Every year, the small town of Madison, Georgia hosts a Spring Tour of Homes. Madison proudly claims a lovely Historic District which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. As stated on the Madison website, “Madison’s preservation efforts reflect a nationwide movement to preserve a “sense of place” amid generic modern development.” These efforts appear to be paying off as Madison was recently awarded the title of Best Small Town in Georgia 2018 by Southern Living.
There were 8 homes on the tour this year. I was able to visit 5 and I took a ton of photos. I had to force myself to narrow it down to my top 15 photos to get to a manageable number for this post. This is pretty typical of most home and garden tours; you’re surrounded by so many new and interesting things that it’s impossible to digest everything you see. I’ve learned to make the most of a house and garden tour by focusing on a few intriguing details at each location. I don’t try to notice, record nor document everything about every location. Instead I look for interesting items, pleasing arrangements and pretty vignettes. You could think of them as snippets. I learn as much as I can about each snippet before giving it further consideration. Why did this item/arrangement/vignette appeal to me? What does it tell me about the owner/creator? Is there a story here? Is it something I would want to recreate/re-imagine in my own home?
Here are, FanningSparks 15 Favorite Fotos (aka snippets) of the Madison in May Spring Tour of Homes…
Spotted at the Holly Hall property on Academy Street (circa 1851):
Spotted in the Madison Historic District around Porter and Third Streets:
Spotted at the Sylkenplum Cottage property on Plum Street (circa 1912):
Spotted at the Rector House on Dixie Avenue (circa 1850; altered 1890 and later):
Spotted at the Camp Boxwoods property on Athens Highway (circa 1978; significantly modified 2003):
And now for something a little different. You don’t often see farm animals on a house and garden tour! Perhaps that’s why these are my two favorite shots. Please note I will not be trying to recreate this snippet in my own home :-).
Truth be told, I love taking photos of farm animals and I’m always on the lookout for a photogenic cow! Hmmm… wonder if it has something to do with the fact that I grew up on a dairy farm in the picturesque countryside of Nova Scotia Canada?
More Info
You can learn about the Madison in May event on their website.
You may also enjoy a look at Charleston’s Glorious Window Boxes which I posted after visiting Charleston’s Festival of Houses & Gardens earlier this year.
Today’s Takeaways
- House and garden tours are a great source of ideas. Avoid being overwhelmed by looking for the details that contribute to the overall decor.
- Look for unusual collections, treasures and arrangements. Why does it appeal to you? What does it tell you about the owner/creator? Is there a story here?
- Consider recreating/ re-imaging an idea in your own home. How could you make it your own? What details are most relevant to you? Does it help tell your story?
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