Asbury Place Assisted Living
Strickland Place Skilled Nursing
Beauty Lives Here. AND SO DOES COMPASSION.
A United Methodist Retirement Community
RBOR ACRES transforms the traditional expectations of long term health care. At Asbury Place assisted living and Strickland Place skilled nursing, we believe that moments of simple beauty are essential to a satisfying life. We integrate joyful sensory experiences and daily interactions with nature into our renowned high quality care. At Arbor Acres, residents can enjoy the varied
possibilities of beauty.
www.arboracres.org 1240 Arbor Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27104 336.724 .7921
GREENSBORO 225 South Elm Street • 336-272-5146 and Friendly Center • 336-294-4885 WINSTON-SALEM Stratford Village, 137 South Stratford Road • 336-725-1911 www.schiffmans.com
OVER 900 ACRES
LO C AT E D I N T H E H E A R T O F T H E T R I A D
STARTING AT
$231,990 OWL’S TRAIL • • • • • • • • • • • •
13 HOMES SOLD
Single Level Detached Patio Homes All homes have double garages All homes have fully sodded yards All homes have covered rear patios 9’ ceilings (1st floor) Stainless steel appliances with gas range Adult height vanities in all full baths Elongated Comfort Height toilet in Master Bath Amenities include 3 lakes 11 miles of walking & biking trails Resident’s Club & Pool Lawn Maintenance Included
MODEL HOME 5596 Elk Ridge Dr., Kernersville, NC
STARTING AT
REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO
$209,900 COMING SOON
WHITE HAWK
• Granite countertops, ceramic tile backsplash & stainless steel appliances • 5-inch bourbon mill laminate floors in foyer, kitchen, dining & family room • 9-foot first floor smooth ceilings • Walk-in ceramic tile shower in master bathroom • Adult height vanities in all bathrooms • Elongated toilets in all bathrooms • Cultured marble countertops in all bathrooms • Vinyl low-E insulated windows • Quality construction with 2’ x 6’ exterior walls with R-19 insulation, 30-year shingles & insulated garage doors. • EcoSelect Certification & a Trane 16 Seer Energy efficient HVAC system • 2-10 year homebuyers warranty • Low maintenance community w/ lawn care provided • Convenient Kernersville location
Directions: Take interstate 40 to the Highway 66 exit in Kernersville. Go south on Highway 66, turn right on Old Salem Road, turn left on Teague Lane. Model on right corner of Teague Lane and Elk Ridge Drive.
calebscreekliving.com
Tom Baker 336-847-1870 Tom.Baker@ greer-louis.com
Liza Tice 336-906-2233 LizaTice15@ gmail.com
Linda Weaver 336-207-1387 Linda.Weaver@ greer-louis.com
KitchenAid® Smart Oven+ with Powered Attachments
B E S T. D E C I S I O N . E V E R . For projects of any size, perfection often requires making difficult decisions. Allow the experts at Ferguson to make things easy by introducing you to an extensive collection of stylish products from
GREENSBORO | WINSTON-SALEM F E RGUSON S H OWROOM S .COM
©2019 Ferguson Enterprises, Inc. 0519 1232417
prominent brands, all designed to bring your vision to life. Learn more at fergusonshowrooms.com
THERE’S NOTHING QUITE LIKE AUTUMN OUTDOOR LIVING Bask in the vibrant colors and aromas of nature in your very own backyard oasis, designed and built by America’s #1 favorite craftsmen team, Archadeck.
Complimentary Design Consultation 336 - 664 -1332 | Piedmont-Triad.Archadeck.com
FORTUNE
500
TOP FIVE FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES Five of the top 60 Fortune 500 companies have operations in Greensboro — Proctor & Gamble, UPS, FedEx, AT&T and UnitedHealth Group.
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES Greensboro boasts a total enrollment of 67,000+ students at our seven colleges and universities.
BEST EMPLOYMENT TRENDS
JOBJOB
Since 2010, the unemployment rate has decreased from 10.1% to 4.9% and median earnings have increased by 23%.
BEST PLACE TO LIVE
e H m
US News & World Report names Greensboro “One of the Best Places to Live in America.”
BEST TRAFFIC The driving app Waze has ranked Greensboro “Best City in the US to Drive In” for three years in a row.
BEST BURGERS TripAdvisor named Hops Burger Bar as its “Best Burger Spot in the Nation.”
Greensboro is simply the best!
INSPIRATIO N B ECO M ES R EA LIT Y
TH E TRI AD’S LAR GEST M AR V I N DEAL ER
Visit our showroom: 400 West Mountain Street Kernersville, NC 27284 336-497-5429 | salemwindowsanddoors.com
16 60 13 From the Editor
42 50
By Jim Dodson
STYLEBOOK 16 The Hot List
Fall 2019 FEATURES
43 Long Journey Home
By Jim Dodson
How one woman’s passion for her Mexican heritage and traditions of ancient coppersmithing is taking the home design world by storm
50 His Corner of Paradise
By Nancy Oakley
The inspired and artful life of WinstonSalem’s Reine Cenac
60 Punch and Pleasure
By Cynthia Adams
A “Palette in Blue” produces joy in Steve and Kathy Rohrbeck’s High Point home
68 Hog Heaven
By Jane Lear
A pig picking — down-home and dramatic all at the same time. Invite the neighborhood and ice down plenty of beer.
By Katy Erikson & Leslie Moore
19 Object of Affection
By Billy Ingram
23 Hidden Gem
By Nancy Oakley
28 Designer Beat
By Waynette Goodson
35 The Garden Guru
By Cheryl Capaldo Traylor
39 Almanac
By Ash Alder
LIFE&HOME 76 House for Sale
By Nancy Oakley
79 The Language of Home
By Noah Salt
80 HomeWords
By Carolyn Strickland
Cover Photograph by Amy Freeman
72 Hunt & Gather
8 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
By Amy & Peter Freeman
Fall 2019
BHHSYostandLittle.com/927710
BHHSCarolinas.com/909058
BHHSYostandLittle.com/935636
104 Kemp Road West Greensboro
639 Hoy Long Road Winston-Salem
1515 Johnsontown Road Thomasville
MELISSA GREER 336 –337–5233
E R I N H EG E 336 –970 –3071
B A R RY H A R D E M A N 336 –420 –2837
$1,650,000
BHHSYostandLittle.com/927420
$1,490,000
BHHSCarolinas.com/932643
$1,100,000
BHHSCarolinas.com/935793
538 Montclaire Drive Mount Airy
4125 Winding Oaks Trail Lewisville
8364 Tuscany Drive Lewisville
J I M D OW E L L J R . 336 –207–1906
DONNA FIORI 336 –407– 0851
C I N DY R O S E N B E R G 336 – 650 – 8330
$978,000
BHHSYostandLittle.com/936688
$925,000
BHHSYostandLittle.com/935866
$855,000
BHHSCarolinas.com/924931
4311 Ravenstone Drive Greensboro
17 Granville Oaks Court Greensboro
686 Oak Valley Boulevard Winston-Salem
K AY E B R I N K L E Y 336 – 686 –7292
K AT H Y H A I N E S 336 –339 –2000
C I N DY R O S E N B E R G 336 – 650 – 8330
$849,000
$829,900
$600,000
Adams Farm 336 – 854 –1333 • Elm Street 336 –272– 0151 • Friendly Center 336 –370 – 4000 • Kernersville 336 –996 – 4256 • Winston–Salem 336 –768 –3300 ©2019 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.
Vol. 4 No. 3
336.617.0090 1848 Banking Street Greensboro, NC 27408 www.ohenrymag.com Publisher
David Woronoff Jim Dodson, Editor jim@thepilot.com Andie Rose, Art Director andie@thepilot.com Nancy Oakley, Senior Editor nancy@ohenrymag.com Lauren M. Coffey, Graphic Designer Alyssa Rocherolle, Graphic Designer
OFFERING A WORLD OF STYLE
CONTRIBUTORS Cynthia Adams, Ash Alder, Robin Sutton Anders, Harry Blair, Lynn Donovan, Amy Freeman, Peter Freeman, John Koob Gessner, Waynette Goodson, Ross Howell Jr, Jane Lear, Leslie Moore, Noah Salt
h ADVERTISING SALES Ginny Trigg, Advertising Director 910.693.2481, ginny@thepilot.com Hattie Aderholdt, Advertising Manager 336.601.1188, hattie@ohenrymag.com Amy Grove, 336.456.0827 amy@ohenrymag.com Glenn McVicker, 336.804.0131 glenn@ohenrymag.com Brad Beard, Graphic Designer Lisa Bobbitt, Advertising Assistant 336.617.0090, ohenrymag@ohenrymag.com CIRCULATION Darlene Stark, Circulation Director 910.693.2488 Steve Anderson, Finance Director 910.693.2497 AT THE SHERROD 1100 NORTH MAIN STREET | HIGH POINT, NC allenandjames.com | 336.886.3333
10 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
SUBSCRIPTIONS 336.617.0090 ©Copyright 2019. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Seasons Magazine is published by The Pilot LLC Fall 2019
Fine linens and accessories for the discerning customer. ________ 99 Reynolda Village Winston Salem, NC 27106 336-722-8807
________ ________ ________ ________ ________
bellemaisonlinens.com
Fall in love w ith new s tyles TYLER BOE JULIE VOS RENUAR MARC FISHER VINTAGE LOUIS VUITTON
@MONKEESOFTHEVILLAGE //
Fall 2019
WWW.MONKEESOFTHEVILLAGE.COM
2 17 Reynolda Village W inston-Salem, NC 27106 p : (336) 722-4600 M -F 10-5:30, Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 11
336-854-9222 • www.HartApplianceCenter.com
“Serving your heart’s desire”
We Service What We Sell & Offer Personal Attention 2201 Patterson Street, Greensboro, NC (2 Blocks from the Coliseum) Mon. - Fri.: 9:30am - 5:30 pm Sat. 10 am - 2 pm • Closed Sunday
Creating Custom Floral Designs EVERYDAY FLOWERS & GIFTS EVENTS • WEDDINGS
1313 N. Main St. High Point NC 27262 336-883-6249 | justpriceless.net
12 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
FROM THE EDITOR
The Cruelest Sport Planting and pruning ain’t for sissies By Jim Dodson
ILLUSTRATION BY HARRY BLAIR
A
ficionados of bullfighting and boxing both claim that their sport is the cruelest sport of all. They are certainly among the most violent. Long distance cyclists make a similar claim, noting the acute fatigue and dangers of the open road to both body and soul. I’m guessing marathon runners and long-distance ocean swimmers can make a similar argument. But as an aging four-sport athlete who has the carved-up knees and aching joints to prove it, I have my own firm ideas on the subject. Gardening at home is the cruelest of sports. Yes, I said gardening. To me, gardening is almost a blood sport, in part because every time I do it, I seem to draw blood. Three years ago this month, my wife, Wendy and I took possession of a beautiful mid-century bungalow in Greensboro’s Starmount Forest neighborhood that once belonged to close family friends and sits two doors from the house where I grew up. The Corry house was built in 1951 and meant to be the dream house of the man who built it, a talented house builder by trade known as Big Al Corry. Al and his wife, Miss Merle, raised four children in the house and Miss Merle lived in it till the day she passed on, a few months before we discovered it was on the market. Within minutes of seeing the house for the second time (the first was when she met Ma and Pa Corry many years ago), my Yankee wife fell in love with it and orchestrated its purchase in a matter of days. Being a mid-century bungalow, with the exception of an Fall 2019
updated and modernized kitchen, the house was pretty much as I remembered it from the 1970s when my mother and Merle were best chums and I palled around with the crazy Corry boys. The décor, frozen in time, included beautiful original parquet flooring, deep-shag, pale pink wall-to-wall carpeting, exotic Otto Zenke wallpaper that looked like Carmen Miranda’s heated jungle dream, an Art Deco–themed living room, a pair of gas-log fireplaces and two charming 1950s tiled bathrooms — three if you counted the toilet sitting in the vast basement. Over that first year, Wendy and I pulled up the carpet and polished the floors, repainted the walls and refreshed every room. Then we restored the fireplaces to their wood-burning original states, changed lighting and began transforming Miss Merle’s cozy den into a library for our 1,500 or so books. We also turned the garage out back with its studio-like apartment into my home office. Our objective was to bring the place gently into the 21st century without compromising its lovely mid-century vibe. In my opinion, the more daunting job — where the blood-letting part comes in — lay outside in the long-neglected yard, front, back and sides. That’s where Miss Merle’s yardman basically let Nature have her own way for nigh on a decade or more. Massive, impenetrable shrubs basically obscured most of the street-facing windows and swarmed over the east side of the house. I spent the first few months of our first winter just digging them up, donating a pint of blood and muscle to the cause, coming to loathe English ivy, out-of-control wisteria and evil mahonia bushes with equal fervor. Liberating the front yard’s beautiful SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 13
ENJOY THE PROCESS ... LOVE THE RESULTS Free In-Home Estimates • Guaranteed Quality Service! • • • •
Granite Countertops Cabinetry Bathroom Vanities Fireplaces
• • • •
Undermount Sinks Vanity Sinks Bar Top Supports Thresholds
W W W. P R O S TO N E U S A .CO M
312 DOUGHTERY ST. GREENSBORO | 336-574-2755 (MON-SAT 8A.M - 5P.M • CLOSED SUN)
1079 HANES MALL BLVD. WINSTON-SALEM | 336-765-2977 (MON-SAT 8A.M - 5P.M • CLOSED SUN)
the combination of
great skin care products and skin care services
TO RECHARGE THE SKIN FROM THE SUMMER SUN. Massage & Body Therapy | Make-Up Services Body Waxing | Eyebrow Shaping | Bikini Waxing Male Waxing | Facials | Stress Massages Lash and Brow Trimming Tom Ford | SkinCeuticals | Simon Sebag | Tory Burch | Zents The Thymes | CLARINS | BareMinerals by Bare Escentuals
Gift Certificates Available
1107 N. MAIN STREET • HIGHPOINT • 336.889.0400
www.aboutfacedayspa.com
14 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
STYLEBOOK old Washington hawthorn of decades of ivy was no picnic. But both tree and owner seemed relieved when the job was finished. We named the grateful tree “Old George” to celebrate its release from English ivy. By spring, my back was sore, but the front and side yards were a cleared canvas awaiting a new creation. Because we live in an urban forest, I planted 17 trees around the property — a variety of crepe myrtles, red buds, Korean dogwoods, Japanese maples, a trio of river birches, a beautiful harvest sugar maple, tulip magnolias and the willow tree I’d always wanted — picturing in my head what I hoped it might look like — a Scottish glen in a year or two. I also built a pair of large perennial beds to frame our curving front walkway with hydrangeas, two kinds of sage — Russian and Indian — black-eyed Susans and society garlic plants that put out the sweetest lavender blooms. Simultaneously, no fan of Bermuda grass, short of bombing the whole property and reseeding it like a rich guy’s private golf course, I spent an untold number of hours digging out the old grass and half a million different weeds by hand, carefully enriching the soil, reseeding with fine grasses and watering till the cows come home. At the same time, I started work on part of the shady backyard that sits beneath the vast canopy of old white oaks, part of which I have made significant progress transforming into a Japanese garden. The other half, as they say — is a work in progress. Formerly, this forgotten corner of the yard resembled an outtake from Jurassic Park, a jungle of pretty horse Buckeyes overwhelmed by Virginia creeper, thorny vines, dead azaleas, forgotten dogwoods, an occasional Carolina
silver bell and miles of maniacal wisteria vines. Lest husband disappear into this jungle maze with machete in hand, never to return, my practical-minded bride engaged an able young yardsman named Guillermo, who showed up to hack the jungle into submission and help me clean out the grounds for its next incarnation as an Asian hidden garden with stone pathways and a soul-soothing water feature, exotic plants and meditative spaces. All of that, I’m afraid, is yet to come. Think summer of 2022 . . . if I’m lucky. Meantime, I am comforted by how so much of the garden has come splendidly to life in this third year on the premises. My perennial border is just reaching its floral glory as I write, the 17 trees seem to fancy their permanent home and even the final patches of Bermuda grass are more or less behaving. Neighbors ambling past on their evening walks often stop to comment favorably on the change in the landscape. The Corry boys seem to concur. Yet jobs await, tough decisions must be made. Full contact-gardening may give you the illusion of playing God at times, but the work is never complete and even the good Lord can be ruthless when it comes to making a memorable garden. Cuts and bruises and sore muscles aside, I’m still not happy with the “natural” area around Old George. The ornamental grass theme just didn’t take off as hoped. I’ll probably tear out the whole area and start over next spring with something more conventional, like ornamental roses or — God forbid — azalea bushes. It’s such a cruel sport, this gardening game. But oh, how I dig it. h
INTERIOR DESIGN
R E S I D EN T IAL
martamitchell.com
Fall 2019
|
COMMERCIA L
336.665.0188
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 15
THE HOT LIST
Blue Funk
Cobalt, lapis, aqua, slate . . . runways and showrooms are singin’ the blues with a distinct Bohemian vibe By Leslie Moore and Katy Erikson
Thank you, jewelry gods! These lightweight BUDHAGIRL BANGLE BRACELETS
($65–$135) can easily go from cubicle to Coachella. Because they’re made from polyvinyl carbonate and are filled with gold dust filament, they’re weatherproof and don’t go “clank, clank clank” against one another or set off the alarm in the TSA line. Available in gold, silver, rose, pink, fawn or black — each topped off with a serenity prayer bead. OMM-azing. Simply Meg’s, 1616 Battleground Ave., Greensboro, (336) 272-2555 or simplymegsboutique.com.
