Home & Garden Tours
Wouldn’t it be fun to put your home on tour for total strangers to walk through for a few days? Getting it in perfect order - making sure the landscaping’s well-groomed, placing fresh flowers as well as offering some neat treats? Not everyone is brave enough to do this so I appreciate it when willing homeowners allow their homes to be put on parade to support their community or organizations. Though Instagram and other social outlets share home tours, there’s nothing like being able to experience one in real time.
Though this home wasn’t on the tour, the pops of red trim caught my eye during the cloudy beginning to the day. The shake siding and simple architecture was punctuated by the happy accent.
This weekend, after settling down from some back-to-back days scouring the High Point Market, I was able to relax and enjoy the Elizabeth Home & Garden Tour, near the uptown area of Charlotte, NC. (Not to be confused with Charleston, which it often is.)
The Elizabeth neighborhood is a combination of picturesque bungalows and brick two-stories, nestled on tree-lined streets with sidewalks conducive for foot travel to its many neighborhood venues and restaurants. In some ways, it reminds me of where I grew up in Durham. The Watts-Hillandale area still has the park, in which we used to play, as well as the golf course where we slid down snow-covered banks. I was actually born in Watts Hospital before it became the NC School of Math and Science. Perhaps this is why I felt an air of familiar comfort as my husband and I visited these Charlotte homes and their gardens.
The gardens spanned from simple arrangements to the shared community space, below. Five homes have utilized this spot for many years and it tends to be the hot ticket for parties. One of the homeowners, Tom Thoune, is an artist and created a fabulous outdoor kitchen space with a pizza oven, incorporating his talents of mosaic design. (He mentioned others had helped with his guidance.) If you’re not familiar with Tom’s work, in the event you’ve traveled on the Charlotte Transit System train, it’s displayed in the gorgeous walls at the Camden Station.
Many of the homes interiors have been adapted to today’s living needs, while retaining some of the charm and character from yesteryear. I’ll share one of my favorites as I think it incorporates all of the right elements.
Original floors of pine and oak, with their small plank size, have been preserved. I liked the paneling that appears to have been added, along with an updated fireplace. Modern art juxtaposed with antiques and traditional elements kept the view interesting and personal. I loved the blue ceiling, too!
Across the hall, the dining room also showcased modern art against the dramatic, black wall backdrop. The white trim, cream leather chairs, and the pale rug reflected the light and prevented it from becoming too heavy. I enjoyed the use of the vintage, brass light fixture.
Having previously visited several homes in this area, I recall many having either a butlery or a built-in nook for enjoying breakfast by a window. Though a large family might not fit, I am so glad they kept this area intact. A cozy spot for reading or taking in the day.
Around the corner we found a den with a coal-burning fireplace. Again, a nice meshing of modern with traditional. The deep chocolate/bordeaux walls were an invitation to nesting in for a good read, conversation, or catching a lazy Saturday nap. I must still be recovering from a busy week as I keep mentioning words related to napping or nesting! Seriously, this is my favorite time of year to slow down a bit and to enjoy the season and shorter days. I’ll be over it by January, though.
I noticed, even in homes where the furnishings might have benefitted from an extra “boost”, original art seemed to be very important to the homeowners. (Yes, I do like a finely tailored piece of upholstered furniture.) The kitchens were updated with professional appliances, either meeting a need for the chef in the house or for anticipated resale. These homes have appreciated greatly, over the years, so the accoutrements are a big consideration.
An antique sleigh bed and flanking tables had artfully placed layers of bedding and wall decor to keep them from being stuffy. Modern, marble lamps brought in the extra light in a sculptural way. I enjoyed the side table styling, too.
As an aside, I’m always looking at floors. I thought I had captured a few more photos; however, I must have been in a hurry not to block traffic. I still love a good marble combo of black and white. It’s a classic!
Typical for the lots, they tend to be more narrow but go deeper than might be imagined. The houses follow that pattern, as well. You can see this from my photos, below. I particularly enjoyed that the tour included garden and outdoor spaces. Fall is a great season, in the south, for getting in some landscaping work. It’s been one long, hot summer and the cooler breezes make the work very pleasant.
Fences make for good neighbors, especially when a nice design and include lovely landscaping.
Shake siding and cottage-style windows make this simple home exterior outstanding. You can see, from the side view, how far back the space extends.
This garden spot meandered into different areas - some for evergreens, some for vegetables and others for enjoying the flowers. Guess who will be in their garden, after this post goes live?
I love the use of the black, smooth pebbles for creating beds. This inspired me to reconsider some areas we’ve mulched. Sometimes the smallest thing can nudge us towards making a change in our homes for the better. Less maintenance is where we’re heading in our lives.
After the tour, the flood of memories had me searching Google for an image of the house I grew up in during my grade school years. The brick Cape Cod looks very much the same, though I imagine it’s been expanded as I see the side porch has been enclosed and a cheerful red door is new. The photo must have been taken in winter so I took an artist’s brush application to it. The flowering shrubs were always so beautiful. My mother began her gardening years, here, as well as her desire to decorate. I remember the mahogany bed and dresser she so proudly purchased for my room. It was dressed in a blue and white printed floral bedspread with crisp, white curtains. The alcove window area contained the attic door access. I’d pretend it was a secret passage via shades of C.S. Lewis and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - aka - Narnia.
As it was once and best said, “Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
All my best ~ Wanda
In Home Design, Interior Design, Historic Homes Tags Home Tours, Interior Decorating, Interior Design Charlotte NC, Old Homes, Art, Furniture, Accessories, Wanda S. Horton Interior Design