Southern Home Magazine May 2009

Southern HomeMagazine

Homes, Yards and Gardens of Lake Norman

may 2009Complimentary

Second HandTreasures

Save Thousandson Decor

Davidson’sWhite House

Evolution of a Local Landmark

President’s House circa 1850

WhimsicalContainers

Thinking Outsidethe Pot

WindowTreatments

Framingthe View

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pring is in full bloomand the Lake Norman area

couldn’t be more beautiful. Iwas at Birkdale Village a fewdays ago and the tulips wereamazing, they really do a wonderful job with the land-scaping down there. It in-spired me toplant sometulips of myown this fall soI can enjoythem nextspring in myown garden.As the editor ofSouthern HomeMagazine, it ismy hope that the articles, help full tips and vividpictures in Southern Home Magazine will inspire you to plant your owngarden or tackle some of thosehome improvement projectsyou may have been putting off.

This months issue was a lot offun. I personally love history,especially when it relates to architecture. I had the privi-lege of touring the DavidsonCollege President’s House andgetting an insider’s look. Whatamazed me is all the transfor-mations this house has been

through and how differentlypeople lived 175 years ago. Inupcoming editions of SouthernHome Magazine, I’d really liketo see similar stories aboutolder homes in the Lake Nor-man area that have some sortof historic significance. The

Historic Society isa tremendous resources; how-ever, if you knowof any hiddengems I’d love tohear about them.

Before closing, I’dlike to extend aspecial thanks toClyde Owens our

Art Director and Lori Daltonour Sales Manager for theirdedication and inspiration theyhave brought to this magazine. Additional thanks to all our advertisers. Southern HomeMagazine is solely supportedby the businesses and organi-zations who advertise in themagazine. I encourage you topatronize them and let themknow how you heard of theirservices.

Best regards,

Bethany HaufEditor


Bethany Hauf

Clyde Owens

Lisa Nobles

Justine DiMauroGinese Wilmont

Christine M. LisiewskiKristi LinauerMarta Carlson

Lori Dalton

Dennis RosselloJason SmithErin CantrellTosha Smith

We welcome your comments, ques-tions, article ideas, or any

suggestions to make Southern Home Magazine even better.

Write us at 20914 E. Catawba Ave. Cornelius NC 28031 or email to

[email protected] contact any associate you mayemail them directly by typing theirfirst name@ southernhomemag.comor call 704-777-0334 and speak with a live representative.

This magazine is published by Southern HomeMagazine LLC. and distributed twelve times ayear to selected households in the Lake Nor-man area. All rights are reserved and no partof this publication may be reproduced withoutwritten consent by the publisher. SouthernHome Magazine does not necessarily endorsethe views or perceptions of contributors or ad-vertisers. Southern Home Magazine has theright to refuse any content based on the pub-lisher’s sole discretion. Our office is located at20915 E. Catawba Ave. Cornelius NC 28031Publisher Southern Home Magazine LLC

editor’s notesby Bethany Hauf

S

May 2009 Southern Home 5


MAY 2009

8

12

cinco de mayo 6setting a spread may 5th

treasure hunt 8saving thousands on eclectic home decor

davidson’s white house 12evolution of a local landmark

mortgage relief 16homeowner affordability and stability plan

save energy, save money 18making houses energy efficient

southern charm remodel 20european conversion

bye, bye blackbird 22backyard nature

whimsey containers 24thinking outside the pot

perfect landscape 26what makes good design

20

26

6 Southern Home May 2009

The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5thOf May, is commonly mistaken for Mex-ico’s Independence Day, rather it is a cel-ebration that commemorates the victoryof the Mexican militia over the Frencharmy at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. Today, this holiday has become more of acelebration of Mexican culture, food,music and beverage unique to Mexico.Americans have taken Cinco De Mayo asa fun way to do just that…CelebrateMexican traditions and enjoy deliciousfood and drinks! Here are some easy recipes that anyonecan do in their own kitchen to turn May5th’s dinner into a Mexican Fiesta!

Start with an appetizer: Nothing beats homemade guacamoleand it only takes a few simple ingredi-ents! The key is to have perfectly ripe av-ocados, firm but able to dent with afinger push and darkened green in color.

Homemade Guacamole:Ingredients• 4 ripe Haas avocados• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemonjuice (1 lemon)• 8 dashes hot pepper sauce (Tabasco) • 1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 smallonion)• 1 large garlic clove, minced• 1 teaspoon kosher salt• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper• 1 medium tomato, seeded, and small-diced

Cut the avocados in 1/2, remove the pitsand scoop the flesh out of their shells intoa large bowl. To prevent the avocadofrom browning, immediately add thelemon juice, hot pepper sauce, onion,garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well.Using a sharp knife, slice through the av-ocados in the bowl until they are finelydiced. Add the tomatoes. Mix well andtaste for salt and pepper. Set out a basketwith corn tortilla chips along with somesalsa and your homemade guacamoleand you have an appetizer that is sure toplease!