The washed denim color, “Henan Blue,” creates a tactile effect on the glaze of Clubcu’s handcrafted, EARTHENWARE JARS varying in sizes to 11 inches high and 7 inches in diameter ($224 for a set of five). Tune in, turn on and drop out, simply by gazing upon the vessels’ exterior. Clubcu, Cohab Space, 1547 W. English Road, High Point, (888) 475-3030 or cohab.space.
What better than a SAYLOR DRESS to steal a sailor from the sea? Fitted and flirty, yet loose and flowing, you can be both Bohemian and chic — and turn heads at brunch, dinner or anywhere in between. Available for $242 at Monkee’s of High Point, 1329 N. Main St., High Point, (336) 8820636 or monkeesofhighpoint.com. Maxi! Maxi! Maxi! Loose and carefree, maxis have made a resurgence and we couldn’t be happier! This (Brady) Bunchedup version, with its crocheted bodice and crinkly, BLUE-BATIK-PRINT SKIRT ($29.99) fits the Boho bill beautifully. So ditch the iron and save it for pressing your tresses à la Marcia, Marcia, Marcia. Available at Target stores or at target.com.
Get in touch with your inner Stevie Nicks courtesy of WHICH ONE? JEWELRY, offering a fresh take on traditional Afghani Banjari medallions. Festooned with Native American fetishes, tassels and other details, each piece ($280) is one-of-a-kind and tells a story. Let it tell yours — loud and proud. whichonejewelry.com.
16 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Our mantra: Every home needs original artwork. And one of our faves is Greensboro’s Libby Smart, whose 46-inch x 46-inch oil-on-canvas TREETOPS reveals the blue notes increasingly apparent in interiors ($2,650). Hang ’em high as a statement piece in a roomful of blues or in a neutral space. O’Brien Gallery, 307 State St., Greensboro. (336) 279-1124 or tylerwhitegallery.com. Restraint and a soupçon of Boho come together in Lee Industries’ classic, 1935-01 CLUB CHAIR covered in the Theo Indigo fabric, ($2,142). The brainchild of Lee’s in-house textile designer, the print was converted from a vintage African mudcloth and digitized so that it would pair with the chair’s clean lines, bringing an element of style without the slouch.. Through Aubrey Home, 3500 Battleground Road, Greensboro, (336) 617-4275 or aubreyhomedesign.com; All Through the House, Reynolda Village, Winston-Salem (336) 777-1000 and Meg Brown Furniture, 5491 U.S. Hwy. 158, Advance, (336) 998-7277 or megbrown.com. Fall 2019
STYLEBOOK
Bohemian style means never having to say you’re sorry. Go for it with the oversized ROSEWOOD CARDIGAN from Cupcakes and Cashmere ($148), great for layering and adding texture, especially when there’s a chill in the air. Upgrade it with an OVERSIZED TOTE ($120) that not only spruces up a T-shirt and jeans but also accommodates a laptop, diaper bag or both! Sweater: Nitsa’s Apparel, 107 South Stratford Road, WinstonSalem, (336) 725-1999 or nitsas.com and revolve.com. Tote: Monkee’s of High Point, 1329 N. Main St., High Point, (336) 882-0636 or monkeesofhighpoint.com.
Lacefield Designs is one of our go-tos for pillows, an easy way to spruce up your space. Rest your weary head on this 22-inch x 22-inch Moroccan-inspired HIDALGO INDIGO ($225) accent piece with a zigzag top stitch against a palette of rich blues and grays . . . and lose yourself in tagine dreams. Lacefielddesigns.com.
So that’s where your love beads from 1969 went! Get your Boho on subtly without, er, throwing shade at traditional elegance with ARTERIORS’ TULANE CHANDELIER ($3,215). The Empire-style fixture eschews the usual crystals for wooden beads to cast a soft glow in any room no matter its hue. Available through L. Moore Designs, lmooredesigns.com.
Get a jagged little thrill by pairing skinny jeans or a mini skirt with this military-inspired COMBAT BOOT ($160) from Dolce Vita. A staple in closets around the world, it’s also great for giving a maxi dress a casual edge. dolcevita.com.
Feeling risky? Then go full “BoHOMEan” and bliss out with an entire room done in this fab WALL COVERING FROM PHILLIP JEFFRIES, Kinship 2555 Indigo Artisan ($156 per yard). Available through L. Moore Designs, lmooredesigns.com Fall 2019
Katy Erikson left, is owner of Monkees of High Point. Leslie Moore, right, is owner of L. Moore Designs
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 17
We do it all, so you can love it all. We design beautiful, functional spaces—and provide the quality products to finish the look. Best of all, our licensed, insured, locally owned and operated Re-Bath teams complete projects in days, not weeks. Schedule your free in-home consultation today.
Proudly serving Proudly servingthe theTriad. Triad. NC 27408. Visit our our showroom showroomatat2701 2701 Branchwood BranchwoodDr., Dr.,Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27408.
336-525-9583
REBATH.COM NC GC License No. 59212
Complete Bathroom Remodeling Tub & Shower Updates Aging & Accessibility Solutions
NEW, VINTAGE, REPURPOSED AND ORIGINAL PRODUCTS 1 3 1 We s t F o u r t h S t r e e t Winston-Salem NC 27101 www.fourthandtrade.com 336-893-8320
18 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
STYLEBOOK
OBJECT OF AFFECTION
Memories of Montaldo’s And how a sofa became more than just a piece of furniture
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN KOOB GESSNER
By Billy Ingram
A
lthough its been gone now for almost a quarter century, Realtor Barry Hardeman enjoys reminiscing about Greensboro’s most sophisticated women’s ready-to-wear and millinery shop and its magnificent accoutrement. “When Greensboro was younger, you had your regular department stores —and then there was Montaldo’s.” As a youngster in the late 1950s, Hardeman would accompany his mother on shopping excursions at Montaldo’s two-story palace of haute couture, fronted by five enormous display windows curving around the corner of North Elm and Gaston (now Friendly). “When ladies went in to shop they generally had a salesperson that was their go-to person,” Hardeman says of the Montaldo’s experience. “They would take customers around to any areas in the store, then stay by their side to help them shop the way you would today at Neiman Marcus.” Fall 2019
Montaldo’s on Fourth Street in Winston-Salem (where a/perture cinema is today) had been selling furs, sportswear, and ladies hats for more than a decade before the two sisters, Lillian Montaldo Doop and Nelle Montaldo Reed expanded into Greensboro in 1933. It was Nelle who managed the Greensboro emporium, situated for the first few years on the ground floor of the Jefferson Standard Building. Nelle traveled the world procuring one-of-a-kind furnishings to decorate the shops. “They were truly fine antiques,” Hardeman recalls. “She had a collection of Murano glass chandeliers that were out of this world.” The Winston and Greensboro locations had their own distinctive look but, Hardeman notes, “They were both very upscale, considered elite in their day, carrying everything from cosmetics to women’s intimate apparel and anything in between.” Early on, there was one highly unusual sofa in the couSEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 19
FORSYTH PLASTIC SURGERY www.forsythplasticsurgery.com
OUR GOAL IS FOR YOU TO FEEL LIKE YOURSELF. As you age those little wrinkles and lines, as well as that extra padding around your waist, can make you appear older than you feel inside. Let’s do something about it. Drs. Fagg, Schneider, Kingman, Lawson and Branch are local, experienced, board-certified plastic surgeons. Making women and men look and feel their best is what we do. To schedule a consultation, please call us at 336-765-8620.
Breast Lift Facelift Mommy Makeover Abdominoplasty Rejuvapen Exilis
Liposuction Arm Lift/Brachioplasty Thigh Lift Fat Transfer Buttock Contouring Injectables
Consignments Welcomed!
ANTIQUES | VINTAGE | DESIGN ACCENTS | FARMHOUSE Near Hanes Towne Village, Just off Stratford Road | 312 Harvey Street • Winston-Salem, NC Monday-Friday 10-6 | Saturday 10-4 | 336.829.1173 | facebook.com/carolinavintiques
20 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
STYLEBOOK turier section of the store that captured Hardeman’s imagination, one that ladies lounged on while models strutted around in the latest fashionable evening gowns, wraps and wedding dresses. Inevitably, when his mother was shopping at Montaldo’s and paused momentarily to rest, “She would somehow gravitate to that sofa,” Hardeman says. “I remember being fascinated by it; there’s a merman carved on one end and a mermaid on the other. I can still remember sitting on it with her as a kid. Of course, I had to be on my best behavior.” Montaldo’s vacated downtown in 1976 to anchor the new Forum VI mall, adjacent to Friendly Center. “They moved all of the antiques into that store and set them up in a more modern setting,” Hardeman explains. While the Greensboro Montaldo’s was prospering in the 1990s, other outlets around the state and Southeast, even as far away as Colorado were seriously underperforming. The department store chain was liquidated in 1995. The new owners, Coplon’s, wanted nothing to do with those magnificent antique furnishings that lent such an air of sophistication to the Gate City for so long. “Everything was sold in a sealed bid situation to patrons of the store,” Hardeman reveals. “It wasn’t open to just anyone. Although, I seriously
doubted my bid could compete with some of the other wealthier customers of the store.” Surprised with the news that he had submitted the winning bid, Hardemann didn’t hesitate, “I went right over and we loaded it up. The sofa weighs a ton. It’s carved walnut so it’s extremely heavy.” It became a centerpiece in the home Hardeman shared with his his longtime business associate and life partner, Tom Chitty. “It’s been recovered twice in its life with us, and it’s still a fixture,” Hardeman says. Chitty passed away in 2017. “I live alone now,” Hardeman says. “But whenever I entertain or have people over they always want to sit on it, touch it and feel it. The carving is extraordinary. That’s the joy of owning wonderful things, sharing them with other people.” Over the holidays one year, “I was finishing up in the kitchen,” Hardeman recalls. “When I saw my mother stretched out taking a nap I thought, ‘That’s the reason I have this sofa; it was meant to be.’” h A native of Greensboro, Billy Ingram recalls following his mom around the store while she shopped at Montaldo’s
Rare, One-of-a-kind Art and Antiques for Every Price Range For over 40 years, we have specialized in estate settlement. Your fine consignments appreciated. Come see us today.
664. S. Stratford Road Winston-Salem
Less than 1 mile from Trader Joe’s!
Fall 2019
336.765.5919
www.LastersFineArt.com
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 21
PHOTO: NANCY RAY PHOTOGRAPHY
T H E B A R N at R E Y N O L D A V I L L A G E
in The Heart of the Reynolda Historic District
CORPORATE FUNCTIONS | SPECIAL EVENTS | WEDDINGS
WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA 336.758.BARN www.reynoldabarn.com
22 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
STYLEBOOK
HIDDEN GEM
Feats of Clay
Curry Wilkinson Pottery revives an artisanal tradition of Alamance County
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN KOOB GESSNER
By Nancy Oakley
T
here’s something vaguely familiar about the raised, sweeping leaf pattern adorning a vase, as if it were fashioned centuries ago — if not for the contemporary look of the vessel’s tall height, clean, narrow lines and curves, and slate-blue color. It stands out among unfinished pots and lids with similarly clean lines, some ornate, some plain, all neatly arranged on unfinished 6-foot boards in a two-car garage. “You can make something so that it looks like it was made in the 18th century, but put a modern spin on it,” says Sarah Wilkinson, pointing to some classic pieces of North Carolina pottery lined up on the mantel of her Burlington home that her cat, Merlin, likes to use as an obstacle course. Blending old and new trends, she says, “is what Curry likes to experiment with.” She and her husband, Curry Wilkinson, owners of Curry Wilkinson Pottery, are breathing new life into the pottery-makFall 2019
ing tradition that once thrived in Alamance County — though carrying on the cultural legacy has been a serendipitous route for both Wilkinsons. Growing up in the environs of the Haw River near Orange County, Curry developed a passing interest in the pottery that his mother collected. “Not a huge collection,” he recalls, “But she would always rotate pieces in and out.” He would accompany her on trips to Seagrove, “and that was always cool,” he recalls. At his alma mater, East Chapel Hill High School, he took a couple of pottery classes, among other subjects, such as metalworking. But like most busy teenagers, he turned his gaze to other pursuits, such as tennis. Sarah, meantime, was all too familiar with pottery, tagging along with her mother to Seagrove — reluctantly. “I actually hated it,” she says with a sly giggle. “My parents had it, and I’m like, ‘Why do you have all this pottery?’” She did, however, SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 23
No one noticed the rambling speech, No one noticed the presentation ran long, But they all remembered the food! If you are planning an event soon...
Leave the catering to Pepper Moon! www.peppermooncatering.com | 336-218-8858
Unique gift, décor, entertaining and gardening items. For the well-appointed home, inside and out.
