Issuu

RICHMOND MAGAZINEÂ´S

jan-feb 2012

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Contents

jan/feb 2012 D E PA R T M E N T S

13 16

features 34

THE ONE-TWO PUNCH

Two sisters at VCU ramp up the color in their Spanish-style apartment to spectacular effect.

IN A NEW LIGHT

Designer and new mother Melissa Molitor takes sleek lines and lots of light to create a striking balance between design and practicality in her own home.

At Home

Favorites

Harry’s History

Less than perfection isn’t so bad. Vintage finds and more from the owner of Blue Elephant

A Civil War hospital on the corner of Grace and Lombardy streets

Gardening

Spring is just a windowsill away.

Event

The introduction of Shockoe Design Day

Calendar

Our picks for the new year

Q&A

Plus: Resource listings on Page 64

Back Page

RICHM

OND

MAGA

ZINE´

A grab bag of websites, books and new products

2012

s are ething and 30-som their own. How 20g places makin

dra and Alexan r Amma Olivia

Designer Alexa Hampton and the language of design

X theNE

COLLECTED DESIGN

Left: Barry Fitzgerald photo; right: Stephen Salpukas photo

Introducing our new DIY expert, Darling Octopus

chef Tim Bereika of Secco Wine Bar and throw an elegant dinner party for family and friends.

jan-feb

A considered assemblage of design icons and unexpected ﬁnds ﬁts seamlessly into the compact space of designer Jennifer Farris’ downtown apartment.

Experts

Handmade soaps in Richmond

DIY

Spectacular shelving

FEASTING THE NEW YEAR Celebrate with

The Goods

ABOUT THE COVER: Todd Wright photo VCU students Alexandra and Olivia Ammar in the foyer of their Spanish-style apartment.

Plus

Desig ner PTON HAM ALEX A in RVA ar Spectacul SHELVING

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R I C H M O N D

H O W

That resolution to get organized...just got more interesting.

H O M E

G A R D E N

R I C H M O N D

L I V E S

from the publishers of richmond magazine President/Publisher Richard Malkman Editor-in-chief Susan Winiecki MANAGING editor Brandon Fox senior editors H O Andrews, W R I CTina HM OND LIVES Kate Eshleman Contributing Writers Elizabeth Cogar Batty, Courtney Crane Dauer, Maureen Egan, Karen Guard, Jessica Ronky Haddad, Susan Howson, Sara Jackson, Harry Kollatz Jr., Megan Marconyak

R I C H M O N D

H O M E

EDITORIAL INTERN Jessica Wunsch

G A R D E N

CREATIVE Director Steve Hedberg

L I V E S H O WartR Director I C H M V. OLee N D managing Hawkins Contributing Photographers Kip Dawkins, Barry Fitzgerald, Beth Furgurson, Jay Paul, Stephen Salpukas, Jeff Saxman, Sarah Walor, Todd Wright STAFF Photographer Isaac Harrell CONTRIBUTING Stylists Marcie Blough, Courtney Crane Dauer, Jonathan Janis Contributing illustrator Bob Scott Sales Director Rich Malkman SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Scott Bunce, Steve Coffield, Martha Hebert, Kelly McCauley AD PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Laura Ashley-Duszak AD GRAPHIC DESIGNER Millie Worthington

circulation and events director Devin Grimsley

Vice President/Controller Elisa Malkman bookkeeper Ellen Tishman office coordinator Mandy Abernathy

Editorial & Advertising Offices 2201 W. Broad St., Suite 105 Richmond, Virginia 23220 LaDiff.1\2v.RH0112.indd 1

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Your design divining rod

COURTNEY

Subscription Rate: $14 per one year (6 issues R•Home and 12 issues Richmond Magazine). Single copy price is $3.95. Allow 4 to 6 weeks to begin delivery. R•Home, published bimonthly; Richmond Magazine, published monthly; and Richmond Surroundings Magazine are products of Target Communications Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.

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Telephone 804-355-0111 Main Fax 804-355-5442 Editorial and Art Fax 804-355-8939 E-mail editor@rhomemag.com

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Editor’s Letter

Fresh Vision EXTRAS

 Find out the results of the R HOME Readers' Favorites Survey in our next issue!

ne day I woke up and I had a grown-up house. Or at least, that’s the way it felt to me. My husband and I bought our house (our first) when my oldest daughter was still a baby. It was a bargain — • built in 1916, it had never been renovated. It had a knoband-tube electrical system, the telephone rang inside the wall and the kitchen consisted of a sink, a stove from the mid1960s and a tall, dangerous hot-water heater. We had to replace the very pricey infrastructure first, so we were stuck with our shabby, post-college furnishings for much longer than I like to remember. However, our biggest cosmetic challenge was the necessity, in an old house, to TRASH OR TREASURE? Check out methodically strip all of the trim down to the wood in order to remove the lead WCVE’s Antiques Roadshow-like paint, as well as peel back about a million layers of wallpaper. show this spring and summer. Like At the same time, I had babies to change and the national program, in the locally dogs to feed, laundry to fold and groceries to put produced Virginia Valuables, our away, along with a rabbit that kicked hay all over region’s appraisers meet area the kitchen. We (and by we, I mean my husband) residents to determine if their slowly redid each room; we acquired furniture heirlooms and prized possessions piece by piece and astonishingly, discovered we are unexpectedly valuable or the had a house that wouldn’t embarrass us when we kind of priceless you can’t actually invited friends over. My house isn’t perexchange for cash. Visit fect, but it’s presentable when it’s clean. ideastations.org The generation behind me is a lot for airtimes. Follow us more together. And they have a knack for on Twitter mixing high and low pieces so seamlessly @RHOME that it’s difficult to tell which is which. MAGAZINE The Ammar sisters, Alexandra and Olivia, still at VCU, began with a great apartment, and by adding some paint and employing an eye for symmetry, they made it a standout. Owning a few family pieces doesn’t hurt, but the Ammars demonstrate that it’s really how you arrange what you own that makes for an impressive design. Melissa Molitor juggles a design business, a blog and a baby but makes it all look easy when you visit her East End home. She employs a little DIY, lots of natural light and bold splashes of color to create home that's sleek and inviting. Urban living makes different demands. Designer Jennifer Farris has taken her background in retail design and a lifetime of collecting, carefully edited what she owns and produced a milk-glass-meets-Eames composition (with a little Target and IKEA thrown in) that maximizes every square foot of her downtown apartment. I’m excited to welcome blogger Darling Octopus, otherwise known as Karen Guard, to the R•HOME team. She spoke at DESIGN SEMINARS If you’d like R•HOME for the Holidays with a little inspiration this spring and Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge, you want to luxuriate at the same and we’ll have the benefit of her time, you might want to head out DIY expertise in the upcoming to The Greenbrier. Designer Carmonths. In this issue, she takes us to some of her favorite spots for finding inleton Varney will teach a series of teresting furniture with lots of upscaling potential. one-week seminars to launch The My advice for 2012? Follow the lead of the new generation and don’t be Dorothy Draper School of Decoratafraid to mix what you have with a few new (or perhaps new-old) pieces from ing, in honor of the legendary unexpected places — and get a little paint on your hands to complete your designer who originally decodream home. rated The Greenbrier. As Draper’s

They have a knack for mixing high and low pieces so seamlessly that it's difficult to tell which is which.

BRANDON FOX brandonf@rhomemag.com

j a n - fe b 2 012

protégé and president of Dorothy Draper and Co., Varney will share secrets of that classic style and give attendees tips on how to transform their own homes. For details, call (304) 536-5319 or visit dorothydraper.com/school.html.

Left: Kip Dawkins photo; right: photo courtesy The Greenbrier

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Contributors

Sara Waldrop Jackson

is a veteran business, technology and health care editor. In 20 years as an award-winning reporter and editor, Jackson has broken stories about infant kidnappings and other security lapses at U.S. hospitals, emerging health care technologies for smartphones, Medicare mistakes that cost U.S. businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars per year, and even one on the joys of the professional croquet circuit (yes, there is one). A freelance writer and past Richmond magazine style editor/staff writer, Megan Marconyak loves covering home trends and drooling over the stylish homes she gets to visit for her Favorites column. Always looking for the latest and greatest when it comes to fashion, Megan also covers area shopping and style events on her blog, Shop Talk, at richmondmagazine.com. During the day, Megan works as a copywriter in card acquisitions marketing for Capital One.

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a Richmond native, studied photography at the Art Institute of Atlanta. While in Atlanta, Beth worked for clients such as Atlanta Magazine and Nordstrom. Since moving back to Richmond, Beth has built her portrait photography business and worked for clients such as the Virginia Tourism Corp. and the State Fair of Virginia. She balances her time these days between photo assignments and keeping up with her 2-year-old son.

Harry Kollatz Jr. believes the contemporary method for determining a true Richmonder is nativity in a hospital now turned into apartments until the historic tax credits mature it into condos he can’t afford to live in — like his own birthplace, Richmond Memorial. He’s written for Richmond magazine since late 1992 and covered subjects from sex to Edmund Ruffin. He lives with his partner-in-artfor-life, Amie Oliver, and their three kittens from MIssissippi in the fashionably scruffy or scruffily fashionable West of Boulevard South of Cary (WoBSoC) neighborhood. He’s written two books of Richmond history and is co-founder of the Firehouse Theatre Project.

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The Goods

2 1

Showstopping Shelves STUFF. WE’ VE ALL GOT IT. BUT ORGANIZING AND DISPL AYING HOUSEHOLD ITEMS JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT HIPPER. ADD SPARK – AND STOR AGE – WITH THESE DESIGNS.  By Courtney Crane Dauer

1 Bamboo tray table with glass shelves, $399 from Janet Brown Interiors

2 Modern spindle table lamp in fuchsia, $99, and paper-drum shade, $48 from Shades of Light

3 “Sorghum,” acrylic on paper by Kazaan Viveiros, $1,750 from Page Bond Gallery

4 Frida Kahlo: Her Photos by James Oles and Horacio Fernandez, RM Publishing, $45 from VMFA Shop

5 Living Architecture: Greatest American Houses of the 20th Century by Dominique Browning and Lucy Gilmour, Assouline, $75 from VMFA Shop

Je f f S a x m a n p h o t o

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The Goods

Showstopping Shelves cont’d

Form and function both matter. Add books and collectibles, baskets and objêts d’art, and poof — you’ll have a dynamic display.

1) Carved wood shelf, $59 from Posh 2) Conceal bookshelf by Umbra, $12.50 (small), $16 (large), $18.75 (double) from Mongrel 3) Bookworm bookcase in translucent wine red by Kartell, $425 from LaDifférence 4) Triple Open Display set from the Stax collection, $3,324 from Bassett Furniture 5) Cubby Organizer in Natural Stain, $129 from Pottery Barn 14

j a n - fe b 2 012

Je f f S a x m a n p h o t o

Sale ends January 31.

