3 Things You Can Do Right Now For Your Community, Your Family, and Yourself.
Come on in : Home Tour with Peter and Julie Wolf
Walking in the backdoor of this Cape Cod nestled in the heart of Fountain City, one is immediately at home. As a guest, you're greeted with enormous smiles, warm hugs, and a glass of your favorite beverage within minutes. There's no doubt that for the 30 years Peter and Julie have lived here, they've learned a bit about making a house, a home.
The Wolf home in 1986
The Wolfs bought this little home back in the mid-80s with two young boys and family heirlooms to fill the rooms. Prior to landing in Fountain City, they'd been in California, St. Thomas, Michigan, and a few other stops before finally setting down some roots here in East Tennessee. Peter grew up sailing and Julie grew up around the lakes of Michigan. The influence of the sea is evident in the color schemes and artwork throughout the house.
Peter and Julie's style is a wonderful mix of traditional, eclectic, primitive, country, and little Pottery Barn sprinkled in. Julie mentioned that very early on, she and Peter shared very similar tastes in home decor and they love to do "the work" together. Whether it's refinishing a piece, finding the right spot in the house for a new treasure, or working in their outdoor space, they've been a team since day one. Julie really is a girl after our own hearts in that she really likes a place "clean and tidy, I like it less cluttered," she says. In 2000, they were able to put a wonderful addition on the back of the house adding a great room for entertaining, a master suite, and two car garage with an upstairs. The heart of the remodel kept in mind the idea of having people over. Last year, they were even able to host their niece's wedding in the backyard and it was a huge success!
Addition in 2000
Julie wants every guest to feel right at home upon arrival. "I want folks to feel like they can get a glass of water if they'd like and that my home is their home. I truly want them to feel totally comfortable." She celebrates so many of their guests throughout the years by showcasing many of the generous gifts family and friends have given them over the years. This is where the eclectic part of their decor comes from. "If i find something I like or if someone gives me something I just find a place for it." Both she and Peter love the stories connected with the pieces in their home and they love to tell you how each one made it's way to Forest Lane.
Peter at work in his home office
The Gathering Table
When we asked what home means to them, Peter quickly answered, "The place I'd rather be than anywhere else." Peter has travelled with his work for over 30 years, spending countless nights in hotel rooms all over the US and Canada. He cherishes his time at home with his family, friends, and projects. Julie says she has multiple favorite spots in her house depending on what the activity but if she had to pick, the big round oak table would probably be top of the list. Gathering with family and friends over a meal and a glass of wine fills her heart like nothing else.
Julie working in her "nest"
We also loved Julie's thoughts on collections. She said, "Collections just happen to you." Over the years she may have purchased one or two pitchers and was given a few from her mother and before she knew it, a pitcher collection was born. She loves to think of the giver as she uses each pitcher or any gifted home item in her home. Sometimes the gifts aren't necessarily decor items, but just stuck in a drawer and Julie will find them at times, hold them, take a moment to reflect on that time, that person, and enjoy the memory.
Our last stop of the tour was in the stained-glass studio in the upstairs of their garage. For about a decade now, each Wednesday night, up to 9 women meet for a meal, a beverage, plenty of laughs, and some time in the studio creating all kinds of beautiful pieces. This extension of their home has allowed the Wolfs to bless others by giving them a space to create but also a space to connect with others.
Finally, this particular home tour holds a special place in one of the dwellers hearts as I've spent many hours over the last 30 years being loved so so well within the walls of the Wolf home. My family has shared Thanksgivings, baby and wedding showers, birthdays, a wedding, and so much more with the Wolfs. They have been great stewards of this warm and welcoming home they've been given and I am so fortunate to have been one of the recipients.
Thanksgiving 2014 - The whole Wolf gang
Home as an Offering : Home Tour with Lindsay Heath
We sat down this week to interview the lovely Lindsay Heath about her house, her decorating style, and her philosophy on home. If you've never met Lindsay, the best way I know to describe her is that her presence feels like a warm hug.
