Southern Home Holidays 2016

IN THE MAGAZINE WORLD, planning for each issue begins months in advance, so we have been in holiday mode for some time. There’s nothing quite like the excitement leading into this season, and we love helping build that anticipation for our readers. As our editors sat around the table discussing this holiday edition, the conversation inevitably turned to celebrations from the past. It’s those precious memories with family and friends that seem to be the tie binding us all together this time of year. In this issue, you will find plenty of features to stir up your own memories of holidays gone by. When Helen Drennen began making plans for the last family Christmas in her childhood home, she called upon designer Leah Hazzard to adorn the beloved house in…

1. ORBIX HOT GLASS CARAFE Store and pour your beverage in style with the Reactor Carafe in amber. $245, orbixhotglass.com 2. ALEXIS WALTER PAINTING Add a contemporary touch to any space with this abstract layered painting from the well-known New Orleans artist. Contact for pricing, alexiswalterart.com 3. B. VIZ CANINE COLLAR Make Fido the envy of the dog park with a collar made of Fortuny fabric. $80-100, bviz.com 4. AMELIA HANDEGAN: ROOMS Give the gift of inspiration to anyone with a love of décor with Amelia Handegan: Rooms, the newest book from the Charleston-based designer. $50, rizzoliusa.com 5. BOBBINS HAND TOWELS Irish linen towels have a single monogram in a pagoda pattern. $25-55 per towel depending on size of monogram, bobbinsdesign.com 6. SEGRETO VIGNETTES In her latest book, Segreto Vignettes, Leslie Sinclair shares stunning examples of decorative paint finishes created…

As the season of celebrating nears, calendars fill with parties, family gatherings, and other festive affairs. So it seems logical that the owner of an event-planning business would be feeling a bit stressed about the amount of work to be done. But Charleston’s Tara Guérard of Tara Guérard Soirée is the epitome of calm as she gives every client her undivided attention, just as she has done for the past 20 years. Known as one of the country’s top tastemakers, Guérard also has published two bestselling books, launched her own letterpress studio, and been featured in such magazines as Food & Wine, Town & Country, and Martha Stewart Weddings. She opened a second Soirée location in New York City in 2009 to meet the needs of an ever-growing client list…

“I HAVE TAKEN A SECOND LOOK AT LOUIS PHILIPPE AFTER BEING AN 18TH-CENTURY PURIST.” —PATRICK DUNNE Among the most renowned monarchs in history, the many French ones named Louis come to mind, especially for their impact on the decorative evolution of the West—Louis XIV for Baroque designs and sun imagery, Louis XV for the Rococo, and Louis XVI for some gorgeous Neoclassical furniture and, more significantly, La Révolution. But Louis Philippe, who came to power in 1830, has his own decorative legacy— one he is only peripherally responsible for but that is named for him nonetheless. The pieces created during his reign coincided with the Industrial Revolution, when furniture and decorative arts that were previously handcrafted and prohibitively expensive became affordable to a developing middle class. The designs were simple and became…

While relocating from Santa Fe to Nashville, Carolyn Kendall’s client found a beautiful home on an amazing piece of property in the Music City. And although it fit the bill aesthetically, the house lacked the essentials to suit her family’s daily lifestyle, as well as their need to entertain on a large scale. Substantial changes were in order. Undaunted, Kendall, along with talented local architect Rob Farris, transformed the house into a wish-list-turned-reality by enlarging the space, adding more architectural details, and bringing in plenty of natural light. For the interiors, Kendall focused on her client’s desire for a traditional home by incorporating her love of all-American red, white, and blue. “She is a very patriotic person, so in addition to the color palette, there are many pieces in the house…

On the Eastern shore of Maryland, where heritage and history permeate the air and saturate the soil, John E. “Chip” Akridge III and his wife, Sally, have made 500 acres a place to call home. Bearing the name Harleigh, the grand estate has a land patent that dates back to 1663 and is situated alongside Trippe Creek, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. As a developer and chairman of the Trust for the National Mall—the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service dedicated to raising private funds to supplement the Federal budget in restoring, improving, and preserving the National Mall—Chip has made preservation, conservation, and restoration part of his life’s work, and Sally has joined in those efforts. At Harleigh, the couple’s passions can be seen firsthand through the daily…