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12/14/10 12:59:46 PM

The Expert



small church and school events. “We finally woke up one day and there we were at the Richmond Folk Festival with 200,000 people,” Michael says. Many customers who discovered the soap at local festivals inquired about a shop. The combo shop and workshop space (all soap is made on the premises), with its tin ceiling and diagonally laid wood floors on East Main Street, is full of bits of Richmond’s past: advertising signs, bottles and well-loved furniture. The 35 to 40 “flavors” of soap are displayed on old shoe racks, trunks and a turn-of-the-century street vendor’s cart. Shop visitors are delightfully surprised to find that there’s more to Row House than soap. The focus is on reROW HOUSE SOAPS IS INFUSED purposing found materials. Michael fashions wine-bottle WITH OLD RICHMOND stoppers out of old glass and metal doorknobs, and wall frames out of scraps of Victorian-era painted decorative  By Elizabeth Cogar Batty trim that he salvages from Church Hill houses. When they’re not sold out, a few of Michael’s large-scale ust before closing time, a customer pops in birdhouses, also made of salvaged wood and tin, are on disthe front door of Row House Soaps, searching play. In addition, they offer a house brand of coffee, Wake for a particular scent. Owner Michael the Hell Up, roasted right up the street at Rostov’s. Walsh says he has it in stock — but he All of the packaging is designed and printed by Michallenges her to find it with her nose. chael. To view more behind “Take a look around … you can sniff and Soon, the Walshes will introduce candles into the scenes touch everything in here!” the mix, and they expect to continue supplying photos, visit Walsh’s enthusiasm for master soap making, special-label soap to wedding parties, welcome RHOME after 24 years in the Air Force and a stint in the baskets and real-estate agents to use as new-home MAG corporate world, makes a tour of his tiny aromatic gifts for clients. They also share their expertise by shop fun as he dashes around in his tie-dyed apron offering classes in making natural soap. Michael is .COM describing the attributes of his all-natural wares. heartened by the support they’ve had and happy Five years ago, Walsh and his wife, Sharon, that they’ve been successful in their new homemoved from Phoenix to Richmond, and within a town. Says the career military man who now proudly claims year they’d turned their longtime soap-making hobby into the only natural soap factory in Richmond, “We’ve built up a full-time business. They started out selling their soaps at quite an army of followers.” Sniffing is encouraged by Michael Walsh of Row House Soaps.

Slippery Success

SIMPLE INGREDIENTS The process of making soap that meets all of Michael’s criteria has improved over time. “Grandma didn’t come up with her cherry pie recipe overnight,” he says,

j a n - fe b 2 012

comparing the evolution of perfect pie to his all-natural soap, which took 20 years to get just right. Row House Soaps contain only olive, coconut, vegetable and essential oils, beeswax

and pure spring water. The soaps range from raspberry to patchouli with special blends for dogs, fishermen and chefs. Michael is open to suggestions from customers. His fragrance-free soap,

Naked, was created for customers with allergies and sensitive skin. “Friends don’t let friends buy grocerystore soaps,” he says, noting that name brands contain any number of chemicals.

Isaac Harrell photos

A Project of American Anthropological Association Funded by Ford Foundation & National Science Foundation

Visit the race: are We So different? exhibition January 28 through april 29, 2012 at the Science Museum of Virginia to explore the issue of race and racism in the United States. This thought-provoking exhibit addresses these highly personal topics from three different perspectives to tell a compelling story.

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Discover that human beings are more alike than any other living species, and no one gene or set of genes can support the idea of race.

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Explore the personal experiences of race in our schools, neighborhoods, health care systems, sports and entertainment industries, as race exists socially and culturally.

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DIY

2 3 See Karen Guard’s projects on her blog, Darling Octopus, at darling octopus.word press.com.

EYE-CATCHERS

Shopping Secrets d a r l i n g o c to p u s f i n d s a f u t u r e- p e r f e c t p i e c e.  By Karen Guard

If you’re looking for unique furniture for your home, you should consider vintage, and better yet, you should think about updating the piece yourself. It may sound a little intimidating, but with a coat of paint, a piece of fabric and a staple gun, you can create a showstopper. And it really is true that you’ll appreciate the piece more when you put in the elbow grease that it takes to transform it. The most important thing to look for is a structurally sound piece. It’s easy to fall in love with a chair, only to get it home and notice that there’s a crack running throughout a leg. Small holes and scratches are easy to fill, but make sure all of the joints are tight, that there 18

j a n - fe b 2 012

are no major cracks and that the piece doesn’t wobble. Before you buy, try to look past the paint finish and fabric — all that is changeable. Trying to imagine the whole thing white can really help you focus on the style and shape. If you enjoy the thrill of the hunt, start with yard sales, thrift stores and flea markets. Yard sales are the best for deals but they’re always hit-or-miss. If you don’t see any great furniture pieces, keep your eye out for smaller home décor items to redo, like lamps and mirrors. For the best shopping experience, make sure to do your homework and look at Craigslist the night before. 

A Splash of Color

Gorgeous Antiques

Detective Work

Multi-use

All the Details

I love the shape and the color of this dresser. Add some new hardware and you’re done.

I can’t believe this piece was at the Salvation Army! The concave and convex glass panels were just begging to be touched.

The style of the locks, latches and hardware can help you figure out when a furniture piece was made.

Think beyond entertainment center. This would make a great home office cabinet, and you can just close the doors on the clutter.

I love the gorgeous hand-carving on this dresser.

Ja y P a u l p h o t o s

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DIY

Darling cont’d

You’ll find a list of Karen’s favorite places to shop on Page 68.

6 7

EYE-CATCHERS

Waiting for a Re-do These vintage chairs could easily be updated with a new look.

Measures Up I always keep a measuring tape in my bag. Not only will this help you find the right piece of furniture for your house but measuring also helps you make sure it will fit in your car.

Start a Collection

I have three of these corner shelves now. I love painting them in fun colors.

HELPFUL HINTS

Take measurements ahead of time and bring your own measuring tape.

Get ready to bargain ... don’t be afraid to ask if a vendor can give you a better price.

j a n - fe b 2 012

8 Get there early, make sure to bring cash and don’t be afraid to bargain, especially when buying more than one thing. You can find great furniture at thrift stores, but you need to know the rules – and usually there are a lot of them. Most stores have a markdown policy based on how long the pieces have been for sale. Many of the stores won’t hold anything once you buy it, so make sure you check first or come ready to haul furniture away. A trip to the flea market can turn into a great adventure. You never know exactly what you will find, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to meet some interesting characters. Get ready to bargain — it’s expected, so don’t be

Have an idea of what you are looking for before you go shopping so you don’t get overwhelmed.

Think about how you will get your piece home. Most stores will hold the piece for at least 24 hours, but some won’t.

afraid to ask if a vendor can give you a better price. If you’re looking for a shopping experience that practically ensures that you’ll find something that you’ll like, consider furniture consignment shops, estate sales and auctions. Furniture consignment shops are a little more expensive, but they’ve already done some of the work for you. You won’t have to hunt so hard, and their pieces are usually very high quality. Estate sales are kind of like fancy yard sales, and oftentimes you can see preview images online. These sales often start on a Friday and continue into the weekend. Make sure to ask for their best price, and remember that the longer the sale has been going on, the greater the discount. Some sales will even be half off on the second day. If you’re looking for excitement, try an auction. There’s usually a preview before the sale, so you can get a close look at the pieces you’re interested in buying. But be careful, you never know what you’ll end up with in the heat of a bidding war! Now go out there, have an adventure and find amazing treasures!

Ja y P a u l p h o t o s

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At Home

Getting the Look Don ’t look back — at the holidays.  By Maureen Egan

doubt I’m the only one suffering from post-holiday house tour depression. I didn’t even go on any of the many, and surely lovely, Richmond-area holiday house tours. Too much perfection for me. It’s unbearable as I sit among what I like to call Upscale Squalor. After living here for years, I just noticed one night that when you are in our living room, it is possible to look out the window and see the face of whatever gentleman might be in the nearby powder room, through another window. On the one hand, I am thankful I never noticed this before; on the other hand, YUCK! It was the season to be overcome by feelings of inadequacy, since it’s hard to avoid walking into lovingly decorated, beautiful homes during holiday affairs and open houses. To my credit, no one else has multi-faceted cobwebs in her kitchen’s vaulted ceiling that would look cool spray-painted silver, but I’m pretty sure that’s not the look anyone’s going for. The one home improvement that we’ve started (besides installing a new, impenetrable shade in the powder room) means that there haven’t been doors on our closets or bathroom for a couple of weeks. Open house, indeed! I could have made a New Year’s resolution to have a perfect home like three people I know (two of whom I actually like), but that would be a waste. I should aim lower and resolve to have guest towels that haven’t been bleached by acne medicine. Small steps. From there I can move on to the pillow fight. My husband prefers pillows that have been smashed, smooshed and stained by years of smashing, smooshing and sweating. I don’t want to sleep in the same bed as them. Whenever I try to replace them, he swears he gets a headache. Hmmm. I have my own quirks. You might think it’s not too much to ask that I hang window treatments in my bedroom so I don’t have to hit the floor on my way to my dresser to get dressed every day to avoid being spotted by my neighbor. I am very flexible, but turning over a new leaf is hard. Case in point: Formerly beautiful leaves from my fall forays along the

smell emanating from the old one finally suggested to me that it was spewing more toxins than it was sucking. The salesperson said she vacuums two or three times a day! And fills up the vacuum bag once a week. Really?! Who should be feeling unclean here? I don’t vacuum as often as my pet dust bunnies require, but our slovenliness doesn’t demand thrice-daily vacuuming. Perfection works for a few people I know, though perfect people are annoying. Especially when I like them, and they invite me to spend time in their lovely homes and feed me and cater to my every whim and are thoughtful and kind. It’s enough to make me not want to buy a hostess gift. When my husband and I recently visited family friends who we say are cousins, it was obvious we don’t share any genetic material as soon as we spied the craftily placed holiday decorations climbing the trellis and festooning their paths and entryway. It was so perfect it almost charmed the smiles off our faces. I immediately thought of what our entryway looked like and mentally tripped over the bags of mulch littering ours (bought for a good reason months ago when the point was to prevent Hurricane Irene from coming through our front door). Entryway is a misnomer; obstacleway would be more accurate. But back to perfection. Inside my faux cousin’s house, the walls are accented with her stunning nature photography framed on the walls. She’s a professional photographer and an accomplished gardener, so hummingbirds and dragonflies practically fly from her sumptuous garden into her warm, welcoming, perfect home. It’s almost as if she’s cheating. Kermit the Frog was wrong: It is easy being green — with envy.