Honestly, to focus on Lindsay's decorating style and her home in it's purely physical sense would be a disservice. Lindsay has a natural eye for creating beauty but what struck me the most about our visit was the overwhelming sense that when you walk into her home, the pressure is off, you are invited, welcomed, and appreciated.
With a knack for quirky items and for the cast off's of both friends and strangers, Lindsay and her husband Jonny have created a patchwork home that incorporates the practical, lovely, and eclectic parts of life in every sense. One thing Lindsay said that I've been thinking about a lot is that "space is defined by the people who inhabit it and use it". With a desire to make the people around her feel more important than the things she surrounds herself with, she aims for making spaces feel touchable and approachable; like you can enjoy yourself without having to worry about your surroundings. She mentioned that over the years she has come to find that an object can evoke a memory but that she doesn't have to retain the object in order for the memory to continue. Lindsay loves the creative aspect of decorating with objects that can be repurposed or reimagined. She loves finding unwanted objects and looking at them in a new way... kind of like when you find a house that's about to be demolished so you pick it up and move it two blocks over to save it... yes... she actually did that!!! (more on that at a later date) She shared with us that many, if not most of the things, in her house have been given to her and she in turn passes things along when she no longer has the space or need for them.
Lindsay is the first renter we have interviewed and we were especially interested in what she had to say about decorating a rental. Upon moving into their home they were asked not to paint or hang large things on the wall. As a result, Lindsay has used her limitations to find creative ways to dwell and make the space feel like home. Large art pieces lean against the walls, thumb tacks or Velcro strips are used for lighter objects. Lindsay has found that sometimes limits help you see things in new ways, limits force you to think creatively.
We asked Lindsay what "home" means to her and she mentioned the end of a stanza in the daily reading in the book of common prayer. It reads, "May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you; may he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm; may he bring you home rejoicing: at the wonders he has shown you; may he bring you home rejoicing: once again into our doors." The lines resonate with Lindsay in that to her, home is a place to welcome people in from the weariness, from the pace of the world.
"Home is a place for gathering and celebrating and for relaxing and eating: the really elemental practices. Home is the hub of human activity. The way that we relate in homes can be so formative- be it through decoration, presentation of food, accessibility to objects. Our relation to all those things that make us human make up a home; a place that can encapsulate all of the best parts of human life. "
Another unique thing about Lindsay and Jonny is that since they were married, they have always lived with other people- sometimes other married couples, sometimes single folks, but always someone. We asked her to tell us a little bit more about that decision. "On a practical level, when we got married, it made sense financially to share the expenses with others along with the fellowship, the space, the being known and knowing. The incidental disciplines and sacrifices of being not as able to hide the things that as humans we are tempted to hide and the discomfort of sharing space have been an unexpected and challenging reward. With the different people we’ve lived with, we always sit down and talk about all the reasons to live together, economic, practical, division of labor, fun -- but the primary reason we share a home with people is to become more like Christ. It’s been a very consistent practical way to be challenged and to challenge others in the comings and goings of every day life. Living with others creates a lot of opportunities to do that hard work. It has been a great way to keep in check the temptation to hold onto things tightly. Living with others is often inconvenient but there is an ethic of being uncomfortable that I’ve found to be a wonderful crucible-- that’s been a refinement of my walk towards Christ."
"Mi Casa Es Su Casa" : Home Tour with Becky Hancock
This month Help You Dwell sat down with Becky Hancock to get her two cents about creating a home and the process of bringing old things back to life.
Steve and Becky bought their historic home in June of 2004 and have taken on several projects and renovations to make it their own.
One of their favorite projects to date is their kitchen. Using vintage 1950's metal cabinets rescued from a tear down of another building, a kitchen table that belonged to Becky's grandmother, and a light fixture that Becky found at The Salvage Shop, as the style reference, they were able to formulate a plan for a retro kitchen design. In a record breaking 7 weeks, (with front end loading) they totally redid their kitchen and ended up with an absolute gem.