Main Entrée: Marinated chicken and steak createsuper, flavorful meat perfect for the grill.While your meat is on the grill, sautéonions and bell peppers, chop tomatoesand lettuce, set out flour or corn tortillasand prepare some shredded cheddarcheese. Fajita Marinade:• (For 1 lb. Chicken or Beef)• cup oil• 1/3 cup Lime Juice• cup Red wine vinegar• 2 cloves garlic (or jarred garlic)• 1 tsp sugar • 1 tsp oregano• tsp salt• tsp pepper• tsp cuminCombine all ingredients ina Ziploc bag. Add meatand let marinate for atleast 4 hours then grill.

Slice meat in small strips and assembleyour fajita with the ingredients above.

Side Dish: Beans are full of protein, very healthy andeconomical, usually less than $1 per can.They are easy to prepare just open a canand heat. Try Refried Beans, Black Beanor Pinto Beans with a little cheddarcheese on top! You can zest up your“Mexican Beans” by adding a little garlicand Tabasco to your preference.

Don’t Forget the Drinks: To complete your Mexi-can Fiesta ad some “South ofthe Border” beverages.Margaritas are a classicMexican choice or trysome of the many qualityMexican beers with a littlelime. For kids, make a simple kiddy cock-tail (sprite with some cherry juice) andstick an umbrella and lime in it!

You can take your Cinco De Mayo cele-bration even further by decorating yourtable in bright colors with bold accents.Check out your local party supply storefor inexpensive decorations toadd that special flairto your MexicanFiesta!

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Mary Bidelman’s

lovely, traditional home in thePeninsula is decorated beautifullywith fine hardwood furnishingsand unique accessories. Althoughit may look like she shops at thefinest retailers or was blessed withheirloom pieces passed down fromgeneration to generation, almostall of her treasures actually camefrom garage sales, second-handstores, auctions, consignmentshops, eBay and the Charlotte Observer Classifieds.

Mary is onthe lead-ing edge of agrowing trend. Reclaimed treasures arebecoming all the rage for a number of reasons: they are eco-conscious, budget-friendly, andoften one-of-a-kind pieces of thepast. There’s also much to be saidfor the thrill of the search and thepure exhilaration of getting a greatdeal. When you approach theprocess with a discerning eyesuch as Mary’s, you can also ac

complish a designerlook for a fraction of the price.From her foyer, you can see herstriking dining room, which isopen to her living room and beau-tiful music room. When asked whoher decorator was, Mary told usshe didn’t use one and said, “Isimply buy what I like, knowwhere I will put an item before Ipurchase it; and I have fun doingthis.” On Mary’s Queen Ann style din-ing room table, which opens to

treasurehunt


seat sixteen, is a stunning, silk flo-ral centerpiece she purchased atan outlet store in Gaffney for halfprice. A wide, gold-framed,beveled mirror hangs on the din-ing room wall above the buffetand reflects the image of thechandelier. Purchased for $150,this mirror retails for $1,000. Infront of the floor-to-ceiling windowis a unique cart, which she pur-chased for $75. Among othertreasures on the cart is anadorable, black and gold, stand-alone china cabinet. Each of its

three glass shelves is just largeenough to display a delicate cupand saucer. These items, as wellas two buffet lamps, which cost$250, were purchased at the sameconsignment shop and were allpart of the same collection put onconsignment by their previousowner.

In a Fix A key consideration when shop-

ping for treasures is know-ing what can be repaired orrefreshed. In her livingroom, Mary pointed out ared leather ottoman. Retail-

ing for over $1,000, its originalprice at the consignment shopwas $400. The ottoman was miss-ing a leather button and had notsold in the first 30 days, so it wasfurther marked down to $250.Mary bought the ottoman and hadit repaired. The repair shop wasable to snip a piece of leather fromthe underside and use it to cover anew replacement button. Maryalso had the repair shop add fourwheels for a total of $80. A $1,000value was now hers for just $330. Mary’s eye for style and designflourished when she remodeledher kitchen. Spectacular cherry

wood cabinets topped with blackgranite set the stage for more ofher treasures. Keeping to her prac-tice of buying the best for less,Mary purchased her kitchen

faucet on eBay for $1,200. Thesame faucet retails for an aston-

savingthousandson eclectichome decorby Justine DiMauro


ishing $4,000. A spacious eating area adjacent tothe kitchen is home to a glass-toptable by Link Taylor. Mary pur-chased the table for $250 alongwith six, white-washed chairs at acost of $1,200. She left the chair’sfinish but painted the base of thetable black and had the chaircushions reupholstered at a cost of$800, including fabric and trim, fora total price of $1,500. Mary esti-mates the retail price for the setwould have been upwards of$6,000.

