Living Space - Tudor Grove

Tudor Grove; a home and property steeped in history and filled with character. I was first introduced to her by Abby, whose mother, Camille, inhabits Tudor Grove's many walls. Having photographed Abby's home the previous year, I was especially excited to see Camille's, expecting a similar commitment of style applied to an historic context. Not disappointed, I spent my first visit eagerly soaking in each room trying, unsuccessfully, to take in every, single detail. Camille is a collector; of books, art, plants, photographs and natural curiosities, among other things. It is impossible to see it all at once and even now, many months later, I am still discovering pieces in the images that I missed with my naked eye. 

Welcome, to Tudor Grove.

Living Space is a personal project inspired by real spaces being inhabited by real people in a very real way. If you know of a home that would be a good subject for this series, please get in touch with me, here.

7 living space | a family home in greenwood

6 living space | the home of abby kasonik and roderick coles

5 living space | a fry's spring family

4 living space | an artist's home in charlottesville

3 living space | young house love

2 living space | amy's house

1 living space | two designers in charlottesville

Living Space | A Family Home in Greenwood

I adore this home outside of Charlottesville in Greenwood, VA. The Abbots have called this house, built 180 years ago as the Greenwood School for Boys, their home for nearly twenty years. Their three girls grew up here, as have their golden retreivers, leaving traces of family in every room. A true Living Space in every way, when I visited last December I knew I needed to return to document this special place.

The house itself is dripping with character, from uneven plaster walls to exposed beams across the ceilings, and is adorned with the simple, chic style of a family who loves comfort, nature and art. Each room is comfortably bright even on the grayest of days, nearly causing me to give in to the desire to curl up with a book or magazine on a slip-covered chair in a light-filled corner. With the family dogs pressing their noses to the glass doors, I moved through each room slowly and meticulously, taking moments to sit on a couch, touch a blanket, and observe the art on the walls, trying my best to imagine how the family who lives here inhabits each space.

Welcome to the Abbots'!

Living Space is a personal project inspired by real spaces being inhabited by real people in a very real way. If you know of a home that would be a good subject for this series, please get in touch with me, here.

6 living space | the home of abby kasonik and roderick coles

5 living space | a fry's spring family

4 living space | an artist's home in charlottesville

3 living space | young house love

2 living space | amy's house

1 living space | two designers in charlottesville

living space | abby kasonik and roderick coles

This is the home of Abby Kasonik and Roderick Coles. I knew before I stepped across the threshold that their home would be extraordinary. She's an artist, he owns The Curious Orange, and together they've created a living space filled with a collection of furniture, art, and objects that reflect the creativity that drives their life. I first met Abby when I photographed her backyard studio for Cville Abode. She invited me into her home for a tour and I immediately fell head over heels for her style. Lush fabrics, dark wood, gilded mirrors, found objects and giant house plants had me swooning in each room we entered. I am so grateful that she agreed to be part of my living space project, inviting me back on a cold morning two weeks ago.

These images are not styled. Abby understood my intention to capture details of the life lived within the walls of her home, and purposefully refrained from throwing out flowers past their prime or removing laundry from an upstairs bed. I adore her. Because the point of this project is not to capture perfect, spotless interiors. The point is to capture real life in an evocative way. To attempt to insert myself into these spaces and see them the way their owners' do. To sit on the couch and take a moment to look around, to let the light hitting the pillow beside my shoulder move me to capture an image of that one little detail that makes sitting on that couch, in that space, at that time...special.

Abby and Rod, thank you for allowing me into your life for one morning. I hope these images evoke the same emotion for you as they do for me.

If you have or know of a living space that would photograph well for this series, please contact me here.

5 living space | a fry's spring family

4 living space | an artist's home in charlottesville

3 living space | young house love

2 living space | amy's house

1 living space | two designers in charlottesville

living space 5 | a fry's spring family

This is the fifth installment of my living space series, in which I spend a few hours in a home capturing the details of the lives lived within its walls.

I was first introduced to Adrienne and her home when I photographed her children's playroom for Cville Abode. We have a mutual friend, Anita, and when I put a request on Facebook for my next living space home, Anita sent me Adrienne's information. I immediately recalled how much I loved the space she's created for her family, mostly from thrifting and salvaging unique pieces. This Fry's Spring bungalow nestled in the trees gave me the opportunity to really play with shadow, and I embraced the moodier feel of rooms when they are lit only by the light streaming through the craftsman windows. I love the subdued palette puncutuated by the ocassional pop of color and Adrienne's eye for spying beautiful pieces in unexpected places.

Thank you, Adrienne, for inviting me into your home!

If you have or know of a living space that you would like to see documented, please contact me here.

4 living space | an artist's home in charlottesville

3 living space | young house love

2 living space | amy's house

1 living space | two designers in charlottesville