1900 N. Main St., Suite 124 | High Point, NC 27262 | 336.804.5599
24 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
THIS IS GOING TO BE YOUR HAPPY PLACE
Fall 2019
STYLEBOOK
entertain a passion for antique furniture and history that continues to this day, and like Curry, she was a tennis player. Oddly enough, during their growing-up years, the two never met, though Sarah thinks their paths might have crossed at some point. By the time she graduated from Southern Alamance High School in 2011, bound for Carolina where she would earn a bachelor’s degree in art history with a concentration in medieval art, Curry was ensconced at UNCG studying psychology. And then in his last semester, the spark of interest he’d had in working with clay was reignited when he took a class with an instructor, Ibrahim Said. “His pieces are incredibly intricate. Large pieces. Carved. Very Egyptian. So that’s what kind of got me back into it,” Curry explains. After graduation he worked for a bit, but his brain was buzzing with ways he could learn more about pottery “without having to go back and get a master’s or another bachelor’s degree.” Once again, his mom came up with an idea: Why not apprentice with Pittsboro potter Mark Hewitt? As it happened, Hewitt had already engaged someone but suggested another potter who had studied under his tutelage who might need an extra pair of hands. So Curry made the trek to Randleman to talk to Joseph Sand, and two weeks later, in the fall of 2014, started his apprenticeship. The arrangement, as Sarah notes, “is really kind of a unique thing, because wood-firing [pottery] is unique. You have to learn it from someone. You can’t learn it from YouTube videos.” And under Sand’s direction, Curry learned every aspect of the craft from the bottom up. “Basically, I would do chores around the place. Get everything ready for pottery to be fired, pottery to be made,” he recalls, “mixing glazes, prepping clay, cleaning up the kiln.” He learned which Fall 2019
woods fired best (slow-burning hardwoods at the beginning of the process, easily combustible pine toward the end), and how to distribute pots in the kiln so that the heat is distributed evenly among them. He also loaded smaller pieces into the kiln and fired it. “And once that was done, I’d make pots for him to be sold under Joseph Sand Pottery,” Curry says. During this time, Sarah’s mother, ever the pottery enthusiast, had visited Sand’s operation in Randleman. “She had actually met Curry,” Sarah recalls. “She was like, ‘You’ve got to come out!’” Sarah agreed — reluctantly, of course — and at Sand’s spring kiln opening in 2015, a spark of a different sort was ignited. As she got to know Curry, Sarah began to rethink her distaste for pottery. “I realized what it took to make it,” she admits, expressing admiration for her husband’s tireless throwing of clay again and again until a piece has such fine consistency that the final, fired product is lightweight. She began to marvel at his constant experimentation with glazes, designs and decoration, particularly slip-trailing, applying liquid clay to a piece, much like icing on a cake so that the ornamentation is raised after it’s fired. Then her art history background kicked in, “and I started researching some of the old pottery, the Alamance County pottery, because I’m from here,” she says. She recalls surnames of schoolmates when she was growing up — Albright, Loy, Boggs, Turner — but at the time she didn’t realize how prominent they were. “I had no idea that was a tradition here. You don’t hear about it,” she says. Sad to think, considering Alamance County, specifically its St. Asaph’s district to the south, “was one of North Carolina’s most important ceramic centers,” says Robert Leath, director of Research & Archeology and chief curator at Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) in Winston-Salem. “Its Germanic potting tradition began with Jacob Albright in the 18th century and continued through his Loy family descendants deep into the 19th century,” he adds. Several of Solomon Loy’s pieces stand out among the exhibits in MESDA’s William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery: bright reddish-orange earthenware plates and pots bearing ornate cream, dark brown and brilliant green decoration raised flourishes such as stripes, speckles or wavy lines — slip-trailing, the same technique that Curry Wilkinson favors in his works. These Alamance potters, says Leath, “were incredibly skilled craftsmen, and the beauty of their work speaks for itself.” How is it, then, that their legacy become lost to later generations, like Sarah Wilkinson’s? Speculations abound: Was it because a portion of St. Asaph’s fell under the aegis of Orange County after it split off from Alamance? Was industrialization the culprit, siphoning off artisans as a labor source for area mills? Did the celebrity of Jugtown and Old Salem eclipse other North Carolina pottery traditions? After all, the ornate slipware of Alamance’s potters was, until recent years, attributed to Salem’s craftsmen. Thanks to kiln excavations in Alamance County, most notably by Linda Carnes-McNaughton, PhD., and painstaking research by several other local and regional scholars, Alamance potters are getting their due. Sarah points out that many of them were full-time farmers who made pottery when growing season was over. She’s heard rumors from folks in the area of other old kiln sites and pottery shards not far from her and Curry’s rural home — her childhood home, as it happens. “My grandfaSEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 25
YOU’LL LIKE LIVING WITH US!
Discover Smith Brothers and other fine lines of custom furniture at Bowen Town & Country
off Stratford Road near Hanes Mall Monday - Friday 9-6 | Saturday 9-5 | Sunday Closed
www.BowenFurniture.com | 336.756.1360
26 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
STYLEBOOK
ther lives across the street in an old house and we looked for some pottery; we couldn’t find anything, but you never know,” she laughs. For now, home is the center of operations for Curry Wilkinson Pottery, which the couple established in 2018, not long after Curry completed his apprenticeship with Joseph Sand in 2017. With both of their dads lending a hand, they built their own wood-fired kiln — one of a very few in the area — down their shaded gravel drive, where their two dogs, Ada and Clover, greet visitors and keep squirrels at bay. Sarah left a full-time job at the State Employees’ Credit Union in Chapel Hill to handle marketing, sales — and keep a weekly production schedule on an Excel spread sheet to create enough inventory for their fall and spring kiln openings. Starting the six-month cycle, Curry will create pieces from softer clay (about 2,000 pounds’ worth, sourced from Star, N.C., just south of Seagrove and Cameron, farther east), starting with, tableware and eventually moving onto larger pieces. “I’ve got about four glazes that I’ll primarily use,” he says, “and all the different combinations that you can do with that.” He gravitates toward earthy tones and blues, and mentions another, a glaze that produces light reds and browns, and talks of using wood ash for some, and adding iron and manganese to affect burgundy and black tones for the slip. He combines the classic with the here-and-now: a mug with a traditional salt glaze, for example, might have a deep blue titanium glaze on the inside. A tumbler, also in salt and pitted with salt grains blown into the kiln, has decidedly contemporary etchings around the lip, and a green, alkaline drip glaze partially covering the salt base. “More of the art aspect of it for me is in the decoration,” Curry offers. And while the majority of his work is utilitarian, he says he’s working on some larger vases that he’s “decorating heavily,” and hopes someday to create larger installations covering entire walls. For now, he jokes, the best-case scenario “is for [someone] to buy a utilitarian piece and not use it.” Balancing the artistic and the practical is a challenge, for when Curry isn’t working at the wheel, he’s teaching part-time at Art Alliance in Greensboro and Alamance Community College in Burlington, exhibiting at various galleries, such as GreenHill in Greensboro, Alamance Arts in Graham, Pinehurst Pottery in Pinehurst and NC Crafts Gallery in Carrboro. And his muse is Fall 2019
ever active, as Sarah observes. “I’m like, ‘Curry, let’s make this and this,’” she says, turning to her husband, “And you’re like, ‘I’m going to make this and this.’” But her respect for the restless creativity that drives the potter’s hands is unwavering: “You formulate in your head constantly how you’re going to make this piece and this piece. It’s pretty cool to watch you put it in action.” She’s gotten in on the action, too, fashioning seasonal ornaments and jewelry — “a good introduction” to pottery novices — which is fired in a small electric kiln in the garage. They sold the wares at their inaugural kiln opening last fall, to favorable reception, and the website, currywilkinsonpottery.com, sees steady business. Sarah tries to stage the pottery in ways that show website visitors how they can use the pieces. Coffee mugs and coffee pots have proven popular, along with bud vases and “bakers” (covered baking dishes). The Wilkinsons have also garnered commissions for tableware. For, as Sarah points out, the wood-firing process creates subtle differences in each piece; every pot is one-of-a-kind and acquires new layers of meaning, once in the possession of its new owners. “Some people will buy tumblers to use as beer steins,” she says. Others, following the Wilkinsons on Instagram will send photos of meals plated on their pottery. “I really enjoy that,” Curry affirms, “It’s interesting seeing a piece of pottery I made here in somebody else’s house with their things, next to other people’s pottery,” he says, adding that such photos bring mental snapshots of the life of the piece “from creative conception, to decorating and glazing. Firing and cleaning and sanding and then selling.” They were preparing to sell again for their spring kiln opening having packed the kiln with inventory. Curry had been up for 36 hours; Sarah had called the fire department to notify them of the contained fire they were about to light. When all was said and done, they decided to rest. Napping in the downstairs den, Sarah was awakened by the frantic barking of the Chihuahua mix, Clover. Still in a dreamlike state, she looked out the window, “And I said, ‘the kiln’s on fire.’” Panic set in; she woke Curry, called the fire department. “It was terrifying because there’s nothing we could do. We were waiting for them and just had to watch it burn,” Sarah remembers. Curry was devastated, fearing the worst: Six months of work, lost; another kiln to build. For Sarah, the ordeal was more personal, a symbolic threat to the life they were just starting to build together; she recalled the day their families and friends gathered to break ground. The fire was put out quickly and then came the two-day wait to see if anything in the kiln survived. Luckily, it was all intact. The kiln, too, save a few tiny cracks that will need repairing. Only the wooden structure around it was destroyed and will require rebuilding. However devastating, the ordeal is a testament to the Wilkinsons’ resilience. For they were able to host their spring kiln opening in May and started another production cycle for fall, attending a craft fair in Danville, Virginia, during the summer. (They have also shown at Made 4 Market Local Makers Show at Greensboro Farmers Curb Market and Durham’s Art Walk.) They’re hatching plans to build a bigger workshop perhaps with its own gallery space. It’s a sweet irony that though their works are fragile, their bond is not. And even for the odd pot or plate that breaks, there is still a purpose. “If some pieces break in the electric kiln or whatever, we’ll throw them in the woods with the hope that someone might find them one day!” Sarah says, her impish giggle returning. And whoever discovers those fragments will be in possession of a rare find. For by then, the name Wilkinson will be a bright star, shining in the pantheon alongside Albright and Loy. h Curry Wilkinson pottery will host its fall kiln opening in November 16 & 17, and again on November 23 & 24 (their second wedding anniversary, as it happens). For more details or to order pottery online, please visit currywilkinsonpottery.com, or follow the Willkinsons on Facebook at facebook.com/currywpottery/. SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 27
STYLEBOOK
DESIGNER BEAT
Design with Purpose For Austin Rese, the business is about more than just pretty rooms By Waynette Goodson
D
uring my stint as editor of Casual Living and Exterior Design magazines, I kept hearing the name “Austin Rese” as something of an upscale designer with a high-profile clientele. When I caught up with him to schedule this interview, he didn’t have time to talk: He was in Indianapolis planning a dinner party for 1,000 people. One-thousand guests! I couldn’t wait to hear all about this swank affair. And who could it be for? Austin meets me at Green Joe’s coffee shop in Greenboro, smartly clad in a blue-and-white-checked button-down and khakis. The only thing that screams designer: wildly colored socks
28 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
peeking from his loafers. He’s so soft-spoken that I have to ask him to hold my phone and speak directly into the recorder. It turns out that it was a private party for a group of highschool girls who were running a state track meet, he says. “They did so well that they will be at the national track meet here in Greensboro. And one of the girls happens to be my niece.” That’s the down-to-earth Austin, the purposeful man who will put aside all 14 projects that he’s working on — he’s a “oneman band” with no staff — to help out family. Then I ask him what he’s doing that’s not in the great metropolises of Greensboro, High Point or Winston-Salem. Fall 2019
“One of the larger projects is a restaurant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he says. It’s a connection he made several years ago when working on a project with an architectural firm in New York: “The project happened to be a new home for King Faisal’s daughter. She and I became friends, and she is now interested in developing a new brand of restaurants.” The idea is for Austin to conceive the prototype for that restaurant, which will open in the Middle East, and if it does well, expand from there.” The princess requested a color palette of bright magentas, purples and metallic gold. Yet she also wanted to blend in natural tones. “Immediately my head was spinning,” Austin admits. “I thought, ‘Is this going to be tree-hugger or disco queen?’ So, it’s a mix of the two, and she loves flowers, so the ceiling will have a serpentine trail of flowers hanging upside Fall 2019
down that will take you from the front reception area to the back olive bar.” Live flowers? I ask naively, thinking of the opulent, flower-bedecked Wynn Las Vegas, led by Roger Thomas, executive vice president of design. “Certainly Roger Thomas’ beautiful work is an inspiration for many projects,” Austin says smiling. Much, much closer to home, he’s designing a new estate in Highlands, N.C. The house started out at about 12,000 square feet, and now it’s grown to 18,000 square feet. “It has a view to die for, simply gorgeous,” Austin says. “It is being done in Old World Tudor style, and the interior is not the stereotypical horns and pinecones. It’s much more elegant than one would first imagine.” At the same time, he’s working on a recording studio in Burbank, SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 29
STYLEBOOK California. “It happens to be a studio that’s been used in the past by legendary jazz musician, Herbie Hancock, Jewel and the Red Hot Chili Peppers,” Austin says. “It’s been fun, a much different mindset. In that industry, folks go to work when the sun sets and go to bed when the sun rises.” His design philosophy is simple: “I help people create their own style that’s unique to them and their needs. And that’s the same for the restaurant in Riyadh and the home in the Highlands.” To have such a prolific career, it’s surprising that he didn’t start out on the interior designer track. His dream was to become a set designer for motion pictures. “I was born in a tiny little town, New Palestine, outside Indianapolis, with nothing but corn and cows for days,” Austin says. “Everybody knew everybody, and I went to kindergarten through 12th grade in the same building.” Sadly for him, no one in the Midwest knew how to get into the movie business. “So, they said, ‘Why don’t you go the route of an interior designer,’” Austin recalls, “and I thought that would be something to fall back on.” His senior year at Butler University, he did an internship for a small, still photography studio in Indianapolis. Those in charge were former photographers at Alderman Studios in High Point. “They told me a great place for a young designer to learn a lot and see a lot would be Alderman Studios,” Austin says. “So as soon as I got out of college, I sent my resume and within two weeks I was hired and living in North Carolina.” The time at Alderman paid off. “The vast majority of furniture catalogs from all over the country were shot there,” Austin says. “My particular account was Woodward & Lothrop in Washington, D.C., a landmark store.” Meanwhile, Schumacher, the wall-covering and fabric company, became another big client. “At that point, wall covering happened to be another very big industry, so all of those pictures you saw in the wallpaper books had to be shot
Kim Taylor & Company Designing Throughout The South
FALL FAVORITES! Autumn annuals, cool-season veggies, trees & shrubs, garden supplies and gifts
Now offering Society Social furnishings!
Interior Design Services Available
Visit our retail store, where we carry home décor, gifts and fashion! 153 S. Stratford Road Winston-Salem, NC 27104 (336) 722-8503 @kimtaylorco Photos courtesy of Society Social
30 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
701 Milner Dr. Greensboro 336-299-1535 guilfordgardencenter.com
Fall 2019
STYLEBOOK
somewhere, and the vast majority of them were shot right here in the Triad at various homes or in studio,” Austin says. Working in the epicenter of the furniture world, High Point, Austin soon realized showroom work was inevitable. In 1989, he went out on his own as a freelance designer and started working with manufacturers such as Thomasville and Pennsylvania House furniture. “Eventually I took the job of being the showroom designer for MaitlandSmith, and at that point, it was quite a large company coming out with 500 new products per year,” Austin says. “My job was to design the 50,000-square-feet showroom every six months to be new, fresh, attractive and on point again.” Soon Austin began getting inquiries for residential design work, as well. “I did a project in New York, the original Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue,” he recalls. “It has incredible views of Central Park and all of Fifth Avenue up and down. They call it the ‘rubies and diamond’ view because you get the headlights and taillights both.” In 2008, his career skyrocketed when he was asked to lead the residential division of Gabellini-Sheppard Associates, an architecture firm in New York. It was there he gained experience working with major fashion designers such as Vera Wang, jewelry designers including David Yurman and Saudi royalty, as in King Faisal’s daughter. “The standard was, we started at 8:30 a.m. and we may finish around 1 to Fall 2019
2 a.m. the next day, seven days a week,” Austin says. “No one broke for lunch and few broke for dinner. I lost 18 pounds in three months. It was an eyeopening experience.” Working so hard, he was actually unaware of the Great Recession, until friends from High Point, Greensboro and Winston-Salem started telling him about losing their jobs. “I said to myself, ‘What can I do to bring some of these jobs back to our own neighborhoods?’” Austin says. “So, I decided to create VALOR American Home, and I came back to the Triad. I said good-bye to my projects in New York in 2010 and started to put together a brand of home furnishings in which every single part of it is made in the United States.” Austin traveled across the country assembling a list of manufacturers who operate in a sustainable way and also produce high-quality product, from upholstery and area rugs to lighting and case goods. Many of the accessories he designs himself. Proceeds from each sale benefit one of three charities, designated by the customer: Blessings in a Backpack, NEADs (National Education for Assistance Dog Services) and National Alliance Against Homelessness. Thus, VALOR stands on four cornerstones: 1) Made in the U.S.A., 2) Designed in the U.S.A., 3) Good for the U.S.A., and 4) Giving to the U.S.A. To check out the line for yourself, go to valoramericanhome.com. “I believe in the long run, we will be judged not by what we have accumulated SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 31
GREENSBORO:
WINSTON-SALEM:
1602 Landmark Center Dr. 336.855.3393
700 Hanes Mall Blvd. 336.765.3336
LaZboy.com
32 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
STYLEBOOK in life, but instead, by what we have done for others,” Austin says. “It is my hope that the talents God has given me improve the lives of others in some way.” h Waynette Goodson is an associate creative director at Pace Communications. She fancies herself to be a designer, but in truth her house is filled with tchotchkes from her 16 years as a travel journalist
In His Own Words Austin Rese dishes on current trends and pet peeves Trending: For the past maybe 10 years, I’ve seen a big push toward
contemporary. Midcentury modern has been big — it’s all very abstract and contemporary. Colors are neutral with a pop of spa blue or bright orange.
