The weekend before we went to press with our annual Home & Garden issue, I dashed up the road to Richmond, Virginia, to help my dad clean out my late great-uncle Alan’s house. Alan, ever easygoing and happy to see his frequent pen pal in person, was always game to eat lunch with me at whatever downtown hot spot I wanted to try when I was in town, so I had actually never stepped foot into his suburban home.
Our homes and the things we fill them with say so much about the people we are. Walking through the rooms, I knew Alan was a man of faith, a lifelong fan of Washington’s football team and someone who gave to causes that benefited veterans, shelter animals and more. I didn’t know that last thing about him until I cleared out countless donor knickknacks; my soft-spoken great-uncle was as humble – and kind-hearted – as they come.
We all have pieces in our lives that hold meaning beyond their function – items that carry sentiment or simply the joy of discovery. Amid the boxes and books in Alan’s house, I found pottery from Seagrove, North Carolina, a Christmas ornament from the Alamo, silver souvenir spoons from Baton Rouge, Louisiana – evidence of a life well-lived with my late great-aunt Sharon.
Nellie Holland Vail similarly filled her Colony Woods dwelling (page 60) with art from her travels alongside pieces from her great-aunt’s collection. In Carrboro, Dolores Clark is quite literally surrounded by the very walls built 146 years ago by her relative Toney Strayhorn (page 78). Treasures like cast-iron pans, once used by family members across generations, now line those walls. These choices, like my great-uncle’s keepsakes, speak to what we cherish and how we create a sense of place.
As for me, I brought back a colorful glazed bowl from Alan’s house that will now join other beloved belongings – my late great-aunt Dotty’s floral curtains, my late grandparents’ bar cart I spray-painted Carolina blue – each piece holding a bit of family history. – Jessica Stringer, editor
HOME & GARDEN
60 All Under One Roof
This blended family turned a quick flip of a midcentury modern house into the forever home of their dreams
78 Still Standing
Descendants of one of the area’s first Black families preserve their ancestral home and history
86 Remarkable Rooms
Some of our town’s most talented architects and interior designers spotlight their latest one-of-a-kind creations
98 Small but Mighty
A closer look into the world of tiny homes
106 Growing Legacy
The Hillsborough Garden Club celebrates its centennial roots this spring
118 Natural Masterpieces
Art in the Garden has blossomed over 30 years from backyard beginnings to a beloved tradition
126 The Art of Arrangement
Creativity bloomed at Design Matters as three designers crafted bold, art-inspired displays
132 Off the Wall
How wallpaper is making a stylish comeback in every room of the house
136 Serving Up the Future
How Vietri’s new CEO is honoring tradition and crafting a bold future for North Carolina’s iconic dinnerware company
138 French Twist
Paysage blends Southern charm with Parisian home decor finds in Meadowmont
FEATURES
46 Worth the Drive
Spend a day exploring the downtown of nearby Cary
50 Finding Her Voice
Leandra Strope’s all-girls choir empowers young singers
DEPARTMENTS
4 A Note From Our New Company President
14 About Town
Events not to miss
20 What We’re Eating
News from our restaurant community, plush a dish we love
34 Bookin’ It
A quick glimpse at the latest books from Orange County authors
42 Head for the Hills
After the hurricane, restaurants in western North Carolina need our support – and they’re serving up plenty of reasons to visit
PEOPLE & PLACES
24 OCHAR Awards Gala
26 Crook’s Corner Book Prize
27 The Giving Party
28 Chapel Hill Historical Society’s 2024 Community Treasures
30 Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award
32 Chapel Hill Young Professionals Networking Social
WEDDINGS
140 Darby & Davis
142 Anguita Maeso & Knuth
143 Blobe & McFadden
144 Presley & Wolf
SPONSORED CONTENT
38 Cast Your Vote in Best of Chapel Hill 2025
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