When the owners of this Frontenac beauty started searching for a new home, their primary goal was a simple one: a house with a main floor primary suite where they could age in place. “We had planned to add on to our previous home but doing that was likely to cause a lot of headaches,” says the wife. “Then we looked at existing homes, and while there were a lot of pretty homes on the market, they really weren’t in any better condition than what we already had. It made no sense to get a main-floor master when we weren’t in love with the rest of the house.”
Then the couple found a Southern-style home built in 1936 located on a large lot with mature magnolia trees. “It was very special, but the infrastructure and ceiling height really wouldn’t allow us to do a remodel,” says the wife. The couple made peace with the fact the original house would have to come down after they found Refab, which dismantled the home and salvaged everything that could be reused.
Starting anew, the couple envisioned a plantation-style home that would pay homage to the original structure and include a first-floor primary suite along with plenty of space to host family and friends.
“My mother was from Florida, and I’ve always had a thing for the South even though I was raised in Missouri,” says the wife. “Our daughter attended college in Alabama, and that helped me gain an even greater appreciation for Southern architecture and culture.”
Builder NJL Custom Homes brought architect Paul Fendler’s plans to fruition. The couple also worked with Channing Krichevsky and Maria Hogrefe of C&M Interiors. “I call it one of those ‘God-winks’ as to how I met them,” the wife says of the designers. “I was at one of my favorite cafes, looked down at a magazine featuring them, and thought, ‘they look fun! So, I called them.”
The Frontenac new build was C&M’s first custom home project. “They worked hard to listen to me, get to know what I like, what brings me joy, and then design for us,” says the wife. “Channing and Maria still impress me with their really amazing design that’s specifically done for the client.”
C&M Interiors focused the design on classically traditional, Southern style and added unique points throughout the home. “Focusing on the little details is what truly makes good design,” Maria says. “Typically, something that looks effortless or feels very put together is what requires the most amount of thought. We pride ourselves on that.”
In this instance, the designers brought in subtle hints of Asian influence, derived from the wife’s early childhood in Japan when her father served in the Air Force. Detailed millwork and hardwood flooring were also important design elements. “We worked with Boardwalk Hardwood and it took us many iterations to get the exact stain we wanted for the maple floors,” says Maria. “The stain is very rich and warm, which felt traditional, but also pulls more modern.”
And for the details, the designers added a darker, thin wood inlay for the foyer floor and other strategic areas. “The thin inlay acts like a frame, and just adds another layer of elegance and detail,” says Maria. “We also did a ton of applied moldings, built-up casework and trim details throughout the home which contribute to creating a gorgeous, traditional home that will never go out of style.”
After living in the home a few years and loving everything about it, the wife says she got a call from a Glennon Guild member she knew through their children. “She asked if we would be on the Deck the Halls of Glennon Homes Tour, and I was very flattered,” says the wife. “Then I contacted Channing and Maria, and they were willing to donate their time and help me with decorating for the tour.”
The C&M Interiors team drew upon coastal, Southern and natural influences with shining glimmers of holiday spirit to make each room dazzle for the tour. “We used a lot of what she already owned and added things here and there to pull rooms together,” says Channing. In the dining room, for example, which is already a favorite room of both client and designers, lead designer Jessica Kilian and the rest of the C&M team utilized the homeowner’s Spode Christmas Tree china, Waterford crystal and brass flatware the wife’s parents obtained during their time in Japan.
In the living room, a beloved painting of a roseate spoonbill served as inspiration for the room’s colorways. “I ended up with a lot of birds around the house, so I joked maybe we could do a bird tree in the living room,” says the wife. “This is where C&M’s talent comes in to design a tree that’s still refined based on the colors in the room and the bird art.” Maria says they utilized pinks, blues and golds for the tree, and added natural elements as well. “The owners have hydrangea bushes in the yard, so we asked her to clip some of those in the fall and store them in her basement to dry,” says Maria. “And we incorporated those dried blooms in the tree as a way to pull the outside in, which created a really gorgeous ambiance.”
Through the process of decorating for the holiday tour, the wife says she learned such low-cost, simple elements can have a big effect. “C&M also put little bows everywhere, for example, a simple thing that’s so festive but helps the home and the Christmas décor feel cohesive.”
The owner says her family took advantage of being “Deck the Halls ready” and hosted a few extra dinners and parties. “My husband and I felt really good about working with the Glennon Guild to help raise money for the children,” says the wife. “I thank the Guild for inviting us to do this because it was also a really fun, creative outlet for me.”