Forecast: Ultimately things come full circle, so the next big thing will be a sprinkling of traditional again. Whether that’s 18th-century or French or Italian, it will come back in some degree. We may see damask patterns or toiles again, but with a fresh twist to them, a fresh coloration. Maybe even something with a wink to it. Pet peeves: One of the most important elements about design is scale. Whenever I see something under-scaled, when things have been placed too small . . . that drives me crazy. Also, someone who doesn’t understand the statement of what you leave out is just as important as what you put in. Those who overdo things. It’s always better to hold back than to just let go.— W.G.
Combination CREATE THE PERFECT
Ashley Interiors
WINSTON SALEM’S L ARGEST & BEST SELECTION OF
ORIENTAL RUGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
TRADITIONAL • TRANSITIONAL • CONTEMPORARY
METROPOLITAN RUG CENTER
WE OFFER PREMIUM CLEANING AND REPAIR
OFFICIAL DEALER FOR:
LUXURY FOR EVERY BUDGET
UP TO EXTRA 30% OFF DISCONTINUED ITEMS 310 South Elm Street High Point, NC 27260 336-889-7573 | Mon – Fri 9-5 | Sat 10-4
www.braxtonculler.com Braxton Culler showroom will be closed for the International Home Furnishings market - MARCH 18TH – APRIL 13TH
Fall 2019
1401 S. STRATFORD RD. | ONE BLOCK FROM HANES MALL
336.659.1400 | METRUGS.COM | INFO@METRUGS.COM M-F 10-6 | SAT 10-5
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 33
Let us show you how good your house can look at night!
Working with buyers and sellers in the TRIAD area for over 30 years. Call me for all your Real Estate needs!
LED Lighting Systems Starting at
1,499
$
THE TRIAD’S #1 OUTDOOR LIGHTING COMPANY • PROVIDE SAFETY AND SECURITY • ACCENT YOUR HOME AND LANDSCAPING INVESTMENT • EXTEND YOUR LIVING ENVIRONMENT INTO THE EVENING • LIFETIME WARRANTY ON INSTALLATION • WE CAN REPAIR & SERVICE ANY LIGHTING SYSTEM • CREATE A “BACKYARD RESORT “ EFFECT • NIGHT TIME DEMONSTRATION AT YOUR HOME
We professionally design, install and maintain outdoor lighting systems.
Call 336-403-1580 Today! www.CLLTRIAD.com
336.345.4046 | linda.mitchell@allentate.com | lmitchell.com
From Our Kitchen To Your Table For 30 Years Incorporating Southern Heritage through Natural Stone Veneers
www.MarshallStone.com 8605 Triad Drive Colfax, NC 27235 (336) 996-4918
10730 Virgil H. Goode HWY Rocky Mount, VA 24151 (504) 483-2737
• Gourmet to Go Meals • Full Service Catering • Wine Shop • Table Linens & Gifts
• Old Fashioned Cheese Straws • Moravian Chicken pies
50 MILLER STREET • WINSTON-SALEM, NC 27104 • 336.722.1155 • WWW.SALEMKITCHEN.COM
34 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
STYLEBOOK
THE GARDEN GURU
Come Sit a Spell! In praise of garden benches
ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREL HOLDEN
By Cheryl Capaldo Traylor
E
very garden needs at least one good bench, a place to pause and rest our world-weary souls, and a spot to dream and plan for the future. If it’s true that gardens are extensions of our homes, they should provide as much comfort and pleasure as our interior spaces do. Thoreau wrote: “I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.” I have a similar arrangement in my garden. Three main sitting areas punctuate my backyard: Bill’s Bench, the pergola swing, and an eclectic grouping of chairs and benches surrounding the firepit. Each place provides a unique mood and experience as I sit and linger on welcome autumn days.
Fall 2019
Solitude
“Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us. We need . . . spates of time sitting on park benches, observing the mysterious world of ants and the canopy of treetops,” advised Maya Angelou. When I withdraw from my cares, there’s a special bench in my garden ready to receive me. I spend a good amount of time sitting on Bill’s Bench, given to me by my brother, Bill, before he passed away from pancreatic cancer at 57. “It’s your inheritance,” he joked. This special bench invites peaceful solitude each morning as I trudge out with coffee at first light. I sit and SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 35
Capa
home
FURNITURE, RUGS & ACCESSORIES
L I VA B L E DESIGNS F O R E AC H RO O M OF YOUR HOME
Beautiful and inviting spaces custom designed for your lifestyle with professional planning and comfortable furnishings for any size home.
319 - 329 North Main Street High Point 336.885.9999 capahome@yahoo.com
36 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Interior Design Showroom and Home Furnishings Come visit us Monday through Friday 9 to 5 or call for an in-home appointment
Diane Lackey, IDS • Eric Lackey, IDS 509 Randolph Street, Thomasville • 336-476-3223 www.decoratorsedge.com
Fall 2019
STYLEBOOK observe. Carolina wrens shriek, then dart beneath thick kerria shrubs. On chilly mornings, the beloved hymns of white-throated sparrows fill the air. Sometimes I pray. Sometimes I meditate. And sometimes I just doze off to gentle sleep. I nod, the goldenrods around me nod — a choreographed motion that may look like we are in common prayer — until wind chimes sing out, signaling the end of our liturgy. Time to come back to the world of work and mammon.
Friendship
Humans have been lounging in gardens with friends and loved ones for centuries. Sculptures from the seventh century B.C. show King Ashurbanipal, a fearsome warrior and keen gardener, reclining on an ornate couch beside his queen in the Gardens at Nineveh. I don’t have an elaborate couch to entertain my guests on, but I do have a pergola swing. While technically not a bench, this suspended seat is large enough to share with a friend. Or two friends, if they are tiny giggly girls wrapped in a thick quilt handmade by your mother — but that’s the nostalgic me digressing to a much earlier time. The girls are grown and have long moved out, but the swing still beckons visitors to sit a spell, to chat, even to giggle. I offer red wine on mild autumn afternoons or chilled prosecco on steamier days, often served with a snack like hummus and chips. My guest and I might discuss the symphony or new theater production, our kids, our community, gardens, animals — both domestic and wild. These tête-à-tête meetings with neighbors, or new friends, help knit a community together and establish deeper trust. On a swing, beneath an arbor covered in sweet-scented clematis, we commune.
Fall 2019
Society
As the evenings grow colder, more time is spent by the firepit. I pour a heavy measure of Baileys into mugs of coffee and offer them to my guests. Here in the dark is where the world’s problems are mulled over, discussed and seemingly solved, depending on the amount of Baileys we go through. Sometimes the night quietens, and we all sit staring into the flames thinking deep existential thoughts that we will eventually share. We do a fair amount of collective worrying about the environment, the state of healthcare, and what the future holds for our children and grandchildren. We discuss politics in our community and the world at large. We are pragmatists who gather around this handmade brick firepit, but we are also optimists. Our greatest accomplishments happen after our informal meetings are over, as we go out into the world to volunteer, teach, peaceful-protest, and create works of art and writing that invite others to think deeper, and perhaps, care more. A fiery ripple effect, of sorts.
Harvest
And what about gardeners who say there’s too much to do in the garden to rest or relax on a bench? When seated, they only notice weeds and work. “What a mess of a garden!” they bemoan, and begin pulling stiltgrass and tucking unruly rose stems. What a shame; there will still be time for weeding and pruning. But, now is the time of harvest. A time for receiving many of the best gifts that a garden offers: quiet contemplation, devoted friendships, and moments of communal inspiration and hope. Praise be; the goldenrods nod. Praise be. h
Cheryl Capaldo Traylor is a writer, gardener, reader, and hiker.
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 37
LET US HELP YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR HOME AGAIN
VIVID i n t e r i o r s
Interior Design • Furnishings • Art • Gifts • Accessories 513 S. Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27406 336-265-8628 www.vivid-interiors.com
New Garden Landscaping & Nursery has been the Triad’s trusted partner in creating beautiful, livable landscapes since 1977. Teamwork, outstanding service and quality workmanship are the cornerstones of our many long-term relationships. See what New Garden can do for you.
(336) 665-0291 newgarden.com
Subscribe today and have this beautiful magazine delivered to your home winter, spring, summer, and fall! In State: $25 (4 issues per year) Out of State: $30 (4 issues per year)
336.617.0090
or email darlenecirculation@gmail.com PO Box 58 • Southern Pines, NC 28388
38 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
Fall Almanac By Ash Alder
A
utumn is a window to a sacred temple. Look and see the Poplar undressing. She does not toil for attention, nor does she shrink from it. She simply allows her beauty in its many forms, moved by an ever-changing rhythm, the blessed pulse
of all creation. Perhaps this is what Ralph Waldo Emerson meant when he declared every natural action graceful. As Poplar spills her golden leaves across the lawn, the patio, the sidewalk, we gasp at the totality of her surrender, the magnitude of her offering, the dazzling purity of her perfect faith. Poplar is a living prayer. As we rake her fallen leaves, tidy piles awaiting compost, a lusty wind scatters our efforts. Let go, poplar whispers. We too must learn the dance of sweet surrender. In the garden, the crickets are growing silent. We dig up summer bulbs and sweet potatoes, plant fennel, dill and sage, and when a holy swirl of swallows flashes across the pale horizon, again we gasp. Swallows light on Poplar branches, and as children drum on swollen pumpkins in the patch, the hymn of autumn rises. Glory be this hallowed season. Glory be sweet autumn.
How beautiful the leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days. – John Burroughs
Sweet and Good
September is National Honey Month. According to the National Honey Board (exactly what it sounds like: an agricultural group dedicated to educating consumers about the benefits and uses of all things you-know-what), the average honey bee produces 1 1/2 teaspoons of honey over the course of its entire life. Here’s another nugget that might surprise you: A typical hive can produce between 30 to 100 pounds of honey a year. And to produce just one pound, a colony must collect nectar from about 2 million flowers. Think about that the next time you hold in your hands a jar of this pure, raw blessing. Wish to make mead? Honey, water, yeast and patience. But if pudding sounds more like your bag, here’s a recipe from the NHB:
Honey Chia Seed Pudding Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 2 tablespoons honey 2 cups coconut milk 6 tablespoons chia seeds 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Fresh berries
Directions
Combine honey coconut milk, chia seeds and vanilla in a medium bowl. Mix well until the honey has dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. Stir well and divide the pudding into individual portions. Serve with fresh berries. Add granola, if desired. *I recommend adding a few organic cacao nibs, too.
Cold-Hardy Darlings
In the garden, where feeders sway between visitors and the last tomato has been plucked, pansies paint the landscape magnificent. Named from the French word pensée, which means “thought” or “remembrance,” pansies are early autumn bloomers adored for their bright petals and cheerful “faces.” Like violets, known for their intoxicating perfume, pansies are members of the genus Viola and can bloom all through winter. They’re edible too. Add them to purple kale salads and creamy carrot soups to color your Thanksgiving magnificent, and in the spirit of Halloween, candy them. Pansies, pansies everywhere, and now’s the time to plant them. Plant in full to partial sun, six or more inches apart. Water once or twice a week, removing dead blooms to encourage new growth. And as they blossom yellow, scarlet, purple, orange, consider the warmth these cold-hardy darlings will bring to you and all who see them.
DIY Love Potion
In the 19th century, wild pansies, aka violets, were often used in love potions. Also called Johnny jump up, tickle-me-fancy, heartsease and love-in-idleness, a creeping viola by any other name would smell as rousingly sweet. Want to make your own? Pour boiling water over two cups of fresh-picked violets, cover, then allow the flowers to steep for 24 hours. Next, move them to the refrigerator, where they can continue steeping. Wait two more days, strain the infusion, then add two tablespoons of brandy or gin. Bottle, keep refrigerated, and when inspired, use as perfume or a fragrant mist for rooms and linens. You’ll love it.
Seeds of Inspiration for the Autumn Gardener:
Celebrate National Pumpkin Day on Saturday, October 26. Enjoy the quiet hour of morning, the sweet gift of Daylight Savings Time (Sunday, November 3). Sow poppy seeds on the full Beaver Moon (Tuesday, November 12) for a dreamy spring. Feed the birds. Force paperwhites, hyacinth, and amaryllis bulbs for holiday bloom. Stop and smell the flowering witch hazel. h
You can count on us to come up with a design for your dream house project that’s as fabulous as it is functional. Call to schedule a visit to our Design Center to meet our team and hear our smart and on-trend design ideas!
336.722.3625
425 West End Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC • dreammakerNC.com
It’s Back to School Season at McCalls 111 Reynolda Village Winston-Salem, NC 27106 | (336) 723-9419 Monday - Saturday 10 a.m - 5 p.m. 40 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
3354 Robinhood Road | Sherwood Plaza Shopping Ctr. | Winston Salem, NC
336.765.6545 | WWW.HUMMINGBIRDDESIGNNC.COM
SHOPPES ON PATTERSON Antiques & Interiors
Furniture • Collectibles • Consignment Open Monday-Saturday • 10-6 • Sunday 1-5
2804 Patterson St. | 336.856.2171 | www.shoppesonpatterson.com Fall 2019
Fall “I can smell autumn dancing in the breeze. The sweet chill of pumpkin, and crisp sunburnt leaves.”
Fall 2019
— Ann Drake
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 41
42 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
Long Journey Home How one woman’s passion for her Mexican heritage and traditions of ancient coppersmithing is taking the home design world by storm
O
By Jim Dodson • Photographs by John Koob Gessner
n a warm Saturday afternoon not long ago, the family of Alejandra Thompson and North Carolina furniture industry icon Fred Starr gathered at a nondescript warehouse in Greensboro to show visitors their company’s latest creation: a stunning Fireclay farmhouse kitchen sink made by artisans in Turkey. In one section of the warehouse, tractor trailers were being loaded with sinks bound for more than 3,000 signature home stores, and finer kitchen and bath retailers across the country. In another corner, a staff craftsman for Thompson Traders was putting the finishing touches on a spectacular custom kitchen display that was headed for a home show in Atlanta called Haven, an elite showcase of innovative products Fall 2019
from key “influencers” in the booming home-design market. Within weeks, several thousand more branded Sinkology farmhouse sinks will be shipped out to thousands of retail outlets that have grown to admire — and desire — the history-steeped products of Thompson Traders. These are busy days for a quiet little company born in the Triad. It is the brainchild of Alex Thompson, as she prefers to be known to many friends and associates across the region. “There’s no mystery these sinks have captured the imagination of customers,” observes Fred Starr, who joined Thompson Traders in 2008 as chairman/ CEO and has overseen the company’s extraordinary growth arc during the past decade. Starr knows a thing or two about commercial success, having guided Thomasville Furniture Industries to the top of the furniture world during his SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 43
decades as the CEO of the famous furniture company. “These sinks are really beautiful works of art that speak to the soul, unlike anything the market has seen up till now.” “We all play a role in the company’s success,” explains Clifford Thompson, the pleasant 38-year-old president of Thompson Traders and eldest son of Alex and Cliff Thompson. “But it’s really Mom who is the heart and soul of this operation. Without her, none of this ever would have happened.” “Without question,” agrees Cliff senior, a former Volvo executive and computer engineer who has served multiple roles, from chief financial officer to home-show construction boss. “Alex is the key.” “That’s the truth. She’s the one,” adds younger son, J.J., the firm’s executive vice president of operations who travels the world making deals and finding artisans who can meet the company’s rigid standards of production quality. With this, all eyes fall on Thompson Traders’ diminutive founder and spiritual muse, an elegant woman draped in white who looks decades younger than her 60-something years. Alex Thompson blushes, and waves away the compliments. “No, please, this is a family story!” she says. “I’m so honored that people seem to love our sinks. We make them to celebrate family and tradition. It’s almost like a miracle.” It all started out just 15 years ago with Alex Thompson’s simple hunch that the spirit of her Mexican ancestry and girlhood memories might translate into a nice little family business. Growing up among skilled artisans in the ancient mountains west of Mexico City helped her realize that even seemingly mundane objects like sinks and tubs became magical when they were hand-crafted from hammered copper and other natural elements. That realization — and her business acumen — have made Greensboro-based Thompson Traders into something of an industry darling and a bespoke leader in kitchen and bath innovation. Divinely inspired or not, the appeal of their soulful sinks and ever-expanding line of products lies in meticulous Old World workmanship and museumlike designs that draw inspiration from classical artistry and one of the planet’s oldest trades — the art of coppersmithing. Yet undergirding their success, as every Thompson family member takes pains to point out, is the satisfaction that their quiet, homegrown company keeps roughly 750 artisans and coppersmiths in nine different countries at work and a Triad staff of 30 workers fully employed. “That gives me great comfort to know, and a strong sense of responsibility to their families,” Alex Thompson says, as the tour of the warehouse winds down. “Since I was a little girl, you see, I always dreamed of creating a business people would love. For me, this has been like a magical journey of faith and family — a love story from the beginning.”