Don’t be Afraid to AskIt doesn’t stop with furnishings andplumbing fixtures. To dress herthree, master bedroom windows,Mary found two single cornices anda double cornice at a large discountfabric store in Gastonia. She fell inlove with the print and the lightbrown background of the Italian tap-estry. The original price of these cor-nices was $4,000. Mary was awarethese cornices had been in the storefor some time, and without muchhope, she offered $400 for the lot. Toher surprise, her offer was accepted!She also purchased some beautifulbrown side panels at a great price.Mary took the double cornice to theman who repaired her ottoman. Hecharged her $90 to cut the doublecornice and fashion a single cornice,giving her the three single cornices

she needed. The final outcome is astunning, custom window dressingfor under $500. In her daughter’s bedroom, Marypurchased an entire bedroom suitefor $1,200, including the armoire,two tall side pieces with shelving,the bed and dresser. Mary reportedthat the Kirchner Armoire alone re-tails for $4,000. The only thing miss-ing was a nightstand; however,Mary was able to buy the night-stand directly from the manufac-turer. Originally selling for $800,Mary bought it for $250, due to thefact that this ensemble was discon-tinued. The bedding is also gorgeousand purchased on eBay for a greatdeal.The guest room theme is “fox andhounds.” In this room is Mary’s ab-solute favorite piece, an antiquesleigh desk, which she purchasedfor $800. Hanging over the desk aretwo fox and hound scenery pictures.She knew the true value of thesepieces and purchased them immedi-ately when she saw them in a con-signment shop for a steal. In dismay,the co-owner of the shop told Mary,“My associate does not like anything

with fox and hounds, so he taggedthese two pieces at this give-awayprice of $70 for the two.” The ownerwent on to say, “These picturescame from one of the largest homesin Myers Park and just one costs afortune.” Mary furnished the room,including bed, box spring, mattressand bureaus, all with consignmentshop pieces. Fearing that she will fall into thetrap of impulse buying, Mary doesnot particularly care to buy at auc-tions. Auctions can be a great

Retropopcornpopper-one ofMary’smanyfinds

source for good deals, but impulsebuying or getting caught up in thebidding and spending too much fora particular item is something to becognizant of. During the afternoon ofan evening auction, most items aredisplayed and tagged with a num-ber. Stop in and look around. If yousee something you like and wish tobid on it that evening, write downthe item number and the maximumbid you will make. In the evening,when the item comes up for bidding,you can keep bidding until youreach the amount you set earlier. Ifyou are able to keep your cool andstick to the plan, you can really getsome great buys at an auction. Ultimately, shopping for second-hand goods doesn’t just save youmoney. Oftentimes the items youpurchase are priceless treasures thatare not available in retail stores atany cost. There is also the nostalgiaof owning a piece of history -

whether it’s an an-tique piece or aunique knick-knack,there is a story behindevery item. Whenbuying pre-owned,you can truly getamazing deals with-out sacrificing qualityor style. “Know whatyou want to buy andwhere you will put it;know the retail price,know how much it will cost to repairor refinish, and always have funwith it!” Mary advises.

Consignment Basics:If you have something you wish tosell at a consignment shop, you cane-mail or call in and give a descrip-tion of the item. Ultimately, the con-signment shop determines the priceof the item. “Trust the consignmentshop when they price your items,

they have just as much interest ingetting the best price but also knowwhat is realistic.” Say Scott Harris ofUpscale Resale! A furniture con-signment Shop in Mooresville.When the piece is sold, the splitvaries from shop to shop, but it’s notunusual to get a 60/40 split, with60% going to you. If the item doesnot sell in 30 days, the price is re-duced and after the contracted timeis up the item is donated to charityor returned.

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n 1837, Davidson College’sfirst president, Robert Hall

Morrison, his wife Mary Gra-ham Morrison, and their sixchildren moved into the newly-erected president’s house.Hardly the impressive house itis today, it was a farm house, nobetter than that of a smallplanter’s home. MorrisonHouse, as it is still called thesemany years later, began as abrick, five-room house. The 18’ x18’ square foot house was only

one room deep and two roomswide, consisting of the presentday study and foyer. The frontdoor entered directly into thestudy and a staircase, leadingupstairs to three rooms, ranacross the back of this northroom. Common in 1837, thekitchen and dining room was lo-cated in a separate outbuilding.Other outbuildings included asmokehouse, carriage house,outhouse and well house. The

