Mamie and I connected online after she purchased a few of my collages for her kitchen. I browsed her IG account then immediately asked if she would be open to sharing her home here on the blog. A pandemic and a few months later, here we are. Her family home is filled with colourful patterns, bold wallpaper and a mix of modern furniture.
“My husband, Alan, and I live in Greenville, South Carolina, on Paris Mountain, with our two mutts, Henrietta Modine and Wednesday Stewart. It's the best of both worlds--the quiet of mountain life we both adore, alongside a vibrant downtown. I am a poet/essayist who taught at a public fine arts high school for fourteen years before recently leaving to embark on yet-to-be-determined pursuits. I was also a waitress for give or take, like, six hundred years.”
“We met, some would say, "later in life"--34 and 38--and purchased this house two years ago. I actually never thought I would own a home. Hilariously, the outside is this stark white farmhouse-ish, which totally belies the interior. The exterior used to be this dirty beige but, I swear, at the closing, the previous owner (a designer herself) grabbed my hands and said, "Please promise me you'll paint it," so it's the first thing we did. The home is about 2,700 square feet.”
Mamie is continually adding to her cozy nest in the woods. This space is so unique and eclectic and is filled with one of my favourite things, art. Each room comes to life with curated furniture and unique area rugs. Put your feet up, grab a hot beverage and enjoy this home tour!
“I love our entry, particularly padding down the Turkish wedding runner I was lucky enough to walk with my two guys on, on our wedding day.” The entrance leads you straight into the kitchen or to the living room on the right. The retro patterned wallpaper is a the real focal point. The framed prints are from Methane Studios.
Photo by Julia Madden Sears
The family loves hanging out in the den and can be found most evenings cuddling up on the sofa sipping wine, and watching tv with rescues pups Retta (on the left) and Wednesday (on the right). At first I didn’t even realize that the den was wallpapered as my eye was drawn to the colour in the entry way.
“What I loved about the home was that it radiated everything I’d never been: clean, sophisticated, organized, decided, monochromatic, acceptable, money-ed, at ease. I silently and awkwardly lived in the clean sterility for like a solid minute before I began to play with and find a voice. I was never going to be sophisticated, at ease, seamless. I was never going to be anyone but who I was: messy, confused, excited, thrift-hunting, mis-matched, Joy-driven.”
Among the room's standout features is the original artwork by Lucy Boland which hangs behind the sofa.
“My aesthetic is unrefined, accepting, and fun. I admire so very much sophisticated, uber-curated homes...but they also make my Amelia Bedelia self a little nervous. I want our friends to be able to fully relax here, and if that means spilling some wine on the couch, or a kid drawing all over the staircase, so be it.”
This all white kitchen was recently transformed with a bold hue of blue. A peek into the eating area which is open to the kitchen.
I love the way Mamie has hung my collages in this bar area of the kitchen. On tile it could be tricky, but you could always lean art on the counter top. The colours and shapes play off the whimsical wallpaper that is at the back door and laundry room.
Mamie’s sister gifted her this beautiful hand painted watercolour portrait of the dogs. It is paired with a painting of icon Dolly Parton and one of my original collages.
This looks like the perfect corner to sit and enjoy a drink and chat with the cook.
I wish my mudroom was this tidy! Love the tile and all that storage.
A cheerful place to fold the laundry on the main floor is what every home needs in the mudroom. Not shown are the dogs dishes which are just as stylish!
Over a weekend Mamie transformed her back porch into this cozy space to relax, enjoy a cocktail or take a nap.
Wednesday and Retta are the cutest! Wednesday is definitely daddy’s girl and never leaves his side.
This home is filled with books, and the office is the perfect spot to curl up and read or sit and work from home with a laptop.
“In the office it's a mix of prints I picked up along the way, a screen I found in our old mountain house, Jeff Wall's photograph of the opening scene in Invisible Man (the Ralph Ellison novel), a portrait of Seamus Heaney, and a Benny Andrews print my mom and dad gave me for my 21st birthday. It's just one of those gallery prints, but it carries sentimental value, as Benny Andrews would become a huge influence for me.”
“Our master has been both the most satisfying and budget-friendly home project to date. The barn door my brilliant father in-law made for us as a gift and required only a twenty buck can of pink paint. We wrapped the walls with grasscloth I found for $1.31 per square foot on Wayfair.” The original art from local artist Ben Nixon is a focal point above the bed.
I asked Mamie what room was her favourite in their home and the “Mediterranean /Mid Century Modern” master bath is high on her list. “It's stark and counterintuitive to my maximalist style. Maybe because the tub's so big, I feel like some fancy person in a fancy hotel. I designed the vanity, so that's kind of a point of pride.”
The before shot was very 80’s brown and blah…it’s a stunning transformation!
The eclectic collection of artwork in this home is amazing. I will never tire of a good gallery wall, we have several in our own house.
“The hall is a mix of local artists, some more Methane Studios, pieces I inherited from my grandmother (who traveled the world for a living), and pieces I commissioned from former students. (I taught at a public fine arts residential high school.)”
This guest bedroom is a place I would like to hang out in. A few landscapes found at a vintage market finish off this gallery wall. A fun mid-century lamp is a true statement piece, and an old desk gets a coat of paint to bring her to life. Below is the other guest room done in a vibrant blue inspired by the ocean.
I want to thank Mamie for sharing her home with me. Don’t be afraid to break the rules when it comes to designing your home. “Your home should tell the story of who you are, and be a collection of what you love.” - Nate Berkus
Photos by Will Crooks and Tara Davis.