S
he was the youngest of 14 children in an old Colonial town called Patzcuaro, set in the ancient hills west of Mexico City where the Day of the Dead was first celebrated and local artisans and native Tarascan Indians made beautiful things for centuries Alex’s father, Rafael, was a self-made man who rebuilt the family’s fortune by making and selling soap at age 14 after his father lost everything in the Depression. He eventually rebuilt the family fortune and would go on to buy four ranches and sugar refinery, and become Patzcuaro’s mayor. “My father was the hardest-working man I ever knew,” Alex remembers. “Such a good man. I remember how he cared for the workers bringing sugar cane to his refinery. It seemed like a paradise to me.” She describes her parents as “loving but very tradition-minded,” their house always full of people — aunts and uncles, siblings, cousins. “Every Sunday there was always a big dinner and all kinds of people came to be part of it.” The year she was 11, a young American named Clifford Thompson showed up for Sunday dinner. The quiet 13-year-old from Illinois was staying with her uncle. His daddy was a celebrated organic chemist who frequently visited the region. Young Cliff had been sent down to scour the villages around the lake
44 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Family heirlooms (above) fill every room of the Thompson house, including artwork and antiques going back generations. Below, a table contains dozens of artifacts collected from all over the world. for antique bowls for his mother’s collection. “I see this young lady coming up the stairs — she was dressed in a pin-striped sailor suit with a white bow. I remember telling myself that I was going to marry her some day. This will be my wife,” Cliff remembers. He spoke little or no Spanish; Alejandra spoke no English. “I thought he was very interesting,” she remembers. “And maybe we could be friends. Patzcuaro was a wonderful place to grow up but even then I dreamed of seeing a much bigger world.” At 16, during a return trip with his family, Cliff actually proposed to the young girl who stole his heart. “I thought he was joking,” she recalls with a laugh. “I really wasn’t,” he says, smiling, half a century later. Fall 2019
The Old World dining room of the Thompson house features a 12-foot hammered copper tabletop and spectacular carved mirror handed down from Cliff’s parents.
They followed up with letters and even a few phone calls. Soon Alex, 17, was off to college in Guadalajara, where she studied psychology and resided in a house with other female students and a proper housemother guarding their virtue. One afternoon out of the blue, Cliff Thompson showed up bearing 100 roses. He asked for Alex’s hand a second time. “I was dating other boys. But our housemother told me that Cliff was the one for me,” she recalls. “I don’t know how she knew this. We were so unlike and hardly understood each other’s language.” But, she says, there was a connection, something spiritual: “Something I already loved about him. He was so smart, as unconventional as I was, a dreamer too. I could see he had a very good heart, a glimpse of his soul.” Fall 2019
Two years later, however, her pretty head was turned by another young man from a very good Mexican family. “He had everything, good looks, a wealthy background and plenty of charm — maybe too much,” she laughs. “So we got engaged. My parents were very happy.” A month before the wedding, though, Alex began to have doubts. Her father drove her to meet with her fiancé’s family. “I left a dinner party and told my sister that I could not get married,” Alex recalls. “She was horrified. Such scandal!” There were already gifts piling up and her photograph had appeared in the newspaper. “You cannot imagine my parent’s reaction when I told them. Luckily, my sister’s husband — the one who hosted Cliff when we first met — told me, ‘Alex, if you have any doubt, you cannot get married.’” It took months for the pains to recede. SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 45
Spectacular authentic Mexican cooking is one of Alex Thompson’s many talents, in a customized kitchen that features artisan-made lights and stove hood. During this time, Alex wrote letters to Cliff — by now a gifted student at Southern Cal, heading for a career in computer technology — but never heard back from him. She began to date other boys, almost giving up on her American suitor. “But then comes a letter that tells me he wants to see me and is coming to Mexico during a holy week and needs to talk with me, am I available?” “Romantic, huh?” Cliff injects with a chuckle. He arrived in Patzcuaro, she canceled her plans. He drives her up into the hills where there is a nice view of the town’s famous namesake lake. “OK,” said Cliff. “I came to see if you want to marry me. If not, I plan to take a job in Switzerland and will never come back. This is the last time I will ask.” They’d never even held hands. “When my parents returned, I tell them I have a nice surprise — I am going to marry Clifford Thompson. Papi, my father, is very calm. He simply asked me if I knew what I was doing. I told him that I did, that I truly loved Clifford. We were soul mates. My mother was not so happy.” Two months later, in November 1974, they were married in a civil ceremony at her parents’ house in Patzcuaro. The next January, they held a much larger wedding at the town’s basilica, filled with flowers and lit by 500 candles. Alex was late for the service because her Papi was in the hospital and she’d stopped to receive his blessing. He sang her a song about wanting to be remembered by his grandchildren. “I was late
46 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
and my eye were swollen from crying but it was such a beautiful service. The music was ‘The Impossible Dream.’ Everyone cried!” That same week, she received her green card and the couple headed for snowy Chicago, where Cliff had a good job as a computer programmer for Northern Trust. As their plane took off, Alex Thompson could not imagine the life she was flying toward.
A
s it happened, Chicago was in the grip of its snowiest winters in memory. “But guess what?” Alex teases. “I loved it! I’d never seen real snow. I loved everything about Chicago, too — the people, the crowded stores, most of all the wonderful museums! It was a new paradise.” While Cliff worked, Alex went sledding and visited museums. On weekends the couple went hiking, attended theaters and regularly visited Cliff’s family home on a lake in Oak Brook. “They were such wonderful, brilliant people,” she remembers. “They were so welcoming and kind to me. I loved being with them. I loved Chicago and could have stayed there forever.” In 1984, however, Cliff Thompson was offered a job with Volvo Truck Division headquartered in Greensboro. By then parents of three busy toddlers — two boys and a daughter, with a second daughter soon to be born in Greensboro — the couple purchased a pretty redwood house set back in the forest trees off Fall 2019
Cliff Thompson, a gifted classical guitarist, practices in a living room that feels more like a museum filled with native art and iconic carvings from India to Mexico.
Fall 2019
Anson Road in Sedgefield. “Quite honestly, I was anxious about what life in the South would be like,” Alex says. “Greensboro was a beautiful but small city and I feared I might not be welcome or happy here” she says. But then something wonderful happened. “One of the neighbors invited me to lunch at the country club and I met all these women who were so kind and helpful. They loved the things I loved — food, family, entertaining. They became my community, my closest friends and even helped raise my children!” It wasn’t long in this new community of friends before she met a talented English-born interior decorator named Teresa Palmer. About this same time, within six weeks of each other, Alex’s mother and father both passed away. “I was so sad. But walking with Teresa every morning helped me get through this lonely time. I knew I needed something to do with my life beyond the children, so I said, ‘Teresa, why don’t we do something together, create a little business. So we did.” Using Palmer’s exquisite English eye for colors and luxurious fabrics and Alex’s Mexican natural gift for design, they partnered in a custom decorating business, creating unique holiday wreaths, live fir trees, papier mâché figures and banners. They announced a three-day holiday neighborhood sale that sold out of goods in two, generating $8,000 profit. By the end of the decade, their “little business” called Designs by Palmer and Thompson was employing 36 young matrons in High Point, producing stunning hand-made decorations for everyone from the High Point Furniture Market to Tiffany’s of New York. When a call came from the Clinton White House, they also produced decorations for its Easter Egg Roll and Christmas extravaganza; ditto Saks Fifth Avenue, dozens of famous hotels, castles in Scotland and even several Middle Eastern potentates. In 2001, due to health issues in both their families, Alex and Teresa decided to simply close down their business. “It had been a wonderful 10 years but I felt like I’d lost a child,” Alex says. “We were so good together. I wondered what I would do next. I prayed on this every day.” The answer came the next year, in 2002, when eldest son Cliff graduated from Purdue University with a degree in business. “We were at the ceremony when mom suggested that we do something together, start a little business of our own,” he remembers. “I loved the idea because it involved going back to Mexico, where my brothers and sisters and I often went for long holiday visits.” The old towns and villages around Patzcuaro were home to a deep heritage of local craftsmanship, famous for black pottery artists, leather makers, antiquities and, especially, coppersmiths who practiced the ancient art of their ancestors. On their next trip to Mexico, mother and son split up to search out possible items to import. “My idea was a buy-sell business of handmade crafts and cool things like I used to bring back when I was a kid and sell door-to-door in Sedgefield without my parents’ knowledge,” explains young Cliff with a laugh. “My mom’s idea was even cooler.” Her heritage was calling. Alex brought home a trio of beautifully wrought hammered copper sinks. With the elder Cliff serving as the fledgling company’s banker, Team Thompson set off for the Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market with high hopes of making a splash, followed by the High Point furniture market. They sold absolutely nothing. SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 47
48 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Lovers of antiquity, the bedroom bookcases and the antique bed are beloved family heirlooms.
“Our parents have created something beyond anyone’s imagination and have a problemsolving partnership that inspires everyone who meets them — from the business world to JDFR. They are, in every respect, a true love story,” says Samantha Thompson The spectacular decorations at a recent JDRF winter gala.
PHOTOGRAPH BY LYNN DONOVAN
Young Cliff, who by then had married a Mexican woman named Martha whom he’d met in his mama’s hometown, decided to take a job working for Wells Fargo in Atlanta, but was happy to help Alex and his sister Samantha take their copper sinks back to Atlanta for the annual gift show. The unique handmade sinks attracted interest but yielded no sales. Then a colleague of Cliff’s from the bank suggested that they were probably attending the wrong show — they needed to take their sinks to the annual national builders show in Las Vegas. As they set up their 10-foot by 10-foot board foam booth in Vegas, displaying nine of their distinctive sinks, the elder Cliff calmly broke the bad news: “This is it. The last show we do. We either make it as a business or we quit.” Like manna from heaven, Alex and Samantha were swarmed by potential customers, purchasers from major companies like The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards and scores of smaller home and bath retailers. They became, in fact, the talk of the show. A big fellow from Home Depot handed Alex his card and told her to call if she was interested in visiting the company headquarters in Atlanta. Back home, on a Sunday, she phoned Mr. Home Depot. He remembered her from Las Vegas — invited her to come for a visit next Tuesday at 9 o’clock. A few days later, Alex and Samantha were on their way to Home Depot’s headquarters campus with half a dozen copper sinks and company cards Cliff hurriedly printed up himself. “We had no literature, no brochures or product information — just a dozen copper sinks in the basement,” he quips. Alex and Samantha were shown to a large boardroom with one of their sinks in tow. “A dozen polite men came in and sat around the table. “I told them about my family and the heritage of coppersmithing in my part of Mexico.” She remembers them looking so serious but interested. “Eventually they asked me why I thought Home Depot customers would like our unusual copper sinks?” The answer was obvious to Alex Thompson. “Because they are so beautiful.” They agreed, “We’d like to put your sinks in 58 of our signature stores around the country. Would that be OK with you?” “All I could think about was my family and artists back in Mexico,” Alex remembers. “This was like an answered prayer, a dream come true.” So was the entry of legendary furniture man Fred Starr, whose wife Sue suggested her husband offer his expertise to the Thompsons as their company grew and experienced growing pains complicated by the Great Recession of 2008. By that point, the Thompsons had invested every penny they had into their company to try to keep up with growing demand and an expanding workforce of artisans in places like Mexico, Turkey, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, India, Poland and Dubai. Son J.J., who was in charge of making deals and assuring quality in these faraway factories, once had to convince their factory partners in India to ship a load of finished sinks despite an outstanding bill of half a million dollars. “We didn’t have the money in the bank yet, but they agreed to ship anyway,” J.J. remembers. “That’s the definition of faith, the kind of people we work with.” Which is why he entrusted a former classmate, Chris DeVillens, to run the comapany’s Siakology division. “Fred joining us was a godsend,” adds the elder Cliff. “He brought a world of knowledge about contacts, logistics and marketing that we sorely needed. Also, at a time when we needed financing to keep up with production, his name opened doors with the banks.” “I had many sleepless nights,” allows the little woman who dreamed up a company and threw her heart and soul into it — including the kitchen sink. “But in my heart I knew it would all work out. If you truly believe in something and you pray for guidance, good things happen.” A friend from Winston-Salem, in fact, taught her a special simple prayer called
Fall 2019
A cool and quiet corner of the Thompson living space looks upon an expansive deck and forested yard where their four children grew up and their grandchildren enjoy a charming playhouse and zip line. “This has always been a special home to us, where children feel welcomed and encouraged to play,” says Alex. “We love having family!” the Prayer of Jabez, from the Book of Chronicles, which Alex believes “produces many miracles in lives, including our family.” Oh, Lord, that you would bless me, indeed And expand my territory, And that your hand would guide me And keep me from evil Every day since, several times a day, Alex Thompson prays the Prayer of Jabez. “I think it means you put everything you have into the hands of God, asking Him to help you make a difference in people’s lives. The success of our company, I truly believe, is proof of the prayer’s life-affirming power.” Her children and grandchildren, she notes, also say the prayer.