Perfection works for a few people I know, though perfect people are annoying. river didn’t respond well to turning over — they crumbled on my kitchen countertop where I left them artfully strewn about on a whimsical impulse. It’s a look — and it engenders another one from my husband. At least I did buy a new vacuum today, since the burning

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Bob Scott i l lustration

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Favorites



Patsy Margraf of Blue Elephant

MARGRAF’S FAVES

Collecting Details pat s y m a r g r a f o f t h e blue elephant  By Megan Marconyak

When Patsy Margraf decided to open her first shop, The Blue Elephant, with her daughter, Jessica Andrews, she was living in Northern Virginia. After months of commuting while her daughter did a lot of the legwork finding the Strawberry Street location, getting the necessary licenses and opening the shop,  24

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High Ceilings and Fireplaces

When Margraf and her husband were looking for a place to live, they fell in love with the high ceilings and multiple fireplaces with decorative covers in their current place. “They’re so interesting,” she says. “You don’t find things like this in Northern Virginia.”

Ceramic deer head “I like how it’s stylized as if it was real ... it’s whimsical.” Margraf’s son actually bought this piece, and she liked it so much that she traded him two pieces of art from her shop for it.

Armoire Margraf says this

estate-sale find is either German or Swiss and from the 1940s.

S a r a h Wa l o r p h o t o s

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Favorites

Collecting Details

cont’d

Vintage Book of Tao

When she found this book, published in 1967, at a rummage sale, Margraf loved the drawing on the cover.

Marc Chagall lithograph

Margraf bought this piece on a trip to Venice, carried it home on the plane and had it framed once she returned home. Living Room Chairs Margraf found two chairs at a

barn sale in Buckeystown, Md., and was attracted to both the finish and the burlap upholstery: “I call them king and queen chairs because one is sort of masculine and the other is more feminine.”

Laney K. Oxman bowl

Margraf has had this porcelain bowl since 1984. She likes the combination of stickers and freehand work that the piece showcases.

 Margraf and her husband, Ron, decided to move to Richmond to be closer to the new venture. So, they moved down and rented an apartment in the Fan. “We [downsized] a lot to live here,” she says, “but I also got a three-block commute.” The Blue Elephant sells Margraf’s and Andrews’ finds from estate sales, along with consignment items and work by local artists. Similarly, Margraf has filled her home with art, along with finds from thrift shops and sales.

Obi Although Margraf won’t be wearing the traditional kimono sash her mother gave her anytime soon, she likes looking at it every day and displays it as a runner in her family room.

“We [downsized] a lot to live here, but I also got a three-block commute.”  PATSY MARGRAF

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Photo of Japan

Margraf’s son took this photo during a family vacation in Japan and had it blown up and printed on canvas as a Christmas gift for her.

Sea Life Sculpture

This sculpture is by Margraf’s son, John Andrews, a craft/material studies student at VCU.

S a r a h Wa l o r p h o t o s

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Harry's History



The Columbia House, former Civil War hospital

Rising to History T h e C o l u m b i a H o u s e at 1 1 4 2 W. G r a c e St.  By Harry Kollatz Jr.

hilip Haxall, one of Richmond’s major early19th-century figures and founder of a business dynasty milling flour, built what may be the Fan District’s oldest house at the northeast corner of Grace and Lombardy streets. Haxall, at age 16, left Exning (Suffolk), England, to join his industrious, flour-milling older brothers in Petersburg. In 1809, he and brother William came to Richmond to run the business of David Ross at the bottom of 12th Street. Ross called it Columbian Mills, and the Haxalls kept the name. Philip Haxall married Clara Walker, daughter of Robert Walker of Kingston plantation in Dinwiddie County, and they raised 11 children under the slate roof of their Grace Street mansion. Haxall’s brother-in-law John Bell, a Scotsman, also moved up from Petersburg, and became prosperous enough as a merchant to perhaps overreach. His estate, Bellville, stood in the middle of present Grace Street near Ryland. Its acreage went from the Richmond Turnpike (Broad) to the Westham Road (Park Avenue). Bell commissioned New England architect Alexander Parris (who also created the Virginia Executive Mansion and the John Wickham House, now part of the Valentine Richmond History Center) to build his house. Bell’s financial reversals prompted William Haxall to purchase Bellville, while allowing Bell to remain until 1816. Philip Haxall built Columbia around 1817. Bellville was destroyed by fire in 1841. Parris’ influence on Columbia shows in the adornment of the house’s rectangular façade consisting of flat recessed panels between the first- and second-story windows. A fanlight above the entrance and a widow’s walk went missing during subsequent modifica-

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tions. Outbuildings complemented the property, and Clara Haxall directed the design of formal gardens threaded by white gravel walkways. Chief Justice John Marshall visited the grounds. Haxall died on Dec. 26, 1831. His sons, Richard Barton, William Henry and Bolling Walker, succeeded their father in the business. From 1809 to 1895, the Haxall firm remained in family hands. Both the mills and Richmond grew. First the James River Kanawha Canal, and then the railroads, shipped wheat to the city. By 1845, Haxall Mills was capable of 700 barrels of flour a day. Access by the river to the Chesapeake Bay sent Richmond’s flour around the world. The Haxall and Gallego mills, among others, led the nation in flour making, until the Civil War eclipsed the industry. On Nov. 21, 1834, Clara Haxall sold the house and six lots to Jesse Snead, Richard Reims and Madison Waltshall, trustees of the Virginia Baptist Education Society. The society had tried starting a seminary at Spring Farm, near present Bryan Park. “The combination of agriculture and studies for the Baptist ministry [did not prove] entirely successful,” noted architectural historian Mary Wingfield Scott. The society thought the Columbia House a better situation. The school, incorporated as a liberal arts institution and named Richmond College, remained there 76 years.

During the Civil War, Columbia and the affiliated Richmond College buildings became the Louisiana Hospital for treatment of soldiers. Federals later used the grounds for a hospital and billet, Camp Casey. Bloodstains marred the floors for years afterward. The military occupation took the school’s furnishings and equipment. The Baptist General Association of Virginia in 1866 allocated $5,000 to revive the institution that lost its endowment in Confederate bonds. The college moved in 1914 and in 1920 unified the Richmond and Westhampton (women’s) colleges and T.C. Williams School of Law to create the University of Richmond. Law and business classes remained at Columbia until 1954. Much of the house’s interior woodwork and the stairwell have been left intact. In some of the former classrooms, bookshelves and bolts for installed desks remain. The classroom additions, however, among other modifications, removed the formal Lombardy Street entrance and put a porch on the Grace Street side. Columbia, a state and national historic landmark, was for a time headquarters of the American Historical Foundation and then the U.S. Marine Raider Museum. At present, the building houses administrative offices for Specialty Insurance.

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Gardening

]ew View S E E I N G S M A L L T H I N G S I N A B I G, N E W W AY

 By Sara Jackson

Call her the “anti-arranger.” Nancy Ross Hugo, local garden writer and author of the new book Seeing Trees, has perfected a type of flower display she calls “windowsill arranging” that uses flowers and other plant material in a completely new and unexpected way. It’s about as far from formal flower arrangements as it gets. But make no mistake — Hugo’s arrays of flowers, leaves and other plant material on windowsills get just as much attention as a mammoth centerpiece at a party. You really need only two things to do your own windowsill arrangement: a few small containers and some plant castoffs. They can be a couple of blossoms, or a handful of beautiful leaves you’ve found on a morning walk, or even an okra pod from your vegetable garden (one of Hugo’s favorites). To make them into an arrangement, Hugo explains, you simply plop them into small bottles, jars, old salt shakers or other broad-based, narrownecked containers, and group them together on a well-lit windowsill. The play of sunlight and the backdrop of the outdoors create a dramatic display with unexpected visual impact. “It’s just so much easier than doing a centerpiece or big flower arrangement. [Windowsill arrangements] take only two to three stems per vase. They’re much easier to do than a centerpiece that involves three dozen stems,” says Hugo. One of the best parts of windowsill arranging is the constant sense of surprise, whether it’s turning red Swiss chard stalks into window art, or unearthing a treasure trove of small bottles and vases at a

yard sale. The combinations are infinite, and part of the fun becomes arranging, and rearranging, your finds from day to day. “I’m always rearranging them in ways that look good together,” she says. “Put a simple shaped leaf with a complicated flower, it makes you see each one more dramatically. It’s kind of like musical chairs, but with plant material.” The process is even portable. Hugo creates windowsill arrangements in hotels, on vacation, whenever she has access to a few leaves, a water bottle and a window. Another surprise for novice windowsill arrangers is how long the arrangements can last. “You really learn how things hold up indoors. It’ll sometimes startle you, the things that last far longer than you expect. I have two okra [pods] that have lasted for two months.” One general rule to follow is to keep your vases or containers simple. “It’s not a vase display,” says Hugo. The idea is to draw the eye to the bloom or plant, not the bottle it’s in. She prefers clear glass, but neutral-colored bottles or vases will work fine. The plant material, however, can run the gamut. Fern fronds, tree leaves, berries from shrubs, grasses, small blossoms, even weeds like horse nettle, are dramatic displays when singled out for individual attention. She suggests collecting plant materials with the season: red or yellow leaves in fall, holly berries in winter and the like. She has the most luck nabbing finds along the route from “my own morning walk, where you’d think after 30 years I’d have seen everything,” she says. “But no, there’s always some new, beautiful leaf, or a leaf that has been skeletonized and is beautiful and lacy. Being surprised by things in a familiar area is just wonderful.” You can even go a bit abstract, she notes. Her most unusual windowsill display was a skewer of olives with a nasturtium on top of it. “It was quite beautiful, if a bit hilarious,” says Hugo. And when compared to gardening or true floral arranging, windowsill displays are easy to complete, require only a few items, and she says, “[they] can be done in a Often a single leaf hurry. That’s so important these in a small vase can be days. Everyone is so busy. It’s big as eye-catching as a impact, low time investment.” large floral display.

To read more about Nancy Ross Hugo’s windowsill arrangements, visit window sillarranging. blogspot.com.

