Southern Lady Autumn in the South 2020

Art and music course through the veins of Ginney and Foster McDonald’s historic Huntsville home. Paintings by contemporary masters like Nall, Mark Singer, and Steve Penley accompany antiques from London and pieces crafted by local artisans, a concordant blend of high and low that illustrates the family’s distinctive taste. “If it speaks to us, we will find a place to hang it,” says Ginney, who has turned to designer Beverly Farrington time and again for various projects since the family moved in more than 15 years ago. Beverly takes inspiration from the McDonalds’ eclectic collection of artwork for each update, infusing their interiors with a personal flair that reflects a laid-back lifestyle and affinity for art. “Instead of going in and doing it all at once, [the décor] has evolved over the…

Just inside the front door of Sandy Mulvaney’s home hangs a floral painting in an antique frame that pre-dates the artwork—and the artist, her daughter. It’s one of the Alabama homeowner’s most prized possessions and, like many of her furnishings, holds as much sentimental value as it does charm. In the 15 years since Sandy and her husband built the residence, several family heirlooms and special treasures have come home to roost. The living room holds a chest of drawers and a secretary inherited from Sandy’s mother-in-law, and the dining room displays vintage bottles from her great-aunt’s antiques store. With the exception of the mocha dining room, all of the home’s walls feature a warm white shade that gave Sandy license to showcase her keen eye for prints, like in the living…

There’s something about the arrival of autumn that calls us back to the gratifying comforts of home. Make the most of the season’s simple pleasures by inviting friends together for a tea party centered around a perennial favorite, blue-and-white china. On the heels of summer, September in the South allows us to drink in the final days of warm sunshine while also offering us a taste of the beautiful and bountiful days ahead. It’s a month of new beginnings in so many ways: back to school, a return to routines, and leaves taking on a patina of crimson or gold—a prelude to fall’s most captivating color show. Before harvest motifs and pumpkins make their annual debut, let timeless collections such as Staffordshire’s Calico Blue and Spode’s Blue Italian take center stage for…