T
wenty years ago this winter, another life-affirming connection was made when Alex was invited by Ann Hummel, cofounder of the Piedmont Chapter of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), to apply her decorating genius to the organization’s annual fundraising gala, then in its second year. At that time, Alex was helping decorate the Greensboro Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker, in which her youngest daughter, aka “Little Alex,” danced. At 15, Little Alex was diagnosed with T1D, a disease that scarcely slowed her down but prompted a new chapter in the amazing journey of both daughter and her visionary mother. Little Alex would go on to become a Morehead Scholar finalist but
Fall 2019
choose to attend Emory University. Today, at 33, she’s a mother and top executive for Chanel based in New York, as passionate and beautiful as her mom. To nobody’s surprise, Alex and Cliff took on the job of designing and engineering the JDRF’s annual gala, alternately staged in Winston-Salem and Greensboro every January, an artistic feat that has dazzled gala guests and helped raise record amounts of money for juvenile diabetes research and treatment for 18 straight years. One evening last summer, as Cliff and Alex entertained dinner guests at their beautiful art-filled home on Anson Road, Alex revealed that the couple was already into the deep planning stages for the 20th anniversary gala, to be held January in the ballroom at the Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons. “We always want it to be a magical, big surprise — the most ambitious and beautiful thing we’ve ever done,” she said at the time. Besides, her mind that evening was in her romantic past. After serving her home-cooked gourmet Mexican meal (and some very fine tequila brought back from Patzcuaro), Alex showed her guests through a house filled with stunning artifacts from their world travels to meet the artisans who make their Old World sinks: A 6-foot carved crucifix from Mexico, a pair of ancient carved teak doors from India, hand-carved statues and a remarkable table containing scores of tiny objects, and gifts from strangers along foreign paths and roads. As the evening ended, Alex reflected on the importance of the objects. “These little things are my favorite, sacred proof that I finally got to see a much wider world,” she mused, standing by her ancient front door, forever open. h SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 49
50 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
His Corner of Paradise
The inspired and artful life of Winston-Salem’s Reine Cenac By Nancy Oakley • Photographs by Amy Freeman
I
t would likely escape your notice; in fact, you’d probably pass right by it, zipping down one of Winston-Salem’s busiest thoroughfares. And even if you were aware of this unassuming, postwar Cape Cod, painted a sedate cream color, you’d be hard-pressed to catch a glimpse of it behind a verdant screen of graceful old oak branches. But look beyond the hum of traffic and the leafy veil, and you’ll discover a hidden treasure. Like a gold nugget that emerges from pay dirt after it’s been sifted and rinsed multiple times, a treasure reveals itself only if someone has a keen enough eye and the patience to mine it. That person was Reine Cenac, who immediately saw its possibilities. “The first thing that drew me to the house was when I walked in the front door and you could see the trees all the way in the back,” he says. The backyard, an Edenic treasure within the treasure, was overgrown, its loving attendant of 50-plus years having moved on. The front porch and the roof were in disrepair. The house, which had been languishing on the market for a few years, was facing demolition. But Cenac knew its bones were good. “I thought about it, and thought about it, and I just couldn’t let it be torn down,” he says softly. He made an offer, taking up residence in January 2015, and set about reviving the place by applying a design aesthetic developed over a lifetime. A native of New Orleans, or “N’awlins” as he would say, Reine Cenac is the great-greatgrandson of Jean-Pierre Cenac, a Frenchman who emigrated to the Louisiana Gulf area from Bordeaux in the 19th century and started a successful oyster business. In time, the concern morphed from oysters to tugboats and barges, and as Cenac Towing, became a player in the gas and oil industry. As for “Reine” (pronounced “Rennie”), Cenac admits it’s an unusual spelling. Though it translates to “queen” in French, many, as Cenac has often heard, accept a broader meaning as “king.” “My mother has said when she saw it in her Bible when she was pregnant, it was spelled R-E-I-N-E. So that’s why she chose Fall 2019
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 51
52 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
it,” Cenac clarifies. “I’m glad it’s French,” he adds, proudly producing a coffee table book about his grandfather and family, Eyes of an Eagle. Among its glossy pages, filled with sepia-tone photos of boats and barges is a full-plate portrait of the serious-looking arrière-arrière-grand-père, his dark coloring and animated blue eyes so similar to his great-great-grandson’s. Ancestral calling aside, the French aesthetic of his surroundings left an indelible impression on Cenac. “I grew up loving those big old houses,” he says, and the rich history of New Orleans, not to mention its unapologetically ornate style. Think: wrought iron balustrades and gates opening into tidy brick courtyards spilling over with plants and lit with big square lanterns, dark furniture, gilt frames and crystal chandeliers adorning interiors. He remembers “playing around with Christmas garlands” as a child, creative talents further encouraged by his grandmother. He keeps a black-and-white photograph of her as a smiling young matron alongside another of his late father, dressed up for his role as a duke in a Mardi Gras krewe. “My grandmother had great taste. She had impeccable taste,” Cenac recalls. Entertaining frequently for the family’s tugboat business, she began enlisting her grandson’s help with luncheons and dinners. “So we would spend the evening setting tables and doing flowers. And so it became a thing. Then I started decorating seasonally. It just kind of evolved.” Learning by osmosis would become Cenac’s modus operandi. He says he tried not to “pattern himself” too strictly, but invoking his seafaring forebears, “let [life] take its course, then steer a little bit, let it take its course, then steer Fall 2019
a little bit.” He started out in visual merchandising for Dillard’s department store, and then felt compelled to explore another city as beautiful as his hometown. So he moved to San Francisco, where he worked in the buying department of Expressions Furniture. “I was like, ‘I’ve got to go feel this city out.’ And I did. Eight years. It was incredible.” He says that he walked everywhere: “So great just absorbing everything.” He returned home for a bit with plans of working at a showroom that some friends were opening in St. Louis when he got a call from Lee Industries, the furniture manufacturer based in Conover, N.C. Could Cenac come to High Point and design their showroom for High Point Market? “It was 30,000 square feet,” the designer says. So he obliged, and was asked to return the following two years. “Then they brought me on full time.” And that’s how, 13 years ago, Cenac came to North Carolina, settling in the Twin City because of its deep history, the beauty of its gracious old neighborhoods and strong arts community, not to mention easy access to High Point and Piedmont Triad International Airport. He can easily catch a flight to, say, New York (particularly convenient when he designed a master suite and outside terrace for Traditional Home’s designer showhouse in the Hamptons last year). Most days Cenac makes the westward, hourlong commute to Conover. In his role as Lee Industries’ creative director, he says, “I kind of create the look for the company.” He sees himself metaphorically as sort of an umbrella — coordinating marketing, product development and fabric. “Watching to see, like I’ve always done, which direction are we going.” He extols the company, not only SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 53
for its Earth-friendly product line, but also for the way it has navigated the ups and downs of the furniture industry: by establishing collegial relationships with dealers and emphasizing buying local and engaging area artisans through its “Lee Loves Local” forum. Living and working in North Carolina’s furniture industry has given added dimension to Cenac’s aesthetic. Fused with the lushness of his New Orleans heritage are understated notes, both styles blending together in his renovated Cape Cod. Locals knew it as “the barn-red house,” says Cenac, referring to his dwelling’s former dark crimson exterior and gray trim. Though it was built in the early 1950s for a physician, it was the Kelly family — J. Patrick Kelly, former executive news editor of the Winston-Salem Journal and Sentinel, his wife, Jane, and their three children — who occupied the house starting in 1960. After the children left the nest and her husband died, Jane Kelly stayed on, planting the spectacular backyard garden — with its winding path among a profusion of hostas, hydrangeas, hollies and ground cover under the canopy of oak that, for Reine Cenac, was love at first sight. Little had been done to the house over the years, as the roof and dilapidated front stoop indicated. And there were many midcentury details that were well past their shelf-life: carpeting in the downstairs, “Pepto-Bismol pink” bedrooms, as Cenac describes them, mint-green closets and fireplace trim, and some compressed spaces that needed to breathe. “I tore this wall out,” he says indicating the now open space between the
54 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
front entry hall and stairwell to the living room. “So the front door seems a little bigger” and opens up the stunning view to the back. He pulled up the carpets and refinished the hardwood floors downstairs. “It was so dark with age,” he says. His base was a dark walnut stain, enhanced by adding a third Jacobean stain: “When I hit the third of the Jacobean on it, when we were testing the floor, it pulled the grain up. Now you can see the beautiful pattern.” Other major changes included the front porch, the kitchen, “an entire gut job” and opening a cabinet wall to the breakfast room that overlooks the lush backyard. To this, he added pea gravel on the muddy winding path, tamed the overgrown areas, and put in a patio of antique brick — a New Orleans–style courtyard, in effect — cordoned off with a hedge of boxwoods. Eventually he’d like to add pieces of sculpture to the backyard, maybe a large, metal eagle he spotted at a garden center. “It was huge. I can see him sitting in the middle with a spotlight on him — which could be fun.” He created a master suite with an added entrance to the hall bath, (divesting the latter of its pink tile), sealed off an odd stairway between his clothes closets to the old upstairs master and “Then I did the double hung suite doors [opening to the main hallway] And I found these old brass knobs from N’awlins, to keep with the age of the house.” He did little to the upstairs, save painting the walls off-white, even keeping what was obviously a child’s built-in desk and shelves in one of the rooms. (On a similar whimsical note, he kept an old blackand-white poster of Bob Dylan in the basement, the Kelly children’s former rec room.) “The house kind of grows as you walk through it,” Cenac observes. Fall 2019
Fall 2019
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 55
“What I love about this upstairs is, you do feel like you’re in this tight little cottage when you’re in these rooms.” They are sparsely appointed, with just enough for guests to be comfortable — and a decided contrast to the downstairs. For, after applying the rich walnut-and-Jacobean stains to its floors, Cenac “filled it with furniture.” The upholstered pieces are, as you would expect, all from Lee — a sofa upholstered in a soft, taupe Italian velvet, another adjacent in cream forming a conversation area. In the adjoining dining room, small, upholstered chairs are also in cream. These are the understated counterpoints to the more dramatic ones, such as the massive round dining room table from Italy, and a tall wooden cabinet in the far corner of the living room, also Italian. Its glass panels with pointed gothic arches were once church windows. Inside, elegant stemware glistens under an accent light and brightens up the wood encasement. “I like a risk,” says Cenac, recounting the dubious workmen from his office who moved the piece. “They said, ‘Reine, that is never going to fit in here. What are you thinkin’?’ I said, ‘No. It’s fine. Bring it in, lay it on its back, and then we’re going to flip it up slowly.’ And then we pushed it up and moved it into the corner — right under the crown [molding],” he says with a grin. There are vaguely religious artifacts scattered here and there, a nod
56 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
to the catholic traditions of his hometown: A “cathedral piece” says Cenac, likely once used to hold a basin of holy water, now contains a large, fat candle. A wooden cherub lying on his back peers puckishly underneath a glasstopped coffee table, its spindly metal legs with the Tuscan finish inspired by a Giacometti sculpture. Resting atop the table are several glass spheres, one of which, fashioned in jagged pieces of quartz, glows from the lit votive inside it (a similar quartz piece echoes in a table lamp by one of the sofas). “I remember years and years ago there was an Architectural Digest shot of Elizabeth Taylor’s house,” Cenac says. “Her coffee table was full of amethysts. She loved amethysts. So she bought tons of it and she filled the whole table with just amethyst rocks.” The overall effect of the downstairs is warm, and earthy. Masculine, perhaps, but not overbearing. “I wanted things to feel pleasantly fun, but not overdone,” the designer explains. “I do have a lot of art. But the art was instinct, and I love every single piece that I have. I mean, I saw it, I loved it, I bought it.” As a backdrop to the cathedral piece are several abstracts, one by Greensboro’s Kevin Rutan, another pops with vibrant streaks of orange and red; desert scenes on canvases placed above one of the sofas — a swashbuckling sheik on horseback, another quieter scene of palm trees and a camel — recall Lawrence of Arabia. Over the mantel, flanked by two handsome Tuscan chests is a quiet, moody waterscape Cenac bought from Trouvaille Home in Winston-Salem — could it be the Mississippi, perhaps? Beneath it are charming terra cotta figures from Bergamo, Italy, each fashioned in exquisite detail, and a little “pocket mouse” with mischievous sapphire eyes given to the designer by an artist colleague. Custom-made mirrors with metallic frames — the work of a Miami artisan — hang over each of the Tuscan chests, on which Cenac has Fall 2019
arranged vignettes, one containing the whimsical figures with serene bisque heads and industrial paintbrush bodies, by New Orleans artist Cathy Rose. “These are called Finishing Touches,” he explains. “They are quite artsy, but I love what she does.” So much so that he used some of the artist’s sculptures in the Hamptons showhouse. Working with a broker for the Lee showroom has introduced Cenac to many local artists, as well — Quaintance-Weaver’s artist-in-residence Chip Holton, for example, and a favorite, Greensboro’s Eric Knight, whose layered paintings tell stories within stories. The designer waxes poetic about a bluish-green work depicting “an Old N’awlins guitar player.” Pointing out tiny illustrations within the painting — buildings, people walking about, Cenac observes, “The more you go into the art, the more you see.” He has more of Knight’s pieces, one in the master, another in the hall bath, next to an enormous mirror, a castoff from New Orleans’ Windsor Court Hotel when it was undergoing a renovation. It’s a handsome complement to the ornate dresser used as a vanity, with a gray African granite top, its ornamentation standing in contrast to another crisp, understated detail. In place of the old pink tile in the shower, Cenac used subway tile, partially to keep renovation costs down, but what’s striking is, it’s delineated with charcoal-colored grout, a trick he learned from a fellow designer in New Orleans. “It was the easiest and the cleanest-looking. It really looks good. I was like, ‘OK. I’m doing that in the kitchen next to the stove.’” The kitchen is a textbook example of efficiency, with prep and cooking areas within reach, and a coffee/bar area at the end of the space — a boon for cooking quick and easy meals when Cenac is putting in long hours. A closet was outfitted with shelves and converted to a pantry. Cenac had a rustic set of shelves built for storing dishes and other accouterments next to the stainless SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 57
steel Kitchen-Aid refrigerator. He picks up the rustic vibe with an oversized lantern that looks as if it were plucked right from the French Quarter. Beside it, a series of sparkling gilt floral sculptures arranged neatly in Lucite boxes, the handiwork of Chapel Hill metalsmith Tommy Mitchell. There is a coziness to the kitchen, perhaps from older pieces, such as the brass antique pharmacy scale, weighted with lemons, the brass kettle, stilllife prints of fish and game, a photograph of the designer as a child, giving a comical eye-roll, as he stands alongside a cousin at a family wedding. Cenac says guests like to congregate around the slab of white Carrera marble of the pass-through, enlarged to increase the view of the breakfast room, with its whimsical light fixture made of twigs, resembling a bird’s nest — a find at the Habitat ReStore. “I wanted something kind of different in the breakfast room, Cenac explains. “And I was like, ‘You know what? I could drape all these old crystals on it and make it look super fun. Like quirky glamour.” So with a friend’s help, over a bottle of wine, they adorned the piece, now glistening with prisms that catch the morning light. “The next morning I got up and I was like, ‘That’s damn good! We did a good job!’” he says eliciting a hearty laugh. There have been plenty of laughs in the five years that Cenac has lived here. Visits from family. Good times around the dining room table, replete with wine stains — part of its character and provenance, he would argue — and long conversations on the adjoining screen porch, overlooking his brick patio. You’ll likely find him there after long days preparing for the next Fall Market, enjoying his little corner of paradise in the company of friends gathered around the red glow of the firepit, and the softer glow from the house lit from within . . . the simplest, and perhaps greatest treasures of all. h Nancy Oakley is the senior editor of Seasons and its flagship, O.Henry.
58 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
Fall 2019
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 59
Punch and Pleasure
A “Palette in Blue” produces joy in Steve and Kathy Rohrbeck’s High Point home By Cynthia Adams • Photographs by Amy Freeman
K
athy and Steve Rohrbeck’s “new” house smells of sunshine and fresh paint — the former courtesy del sol. The second, courtesy of Sherwin-Williams’ “Palette in Blue.” Out with the old — good but dated — and in with a new, muted palette, which makes for an understated makeover in this historic 1930s home. With the exception of a few concentrated, hard edits to the kitchen and master bath, paint proved to be a most transformative tool. Drying paint, which wafts down the stairs, is the home’s new, defining fragrance. By changing the patchwork of supersaturated colors in every room, they’ve created a sanctuary, which they’ve come not just to like, but to love. Theirs was a renovation, not a ruin-ovation, a term my house-flipping friend likes to use. Indeed a tour of the 3,200-square-foot historic home in High Point’s favorite neighborhood, Emerywood, confirms that it had the good fortune of being gently nudged — not radically reformed — into the present day.
