Southern Lady Jul/Aug - Southern Style Summer 2018

This stunning 1931 neoclassical residence in Union Springs, Alabama, makes a strong first impression, with a façade featuring crisp, white Doric columns, shuttered windows, fretwork railings, and a Juliet balcony. The home’s interior didn’t shine quite as brightly, though, and had come to feel drab and dated over time. That prompted the longtime owners to enlist the help of designer Cindy Barganier, who set to work on a renovation that would transform the dwelling with a look she describes as a beautiful blend of the traditional and the updated. “The family dynamics had changed,” Cindy says of the impetus for the redesign. “There are now two young grandsons, and the house felt a bit too formal and needed a little facelift. My goal was to open it up and lighten it…

During strolls with her dog through the lush Carriage Hill neighborhood in Boca Raton, Florida, Carol Ging would often pass by a striking waterfront home under renovation, admiring its transformation over time. When the house appeared on the market for sale one day, she seized the chance to settle her family into the home where she felt they belonged. “Securing this property—our sixth and, hopefully, final home—has been life changing,” Carol says. Falling in love with the bones of the house and its extensive trim and wainscoting, as well as the efforts of the previous owners to give it an updated open floor plan, the Ging family was handed their dream home with no work left for them to complete. The residence is stunning, with its sloped tongue-and-groove ceilings and exposed…

Sometimes when life tosses you a lemon, you use its bright, cheerful color for your front door. “That’s what made me happy,” says Marti Tolleson, whose home on St. Simons Island, Georgia, greets visitors with the hue. In 2010, Marti and husband Tee left their roots in rural Elko, Georgia, and moved with their two teenage children to the slow-paced isle where the family had spent many happy vacations. “We were in a position where life was shifting,” says Marti. The Tollesons, whose decision was prompted in part by a downturn in the economy, were determined to scale down from their lives on a quail plantation. Their current home reflects that fresh start with a luminous, breezy feel centered on a white backdrop, countered by deep ocean blues, citrus-toned accents,…

Jake and Melissa Epker love a challenge. Whether they’re choosing a home for investment or a place to lay down their roots, the couple tends to gravitate toward diamonds in the rough. A 1921 Greek Revival in the heart of Mobile’s historic Ashland Place district was no exception. Though the home had extensive hurricane damage, they were undeterred by its condition. “The house had been empty for about seven years when it went on the market. It didn’t have central heat and air, the plumbing was a mess, and the front porch was falling in,” Melissa says. “We’ve always kind of enjoyed finding the ones that look the worst.” The Epkers looked beyond the damage and decay to see the stately columns and upstairs balcony with a great view of a…

When Susan Nelson and Robert Hart discovered their home on celebrated St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans’ Garden District, they immediately decided its unadorned interiors needed a facelift to complement its vibrant balcony views. Katie Logan LeBlanc and Jensen Killen of Logan Killen Interiors fit the bill for the redesign, with their dynamic aesthetic and signature flair inspired by the spirited Crescent City surrounds. “The condo was a blank slate, requiring little renovation and mostly furnishings,” Katie says. “We wanted to reflect the style of our clients, which was slightly more traditional, but still modern and fresh. The house was very neutral, and we knew they wanted a change. They wanted to make the space their own.” To jump-start this personalization, the designers chose a bold paint color for the home’s trim—Benjamin Moore’s…

Nearly a year after moving into their modest suburban home, Meredith and Dan Kingsley were eager for their living space to better portray their style and personalities. They solicited the help of Atlanta-based design duo Lathem Gordon and Cate Dunning of GordonDunning, who helped the couple achieve their vision over the course of three separate projects. The first round included the kitchen, a casual den, and their dining room; the second, a more formal living area and the guest quarters; and the last, a baby boy’s nursery. While the Kingsleys awaited the arrival of their firstborn, Cate and Lathem went to work bedecking the guest bedroom in hushed, inviting hues. Since all the couple’s family members live out of town, they wanted an inviting space for anyone who visited. “Overall, we…