Upon walking into the house you feel a mixed sense of walking back in time (or down memory lane) and feeling totally at home. No doubt, the items chosen in the Hancock home evoke a sense of nostalgia to everyone who comes by. Becky's decorating and home making philosophy stems from the fact that she is drawn to things that represent a happy memory; things that remind her of people, old times, or things that tell stories. Because of this, she is naturally drawn to vintage items. Every item I asked about during the tour had a story behind it and naturally served as a conversation starter. Along with nostalgic items, it's clear that both Steve and Becky are musicians and long time music lovers by the instruments and music paraphernalia that also adorn the home.
Dining Room built-in
Master bathroom extension
Dining room
Old family photos throughout the house create a kind of "walking photo album" cataloging multiple generations.
When asked about living in a downtown neighborhood, Becky explained that her time living in New York created in her an appreciation for living near people of all different nationalities and walks of life. The downtown neighborhoods in Knoxville provide a diversity that much of the city doesn't offer. Becky talked fondly about getting to know many of her neighbors and the value in building community with all kinds of people. Aside from being able to walk downtown and being close to work, Becky loves old homes and loves being able to be a part of restoring the home she and Steve own.
Becky and Steve Hancock
Becky and Steve are hospitality driven and have opened their home multiple times to friends and family who need a place to call home for various seasons of life. In the spirit of hospitality, Becky says her philosophy of home is "Mi casa es su casa. I want people to feel at home when they are here, that our house is always open; a safe, welcoming, authentic space when you need it."
Thanks Becky and Steve for showing us around your beautiful home!
Behind The Scenes with KARM Thrift Stores
HYD and part of KARM Thrift's team
Have you ever come to a place where you realize you have too much stuff but have a hard time letting it go? We run into this a lot and have found that letting go of things is easier when you know your items are blessing others. Now, when we are helping with a project, we can tell you more about where your donated items are going and the needs that you are meeting simply by giving away your items to people who truly need them. We are really excited to be partnering with KARM thrift and would love to share with you a few of the ways that KARM is helping people all over our community, region, and beyond.
KARM Thrift Clearance Center
Last week we took a tour of KARM's clearance center and learned about what KARM does with items that don't sell or items that are too damaged to sell. KARM Thrift operates 17 thrift stores and the Clearance Center. The clearance center is the last stop for items that didn't sell in a thrift store, or are slightly damaged but could be fixed. Everything at the clearance center is sold at a deep discount. The Clearance Center is the general hub of all KARM thrift operations.
Caring for the community: The team at the clearance center works with a number of non profits and ministries in town to provide for people with no means. They do an incredible job of efficiently and effectively making good use of every donation possible. Below are a few of the ways KARM is giving back.
Assist with clothing for kids entering the foster care system
Create move in baskets for elderly individuals moving out of homelessness & into housing
Provide clothing for babies born at Fort Sanders Hospital whose families don't have resources
Provide household and toiletry items for people living in poverty in rural Appalachia
Provide clothing for men coming out of prison and working with Focus Ministries.
Invite teachers from public schools to come get free art supplies
Sized clothing for kids entering foster care and stock of baby clothing for Fort Sanders babies
The green side of KARM Thrift: All garments & textiles that cycle through the clearance center end up in one of 3 groups. Group A are items that didn't sell but don't have any defeciencies. They are then sold to thrift stores in cities that don't have a donation base large enough to stock a thrift store year round. Group B are items which are slightly damaged be it a stain or a tear or a missing button. These items are sent to third world countries. Some of these clothes are used as is, while others are remade into clothing to fit the appropriate culture. Group C is made up of more heavily damaged items. These are put through a compressor and sold in bales to buyers who then remove buttons and zippers to be sold and separate the clothing by color. White fabrics are cut out and sold to paint companies as rags, colored fabric is sold to auto shops and mechanics, while still others are sold and shredded to become insulation in cars.
Bales ready to be shipped to buyers
KARM uses sheets to wrap bales so that the items inside don't get too damaged to use
We are so excited to be a community partner of KARM Thrift and are even more excited to be able to assist you in the donation process. Check out their website for locations, hours, and to learn more about KARM Thrift and their mission.
