CityView Magazine

30 | April 2015 service, passed down from Martha's grandmother, gleams, while portraits of Clyde and Martha's girls, now grown and married, add familial warmth to the formal room. A closer look reveals pictures of the girls with their husbands, confirming that the resi- dence isn't just an expertly designed and decorated house – it's a home. "I just love this room from every angle," confessed Martha. To the right of the dining room, the kitchen and breakfast nook are equally striking. "My favorite rooms are the dining room and the kitchen, for many reasons," said Martha. e kitchen, originally a service kitchen, was the only room that had to be completely gutted and updated. While the ceilings in the other rooms loom at an impressive 10 feet and boast the original thick crown molding, Clyde was able to raise the kitchen ceilings from seven feet to nine feet. New cabinets extend to the ceiling, making use of every extra inch and complimenting the heart pine floors, which came from an old mill in Ander- son, South Carolina. "Clyde had such vision for this area and for the rest of the home. He did a wonderful job," said Martha of her husband of 34 years. "While we did gut the kitchen, we worked within its confines and preserved its charm. It was a state- of-the-art 1950s kitchen and we were careful not to take away the character as we created the breakfast nook and made the kitchen more user-friendly," Martha said of the well-used space. While the home was originally designed to allow for a staff to assist with day-to-day duties, the home is now more suited to the needs of a modern fam- ily. Martha laughed as she walked up the refinished and updated staircase, "You won't find carpet on my steps, because I hate vacuuming!" To the le of the dining room is a regally ap- pointed, yet inviting, living room. It features the original marble around the fireplace and, of course, innumerable family pictures perched atop the shiny black Samick imperial German scale piano. While her children don't play much, she occasionally hires pianists for parties. "For my mother's 80th birthday, my siblings and their families came over for a din- ner party. Pat O'Brien played background music and Dorothy's Catering provided the food. It was great," said Martha. "I have four children, four grandchildren with one on the way, nine siblings and 35 nieces and nephews. Clyde has a sister and brother-in-law in the area, and both of our mothers live here. We entertain a lot," laughed Martha, as she sat at the Beck family round dining table, which now resides in the Wood's breakfast nook. "I was so happy to get this table," she said. "My parents were always fair in doling out their possessions because I have so many siblings, but we are not a jealous family. We are very close and see A traditional kitchen with custom cabinetry Master Bedroom

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