We revisit two iconic covers and reconnect with the families who brought them to life
recreate their cover pose, this time with Jacqueline in the picture and snow on the ground!
By Rebekah Mann | Photography by John Michael Simpson
Three years after their move to Chapel Hill, the Adigun family was featured on the cover of the 2017 Visitors and Relocation Guide, posing for photographer Briana Brough in front of the iconic Chapel Hill mural by artist Scott Nurkin. Dr. Chris Adigun and Yomi Adigun’s family of five was about to become six, with Chris just months away from giving birth.
Today, the family has grown into a full team of sports lovers. Youngest child Jacqueline Adigun, 9, loves tennis and soccer. Nylah Adigun, 12, plays basketball and shares a love of volleyball with her 15-year-old sister, Naomi Adigun. Naomi has also found an interest in musical theater. “That was fun for her to branch out and try something that was maybe not on a court or a field,” Chris says. The girls’ older brother, Julian Adigun, 17, is still on the court and has committed to play basketball at Harvard University next year.
Chris, who opened Dermatology & Laser Center of Chapel Hill in 2016, has seen changes at her private practice as it expanded and moved into a larger space. She and Yomi bought land across from Chatham Downs in January 2020 to build a new location just a mile from their previous spot in Briar Chapel. “The community and that area had received me so positively,” Chris says. “The last thing I wanted to do was then leave the community that had helped my practice become so successful.”
The Greensboro native and UNC School of Medicine alumni says one of her favorite things about living and working in the same community is building relationships. “I love seeing my patients at the grocery store, on the soccer field, at YMCA basketball,” she says. “I knew I wanted to work and be a part of the community that I served, and I feel like I have made that a reality.”
The Adiguns’ youngest, Jacqueline Adigun, was born just a few months later.
DO IT AGAIN
Kathryn “Kate” Sayre and Alex Sayre had recently finished the first renovation to their 1,200-square-foot house on Graham Street when photographer Briana Brough captured them for our March 2015 cover. The home, with its sunny front door and blue trim, was the right size for the couple who were newly married. Following an addition that more than doubled the house’s size, its footprint today is 2,800 square feet, and Alex says there’s a nice flow from old to new. Downstairs, they added a new family room with a garage-style door that opens to the backyard and a loft area that functions as a playroom. The second floor gained a larger primary suite, laundry room and two bedrooms with a shared bathroom.
Alex’s renovation construction company, Argyle Building has been operational since 2009, and he says his connections in the industry were useful during the project. “As a general contractor, I have a lot of great subcontractors, so they helped with all of it,” he says.
He also oversaw the design and planning for both the renovation and the addition. Kate says that while Alex has the eye for creative elements, she voiced needs of functionality throughout the planning. “I’ll share ideas – like realizing we really needed a mudroom – and he brings them to life, refining the concept with his experience and expertise and ultimately doing the hands-on work,” she says.
Kate, a registered dietitian who works full time in her Durham private practice, says she spends a lot of time in the kitchen, not only because she loves baking but also because it’s always felt like the heart of the home to her. “It was incredibly important in the first renovation and is on the short list for the next one,” she says, adding that they are eyeing future projects slated for 2027 or 2028.
Adding on to the house hasn’t been the only expansion for Alex and Kate – they’ve also grown their family. Both Del Sayre, 9, and Win Sayre, 6, love the updated backyard Alex worked on in 2024 and utilize the space to play sports with friends. The family added a covered structure for patio dining, and Kate says they were able to use it while hosting Christmas Eve dinner this year thanks to higher temps. “It truly feels like another living space because of how much we use it,” Kate says.
