Luxiere - Oklahoma Lifestyle & Real Estate // Edition 33 by Luxiere Magazine

E D I T I O N 33

LIFESTYLE & REAL ESTATE

T R AV E L INTO AFRICA

The family collection of the late Countess

Mountbatten of Burma THE ‘BANKS DIAMOND’ PENDANT/BROOCH

WOMAN OF INFLUENCE ANN FELTON GILLILAND

LUXIERE R E A L E S TAT E ACROSS OKLAHOMA

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Live Well Fly Often

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INSIDE THIS EDITION

CONTENTS

49 BUSINESS: SMITH & PICKEL The story of Matt Thomas and Smith & Pickel is a story of big dreams, bold action and plenty of balance. S T O R Y BY C H R I S T I N E E D D I N G T O N

ON THE COVER

Something spectacular happened in London in March: The family jewelry collection of Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma was auctioned by Sotheby’s. S T O R Y BY L A U R A N A N C E

20 WOMAN OF INFLUENCE: ANN FELTON GILLILAND For more than three decades, Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity has been led by a one-woman force of nurture. S T O R Y BY C H R I S T I N E E D D I N G T O N

COMMUNITY: PARIS LAWSON When her college basketball career ended, Lawson found her way back into the spotlight. S T O R Y BY M I C H A E L K I N N E Y

34 FASHION TRENDS: BOOTS & BAGS Is fall your fave? Dive into trends from Balliets and Eden Boutique. You’re going to love what we’ve found. P H O T O G R A P H Y BY J O S H W E L C H

TRAVEL: INTO AFRICA For The Kassam-Alami family took the trip of a lifetime, exploring their heritage and the unparalleled beauty of Africa. P H O T O G R A P H Y BY S H O K A S S A M

2 8 Art: Heart of Glass | 3 8 Design: Master of Metal, Justin Hodges | 5 4 Fashion: Christian Keesee & Beekman New York | 7 7 Luxiere Real Estate: Oklahoma’s Exclusive Properties

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L U X I E R E M AG A Z I N E

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER L

uxiere Magazine is a celebration. Each issue is filled with stories of people who capture our imagination, offer us glimpses into their lives and inspire us to always dream bigger, think bolder. We search for beauty and we find it everywhere we look. The Dalai Lama has said that in order to lead a meaningful life, you need to cherish others, pay attention to human values and try to cultivate inner peace. That notion speaks to the very soul of what Luxiere is all about. Inside Edition 33, you’ll read about Ann Felton Gilliland, a woman who has elevated Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity into one of the largest philanthropic programs in the nation. The mostly-volunteer nonprofit has constructed more than 1,000 homes for Oklahoma families, and has moved into the realm of developing entire neighborhoods. Sho Kassam and his wife Selma Alami took their family on a month-long sojourn to Africa this summer, with the purpose of anchoring their daughter and son in their family’s roots. Lucky for you, he’s allowed us to share their story, along with a treasure trove of beautiful images, which you’ll find on page 67. The significance of family history makes an appearance in another story this issue—this one about vintage and estate jewelry, from pieces

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you might leave to your children to a sparkling collection of royal jewels recently auctioned by Sotheby’s in the U.K. We’re also thrilled to bring you a story of sparking sustainability. Christian Keesee is a dedicated philanthropist whose guidance and largesse have benefited the arts in Oklahoma for decades. Based in New York, Keesee has launched a fascinating enterprise, Beekman New York, which offers incredible jewels to its clientele—for rent. You’ll learn more on page 54. It’s a lush, wonderful issue. We hope you’re as enamored of it as we are. Until next time,

Stacy D. Johnson Publisher, Owner @luxieremagazine luxiere

/luk-zhur-ee/ A state of abundance, beauty, ease and comfort that is unique to each individual.

LUXIERE EDITION 33

CONTRIBUTORS EDITION NO. 33

LIFESTYLE & REAL ESTATE

KENNON BRYCE

Photographer

STACY D. JOHNSON owner/publisher JOSH WELCH

Photographer

DESIGN | Brandlink Media ON THE COVER | The ‘Banks Diamond’ Pendant/Brooch Photo Provided: Sotheby’s Int.

JORDAN MOBLEY

KATI HANNA

MICHAEL KINNEY

Photographer

Writer

CONTRIBUTORS Special thanks to all of our Luxiere Oklahoma vendor partners for your contribution of time and talent to make this extraordinary resource.

LUXIERE MAGAZINE CORPORATE OFFICE

11 NE 11th St, Suite #225 Oklahoma City, OK 73104 info@luxiere.co www.luxiere.co

Luxiere Oklahoma is published bimonthly, direct-mailed to a curated readership and distributed at select retail locations free of charge for individual use. Additional copies are inserted and mailed to the subscribers of The Wall Street Journal. To request copies, please contact the publisher. For more information, visit www.luxiere.co.

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES CHRISTINE EDDINGTON

STEVE GILL

Editor

Copy Editor

email: stacy@luxiere.co phone: 405.808.1332

ROD WHITSON

LAURA NANCE

OLIVIA HANSON

Writer

COOPER ANDERSON

VALENTINA GUTIÉRREZ

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Videography

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Website

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Advertising claims and the views expressed in this magazine by writers do not necessarily represent those of Luxiere Magazine. No responsibility is assumed for unsolicited materials. Originals of manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other materials should not be sent to Luxiere Magazine unless specifically requested to do so in writing. Luxiere Magazine is not responsible for the return of any manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other materials submitted. Luxiere Magazine shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof. Luxiere Magazine shall have no liability for any infringement of copyright or other arising out of publication thereof. Luxiere Magazine reserves the right to edit submissions before publication. Reproduction in any form without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. All requests for permission and reprints must be made in writing to Luxiere Magazine, c/o Legal, 11 NE 11th St., Suite #225 Oklahoma City, OK 73104.

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BUSINESS

LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP

KATI HANNA, PARTNER AT THE METTISE GROUP BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON PHOTO COURTESY OF THE METTISE GROUP

ati Hanna, partner at The Mettise Group, loves a good cabernet, a restorative three-day weekend and her family. She’s an avid traveler, a voracious reader and an executive coach whose 25+ year consulting career has been devoted to helping others succeed. “Honestly, there has never been a day that I don’t love coming to work. I have always relished learning and working with people. Consulting provides the opportunity to do both on a daily basis,” Hanna says. With one of the largest peer advisory networks in the state, The Mettise Group offers monthly peerto-peer MBA-style structured meetings to business owners and executives. The groups began more than 15 years ago and new groups continue to be added each year because of the high demand for this type of executive support. “The Mettise Group is like no other consulting firm I’ve worked with,” Hanna says. “The breadth of expertise that each partner brings to the team and to our clients is amazing. While our core service is consulting and helping growing organizations get very clear on their goals, we also lean into professional development through our coaching services and provide CFO-for-hire and accounting services.” When the pandemic struck, the consultants at Mettise sprang into action. “As a team, we knew business owners in our community would be faced

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with making decisions and solving problems that were unprecedented,” Hanna explains. “Our team spent eight weeks offering mini SWAT sessions to more than 125 business owners in the community. We named them SWAT sessions because we were like a SWAT team coming in during a major crisis to help. Through that experience, we were reminded of the impact we all can have on our community, and how many resilient and amazing business owners there are.” Hanna’s formative years as a new consultant were spent with a relatively small firm, a decision she now realizes was pivotal. “When I was younger, I had the option to work for a very large consulting firm, and chose [instead] to work for Innovative Partners, an Oklahoma-based consulting firm with three partners at the time. That was one of the best decisions I could have made at that time in my career.” Hanna’s decision gave her a front-row seat to strategic discussions and complex problem-solving. “I had the opportunity to work and travel in so many cities such as New York, Chicago, Nashville, Boston and Atlanta.” Her sweet spot, and the one wherein she’s the most impactful, is with growth-stage companies and growing leaders. “My ideal leader understands they have blind spots and have such a strong desire to be a better leader.I enjoy helping leaders and teams through the growing pains and building long-term, sustainable companies and leaders.” •

BUSINESS

KATI HANNA

SNAPSHOT:

FIVE QUICK QUESTIONS FOR KATI HANNA As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I always thought I would be a lawyer or a teacher. When I was younger, I studied for tests using a chalkboard and writing things down.To this day, I still think best by using the whiteboard in my office. What’s the best piece of advice you have been given in your career? Probably the best piece of advice I was given was to always assume positive intent. That has served me well in both my personal and professional life. Success means different things to different people. What does it mean to you? I have always felt successful when I help others succeed. As a consultant, you must have a strong internal drive to help others and not have your own ego in the mix. In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself back up? I started a journal years ago where I record at least one win I’ve had for the week. That has helped keep me grounded and reminded me of my own unique abilities—because we all have unique abilities, after all. Book recommendations? What’s on your night table right now? Craig Groeschel’s Winning the War in your Mind. It has reminded me of the cognitive biases we all have. A very common one that most lifelong learners struggle with is the “imposter bias,” because as they grow their knowledge they are continually learning from others, and it can be hard not to compare ourselves to them.

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BUSINESS

A RACE WITH NO FINISH LINE

THE HAGEMANN BROTHERS AND BOARDMAN, INC. BY ROD WHITSON PHOTOS BY JORDAN MOBLEY

ROBBY (LEFT) AND SCOTT HAGEMANN

obby Hagemann took the road less traveled to his current position as president and CEO of Boardman, Inc., an historic Oklahoma City-based metal fabrication business: He was a college soccer coach. After pursuing soccer as an athlete in his college days, Hagemann finished his degree at Oklahoma State University and wound up on the coaching staff. He was an assistant soccer coach there from 2001 through the end of 2006. After leaving for OSU, Hagemann worked for Baker Hughes, the oilfield equipment giant, selling drilling bits to energy exploration companies. Then he received a call from Roger Grommet, Boardman’s co-owner, about joining the business. Hagemann’s father, Jim Hagemann, is also a co-owner, but the elder Hagemann remained hands-off during the hiring process of his son. Robby came on board in the shipping and receiving department and spent the next three years working in the shop before moving into the office, working a variety of other jobs like purchasing and sales before joining the leadership team. “Then Roger approached me with the reason he hired me,” Robby Hagemann says. “It was his succession plan. So, I bought him out and took over the presidency in 2013.” Hagemann’s brother Scott came into the business in 2014, lured back to his hometown from Dallas, where he worked as an employee benefits consultant for health insurance company Unum. “When I lived in Dallas, we talked just about every morning during our drive to work,” Scott says. “Once Robby bought the majority of the business, the conversation turned to working together to build something special. I interviewed with Roger, the same process as Robby, and came aboard in June of ’14 and bought into the company in January of ’17. Since Dad was hands-off during the hiring process, our conversations were able to be between father and son, rather than business partners.” Today, Jim Hagemann is the company’s chief financial officer, and Scott Hagemann is vice president of sales. THE COMMON GOAL So, what did Robby Hagemann’s previous life as a college soccer coach do to prepare him to lead a company that has operated in Oklahoma City for 111 years? “Pretty much everything,” he says. “When you’re coaching a group, the biggest thing is you’ve got to identify the common goal. You set your mission and your vision in aligning your goals. You recruit to that. You coach to that. You motivate the kids. Everybody has the same goal. If you don’t have everybody working toward the same goal, you’re taking away from it.” All of which also translates to the business world. “There’s a whole lot of parallels between sports and business,” he says.