60 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Before entering the traditional house via a wide and welcoming front porch (complete with a swing) the mood is set. Kathy enjoys sitting on the Stickleystyle whitewashed swing outside, which they brought from their prior home. It’s as Southern a pursuit as any. “The porch going across the whole front looks happy and welcoming to me,” Kathy says. “I look at it, and it brings me joy.” But she points to the tiled porch at her feet with a grimace. “It’s sinking.” It is on the list of immediate projects. Then she shakes her head, smiling wryly, and looks up. “This is about to be redone as well,” says Kathy, indicating the roof. She’d met with the roofing contractor to get a new roof started earlier that day. “Then we’re going to paint the outside. And put in another bathroom.” For anyone who lives in an historic house, the ongoing demands are familiar. But so is unreservedly loving a home that loves you back. The Rohrbeck house does not show its advanced age of 89; it’s being cared for, loved, and it shows. Fall 2019
Fall 2019
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 61
“Originally we planned to renovate the house we were in,” says Kathy, pouring a perfect glass of sweet but not too sweet tea. “It meant redoing the kitchen, the master bath, expensive stuff. But we would still have been backing up to Main Street.” When friends placed their house on the market in 2000, word traveled through Emerywood. “Oh, I love that house,” Kathy thought. The second day it was listed, they did a walk-through, having only been downstairs. The house spoke to them, and the couple listened, immediately deciding to leave their circa 1925 residence (which they also had enjoyed). This after only a single viewing when their property went on the market. The Rohrbecks not only loved the house but the neighborhood. Until three years ago, they were living only three blocks away. But to move only a few blocks? Kathy begins to answer and pauses, her youthfully freckled face curving into a shy grin. Yes. “I just knew,” she says. “We like old houses. We also knew the house,” explains Kathy, her grin widening. “It was the same size, the same number of bedrooms. It didn’t need anything done immediately. It was very livable.” And so, they went about their lives, largely satisfied in their “new” 1930s home. Only a few years ago, did the time seem ripe for changes. Originally, the couple were “just going to redo the family room.” She gives another laugh. “Then it turned into the whole downstairs.” They started with the living room, then decided they might as well redo the kitchen. They wid-
62 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
Fall 2019
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 63
64 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
ened a doorway into the rear of the house off the spacious center hall. Project creep commenced. The spacious house with said friendly porch perfectly suited for sitting and sipping tea was also among the earliest built in what was once considered the suburbs: affluent Emerywood. According to the history of the Emerywood Country Club, the neighborhood was developed in 1923. Kathy presents a black-and-white aerial photo of the community taken in the 1930s, which bears a credit for Curtis Wright. The photo was a gift from friends. The Rohrbeck home is among those visibly completed in the new development, which was still largely unbuilt at the time the photo was taken and shows a web of streets awaiting development. The original grid as designed is visible, with a network of paved cul-de-sacs like the one the Rohrbeck home occupies. Yet in the 1930s, few trees were evident — clear-cutting was already in practice. The executives populating High Point’s downtown nearly 100 years ago began to seek gracious homes suitably removed from downtown for their rising stations in life and, as N.C. tradition dictates, in close proximity to a golf course. They could take either their motor cars to the office or factory, or hop onto a streetcar. The streetcar tracks are visible in photos of 1930s-era High Point. Today, Emerywood’s sheltering trees, many of them planted by early homeowners, are iconic and a major charm factor, but the streetcars of the early 20th century are long gone. The Rohrbecks are equally committed to trees. Kathy says she doubts the family will ever build an addition to the rear of their house to accommodate a downstairs master, as it would require removing a massive oak. That tree, she says with certainty, would be difficult to sacrifice. Before moving in, Kathy, as Marie Kondo preaches, undertook a serious re-evaluation of their accumulated furniture and possessions. They only kept “what brings joy,” she says. “I have the Kondo book upstairs,” Kathy adds. She was unconsciously affected; however, she said she was very ready before reading it to “have much less stuff. Just having room.” Before this Kondo criterion, their home’s decor was largely the result of hand-me-downs and things that had been passed along to them. This time, the Rorhbecks were consciously evaluating what, if anything was joy-inducing. Turned out, not a lot of their years of furnishings sparked much joy. Stepping back with a critical eye, Kathy decided their things looked disjointed. And fusty. They took loads to things to the Red Collection. “We purged. Now, I think more than twice before I buy.” The couple also thought very carefully about updating a house that they already liked. “When we moved in, it was done but dated,” Kathy says. “But not terribly.” She envisioned soothing colors; her husband liked wood flooring. So did she. The couple began making thoughtful interior changes, consulting with designer Anne Bills. “She’s awesome. Easy to work with. She lives right around the corner.” “The primary objective,” Kathy says, “was serenity.” Kathy’s ancestry is Portuguese and Irish; the Portuguese side of her especially liked color, but muted. Tranquil shades of the sea and sky and natural world took priority. The apple greens, yellows, golds, melons in various rooms were Fall 2019
painted over with creamy whites, grays and blues. Kathy, a former nurse, met her cardiologist husband when they were both working at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C. before moving to North Carolina in 1992. Steve joined a High Point practice. They have a son, Jason, who is now grown and works at Southern Roots in Jamestown. They needed a sanctuary. A soothing “and happy place.” When possible, the couple did work themselves. “Steve is repapering the powder room this weekend,” Kathy says, and unfurls a coral paper. It will replace a very graphic black-and-white paper she has decided must go after living with it several years. Like some other things, the black-and-white lacked serenity. It sparked no joy and now it had to go. Slowly, the Rohrbeck made the already comfortable home their own. The prior owners, for instance had used the living room for dining. They returned the dining room to its original place adjacent to the kitchen. The living room was the first renovation project. The formerly gold-colored living room was painted a warm white that changes with the light. The furnishings mingled antiques with new, contemporary accents. Much of the art was already in the Rohrbeck’s collection, but a few SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 65
larger pieces were added. The room acquired a more contemporary, transitional feel, with tone-on-tone walls and accents of coral lifted from the French plates used on antique side chairs and pillows. Kathy loved fabrics and loved the pursuit of colorful accents. She produces a large bag of carefully labeled fabric samples she sourced from Printer’s Alley in Greensboro and other fabric outlets as the projects were underway. The samples are a complementary mix of neutrals, interspersed with corals and blues. She found French antique plates, white with coral-colored raised leaf motif that provided creative inspiration throughout the rest of the house. (Those had sparked so much joy, Kathy bought them from a High Point antiques shop and wanted them displayed on the wall.) Chinoiserie and other antique pieces made the cut but were reupholstered in less dated fabrics. Large-scale, sculptural Chelsea House sconces punched things up further, enlivening and modernizing the light-filled space. Upstairs, they recently remodeled the master bathroom and painted. More edits occurred to their furnishings. A large armoire was painted white to lighten their spacious bedroom. The kitchen, which was small by comparison to modern homes, required attention. The couple, who loved cooking and good wines, deserved the extra elbow room. Kathy knew a reconfiguration would require removing a wall and she also wanted wood flooring throughout — the white tile seemed impractical. “It had been done in the ’90s,” says Kathy. Now the kitchen opens to the family
66 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
room, which opens onto a terrace — and provides a view via a bay window of the stately oak the family values. Kathy, an especially avid cook, likes to entertain and cook for her family most weekdays. She redesigned the kitchen, drawing upon her experience. (“I watch the Cooking Network,” she says. “I love to cook.”) She now works part-time for REAL Kitchen & Market on Lexington, a High Point catering business, but primarily spends time at the front of the store, no longer cooking as she once did. Given her years working on the catering side, Kathy knew what was needed. “The kitchen I designed. I picked out the cabinets, and would pick something else out, and I would run them by Anne.” Having a designer to touch base with was very helpful, and she vetted Kathy’s decisions. She favored Shaker-style white cabinetry, with white marble counters in one section, and soapstone in another. “I had no concept of scale. I tended to go with smaller things, and she got me to see it is better to have fewer things that make an impact. Something that is larger.” As her tastes have refined and simplified, Kathy consistently leans toward simplicity in her culinary tastes, too. “Ina Garten is my favorite,” she smiles. On a given summer evening, Kathy might whip up a tomato tart, with mozzarella, basil and fresh tomatoes and salad, or something on the grill. She knows the tomato tart recipe by heart. Kathy advises using prepared pie dough, rolling it out as the base for layering on a few fresh ingredients. “Put the dough in a tart pan; then put a layer of fresh mozzarella cheese, Fall 2019
eight ounces, grated, then two tablespoons of fresh basil on top of the cheese. Then layer freshly sliced tomatoes. Salt and pepper, and grate some parmesan on top. Cook it at 400 degrees for 35 or 40 minutes.” She prepares the tart, a salad and maybe some grilled chicken — that, she says is a fast dinner. There’s another Rohrbeck-tested and go-to dish, often prepared in her sundrenched white kitchen. “My favorite dish is chicken Lombardi. When I bring a dish to somebody, that’s what I usually take. But I make all kinds of stuff,” she says. “I like to try new things.” The Rohrbecks enjoy wine and keep a cellar in the basement. “We like going to wine dinners. We’re in a wine club.” In her childhood, Kathy’s Portuguese grandfather grew his own vines and made his own wines. (They were not very good, she adds, wincing. “Very sweet.”) Her grandfather’s house, she recalls, was painted pink. She smiles at the recollection. “Pink!” While an unusual choice in the Northeast, it probably referenced his home in Portugal; he emigrated to the States when he was still a young man in his 20s. Now a colorful, Mediterranean-inspired painting in the kitchen invokes Kathy’s grandfather’s spirit, along with a soft, joyful palette that speaks of the sea and the sky. h Cynthia Adams is a contributing editor to Seasons’ flagship, O.Henry. And she, too, is owned by a house. Fall 2019
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 67
Hog Heaven
A pig picking — down-home and dramatic all at the same time. Invite the neighborhood and ice down plenty of beer.
hen my editor asked me to write about a pig picking — that is, a roasted whole hog and one of the world’s epic, roll-up-yoursleeves culinary projects — I realized I would be inviting the sort of controversy that sparks thoughts of witness protection or, at the very least, a pseudonym. As John Shelton Reed and Dale Volberg Reed point out in Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue, the problem is that, when it comes to cooking a whole pig, “there are reputable, sometimes renowned, pitmasters who would tell you something different at each and every step. Literally, each and every one.” They are not kidding.
W
Caribbean, “where Spanish explorers of the early 1500s found islanders roasting fish and game on a framework of sticks they called (in translation) a barbacoa,” Auchmutey explained, adding that the first barbecuers were typically African slaves who combined their native methods of roasting meat with expertise picked up in the West Indies. There are numerous knowledgeable websites (including those of the Southern Foodways Alliance and the North Carolina Barbecue Society) devoted to barbecue, and it’s the subject of some great books. Among the favorites in my library are the aforementioned Holy Smoke as well as Smokestack Lightning: Adventures in the Heart of Barbecue Country, by Lolis Eric Elie, and Barbecue Crossroads: Notes and Recipes From a Southern Odyssey, by Robb Walsh. What I’m trying to say is that in the space provided here, all I can do is drive slow and point out a few landmarks.
The Backstory
The Meat
By Jane Lear
“The first pig roasts were occasions for families and communities to get together, and you’ll find various renditions all over the world,” wrote Jim Auchmutey in the “Foodways” volume of The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture. The barbecue tradition of the American South has its roots in the
68 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
In most of the South, barbecue means pork, and particularly in eastern North Carolina, it means the whole hog. You can order a conventionally raised whole hog from a butcher, but if you prefer eating meat that is raised with the welfare of the animals and the environment in mind (hog farming can be Fall 2019
PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN KOOB GESSNER
especially brutal to both), you may want to seek out a local sustainable farm, or order from one such as Cane Creek Farm, in Saxapahaw. It’s known far and wide as a producer of absolutely delicious pork from pastured heritage breeds: In other words, those pigs only have one bad day. Cane Creek sells whole hogs for pig pickings, and you’ll find all sorts of useful information on their website. “Whole hog,” by the way, doesn’t actually mean the entire hog, but one that’s been “dressed” — that is, had the feet, tail, and innards removed and the bristles scraped off. Many people prefer to have the head removed as well. Be sure to get the hog with the skin on, though, and ask for it butterflied so you can spread it open on the cooker. Because you may still need to crack the ribs to open the carcass all the way, you may even want to order the pig split down the backbone into halves, which will make it easier to flip. On a practical note, a whole hog is too big for the refrigerator and most coolers, so the most common place to stash it is in the bathtub with lots of ice. Just saying. Fall 2019
The Fuel
In a perfect world, you’d start with half a cord of well-seasoned hardwood logs and burn them down, but about 70 pounds of hardwood lump charcoal is a good compromise. You’ll also want lots of water-soaked hardwood chunks to add to the burning coals for smoke. Avoid mesquite; although it’s great for Texas-style beef brisket, it’s too strong for pork. Instead, choose hickory, oak, a fruitwood such as apple, or a mix.
The Method
The easiest option is to rent a charcoal (not propane) cooker, which you can tow behind a car, or plunk down a chunk of change for a Cuban-style caja china (Chinese box), available at Williams-Sonoma and other online sources. A caja china is simple to use, but although it results in beautifully moist lechón pork, SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 69
you won’t get much of a smoky whomp. A spit-roaster is yet another alternative, but again, you‘re not going to get the smokiness that aficionados crave. If, however, you’re the sort of person who can build a raised garden bed, you may not think twice about knocking together a temporary cinderblock pit. It helps to have a truck-owning friend who owes you one, and a place nearby where you can buy supplies such as a sheet of expanded metal. (Avoid galvanized metal, which can give off toxic fumes.) It’s also helpful to have a kettle grill or fire pit to get additional coals working; that way, you can add them to the pit as needed. “The coals go in a pit and the meat is put more or less directly above them, at some distance (to keep the cooking temperature low),” explain the Reeds. “The meat is kept moist by frequent mopping (basting), and most of the smoke comes from the meat drippings and basting sauce hitting the hot coals (coals produce very little smoke on their own). It’s hard to improve on this technique for cooking whole hogs.”
The Game Plan
Decide when you want to eat and work backward. Build the pit and lay in supplies a few days ahead. Think about delegating authority for the playlist, beer, snacks and the graveyard shift. As far as the cooking goes, give yourself plenty of leeway; depending on the size of the hog, the Reeds suggest at least 12 and up to 14 hours, start to finish.
The Equipment
One or two large chimney fire starters An oven thermometer (a remote-read type is nice but not necessary) A meat thermometer Heavy gloves (for you and a sidekick) A squirt bottle of water to control flare-ups An Eastern North Carolina style barbecue sauce (see below)
The Roast ing
There are numerous how-to’s online, so I’m not going to take up space here with the nitty-gritty. But here are some handy tips from the Reeds and various other backyard pitmasters. When shoveling hot coals into the pit, put more under where the thick, slowcooking hams (hind legs) and shoulders of the hog will be. Check the oven thermometer; the temperature at grill level should reach 225–250 degrees Fahrenheit. Put a half-dozen water-soaked wood chunks where they’ll smolder, but not directly under the pig. Then put the pig, skin side up, on the grate and cover. After a while, start another batch of charcoal. Every half hour, check the temperature of the pit. If it’s dropping off, put more hot coals under the shoulders and hams and a couple of hardwood chunks off to the side. Use a shovel to push the dying embers into the middle of the pit to cook the ribs and loin. After six or seven hours, the hams and shoulders should be looking nicely browned and wrinkled. Stick a meat thermometer in those thick parts — don’t touch the bone — and see if the temperature has reached 165 degrees. Keep cooking until it reaches that temperature, even if it takes much longer. When it reaches 165 degrees, you and a friend don those heavy gloves and gently turn the pig over. You may need a spatula or (clean) shovel to loosen it first. Don’t worry if the pig comes apart when you do this. Once the skin side is down, you’ll be looking at the ribs. Generously fill the cavity with sauce, and mop the shoulders and hams, too. Let the meat cook another couple of hours, adding coals and wood as
70 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
needed, until your meat thermometer reads at least 180 degrees in every part of the animal. The rib and shoulder bones should pull away with no resistance.
The Sauce
This “Old-Time Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Sauce,” which appears in the Reeds’ Holy Smoke, is staggeringly simple. Just mix together 1 gallon cider vinegar, 1 1⁄3 cups crushed red pepper, 2 tablespoons black pepper, and 1⁄4 cup coarse salt and let stand for at least 4 hours.
The Payoff
You can serve the cooked pig as is, pig-picking style, so that guests can choose what they like — moist, tender, pale “inside meat” or the dark, smoky, bark-like “outside meat.” Don’t be surprised if folks don’t stray far from the pit, but simply stand around the carcass, picking the meat right off the bones. Or you can chop or pull the meat for a luscious mix of the two, dress it with some remaining sauce, and add in some crunchy cracklings for yet another texture. The traditional way to eat pulled pork is to sandwich it, along with a generous dollop of coleslaw, in a hamburger bun.
