s projects are custom works and commercial projects. Anderson noted that the primary way the group supports itself is through commercial woodworking and fairly large projects.
Anderson said Maple Built works through positive reinforcement to further build up the young men’s confidence.
He also noted that customers can reach out to the organization to request one-off projects to be custom built, but for the most part, the group works with major orders. Recent projects include the wooden cloud hanging over the dining area and the wooden wall texture leading to the bathrooms in 5 Points Pizza, and a custom Willie Nelson eight-foot by six-foot art piece made up of roughly 7,000 pieces of wood. That piece is in the 506 Loft in downtown Nashville. “For the most part, we’re doing major orders,” Anderson said. “People typically reach out to us through Instagram or our website for different opportunities.” From an employment standpoint, Maple Built recognizes that low-income communities can often be job deserts. Maple Built’s goal is to provide young men with jobs that look good on resumes. For job training, Maple Built’s woodshop work aims to provide opportunities for problem solving and give them an eye for detail. But they also believe that employment creates accountability—which allows Maple Built’s workers to grow from being recipients of assistance into team members who take responsibility for themselves and for how their actions affect those around them. That includes things as routine
“A lot of what we’re doing is helping them realize they have more options than they think they have,” Anderson said. “In a city with as much work to be had as ours, there’s no need for any young person to be in a situation where they’re making decisions out of desperation. So we’re trying to address that.” Where Maple Built shines, Anderson said, is with its mentorship— the employment and job training provide the framework for forming relationships. Each employee is paired with a mentor who commits to spend one-on-one time with them every two weeks, which Anderson believes sets them apart from other programs. Maple Built works to build relationships that last beyond the program—or beyond any particular participant’s employment. That one-on-one interaction and collaboration is one of the major reasons Anderson doesn’t want Maple Built to expand too quickly. When working with young people one on one, specifically those who come from intergenerational poverty or grew up around violence, Anderson knows there’s no one size fits all approach. And individualized actions take time. “There’s no program that you can push them through where you can say ‘Oh, now everything has been mitigated,’” Anderson said. “It’s a very emotional, personal and expensive process in terms of the amount of time we spend with young people. There are programs that do a really great job of moving hundreds of kids through, but that’s not who we’re trying to be. That’s not who we are.” NI NASHVILLEINTERIORS.COM | 93
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