For the most part, all anyone ever wants is to express who they really are. This can take shape in any manner of demonstrations. For some, it evolves through fashion. For others, their work. And for Gary Mathis and Mark Wells, it flows through the love they put into their historic Plaza Midwood home. “We wanted our home to reflect who we are as individuals and as a couple,” explains Gary. From the antique battleship model, rescued from Mark’s grandmother’s attic to the original book press filled with medical journals and the vintage chair covered in hand-branded leather, their home is nothing but a reflection of themselves; full of love, a passion for entertaining and a distinct style that’s all their own.
First established in 1910 as a streetcar suburb of Charlotte, Plaza Midwood today is a neighborhood steeped in diversity. Hip local hot spots are packed with patrons young and old, and once dilapidated homes have been lovingly turned into funky urban dwellings. It’s precisely this kind of neighborhood atmosphere, alongside their vision for what this 1920s bungalow could be, that sold Mark and Gary on purchasing the home. “We had noticed this home long before it was ever put on the market,” recalls Gary, “and always wondered what was behind the large overgrown shrubs and aluminum awnings that hid the front of the house.” What they found inside was a well-preserved historic home with little renovation and perfectly good bones ready to wear the couple’s personality like skin. “We looked at several other homes, but just couldn’t get this one out of our mind. With every visit to the house, it became easier to imagine what it would be like to live in the space.”
Armed with Gary’s experience in interior design, the couple got to work on renovations working closely with their contractor, Matt Ferguson of Stirling Group and architect Drew Button. “We went to painstaking detail to preserve and recreate original elements of the home,” says Gary. The first four months were spent breaking the home down to the studs so that the team could reach the electrical and plumbing lines for repair. They also worked to redesign the kitchen and the master suite off of it to feel updated, yet like it had always been a part of the home. A screened-in porch was added off the back of the home for ample entertaining and original touches like glass doorknobs and hardwood floors and were added back into the renovation to restore character in the home. “We had a very clear vision of how we wanted to define our new space,” explains Gary. “We didn’t want too much space or to feel like we had rooms that we never used. We wanted a living area that was warm and inviting, a kitchen and dining area that was large enough to entertain, and a private master suite that was spacious and special.”
A love for earthly elements drove the design and the couple chose lots of wood and stone textures to mix with vintage and found objects that punctuate the décor in every corner. “Nature creates a sense of calm, peace and centered-ness that we wanted to bring into the home,” offers Mark, “and the vintage objects are a nod to our heritage – we both grew up in the South.”
An oversized island was added in the kitchen to create a cooking and gathering spot, while a mahogany square dining table and banquet seating opened up a unique dining space in the formal dining room. Gary even created his own sconces to complete the dining area using panels made of real bark that emanate an earthy glow when the lights are turned on, complimenting the moss centerpiece perfectly. In every nook and cranny, Mark and Gary lovingly placed items they found interesting, historic or meaningful, including a vintage doctor’s bag, mechanical wheels, old books, leather saddles, worn teddy bears and the model battleship Mark’s grandmother was given before her soldier went to war. “Design is most successful when it creates a space in which we can relax and re-energize,” says Mark. “For us, that means surrounding ourselves with things that bring us joy. This could be colors and fabrics, books, photographs, and art. It could be things that were gifted to us or things that we’ve always had; and finally things that we have picked from antique stores, flea market and roadside junk shops.”
Listed among some of their favorite places to shop are High Cotton Home and The Furniture Connector for new décor and Slate Interiors and Southend Trading for more eclectic and original finds. And when asked what their best advice is for decorating, both Mark and Gary express similar sentiments – collect things that help you remember who you are and who you want to be. “You should feel warm inside when you look around your home,” offers Gary. “A home represents the individual. First and foremost, it should make the homeowner feel at home.”