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BUSINESS

LOCAL LOVE

Oklahoma City was only two decades old in 1910 when Boardman, Inc., was founded as a metal fabrication business in what is now known as Bricktown. Four years later, it moved to its current site just south of the Oklahoma River along S. McKinley Ave. “They did all sorts of metal fabrication, stock tanks, anything that needed welding or riveting, metal forming type stuff,” Robby Hagemann says. “In 1926, they started building fire trucks, among other things. They built smokestacks for liberty ships during the war effort. They built cement mixers and burial vaults.” “The one thing about Boardman through the years is they figured out what they needed to do to stay in business,” Scott adds. The Hagemann family wasn’t affiliated with Boardman until 1997, when Jim Hagemann joined the business. He and two business partners bought the business in 2000 after the majority shareholder unexpectedly died. Today, the Hagemanns are working to develop a company that people will want to work for, and a new, stronger culture within which people perform as a team.

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“You’ll never see a successful team with a bad culture,” Robby Hagemann says. “When you’ve got a team full of individuals, you don’t accomplish the goal. In soccer, when you’ve got 11 players playing together, you can beat any team, even those teams that are better than you.” Boardman, Inc. has evolved into a company that today specializes in producing what are known as pressure vessels to serve a variety of industries. Oil refiners such as Phillips 66, Chevron, Valero, British Petroleum and others are its biggest customers. It added a field services division in January of this year. “That’s done pretty well so far,” Robby Hagemann says. “We’re going to try to keep growing that; keep building pressure vessels. We’ve got to keep improving ourselves and reinventing ourselves to stay ahead of the competition. ”It’s a race with no finish line.” • — ROD WHITSON is based in Oklahoma City and serves as a strategic advisor to high-performing CEOs leading growth companies.

The Hagemann brothers were raised on OKC’s south side, and are proud of their Oklahoma City heritage. Although they both left the city and worked elsewhere, today they live within a mile of each other. “The people of Oklahoma City make it,” Robby says. “Another thing that falls under the radar is the way Oklahoma City is laid out. It’s like a hub-and-spoke where downtown is the center of things and all the suburbs are surrounding it. We can get places quickly. We don’t have the traffic. We both travel quite a bit; we say that coming home to our little airport with our people is just so refreshing.” Adds Scott: “There’s just nothing like the pull of home. Oklahoma City is always home and felt like home to us. It’s a good place to be, a good place to raise a family. I love the pace of life. In the 10 years that I was gone, the city changed, and I think changed for the better. Great food, great places to go, things to do. You can go whitewater rafting in Oklahoma City. It’s crazy. It’s fun.”

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BUSINESS

OKLAHOMA CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER

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BUSINESS

MAT T THOMAS AND SMITH & PICKEL CONSTRUCTION

THE BUSINESS OF BALANCE

BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON PHOTOS COURTESY OF SMITH & PICKEL CONSTRUCTION

n hour and a half into the marathon 2010 job interview Matt Thomas had with the venerable firm Smith & Pickel Construction, he looked at partners James Pickel and Sam Smith and said, calmly, “When you retire, I’ll buy you out.” It was bold—but also prescient. Thomas joined the firm during the heady days of Chesapeake Energy’s massive expansion under then-CEO Aubrey McClendon, and quickly climbed the corporate ladder. “In six months, I went from project manager to vice president,” he says. Smith & Pickel’s employee roster had grown to more than 350 at that point, and Thomas’s team was responsible for managing $120 million in projects, a fraction of the firm’s overall portfolio. The last “big year,” according to Thomas, was 2013, when Smith & Pickel’s projects totaled more than $300 million. When McClendon left Chesapeake, things began to change, and volume decreased. Sharply. And that’s when Thomas bought the company. Within the same short timeframe, the Thomases sold their home and found out Paula was pregnant. “It was a wild ride,” Thomas says. Although his company continued its work with McClendon, independently and also via his new company American Energy Partners, and although there was still a smattering of Chesapeake projects in the pipeline, Thomas realized he had to diversify his company’s

client base. When McClendon passed away, Thomas says, “It was the third or fourth reminder to stay diverse.” As Thomas tells his story, his innate calm vibe and general niceness balance the other side of his personality, the bold entrepreneur ready to tackle whatever comes his way. On the one hand, he’s a dedicated husband and father who makes sure he’s home for dinner. His mornings are early, up and exercising, then to the office by about 6 a.m. “I work an honest hard day and I’m home for family dinner,” he says. “For me, I really do prioritize the kids when I am home; I don’t look at my phone.”

LEFT TO RIGHT: Claire, Matt, Shepherd and Paula Thomas

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BUSINESS

OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

He reads to his children every night: mysteries and adventure books for his daughter, Claire, age 8; and for son Shepherd, 5, it’s books with word basics woven into the story. Then there’s the other side, the astute, hard-driving entrepreneur whose unflappable nature gets him through the ups and downs of running a multi-million-dollar construction firm. It also helps that he loves a good puzzle. “I’ve never been one for having anxiety. I’m antsy when I don’t have a tough challenge to work on,” Thomas says. His M.O. is to identify and understand as many variables as possible, and then just keep attacking the problem. Smith & Pickel now employs about 65 people, including in-house builders, carpenters and other tradespeople. “We do our own dirt and

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THE GARVEY CENTER AUDITORIUM at Oklahoma Christian University

BUSINESS

concrete work. It allows us to control the schedule. Construction is a linear process but the number of trades involved grows,” he says, throughout its duration. In the beginning, only a few trades are involved—but by the end, there could be 20. “Losing time at the beginning is the worst.” His team has built and renovated more than 800 iconic structures across Oklahoma City, the state and beyond: Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center; Marfa Contemporary in Marfa, Texas; the Dean McGee Eye Institute; Hearts for Hearing; Chesapeake Boathouse and Finish Line Tower; a community of tiny homes for the teen homelessness-fighting nonprofit Pivot; the chapel and other buildings at Casady School and Heritage Hall’s Middle School. A diverse portfolio indeed. •

LEFT: One of the tiny houses for the at-risk youth nonprofit, Pivot; BELOW the beautiful interior of BC Clark’s Classen Curve flagship location.

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WO M A N O F I N F L U E N C E

WOMAN OF INFLUENCE

ANN FELTON GILLILAND BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON

ecause she’s so lithe, beautifully dressed and elegant, it would be easy to miss Ann Gilliland Felton’s defining trait. It’s her empathy. A close second? Her tenacity. This woman has been the driving force behind Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity and its executive director for more than three decades, and under her watch the nonprofit has built more than 1,000 homes for Oklahomans. “I’ve received more than I’ve ever given,” Gilliland says. She started with the agency as a volunteer board member, though initially she really wasn’t sure it was a fit. She’d been very involved in the arts (still is), and couldn’t quite see herself wielding a hammer. “A friend of mine recruited me to join the board, and I thought I’d commit for a year or two, but I’ve been here ever since,” she says. Gilliland soon moved into the director position, albeit on a volunteer basis … for the first 12 years. “When I first came here, we were building one to three houses a year, frame houses. Now our homes are all brick, with two-car garages, and there are 14 floorplans to choose from,” she says, pride evident. “People get to choose their paint colors, carpet and countertops, and it’s so much fun.” These days, it’s not just about building homes one at a time, here and there. Gilliland and her band of do-gooders now develop entire neighborhood additions, complete with sidewalks, pretty parks with gazebos and playgrounds—plus homeowners’ associations to ensure funds for maintenance. If you’re thinking, “Wow, they think of everything,” you’re right, and there’s so much more. New projects are developed with the whole family in mind. “We look at the schools. For example, we’re building Cornerstone Creek at NW 150th and Morgan Road. That’s Piedmont schools, which are some of the best,” she says. For children of parents facing economic challenges, moving from one apartment to another can be a regular—and disruptive—occurrence. “You can immediately see the difference in a child with a family home,” says Gilliland. “Their grades go up. They make permanent friends. I love driving through and seeing families’ Halloween and holiday decorations. A home means everything.”

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Kids aren’t the only ones whose academic careers shine. Because Habitat homes are affordable, many folks’ mortgages are lower than their rents were. “We see single moms go back to school,” Gilliland says, because they can afford to, and also because there’s a confidence and self-esteem boost that comes with owning a home. When Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity is operating at full throttle, its small staff and 7,000+ volunteers frame a house every week. Some 45 or so homes are completed each year, except during COVID, which has slowed them to a rate of about 35 a year. When each family is ready to move in, they receive their keys at a house dedication celebration, complete with a blessing of the home. “We are the 13th largest builder in the state,” Gilliland says. Habitat homes are well designed (there are two architects on the board) and energy-efficient, and the management of the construction process is a feat of logistical prowess. In the large warehouse space at Habitat’s headquarters compound, a huge whiteboard, divided into days of the month, contains military-grade, detailed plans for what each house needs next and which groups need to be involved to keep things moving. Each new address also has a space in the warehouse where neat stacks of appliances, fencing and other items wait to be packed up and trucked to their destinations. Fundraising is an area where Gilliland’s artistic mindset fosters creative solutions that benefit the community and her agency. Habitat operates two ReStore home improvement shops, which together impressively netted more than half a million dollars last year. If you’re Gilliland, you instantly translate that figure: “That’s three homes!” Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity has another program, Critical Home Repair, which helps low-income homeowners restore and repair their homes with pride and dignity. Homeowners work alongside Habitat volunteers and tackle projects like exterior/interior painting, adding insulation, minor roof repair, adding accessibility ramps and more. If all of this sounds amazing, that’s because it is. And she is. •

WO M A N O F I N F L U E N C E

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ART

HEART OF GLASS

ONE GALLERY, TWO ARTISTS, FOUR QUESTIONS

BY VALENTINA GUTIERRÉZ PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOWELL GALLERY

he Howell Gallery, now in its 20th year, was established with the sole intention of showcasing Oklahoma artists. The artists on its roster work in varied media and every style, including artistic daredevils who work in perhaps the most mesmerizing, delicate and dangerous medium: glass. Bill Hawk and Suzanne Mears are staging a joint exhibition Nov. 4-20, with an opening reception slated for 5-7 p.m., Nov. 4. Hawk’s focus is on cast glass, a process through which molten glass is given shape by pouring it into a