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

Isaac Harrell photos

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4/20/11 3:24:53 PM

Ask the Docs: New Year’s Health It is that time of year again, when we sweep last year and all its transgressions under the rug and start anew! For many of us that means New Year’s resolutions. We talked with Elizabeth B. Roberts, M.D., Ph.D., of Virginia Women’s Center, and Ramzi Aboujaoude, M.D., of Richmond OB/GYN, about what types of resolutions they recommend to their patients and ways to be more successful in keeping them! Q: We all want to eat better and exercise more. Do you have any recommendations for your patients on how to do that and stick with it? Roberts: Some New Year’s resolutions are big and vague, like eating healthier or losing weight. One piece of advice is to make smaller, simpler and specific resolutions because they are easier to stick with and can really change your habits. One simple thing is to eat breakfast. People that eat breakfast are more likely to lose weight than those that don’t. Consider giving up juice and sodas in favor of water. Once you have achieved that goal, make a new one. At the end of the day, weight loss has to do with calories in and calories out, so you have to increase your exercise too. Aboujaoude: I recommend my patients break that resolution into smaller commitments, as well. A

healthy person needs at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. How about resolving to make fruits and vegetables part of every meal? Or commit to eating chicken and fish instead of red meat and cheeses? Grilling is better than frying and when eating at fast food restaurants, try choosing healthy items for yourself as well as your family, like broiled chicken or salad. Q: Besides healthy living, what are unique resolutions that you would like to hear your patients make? Roberts: The most important thing patients can do is to get screened. It is so easy to put off; so look for ways to make it easier. Maybe designate a month that you will schedule all of your screening appointments – your annual exam, Pap smear, mammogram, colonoscopy, etc. Another important sign of overall

health for women is their menstrual cycle, especially for women that are not on birth control or other medications designed to regulate their cycle. For example, people that have thyroid or endocrine problems including diabetes, may find that they have irregular cycles. Keep track of your periods and take that to your annual OB/GYN visit to help your doctor map your cycle and determine what is normal for you. Aboujaoude: Understanding your individual risk factors and getting screened is one of the most important things women can do to affect their health. I recommend a colonoscopy for colorectal cancer after age of 50 every 10 years. If patients have family history of colon cancer, we begin screening earlier. Annual mammograms are recommended for all women starting at age 40, earlier if family or personal history warrants it. I also recommend bone density testing after the age of 60. Q: Many women are living with health concerns that make life more complicated, such as urinary incontinence. How we can use New Year’s resolutions as a way to take charge? Roberts: Don’t ignore problems. If something is concerning you, such as urinary incontinence, irregular periods or your risk of cancer, talk with your

doctor about it. And these days, women are often researching health concerns online. There is so much misinformation out there. Ask your doctor which resources online they recommend. Aboujaoude: We know it is difficult to talk about problems such as urinary incontinence, vaginal bulges, sexual life, fatigue, depression … even with your doctor. But what patients should remember is that we are used to talking about these problems, and we encourage our patients to ask about their symptoms, because most of the time, they can be easily treated! Write your concerns down and take them with you to your next doctor’s appointment. Don’t assume that something is just a normal part of life or something you have to live with. Talk with your doctor – that is why we are here.

Time to Boogie! If learning fancy new footwork seems overwhelming, here are some popular dances to get you movin’ and shakin’.

Ballroom style.

The waltz, foxtrot, and tango are just a few of the dances you’ll learn as part of this versatile dance style. Ballroom dancing controls speed, agility, and balance.

Belly dance. Whether performed

alone or with a group of friends, belly dancing is a fun way to gain strength and improve flexibility, and it can burn as many calories as a light jog or bicycle ride.

Hip-hop. You don’t need baggy

pants to groove to this! Many gyms now Elizabeth B. Roberts, M.D., Ph.D. offer hip-hop aerobics classes for those looking for a cardio workout that helps shed weight to a fast-paced beat.

Line dancing. This synchronized dance gets your heart pumping and works with many types of music: rock, country, pop, you name it.

Zumba. This Latin-inspired, cardiobased workout combines salsa, samba, and more with easy-to-follow dance moves that are kind to the knees and beneficial for the heart.

you’re invited To get your health questions answered, visit Day of Dance on Saturday, February 25. For more information, visit women.hcavirginia.com.

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For ultimate cardiovascular conditioning, experts recommend 30 to 60 minutes of this type of continuous activity at least four days a week.

Ramzi Aboujaoude, M.D.

12/13/11 12:13 PM

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ALEXANDRA AND OLIVIA AMMAR PUT THEIR STAMP ON A MONUMENT AVENUE APARTMENT. BY JULIE YOUNG / PHOTOS BY TODD WRIGHT Paint with the bold col or combinations of Carleton Varney, fur nish with the daring , modern-meets-old Ho llywood panache of Kelly Wearstler and populate it with a Ric hmond version of the Kardashian sisters. The result is the ﬁrst ﬂoor of a stucco Mediterranean house on Monument Avenu e.

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“I CANNOT STUD Y IF I’VE GOT D ISHES IN THE S I L I K E I T V ERY INK. ORGANI ZED, V E R Y S I M P L E .”  Alexa ndra Ammar

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Electric sconces from Shades of Light drip with raindrop crystals.



Multicolored throw pillows on a bay window seat pick up the hues in the dining room rug.

merican designers Varney and Wearstler inspired the funky décor fashioned by lovely, longhaired Lebanese party girls and VCU students Alexandra and Olivia Ammar. The Ammar sisters rent the house from owner and upstairs resident Randy Wade, who gave them carte blanche to personalize the space when they moved there from a Southern Stove Works loft in 2009. They did — in an upscale style that might be unmatched in the area’s student rental community. With help from their mother Debrah, an interior designer in their hometown of Bluefield, Va., Alexandra, 24, and Olivia, 21, assaulted the white, mint and gray walls with buckets of mustard, lime rind, asparagus, lemongrass, salmon and peony paints. With occasional breaths of soft yellow and cream in hallways and small nooks, the Crayola effect flows beautifully. “We got to make it our home, but it was a lot of work,” Olivia says, cuddling a 5-pound teacup Yorkshire terrier named Magnolia Clementine. “We moved in, in one week, but we worked morning to night painting every room. Our mom and a friend from home helped us. We were motivated to see it all put together.” “I love bright colors — I think we both do,” says Alexandra, holding a companion standard Yorkie named Maverick Troubadour. “We wanted to make it as bright as we could but still make it flow.” In the foyer by the front door, two pairs of tall Hunter rain boots sit perfectly aligned in a tray — a harbinger of things to come. The interior is symmetrical down to its human and canine occupants. Alexandra and Olivia’s bedrooms are rich

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Perfectly aligned rows of ripe tomatoes capture the home’s symmetry.

A modern, renovated kitchen was a prime selling point for Olivia and Alexandra.

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Neutral monogrammed pillow shams and bedding calm Alexandra and Oliviaâ€™s bright pink bedrooms.

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The sisters’ matching pairs of Hunter rain boots stand at the ready in a tray by the front door.

pink, with monogrammed shams among the creamy Pottery Barn bed linens. The dogs snooze in matching beds outﬁtted with monogrammed bone-shaped pillows. “We’re almost like twins — we should’ve been,” says Alexandra. “We share everything.” They wear — and share — the same size clothing. If Olivia hadn’t colored her long wavy tresses blond, they could be easily mistaken as identical. Fortunately, they also share the same taste in décor. The living room’s cacophony of color is held in check by symmetry. The look is balanced by matching armchairs, ﬂanking bookshelves, pairs of electric crystal

sconces, mirrored Vera Wang boxes with rhinestone bows that anchor the ends of the mantel and stacks of red and white chests that serve as pillars on each side of an archway leading to a small writing parlor. There isn’t a poster, IKEA bookcase or Target dorm gadget in sight. Most furnishings and accessories were handed down or snagged by their mother at High Point furniture markets. “Some art we had and some of it is from friends who are artists,” says Alexandra, a transfer student from Radford and senior public-relations major. Heirlooms also ﬁgure prominently. The Ammar sisters treasure the rain

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A hot pink flower-petal candleholder provides a flash of color against a soft green wall.

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“WE’RE ALMOST LIKE TW INS — W E SHOU LD’ V E BEEN. W E SH A R E E V E R Y T H I N G .”  Alexandra Am mar

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A round table and upholstered chairs furnish a quiet, light-splashed study nook.

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G W O R K E D M O R N IN E W T U B , K E E W ON E E R E M O T I VA T E D W “W E M O V E D IN , IN E W . .. . M O O R G EV E RY T O N IG H T P A IN T IN r G E T H E R .”  Olivia Amma O T T U P L L A IT E TO SE stick, vase, mother-of-pearl inlaid wood plaque and other pieces that belonged to their father, who died when the girls were toddlers. “I love frames,” says Olivia, a junior in marketing. “We love to bring lots of family and friends into the décor.” A low table in front of the sofa holds their collection of coffee-table books by fashion icon Tom Ford, and designers Wearstler and Varney. They met Varney at The Greenbrier, one of the great American hotels he redecorated, and had him autograph their copies of Mr. Color and In the Pink: Dorothy Draper — America’s Most Fabulous Decorator.

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Seeing how the Ammars decorated their apartment would gladden the heart of Varney, who has made a career out of freshening old venues. Their Richmond home was built in 1926 by noted Richmond architect Otis K. Asbury, who designed a similar house at the former Blue Shingles estate behind the Carillon neighborhood. Fortunately for Olivia, the cook, and Alexandra, her sous chef and dishwasher, the kitchen had been fully renovated with new appliances, including a six-burner gas stove. The walls are a rich latte and the ﬂoors stained a dark mahogany. Glassfronted cabinets stretch to the ceiling.

 “The kitchen was one of the selling points,” Alexandra says. Another bonus was 15 closets. The largest, a walk-in full of the sisters’ expansive wardrobe, has a laundry alcove and is hidden behind a curtain off of a cozy den. Each bedroom has a full bath and perfectly appointed furniture, lamps and art. “I enjoy keeping an orderly house,” Alexandra says. “I cannot study if I’ve got dishes in the sink. I like it very organized, very simple.” “Cluttered house, cluttered mind,” chimes in Olivia. “We love the whole layout of the house,” says Alexandra. “We just said, ‘This is SO where we have to live.’ We’re very fortunate – the location, the interior, all of the space, everything.” 

Art imitates life in a Warhol-style photo canvas of Olivia and Alexandra in the dog room.

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Beside the patio doors, a slyly drawn curtain yields a peek into the Ammar sisters’ spacious closet.

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ďƒŁ

Natural light brings out the bright splashes of color in Molitorâ€™s living room.

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Designer and new mother Melissa Molitor envisioned a house that would evolve. By Susan Howson / Photos by Kip Dawkins

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Molitor with her husband, Derek, and son Doak.

Smack in the middle of a 12-kid family, Melissa Molitor, age 31, grew up needing to stand out. She rejected hand-me-downs in favor of thrift store finds, piecing together one-of-a-kind outfits and even prom dresses from among her spoils. After high school, Melissa discovered that her ability to find unexpected beauty within the everyday translated perfectly to interiors. And at West Virginia University, she made it official and graduated with a degree in interior design. Fast forward to 2007. Molitor began MMM Designs-Interiors, backed by a few years of experience turning model homes in Maryland into catalog-worthy showpieces. “With model

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“The goal was an open space with windows that would bring the outside in.” —Melissa Molitor

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Functional doesn’t have to mean boring. Even Molitor’s crafting supplies are arranged to please the eye.