Davidson’s

Whitehouse

I

evolution of a local landmark

by Justine DiMauro


Morrison’s lived in the houseuntil President Morrison re-signed four years later. With sixchildren and two adults, space,or lack of space, must havebeen the subject of malcontent.Imagine eight people living in a648 square foot house!In 1841, Samuel Williamson wasthe second president to residein the Morrison House; however,after a four year stay, the housewas deemed incommodious andplans to build a new home wereon the way. Through a fund rais-

ing campaign, the College wasable to raise $2,100, the cost in1850 to construct, “TheLouisiana.” Built on the site thatnow occupies the Visual ArtsCenter, it was home to PresidentWilliamson for his last five yearsas president as well as succeed-ing presidents for the next 62years. During these years, Mor-rison House served as a faculty

home and was added onto, fromtime to time, to better serve itsoccupants.In 1855, Maxwell Chambers,who was a member of the build-ing committee which directedthe construction of the campus,bequeathed Davidson College aquarter of a million dollars,equivalent to $5,499,942.00 intoday’s money. A portion of this

evolution of a local landmark

c. 1850 “The Louisiana,” built on the site that now occupies the Visual Arts Center

President’s residence front lawn


money was used to construct atwo-story addition on the southside, which is the present-dayfoyer and a small living room, ofthe Morrison House. Further-more, a one-story addition wasadded behind the living room,which is presently used as adining room. Born in 1780 in Salisbury, NC,Maxwell Chambers entered thebusiness field as a planter andcotton trader in Charleston, SC.The source of Maxwell Cham-ber’s fortune remains a mystery.Some suspect he entered theslave trade and prospered fromthis enterprise. Even though hedid purchase his own slaves, hefreed about 150 upon his death. During the 1880’s, a secondstory was added over the diningroom and pantry, and a first-floor guest room was added be-hind the study on the northside. In 1912, the Morrison House,once again, was used to accom-

modate the president of the col-lege and in the subsequentyears to follow more renovationsand improvements were made.In the winter of 1940-1941,$3,000 was spent to practicallyrebuild the interior. Despite all the additions andimprovements, as late as 1958,there was still a debate as tothe suitability of the house toaccommodate the college’s firstfamily. That year, President D.Grier Martin became President.He was adamant that the housewould not be destroyed and ayear later, in 1959, the houseunderwent a major face-lift.Careful attention was given tothe architectural style of the1830’s in this region. The addi-tion of a neoclassical portico, anew roof, and a one-story wingwas added, in order to enlargethe living room. These additionsreflect the grand style home wesee today.In the late 1990’s, a solarium,family-room, study and kitch-enette additions to the upstairsprivate living space, as well ashandicap accessibility and the

widening of corridors and door-ways were undertaken. The endresult is a home within a home.The second floor serves as a pri-vate residence for the presidentand his family and the first flooris used for public functions. Cur-rent President, Thomas W. Rossand his wife, Susan Ross, addeda screened-in porch at thenortheast corner behind theguest room. Thomas and Susan

Ross enjoy this tucked-awayporch which provides them privacy in their everyday lives.Fortunately, the Morrison Housewas not destroyed and has survived all these many years,evolving from a small farmhouse to the grand house it istoday. Susan Ross graciously in-vited Southern Home Magazineinto Morrison House on a recentafternoon. The interior of thehouse is bright and cheerful.The décor is traditional with furniture and lovely knickknacks collected over the years.Mixed in with the lovely an-tiques are contemporary piecesthat help to make the house feellike a home. If walls could talk, imagine thehistorical, humanistic, storiesthey could tell. Any 172-year-oldhouse will have experiencedtragedies as well as the happi-est of times and Morrison Houseis no different. In its secondyear, two of President Morrison’s little girls died in thehome, Elizabeth Lee, age one,and Sarah, age four. In 1912,Eloise Martin, daughter of President William J. Martin, Jr.

was born in Morrison House.Throughout the years, therewere weddings, four in all. Fromthe ages of four thru eight, MaryAnna Morrison lived in thishouse and in 1857, at the age of25, became world famous, whenshe married Stonewall Jackson. Yes, if walls could talk, wewould hear stories of visitingdignitaries, the concerns of its

residents during difficult timesin our country, as well as thecelebration of good times.Today, we are fortunate to beable to witness a piece of architectural history that hassurvived the wrecking ball andstands as a proud and gracefulexample of innovation, craftsmanship and historicalpreservation.

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resident Barack Obama haslaunched the Mortgage Re-lief Plan, formally called the

Homeowner Affordability and Sta-bility Plan, which is aimed athelping nine million borrowersqualify for more affordable mort-gages and ultimately stay in theirhomes. The program is designedto work with lenders to modify theexisting loan terms of up to fourmillion homeowners and to refi-nance as many as five millionhomeowners into more affordable,fixed-rate loans.Under the program, homeownerswho have stayed current on theirmortgages but haven’t been ableto refinance to a lower interestrate because their home’s valuehas decreased now have the op-portunity to refinance into a 30- or15-year, fixed-rate loan. Throughthe program, which is limited toloans held by Fannie Mae andFreddie Mac, the lender will allowthe refinancing of loans with aloan-to-value ratio as high as105%, which is much higher thantraditional guidelines normallyallow. Because borrowers cannot

take additional cash out, thebanks are not necessarily takingon new risk; they are essentiallyreadjusting the note. The programalso will encourage streamliningthe application process, and, insome cases, a full physical ap-praisal may not even be needed. To determine what your loan-to-value ratio is, take the amount youowe on your existing loan and di-vide it by what your home is worth(the appraised or fair marketvalue).

Example:Amount you owe:$275,000 Divided by the value:$350,000 Equals your loan-to-value ratio: 78.6%

The objective of the plan is to helpborrowers refinance into safer,more affordable fixed-rate loans.

Refinancing will not reduce theamount you owe to the first mort-gage holder or any other debt youowe. However, by lowering the in-terest rate, refinancing shouldsave you money by reducing theamount of interest you repay overthe life of the loan. Borrowers,whose mortgage interest rates aremuch higher than the currentmarket rate, should see an imme-diate reduction in their payments.Borrowers who are paying interestonly, or who have a low introduc-tory rate that will increase in thefuture, may not see their currentpayment go down if they refinanceto a fixed rate; however, they willsecure a fixed payment for the fu-ture and will save a substantialamount over the life of the loan.When you submit a loan applica-tion, your lender will give you a“Good Faith Estimate” that in-cludes your new interest rate,mortgage payment and theamount that you will pay over thelife of the loan. Compare this toyour current loan terms to deter-mine if a refinance would benefityou. To get more information, go towww.makinghomeaffordable.gov.As a government site, it providesunbiased information and is not asolicitation to obtain your busi-ness. If you decide to refinance,you can apply through a tradi-tional mortgage broker or by con-tacting your current lender.

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By Pete Villari, PresidentEnergy Doctors of the Carolinas

Heating and cooling systems are by farthe greatest energy guzzlers in a typi-cal home, accounting for 45% to 60%of the average home’s energy con-sumption. They may also be the sys-tems that homeowners are mostreluctant to address, since many fearthat altering them would entail amajor expense. It may surpriseyou to learn that you can helpyour existing systems runmore efficiently and slashyour energy usage by asmuch as 10% just by reducing airleaks in your home, according tothe U.S. Department of Energy.

It’s also relatively simple fora savvy homeowner to do on hisor her own or with minimal as-sistance. You’ll want to beginwith the places where yourchanges will have the most impact.Generally, 50% of air escapes from ahome’s structure (windows, walls,doors, floors and ceilings); 35% fromducts, vents and fireplaces; and 15%from pipe penetrations and electricaloutlets. Some air leaks are easy to feelor see. Try holding an incense sticknext to a window edge, door thresholdor other suspected leak on a windy dayand see if the smoke travels horizon-tally, indicating a leak. Other leaksmay be hidden and require profes-sional assistance to indentify.Here are a few inexpensive and practi-cal ways to reduce air leaks withouttaking on a second mortgage:

The Structure:• Caulk and weatherstrip exterior win-dows and doors.• Replace window seals and upgradedoor thresholds.• Reapply or add insulation in the atticand attic door.• Look for dirty spots on visible insula-tion,

which often indicate holes where air isleaking. Repair using a low-expansionspray foam designed for sealing insula-tion. • Likewise, dirty spots on ceilings orcarpet may mean that air is leaking atinterior wall and ceiling or wall andfloor joists, which can be caulked ifthey are exposed in an attic or crawlspace. • Add solar screens or shades to keepexcessive heat out in the summer. • Line drapes to further insulate win-dows.• Plant a tree near a troublesome areafor strategic shading.

• Check around canned lights andceiling fixtures and add or adjust insu-lation as needed.

Ducts, Vents & Fireplaces:• When not in use, close the fireplaceflue and check for tightness, and con-sider adding tempered glass doors tothe fireplace front if advised by itsmanufacturer. • Turn off exhaust fans after use.• Consider a kitchen exhaust fancover, which keeps air from leakingout when the fan is not in use.These are typically attached withmagnets to simplify removaland replacement.

• Prevent duct leaks in attics andcrawl spaces. Ducts can be wrappedin insulation that is secured using aheat-resistant tape.