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mold. Molds can be made from a variety of materials, such as metal, graphite or even sand, depending on the artist’s vision for the piece. Mears fires her glass in kilns, similar to what would be used for the production of ceramic pieces. Her kiln-formed glass is often combined with steel, wood or stone, in a bold, colorful, textural style. We recently posed a series of four questions to Hawk and Mears, and we share that conversation with you here. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

ART

“BRASILIA,” kiln formed glass totem on steel base by Suzanne Wallace Mears

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ART

How did you come to work with glass? Hawk: I have been fascinated with glass for many years, especially cast glass. So I decided to try my hand at it nine years ago and started taking lessons at the Corning Museum of Glass’ studio in Corning, New York. Once I got started, I couldn’t stop! There are so many applications that allow creativity that the ideas wouldn’t stop popping into my head. Mears: My exploration with glass started in 2002. Suddenly, one morning I decided to create art in glass. Fused, layered, colorful, textural glass. I knew absolutely nothing about glass, although I had shown in a gallery in Aspen, Colorado, with [Dale] Chihuly, Richard Royal, William Morris—I was so busy with my collage and clay work that I paid no attention. The moment I started creating with glass, I was hooked. Those early days firing with ceramic kilns, using a pulley hooked on the roof to open and close the lid on a glowing hot kiln interior, burning my eyebrows off, gauging the temperature with a pyrometer and staying up all night to make sure the firing was going correctly ... I loved every minute of it. I stopped working with clay, sold my ceramic kilns and replaced them with glass kilns. I took a lot of workshops, including the Glass Furnace in Turkey, read manuals, watched videos. I still have five kilns and I fire almost every day. The fascination has not ended. Did you work in other media before glass? Mears: Before 2002, I worked with paint and clay, mostly clay. Either creating pieces using a slab roller or using blanks to create what I called “paintings in the round.” I began selling those in the early 1980s at Joanne Lyon Gallery in Aspen, Colorado. I ended up selling over 7,000 of these by the time I started glass in 2002. I still work with other media, not just glass. I find it inspirational. It forces me to switch gears. I’ve never changed this approach. Hawk: Years ago I made many pieces of stained glass work, but got too busy to continue, but I never lost my attraction to colored glass. What does glass allow you to do that is unique? Hawk: I don’t think that there’s anything more attractive than light coming through cast glass. The thickness adds depth and a glow that is not available in many other media. Cast glass, as opposed to blown glass, allows me to work alone and to make my pieces in stages. Mears: I love everything that goes into creating in glass: selecting the glass, receiving a big crate that has to be trucked in, unpacking it, choosing the project, creating it and firing it. The mystery while it’s firing, about what it will be and if it will come through with the expectation I have. The excitement waiting to open the kiln. The learning curve is constant. It never ends. Every piece I completed led to new ideas, new forms, new combinations of color. I was firing every day.

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ART

“LARGE DIAMOND TOTEM” on steel base by Bill Hawk

SMALL UNDERWATER VICTORIA WATER LILY, PURPLE/RED” by Bill Hawk

Every time I opened the kiln was like Christmas morning. I started very small and moved up quickly to large bowls, platters, wall hangings and freestanding sculpture. I love the intense focus that I have to apply while I create. The actual ﬁrings can take a day or a week. Who or what inspires you lately? Mears: I don’t think there’s a “who” that inspires my art. I have favorite themes I love and nature has always played a big part. I traveled a lot earlier in my life and that provided me with an unlimited pool of ideas. Currently I’m interested in bas-relief and exploring how to take ﬂat glass and turn it into free-form sculpture. Hawk: I’m very excited about my outdoor towers and totems. Few things are more beautiful than colored glass in the sun. I’ve been making several new designs that I think are very attractive, and I have more new designs and ideas than I have time! •

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BILL HAWK

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COMMUNITY

FROM ASPIRATION TO INSPIRATION

THE TRIUMPH OF PARIS LAWSON BY MICHAEL KINNEY PHOTOS COURTESY OF MS. LAWSON

prah Winfrey, Lisa Saunders, Soledad O’Brien and Robin Roberts are names that most news and sports fans should know. They are luminaries in journalism who have created impressive and distinguished careers. Their other common trait is that they were role models for young girls like Paris Lawson. They were the ones who paved the way for Lawson to actually believe she could make her own path and become one of the breakout personalities in NBA coverage. “I had a lot of incredible people that I looked up to that looked like me in a very similar role,” Lawson says. “I still look up to those people today.” Now, more than decade later, Lawson is carrying that mantle as a role model herself. As a broadcast and digital reporter for the Oklahoma City Thunder, she has become one of the public faces for the multi-million-dollar franchise. Because of that, Lawson, 24, knows every time she appears on TV or on a podcast or when her byline shows up next to a story, someone special is watching her every move, hoping to be inspired in the same manner.

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“I do realize that there’s probably a little Black girl somewhere looking on her TV and [she] might see me, and I want to be sure to not only do a good job for me, but also represent and do a good job for her as well,” Lawson says. “That’s the biggest thing, right, is just making sure that everybody feels like they can do what they want to do. I take pride in the role that I have now.” Growing up, it may have been hard for Lawson to envision herself being in a position to inspire others. Basketball and storytelling have been a major part of her life since she was a girl growing up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. After graduating from Oakland High, she accepted a scholarship to play basketball at Belmont University in Nashville and majored in communications. However, it didn’t take long for Lawson to meet her first obstacles when she tore her ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) during her freshman season in 2015. From there, the injuries continued to pile up. “I rehabbed, came back, played my sophomore year, and then junior year tore the ACL on the same knee, again,” Lawson says. “Everything started to feel

COMMUNITY

PARIS LAWSON

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LAWSON, doing what she does best

a little different this time, but nonetheless I was still determined. I was like, ‘I’m still going to play. I still have eligibility, it’ll be fine. I’ve done this before so I can get through this rehab again.’ So I did that. I rehabbed, I came back, and then my senior season, started the very first game, my first ever start, my senior year, and tore my right ACL.” For those that are counting, that was three ACL tears on two knees in four years. With the help of one of her favorite books, Lawson had already accepted that her basketball playing days were not going to go much farther. As she grappled with reimagining her future, a book she was reading spoke to her soul. “The Obstacle is the Way, that book, especially going through my season-ending injuries, making the decision to not go back and play basketball, but instead pursue a career,” Lawson says, “that book helped me a lot in terms of my mindset and how I approach adversity in life.” Fortunately, Lawson had already begun to feed her other passion of storytelling by working in Belmont’s communication department. “I always knew that I wanted to go into communications of some sort, whether that was writing or TV or video production,” Lawson says. “I didn’t really know until I sideline-reported for the first time and

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I wrote my first story, and I realized that it didn’t have to be one or the other. It’s all-encompassing and it all falls under the umbrella of storytelling. And that’s where I really found my niche.” Once Lawson found that niche, she attacked it head-on. She took every opportunity to soak up as much knowledge and experience as she could. “Luckily for me, at Belmont we had an online streaming network for all of our sports games, and so I was very fortunate that our sports broadcast production crew let me hang around and be in their ear all the time,” Lawson says. “And they put me behind the camera for a softball game, and the next thing you know, for volleyball I was sideline reporting. And I also got the chance to write for our student news outlet. And so all of this was ... It was all while I was injured, at home, but it was all great experience.” Lawson also found time to intern with the Nashville Soccer Club and do some reporting for the local ABC affiliate. By the time Lawson graduated from Belmont in May of 2019, she already had an impressive resume. But like most college graduates, she had no guarantee of finding a job. So when Lawson saw that the Oklahoma City Thunder had an opening for a digital content reporter, she didn’t hesitate to apply for the position. “I’m

looking through all of the responsibilities, and I’m like, ‘This is perfect. This is exactly what I’m looking for,’” Lawson says. “It’s a team. I’ve been a part of a team for 16 years playing basketball. That’s what I want to do. And it’s every angle of storytelling. You’re writing, you’re on air. And so it’s the NBA, obviously. It’s the Thunder. And so that was a job that I knew that’s where I need to be. That’s what I got to do. So I applied for it and yeah, that next thing you know, I’m in interviews and got the job.” Lawson moved to Oklahoma in time for the 2019-20 season and teamed up with Nick Gallo to become the team’s reporting crew. However, in the middle of her first year, a global pandemic hit. So while dealing with the pressures of learning a new job, she had the same issues as everyone else in a COVID-19 world. Yet that didn’t slow Lawson down; she joined the broadcast team full-time and continues to write and find ways to tell stories on a variety of platforms. “When I think five to ten years down the road, the biggest thing is mastering my craft,” Lawson says. “I am doing a lot of things now. I would love to continue growing my writing and would love to continue growing in the broadcast and podcast space. That’s my ultimate goal, just be better in all of those areas.” •

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DESIGN

JUSTIN HODGES photo by Kennon Bryce

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DESIGN

MASTER OF METAL Justin Hodges brings creative flair to custom craftsmanship BY STEVE GILL PHOTOS PROVIDED AND BY KENNON BRYCE

orbels are bracket-like architectural elements that stick out of a wall—sometimes to help support a weight above, like a balcony or the marble countertop of a kitchen island, and sometimes purely for decoration. They were also the catalysts that helped propel Justin Hodges out of his family’s trucking company and into business for himself, harnessing his creative drive to produce custom metalwork through Urban Ironcraft and Legion Metals. Hodges’ path began when he was newly enrolled at the University of Oklahoma to study business communications, but for him the spark wasn’t on campus; he was passing time over the summer by welding. His mother asked him to make a metal bed, which turned out well enough to impress a friend of hers, a decorator, who asked for a coffee table. Soon word spread among her friends. “And in my spare time, while going to OU, I’m starting to build furniture and I’m really starting to enjoy it,” Hodges remembers. “I had no idea I had an artistic side until I started messing around; I’d been working on oilfield equipment, which is not artistic at all. Next thing I know, I wake up and I’m building curtain rods and coffee tables all the time.” On a trip to Laredo he was inspired by a chance discovery of a stockpile of incomplete furniture imported from Mexico. He imagined using it as raw material, and made a momentous decision: “I came home—I was 20—and I told my parents, ‘I want to open a furniture store.’ They thought I was crazy, but I’m one of those people [who] when I get my mind set on something, it’s going to be real hard to get me to back down.”