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Molitor creates one-of-a-kind looks by mixing thrift store finds and handmade accessories with more upscale pieces.

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homes, everything’s over the top. You really get to play,” says Molitor, who played so creatively on those blank home canvases that she began to establish a name for herself as a designer who could create chic looks on a modest budget. Shortly thereafter, Molitor built her own three-story canvas in Richmond’s East End. She and her husband, Derek, never thought they would end up owning a newly constructed home, but the realization that she could have complete creative control from the ground up (quite literally) was too tempting to ignore. The two recent Richmond transplants laid out their priorities early on. Molitor puts the design concept simply: “The goal was an open space with windows that would bring the outside in.” Functionally, however, the house had to do so much more. The couple’s extended family could populate an entire neighborhood, so not only was it a must to design an open-plan ﬁrst ﬂoor that could accommodate a crowd, but the backyard and custom deck had to follow suit.

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In Molitorâ€™s home office, natural textures come together with contemporary lines to form a haven for creativity.

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Doakâ€™s nursery gave Molitor an opportunity to up the playfulness factor.

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Molitor’s other consideration was the future arrival of another permanent resident. When Doak Molitor came into the world seven months ago, a painstakingly designed nursery awaited him. “The theme is ‘Calm Before the Storm,’ ” explains Molitor, as she gestures to the wall mural that she put together from separate decals. Silhouetted leaves blow off a tree as birds take to the sky, all against a painted background reminiscent of the sun setting behind gathering storm clouds. The effect is exciting, rather than gloomy, and a number of brightly colored accents help keep the room cheerful: an otherwise uninspiring rocking chair painted bright orange, a quilt that a friend made from discontinued fabric remnants and an assortment of vivid-hued shag carpet samples arranged on the wall. Ever practical, Molitor’s vision for the room adapts as Doak grows, with sectional tables that will become nightstands and a crib that converts into a child’s bed. Downstairs, the sunny living room’s

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natural palette draws the eye instantly to an enormous abstract painting that Molitor did herself during her pregnancy. Its striking fuchsia and red shades are echoed in sizable throw pillows and upholstered seat cushions made out of fabric samples she’s collected over the years. Derek’s old cabinet speakers ﬂank the television; after a few coats of Rust-Oleum applied by his wife, the speakers have turned into functional conversation pieces instead of anachronisms. Nestled in an alcove, a colorful Dan Sheets sculpture looks out over the combined living room and kitchen area. His artwork, easily identiﬁable by its colorful sketchbook feel, brightens household corners while contrasting cleverly with clean lines. And those same clean lines are at the heart of every room in the house. Molitor’s minimalist style not only keeps her house Colorful carpet samples fascinate Doak while he’s being changed and make for an unusual wall display.

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No detail goes unplanned: Even Doak’s coat hooks are personalized.

“The theme is ‘Calm Before the Storm.’” —Melissa Molitor

The sleek stainless island? Craigslist. The modern white barstools? Ikea. Molitor not only mixed metals in her kitchen, she mixed price points.

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Molitor designed the master bedroom in natural colors to promote serenity.

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Ordinary wicker chairs were given Molitor’s favorite quick fix, a coating of RustOleum, for instant vintage appeal.

adaptable for on-the-ﬂy decorating changes, it helps keep her budget balanced. As she sweeps through the living room and into the kitchen, she points out the bargain pieces with pride. Elegant white end-table lamps? Thrift store. The sleek stainless island? Craigslist. The modern white barstools? Ikea. Molitor not only mixed metals in her kitchen, she mixed price points, while keeping the room inviting and accessible for guests who want to pull up a stool and help assemble hors d’oeuvres.

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At the front of the house, what was once intended to be a dining room quickly became Molitor’s home office — a soft, comfortable space where inspiration strikes on a daily basis, both for MMM DesignsInteriors and her side business, MMM Designs-Jewelry. There, she sits at a glass desk surrounded by framed fabric pieces and natural branches, designing for clients, painting wooden bangles or updating her design-on-a-budget blog, heyanthro. blogspot.com.

From the chocolate-colored powder room with its turquoise damask wall decals to a master bedroom filled with meaningful artifacts from the couple’s wedding (a fishbowl of signed shells from their wedding guests) as well as family relics (her grandfather’s trunk with his name still painted on the side), Molitor’s design philosophy is clear. It’s the details that make a house a home, and many of those details already surround you, just waiting to be cast in a new light. 

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The kitchen/ dining area’s open layout welcomes the couple’s many houseguests to be a part of the action.

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An original Eames chair sits below a painting by Art Parkerson.

[ collected design ] Baskervill designer Jennifer Farris’ downtown apartment words by Jessica Ronky Haddad photos by Barry Fitzgerald

styled by Jonathan Janis

Jennifer Farris, age 33, creates perfectly coordinated hotel interiors as a designer for local architecture firm Baskervill. When it comes to putting together her own downtown apartment, however, Farris follows her heart rather than strict interior design rules. “Not everything here goes together the way it would in a hotel,” she admits. “I like things that reflect parts of my life experience. Most of the stuff in my apartment is something someone has given to me or that I’ve collected.” A quick look around Farris’ living room reveals glimpses of her outgoing personality. A Missoni for Target black-and-white chevron striped bicycle is parked in front of the fireplace, serving as a sculpture rather than as a mode of transportation. “I’ve ridden it once,” Farris says, laughing. “I was thinking about trying to hang it on the wall.” A collection of vintage Mercedes-

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Jennifer Farris‘ downtown apartment is filled with layers of inspiring art and objects that she’s collected throughout her life as a design student and professional designer.

The mantelpiece vases are actually rock cups by Jason Horvath of Uhuru Design.

Farris bought a “blind box” at Kid Robot in Soho and found this miniature furniture inside.

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Benz hubcaps hangs to the left of the fireplace, an homage to her favorite car. “I’m obsessed with pre-1970s Mercedes,” she explains. “I like them big, bulbous and chrome-y.” A large collection of art is hung gallerystyle above the fireplace. She acquired most of the pieces from friends while she was an industrial design student at the Rhode Island School of Design. “Personally, my design inspiration is very layered,” she says. “I collect pieces and parts that I build into little stories and inspiration groups.” It’s no surprise then to learn that Farris worked for five years as a retail display designer with Design Compendium in New York. She worked on high-profile projects that included designing a retail fixture line for Nike and creating holiday displays for Henri Bendel in New York. As she worked closely with interior designers, she decided to shift her career in that direction and moved to Richmond to earn her master’s degree in interior design from Virginia Commonwealth University. After 12 years in New York prior to grad school, Farris wanted to continue her city lifestyle. For the past year, she’s lived in a two-room apartment on East Grace Street. It’s within walking distance of the First Friday art walk, numerous restaurants and the National Theater. “I like the feeling that I’m connected to an urban environment,” Farris says. And though the apartment is small, it suits her and her Yorkshire terrier, Lily, perfectly. “I never entertain more than three or four people at

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Farris’ apartment may be small, but it’s the perfect size for entertaining small groups of friends.

[ “PERSONALLY, MY DESIGN INSPIRATION IS VERY LAYERED. I COLLECT PIECES AND PARTS THAT I BUILD INTO LITTLE STORIES AND INSPIRATION GROUPS.” ]  Jennifer Farris

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A stylish dressing area is furnished with a mix of modern and antique pieces that prove style doesn’t always come at a high price. “I’m not one to spend money on furniture,” Farris says. “That always seems funny to people because I am an interior designer.”

 one time,” Farris says. “The scale of this apartment is perfect for my life.” The apartment is furnished with a mix of styles, from Ikea basics to vintage Herman Miller. “I’m not one to spend money on furniture,” Farris says. Her sleek gray velvet couch, a flea-market find, is the most expensive piece she has purchased. It cost $200, and it’s a sleep sofa. The Herman Miller pedestal table and fiberglass chairs came from her grandparents. “When I first started learning about design, I realized that my grandmother had all of this great stuff,” Farris recalls. “ I called her and told her not to get rid of it.” Farris designed her sleek, white sideboard herself. Previously, it was a display piece at a trade show. A collage of photo proofs of work by ceramicist and industrial designer Eva Ziesel hangs above it, complete with Ziesel’s own hand-written critique of the photos. Farris acquired them after meeting Ziesel while in design school. Her bedroom mirrors the living room, but is arranged with a small office area in one corner and open storage along one wall. The apartment has no closets, and rather than try to hide her wardrobe, it’s on display, retail-style. She no longer works in retail design but Farris still finds herself thinking about the world from a retail perspective, comparing people’s personalities to well-known brands. Farris says she is between Kate Spade and Gucci. “Kate Spade is so fun, quirky and colorful.” Farris’ apartment reflects Spade’s funloving, free-spirited aesthetic, along with a few Gucci-esque retro classics, that combine with a large dose of her own style. Though some of her design choices may be unconventional, they reflect who Farris is and where she has been. “That’s how I feel most comfortable,” she says, “by having all of these layers of inspiration around me.” 

Farris’ background in retail design came in handy when faced with an apartment with no closets. Her wardrobe is neatly displayed, retail-style, along one wall of her bedroom.

Farris set up an efficient home office in one corner of her bedroom, making maximum use of the small space with clever storage solutions.

[ “I like the feeling that I’m connected to an urban environment.” ]  Jennifer Farris

Farris, who has designed hotel interiors for many national chains, understands the importance of a stylish, comfortable bed. Classic navy pillows temper her graphic striped bedding.

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Spanish Tortilla with Yukon Gold Potatoes, Yellow Onion, French Sorrel and GruyĂ¨re (Recipe on P. 61)

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Feasting the New Year TIM BEREIKA OF SECCO CONSTRUCTS AN ELEGANT DINNER PARTY MENU. By Brandon Fox Photos by Beth Furgurson Styling by Marcie Blough

Chef Tim Bereika is known for his Spanishinﬂected small plates at Secco Wine bar in Carytown. A VCU graduate, Bereika was a studio artist at the Martin Agency when he realized that he’d rather be on his feet in a restaurant kitchen than sitting behind a computer all day. “I love that pace, that energy, that vibe in the kitchen,” he says. He took culinary foundation classes at J. Sargeant Reynolds and spent a summer cooking in Italy to deepen his knowledge. After his stint at Amici, Julia Battaglini asked him to come aboard her new wine-bar venture. “My menu [at Secco] is really a melting pot; French technique, Spanish ingredients and classics, plus technique and the classics of regional Italian cuisine.” Here, Bereika creates an elegant menu for 12 (much of which can be made ahead of time) to start the New Year off in a fresh direction.

