Home + Design

Dressing Room Dreams

Custom solutions make Liz Thuston's space more than just a closet Article by Kali McNutt | Photography by Mary Fehr After raising a family in their Cherokee Bend home of 27 years, Liz Thuston and her husband Bobby were ready for renovations. First came a kitchen refresh, and then it was time to create the highly functional and luxurious custom closet Liz long imagined. After considering other options, Liz tapped Birmingham-based Kelley Lyle with California Closets to design her space. Quickly...

Home + Design

At Home with Art

Antique dealer Ambrice Miller reflects on her earliest artistic influences Article by Kali McNutt In hindsight, it makes total sense that Ambrice Miller would create a business around art, antiquities, and design. Growing up in Birmingham, she accompanied her mother to thrift stores and estate sales, where treasured finds, including ginger jars, carved busts, and chinoiserie, often found their way home. Paintings by Miller’s father, a hobbyist painter, graced the walls alongside prints by...

Arts + Culture

Music and Movement

The Alabama Ballet to perform works by iconic choreographer Twyla Tharp Photography by Ambre Amari Tickets go on sale March 6 for An Evening of Twyla Tharp, a mixed-repertoire performance presented by the Alabama Ballet. We sat down with artistic director Christopher Stuart to learn more about iconic American choreographer Twyla Tharp and the two ballets included in this special performance. This April's performance features Twyla Tharp's “Baker’s Dozen" and “Nine Sinatra Songs.” How are...

Life + Culture

At Home in Grandma’s Wingback

Article by Kecia L. Lightner Picture it: a small village dotted with identical little units constructed of brick, mortar, and concrete, named after a man no one knows. Picture further a community maligned as “hood” or “ghetto”—properly referred to as “public housing” but colloquially known by its residents as “the projects.” Regardless of how it’s pictured, for the first 18 years of my life, I simply called it “home.”  I still remember the address: 4519 9th Avenue North, Apt. B. At the center...

Home + Design

All in the Details

Paris Déco enchants and inspires Article and Photography by Every year, the design world descends on Paris for Déco Off, where the world’s top fabric and wallcovering companies take over 100-plus showrooms along the Seine to showcase their new collections. We asked local designer Danielle Balanis for her impressions of this year’s event.   From a designer's perspective, what is special about Paris Déco Off?  It’s unlike anything else I have ever attended. Being set in Paris definitely...

Arts + Culture

Concerts at Home

Where music, novelty, and community gather Article by Emilie Maynor | Photography by Jon McLendon One Sunday a month, people from all walks of life gather at a charming 1920s bungalow in Highland Park, towing coolers, chairs, blankets, and an open mind. Melodies from local musicians fill the air: stringed instruments, rap, bluegrass, hip hop, and rock alike. A diverse, multigenerational audience mingles, sipping favorite beverages while kids play freely around the unofficially blocked-off...

Food + Beverage

How Sweet It Is

Article by Alexandra Battito | Photography by Elle Marie Roberts I often overlook how uniquely lucky we are to live in arms-reach of culinary artisans in the Magic City, who demonstrate a collaborative and supportive spirit for one another. Case in point: Big Spoon Creamery, located in the Birmingham neighborhoods of Avondale and Edgewood, with a new location in Huntsville. Partners in business and life, co-owners Geri-Martha and Ryan O’Hara continue to surprise and delight us with their...

Arts + Culture

Just Peachy

With the right palette, Pantone's Peach Fuzz may just be a hue for you Article by Katie Rogers | Photography by Mary Fehr …and the Color of the Year for 2024 is: PANTONE 13-1023! a.k.a. “Peach Fuzz” I say, “Really, Pantone?” For those of you whose world does not revolve around color, Pantone is the company that is best known for its Pantone Matching System, a tool dating back to 1963, which is used to provide consistent and accurate color anywhere in the world by using a numbering system...

Arts + Culture

Local Exposure

BHAM FILM WALK celebrates one year of developing film and friendships Article by Blake Calhoun and Noah Echols The origin story dates back to when my wife Rachel and I were dating. We would spend many date nights walking around downtown Birmingham, taking photos of random things. Fast forward to November 2022, my wife and I were in Chicago, IL, with our friends Rachel and Blake Calhoun. As we walked the streets during our stay that weekend, we took photos of all the fantastic architecture and...

Arts + Culture

In All its Forms

Local photographers share snaps of local love Article and Photography by We asked Birmingham-based professional photographers for their take on this month's magazine theme of "love local." Their responses are a beautiful reminder of the myriad types of love— from the love of a parent to the love of books and from the love for a spouse to a love of the great outdoors, quality time, or even a delicious meal. We would love to see your photos depicting "love local." Tag Birmingham Lifestyle...