Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue

LIGHT up your life story by ROSLYN LOWE WHEN IT COMES TO ILLUMINATING YOUR HOME, IT'S ALL ABOUT AMBIANCE…INSIDE AND OUT. I OPPOSITE PAGE BY EYE WANDER PHOTO. THIS PAGE BY PAUL BARDAGJY t seems like every day we are unceasingly bombarded with messages telling us how to improve our lifestyle and “quality of life.” From Martha Stewart to the Surgeon General, we’re pressured to improve our way of life. But, what exactly constitutes a desirable quality of life? Along the Gulf Coast, quality of life takes on a different persona. Here the lifestyle is reflected in the home with a kicked-back elegance and a sophistication all its own. “What distinguishes the lifestyle in the Gulf Coast region is we bring the outdoors in,” says Baton Rouge architect Kevin Harris. “We live as much outdoors as we do indoors.” Aided by a mild climate, life along the Gulf Coast is played out in the home and the surrounding landscape by what is referred to as “gracious living.” The art of living in this milieu begins the moment you pull into your driveway. You become the leading player of your own life and are greeted as such with beauty, luxury, romance, drama, and a sense of importance. The old adage “a man’s home is his castle,” says it all. And a major component in creating that castle with just the right ambiance is illumination. Then again, maybe Alabama native Courteney Cox said it best when a reporter asked her how she looks so young: “Good lighting.” Lighting designer Michael John Smith is responsible for two recent residential projects in Houston that fully illustrate new trends in home lighting—The Bayou City Residence and Sempre far Calchecosa, which, loosely translated means “always something to do.” The Bayou City Residence was originally built in 1969 and sits on a beautiful site with amazing pine trees that backs up to a bayou. The owners fell in love with the house at first sight. They restored it back to the studs. One of the challenges was the house had no attic; it had 2 x 10 framing but in areas where there was duct work the designer had to go with tiny custom fixtures in order to create task lighting. Sempre far Calchecosa is a completely new, contemporary “salt box” with an edge to it. The owners chose the name because the house is so complex with all of its “smart house” technologies. Michael remarks that even though the Regardless of size, all spaces benefit from proper lighting as do the people and objects within. house is supposed to be maintenance free, “we all know there’s no such thing.” Spring 2008 27

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue

Editor's Letter Contributor Gumbo Seen & Heard Coastal Calendar Storefronts - Keepin' it Reel Sweet Dreams - Grand Hotel Art of Living - Marking Time Fixtures - A Fitting End Our Backyard - Reasonable Drought Make Yourself at Home - Light up Your Life The Southern Breeze Hot List Unexpected Destin-ation Visual Zydeco We're an American Band The Good Life From Halter Tops to Maternity Tops Reader Services Cheers - Lazy Libations Dish - Mississippi Yearning Chef's Table - Welcome to The Doll House Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations Last Bite

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