Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Business: Private Quarters

You would expect that the executive director of the National Black Arts Festival, which opened July 18, would have an art-filled house.

You'd expect images by photographer Carrie Mae Weems, serigraphs and lithographs of work by Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden, prints by Elizabeth Catlett on the walls. You'd be shocked if the hardwood floors didn't support sculptures from West Africa, if the air didn't seem to carry the sound of jazz or rhythm and blues.

All of this is true of Stephanie Hughley's Reynoldstown home, a four-bedroom, three-bath house she built just four years ago.

But with the help of interior designer Juan Montier, Hughley has achieved something perhaps more surprising: Her house feels like a real home, not simply like a show space for high art. It's a place for Hughley's visiting grandchildren, her dog and a stream of do-drop-in neighbors. And while the house will be the scene of festival cocktail parties and intimate receptions, it is also this arts administrator's sanctuary.

"I can't live without art," said Hughley, 59. "I can't imagine a blank wall. I'd be writing on it."

Describe your decorating style: Hughley's home could be considered a gallery that showcases the work of artists throughout the African diaspora. The art is the star here; everything else serves as a canvas. While some curators prefer pure white walls, that is not the case here. The overall color scheme of sand, cream and tea brings warmth and humanity into a space that could be intimidating because of the sheer volume of high-quality art. But look past the antique masks and works of 20th century African and African-American masters. A subtle, textural sketch emerges in the form of fabrics and surfaces. Silks, chenilles, suede, leather and grass cloth present an invitation to sit, relax and reflect. "My life is so colorful and creative, that I wanted and needed a neutral but warm backdrop for the art," Hughley said.

Coolest feature: The view from the mezzanine. In a single glance you can take in works from Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, Faith Ringgold, Carrie Mae Weems and tribal artists from Benin to Mozambique.

Heart of the home: Believe it or not, her screened front porch. Every weekday morning at 7 a.m., Hughley and several ladies from the neighborhood hold Bible study there. Hughley usually takes a seat on a vintage porch glider that belonged to her late Aunt Ernestine. The cushions, re-covered in a subtle burnt red and saffron stripe, give the seat new life. Says Hughley: "God is the heart of my home."

Why a house (vs. a condo or townhome): For a while now Hughley has been threatening to downsize. When she built the house four years ago, she looked at it as an investment property. Plus, she owns a small condo nearby, and wonders if her nearly 3,000-square-foot house is too much. But then she looks out on her double lot and at her organic garden of tomatoes, kale, chard, basil, tender lettuce and other produce that she uses every day to make juice and thinks better of it. "This is part of an investment gone awry," said her interior designer, Juan Montier, "because now she's fallen in love with it."

Past or future project: Expanding the garden and finding more time to tend it. "I'd like to get to the point where I grow all my food," said who has been a vegan for eight years.

Describe your most cherished item: The 6-foot charcoal and pencil drawing, "Yo, Mary," that hangs in the master suite. By Chattanooga artist picture depicts the angel's revelation to the Virgin Mary that she'll conceive. While the angel is amorphous, Mary is a radiant but somewhat shocked black woman. Several years ago, when she was battling a severe illness, , she'd look at the picture and "I knew then that God was who He said he was." It gave her strength to go forward.

What makes your house a home? Faith, art, neighbors — "and my grandchildren."