Vadouvan Cured Pork Belly, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pearl Onions in Agrodolce, Roasted Hazelnuts and Thyme, with Sweet Potato Purée (SERVES 12) At ﬁ rst glance, this dish may seem daunting, but it’s actually quite simple to complete as long as all of the cooking isn’t left until the very last minute. The pearl onions can be made a few days in advance and then reheated to serve. Blanch the Brussels sprouts a day before and roast them shortly before serving. A batch of the sweet potato purée can even be made a few days ahead of time and reheated before eating. Cure and braise the pork belly up to a week before the big dinner, then portion and heat it up minutes before plating. As long as you make the effort to plan the preparation of this recipe, it’s very doable for any home cook.

Pork Belly Cure When purchasing pork belly (you can ﬁnd it at farmers markets, Belmont Butchery and Tan-A), select a piece that comes as close to a 50/50 meat to fat ratio as possible. If purchasing from a butcher, ask them for a cut from the front of the belly, which typically gives you that good balance of meat and fat. 6 pounds of pork belly (preferably sourced locally) 1/4 cup of vadouvan masala (a French curry spice blend available at Williams-Sonoma) 5 tablespoons of kosher salt 1-2 clove(s) of garlic, sliced 1 bunch of fresh thyme

Mix the vadouvan, kosher salt and garlic together, and then rub all over the pork belly. Sprinkle half of the fresh thyme into the bottom of a vessel large enough to hold the pork belly, along with any of the salt mixture that didn’t stick to the meat. Reserve the other half of the thyme. Cover the vessel tightly and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Pork Belly Braise 1 cured pork belly Canola oil, as needed 1/2 yellow onion, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 stalk of celery, chopped 1-2 clove(s) of garlic, sliced Fresh thyme reserved from curing the pork belly 2 fresh bay leaves 1 cup of chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse the cured pork belly under cold water to remove the salt mixture; pat dry. Reserve the thyme used in the cure. Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with canola oil and heat over medium-high heat. Place the pork belly in the pan and brown on each side. Remove and pour off most of the fat. Add the vegetables, garlic, reserved thyme and bay leaves to the pan and sauté over medium heat until the vegetables start to caramelize slightly. Place the pork belly in a casserole, baking dish or large pot. Deglaze the pan by adding the chicken stock. Carefully scrape the pan with a spatula to loosen all the tasty brown bits stuck to the bottom. Simmer for a few minutes and then dump the contents over the pork belly. Wrap the vessel tightly with aluminum foil and braise in the oven for

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2 hours or until the pork belly is very tender, but still holds its shape. When touched, it should jiggle slightly. Carefully remove the belly and place onto a ﬂat sheet pan. Place another sheet pan over the top of it and then add something heavy to weigh it down (a few cans of vegetables will usually work). Refrigerate overnight until you’re ready to use it the following day. *Don't discard the liquid that’s left in the pan. Pick out the thyme stems and bay leaves and pour the liquid into a container and place it in the refrigerator. All the fat will solidify on top. Scrape off the fat and save it for cooking the Brussels sprouts. Reheat what’s left, then purée it in a food processor or blender until smooth. If it’s too salty, thin it out with a little bit of lowsodium chicken stock or water. Refrigerate sauce until needed.

Pearl Onions in Agrodolce Agrodolce is an Italian sweet and sour sauce. 12 1/4 2 3 2 1 1/4

ounces of pearl onions, preferably red (about 36 onions) cup of chicken stock tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces sprigs of fresh thyme tablespoons of sherry vinegar (the good stuff) teaspoons of sugar Kosher salt, to taste Cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare an ice-water bath. To peel the onions, cut off the root ends and drop the onions into a large pot of boiling water. Simmer for 30 seconds and then transfer to the ice-water bath. Once the onions are cool, the skins will peel very easily. Place the peeled onions in a sauté pan large enough to hold them snugly in one layer. Pour in the chicken stock, dot them with the butter and add the thyme. Add a few pinches of salt and then place the pan in the oven. Roast the onions for 10 minutes, or until the liquid in the pan has reduced by half. Add the sherry vinegar and sugar and continue to roast for another 10 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are slightly caramelized and glazed. Season with pepper, and, if needed, salt. Remove from the pan and reserve.

Sweet Potato Purée 1 2 1/2 5 1 1 3/4 2 1/2

Paired with 2009

sprig of fresh rosemary Dom. Baudry Chinon fresh bay leaves of a cinnamon stick tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces leek, chopped and rinsed well pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped cups of chicken stock cup of heavy cream Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Wrap the rosemary, bay leaves and cinnamon stick in cheesecloth and secure tightly to form a sachet. Melt half of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the leeks and the sachet of herbs. Sweat the leeks over low heat until they soften, and then add the sweet potatoes, chicken stock and cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and falling apart. Remove the sachet and discard it. Place the potato mixture in a blender and process until smooth (add additional chicken stock to the purée if you’re having trouble processing it). Once you’re happy with the consistency, add the remaining butter, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Recipe cont’d on Page 62 

Vadouvan Cured Pork Belly, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pearl Onions in Agrodolce, Roasted Hazelnuts and Thyme, with Sweet Potato PurĂŠe

Chocolate Pistachio Pudding with Salted Caramel

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Spanish Tortilla with Yukon Gold Potatoes, Yellow Onion, French Sorrel and Gruyère (SERVES 12) Slow and low is the trick to producing a dense, perfectly cooked Spanish tortilla. 1 1 1/4 2.2 1 1/4 9 4

Paired with 2010 Château de Roquefort Côte de Provence Corail Rosé

cup of extra virgin olive oil tablespoon of kosher salt teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground pounds of Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced Spanish onion, thinly sliced cup of fresh sorrel, finely chopped large eggs (look for those locally produced) ounces of Gruyère, grated

Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch frying pan over low heat. Season the potatoes and onions with the pepper and a fat pinch of salt. Gently cook for ﬁve minutes while stirring frequently to avoid browning. Add the sorrel to the mixture. While the potato mixture is cooking, break the eggs in a large bowl and beat well. Add the remaining salt and Gruyère and stir well. Once the potatoes are tender, but not falling apart, remove them from the heat and strain the olive oil. Reserve. Add the potato mixture to the eggs and stir gently. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes. Heat the pan with the reserved oil over low heat. Add the egg/potato mixture, and using a spatula or large spoon, distributed the mixture evenly in the pan. Cook over very low heat until almost set, and then place a large plate over the whole pan. Carefully invert the pan and let the tortilla fall onto the plate. Slide the tortilla back into the pan, adding more olive oil if needed, and continue to cook until ﬁrm throughout. Turn the heat off and let the tortilla rest for a few minutes, and then unmold onto a serving plate and cut it into 12 pieces.

Piment d'Espelette Mayo 2 1 1 1 1/2 2

egg yolks teaspoon of Dijon mustard tablespoon of white wine vinegar tablespoon lemon juice teaspoon of kosher salt teaspoons of Piment d’Espelette (available at River City Cellars, Sur La Table or online) 2 cups of grapeseed oil

Place the ﬁ rst six ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine. Turn the machine on and while running, drizzle the grapeseed oil in a steady stream. If the mayonnaise begins to get too thick, add a teaspoon of cold white wine vinegar to thin it. Don’t let the mixture get too warm, or it will separate.

Paired with 2008 Mas Mudigliza Maury Vin Doux

Chocolate Pistachio Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel (SERVES 12) These bread puddings can be made in advance, cooled and then reheated in the oven wrapped in foil or in the microwave wrapped in plastic wrap. If you don’t have enough ramekins, a 9-inch loaf pan works well as an alternative. Since the chocolate is the star of the dish, be sure to use a type that is high quality. 12 slices of white bread, slightly stale and crusts removed 1 1/2 cups of whole milk 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream 1 cup of sugar 1 cinnamon stick 3 whole cloves 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 2 eggs 4 egg yolks 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate 4 ounces of pistachios, coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Tear the bread into pieces and place into a large bowl. Place the milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves and vanilla bean into a pot over medium-high heat. While the milk mixture is heating, whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl. When the milk mixture begins to simmer, remove it from the heat and slowly pour it over the eggs, while whisking vigorously. Once the hot liquid is incorporated, whisk in 6 ounces of the chocolate until it’s completely melted. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the bread. Add the pistachios and toss until everything is evenly distributed. Let the mixture cool

and then add the remaining 4 ounces of chocolate. Let the mixture rest for one hour or so, until the bread soaks up as much liquid as possible. Place a large pot of water over medium-high heat until it reaches 170 to 180 degrees. While the water is heating, grease the inside of 12 3-inch ramekins with cooking spray. Distribute the mixture evenly between ramekins and place them into a baking pan with high sides. Pour enough hot water into the pan so that it measures halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 20 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Salted Caramel 2 3/4 1 1

cups of sugar cup of heavy cream teaspoon of sea salt tablespoon of unsalted butter

Stir the sea salt and heavy cream together in a saucepan over medium heat. When hot, remove from the heat and reserve. Add the sugar to a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon of water. Place over high heat. The sugar will begin to melt on the edges ﬁ rst. If any sugar begins to ﬂy up along the side of the pot, quickly wash it off with a basting brush dipped in water. This will help keep the sugar from crystallizing while it cooks. After the sugar melts and boils vigorously for a moment, it will begin to turn amber in color. When this starts to happen, gently swirl the pot to distribute the color evenly. When the sugar is as brown as a penny, remove it from the heat. Add the cream, then the butter, whisking constantly to incorporate. Drizzle over bread pudding.

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 Pork Belly recipe cont’d from P. 58

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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1/2 pounds of Brussels sprouts 1 Pork fat, reserved from the braise (as needed) 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Toasted hazelnuts, crushed

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Have an ice-water bath ready. Bring a large stockpot full of salted water to a boil (the water should taste like the ocean). Remove any loose outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts. Make a 1/4-inch incision at the base of each one. Drop the sprouts into the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes or until they are slightly tender but not soft or mushy. Drain and plunge into the ice-water bath. Once cool, slice each sprout in half, using the already made incision as a guide. Place a large, ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat and add enough reserved pork fat to cover the bottom of the pan. Just before the fat starts to smoke, add the Brussels sprouts face down. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté until they begin to brown lightly. Add the fresh thyme. Remove from the stovetop and place in the oven. Roast for about 5 minutes until lightly caramelized and tender. Remove from the oven, and season the sprouts with salt and pepper to taste.

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Slice the pork belly into 4- to 5-ounce portions and sear them over medium heat with the fat-side down until a nice brown crust is formed and the slices are heated through. Crush the hazelnuts by placing them in a large plastic bag and tapping them lightly with a rolling pin. Heat a small skillet and when hot, add the hazelnuts. Stirring constantly, cook until the nuts have just begun to turn brown. Transfer to a small bowl immediately. Toss the Brussels sprouts together with the pearl onions and a handful of crushed hazelnuts. Place three or four on each plate along with a slice of pork belly and a dollop of sweet potato purée. Reheat the reserved pork sauce and drizzle a little of it around the food in the center of the dish. 

