Plano Profile August 2010 : Page 50
interiors The Houseful Southern charm, family memories fill Pat Hatchell’s Plano home W House ofHa HILE MOST HOUSES ARE MEMORABLE for the way they look, Pat Hatchell’s house is unforgettable because of the way it feels. It envelops you with cheery com-fort and sunny warmth. The red brick home with stone pathways and a picket fence is idyllic. From the leafy canopy of 30-year-old live oak trees and stately magnolias, resident songbirds ser-enade us almost continuously. Pat informs, “I’ve got a couple of little House Wrens who’ve built their nest right here on the patio. They are so sassy! If you’re sitting on the porch when they want to fly in, they just fuss at you!” Okay, maybe the little birds are fussing instead of serenading, but it sounds lovely. Pat and Jack Hatchell built this house in 1980. It exudes an Old South sensibility, which stands to reason since both Jack and Pat’s families are from the South. Heirloom pieces and furniture re-flect their heritage, as do many of the architectural elements. For example, the white picket fence with intermittent brick col-umns across the front of the house is “straight out of Williamsburg, Virginia,” Pat shares. She fell in love with this exterior embellishment when she and Jack lived in Virginia while he served in the Army. 50 PLANO PROFILE AUGUST 2010 Happy eful Two New Orleans-style courtyard gardens are ideally suited for teas, luncheons and baby showers. For just such an occasion this spring, in honor of her newest grand-daughter, Pat and Mother Nature worked hand-in-hand. Pink petunias cascaded down clay pots, while pink peonies and Belinda’s
Interiors
Cindy Boykin
W for the way they look, Pat Hatchell’s house is unforgettable because of the way it feels. It envelops you with cheery comfort and sunny warmth.
The red brick home with stone pathways and a picket fence is idyllic. From the leafy canopy of 30-year-old live oak trees and stately magnolias, resident songbirds serenade us almost continuously.
Pat informs, “I’ve got a couple of little House Wrens who’ve built their nest right here on the patio. They are so sassy! If you’re sitting on the porch when they want to fly in, they just fuss at you!” Okay, maybe the little birds are fussing instead of serenading, but it sounds lovely.
Pat and Jack Hatchell built this house in 1980. It exudes an Old South sensibility, which stands to reason since both Jack and Pat’s families are from the South.
Heirloom pieces and furniture reflect their heritage, as do many of the architectural elements.
For example, the white picket fence with intermittent brick columns across the front of the house is “straight out of Williamsburg, Virginia,” Pat shares. She fell in love with this exterior embellishment when she and Jack lived in Virginia while he served in the Army.
Two New Orleans-style courtyard gardens are ideally suited for teas, luncheons and baby showers. For just such an occasion this spring, in honor of her newest granddaughter, Pat and Mother Nature worked hand-in-hand. Pink petunias cascaded down clay pots, while pink peonies and Belinda’s
Dream roses were in full bloom.
An upstairs guest bedroom is classically Southern, with red toile wallpaper on all four walls. Pat even wallpapered the ceiling. This traditional treatment harkens back to another era, and it brings to mind a humorous observation an interior designer once made: “You can’t live in the South if you don’t like toile.” Colors are of primary interest in the living room. Family keepsakes, like the Royal Doulton tea service and silver co ee urn, stir fond memories for the Hatchell family.
The master bedroom is serene and elegant. The chandelier is Pat’s creation. It was originally a shiny brass fixture that hung over the dining room table; now it is this lovely piece with shades of white, silver and gold and it picks up on the silver sage paint from the walls. Thin-slat shutters are timeless and create a nostalgic feeling, as does the four-poster rice bed and antique chests and tables.
Some of the artwork in this room, and throughout the house, are pieces by local artists like Martha Rea Baker, Paula Nemec, and Nel Byrd. A particular favorite is Baker’s rendering of Plano’s historic “George House.” The house was donated to the Dallas Heritage Village in the ’80s and renamed the Blum House. An intriguing back story comes with this painting involving strong wills, opposing views, and ultimately hacksaws and flatbed moving trucks.
Venturing from room to room, it becomes obvious that Pat loves three things: family, heirloom pieces, and color. Red is a predominant accent color, while softer blues and yellows keep the home airy and light.
Prized china collections passed down from Jack’s grandmother, Nana, are displayed in the living room. Pointing to the delicate blue and white platter on the mantel, Pat said, “This is Royal Doulton. It was made in a point in time when you picked the slip, the shape of the piece, and they made it for you.” A few remaining pieces of Nana’s Oliver Twist dishes, which are quite rare Royal Doulton collectibles, sit atop the bookshelves. “Jack said he was personally responsible for most of the breakage of these pieces…playing ball in the house and what have you,” Pat recalls with a soft laugh.Jack’s presence is felt throughout the house in ways big and small, from the overall design to his aggie senior boots on the living room hearth. Longtime Collin County residents remember Jack for his 30 years of public service, elected first to serve on the Plano City Council and then the Collin County Commissioners Court.
He passed away in 2008.
The house is filled with great memories and holds promise for happy times ahead, especially since Pat’s daughters (who grew up in this house) and five grandchildren live nearby. Relishing the fact that her house has been a homeplace for several generations, Pat has always made decorating choices based on personal preferences rather than a resale checklist.
“a lot of people select furniture that is neutral enough to use in any house.
I always had the luxury of knowing we were going to be here. We could really do whatever we wanted.” of course with classic design, there is not a lot of risk involved—especially when a home is this beautiful. EvenWhen she remodeled her entire house last summer with her friend and custom builder Gordon Greeson of Halifax Homes, she remained true to her personal style.
Walls were torn down, storage space was added, rooms were freshly painted or papered, and all the surfaces were replaced. New hardwood floors and granite countertops not only updated the house, but enhanced the home’s original character.
This is certainly a home to be proud of. Even the grandkids recognize how special it is. Smiling, Pat shares, “Little Jack—he’s 3—was showing his other grandmother around the house. When he came to the living room, he looked at the coffee table and said, ‘Usually we have lemon drops right here.’ ” Lemon drops. The perfect confection for a home like this. Bright, sunny, happy, classic, and enduring—just like The Hatchell House.
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