The historic Summerville neighborhood is
home to some of Augusta’s oldest and most stunning architecture, from
Southern style farmhouses with wrap-around porches to quaint bungalow
cottages, columned plantation homes, and Spanish colonial estates. The
neighborhood boasts history — each home embodies characteristics,
secrets, and stories (some forgotten and others remembered) from decades
past.
One such home on Walton Way stands apart from the rest: a
nearly 100-year-old two story brick Italian Renaissance-style villa with
clay roof tiles and white trim. Built in 1926, the home was constructed
and designed by Willis Irvin, a Washington, Ga., native who built
upscale homes in Georgia and South Carolina from 1910 through the 1940s.
The residence has only been owned by four separate
families, and was most recently purchased by newly-weds Morgan and
Justin Bundy in April 2017. The Bundys new home served as the location
for the inaugural Southern Designer Showhouse & Gardens, benefitting
SafeHomes of Augusta and presented by Augusta Magazine.
The yard was completely overgrown when the Bundys toured
the property with their Realtor, Grant Sutton. Despite the tall palm
trees blocking street views and the dense, jungle-like backyard, they
could envision the landscaping potential and fell in love with the
original floor plan. The home itself was in pristine condition as
previous owners, Ronnie and Nancy Bowers, had taken excellent care of
the property they’d owned for years.
“We walked in and we could see from the dining room to the
sunroom. It really caught our attention. It was so open,” said Morgan.
The 5,100 square-foot home proved to be
the perfect compromise for Morgan and Justin. An Augusta native, Morgan
wanted a traditional Southern home, but Justin, who hails from
Albuquerque, N.M., was drawn to the Mediterranean look of the brick
exterior and tiled roof.
“It was this mutual agreement,” said
Morgan. “We had this fabulous yard and this really historical home, but
it wasn’t a white columned Southern plantation-looking house. We both
loved the look of the house.”
The Bundys made an offer and were soon
immersed in plans for overhauling the yard and beginning renovations.
The Bowers provided the Bundys with the original floor and landscaping
drawings that served as a basis for the updated landscaping and
construction.
The yard itself was a massive undertaking. Three cleanouts
happened before anything could be renovated indoors. Entire trees and
bushes were uprooted. Morgan and Justin were determined to maintain the
integrity and characteristics of the original home. Despite its nearly
100 years, the architecture remained structurally sound but required
major plumbing and electrical updates. Originally, the bathroom pipes
were installed directly in the floors and concrete was poured on top. To
re-do all of the bathrooms, old floors were demolished with
jackhammers, so the decades-old piping could be taken out and new pipes
installed in the walls.
“We knew it was going to be a big job,” said Morgan.
“Every wall in this house is plaster, which is concrete and brick – not
sheetrock. So everything was a little bit harder than expected.”
Aside from the plumbing and electrical work, the kitchen
is the only room the Bundys opted to completely remodel and expand. The
original laundry room off the kitchen was converted to a mudroom and a
large upstairs closet (once a fur and a designer shoe closet) now houses
the washer and dryer.
The updated kitchen is a home cook’s dream with a
stainless steel, six-burner gas stove, and deep porcelain farmhouse
sink. Brass hardware, marble countertops, high ceilings, large windows,
and a stunning chandelier provide the perfect mix of sophistication with
a touch of southern charm.
The rest of the updates, surprisingly, are purely cosmetic.
“Every wall was painted – there’s 27 different colors in
the home,” said Morgan. “This includes ceilings and trim. The rooms are
different colors. In some rooms the trim is the same color but with a
different finish. You think it’s a lot, but when you look around I hope
it’s not overkill because it really made a difference.”
With four bedrooms, four and half
bathrooms, a library, kitchen and dining room, full bar and wine cellar,
a large patio and sunroom, sweeping landscapes, pool, and tennis
courts, Morgan had a lot to decorate and style on her own. The Bundys
wanted to rent out their newly renovated home for The Masters, but by
November 2017 were feeling a little overwhelmed with the amount of
interior design that needed to take place before it would be ready. When
Augusta Magazine contacted Morgan about the Southern Designer Showhouse
& Gardens event, she knew it was perfect timing.
“I thought this is the answer to my prayers,” said Morgan.
“I’m going to have all of these designers. I get to meet with them,
they’ll work with me. And then the house will be decorated. It worked
out the best way possible honestly.”
Morgan worked with six interior designers: Mariah Cable
Interiors, Wesley Cadle, Inc., Brittany Cason Interior Design, Inc.,
Laurie McRae Interiors, Julie Taylor Interiors, and Elizabeth McGee with
Cheatham, Fletcher, Scott Architects. Designers were assigned rooms and
Morgan met with each one individually on a weekly basis leading up to
the Showhouse to talk ideas and make sure the house flowed cohesively.
“The designers were happy to do it
because they weren’t left with the stuff [furniture and accents]
afterwards,” explained Morgan. “With most of the designer showcase homes
[the designers] come in, bring furniture, and then take it out
afterwards. We met with our designers and if we okayed everything, they
knew they weren’t going to have to sell it or get rid of it.”
The house itself does not have a specific theme. Instead,
each designer came up with concepts for their assigned rooms that
enhanced and modernized the existing walls, trim, floors, and original
fireplaces.
“We wanted it to be spectacular, but livable,” said Morgan.
Even with six designers from different backgrounds with
unique experiences and style preferences, the house came together in a
magical way. For instance, the dining room (an ode to a traditional
formal Southern dining room designed by Julie Taylor) is bright and airy
with neutral tones and a pop of color from the chartreuse drapes. Hints
of chartreuse found their way in other rooms as well, including the
throw pillows in the library, and island kitchen stools. It’s through
the little things that subtle themes emerged.
“[The designs] were all going in the same direction, which was good,” said Morgan. “It turned out how we had pictured it.”
Avid travelers, Morgan and Justin are accustomed to
staying in hotels around the world and wanted their guest rooms to be
welcoming, inviting, and individually unique. The bright colors and
neutral accents continue in the upstairs bedrooms. Large windows welcome
in light. The rooms are big but not overwhelmingly so.
Not only did the designers suggest themes and bring in
furniture and accents, they also offered advice to make the best use of
the space. Wesley Cadle suggested making the adjacent room to the master
bedroom a sitting room instead of a third guest room.
“The idea [of the sitting room] was you
could wake up, take a shower, have a cup of coffee, and watch T.V. so
you don’t have to go all the way downstairs,” said Cadle who also
recommended a coffee bar area to further complete the space.
A lot happened in the few weeks leading
up to the first Southern Designer Showhouse & Gardens tour on March
1. Though the yard had been cleaned out months prior, it was still
largely undeveloped. With the impending deadline, the crews moved
quickly and demolished the remaining landscape down to the dirt and
built it back up. The backyard was leveled out and eight loads of sod
were brought in.
“It was like one cohesive sweep through the yard,” said Morgan. “In two weeks they all worked together and made this happen.”
The yard is nearly unrecognizable from a
year ago. The pool is clean and inviting, the grass is a vibrant green,
bushes are manicured, and the dogwoods are in full bloom. And perhaps
most importantly, the home is no longer concealed from passing cars or
pedestrians.
After a year of major renovations, hard
work, and a series of Showhouse tours, the home is finally ready to be
lived in. The Bundy’s updated home pays homage to the architects and
designers of the past. Though furniture and bright wall colors modernize
the space, there is no doubt of the original characteristics and solid
design from an era when homes were always built to last.
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