With a loan cosigned by his wary parents, his NorthPark Mall store was a go, and did well for its first couple of years … until 9/11 cratered the luxury furniture market. “I went from an average of 50 people a day coming in my store to five, and they weren’t buying anything,” he says. Hodges liquidated his inventory, managed to get out of his lease and shortly thereafter joined the family business, where he would stay for 13 years. And that was almost the end of his creative, entrepreneurial story. But not quite. “I kept building furniture on the side. Not a whole lot, just as a hobby, ’cause I just love doing it. Then I found a little niche product line.” While his first home was under construction, Hodges whipped up some countertop support brackets, and the builder raved about their quality and unconventional construction out of metal rather than the standard wood. He was so enthusiastic that Hodges scouted online, was unable to find any similar product and decided to start an e-commerce store selling wrought iron corbels. And the market responded. “I realized I need to keep going with these products, I’ve got something going here, some momentum,” he says. “So I stayed in the trucking business and I was doing this on the side. I ended up with five employees—as a side gig. I realized, ‘I’ve actually got a business here that I could jump into.’” Actually, make that two businesses. Urban Ironcraft creates custom furnishings and residential/office items: coffee and conference tables, bookshelves, wine racks, fireplace screens, bathroom vanities and the like. Legion Metals, meanwhile, focuses on more site-specific architectural

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DESIGN

installations such as doors and windows, railings and bar backs. Why the division in name when the same expert crew handles it all? Hodges explains, “I didn’t want the website just to be, ‘We literally build everything under the sun.’ When someone comes to Urban Ironcraft, it’s because they’re looking for a specialty product and they found us on Pinterest or [elsewhere], and I didn’t want them seeing all the other stuff that we do for restaurants, bars, hotels, casinos and whatnot and getting confused. “When an architect finds us or a new general contractor that’s going to be working on a restaurant, we’ll point them to Legion Metals so they can see all the ultra-custom work that we do.” Case in point: “We’re working on this giant window right now, and it’s something we’ve never done before—we’ve built quite a few windows and metal doors for studies and offices and office buildings, but this one, the restaurant owner wanted it to pivot in the air above peoples’ heads. And this window will weigh a good 800 pounds. So for us to pull that off, and it be really safe and I can sleep at night, there’s a lot of R&D and engineering that went into that.” Feats such as that also require a top-notch crew. “I’ve got an awesome team, and we’re highly specialized in what we do,” Hodges says, heaping special praise on designer and project manager Johnathan Hilton, whom he calls “like my right arm.” While Hodges can whip up a quick sketch, he admitted with a laugh that he still draws in MS Paint (“I’ve been doing it for 20 years, so I’m really good at it”), and Hilton is the go-to guy for conveying a complex concept or knocking a client’s socks off with an animated or 3D rendering. The company roster currently stands at 10 employees, and Hodges said their work has amassed enough buzz that they’re stretched fairly thin, and he hopes to add some quality personnel: “I would love to see us at 30 employees within two years.” Success breeds success, but Hodges advises would-be entrepreneurs that sometimes the best course is to take it slowly. “I was very fortunate to be able to take the path that I was able to take, because I had a full-time career, 401k, I had a company truck, and I was able to start a business with $5,000 and ease my way into it debt-free for the first five years. Every dollar I made, I just turned around and put it right back in the business, so I was able to slowly grow this thing at my own pace as I wanted to, and I didn’t take on any debt until I jumped in full-time. It’s worked out, and the sky’s the limit in what we do, thank God. There’s a lot of potential to grow this thing, so I’m excited about the future.” And if that future growth needs any structural reinforcement, we know a guy who’s good with corbels. •

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DESIGN

KEEPING UP WITH CAMBRIA SMITH A newly minted real estate magnate hits her stride BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON

hat’s logical, or even practical, to a creative person may be quite different than what’s logical for someone who doesn’t share that spark. Take Cambria Smith’s retirement plan, for example. Smith is a bold thinker and an artist at heart. She grew up in Edmond and attended Oklahoma State University, then, like many others of her ilk, high-tailed it to the coasts. First the west, then the east, where she was a full-time freelancer before that was a thing. Then the west again, where she took up residence in a restored Airstream while working for an architect.

“After OSU, I moved away to L.A. for a couple years and went back to school out there at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising,” Smith says. Her well-honed talent and excellent eye led her to an internship at Universal Studios Consumer Products Group; she was also part of the Caesar’s Palace Hotels team. “Then I moved to New York. I actually lived in Manhattan for about a year, and then I lived in Brooklyn, in Williamsburg. I was there through the gentrification, so it was kind of interesting to see them build a whole new part of the urban core.”

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Each of the four suites at Douglas and 6th contains a compact full kitchen and plenty of amenities.

The Vintage Modern suite at Douglas and 6th

SMITH, in Douglas and 6th during its construction

Turns out, the urban infill projects Smith saw bloom in Brooklyn were a bit of foreshadowing for her own story. She moved back to Oklahoma in 2016, to help her family after the death of her grandmother, and decided, after a decades-long career in the graphic and interior design industries on both coasts, that it was time to start planning for her retirement. This is where Smith’s creative brain and artist’s approach to life make things interesting. Her retirement planning did not involve a Roth IRA or other traditional vehicles for generating wealth. What made sense, to her, was to become a real estate developer. On a large scale, immediately.

“After being here a while, I saw downtown, SoSA, the modern part, and I thought, ‘You know, I do this for clients all the time; I could definitely just dive in here and purchase some property and kind of build something for my retirement.’” The sticker shock of real estate in the South of St. Anthony area took her aback, but just for a minute. “I had called on a piece of property in SoSA, and I met with the current owner, and they told me that they wanted a million dollars for it. I thought, ‘Man, this is crazy.’ I didn’t know that Oklahoma had this type of market. So I met with a realtor and said I wanted to be close to what was happening in SoSA, but in an area where I could create a new vibe.” Smith launched her first urban infill project— Douglas and 6th, AKA The Dougie—took to it like a duck to water and hasn’t looked back. She built her high-style quad, completed in 2020, with the idea that well-traveled people visiting Oklahoma City might prefer to stay in a modern, impeccably designed space adjacent to downtown, compact but with terrific amenities. And she was right. It’s taken off like gangbusters and Smith is blazing forward on a slate of new projects. Of real estate development, her newfound career, Smith says, “I love it so much; it’s really hard but it’s really great.” She has now acquired, by her estimate, 10-14 properties in the same neighborhood, ranging from empty lots to an abandoned fire station. Sitespecific projects are in the works for all of them. Some will be new construction, and some will be intensive restorations/renovations. All of them will align with Smith’s exacting aesthetic vision, a blend of urban sophisticate, ultramodern and artful. •

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FAS H I O N

THINGS WE LOVE: ESTATE JEWELRY

FROM LOCAL TO LEGENDARY BY LAURA NANCE

t’s sometimes said that everything has a story, and jewelry is certainly no exception. Lonnie Iannazzo of Tulsa’s Vincent Anthony Jewelers has been privy to those sweet stories for years. “I had a customer who brought in a ring that belonged to her grandmother,” Iannazzo remembers. “She shared the story of when she was a young girl sitting on her grandmother’s lap and how she always played with the ring. Now it is hers, and we sized it so she can wear it. I love being a part of that connection and continuing the story of a piece of jewelry.”

SAPPHIRE, EMERALD, RUBY & DIAMOND JABOT PIN, 1930s part of the Mountbatten estate auction

If you have a piece or two of jewelry that someone handed down to you, then you own estate jewelry. The term simply means a piece that was previously owned, regardless of age and whether the owner is living or deceased. While Iannazzo said that many people associate estate jewelry with the Art Deco pieces of the 1920s and ’30s—feminine with lace detail and filigree—he’s beginning to see some

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2. 1. Sotheby’s represented the eldest daughter of Britain’s last Viceroy of India Louis Mountbatten, Patricia Knatchbull, great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, great niece of Russia’s last Tsarina and first cousin to Prince Philip, in an auction of 376 items, four of which are pictured here. Clockwise from top left: 1. The ‘Banks diamond’ pendant/brooch. A late 18th century brooch with a cushion-shaped yellow diamond given to explorer and botanist Joseph Banks by his eccentric sister Sarah around the time of his marriage in 1779 2. Diamond necklace/tiara. Designed circa 1880 as a garland of ivy leaves, set with 10-14 carats of cushion-shaped and rose-cut diamonds. Screw fittings to enable it to be worn as a tiara. 3. A charming Lacloche Frères pig-shaped evening bag, crafted circa 1905 - the eyes set with cabochon rubies and the tail and trotters set with rose-cut diamonds. 4. Hardstone, enamel and diamond pendant designed by Robert Phillips, circa 1878. Possibly commissioned by Queen Victoria to commemorate the death of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, the Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine from 1877 to 1878, the third child and second daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

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FAS H I O N

LONNIE IANNAZZO

of the more streamlined pieces that were popular in the 1980s come into his store. “The thing about most jewelry is that it can live for quite a long time, whether a piece is passed down to someone or elements of a piece are used to create something new,” says Coleman Clark, president of Oklahoma City’s BC Clark Jewelers. The journey to discovering the value of estate jewelry begins with sitting down and looking at the piece or pieces. “We’ve gone through many jewelry boxes with customers, helping them learn what is valuable and what is costume,” Iannazzo says. “We can help them create something new and unique to

them, while continuing to share the story and keep the sentimental value of the original piece, because there is no harm in making an item your own.” “Someone may not see themselves wearing an ’80s style ring, but taking the stones and creating something new, it gives the piece new meaning,” says Clark. But just because a piece is classified as estate, doesn’t mean the quality is necessarily better. “The diamond cut being used now as opposed to 100 years ago is superior,” says Iannazzo. He adds the cut back then was referred to as a “mine cut,” described as somewhat crude and not actu-

ally round. The 1940s cut, aka the European cut, was better—but is still not as brilliant as today’s diamonds. Also, more often side diamonds of the same era were single-cut with only 17 facets where the modern diamond has 58, so today’s side stones have a bit more scintillation or sparkle. As for the actual jewelry making process, the way something is created today is still technically very similar to those pieces from decades ago. When someone wants to redesign or personalize an estate piece, Clark said his staff lets the customer guide the process. People often arrive armed with ideas from magazines, photos they’ve

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ESTATE JEWELRY NE PLUS ULTRA:

ROYAL TREASURES OF THE MOUNTBATTENS Something spectacular happened in London in March: The family jewelry collection of Patricia Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma—incredible estate jewelry to say the least—was auctioned by Sotheby’s. Fans of “The Crown” will recognize the name. In a bit of a frenzy, bidding soared as 1,400 bidders from 55 countries competed for a marathon 11 hours, ultimately tripling the presale estimate. All told, these precious estate pieces garnered $7.7 million. “An auction (such as this) … with its heady mix of history and glamour, does not come up very often, and so it has been a truly special experience to be a part of … it has been wonderful to see Lady Mountbatten’s collection received so rapturously by people from all over the world … a fitting tribute to her legacy of courage, grace and, above all, warmth,” said David Macdonald, Sotheby’s Specialist and Head of the Sale. The eldest daughter of Britain’s last Viceroy of India Louis Mountbatten, Patricia Knatchbull was the great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, great-niece of Russia’s last Tsarina and first cousin to Prince Philip, living her eminent life at the heart of a dazzling dynasty of royal and political relations. The 376 items sold at auction in March came from Newhouse, the charming 18th-century home, which Patricia shared with her husband John Knatchbull, 7th Lord Brabourne. These pieces are a marvel. We couldn’t bear not to share images of some of the most exquisite among them with you.

