Travel

Serenity in Grace Bay

Explore the Soul of Turks and Caicos Article by Krisha Chachra Searching for serenity on a beautiful Caribbean beach where the landscape beckons you to lie back and let go? Book a non-stop flight from Charlotte to Providenciales in Turks and Caicos and in less than three hours you’ll be lounging on one of the world’s most welcoming destinations surrounded by stunning stretches of sand: Grace Bay.  This staggering seven-mile powdery-white shore is the heart and soul of Providenciales, or...

Home + Design

Flying High in Cornelius

A Lake Norman couple draws inspiration from travels for design of luxury condominium Article by Catherine Ruth Kelly | Photography by Laura Sumrak Clay Venable was a flight instructor in Charlotte in 1993 when he met his wife Marie, who was one of his students. “We met in the air,” Venable says. The couple married in 2000 settling into a home in Mooresville, but they maintained a peripatetic lifestyle. Both Clay and Marie travel frequently, between his job as an airline pilot and her owning...

Real Estate

Making an Impact

Real estate community raises more than $100,000 for homeless neighbors Article by Carroll Walton Vicky Mitchener, owner of Dickens Mitchener, has been a driving force in Charlotte's residential real estate market for more than 30 years. It's no surprise she's leading the charge for that community to give back to Charlotte's homeless population. Mitchener said she got the idea for the Homeowners Impact Fund from a group of female philanthropists who've been raising money in Charlotte for more...

Home + Design

Mid-Century Makeover

Designer Ashley Shaw adds sophisticated style to Myers Park home Article by Carroll Walton | Photography by Dustin Peck When clients of interior designer Ashley Shaw moved into a new home in Myers Park, they wanted their decor to augment the mid-century ranch style of the house. So Shaw accentuated its unique architectural details—like a circular vaulted ceiling in the dining room and crisscrossing mullions, or glass dividers, on custom French doors in an entryway.  “I just love how much...

Home + Design

Playful Spaces

Designer Crystal Nagel elevates children's rooms with whimsy and fun Article by Carroll Walton | Photography by Heather Ison Spaces for children can be an afterthought in big design projects, but not for this Charlotte designer and mom of four. Crystal Nagel calls children of her clients "mini-clients," especially the ones with lots of opinions.   “We love to do children's spaces because they're always so whimsical and fun,” Nagel said.  Whether she’s designing for adults or children...

Home + Design

Home Refresh

Cassidy Montgomery of Home on the Web shares her favorite trending items for your space Article by Cassidy Montgomery You want to fill your home with pieces that add layers and character. Nothing boosts my mood like finding an accessory for a space, whether that be a lamp, a piece of art, a new addition to a collection or maybe a table. An afternoon popping into interior stores for inspiration and coming home with a little something is always exciting.  I love brown, and the Pantone color of...

Home + Design

Lifelong Passion for Landscape

Karri Paul comes home to backyard design Article by Carroll Walton | Photography by Jim Schmid Karri Paul was design director at Tommy Hilfiger in New York City, living the fast-paced lifestyle of international fashion but on the brink of burning out. With the help of a life coach she figured out how to turn her passion for gardening into her lifeline. “When I would fly home to visit family, the first thing I always did was take off my shoes and socks and put my feet in the grass,” says...

Arts + Culture

Pantone Color of 2025

Mocha Mousse Article by Liz Brown The Pantone Company, a global leader in color design, selected "Mocha Mousse" as its 26th annual "Color of the Year." The soft brown will serve as inspiration for trends in apparel, accessories, home design, graphic design and more. What is officially designated PANTONE 17-1230 is described as a warm and flavorful brown. The color conjures both the natural world, with its earthy tones, and delectable deliciousness, with its suggestion of cacao, chocolate and...

Arts + Culture

Artists at Work

McColl Center celebrates 25 years of cultivating the Charlotte arts Article by Carroll Walton Hugh McColl, former chairman and first CEO of Bank of America, used to drive past an abandoned Presbyterian church at the corner of 11th Street and Tryon near his uptown office. It had been burned down in a fire set by a vagrant trying to get warm one winter night in 1984. As CEO of what was then NationsBank, McColl purchased the land and decided to redevelop it as an urban artist colony, which opened...

Local Services

Keeping the Romance Alive

Trope Bookstore introduces Charlotteans to new fiction and, sometimes, each other Article by Cate Stern | Photography by Courtesy of Trope Bookstore Shortly after rekindling her passion for reading, Katie Mitchell discovered The Ripped Bodice, the country's first romance-only bookstore, on Instagram. Inspired, Mitchell introduced Charlotte to its very own romance-only bookstore on wheels, Trope Bookshop, in October 2023. The Green Girl, as Mitchell calls the bus that transports Trope’s...