For many years, Lesley Davis was inspired by the brilliant Alabama-based architect Bobby McAlpine’s work, studying every detail of his first book and keeping files of magazine clippings for each room of the house that she and her husband John would one day build. That time came in 2012 when the couple purchased a property in Flowood and contacted friends Liz and Barry Woodard of Augusta Construction to consider building the home of their dreams. Pulling out her lovingly worn copy of McAlpine’s book at their initial meeting, Lesley was met with Liz’s excitement as she pulled the same book from her tote, longing to build the same style house but not having the right client to do so. The women went straight to work, pouring over every design detail of the home, while Barry coordinated the incredible craftsmen who would bring the vision together.
After graduating from Mississippi State University, Lesley and John married and moved to Baltimore, where John was attending medical school, and Lesley started law school. When able to return to their home state, the two purchased a traditional Louisiana French-country home on the north shore of the Ross Barnett Reservoir and started their family, including three now-grown sons. “The boys still talk about how fun that house was,” Lesley recalls. “It was lively and Southern and full of heart during a very joyful time of our lives when our boys were very young.” The couple dreamed of building their own home with the goal of creating a more modern and serene place infused with Southern tradition and history. When discovering the property in Flowood, the family knew it was perfect. “I remember all of us standing on the vacant lot before any dirt had even been moved, and we prayed together that God would bless this home and it would be a place of joy, grace, peace, and hospitality,” Lesley adds. Their plans incorporated an open floorplan with floor-to-ceiling custom black steel windows and doors, which allow a seamless flow from inside to out. They desired sharp, clean lines with a neutral palette while feeling welcoming and casual for their young family. With classic Southern architectural elements such as rustic cedar beams, heart pine floors, and pecky cypress ceilings, the contemporary contrast is striking. “Our home is an intentional juxtaposition, and I think that’s why it feels somewhat timeless,” Lesley adds. “It’s a mix of tradition and a modern edge…. I dreamed of a modern home with an old soul—a place that looks like it might have been here for generations.”
With its strong, beautiful bones, the structure was exceptional because of the detailed work of Liz and Barry Woodard. Lesley was working on the interiors and hunting for a console when she discovered Memphis-based interior designer Elizabeth Gullett. “I caught on to her vision immediately, and she could sense that I could be her teammate in executing it,” Elizabeth recalls. The designer describes the home as a balance between old and new, “a soulful mix of the crusty and the clean.” Antiques with character and patina stand alongside modern, sculptural elements. With a neutral palette as a base, Elizabeth worked with Lesley to layer rich, textural fabrics and finishes, creating spaces with a personality unique to the Davis family. “The home feels like a story unfolding—each room offering its own mood and material language, but all part of a cohesive whole,” Elizabeth notes. “There is a quiet confidence to it. It doesn’t try too hard but reveals itself slowly and meaningfully.”
The imaginative pair worked well as a team. Lesley would bring photos and dreams, and Elizabeth would refine, elevate, and bring them to life. “What resulted was this beautiful back-and-forth creative dance that produced something really unique,” Lesley recalls. The lighting selections are exquisite, adding distinctive personalities to each space. The hand-blown molten glass Holly Hunt pendants sparkle over the marble island in the kitchen. At the same time, nearby, the classic brass and black-armed Serge Mouille fixture in the living room perfectly pairs with the floor-to-ceiling steel windows and riveted dark metal coffee table created by artisan Michael Williams.
Based in Terry, Williams is just one of the craftsmen who shared their talents in building the Davis home and became a part of its soul. “Some of our favorite pieces are custom-made by true Mississippi artisans,” Lesley notes. The late Jess Holton of Madison worked closely with Lesley and Elizabeth to design and produce beautiful nickel tongue-and-groove cabinetry to hide the living room’s television and countless carpentry projects throughout the spaces. The beds in the home were created by Bryon Green of Florence, who also produced the steel and leather cabinetry in the primary bedroom. The nickel tongue-and-groove wood ceilings of that room were handpainted with barely blue and brown sweeping finishes by artist Sarah McTaggart, a fine art gallery owner in Flora, which coordinated with the rustic mantel with soft blue stone framed by a discarded blue-grey door Barry salvaged from an old home.
As the home’s stunning interiors and architectural elements are the base, the couple’s impeccably curated art collection is the crown jewel. “Nearly every piece of art in our home was created by a Southern artist,” Lesley adds. “We were very intentional about showcasing artists who speak of the South, especially in Mississippi—its landscape, its complexity, its history, its people, and its grace.” The couple had begun collecting for their previous home and realized that the architecture and interiors of these new spaces called for something different. Lesley began blending the artwork she owned with new commissions and finds. The couple commissioned West Virginia artist Michael Dines for a large landscape in their dining room. “With his moody use of subtle color and rich texture, the pieces reminded us of Mississippi Delta farmland with large, old oaks,” Lesley describes. “It’s emotional, bold, and soft all at once.” Elizabeth gathered the family’s numerous Andrew Bucci pieces to create a whole wall of the breakfast room, bringing in bright color and spirited movement. A commissioned work by Mobile artist Brad Robertson hangs in the foyer. Boldly abstract and modern, the painting is indicative of the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coasts. Also in their collection are meaningful works by Tommy Prewitt, Dick Ford, and Angelika Robinson. One of the only pieces by a non-Southern artist is the large, unexpected Hyunmee Lee modern painting that anchors the den. Lee is a Korean-born contemporary artist, and this painting is both serene and strong, perfectly complementing the layers and materials in the space. “Every piece was chosen—not just because we thought it was beautiful–but for how it speaks to the soul of this home: Southern, warm, bold, and intentionally meaningful,” Lesley states.
Layers of personality and substance created by the hands and hearts of the team are exposed in this exquisite home. “It wasn’t built to reflect a particular brand. It was built to reflect our hearts and vision, a vision that was carried out in beautiful collaborative work with the deeply talented builders and designers of Liz, Barry, and Elizabeth, as well as our many Mississippi artisans and craftsmen,” Lesley adds. “This unexpected combination of all of our hearts and their incredible giftedness created a home that is truly unique.