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COLEMAN CLARK

seen or even ideas gleaned from Pinterest. But if they don’t have ideas, the staff at BC Clark loves to help brainstorm what can be created. “That’s where the journey of a new piece begins,” Clark says. After discussing ideas, CAD drawings are created so the customer can see what the pieces will look like. “The most common thing we do is take a diamond out of a piece to make something new. For example, if a ring has several diamonds, we might remove the larger diamond and create a new ring, and take smaller diamonds and place them on a chain to make a great layering necklace. That inherited piece has then become something that is wearable and meaningful.” It turns out that as many people used quarantine time to declutter their homes, they also spent time going through their jewelry. Both Iannazzo and Clark saw an increase in customers bringing in pieces they no longer wear. “We definitely had a few full jewelry boxes come in,” adds Iannazzo. The search for estate jewelry is also gaining in popularity, whether a particular period piece

or jewels from a major design house like Tiffany or Cartier. Luxury watches are also popular with collectors. “A Rolex can last for decades if it is serviced properly,” says Clark. If you’ve ever sorted through the belongings of an older relative, chances are you’ve come across a piece that brings back a memory or two. “Someone might come across a ring in a drawer and the memories of the person who wore it come back the minute you see it,” says Clark. Iannazzo said he loves to see jewelry handed down before the original owner passes away. “Then the original owner gets to see the piece getting a new life and seeing the next generation enjoy it.” While he helps people with their estate jewelry, Iannazzo also has some of his own; his wedding ring includes a diamond that belonged to his grandfather. “There were three diamonds in his ring, so my two brothers and I each have one. It’s very special to me, because every time I look at it, I’m reminded of my grandfather.” •

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FAS H I O N

WHERE LUXURY MEE TS SUSTAINABILITY AND CONVENIENCE:

CHRISTIAN KEESEE AND BEEKMAN NEW YORK BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON PHOTOS COURTESY OF BEEKMAN NEW YORK AND MR. KEESEE

t was only a matter of time, but for the concept to take wing it required a particular breed of bold entrepreneur. Someone with legendary style and impeccable taste. Someone exactly like Christian Keesee. With the growing popularity and convenience of luxury apparel rental services like Rent the Runway and Vivrelle, jewelry seemed predestined to become the next “it rental.” After all, why commit to a few pieces when you can enjoy more than 1,000 from Bucheron, Tiffany, David Webb, Cartier and others? Keesee, a renaissance man if ever there was one, unsurprisingly brought this idea to fruition last year. Oklahomans will know him from his philanthropy and business endeavors: Among other things, he’s the

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founder and president of Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center and a trustee of two charitable foundations, the Kirkpatrick Family Fund and the Kirkpatrick Foundation, both of which further causes like arts and arts education. He’s based in New York, where he serves as a board member of the Frick Collection and is Trustee Emeritus of American Ballet Theatre. Keesee also serves on the North American Acquisitions Committee of the Tate in London. We love a story of innovation, and if beautiful jewels and sustainability are involved, all the better. Here’s what we learned, from a back-and-forth with Keesee himself:

FAS H I O N

MR. KEESEE, photographed by Shevaun Williams

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What was the genesis of Beekman New York? How did this concept originate? I was out with a group of friends one night. One of my friends, who is always immaculately dressed, was remarking on the prevalence of rental platforms available for clothing and lamenting the lack of a similar option for fine jewelry. This was the original spark. One thing led to another, and we began putting together the logistics and framework to create the extraordinary collection which is at the core of Beekman New York today. Whose jewels are these? Had someone been amassing a collection already, or are they part of several collections? These are our jewels to share. Tapping into the circularity of fashion, we have made a concerted effort to obtain jewelry which has been part of someone’s collection before—sourced from auctions, estate sales, and with the input of friends and specialists in the jewelry industry. Working with industry leaders has ensured we have timeless pieces worth preserving, and sufficiently varied to feel like a complete collection. There are rare jewels by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co, and Verdura, and representations not only from the high houses—including Harry Winston, Bulgari, Van Cleef & Arpels, etc.—but also unsigned or antique pieces that have an interesting design aesthetic. The Beekman collection is now part of that circle of life of jewelry, which is purchased by one person and shared over time and across generations. How does it work? In short: Browse, borrow, wear and return! Guests can browse the user-friendly platform to find the perfect piece of jewelry they are looking for. Our concierge is available to provide styling advice or assistance. First-time users can register in order to borrow, and additional membership tiers exist, allowing greater levels of access to the collection. What are a couple of the oldest, most important or most intriguing pieces? All of our jewels—totaling nearly 1,000 pieces—are unique. There are a few in particular that call for special attention, either for the rarity or importance of the gemstones, or the history and cultural significance of the piece. For example, we have a set of matching Verdura cuffs, made iconic by Diana Vreeland, and one of the Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co “Bird on a Rock” brooches, which have become one of the house’s most collectible works. On the other hand, we have put a lot of effort into having a variety of gemstones and styles so that we can meet the needs of our clients. Addressing the increased interest by men for jewelry, much of the collection is unisex, and we have a selection of cufflinks and studs as well. Jewels are available to rent as often or infrequently as you like. Visit beekmanny.com to peruse the collection. •

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DIAMOND AND EMERALD ‘SERPENTI’ BRACELET, Bulgari

FAS H I O N

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS, gold ‘Alhambra’ chain

THE ICONIC ‘BIRD ON A ROCK,’ by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany

AMETHYST AND CITRINE BRACELET, Bulgari

DIAMOND AND TSAVORITE PANTHÈRE RING, by Cartier

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HAMMERED GOLD AND AMBER EARRINGS, Paloma Picasso for Tiffany circa 1989

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L A S E R H A I R R E M O V A L : remove unwanted hair and be smooth for the holidays.

NOVEMBER S K I N W A V E : the ultimate anti-aging multi-tasker. Get glowing, bright skin with no downtime.

N E U R O T O X I N S : Botox, Dysport, Jeuveau will relax movement, to soften and prevent expression lines. These products take 2 weeks to take effect so plan accordingly for all of the holiday photos and parties.

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It’s time to get your skin ready for the holidays, B O O K N OW !

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FAS H I O N T R E N D S

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FAS H I O N T R E N D S

MY FAVORITE COLOR IS OCTOBER

SIX LOOKS TO FALL FOR BY LAURA NANCE PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSH WELCH

all is beckoning and the love we once had for our summer wardrobe has now faded like my tan. Feeling the same? You’re in luck. The fabulous array of new boots and bags offers a host of stylish choices for game days, date nights and everything in between. From rich tones to chain detail to the of-the-moment lug sole, the season is brimming with pieces to make you fall in love with getting dressed.

Art Direction: Stacy D. Johnson Hair: Ali Earnheart Makeup: Katya Rider, Balliets Beauty Model: Chloe Hill Styling: Barbara Jansen, Balliets Video: Luxiere Media, Valentina Gutiérrez

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FAS H I O N T R E N D S

HEADED TO: HEAR LIVE MUSIC Fringe…doesn’t it just make you want to channel your inner Penny Lane? Though jumping on a tour bus may not be at the top of your list, the Chloe Marcie Fringe Leather Satchel has a chic, boho edge that’s ideal for fall fun of all kinds. From Balliets: bag, Chloe, $2,250; jacket, Marella, $545; top, Ulla Johnson, $245; skirt, Scotch+Soda, $255; sandals, Chloe, $525

HEADED TO: A WORK MEETING Boots with dresses and skirts are everything this fall. The Christian Louboutin Mayr boot’s textures— mesh, lace, and alligator-style embossing—are equally perfect with a skirt as a pair of dark jeans. Add the Furla 1927 Top Handle mini houndstooth bag, complete with a removable chain strap, and you have the perfect blend of edgy and elegant. From Balliets: boots, Christian Louboutin, $1,195; bag, Furla, $428; cardigan and top, Self-Portrait, $370 and $385; skirt, Marella, $295

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FAS H I O N T R E N D S

HEADED TO: A BUBBLY BRUNCH The Trace Chelsea boots are the season’s answer to cool. Made from black vegetarian leather, these pullon, chunky lug sole boots are a wardrobe essential to wear with jeans, skirts and dresses. Paired with the multi-colored logo-patch belt bag, you’ll have your hands free to sip a mimosa or two. Stella McCartney is known for her sustainable practices in shoes and handbags including synthetic leathers and purse fabrics made from recycled water bottles. Doing good and looking good—the best combo. From Balliets: boots and bag, Stella McCartney, $725 and $690; sweater, Marella, $345; jean, DL1961, $199

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FAS H I O N T R E N D S

HEADED TO: DATE NIGHT DINNER When you can’t decide between chic and chill, the Jimmy Choo Cora combat boots are the answer. A caramel suede, lace-up boot with a rounded toe, sparkling crystal buckle and that wonderfully chunky sole, it’s perfect with something feminine or a pair of cropped jeans and a sweatshirt. The wide-woven texture black handbag with gold chain detail can also be worn as a crossbody. From Eden Boutique, bag, $59; From Balliets: boots, Jimmy Choo, $1,325; dress, Ulla Johnson, $495

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FAS H I O N T R E N D S

HEADED TO: A SATURDAY FOOTBALL TAILGATE If any bag can be called cozy, it’s this one. This sand-colored puffy shoulder bag features two of the season’s most-coveted elements: quilting and chain detail. The neutral color complements any outfit and is the ideal size to carry all your necessities. From Eden Boutique: bag, $59; jacket, $89. From Balliets: sandals, Valentino, $890; sweater, Scotch+Soda, $118; blouse, Rebecca Minkoff, $178; jeans, Black Orchid, $225

HEADED TO: AN ART OPENING Making a statement? Choose any of these Christian Louboutin bags. A crossbody animal print unleashes your inner style maven and the red bottom collage print tote is its very own work of art. From Balliets: leopard bag, $1,090; collage pop culture bag, $1,490; zebra bag, $950; shearling backless loafer, $750, all by Christian Louboutin

LUXI E R E 65

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T R AV E L

INTO AFRICA:

ONE FAMILY’S JOURNEY TO THE CRADLE OF MANKIND BY OLIVIA HANSON AND CHRISTINE EDDINGTON PHOTOS BY SHO KASSAM

“

One thing the pandemic has done,” says Sho Kassam, Oklahoma City-based entrepreneur and prolific traveler, “is to remind us of what truly matters. It’s family.” After more than a year spent at home, Kassam and his family longed for an adventure, and he and his wife Selma Alami wanted to begin teaching their two children about their roots…who they are as a family and where their ancestry lies. “They are old enough now to start to connect the pieces,” Kassam says. With that in mind, Kassam, Alami and their kids Sonia, 11, and Sami, 8, embarked on the kind of trip most will only dream of: a monthlong excursion into the cradle of mankind, Africa. Kassam, who grew up in Kenya, and Alami, from Morocco, wanted to anchor their children in the family’s heritage and immerse them in the “beauty of untouched wilderness,” as he says. Kassam, a pilot, owns SoulBird Air Charter, Oklahoma Aviation and AvionAero, which offers maintenance services to the private aviation industry. Alami, a pharmacist, is a partner in a company which owns a group of five pharmacies in Oklahoma and Washington state, recently also expanding into Iowa.

