PinStephanie with her 4-year-old British Lab, Annie.
Welcome to Stephanie and Forrest Conner’s home. This house is a favorite of ours. The blend of modern and traditional details with big windows, wide hallways, tall ceilings, and the combined use of stone and clapboard outside and wood and stone flooring inside is simply stunning.
Not only is the house well designed, but it is finished with a clear vision. With the help of architect Stephen Wells and interior designers Brad Ramsey and Jonathan Pierce of Pierce and Co, this home is at once elegant and comfortable. It’s a grown-up house, yet perfect for young kids and a big ‘ole dog. “When we built the house, the idea was for it to be classic, casual, cozy and completely kid-friendly. We always said if we could build a farmhouse in Green Hills and it not look odd, that’s what we would do. What we ended up with was a house that we hope feels natural, comfortable, warm, and fits well in our neighborhood.”
We are grateful to all our sponsors:
The Kitchen:
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There is so much natural light in the house. How did you manage that?
Stephanie: We also wanted a lot of light throughout. We have several axes in the house so the light coming in isn’t blocked by too many walls, and we kept the wall colors light to maintain an open, airy feeling.
The kitchen is various shades of white. It amazes me how complicated white is, but putting various shades of it together can create a warm, white atmosphere that doesn’t seem sterile. Believe it or not, that red toaster was always in my head, as I was envisioning my kitchen. I loved the idea of a pop of bright red in my white kitchen. Who would have thought a simple appliance would hold such importance? (I also have a red blender!)
We are grateful to all our sponsors:
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The Porch:
PinThe back porch
Your back porch is divine and so livable. Tell us about it.
Stephanie: We felt as strongly about the outside living area as we did the inside. We designed the back porch to be another room in the house, and it truly is. We eat dinner out there often and can wrap up in blankets and enjoy a movie and a fire in the dead of winter. It is an active and liveable “room” for us. We wanted a seamless flow from outside to inside. We used Tennessee Crab Orchard stone on the outside, as well as the inside flooring where the inside meets outside. We left the stone in its natural state.
Many of the accessories found on the porch can be found at Pierce and Co.
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We are grateful to all our sponsors:
The Great Room:
PinThe painting above the fireplace is by Carylon Killebrew of Chattanooga.
Original artwork is found throughout the house, mostly made by Tennessee artists. Stephanie, who sits on the board of Watkins College of Art, Design and Film, is passionate about the preservation of Tennessee heritage and art and encourages anyone interested in artwork, no matter where you live, to think locally and support artists close to home. “It is amazing what you will find!” she says.”The painting of the dogs above the fireplace is by Carylon Killebrew of Chattanooga. The large, light blue piece in the living room is by Nashville artist Greg Decker. I have several natural wood and stone carving pieces throughout the house done by Tennessee artists including Brenda Stein, who is a genius with a piece of wood!”
PinThe large blue painting is by Greg Decker of Nashville. The yellow painting seen in the background (slightly hidden behind the tall spray of flowers) is by Carroll Cloar, of Memphis.
The butcher block table:
PinThis butcher block table is welcoming with a rich history. The family photo, by Wiff Harmer (who also took all of these pictures for today’s article), hangs on wall. Tip: hang and display your family photos just like you would your artwork.
Tell us about the butcher block table?
Stephanie: The butcher block came out of a family-owned grocery store in my hometown in east Tennessee called the “Big 4.” The butcher at the Big 4 gave it to my mother when it had outlived its commercial use and I grew up with it in our kitchen. Now my children are growing up with it in their kitchen! I love this because it is a piece of history, a work of art in itself, it reminds me of home, and I can cut limes on it!
PinTip: follow Stephanie’s lead an buy some faux orchids and arrange them in a rustic vase collection. The rest of her plants are real, but these provide color and are always ‘in bloom’!
What paint colors did you end up using in the kitchen, great room and back porch?
Stephanie: The trim throughout the house – ceiling beams/back porch, etc. etc. is a mix of two whites: Porter White Umber and Misty Umber. The Great Room is a Benjamin Moore color, Tapestry Beige. The kitchen paint is all from Porter and all from their new deck. The walls are Paraffin, the ceiling is Mother of Pearl and the cabinets and trim are Garlic Clove. Robin Campbell was amazing at helping me pick out paint colors before I hired Brad Ramsey with Pierce and Co. (Robin’s email for anyone needing similar help is:[email protected])
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The Porch:
The Great Room:
