The Art of Angles

Story by Art Department / January 5, 2016

West Ashley resident Monica Stobbs turns an outdated fifties brick bungalow into an Art Deco vision.

Nestled on a quiet West Ashley street among brick façades, green lawns, and blooming gardens is a circa 1950 cottage with an inviting open door. First time homeowner and hostess Monica Stobbs waves from the doorway, her furry friend Sugar under her arm as she urges her friends to cross the threshold.

As guests enter Monica’s home, they are transported into an era of chic modernism filled with subtle, calming colors of light green, soft purple, white, and a splash of invigorating orange. “I adore Art Deco,” Monica proclaims. “It’s the best of everything—clean lines, modern furniture, beautiful colors, and a touch of minimalism.” Miriam Ricks, Monica’s interior designer and good friend, had a hand in everything from larger scale details like the fireplace surround to the smaller, yet impactful table in the entryway. “Because I love Art Deco so much, Miriam really came in handy,” she laughs. “We commissioned Mike Weeks, a local iron-and-metal craftsman, to replicate the entry table from a vintage French piece.” The chairs in the living room were also custom designed from a picture that Monica showed Miriam, who then had them fabricated to just the right size. According to Miriam’s expertise, successful interior design is more about proportions than anything else. So a vast mirror was placed over the hall table and slightly lower-back chairs adorn the living room and flank the modern couch.

Built in 1955, Monica’s home is part of the South Windermere neighborhood—one of the first built in West Ashley after World War II. “I fell in love with the character of the neighborhood. The homes are spaced out more and don’t look like each other, as they do in some of the newer subdivisions,” Monica explains. Her appreciation for minimalism lent uniqueness to the adjustments to the floor plan as well. The original entry was closed off from the living room, and the sunroom was forgettable at best. Monica opened the whole floor plan by widening the doorways, which draws the eyes across the living room and into the dining room and gives a peek of the bright sunshine streaming into the sunroom.

Monica adds, “Raising the sunroom to be level with the rest of the floors has turned out to be one of the most important changes made to the original floor plan.” Before, the sunroom’s surface was several inches below the rest of her home’s, and it felt incongruous. Removing the door leading to the sunroom helped as well, but as Monica’s favorite room, it needed something extra to fulfill its potential. But what could blend with her color scheme and décor? A beautiful white-marble floor, of course.

The wood floors in the front of Monica’s home are original to the abode, but the carpeting in the bedrooms didn’t fit the bill anymore. Monica and Miriam decided to replace the carpet with new wood floors that match the old in order to keep the charm that aged lumber adds to the overall décor.

To complete the Art Deco feel of the interior, Monica and Miriam teamed up with Bob Corrigan of Three River Homes, Jay Miller of HWC Custom Cabinetry, and the team at Port City Glass & Mirror to redo the master bathroom. What was once a cramped Jack-and-Jill bathroom is now a sparkling oasis of floor-to-ceiling marble, a Starphire glass shower, and a custom vanity. But the definition of homeownership, as Monica has quickly learned, is an on-going remodeling project. “I wanted to live in my new home a while to really figure out what suits me best, so my next step is the kitchen. And then perhaps a little expansion of the second bedroom.” Watch out world—Monica Stobbs and Miriam Ricks are set to impress with their next endeavor.