By TERRI GLAZER • Photography by ANDREW WELCH
A carefully crafted Indianola home blends refined architectural touches with comfort and function
Gayle Fontenot knew exactly what she wanted. After forty-four years living in the small community of Murphy, she was ready for a new house and, perhaps most importantly, a neighborhood. Her long-held wishes came true last year, when she and her husband Stephen moved into the beautiful home they built in Indianola.
The Fontenots purchased an in-town lot that had been an open horse pasture in a well-established neighborhood and began the process of constructing the dream home that Gayle had kept in her head and in a notebook for years.
With the team of architect Mike Thompson, designer Anna Allen, and contractor Mac Long, the couple’s vision became reality. Their new place is not only beautiful inside and out, it is filled with the custom touches that were important to them, and suits the way they live to a tee.
Allen credits Thompson for making the very best use of a somewhat oddly shaped plot of land. “The lot dictated the layout,” she says, “But Mike was very creative.”
The Flowood-based architect drew an exterior elevation that exudes the grand look and feel the clients desired, yet retains a sense of casual elegance. Being part of the design process from the planning stage allowed Allen to choose finishes that stayed with the theme.
“We used Benjamin Moore Gray Mist on the outside. It has a cool tone to it, a little more earthy than pure white. And for the shutters, we went with a tone-on-tone effect in a slightly darker shade. I feel like all that really makes the architecture stand out,” she says.
Custom additions like brick on the front walkway, steps and porch floor, and gas lanterns provide classic Delta charm, an aesthetic Allen knows well.
“I wanted it to feel like a true Indianola home. My family is from Indianola; my grandfather lived on that same street. I grew up around all the Indianola homes, and they all have elements to them that make me think of the Delta,” she says.
The interior floorplan is elegant and livable at the same time. Elegance is evident first, from the initial step inside the front door. Anchored by a beautiful checkerboard floor in white and dark gray marble, the two-story foyer boasts a sweeping curved staircase with a wood and wrought iron railing. The stately feature is a long-time desire and was a must-have on Gayle’s list of inclusions when building the home.
In the entryway, as throughout the house, custom millwork elevates the look. “Mac Long is a yes man when it comes to doing specialty trim. He was on site and hands-on. With all the paneling in the foyer, Gayle and I told him our vision and Mac figured all that out. You can’t draw that out on 2D paper. He made our ideas come to life,” says the designer.
The carpentry magic continued into the dining room just off the entry, where a built-in china cabinet adds a time-honored look and holds part of Gayle’s large collection of silver and china.
Perfectly appointed for gracious entertaining, the room is one of two in the home where Allen recommended wallpaper. The paper had to be neutral to complement the checkerboard floors in the foyer and to work with the decor in the rest of the downstairs since the floor plan is somewhat open, says Allen. It also needed to work with the cool-toned color palette Gayle wanted to use throughout the home. She adds, “That wallpaper is really special. I had just gotten the sample in my office. Gayle saw it and loved it so we just had to use it!”
An angular Louis XVI chandelier hangs like an exquisite piece of jewelry over the mahogany Chippendale table and chairs. Timeless silk draperies, a Venetian glass mirror and a pair of antique French urn lamps complete the room’s classic appeal.
Situated on the back of the home, the living room, casual dining area and kitchen all flow together, yet each space retains its own feel. Light is the star of the show here, provided via a double stack of rectangular windows that make up its rear wall and continue around the corner. From the comfortably furnished spot, the Fontenots have full view of the lovely backyard and pool, yet retain privacy; Thompson situated the room so it can’t be seen from the street.
The spacious kitchen wraps around a massive island, another of Gayle’s most wanted features. The feature is topped by a beautiful natural stone, as are the perimeter base cabinets. Its movement and variety of warm and cool tones give the countertops enough pizzazz to be the visual centerpiece of the kitchen. The stone continues up the backsplash, combining function and beauty.
Custom touches abound; the most notable may be the cabinet height. Rather than the standard 36 inches, Gayle requested her base cabinets have two inches added so she and her family members, all of whom are tall, could work more comfortably in the kitchen.
Nearby, a pair of antique pocket doors leads to the butler’s pantry. The unique pieces came from the estate of Stephen’s late sister, who owned a condominium near Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. More showplace than storage room, the scullery is a fitting setting for more of Gayle’s crystal and dinnerware.
“This was Anna’s inspiration,” says Gayle of the handsome cypress paneling in the rear entry hall. Indeed, Allen admits that when she began to consider the aspects of a classic Delta home, a room with cypress walls was essential. “I didn’t want the place to feel too brand new,” she says. “And the warm wood tones balance all the platinums and grays in the house.”
Just outside the back door, an inviting porch leads to a perfect spot for Gayle to watch while her three young grandsons, who live in town, ride bikes. The boys also enjoy a batting cage—a request from their grandfather, a former college baseball player and long-time coach, cleverly tucked into the backyard A graceful porte cochere spans between the house and one of the garages, providing covered access as well as an attractive architectural feature.
The wing is balanced by a corresponding one of the other side of the home; this one holds the primary suite. Bathed in a tranquil light seafoam shade, the bedroom is a relaxing retreat.
Here, Allen paired the Fontenots’ classic furnishings, including a French carved armoire also from Stephen’s sister, with a neoclassical style upholstered bed and relaxed linens in neutrals, blues, and greens.
The melange reflects her clients’ desire to blend some of their collected vintage items, antiques, and family heirlooms with the many new pieces she selected specifically for the new home.
Those tones reappear in a charming sunroom just off the bedroom. Gayle fell in love with an antique daybed Allen had imported from France and knew just the spot where it would go. Allen chose lush embroidered fabric for the draperies that surround the space, creating a perfect venue for reading or relaxing.
Luxury is the name of the game in the primary bath. Gayle’s vision was opulent—white marble, intricate tile work, a fabulous chandelier over a soaking tub, stately cabinetry and brass accents.
She also had practicality in mind, and incorporated functional details that ensure the couple can age in place into the beauty quite subtly. The doorway, as are all the portals in the home, is wide enough to be wheelchair accessible. The large shower is zero-entry and outfitted with a handheld sprayer.
Up the grand staircase, the second floor was designed with family in mind. Since two of their grown children and their families live out of town, the Fontenots wanted to make sure they had comfortable and beautiful accommodations in the new place when they come to visit.
Two upstairs bedrooms feature king-sized beds; one includes an attached bunk room in place of a walk-in closet. An upstairs lounge area was also designed with the grandchildren in mind. “We promised our boys a video game place,” says Gayle.
From top to bottom, this home is the realization of its owner’s long-held dreams. Inspiration pictures kept in a notebook Gayle calls her home “bible” and ideas she fine-tuned for years shaped the house. Her creativity and love for detail provided the extra beauty and interest. Her tenacity ensured that the custom features she had long dreamed of were included. After more than four decades, she truly got what she wanted.