Penetrations and Outlets :• Install foam outlet insulators on

exterior wall outlets and switches.• Fill gaps around pipes coming infrom the attic, crawl space or exterior.A spray foam insulation sealant workswell for this application.

The goal of these changes is to allowyour systems to heat and cool the airinside your living space and not, as mydad would say, “the whole neighbor-hood!” Combine these simple stepswith other energy-saving techniques,and you can make a positive impacton both your pocketbook and the envi-ronment.For more energy-saving tips, visit the Department of Energy at www.energy.gov or email requests to [email protected].

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ake Norman’s Crawford Outdoor Living Area, by Urban

Building Group is the 2008 recipi-ent of a prestigious Contractor ofthe Year (COTY™) award, pre-sented by the National Associa-tion of The Remodeling Industry.Each year, the COTY awards aregiven to contractors who havedemonstrated outstanding workthrough their remodeling projects.

The ObjectiveThe goal of this project was totransform an ordinary house onthe lake into an elegant French

cottage. The homeowners did notneed additional heated or cooledspaces; therefore, the focus wason creating a two-story verandaaddition that would give the clientthe high-end, European conver-sion they desired. The additionprovided 2,000 square feet of en-tertaining and recreation area andenhanced the home’s lake-sideviews, both from the interior andfrom the lake.

Unique ChallengesThis project posed several chal-lenges. Adding a structure with-out obstructing the view of the

lake, adhering to watershedguidelines, and creating a sense ofopenness despite a relatively lowinterior ceiling, were just a few ob-stacles to contend with. Designingfor function without compromisingarchitectural authenticity andbeauty was of the utmost impor-tance. The interior ceiling of themain house was set at 8 feet, so togain more volume in the outsideliving area, the grade of the floorwas lowered, which created a stepdown from the main house. Thiscreated a sense of openness thatis imperative in a luxurious spaceof this caliber. Increasing the ceil-ing height of the outdoor space al-lowed for arches that span fromcolumn to column and gracefullyframe the spectacular lake view.This is just one of the many detailsthat set this project apart.

It’s in the DetailsThe new space includes a denwith an outdoor fireplace, televi-sion and ample room for seating.The fireplace warms the outdoorliving space, making the area wel-coming year-round. To give an au-thentic, aged, European look tothe fireplace, handpicked stoneswith a covering of moss weretransported by hand and installedwith great care to keep the mossintact.

Before

Porchview

southern charmremodelEuropean conversion:

outdoor living in casual elegance

L


The ceiling of the veranda is con-structed of decorative coffers,which hide the structural mem-bers, and tongue and groove beadboard for texture, which creates afinished look. The exterior veneerand flooring is pre-cast concretethat beautifully mimics the look oflimestone, a material that wasdeemed too heavy and cost pro-hibitive for the project.The new living space is equippedwith an outdoor kitchen that in-cludes a sink, ice maker, refrigera-tor and grill. The outdoor bar isperfect for entertaining and pro-vides the homeowners with extraseating for large gatherings.

Private SpaceThe second-story addition pro-vides additional outdoor living andis used as a sun porch for potting

and sun bathing. This space ad-joins the intimate, master bed-room retreat, making it the perfectsetting for morning coffee!

InspirationThe homeowners took inspirationfrom their travels and applied par-ticular elements that comple-mented their needs and desires.The combination of arches,columns, railings and pre-castconcrete completely transformedthe rather ordinary façade of thehome into a stunning, European-style home. The attention to detailand craftsmanship is appreciatedand recognized by the home-owner, NARI and Southern HomeMagazine. It is our hope that itwill serve to inspire the creation ofyour own outdoor living retreat.

John Morgan, President Urban Building Group“This was an extremely challeng-ing project. Anytime you are work-ing with a roof tie-in, multiplelevel construction and of coursepre-cast materials, there is littleroom if any for error. I couldn’t bemore pleased with the outcome ofour teams’ efforts and we aregrateful for the opportunity tohave worked on the transforma-tion.”Contact him at:www.urbanbuildinggroup.com

Have an interesting project?Let us know at: [email protected]


Backyard Nature

ByJoe Kaestner,Owner

Wild Birds Unlimitedof Huntersville

By this time every year mostof us are totally fed up with the black-birds (family Icteridae) that have in-vaded our backyards. The largestand most problematic of these is thecommon grackle. Grackles are reallyquite beautiful, with their bright yel-low eyes and iridescent plumage;and they’re not particularly aggres-sive. The problem with these birds is

two-fold: they arrive inlarge flocks of twentyto thirty birds, whichwill frighten all of thesmaller birds away,and they will eat al-most anything.