A BULL ELEPHANT at the Maasai Mara National Reserve

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T R AV E L

THE GIRAFFE POPULATION in Africa is under constant threat from poaching. Here in the Reserve at least, the majestic creatures are safe.

This year’s odyssey focused on the family’s patrilinear heritage, with stops to visit Kassam’s parents and some of his favorite places. Next year the Kassam-Alami family will travel to Morocco to experience Alami’s northern region of coastal Africa and the beauty and sophistication of another ancient country whose culture brings together Berber, Arabian and European cultural influences. The trip began in Nairobi, Kenya, where the family visited the Karen Blixen Museum located in a century-old farmhouse on 6,000 acres of land at the foot of Kenya’s Ngong Hills. The farm was once owned by the Swedish Baron Bror von Blixen Fincke and his wife, Baroness Karen Blixen, whose 1937 memoir, Out of Africa, and the 1985 movie by the same name transfixed millions. Blixen died of syphilis, contracted from the Baron, and famously said upon learning the news of her fate, “There are two things you can do in such a situation: shoot the man or accept it.” From there, the family checked an item off of Sonia’s must-do list, a visit to an elephant orphanage within the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The orphanage, founded by Dame Daphne Marjorie Sheldrick and her husband David, has successfully rescued, raised

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and rehabilitated nearly 300 orphaned elephants and rhinos. The Trust also protects wild habitats and ecosystems, provides wildlife education and experiences, funds projects such as building beehive arrays that serve as elephant fences, and undertakes many other innovative projects. The next stop was Kichwa Tembo Lodge at the popular Maasai Mara National Reserve. Here, the accommodations heighten the magic of their surroundings. The family spent two nights in the most luxe tents we have ever seen. The grasslands of southwestern Kenya are adjacent to the Serengeti and are in the path of the world’s largest animal migration. Two million wildebeest and 300,000 zebras migrate up from the Serengeti across the Mara grasslands. The family saw the last few herds of the annual migration, but an even greater thrill was seeing lions, African elephants, Cape buffalo and black rhinoceros. The children, especially Sami, may have been even more fascinated by their small plane’s takeoffs and landings on short grass or dirt runways. Like father, like son. The family then journeyed to the island of Lamu, just off Kenya’s northern coast, to stay at the charming, family-owned boutique-style Peponi

Hotel in Shela village. The hotel was founded in the 1960s when the Korschen family, displaced from their farm by Kenya’s independence, discovered an abandoned home on the beach. They bought, restored it, and the rest is history. Lamu Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa, retaining its traditional functions. The island is a hotspot for royals, rock stars and aristocrats, whose holidays on Lamu lend an understated glitz. Among celebs who love Lamu are Mick Jagger, Madonna, Sting, Kate Moss and a slate of European royals including England’s Princess Beatrice. A stay in Lamu’s Shela village is like going back in time: glorious, pristine beaches, local fishing on tiny boats, undisturbed medieval stone buildings and the only transportation is on foot or via traditional boats called dhows. Automobiles are banned, and even bicycles are not allowed, so dhows carry passengers and goods through the Lamu archipelago. A dhow cruise rounded out the family’s time on Lamu. The safari part of the Kassams’ trip concluded at an iconic tropical paradise on the shore of the Indian Ocean. The Hemingways Watamu, a 5-star

T R AV E L

AN OUTRIGGER SHOW in Dani.

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T R AV E L

THE FAMILY gained a greater understanding of the beautiful, untamed wilderness on safari during a hot air balloon tour.

AFRICA is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

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T R AV E L

LEFT: a street-side art stall in Diani and, RIGHT, a quaint alleyway in Lamu’s Shela Village

beachfront boutique hotel is within the Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve and a short drive to Arabuko Sokoke National Park and Forest Reserve. The area is a well-known sport fishing Mecca and offers spectacular snorkeling along the white sand beaches. The Park is the largest surviving area of coastal forest in Kenya and is home to many exotic mammals, reptiles and birds. Two weeks into their journey, the family had enjoyed safaris, hikes, cruises and lots of active fun. The remaining weeks would adopt a more leisurely, beachy pace. Alami headed back to the States, as her company’s expansion plans required her expertise. Kassam and the kids spent time reconnecting with family, specially Kassam’s parents, visiting childhood friends and doing things that Kassam remembered from his childhood. They visited Fort Jesus, the old Portuguese port on the coast, explored Old Town Mombasa and took day trips in the area. Mombasa, on the eastern coast of Kenya near Tanzania, was an ancient trading center and an important gateway to India. Mombasa’s Fort Jesus at the entry to Old Town Mombasa was built by the Portuguese in the late 1500s. By

the 18th century, Omami Arabs controlled Mombasa, but the British had conquered it by the 19th century and used it as a prison and a base for the East African slave trade. It is now a museum that details the fort’s history and the stories of the many slaves that died or were enslaved in other countries during the East Kenyan Slave trade. One noteworthy trip was to beautiful Diani Beach, Kassam’s favorite place when he was growing up. His father was the manager of a local tour company, and he had an office and manager’s cottage at Diani Beach. Most weekends, Kassam’s family would pile into the car to go enjoy the pristine white sand beach and turquoise water there. The beach is on the coast of the Diani Chale Marine National Preserve and is one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. As Kassam reflects on this trip, the happiness in his voice is apparent. “We love to travel as a family, and I never take for granted the opportunities we’ve been given. Our family is the ultimate American success story: Selma and I are two immigrants who came to the United States to make our dreams come true, and we want our children to know where they come from.” •

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R E A L E S TAT E

LAUREN TOPPINS:

ON LIFE, LOSS AND RESILIENCE BY MICHAEL KINNEY PHOTOS COURTESY OF LAUREN TOPPINS

hen Lauren Toppins decided to start her real estate company in 2020, it may have seemed like an inopportune time to go out on her own. The pandemic was just ramping up, and it would have been impossible for her to chart a clear path to get the job done. Yet, more than a year later, Cherrywood has grown into a successful brokerage and property management firm in the heart of Oklahoma City. With a team of 37 realtors and nine employees, Toppins manages close to 100 rental properties, however, the 39-year-old married mother of four had to overcome personal tragedy and medical scares just to get to where she is now. All along the way, Toppins has never lost her guiding light, which is to help others through her company. “I want to make sure that any property that has a Cherrywood sign in front of it is one that someone is going to feel safe and secure in and well taken care of,” Toppins says.

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Toppins, born in Lawton, initially wanted to be a lawyer. So, after graduating from Lawton High School, she got her bachelor and law degrees from the University of Oklahoma. Her legal resume includes an internship for the Grady County District attorney, serving as general counsel for a TPA company in Oklahoma City and an attorney for a payroll company. “I got to do a lot of cool things,” Toppins says. “I was over legal, human resources, maintenance and security at one point. One of the cool parts was property management. All of the sales offices across the country, I would manage their leases. That’s where I started getting into real estate more.” At the time, Toppins believed she was on the path she wanted. She was using her degree and making good money. It was everything she thought she wanted. However, after her mother-in-law was diagnosed with leukemia and passed away, Toppins realized she wanted more out of her life. “I realized how much time I wasn’t spending with my kids,” Toppins says. “So, I ended up leaving a fantastic company and started doing investment properties for just ourselves.” That led Toppins to begin buying, remodeling and flipping houses and eventually into property management as well. That’s when the idea of Cherrywood began to take root. She wanted to create a company that would be all things to all people. No matter what needs an individual may have, Toppins wanted to be able to offer wrap-around services. “What makes us different is that we can help people buy or sell their dream,” Toppins says. “Or maybe it’s buying a property as an investment. We also do property management. We have the opportunity to help our investors but also help people with finding a home that suits their needs. Kind of real estate at all angles.” While everything seemed to be coming up roses professionally, Toppins’ personal life was quite a different story. Heading into 2019, Toppins and her husband, Matt, were happy with their family of five. They already had three young girls (Dylan, Walker and Maguire), conceived with the help of fertility clinics. Toppins soon found out she was pregnant with a fourth child, conceived naturally.

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“I got pregnant with our fourth daughter and really felt like it was God saying ‘here is your reward,’” Toppins says. “I was like, what a blessing.” Claire Toppins came into the world in April of 2019. She was born with a genetic disease called Trisomy 18, also called Edwards Syndrome. Little Claire lived just 25 hours. Toppins almost let the tragedy take her down a dark path to the point she just didn’t want to do anything. “But people’s support and all that really got me through it,” Toppins says. “Then I felt motivated again to have a plan to open (Cherrywood). I’m a pusher.” A little more than a year after Claire’s death, Toppins opened the doors to Cherrywood, which didn’t take long to pick up steam. Toppins was able to add more realtors and properties in quick succession.

