Southern Lady Southern Style Decorating 2022

If every home tells a story, Robyn and Vernon Barnett’s is a page turner. No matter where your eye lands as you walk into a room, you’ll find something to spark an anecdote: a rocking chair that traversed the South in a covered wagon; an intricately carved chess set found on a trip to Japan; a framed drawing by Winston Churchill’s daughter. The mix couldn’t be more diverse, yet it all comes together in a wholly engaging way—thanks largely to the ingenuity of Alabama designer Cindy Barganier. “Robyn is very blessed to have family members who are really great artists,” says Cindy, who was tasked with creating an interior scheme that would feel cohesive but give the Barnetts’ eclectic cache room to breathe. “She had wonderful art, and she also had…

For two years, Lindsey and Ryan DeRieux waited patiently for the opportunity to buy a home within walking distance of their kids’ school, a public park, and, most importantly, Lindsey’s parents. They had deemed it the ideal place to put down roots, knowing full well an extensive makeover was in order. “When we bought the house, it needed everything. And that’s what we wanted,” Lindsey says of the home in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Her heart was set on incorporating meaningful keepsakes and artwork they had collected over the years into an updated design that felt fresh and fun—a far cry from the existing aesthetics. From the dated floor plan and cabinetry to dark wood and passé colored tile on the walls, every inch needed expert attention. Lindsey brought on her friend Keleigh…

When Christine Adkins started planning her home in Sarasota, Florida, she didn’t rely much on design blogs or Pinterest boards to find herfooting. Having fallen in love with farmhouse style years before, she let her instincts lead the way. “Back when I was babysitting as a kid, the mother of the house would have all these decorating magazines, and I was always flipping through them,” says Christine. “I always knew that if I ever had the chance to build, it would be that style. So, it’s been in my heart forever.” A clear vision made it easy for the semiretired nurse to fall into step with the team who brought her dream to fruition, which included architectJohn Cooney, builder Nautilus Homes, and designer Sybill Johnson of Blank Canvas Design Group. They…

The cobblestone streets of Mexico’s San Miguel de Allende, showcasing prismatic abodes with artisan masonry, meandered throughAudrey and Joe Lopez’s minds as they dreamed of their ideal home in Austin. From whitewashed brick flooring andbright hues to towering windows, nods tothe couple’s beloved vacation spot shinein a brand-new house that designerRaquel Skrobarczyk helped them create. Tearing down the original 1,200-square-foot home they had purchased as newlyweds in 2008 allowed the couple to start fresh and take advantage of their long, narrow lot. “It was a little bungalow, and their family was outgrowing it,” says Raquel, owner of Heather Scott Home & Design. She and Audrey have been close friends for years, so the Lopezes knew Raquel was the right person to fashion a place that suits their lifestyle and vibrant personalities. “We…

Over years of travel, this Georgia couple had accumulated quite the stash of collectibles, from heirloom china to pastoral oil paintings. But their appeal was lost in a sea of wallpaper and dark paint until designer Grace Brackman of Maggie Griffin Design stepped in, refreshing the background and curating them in a way that allows them to shine at last. “She is a collector and has so many different sets of china, plates, and accessories. Before we really got into [the redesign], she showed me her favorite pieces,” Grace says of her first meeting with the homeowners. The couple, who built the home decades ago and raised their four sons there, were ready to transform their timeworn space into a welcoming place for their now grown children and grandchildren. The clients wanted…

When a client convinced Melinda and John James to sell her their Beaumont bungalow, the designing duo moved into an even smaller space, where they live large with treasured pieces like a French tapestry and a bacchanalian cherub dubbed “Lenny.” The statue, which has been part of their repertoire for more than 30 years, exemplifies their lofty yet fun style that translates in any size residence. “This house is 950 square feet, but it lives so big. A lot of people, in a little small house, they will put little small things. That just makes it look smaller and cluttered,” says Melinda, principal of M. James Design Group. She prefers to keep the scale grand but maintain the balance in a room. A case in point: a 102-inch sofa in the…