Another annoying Icterid is thebrown-headed cowbird. Althoughthe cowbirds don’t usually arrive in

flocks as large as those of the grack-les, and they are smaller and less in-timidating to other birds, they domanage to gobble up quite a bit ofbird food from our feeders. They arealso our only native parasitic nesters.That is, the female cowbird will goaround to the nests of other species,push out one of the eggs and depositone of her own. Cowbirds don’t buildtheir own nests and don’t feed theirown young. They leave that up to thesurrogate parents,usually a muchsmaller species whowill, nevertheless,work tirelessly tofeed the “adopted”offspring.

Another member of the blackbirdfamily that you may see in your back-yard is the red-winged blackbird.The red-wing is more aggressivelyterritorial than other Icterids, and,therefore, is far less likely to be flock-ing at this time of year. This black-bird is generally not too bothersomewhen visiting our feeders.

Another speciesworth mentioninghere is not actually ablackbird at all, butis generally lumpedin with the Icteridsbecause of its behav-

ior and tendency to flock with black-birds. That would be the EuropeanStarling (family Sturnidae). The star-ling was introduced to North Americafrom Europe and has become quite anuisance. Large flocks will descendon our feeders and clean them out ina matter of hours. They are alsoknown to bully other native species,

like purple martins and woodpeckers,out of their nesting cavities.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a singlesure-fire method of removing theblackbirds and starlings from youryard.

The best way to deal with flocks ofblackbirds invading your feeders isto take a four-pronged approach.

1. Blackbirds generally prefer to eaton the ground. Put plenty of bird fooddirectly on the ground or in a groundfeeder twenty or thirty feet away fromother feeders.

2. Have at least one feeder that thelarger blackbirds can’t get into (e.g., acaged-in feeder or a small feeder de-signed for small clinging birds, only).

3. Keep suet (a favorite of blackbirdsand starlings) away from your otherfeeders or use a starling-proof suetfeeder cage.

4. Have one feeder that contains onlysafflower. Blackbirds lack the beakstrength to crack open this hard-shelled seed.

Blackbirds and starlings are alsoquite skittish and can be easilyscared off by a couple of sharp handclaps. Once scared off, they will gen-erally take longer to return to yourfeeders than the other smaller birds.

At least we can all take some solacein the knowledge that the blackbirdproblem is usually a springtime-onlyphenomenon. So, take heart. Theywill be leaving us alone in just a fewmore weeks.

bye bye blackbird

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SouthernHome Magazine is holding it’s firstannual photography contest.Participationis limited toresidents ofthe Lake Norman area. To be consid-ered, photographs must haveeither a home, yard or gardenconnection. Subject mattermust have taken place in theLake Norman area. Entriesshould be titled along with abrief description of the subject. Entries must be submittedelectronically to photos@southernhomemagazineWining photographs will bepublished and awarded bySouthern Home Magazine. Allentries must be in by July 12,2009.

704-892-0406At Catawba and I-77

20832 Catawba Ave. Cornelius, NC

Bring a sense of fun, charm andcharacter to your garden byadding an unexpected touchwith unusual containers. Takeitems you already have and givethem new life by adding colorfulplants for a fun, eclectic look toyour garden. Items that aren’ttraditionally used as plant con-tainers can often be trans-formed with little effort;however, there are a few pointsto consider.

Preservation of the ContainerAnything that can hold dirt and

water can be used as a con-tainer; however, if your chosencontainer is not necessarily de-signed to hold water or be out-side in the elements, you cantake measures to protect it. Lin-ing the inside with plastic willhelp to keep sitting water fromrotting the inside walls. Keepingthe container under a patiocover to shield it from sun andrain will help to prolong its life.In some cases you can primeand paint the container with anoil base paint to help maintainthe integrity of the container

24 Southern Home APRIL 2009

whimsey containers

thinkingoutsidethe pot

APRIL 2009 Southern Home 25

when exposed to the elements.

Plant SelectionIt is important to consider thetypes of plants you will beusing. Slow growing succulents,cactus and colorful annualstend to be less needy of spaceand can tolerate a shallowerbed. Perennials with deeperroots are more prone to becomeroot-bound, when the roots ofyour plant outgrow the con-tainer. Root-bound plants willhave slower or smaller bloomsand will begin to look “leggy”and wilt. If you are incorporat-ing a variety of plant species,make sure they are all compati-ble regarding their sun, waterand temperature requirements.Most nurseries will have labelsto instruct you on the basicneeds of the plant. In mostcases, when choosing plants,trial and error will be required tofind that perfect balance be-tween form and function.