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“It was exciting,” Toppins said. “Then on Thanksgiving, there was another hit.” On Thanksgiving of 2020, Toppins started to lose her vision. A month later her doctors found a tumor on her optic nerve which resulted in her enduring a craniotomy in February of 2021. “The night we were supposed to open the Edmond office, I was in the hospital because I had a stroke behind my eye,”’ Toppins says. “So I am completely blind on one side.” The blows kept coming. In May, after being placed on steroids, Toppins learned she would never be able to have children again. Through it all, Toppins has had her family and Cherrywood to latch onto for strength. “It has been a saving grace. As a female, when you have your head shaved in parts and the medicine makes you gain weight and all these other things

that have gone wrong,” Toppins says. “Cherrywood has been a consistent place that has allowed me to still find fulfillment and find motivation. Because whenever there was a hard day, I’d say I need to go help this person or I have this thing to do. I get to see different people be happy. So, it brings me back to what this is really all about.” Toppins’ vision of turning Cherrywood into a company that cares has come to fruition. Whether it’s a young couple buying their first house or a single mother moving on from bad situations, she said Cherrywood has been able to guide them. “Going through all that, Cherrywood has been a really big blessing,” Toppins says. “I feel like this place is a Godsend. I feel like God gave me this place to further support other people in whatever their journeys are.” •

AT CAMERON FINANCIAL STRATEGIES we understand that financial planning is not about numbers on a page, it is about developing a long-term relationship between client and advisor. Every client needs a dedicated professional to provide objective advice to help them make informed decisions about their finances.

No two clients are the same and our advisors know this better than most. Our deep financial knowledge and years of experience informs our every decision, with only one goal in mind: your ideal future. Visit us at CAMERONFINANCIAL.US to learn more.

MELINDA OLBERT | Financial Advisor, CFP®, JD WE HAVE MOVED! PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS:

5600 N. May Ave., Suite 190 | Oklahoma City, OK 73112 405.463.7952

SECURITIES AND ADVISORY SERVICES OFFERED THROUGH CETERA ADVISORS LLC, MEMBER FINRA/SIPC, A BROKER/DEALER AND REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISOR. CETERA IS UNDER SEPARATE OWNERSHIP FROM ANY OTHER ENTITY. INVESTMENTS IN SECURITIES DO NOT OFFER A FIXED RATE OF RETURN. PRINCIPAL, YIELD AND/OR SHARE PRICE WILL FLUCTUATE WITH CHANGES IN MARKET CONDITIONS AND, WHEN SOLD OR REDEEMED, YOU MAY RECEIVE MORE OR LESS THAN ORIGINALLY INVESTED. NO SYSTEM OR FINANCIAL PLANNING STRATEGY CAN GUARANTEE FUTURE RESULTS.

Indoor Outdoor PLANT DESIGN

5308 N. Classen Blvd. • Oklahoma City, OK 73118 405.848.6642 • www.calverts.com

LUXI E R E 75

CHERRYWOOD KNOWS

DREAM HOMES

Real Estate Brokerage

LAUREN TOPPINS, BROKER 4501 N. Western Ave | cherrywoodre.com Office: (405) 768-3468 | Cell: (405) 821-4061 76 LUXI E R E

LUXIERE R E A L E S TAT E

O K L A H O M A’ S E X C L U S I V E P R O P E R T I E S

Listed by Jennifer Kragh • Sage | Sotheby’s International Realty LUXI E R E 77

# 1 O K L A H O M A LU X U RY R E A L E S TAT E T E A M

$3,900,000 | 14275 E Waterloo Rd

$2,200,000 | 6608 E Coffee Creek Rd

$1,990,000 | 11253 Quo Vadis Dr

$1,925,000 | 9333 E 33rd St

www.OKLuxuryHomes.com

www.6608coffeecreek.com

www.11253quovadis.com

$1,380,000 | 8201 NW 125 St

$1,295,000 | 7501 N Country Club Dr

$1,289,000 | 8401 Stonehurst Ct

$1,289,000 | 6406 N Hillcrest Avenue

www.8201nw125.com

www.7501countryclub.com

www.OKLuxuryHomes.com

www.6406hillcrest.com

LISTED BY:

Wyatt Poindexter, Keller Williams Elite 405-417-5466 OKLuxuryHomes.com 5629 N. Classen Blvd | Oklahoma City, OK 78 LUXI E R E

# 1 O K L A H O M A LU X U RY R E A L E S TAT E T E A M

$1,195,000 | 2588 NW 222nd St

$1,095,000 | 6437 Grandmark Dr

$1,050,000 | 3300 Scarab Inlet

$999,000 | 1607 Saratoga Way

www.DeerCreekLuxuryHome.com

www.OKLuxuryHomes.com

www.1607saratogaway.com

$939,000 | 6429 Grandmark Dr

$939,000 | 6431 Grandmark Dr

$879,000 | 15317 Stoney Spring Rd

$860,000 | 3601 Four Winns Strait

www.OKLuxuryHomes.com

$815,000 | 85 Lower Green Way

$799,000 | 6443 Grandmark Dr

$550,000 | 201 N Forest Ave

$534,900 | 4801 South Creek Rd

www.OKLuxuryHomes.com

$525,000 | 14816 Gaillardia Ln

$435,000 | 200 S Oklahoma Ave #410

$295,000 | 9300 Farmhouse Lane

$248,750 | 6001 Harper Creek Trail

www.OKLuxuryHomes.com

LISTED BY:

Wyatt Poindexter, Keller Williams Elite 405-417-5466 OKLuxuryHomes.com 5629 N. Classen Blvd | Oklahoma City, OK LUXI E R E 79

NEW HOMES FROM $599,000 A COLLECTION OF THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED CONDOMINIUMS IN THE HEART OF NICHOLS HILLS, GRANDMARK IS MODERN LIVING. CREATE THE LIFE YOU ENVISION IN OUR REIMAGINED AND RENOVATED HOMES.

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$1,595,000 - SOLD 8400 STONEHURST COURT 4 BED | 4.1 BATH | 3,834 SQ FT

EXPERIENCE ELMHURST COURT New Homes from $1,090,000

$1,289,000 - AVAILABLE 8401 STONEHURST COURT 4 BED | 4.5 BATH | 3,375 SQ FT

ONLY 5 HOMESITES REMAINING LOT #2 PENDING • LOT #3 PENDING LOT #4 SOLD • LOT #6 PENDING

Graceful iron gates invite you into a tree lined median which runs the length of one of Oklahoma City’s finest gated communities, Elmhurst Court. Each home is individually designed toward your vision with the utmost quality and highest standard of living in mind. Superior finishes throughout each residence and generous outdoor spaces will ensure the comfort and lifestyle which you have imagined as the home of your dreams.

David G. Oliver david@wyattpoindexter.com 405-532-3800 LUXI E R E 81

GOLF CLUB ESTATES AT OAK TREE $1,895,000 | 6501 OAK TREE DR The chance to own one of Edmond’s most impressive, iconic residences has arrived. With stunning, expansive views of Oak Tree National from the incredible backyard, it’s the estate you’ve dreamed of. Don’t miss your opportunity to own this stately slice of paradise in the Golf Club Estates at Oak Tree.

SOLD!

$1,500,000 | 6300 OAK TREE CIR Stunning Mediterranean style home on double lot with stunning views of Oak Tree National.

SOLD!

$995,000 | 6709 ROYALE CT This modern home in The Legacy at Oak Tree is the dream home you’ve always wanted.

SOLD!

$999,900 | 7100 TANGLE VINE DR Your own staycation retreat on 5 acres(mol) with sparkling pond!

$999,900 | 1511 REDBUD HOLLOW Casual elegance in East Edmond home on treed 1+ acre is astonishing!

SOLD!

$799,000 | 5613 OAK TREE RD Unbelievable makeover overlooking the 11th green of Oak Tree National.

$700,000 | 4509 ROUND UP RD Truly amazing home in Iron Horse Ranch and thoughtfully custom built and lovingly maintained.

LI STED BY:

Brad Reeser Real Estate Team 405-990-8262 BradReeser.com 10 E. Campbell | Edmond, OK 82 LUXI E R E

WELCOME TO

FOREST CREEK

1 TO 2+ ACRE LOTS 15 ACRE NATURE PRESERVE

| |

GATED COMMUNITY EAST OF I-35

EDMOND, OK

The natural beauty of Forest Creek Estates will inspire you to dream big. This environmentally friendly, gated community, with its 5-acre lake, 15-acre nature preserve and acreage lots, is designed for people who wish to create a distinctive home.

forestcreekedmond.com

Wyatt Poindexter, Keller Williams Elite 405-417-5466 OKLuxuryHomes.com 5629 N. Classen Blvd | Oklahoma City, OK

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3349 NW 173RD STREET $1,600,000 | 5 BD | 5.2 BA | 8,035 SQ FT www.3349nw173rd.info

R EC E N T C L I E N T R EV I EW: 1904 SUMMERHAVEN WAY $1,875,000 | 5 BD | 6.2 BA | 7,216 SQ FT www.1904summerhaven.info

SOLD

1714 ELMHURST AVE $1,260,000 | 4 BD | 3.1 BA | 4,074 SQ FT www.1714elmhurst.info

“Our home was under contract within 24 hrs after going on the market! Simon and his team were a big reason for such a wonderful process. Simon has the ability to utilize items in your house and arrange them in a way that makes a big difference. His team has fantastic knowledge of what buyers are looking for and makes recommendations that allow the seller to put their best foot forward when selling their house. Simon was also knowledgeable and accountable throughout the negotiation of putting the house under contract. We would work with Simon again in a heartbeat! Our family appreciates all the time, effort, and work he put in that made it seem like we were his only client!”

# 1 I N D I V I D U A L L U X U R Y A G E N T AT K E L L E R W I L L I A M S E L I T E S I M O N S H I N G L E TO N • 4 0 5 .6 3 3. 3 6 1 1 • 4 0 5 H O U S E A N D H O M E .C O M 84 LUXI E R E

L U X U R Y

E S T A T E

400 DEEP FORK CIRCLE | ARCADIA OK $5,950,000 | 7 BE D | 8.5 BATH | 12,020 SQ FT

This contemporary Sugar Hill estate features a breathtaking main living area with a cathedral ceiling and view that nods to traditional mountain architecture. Then boasts a stunning chef kitchen with oversized marble island, commercial appliances, and upscale dining areas. With interior design by Lisa Cazes, each room offers an effortless array of touches and textures for a uniquely pleasant experience. The main bed suite showcases a see-through fireplace, garden room, celebrity style closets, and dazzling bathroom with heated marble floors. A geniously smart Control 4 System provides for whole home automation. Entertaining? How about THX Theater Room, recreational suite and bar, cavernous basement and wine cellar, resort infinity pool and grotto, and any number of patios with seamless indoor-outdoor transitions. Don’t forget the guest home or cabana with home gym, and paved Lake Arcadia trails across the way. With endless detail and style, this is the ULTIMATE luxury living experience.

TY BURNETT

Broker Associate, REALTOR® 405.641.4624 ty@525realtygroup.com 400DeepForkCircle.com

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“Creating timeless custom home plans for over 35 years.”

