HAPPY DAYS

NOTHING'S MORE STYLISH THAN A HOME FILLED WITH STYLE. THE TRAWICK'S HOME IN MIDTOWN COLUMBUS ADAPTS TO FAMILY LIFE WITH CRISP, FRESHLY CLASSIC INTERIORS

By MARLA CALIGARIS . Photos by S.SAXON

Sea Island, Ga. has long since been a special place for Johnson and Crystal Trawick. Every summer Johnson’s grandmother, Barbara Gilliam Haneman, takes the Gilliam family there and reserves a home on the beach large enough for the entire family to share.

When it came time for the couple to start looking for a larger home in Columbus, they knew they wanted to be in Midtown and they knew they wanted their home to look and feel like the homes in Sea Island.

The search began with no luck until Johnson’s maternal grandmother who lived in a condo at Weracoba Park said, “I wish you would at least peek into the home for sale next door.” So they did! The two story home built in 1960 not only had dark paint and low ceilings in some rooms but also had pink brick on the exterior. Not to mention the yard was completely overgrown. However, they could see past all that and could tell it had great bones and lots of potential. The other selling point is that it is right on Weracoba Park making it the ideal location to exercise, walk to their son Johnson’s Peach Little League baseball games, to Parkers Pantry for lunch, and even to the Columbus Country Club for a round of golf.

The light filled sitting room off the master bedroom connects to the outdoor living spaces making the inside to the outside a seamless flow. McQuinn's Cabinets & Countertops custom built the cabinetry and all the furniture and pillows came from Gallerie 143 in Columbus. Bone Hardwood Flooring installed the floors and an antique Turkish rug from Scott Antique Markets softens the space. The beamed ceiling really lifts the space and makes the space feel larger.

In 2012, the Trawick’s bought their home and enlisted architect Woody Gilliam. They took the renovation slowly doing one major project a year including painting the walls white adding dark hardwood floors and finishing just last year with a 1100 sq. ft. addition over the carport which includes a master bedroom, master closet, office, master bathroom, and sitting room. As part of this addition, they also added a rear entrance with a covered porch and wrap around balcony that overlooks the patio. Last but not least they added an 800 sq. ft. putting green in the backyard. Martha Hatcher, Kathleen Gallops, and Palmer Colson provided decor assistance over the years. “ As it takes a village, our entire family has been involved every step of the way and we love to share it with them as well as with all our friends.” Crystal Trawick.

Since moving in, they have had a son Johnson now seven and a daughter Collier now two. Since Johnson and Crystal took the huge remodel slowly, they were able to include many child friendly spaces including a playroom, with comfy sofas and video games, a playhouse which doubles as a place for nerf gun wars and not to mention a kitchen island which doubles as a ping pong table. Some of the furnishings came from family members, but many were purchased from Scott Antique Market and Gallerie 143 in Columbus. In order to give them that Sea Island aesthetic they were looking for, they knew they needed some muted rugs against the dark stained floors and some light stained wooden furniture to blend into the muted greens and tans on their upholstery, drapes and pillows. The finished home has turned out to be exactly what they imagined ten years ago. "We are just about done, says Crystal. We have a few of the original bathrooms we would like to update but for the most part we are finished and that’s a good feeling."

The living room is a soothing mix of greens and neutrals pulled out from the piece of art above the sofa. Valley Fabrics provided the drapery fabric as well as the fabric on the pillows and chairs. Comfortable seating allows Johnson to have multiple friends over to watch football games and the sisal area rug also helps make the room feel less formal. “ We like to use light colors to paint with which allow the artwork and fabrics to be the pop of color and really stand out and make a statement.” Johnson and Crystal Trawick.

The family room went through a major transformation. The walls were very dark and the ceiling was low. White painted wooden vaulted ceilings built in bookcases and new French doors now make this space off the kitchen an inviting space for friends and family to relax in. The original piece of art over the fireplace is by local artist Meg Harris and is one of their favorites. “Most of our time with our children is spent here. We love having family movie nights, talking about their school days and just being together as a family.” Crystal.

Who wouldn’t want to spend time in the light filled classic kitchen? The island countertop is quartz from Southern stone and is long enough to play ping pong on as well as enough space for people to be able to move around it easily. The Carrara marble backsplash is from quartz countertops and McQuinn's Cabinets & Countertops built the custom cabinets. All the appliances connect to WIFI and are controlled by an app Johnson has on his phone . Scott Smith Electric provided all the electrical work around the house.

Norman Bone of Bone Hardwood Flooring did an excellent job laying the hardwood flooring stained in the color Jacobean throughout the entire home. Here in the breakfast room the floors are bare which allows the beautiful wood and color to shine and be the star of the room. The beachy table and chairs came from Gallerie 143. All the carpentry work was done by Scott Construction.

The master bathroom is one large open space featuring an open shower concept. This design keeps the room feeling more open by not having glass shower doors. The fixtures are from E & E Company and Fergusons. The quartz countertops make for very low maintenance and are from Mega Granite and the porcelain tile in a Herringbone pattern is from Tom Phillips Floor Covering and it was installed by George Clark. Painting throughout the house was by Branch Porter.

The master bedroom is part of the new addition and is an oasis for the busy couple of two young children with both parents having full time careers. The neutral furnishings and pure white bedding give the room that Sea Island vibe they love so much. The artwork over the bed was painted by Crystal and the large piece over the console is a collaboration by Johnson and their seven year old son Johnson. The French doors lead to the sitting room and onto the balcony which is Crystal’s favorite space.

This classic house was originally pink brick and is now covered in a white lime wash which softens the facade and allows all the lush green plantings to pop. Boxwood edged in brick adds a bit of formality. GaryLockhart was in charge of the landscaping. The very first project the owners did was to add the portico over the front door which now gives some dimension to the front of the home.

The outdoor brick patio is truly an oasis from the busy park across the street. Here the owners can enjoy this quiet space complete with fireplace and Cast Iron Cooker from Golden Foundries. The family room and kitchen are easily accessed through the French doors making it easy to enjoy indoor outdoor living seamlessly.