Distinctive design: Stone family is at home on Sparkman Street
Story by Rebekah Yancey
Photos by Rachel Howard
Every corner of the home at 808 Sparkman Street is deeply rooted in history and was restored to its former glory this year before becoming the dream home of Stephanie and Jared Stone and their two children, Easton and Ezekiel.
The family of four relocated to Hartselle from Orlando, Fla. specifically for the school system, Stephanie said and lived in two houses before finding the house that once belonged to the Stones of Stone Lumber. It was under a complete renovation at the time from the ground up.
The 3 bedrooms, 3-and-a-half-bathroom house carried 2,400-square-feet; 3,000 total including the carriage house.
An interior designer, Stephanie said she chose everything from the wallpaper to paint shades of blue and green and bathroom fixtures to bring her vision to life while honoring the character of the house.
“I like color so everything has a lot of color, but I tried to not have 40,000 different shades,” she said.
In every corner, homage is paid to the original architectural structure of the home, and from the door knocker and screen door to the original fireplace mantel in its repurposed position in the entryway, Stephanie said a restoration rather than a remodel was the goal.
Prints by French artist Phillip Moyer from the 1940 and 60s hang in the main living area and master suite – and they are among Stephanie’s most prized possessions.
“I always tell people ‘Besides my kids, if the house was on fire, I would grab that piece of art,” she said of the Moyer print in the living area.
High-end fixtures and hand-built additions grace every room; a large walk-in shower and clawfoot bathtub turn the master bathroom into more of a spa-like sanctuary.
I tried to find things that looked 1920s schoolhouse that complimented the overall architectural history,” Stephanie said. “I even looked for kitchen countertops that would have been around 100 years ago, finally deciding on soapstone.”
The kitchen was the hardest space to design, Stephanie said. Its finishing touch is the European AGA stove weighing in at more than 1,000 pounds.
Stephanie said inherited her love of design from her mother and grandmother and had a childhood dollhouse that she designed with wallpaper that looks similar to the style in her Hartselle home.
Prior to marrying and having children, Stephanie said she lived somewhat of a transient life.
“I was a gypsy,” she said. “I wasn’t married and didn’t have children so I could pick up and go when I wanted to, and I did about every two years, but now I have the house I’ve been dreaming about since I was a child so we’re never leaving. I never thought I would have the opportunity to make the dream a reality.”
