This beautiful 1920s Birmingham home is a love letter to travel

There ended up being 67 dumpsters, which caused the floor to sink over the years, requiring major repairs and plaster restoration. But his love and vision for the house endured, and partner-in-crime Heather Chadduck Hillegas was with him from the moment the house was purchased to help bring it back to life for the modern era inside, while Laughlin and reimagined the next era of architectural importance. .

The bedroom has the timeless feel of a five-star hotel suite that feels right for 1924 and 2024.

“We took a very respectful approach to the architecture to give it new life, from custom doors that were milled into the original profiles and all the hardware was missing, so we put in solid brass hardware,” Laughlin says. “All the selections we made were quality and 1920s style. It was really meant to be a new-old house.”

Chadduck, a longtime friend and colleague of Jimmy’s, came into the project with a strong sense of his aesthetic preferences and lifestyle. She knew he preferred a more neutral color palette, and his decorating philosophy was to celebrate a home’s architecture through its interiors, rather than treat architecture like a hand that’s been dealt. The first design feature Chadduck brought to the home was the swoon-worthy, sepia-toned Gracie wallpaper that evokes a well-traveled vibe, which became the perfect common thread for the rest of the house.

“Personally, I find so much inspiration in travel, and there’s something really wonderful about bringing your experiences back home,” says Hillegas. “Jimmy and I have traveled a lot together and we went to Egypt a few years ago and had the best time. I was on this boat seeing the Great Pyramids buying rugs from the deck and had to lug them home in tote bags but now they are layered all over the house. Each room reminds you of something special or funny that happened on a trip.”

Relics of the dynamic design duo’s trip to Egypt can be found throughout the home in art, alabaster and other decorations such as obelisks and pyramids. However, the most transporting space in the house is the master bedroom, as it was designed to evoke the feelings and textures of a five-star hotel, from the linens to the flowers and the state-of-the-art bathroom (Laughlin’s favorite space). ). It manages to feel right for a bon vivant on a grand tour a hundred years ago—or today.

The card room has an ancient Egyptian carpet and obelisks from the travels of Laughlin and Hillegas.

While this house is certainly well-traveled, it’s far from cluttered and maximalist. While Laughlin leans toward a clean and refined design scheme, it strikes a nice balance of formality and warmth. It also feels collected and calm to the eye, while offering plenty of delightful contrasts. Hillegas delivers impressive design, leaning into texture, patina and juxtaposition to create visual interest for unique spaces that are, as both Hillegas and Laughlin found most important, “bucking trends” with appeal. for the most demanding of globetrotters who need a break.

In fact, Hillegas says he spent just as much time thinking about what not to place as much in a room as to fill it to create the symmetry and balance that Laughlin desired. The end product is a home rich in personal history, its fondest memories abroad and joy from day one, while honoring the home’s 100-year heritage, allowing both the property and the owner to shine. What more could you ask for?

“The whole house tells its own story and relates in a certain capacity to travel,” Laughlin says. “I give Heather so much credit for the styling, because no room looks staged. Each piece tells a story and there is meaning and spirit behind each item.”

While Laughlin has since sold the house (love can’t always last forever), he credits one of his favorite spaces, the book room, as an endless source of inspiration. Full of warmth and comfort thanks to wood paneling and an antique brick floor, the house’s smallest room is a workhorse for the architect’s creative brain as it houses 800 books on art, architecture and travel, leading one to he wonders what will happen next. a large enterprise can be.

outer

The house is a 1920s Philadelphia Georgian house that has been carefully restored to reflect its original architecture and even has vintage red brick.

outer

Laughlin with his three Labrador Retrievers. Custom Lantern, Sheryl Stringer.

Dining room

The Gracie wallpaper was one of the first items selected for the home and set the tone for the interiors throughout the home. The antique dining set is from Circa and the rug is Egyptian. Lighting body, Jamb.

The Mecox Gardens mirror sets a chic vignette. Chairs, Approx.

Kitchen

The cabinet is dressed in Waller Green from Benjamin Moore’s Williamsburg collection. Anne Morris Pendants Design Within Reach Bar Stools add shape and visual interest.

Bar

This light and airy kitchen extension features a custom hutch from Cotton Woodworks. The antlers were obtained from Scott Antique Market.

Dining room

The room is draped in Benjamin Moore’s Ballet White. The vintage pedimented mirror is from John Saladino.

The chairs are from Shops of Carolina Furniture. Coffee table, Antiques from Oaia Neagra.

Reserve the room

This cozy, wood-paneled reading room has an antique Egyptian rug and obelisks from Laughlin’s travels that blend in with the Design Supply globe. Coffee table, Casamidy.

Primary bedroom

This bedroom suite was inspired by the small luxuries of a five-star hotel. Peacock Alley bedding atop a Hickory Chair four-poster bed and stylish Bungalow Classic lamps help achieve the look.

Primary bathroom

The bathroom has a chic urban archeology sink with a custom mahogany counter top. The Thebes chair is an antique.

Guest bedroom

A Katie Ridder wallpaper adds depth to this neutral room. The chest is Ware Co. and the lamps are Ralph Lauren for Visual Comfort.

Floral styling by Jimmie Henslee.

Lauren Wicks is a freelance writer and editor based in Birmingham, Alabama. Before going out on her own, Lauren worked for brands such as VERANDA, i eat well and Cooking lightand she covers all aspects of lifestyle, from interior design and luxury travel to wine and wellness.