Play I-Spy with us as we uncover the unique touches that make Mary Lou Hartness’s living room so wondrously fun to experience
All Angles
A gem of Greenville’s Hartness community, Mary Lou Hartness’ bespoke home—with a sweeping view of the grounds and neighbors strolling by—features a living room with a historic shape. “This room is octagonal. Its [shape is] very distinctive and has a history going back to antiquity. It became really popular in mid-19th-century America, and scholars discovered that this shape can withstand the forces of hurricanes, high wind, and earthquakes better than rectangular structures,” Mary Lou explains. The eight-angle shape also allows more light to enter year-round.
A Good Omen
On the fireplace mantel—carved from North Carolina limestone—you’ll spot bronze sculptures of two youths. “They are carrying really large baskets, and I’ve always considered them to be harvest baskets.” Though Mary Lou found the sculptures long before Hartness was built, today they tie directly into the bounty that the community offers residents. “They presage the Hartness Farm that we have on this property now,” says Mary Lou. The farm grows vegetables for the restaurant and for residents to purchase, and residents can also grow produce in its gardens.
Selective Screen Time
Did you notice the lack of a television in this living room? There’s a clever reason for that. “There’s a large overhang above the fireplace that looks like a big architectural feature, but it actually conceals a hidden screen that rolls down,” says Mary Lou. At the touch of a button, a projector extends down opposite the screen, and the family can settle in for movie night. During the day or with company over, the hidden screen makes focusing on friends and engaging in conversations naturally easier.
A Mirrored Portal
“There’s another hidden feature in the right-hand corner: a set of double mirrored doors,” Mary Lou points out. “When closed, they just look like mirrors, which helps reflect light and brighten the room. Or they can be opened up and you step out to a small porch with a rotunda and a beautiful concentric stone floor pattern.” Curtains can also be drawn across the doors for added coziness and privacy.
A Personal Touch
See the bust atop that elegant cabinet? It’s not actually original to the piece. “It’s a very old cabinet, one of the oldest things in the house. My husband found it here in South Carolina, though it might be an old English piece, or something European. Here’s the secret: The little bronze bust of a child’s head? We just stuck it up there, almost as a joke.” All humor aside, it adds character and interest to the room.