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Page 34-35 Chair, Asia Minor Carpets, asiaminorcarpets.com Side table, artisan in Mexico. Red vase, artisan in Mexico. Rug, family heirloom. Coffee table, Lane Furniture, lanefurniture.com. Bowl, Corner Chair Designs by Andora Giffen, (276) 326-2626. Candle holders, Uttermost, uttermost.com. Mirror, family heirloom. Sconces, Shades of Light, shadesoflight.com. Chandelier, Shades of Light, shadesoflight.com. Sofa, Southwood Furniture Corp., southwoodfurn. com. Sofa pillows, custom-made by Schumacher Fabrics, fschumacher.com. Wall color, Bright Parrot by Valspar, valsparpaint. com. Page 36 Sconces, Shades of Light, shadesoflight.com. Pillows, Pier 1 Imports, Layla Grace, pier1.com; laylagrace.com. Dining room set, Pottery Barn, potterybarn.com. Chest cabinet, Lane Furniture, lanefurniture.com. Rug, family heirloom. Wall color, Olive Tree by Waverly for Valspar, valsparpaint.com. Page 37 Spice rack, Dean & Deluca, deandeluca.com. Wine rack, Williams-Sonoma, williams-sonoma. com. Rug, family heirloom. Wall color, Coral Gable Biltmore Mediterranean Caramel by Valspar, valsparpaint.com. Page 38 Paintings, Pier 1 Imports, pier1.com. Bedding, Restoration Hardware, restorationhardware.com. Wall color, Cactus flower (left) and Gypsy Rose (right) by Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com. Page 39 Boot tray, Smith & Hawken, target.com. Side table, Asian Loft, asianloft.com. Bowl, artisan in Mexico. Decorative balls, Global Views, globalviews.com. Pink lotus candle holder, Furbish Studio, furbishstudio.com. Wall color, Santa Fe Gold by Waverly for Valspar, valsparpaint.com. Page 40 Chairs, Pier 1 Imports, pier1.com. Table, Lexington, lexington. com. Vase, vintage. Pink Buddha, New York City street vendor. Wall color, Lime Foam by Waverly for Valspar, valsparpaint.com. Page 41 Couch, Pottery Barn, potterybarn.com. Table lamps, Pier 1 Imports, pier1.com. Leather ottoman, Uttermost, uttermost.com. Coffee table, Pier 1 Imports, pier1.com. Art (over couch), Chic Canvas, chiccanvas.com. Candle holders, Wisteria, wisteria.com. Side table, Pier 1 Imports, pier1.com. Art (over table), New York City street vendor. Entertainment center, Bob Timberlake Home, bobtimberlake.com. Rug, family heirloom. Wall color, Lime Foam by Waverly for Valspar, valsparpaint.com.

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Page 42-43 Tall jars, Marshalls, marshallsonline. com. Orange chair, frame from IKEA, cushion from Target, ikea.com; target.com. White couch, Lazar Industries, lazarind.com. Pillows, fabrics from Designers Guild and Osborne & Little, designersguild.com; osborneandlittle.com. Table lamps, thrift store. Leather couch, La Différence, ladiff.com. Ottomans, thrift store. Page 44 Chair, purchased at model-home sale with Designers Guild fabric, designersguild.com. Round pillow, thrift store. Page 45 Chairs, La Différence, 

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Strawberry Fields Flowers & Finds

New Direction. Shop online at our new website: www.strawberryfieldsflowersandfinds.com

Resource Listings ladiff.com. Desk, model-home sale. Vases, thrift store. Mirrors, model-home sale. Cabinet, thrift store. Page 46-47 Futon, IKEA, ikea.com. Crib, IKEA, ikea.com. Bedding, Dwell Studio, dwellstudio.com. Rug, Target, target.com. Changing table and cushion, IKEA, ikea.com. Lamp, Target, target.com. Gnomes, Target, target.com. Monogrammed hooks, Michaelâ€™s Arts & Crafts, michaels.com. Ceiling Fixture, IKEA, ikea.com. Decals, Dali Wall Decals, dalidecals. com. Wall color, Stormy Cove by Valspar Paint, valsparpaint.com. Page 48 Bedding, Target, target.com. Fabric behind bed, Lorin by Romo, romo.com. Curtains, Mario & Marielena, mariomarielena.com. Lamp, Target, target.com. Ottoman, Lazar Industries bench, Romo fabric, lazarind.com; romo.com. Rug, Target, target. com. Dining Table, Target, target.com. Chairs, model-home sale. Rug, Eon Rug from Home Decorators Collection, homedecorators.com. Barstools, IKEA, ikea.com. Dishes, Shinepukur Bone China from Target, target.com. Page 49 Pot rack, Target, target.com. Island, IKEA, ikea.com. Storage containers, IKEA, ikea. com. Stools, Spin barstools from Crate & Barrel, crateandbarrel.com. Stove, GE, geappliances. com. Microwave, GE, geappliances.com. Spice rack, HomeGoods, homegoods.com.

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Page 50 Couch, Virginia Bazaar, vabazaar. com. Bike, Missoni for Target, target.com. Dog bed, Martha Stewart Pets from Petsmart, petsmart.com. Ottoman, American Signature Furniture, asfurniture.com. Artwork, assorted artists including Farel Dalrymple, Shepard Fairey, Shawn Krupa, Misha, John Ha and Jennifer Farris. Vase, Home Goods, homegoods. com. Bookcase, Ikea, ikea.com. Milk glass, vintage. Page 51 Framed drawings, Eva Ziesel, evazieseloriginals.com. Brass container, Home Goods, homegoods.com. Candleholder, Home Goods, homegoods.com. Painting, Art Parkerson. Chair, Vintage Charles and Ray Eames chair by Herman Miller, hermanmiller. com. Page 52 Chair, American Signature, asfurniture.com. Pillow, West Elm, westelm.com. Bike, Missoni for Target, target.com. Ottoman, American Signature Furniture, asfurniture. com. Artwork, assorted artists, including Farel Dalrymple, Shepard Fairey, Shawn Krupa, Misha, John Ha, and Jennifer Farris. Vase, Home Goods, homegoods.com. Bookcase, Ikea, ikea.com. Milk glass, vintage. Rock cups, Jason Horvath for Uhuru Design, uhurudesign.com. Miniature Furniture, Kid Robot, kidrobot.com. Page 53 Chairs, Vintage Charles and Ray Eames chairs by Herman Miller, hermanmiller.com. Tablecloth, Constructed by Farris from vintage fabric. Threetiered serving platter, gift. Champagne flutes, Vintage Rosenthal, rosenthalusa.com. Paper lanterns, Custom-made. Painting, Art Parkerson. Page 54 Vanity, inherited. Chair, flea market. Lamp, West Elm, westelm.com.Â Page 55 Desk, Ikea, ikea.com. Chair, Target, target.com. Lamp, flea market. Storage containers, Ikea, ikea. com. Duvet, Ikea, ikea.com. Bedding, Ralph Lauren, ralphlauren.com. Pillows, Ralph Lauren, ralphlauren.com. Mirrors, Ikea, ikea.com.

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RICHMOND BALLET | The State Ballet of Virginia | Stoner Winslett, Artistic Director

Darling Octopus Resources

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FEBRUARY 10 - 12, 2012

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A The 68

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Thrift stores: Salvation Army Midlothian Turnpike, 11000 Midlothian Turnpike. Diversity Thrift, 1407 Sherwood Ave., and DT2, 2219 W. Main St. Class and Trash, 11088 Washington Highway, Glen Allen, classandtrash.com. Flea Markets: Bellwood Drive-In Flea Market, 9201 Jefferson Davis Highway. Furniture Consignment Shops: Good Stuff Consignments, 2724 Tinsley Drive, goodstuffconsignments.com. They have photos of all of their current stock online. Estate Sales: Susan’s Selections, 8008 Staples Mill Road, susansselections.com. They hold estate sales, have a furniture consignment shop and hold a monthly warehouse sale. Overbrook Estates, 1601 Overbrook Road. This warehouse is open only one weekend a month. Check their Facebook page for dates. Auctions: Alexander’s Antiques, alexanders antiques.com. Auctions held every Thursday.

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Occasions



Cassandra Wilder and Justin Beck contemplate the purchase of a sofa at La Différence.



A vase from Virginia Street Gallery’s collection of fish pottery

Design {evolution A D AY O F D E S I G N I N S H O C KO E  By Julie Young

As revolutions go, Shockoe Design Day was a quiet opening salvo. The Nov. 5 rally was waged around crockpots of mulled cider and vats of Brunswick stew rather than chests of tea dumped into the James. On a sunny, chilly Saturday, Shockoe-area businesses enticed Richmonders with discounts, design seminars, wine and beer tastings, food, and music in a reinvention effort that was part celebration and part aspiration. The inaugural event, organized by retailers, art galleries, advertising agencies, restaurants and city advocates such as Venture Richmond, was christened Shockoe Design Day, with no deference to the Slip, the Bottom or the turning basin. Andy Thornton, owner of La Différence, is leading the movement to create a design center downtown

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where creative minds produce, exhibit, sell, entertain — and draw visitors. He watched Design Day shoppers wander through his furniture showroom. “This is not the end-all, be-all,” Thornton says. “We just wanted to get lots of energy, enthusiasm and trafﬁc. I feel like there’s a real deﬁnite momentum for change.” Thornton’s optimism is buoyed by businesses such as his new nextdoor neighbor, Ten Thousand Villages, the Shockoe branch of the successful Carytown shop of handmade, fair-trade gifts from underdeveloped countries. Executive director Karin Taylor opened the new location in October for a six-month trial. “It felt right for us to be investing in our city rather than going into the suburban sprawl,” she said. “Certainly, this is in its 

Stephen Sa lpu kas photos

Custom-painted iron “Moosey Moose” from These Four Walls comes with a booklet on how and where it was made.

“We just wanted to get lots of energy, enthusiasm and traffic. I feel like there’s a real definite momentum for change.”  ANDY THORNTON

A head of Buddha at These Four Walls

Erna Van Den Nieuwenhuizen found the perfect purple vase at La Différence.

Andrea Goulet, Adrian Robertson and David McIntosh of AIGA

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Occasions

Design {evolution cont’d

Kelly Brown’s designer chat at La Différence

infancy, but there is some critical mass here. It was time to get it started.” At These Four Walls, owner Angie Heyming served cider and brownies to visitors. “If [shoppers] experience the area and see our stores, hopefully they’ll want to come back,” she said. And Karen Atkinson, owner of the new Virginia Street Gallery, hopes her art cooperative will become a successful workspace, shopping destination and performance venue. “In ﬁve years,” Thornton said, “people could recognize ‘Shockoe Richmond.’ It could become Austin, Portland and Richmond — with Richmond seen as the hippest city on the East Coast.”