The Sides
Pork is the star of any self-respecting pig picking, but you (or the kind souls who volunteered) will feel obligated to round out the feast with side dishes. And although there is absolutely nothing wrong with baked beans out of a can or jumbo bags of barbecue potato chips, upping the drama quotient, so to speak, can be part of the fun. If you have a kettle grill going for those additional coals, for instance, it’s an easy matter to grill corn on the cob. Here’s how: Pull back the corn husks but leave them attached at the base of each ear. Remove the corn silk, then put the husks back around the ears. Grill over moderately hot heat, turning frequently, about 10 minutes. Let the corn cool a few minutes, then holding each ear with a kitchen towel, peel back the husk and discard. Serve with mayonnaise blended with a little of the Thai chile sauce called sriracha, the North African chile condiment called harissa, or minced canned chipotles in adobo (all available at supermarkets). When it comes to potato salad, if you are lucky enough to find honest-togoodness new (that is, freshly dug) small potatoes, with their thin, delicate skins, at the market or farm stand, there’s no reason to camouflage their earthy flavor with mayo and bits of hard-boiled egg. Simmer the spuds in well-salted water until tender, about 15 minutes or so, and cut into quarters when cool to the touch. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and gently toss with finely chopped shallot, chopped fresh thyme leaves (include some thyme flowers if you’re harvesting out of the garden) and/or parsley. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. One of the things I learned during my tenure at Gourmet magazine is the wonderful affinity watermelon and tomatoes have for one another, and I love the combination to this day. Stir together chunks of seedless watermelon and juicy sun-ripened tomatoes. Add some crumbled feta, chopped cilantro, extravirgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve on a bed of arugula or watercress or just as is. You were getting a little concerned that I was going to snub coleslaw, weren’t you? Not to worry. Coleslaw, with its coolness and snap, transcends the categories of salad, side, relish, and sandwich topping with confidence and ease. And as with other age-old dishes, variations abound. Craig Claiborne’s coleslaw (see box below) is an homage to the straightforward type you’ll find in Goldsboro, and it is hard to beat. Fall 2019
PHOTOGRAPH BY JAMES STEFIUK
Reality Check
If roasting a whole hog sounds like more than you bargained for, take heart. Especially if you are new to outdoor cooking or can’t undertake the considerable investment of time and money, there’s no shame in starting with something smaller and more manageable, like a pork shoulder. Specifically, I’m talking about a Boston butt, the meaty upper part of the shoulder that’s also called pork butt or butt end of a pork shoulder roast. A bone-in Boston butt usually weighs a good 8 to 10 pounds, and it can be cooked on the grill. Any which way, the result is hog heaven.
Goldsboro Coleslaw
Adapted from Craig Claiborne’s Southern Cooking (Times Books, 1987) Serves about 6 The last two ingredients in this recipe — a tiny amount of sugar and cayenne or smoked paprika — are my usual embellishments, but I sometimes include grated carrot as well and/or a drizzle of rice vinegar. For a tangier coleslaw, replace some of the mayo with a dollop of sour cream. When tinkering, don’t Fall 2019
forget to taste as you go. You can always add more mayo, salt, or cayenne, for instance, but you can’t remove them once they’ve joined the party. 1 small cabbage (about 1 1/2 pounds) 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise 1 cup finely chopped onion Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper A scant 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional) A pinch of cayenne or Spanish smoked paprika 1. Remove the core of the cabbage and the tough or blemished outer leaves. Cut the head in half and shred fine. There should be about 6 cups. Coarsely chop the shreds and put them into a mixing bowl. 2. Add the mayonnaise, onion, salt, and pepper and toss to blend well. Let the slaw sit about 30 minutes so the cabbage wilts a bit and the flavors have a chance to mingle. h Jane Lear, formerly of Gourmet magazine and Martha Stewart Living, is the editor of Feed Me, a quarterly magazine for Long Island food lovers. SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 71
HUNT & GATHER
Orange Dream(cycles) Cool, Fresh, Frizzin Treats in Hillsborough By Amy and Peter Freeman
W
here to go that has a neat street scene and meets our criteria — food, drink, cycling and design — with a little something extra? Amy and I recently headed east with the sun to Hillsborough, the Orange County town that is as cool and as refreshing as any twin-pop,
a regular frizzin treat. The Orange County seat since 1754, Hillsborough sits just a little northwest of Durham and Chapel Hill at the intersection of what was once the Great Indian Trading path and the picturesque Eno River. Its rich history has turned the town into a destination of sorts. Littered with architectural edifices dating to the Colonial period, the burg is a veritable vitrine for preservation buffs and lovers of place, possessing a permanence; it is at ease with time. Top of the list of must-sees for this architecture nerd: Ayr Mount, the Federal-style plantation house circa 1815.
72 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
But don’t get the impression that Hillsborough is fusty and musty. Far from it. An undercurrent of artists, writers and musicians breathes life into the old surroundings. Co-operative is the operative word for the dozen or so art galleries within the central business district. Local artists have come together to form collaborative exhibit and retail space and the result is astounding — and economically sustainable, with each artist biting off a small share of the responsibility for upkeep, allowing for a smorgasbord of artistic media. Each stop offers its own unique mix of painting, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, textiles, photographs and film. Amy and I had been on the lookout for handmade coffee mugs, and as soon as we wandered through the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts, the Skylight Gallery and the Eno Gallery, our only dilemma was choosing which, among several striking options we liked best. Four ceramic beauties fashioned by potter Evelyn Ward won our hearts and now have a place of pride in our kitchen. Fall 2019
Fall 2019
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 73
Hillsborough is also flush with nibbles and nips. Cup A Joe on West King served up a lovely coffee for Amy while I had a refreshing raspberry-Amaretto Italian soda. To fuel the rest of our day, we ducked into Radius Pizza & Pub, a cycling-inspired neighborhood hangout offering gluten-free eclectic pizzas, before having a gander at the variety of foodstuffs and drinkstuffs at Weaver Street Market and the Hillsborough Wine Company. All of these haunts and more are close to Riverwalk, a 2-mile-ish urban greenway that overlays the N.C. Mountains-to-Sea Trail and River Park along the Eno through the middle of Hillsborough. The juxtaposition of outdoor recreation — such as walking trails winding through the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area and the Historic Occoneechee/Orange Speedway (yep, in addition to its Colonial cred, Hillsborough’s NASCAR roots run deep) — and downtown urban space distinguishes Hillsborough from similar towns. With our bikes in tow, as always, we were looking for some twowheeled fun that would get the adrenaline going. We found it at the
74 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
Brumley Nature Preserve, a 613-acre preserve named in honor of the George and Julia Brumley family and their commitment to conservation. The Triangle Land Conservancy purchased the property in 2010 and has since developed a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Over eight miles of sweet single-track trails jolted our excitement and tested our endurance. With a ride behind us, we went in search of a place to chill and a chilled beverage as refreshing as any frozen pop and found it at Volume Records & Beer on Churton Street. As the name suggests, you can sip while spinning vinyl, and we discovered another frizzin treat, Southern Range Brewing Co.’s Ice (Cube’s A Pimp) IPA, which like Amy, is sweeter than you might think. I, meanwhile, fingered through and found a copy of REM’s Green album, and asked the clerk to play the most popular song on it. What better twin-pop? I got my stein, I got my “Orange Crush.” h Amy and Peter Freeman include among their pastimes, mindless wandering. Amy, a photographer and Peter, an architect, are perpetually in search of new gigs, fresh digs and fun swigs.
Fall 2019
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 75
LIFE&HOME
HOUSE FOR SALE
A Slice of History A storied manse reigns over the heart of the Winston-Salem By Nancy Oakley
76 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
W
hat’s the next best thing to living in Reynolda House, Katharine Reynolds’ estate designed by Charles Barton Keen? Why, living in another house of Keen’s design: the 1925 mansion of industrialist, U.S. Congressman and philanthropist Richard Thurmond Chatham and his wife, Lucy Hodgin Hanes Chatham. For the two scions of textile heavyweights — he, the grandson of Elkin-based Chatham Manufacturing Company co-founder Alexander Chatham, she, the daughter of John Wesley Hanes, who founded Shamrock Mills in 1901, which was renamed Hanes Hosiery Mills in 1914 — nothing less than a grand abode would do. A far cry from the low-slung Bungalow-style Keen chose for Reynolda, the stuccoed, Classical Revival colossus at No. 112 North Stratford Road dominates Fall 2019
Summer 2019
SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 77
Winston-Salem’s busy Five Points intersection from its 2.7-acre lot that some affectionately refer to as “lover’s lane.” At a sprawling 7,900–9,400-square-feet, the stately dwelling with its imposing façade, towering twin chimneys and hip roof, flared eaves and dormers garnered a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. Imagine yourself descending its sweeping staircase, lounging about in one of its six bedrooms saturated with light from French doors and double-hung windows, or entertaining guests under the sparkle of the dining room’s elegant chandelier, if not on the sweeping lawn — as the Chathams doubtless must have done. So go ahead, heed the call of the lovely old place and become, not just its caretaker, but the next one to pick up, the, well, thread, of Winston-Salem’s illustrious history. Vital Details: 112 North Stratford Road, Winston-Salem Asking price $ $1.45 million Listed by Leonard Ryden Burr’s Molly Haus: (336) 971-9084 or lrbrealestate.com h
78 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
Fall 2019
LIFE&HOME THE LANGUAGE OF HOME
Homecoming Autumn’s chill prompts a return to one’s ancestral, educational or spiritual roots By Noah Salt
F
ew words or phrases express their meaning quite as prosaically as the word “homecoming,” a word that comes down to modern usage from 14th century Middle English that simply means to return to one’s home or place of origin — but holds a world of meaning beyond that. To most of us this time of year, homecomings of one sort or another are an experience shared by various groups of like-minded folks ranging from college alumni to church groups. Every autumn, a time when one is inclined to turn inward, high school and college homecoming courts celebrate students who exhibit passion and support for the old alma mater. They typically fill up autumnal weekends with reunion gatherings, tailgates and halftime presentations at football games designated as the highlights of homecoming weekends when homecoming queens and kings are crowned. The origin of homecoming celebrations seems to be a topic that elicits no shortage of partisan debate. Harvard and Yale began inviting alumni to return to campus for their annual football game in the early 1870s, but at least three other institutions of higher learning — Baylor in Waco, Texas, Missouri and Illinois — lay proprietary claim to conducting the first “Coming Home” celebration on their campuses around 1910. For the record, the NCAA and makers of the pub game Trivial Pursuit give the nod to Old Mizzou. Regardless of who was first, such weekends hold similar social characteristics built around the drama of a football game — bonfires, pep rallies, dances, reunion gatherings, parades, picnics, game-day tailgates and fundraisers — all aimed at ginning up school pride, uniting sports fans and welcoming back alumni. The tradition caught on nationally in the 1920s and today
Fall 2019
there are few academic institutions either large or small that don’t celebrate some form of homecoming in their own style and tradition. Homecomings of a higher sort also happen every late September or early October in Protestant churches across America, annual gatherings meant to celebrate a particular church’s heritage with a special remembrance service and often a picnic on the grounds or the fellowship hall. In this part of the world, with their deep ancestral roots to mother Scotland, many Presbyterian churches annually conduct homecoming services built around the “kirking of the tartans,” a beautiful ceremony in which traditional clan/ family tartans are presented in a procession. Preaching is followed by a massive covered-dish supper prepared by members to welcome back former parishioners and returning family. One such event we hold particular fondness for happens every October at historic Old Bethesda Presbyterian Church in Aberdeen, with its hipped roof, two-stage bell tower and historic burying ground that dates back to the 18th century. Similar homecoming kirkings take place across the Tar Heel State come October. When native son Thomas Wolfe opined that “you can’t go home again” — the title of his posthumously published 1940 novel taken from a sprawling unpublished larger work called The October Fair — we can only surmise that poor Thomas never had the pleasure of a good tailgate at Wake Forest or Chapel Hill (or a dozen other football-mad campuses of the Old North State), or at the very least, may not have experienced a sweet kirking luncheon on the lawn. Otherwise, he might have given up ruinous drinking and lived to a ripe and productive old age, returning year after year to celebrate the season with dear old friends at their annual autumn homecoming. h SEASONS • STYLE & DESIGN 79
LIFE&HOME HOMEWORDS
Moore is Moore Confessions of a paint freak By Carolyn Strickland
I
need a new hobby I lie about my hobbies. I usually say they are tennis and hiking when I’m filling out a form at a doctor’s office or applying for a job. In my mind this is half true, I like tennis — or did the few times I played it 25 years ago. I hate hiking. My real hobby is paint. Not the artistic kind on a canvas, just flat-out, wall-paint, interior stuff. There’s something magical about it to me. When I was in my early 20s and had no money for furniture, I compensated with paint. A good color created architectural interest and guests would comment on the room, forgetting I didn’t have furniture. Until they had to sit down. Don’t make me go outside. I like sitting inside, in good lighting and looking at painted decks. Although, I will happily sit in my car in front of your house to help define an exterior paint scheme. Admittedly, I never paint myself, but I will sacrifice food and drink to hire a good painter who can cut straight lines. I’m not a diva but I did it once and it made me cry. I have a love for paint that knows no bounds. I used to think everyone knew the color and formula number for every shade of paint on a wall, but I realized they didn’t while attending a party where everyone was oohing and ahhing over a Weimaraner puppy. “He’s so beautiful, so soft.” I noticed his fur was an exact match to Ben Moore HC-45 Revere Pewter and made the mistake of sharing this with the crowd. This may have been around the time when people quit asking me to play tennis. I’ve discovered the transformative power of paint by moving. Ten houses to be exact. Mistakes were made. I learned that the first time I tried to paint my daughter’s room a warm, sunny yellow. Here’s the secret: Don’t pick the prettiest color from the deck, pick a murkier version of the shade you like and it will go up looking just as you had imagined. Maybe. Sunny, warm yellows are a particular danger. I see this going wrong daily. Not only am I a paint enthusiast, I’m also a snobby one. Don’t even talk to me about white paint if you don’t have a few days. It’s a
80 SEASONS •
STYLE
& DESIGN
complicated subject, fraught with danger and pitfalls. I suggest Ben Moore/ Simply White. It’s not too white, yellow or gray. And there are some stunning Farrow & Ball whites but that’s an entirely different discussion. Plus, $90 a gallon is money that can better be applied towards buying a Weimaraner puppy. Discovering a new friend with a similar obsession was a recent highlight. Instead of going out for dinner, we ordered a pizza, set up a special light and went through different paint chip books discussing the pros and cons of various colors. We both wept over the hues that seem to be perfect all day yet go suddenly green at night. Or the sophisticated blue reminiscent of a nursery. At one point during this glorious evening, we looked deeply into each other’s eyes and realized with love that we were both freaks. Let’s never tell anyone of this we said. “No of course not,” I lied. I recently attended a yoga class. It seemed like yoga would be a great new hobby — except for the part of hating it While doing the tree pose, inner peace and mindfulness went out the window because all I could think about was how the too-dark lavender color on the walls should have been a more calming hazy greenish gray. The lime green accent wall just didn’t work at all with the cool tones. My mind would temporarily calm, I would stop wobbling, and then I would imagine how bad the room would be in a sunny neon yellow. Would white be too cold? What about HC-45 the Weimaraner puppy color? Too trendy? And what’s with accent walls and why do people do them? Stop!!! Namaste!! I stand. I walk to the parking lot, breathe in deeply the outside air. Once safely inside my car, I pull out a paint deck and try to figure out a new color for the yoga studio walls and add yoga to the list as my new hobby. And suddenly it is. My very favorite. h Carolyn Strickland is a real estate agent at Leonard Ryden Burr real estate in Winston- Salem. Fall 2019
"Mitchell Prime Properties is a joy to work with... I highly recommend them.” Peter Brundstetter
Former NC State Senator
"John-Mark Mitchell is an extraordinary real estate executive who doesn't sell yet solves. He is remarkable in his ability to see through the noise in the marketplace when others are frenetic in their activities but get nothing done. John-Mark gets it done calmly while advising you along the way. John-Mark has an uncompromising adherence to a moral code unmatched in the real estate business. His integrity is unshaken by circumstance or situation. John-Mark stands fast even when it means standing alone.
Before one transacts any real estate business, I strongly suggest John-Mark Mitchell and the company he so ably leads. Timothy D. Bohon President/Board Member Omnichannel
"Professional, responsive, and accomplished! John-Mark was a pleasure to work with, and treated all parties with the utmost respect. His knowledge of the luxury home market is exceptional.
Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to work with him again in the future!" Greg Johnson
Ashe High Country Realty
"Mitchell Prime Properties represents You! Buyer or Seller, John-Mark Mitchell and his Firm are the "Kings of Real Estate"! They look after their clients, respect the competition, and are fierce in understanding the ability to make a difference."
David & Beth Hatcher
Buena Vista Homeowners
(336)722-9911
GOMITCH.COM
Winston-Salem | Charlotte | Raleigh | Lake Norman | Emerald Isle | Wilmington | Crystal Coast
Fine Eyewear, Artwork and Jewelry 327 South Elm | Greensboro 336.274.1278 | TheViewOnElm.com Becky Causey, Licensed Optician Find us on Facebook