Semiannual Volume 41Fifteen Dollars

MATHEWS CONSTRUCTIONBUILDING A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

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MATHEWS CONSTRUCTION, BUILDER

BETH MATHEWS, INTERIORS

TOM HARPER, PHOTOGRAPHY

EUROPEAN FLAIR INMONTGOMERY

Located in eastern Montgomery, Alabama, this lovelyhome began as the brainchild of a homebuilder andhis wife, who is a designer, for their personalresidence. With family roots in both England and theProvence region of southern France, the couplewanted the home to reflect their love of Europeandesign with a refined but relaxed design style.Additionally, the property overlooks the sixteenthgreen of a golf course, as well as a picturesque lake, soit was important to incorporate the beautiful views.The exterior of the 5,000+-square-foot residenceembodies an English Tudor flair with an emphasis onhigh-pitched, gabled roofs, cedar timbers andbrackets, and tall groupings of windows. Large,double front doors are made of solid teak accentedwith beautiful copper gas lanterns on either side.

Azaleas, roses, gardenias, and crape myrtles add popsof color against the creamy-white tones of the residence.

Handmade leaded glass windows are featured in thetransom above the doorway. Above the transom aremore windows that also feature custom-made leadedglass. Upon entering, an open foyer, inspired by thearchitectural style of Aix-en-Provence in southernFrance, provides a beautifully striking and warmwelcome. Hardwood flooring is custom-milled, whiteoak stained with a process to fully enhance its rich,dark brown Jacobean tone. From here, an elliptical

Sylvan in feel, the property overlooks a golf course and natural lake.

archway leads into the living room where floor-to-ceiling windows showcase the outdoor views whileallowing sunlight to fill the entire space. The livingroom, kitchen, and breakfast room are all open toeach other to create a perfect space for entertaining.The ceiling soars to 16 feet, and hanging in thecenter of it is a forged-iron chandelier. Thisexquisite chandelier reaches five feet in height withthree tiers and a circular fleur-de-lis pattern. Below,the seating area is anchored by a creamy-whiteupholstered sofa and armchair with clean lines andtapered legs. There also are two flared-back swivelchairs. Custom pillows add pattern, texture, andcolor to the solid, upholstered pieces in the room.Two round, mahogany end tables with carved,

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Awash in sunlight through floor-to-ceiling and transom windows, the living room combines a mix of modern and vintage pieces.

A dark leather tufted bench with nail head trim serves as a coffee table.

The kitchen’s dark-stained hardwoods, and bronze plumbing and cabinet hardware, provide a pleasing contrast to the neutral tones.

EUROPEAN FLAIR IN MONTGOMERY

curved legs are accented with a selection of thehomeowners’ collectibles, including vintage crystal.Serving as a coffee table is a dark-brown, tuftedleather bench with nail head detailing. Across fromthe seating area, the fireplace is enhanced by a creamcolored, arched-top mirror that hangs above themantel. Flanking the fireplace are symmetricalbookcases and cabinets where vintage books, hand-pained plates, and collectibles are displayed. Thiscombination of modern and vintage pieces evokes atimeless elegance in this relaxing space. An ellipticalarchway between the living room and kitchenprovides visual separation while repeating anarchitectural element seen between the foyer andliving room. The kitchen features custom, handmadecabinetry in a light neutral tone to maintain theoverall airiness. Granite countertops embody creamyhues mixed with dark brown and grays, as well assections of glass-like transparency, providing rich

visual movement. The backsplash is in an antiqued,creamy-white porcelain tile bordered with a reliefpattern and accented with focal point tiles above therange. The Jacobean stained hardwoods, along withthe café-brown-colored granite composite sink,and bronze plumbing and cabinet hardware providea pleasing contrast to the neutral tones. Fourbeautifully carved, scroll-patterned corbels accent thebreakfast bar where three espresso colored swivel barchairs with leather upholstery provide comfortableseating. The nearby breakfast room providesadditional seating. For a more formal setting, there isthe dining room. Located off the foyer, the diningroom carries the same darker neutral color tone asthe foyer, delivering a refined elegance to the spaceand serving as the perfect backdrop to the room’s richaccent colors of ivory, black, and gold with highlightsof greens, blues, and rose tones. Cherished familyheirlooms are showcased here, so family stories

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enhance the richness of the many interesting and beautiful pieces. Vintage Empire-style chairssurround the antique mahogany dining table with itsdouble-gate leg. A flame mahogany sideboard isflanked by two vintage glass lamps and accented witha stunning European oil painting. Another eye-catching piece is the antique Louis XVI walnut buffetwith intricate carvings and marble top. Above ithangs a large, French mirror with beautiful openwoodcarvings. Incorporating the color palette of theroom is a wool rug with an elegant woven arabesquedesign with lush flower heads on a cream backgroundwith ebony, papyrus, and ruby colored details.Although not shown, a nearby parlor embraces theconcept of mixing vintage and contemporary piecesto arrive at a very sophisticated but warm and inviting

Heirlooms in the elegant dining room include the mahogany dining table with a double gate leg, and the Empire-style chairs.

A French mirror hangs above the antique Louis XVI walnut buffet.

The massive, vintage, four-poster bed in the master bedroom is flanked by two antique, marble-top French nightstands.

space. One of five bedrooms, the masterbedroom takes full advantage of the outdoorviews with windows across an entire wall. Thewindows are accented with an ivory-coloreddrapery woven with a golden geometric pattern.A massive, vintage, carved-mahogany, four-poster bed features custom bedding in a lighttone to contrast the dark wood of the bed and theflooring. The bed is flanked on either side by anantique, marble-top, French nightstand on top ofwhich is a barley-twist bronze lamp. Sitting at thefoot of the bed is a handsome leather bench withnail-head trim. A pair of carved accent chairsfeatures patterned upholstery which repeats thecream, blues, greens, and rose-colored accents ofthe home. Embracing the color scheme is the

The master bath continues the soothing color scheme.

EUROPEAN FLAIR IN MONTGOMERY

A comfortably appointed covered porch overlooks the golf course and lake.

sky-blue wool rug with a large-scale, leaf-and-vine motif accented in cream and bronze tones.The en-suite master bathroom continues theneutral tones with pops of blue-green accents.Custom-made cabinetry is in a gray-greencolor with beautifully-veined silver travertinecountertops adding pattern and movement.The homeowners wanted plenty of naturallight, so there is a transom window above thevanity space. Vintage and antique elements inthe room include a barley-twist bench, OldWorld-inspired plumbing fixtures and vanitylights, and a seaside-themed oil painting fromthe 19th century. Clearly, this home features asophistication that embraces a warm andpersonal sense of the past while alsoaccommodating the needs of today. Europeanancestors on both sides of the family would beamazed and, undoubtedly, genuinely honored.

The home was designed so all primary living spaces face the rear with expansive windows to maximize the golf course and water views.