TOP Markus Blowfish BOTTOM Carri MacGregor of Ledbury brings a rack of shirts to the street.

“It felt right for us to be investing in our city rather than going into the suburban sprawl.”  KAREN TAYLOR Eric McKay and Patrick Murtaugh, founders of Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, and Paul Watson, one of the owners of Ledbury, at the Hardywood beer-tasting at Ledbury

For more photos, visit

RHOME MAG .COM

Panda bear pottery at Virginia Street Gallery

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Stephen Sa lpu kas photos

Thanks to all our sponsors of R•Home for the Holidays with DesignSponge’s Grace Bonney at Plant Zero.

Together we raised more than $3,000 for the School of Richmond Ballet’s need-based scholarship fund. We couldn’t have done it without our presenting sponsor

LaDIFFÉRENCE international furnishings

And we also thank our community sponsors and speakers:

West End Antiques Mall Kelly Justice of Fountain Bookstore, Chris Arias of Arias Design Services, Karen Guard of Darling Ocotopus, Susan Jamieson of Bridget Beari Designs, Kristi Knight of Flower Girls

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Calendar

Events to Get You Out of the House O u r p i c k s for J a n u ar y a n d F ebr u ar y

1.11

 By Jessica Wunsch

Katherine Benner Trunk Show. Artist  Katherine Benner has transferred her ethereal canvases into wearable pieces of art. Come meet the artist and see her intriguing work, which will be available for purchase at the VMFA shop. 12 to 4 p.m. Free. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard. Call 340-1400 or visit vmfa.state.va.us for more information.

 2.23 to 2.26

RAMA Foundation’s 50th Antiques and Fine Arts Show and Brunch. RAMAF will expand its collection of art and antiques to mid-century modern, Asian, and continental designs along with the traditional American and English furniture and decor exhibited in past years. A gala preview and silent auction will be held Thursday night, 7 to 10 p.m., $100 ($150 for couples), at the Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 W. Broad St. Interior designer Alexa Hampton will speak and sign copies of her book, The Language of Interior Design. $65. Friday, book signing at 9:30 a.m.; lecture at 10:30 a.m. The Jefferson Hotel, 101 W. Franklin St. Antiques show, $10 weekend pass. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m. Visit ramaf.org/ fundraisers.html for more details. 76

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2.9 to 2.12 The MAC Events Home Show featuring the Maymont Flower & Garden Show. See more than 300 exhibits and displays of interior design trends and ideas, while right next door, the Maymont Flower & Garden Show will offer the latest in horticulture methods with gardens and seminars. Thursday, 1 to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Greater Richmond Convention Center, 400 E. Marshall St. Adults/$12; children ages 12-17/$6; children under 11 free. Seniors/$8 on Thursday and Friday only. More details can be found at maymontflowershow.com.

1.19 The Art and Architecture of Carlton Abbott opening reception. Check out the

award-winning collection of Virginia-based architect and artist Carlton Abbott, including drawings, models, paintings, mixed media and metal work. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free. Virginia Center for Architecture, 2501 Monument Ave. RSVP to aliguori@aiava.org or call 644-3041, ext. 100. T o p : p h o t o s c o u r t e s y V M FA ; m i d d l e : C l i f f B r u c e S t u d i o s p h o t o

February 7, 2012 Join us at the Jefferson for a Valentine Breakfast or Luncheon Celebrating Women & Wellness To Benefit Women’s Cancer Research at VCU Massey Cancer Center Presented by the Jenkins Foundation

Keynote Speaker: Geralyn Lucas Cancer survivor and acclaimed author of “Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy” Sponsored by Wells Fargo

www.massey.vcu.edu/women&wellness

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12/9/11 4:44 PM

Q&A

INTERVIEW

R•HOME: Why did you want to write a book about interior design?

The Language of Interior Design A L E X A H A M P TO N , D A U G H T E R O F I C O N I C D E S I G N E R M A R K H A M P TO N , D E F I N E S H E R OWN DESIGN VOCABULARY IN A NEW BOOK.  By Jessica Ronky Haddad

As the daughter of the late, legendary interior designer Mark Hampton, Alexa Hampton knows comparisons to her father are inevitable. She began working at his eponymous New York City ﬁ rm when she was just 13 and took over the business at age 27. Though Alexa shares the same good taste and interest in traditional interiors that were a hallmark of her father’s work, her designs are unmistakably her own, blending classicism with a modern, youthful sensibility to create luxurious but livable rooms.

Alexa Hampton: Anything that is related to art can seem so mystical. I acknowledge that talent is part of successful interior design, but there are lots of very practical things about design, and I like talking about them. It makes it a lot less scary and more approachable. R•HOME: You have built a very successful interior design business for yourself, yet you retain your father’s name on your business? Why?

Hampton: I was 27 when my father died. He was diagnosed with cancer that February [1998] and was dead in July. I was shell-shocked … It gives me great solace and comfort to walk through a door that bears his name every day. Even if he weren’t the great figure in this field that he is, I would still retain his name. I am sentimental. R•HOME: Is your design aesthetic more alike or more different than your father’s?

Hampton: They are very different and get more different all the time. In decorating, as in everything, he was my father and he was my mentor. But

Want to meet Alexa Hampton? She'll speak at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 24, at The Jefferson Hotel, 101 W. Franklin St. Tickets are $65 and include general admission to the RAMA 50th Annual Beneﬁt Antiques and Fine Art Show at the Science Museum of Virginia. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.; brunch begins at 10:30 a.m. with a book signing afterward. For more details, visit ramaf.org.

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

Alexa Hampton used a valence instead of curtains to conceal motorized shades.

my grown-up-person lifestyle is very different from his. He lived in a more formal world than I do. And the way people live today is radically different. R•HOME: In your book, you talk about the challenges of designing a room to accommodate children. How do you live stylishly with young children? (Hampton has a 3-year-old daughter and 5-year-old twin boys.)

Hampton: Let’s embrace the fact that I’m a total hypocrite [laughing]. In my living room, I took out all the furniture and put down a mat of blue plastic interlocking squares. We live in an age where we don’t want to have our kids shunted off into a back room and have that hierarchical relationship with them. Let’s not pick the fabric that is $1,000 per yard, hand-woven by blind nuns in the Himalayas. Try not to decorate with things that can impale small kids. R•HOME: Where does trend fit into the “language of design?”

Hampton: Almost nowhere. The way trend fits into interior design is in what it makes available for purchase. When there is a big painting trend going on, wallpaper becomes scarce; when people go to neutrals, it is hard to find a Brunschwig & Fils Mughal Indian print. Trend has an impact on commerce. I don’t let it dictate to me. I like what I like — I like pretty things, I like variety.

Scott Frances photos

Join us for

BRUNCH

From 18th century to midcentury modern antiques from 38 dealers, plus inspiration spaces and a wine bar

With Alexa Hampton, interior designer and owner of Mark Hampton, LLC, in New York City, and author of The Language of Interior Design

Friday, February 24 The Jefferson Hotel 101 W. Franklin St. Richmond, VA 10:30 a.m. (with early book sales and signing at 9:30) ADMISSION: $65

E DIC I N E

CE L U N I A N I NC DAT IO N

A DE MY AC

FM O

R I C H MOND

GALA PREVIEW

HOSTED BY

Get a first look at the show and enjoy champagne, hors d’ouevres, and anniversary cupcakes.

The Richmond Academy of Medicine Alliance Foundation, Inc. PARTNERED WITH

The Richmond Academy of Medicine, Inc.

Thursday, February 23 Science Museum of Virginia 7 to 10 p.m. ADMISSION: $100 to $500

Science Museum of Virginia 2500 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA GENERAL ADMISSION: $10 (Weekend Pass) HOURS

Friday, February 24 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, February 25 — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, February 26 — Noon to 5 p.m.

For more information or to make reservations, visit www.ramaf.org or call 804-551-3723

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All events beneﬁt community health initiatives in the Greater Richmond area 11/4/11 12:20:12 PM

Back Page

Slowly Cooking

NEW BOOKS

The Right Palette: Picking the Perfect Palette for Every Room in Your Home by Eve Ashcroft. Artisan, 2011 ($30). When the nerve-wracking task of figuring out what color you can live with on your walls and what color you can’t proves to be too much for you, Eve Ashcroft, paint consultant to Martha Stewart and Steve Martin (among other celebrities), can steer you in the right direction with this book and a minimum of heartache.

Stylish slow cookers, crazy chocolate, plus new books and w e b s i t e s y o u s h o u l d n ’ t m i ss  By Brandon Fox

Cooking in the Moment by Andrea Reusing. Clarkson Potter, 2011 ($35). Gorgeous photos and approachable recipes by the chef/owner of Lantern in Chapel Hill make this cookbook a winner, but it’s Reusing’s clear voice and captivating stories of her life in the kitchen with family that make you turn back to her book again and again.

 Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker

Artist, designer, Richmonder and R•Home Hot List choice Dana Gibson designed two 6-quart slow cookers that you won’t want to store away in a cupboard — one in a lattice of bamboo and another in a folk motif of blues. $30. hamiltonbeach.com.

Komforte Chockolates Prepare your mouth and your mind for the unexpected pleasure of flavors like apple pie and graham cracker; tortilla, lime and salt; or even ramen noodle (ramen noodles, onion, garlic and soy sauce!) wrapped up in a chocolate bar. $3.49 each. komfortechockolates.com.

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It’s kind of like a slow cooker — only it’s not. Elevate your cooking skills to the professional: By cooking meats, vegetables and eggs at a low, slow and even temperature for an extended period of time in a water bath, flavor is concentrated and food is perfectly cooked. $400. sousvidesupreme.com.

Websites to Check Out

Ikea Hackers Everyone makes that inevitable trip up 95 to Potomac Mills and comes back with things with names like Grönö and Smådal. Here’s a site that shows you how to repurpose that white particleboard piece from Ikea and make it into something entirely different. ikeahackers.net 80

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Undomesticated Me Follow the adventures of Paula Bernstein as she attempts to acquire the skills necessary for cooking, cleaning and entertaining while also juggling work and a family. It’s not always a success, but then again, who would want it to be? undomesticatedme.blogspot.com

Tiny-Ass Apartment The title says it all. Simone, an apartment dweller in the Bay area, shares her ideas and projects to make that tiny space you live in beautiful, plus she shares tours of other little apartments to inspire you. tinyassapartment. blogspot.com

Top and midd le left: Isaac Harrel l photos

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