DrainageMost plants do not like to sit inwater. Standing water is also a

breeding ground for mosquitoes,mold and mildew so it is criti-cal, especially if your pot isdeep, to provide properdrainage. Drilling several holesat the bottom of your containerallows excess water to flow out

and prevents root rot. If you arenot able to drill holes, apply alayer of small rocks at the bot-tom of the container so rootswon’t be sitting directly inwater. In larger containers youmay want to have as much as 3inches of rock at the bottom.You can also use pieces of bro-

ken clay pots or other nonporous materials to provide abuffer between the soil andstanding water.

InspirationsChoose an item that flows withthe theme and feel of your gar-den. For example, if you have anatural, country feel, old-fash-ioned antique pieces mightcompliment your area. If you aremore the clean-cut gardener, amore sleek option will suit youbetter. Galvanized buckets,tubs, wheelbarrows and water-ing cans have been a popularchoice in the garden in recentyears, but don't stop there. In-spirations can come from itemsyou already have in the pottingshed or laying around the houseor yard. Old shoes can easily be turned

(continued on page 27)

Good design is creating a plan with multi-ple components or influences for a singlepurpose. To prepare a commercial siteplan, mixed use plan or single family resi-dence; one must investigate as many pos-sible influences as possible to define thefinal product. A landscape architect is anexcellent choice in providing a plan for asingle family residence. Landscape archi-tects, like other professionals, vary withspecialized skills and experience. In theresidential arena, a landscape architectwould be involved in the early stages oflocating the home site, researching thelocal codes (lake buffers, setbacks, imper-vious cover), developing a grading anderosion control plan, coordination of utili-

ties, assisting with permits, understand-ing soil conditions, identifying personalneeds of the homeowner, acknowledgingbudget constraints, etc., to provide thebest design possible. In addition, theLandscape Architect must be able to ef-fectively collaborate with other profes-sionals such as horticulturalists,architects, contactors, and product repre-sentatives to effectively implement thedesign.

With the completion of a “Plan” the de-sign does not stop. Now, the task of pro-viding “Detailed Design” for assurancethe plan is implemented per the originalvision. Attention to details for materials,sizes, shapes, furnishings, and colors arecritical for items such as, fences, pavers,pool decking, railings, and artwork.

Lastly, comes the finishing touches: iden-tifying irrigation limits and preparing alighting plan to accent special architec-tural or natural features.

Henson Design, Inc. provides completesite design service including LandscapeArchitecture. Visit our website atwww.hensondesigninc.com You maycontact us at [email protected] by phone at 704-875-1615. Jay Hen-son is a registered Landscape Architectwith over 20 years of experience and iscurrently licensed in Virginia, North Car-olina, and South Carolina. A LandscapeArchitect is trained through education,experience, and an examination for certifi-cation. To read more about Landscape Ar-chitects, please visit our National Websiteat www.asla.org.

perfect landscapesWhat makes good design?

by Jay Henson

(continued from page 25) into planters. Make holes in thebottom for drainage through thesole. You can plant anything inthese that are shallow-rooted anddoesn't need a lot of depth. Cow-boy boots can be adapted for in-door plants by placing a tall,plastic cup down in the boot tosupport the plant. Other articles ofclothing that might double as cre-ative planters include discardedhats.Use an old gardening hat with awide brim for a country feel. Theyare usually made of straw so youdon't have to make holes in themfor drainage. Take broken clay pots and turnthem on their side and partiallybury them in the garden to givethem an uncovered, ruin feel.

An old vintage suitcase or trunk isbetter suited indoors or undershelter and can really add flair toany space. Add a liner for betterresults.

Porcelain tubs can add interest toyour garden and provides tons ofroom and space for deep growth.

After the kids have outgrown theirwagon, stick it in the yard and useit as a gardening tool tote.

An old fashioned bird cage may bea challenge to find, but if success-ful, it will add beauty and charmto any yard or garden. Hang froma tree over the garden with sometrailing verbena for a romantictouch.

If you have cut down a tree andare waiting for the stump to rot,turn it into a planter. Use an ax tocut a deep hole into it, fill it withpotting soil and add some sun-lov-ing plants like ivy and colorfulflowers. It’s an easy way to makean old stump look special, not tomention it's less expensive than

paying someone to pull it up or digit out.

Paint cans, using several in a row,gives a sleek, modern look or youcan use some various sized, rustyones for a more rustic look.

Use a keg or barrel if you needplanters with some height. Cement blocks, with their perfectamount of space for a flower andno bottom to inhibit growth, canbe used to line around a gardenbed or set them in a row as a di-

vider.

Large, 5-gallon paint buckets canbe painted copper or black for amore sophisticated look. Overstuffthese with some annuals or lushgreenery.

Displaying your potted creationson your patio or amongst otherplants and shrubs in your yard willgive your garden a whimsical ap-peal that is unique and personal-ized. The possibilities are onlylimited to your imagination.

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Documents

Southern Home Magazine May 2009