Find us on Instagram @brentgibsondesign @nicolerickeydesigns

415 West 15th Street, Ste. 1 Edmond, OK 73013 405.340.1980 www.brentgibson.com

WWW.6100GRAND.COM Classen Curve: 6100 Grand | Nichols Hills | 3,600 - 6,000 Sq Ft Luxury Townhomes 6100 Grand reflects the elegance and stature of New York’s Upper East Side townhomes while embracing the vitality of the Nichols Hills/Classen Curve Community.

Jenni Aguilar, Realtor O: 405.437.1648 • C: 405.388.6545 jenni.aguilar@skybridgellc.com

OAK TREE Oak Tree: 5705 Country Club Ter | Edmond | $1,199,000 Ultra rare opportunity to own the signature lot in Oak Tree. Beautiful views of the lake!

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A New Standard for

OKLAHOMA LIVING

5901 N SANTA FE AVE EDMOND, OK 73025 5 BEDS/5.5 BATHS • 5,920 SQ FT • 5 ACRES • $1,899,999

New Geothermal heating and air system Recently added oversized storm shelter New custom built masonite pool with swim-up bar & Sonos Sound System

AUTUMN NICOLE

REALTOR®

New custom outdoor kitchen New fully fenced garden area Heated marble floors in primary bath

Cell: 405.420.3661 Email: autumn@westandmainok.com www.autumnnicole.westandmainok.com LUXI E R E 87

© MMXX Sotheby’s International Realty Aff iliates LLC. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty Aff iliates LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Off ice is Independently Owned and Operated. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Aff iliates LLC. 88 LUXI E R E

A Home for the Ages Pure perfection. We’ve rarely seen a more perfectly executed renovation and interior design scheme. This home was recognized with the 2014 Restoration Award from Heritage Hills Historical Preservation, Inc. Built in 1915 by hotelier Joseph Huckins Jr., the red brick Georgian Revival greets with its majestic brass lion door knocker. Original tile and custom upholstered walls in the entry give way to a symmetrical, spacious floor plan awash in natural light. In the formal living: original mantel houses a wood burning fireplace and crafted-tomatch entertainment center. Original windows, hardware, molding with picture hanging trim throughout. Elegant Schumacher upholstered dining walls. Pass through the original swing door with ornate bas relief into the kitchen with its custom cabinets, Sub-Zero, tons of storage and commercial range with double oven. Off the kitchen is a convenient and light-filled tiled mudroom. Atop the original staircase, the study on second floor landing with original bookcases is the perfect spot for a book or board game. The glorious primary suite is a retreat with dreamy closet and bath that includes double vanities, a tub and shower. Two more bedrooms with en-suites and bathroom access for the fourth bedroom from the hallway. New electrical and mechanicals. Sweeping wraparound porch to survey spacious, tree-filled corner lot. The guest quarters in the garage apartment, which is included in the marketed square footage, has a bedroom, kitchenette and living room. Designed in an era of quiet luxury and updated for a gracious modern lifestyle, this home is one for the ages.

1703 N HUDSON AVE, OKLAHOMA CITY 5 BED, 4.2 BATH, 4985 SQ. FT. — $1,475,000 1703NHUDSONOKC.COM

Jennifer Kragh 405.274.6767 jennifer.kragh@sothebysrealty.com jenniferkragh.sagesir.com instagram: @jenniferkraghgroup

Over $50 million sold since 2017

LUXI E R E 89

Majesty and Splendor Majesty and splendor in Heritage Hills. One of a small handful of deeply significant private historic residences in the state, this home was constructed on the site of the first structure built in the area in the late 1800s. The lot was purchased from city visionary, Anton Classen, in 1903 and the home was constructed in 1906. Its history is the history of Oklahoma City. Lovingly tended to by the five families who have called it home, this is a generational home with an easy elegance and it awaits its next chapter. The main residence is three stories, restored and renovated with meticulous attention to historic detail. Just off the front steps, a circa 1906 lamppost acquired in London glows at dusk. The original door knocker welcomes into a pretty foyer, beyond which is the formal living, morning room with French doors, game nook and dining room. In the heart of the the home, the substantial kitchen includes a commercial grade range with true double oven and vent hood, floating island, wet bar, wine captain and felt-lined silver pantry. The large family room has sizeable windows and backyard access. The library features rich walnut paneling and bookcases. Elegant arched doors, original and restored hardwoods and molding along with original pocket doors add interest and charm. Original servant call buttons from the game nook and primary suite are still operable. Eight mantels throughout including a circa 1840 Biedermeier. Two wood-and-gas fireplaces and one gas fireplace on the first floor. Four bedrooms including the glorious primary suite on the second floor. Up one level on the third floor is the theater quality screening room with wet bar and wine captain, large studio, powder bath and children’s performance stage. Corner lot with elegant landscape, lush green grass and brick sidewalks. This offering is truly a rare opportunity.

700 NW 15TH ST, OKLAHOMA CITY 5 BED, 4.3 BATH, 6966 SQ. FT. — $1,800,000 700NW15THOKC.COM

Jennifer Kragh 405.274.6767 jennifer.kragh@sothebysrealty.com jenniferkragh.sagesir.com instagram: @jenniferkraghgroup

Over $50 million sold since 2017

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MEDITERRANEAN OASIS This expansive Mediterranean Estate stuns and surpasses expectation with every custom detail. Daily living on the main floor and full entertainment in the finished basement will make you enjoy staying in.

Kate Brennan Global Real Estate Advisor | Broker Associate 405.641.3004 kate@sagesir.com katebrennan.sagesir.com

© 2021 Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. All Rights Reserved. Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks licensed to Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC. LUXI E R E 93

CHRIS GEORGE HOMES

CHURCHILL BROWN - CHINOWTH AND COHEN

Classen Drive & N. Dewey Avenue

Midtown Residences, Reimagined. V I L L AT E R E S AO KC . C O M 94 LUXI E R E

Luxury Historic & Condo Specialist

$499,000 | 701 N Hudson, Suite 202 2 Bed | 2 Bath | 1,535 Sq Ft

CHRIS GEORGE HOMES

CHURCHILL BROWN - CHINOWTH AND COHEN CHRIS GEORGE (405) 627-0801 chris@chrisgeorgehomes.com JUSTIN BRANNON (405) 503-3968 justin@chrisgeorgehomes.com EDEN MOORE (817) 371-8132 eden@chrisgeorgehomes.com

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W E LCO M E to TH E N O RTH S H O R E A once-in-a-generation opportunity that will be the next piece of Oklahoma City history. Who will create Oklahoma City’s next great neighborhood? It will be a bold visionary whose name will join those who came before: Anton Classen, GA Nichols, Charles Colcord and their contemporaries. This is a multi-parcel opportunity in a prime Downtown location between Scissortail Park, Oklahoma River, Lower Scissortail and Walker Ave. All 25 lots are vacant, with no structures, a clean slate for your urban infill development dreams. These lots are in the DTD-2 Zoning and the Scenic River Overlay Design District. The package of lots is eligible for Tax Increment Financing (TIF).

verbode.com/northshorelots 405.757.7001 • team@verbode.com LUXI E R E 97

“

We unlock opportunity, while inspiring homeowners to Open New Doors one person, one house, and one neighborhood “

at a time.

Bart a. Terrell 5119 N Western Avenue Oklahoma City, OK 73118 flotilla.co www.bartterrell.com (405) 517-3377 bart@flotilla.co ba.t_real_estate 98 LUXI E R E

NW 72nd & N Classen Blvd, East of Nichols Hills WilshirePoint.com

Modern Urban Living Single Family Custom Homes from 3,000 SF & Up Garden Offices from 3,000 SF & Up Executive Garage Condos Walking Trails, Ponds, Fountains, Parks FALL 2022 “74” Full Service Restaurant Scheduled to Open PLANNED Upscale Condos and/or Apartments

PRE-CONSTRUCTION NOW! Upscale 1 & 2 Bed Residential Condos & Apartments Call David Bohanon for Details (405) 850.0987

DAV ID B OH ANON JD, DE V E LOP E R - B R O K E R | 4 0 5 . 8 5 0.0 9 87 DB OH ANO N @ B LAC KSTO N E CO M .CO M LUXI E R E 99

Your Holiday Lighting Specialist Oklahoma City’s Landscaping Experts www.ecolandscapesok.com | 405.259.1665

Protect your Sprinkler System through the Winter.

WINTERIZE NOW.

Say Goodbye to Frozen Irrigation Lines and Harmful Freeze-Ups • Shut down of water supply and controller

• Evacuate water from the entire system

• Inspect all heads

• Provide a comprehensive winterization report

• Winterize vacuum breaker

100 LUXI E R E

www.conservairrigation.com

showcase listings

SOLD 3113 N CANYON RD | $949,000 OKC, OK 73120 | 4 Bed | 5 Bath | 3,951 SF

1711 CAMDEN WAY | $1,020,000 Nichols Hills, OK 73116 | 5 bed | 4.5 bath | 5,093 SF

PHILIP CHURCHILL, GRI, CRS Churchill-Brown - Chinowth & Cohen Realtors www.philipchurchill.com | philip@churchillbrown.com Office: 405.755.4422 | Cell: 405.250.1281 | 1901 W. 33rd St, Suite 100 LUXI E R E 101

WHO YA GONNA CALL? SOLAS REAL ESTATE

SolasRE

solas_re

405.438.0000 | www.solasre.com 204 N Robinson Ave, 17th Floor, OKC, OK

102 LUXI E R E

W E B U I L D P R E T T Y

RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL

roofs

405.720.7663 goodmanconstructionok.com

It’s not enough for our roofing solutions to be durable, when the sun rises on the curves and angles of our finished work, it should make the sky jealous.

LUXI E R E 103

Verna is a professional in every sense of the word. I have used Verna for two buyings and one selling and there is not another realtor that I would ever even consider. I cannot imagine anyone caring more, being as responsive, and making a stressful yet exciting time be such a pleasure. She makes you feel like you are her only client. If you are looking to buy or sell a home, you are wasting your time if you are not using Verna. Nathan S.

16301 North May Avenue Edmond, OK 73013 C: 405-808-4035 O: 405-348-4422

VERNA SHIMASAKI REALTOR®, GRI, ABR, AHWD, CHMS MCGRAW REALTORS®

© 2021 McGraw, REALTORS®. All Rights Reserved. McGraw, REALTORS has relied upon information provided by sellers, third parties, tax authorities and official government records and may contain inaccuracies of which McGraw, REALTORS® is not aware.

LOCAL EXPERTISE.

$2,100,000

5204 Verbena Ln | Gaillardia | 5 bed | 7 bath | 7,774 sq ft

Amy Stoker • Advisor 100 S. Broadway Ste 100 Edmond, OK 73034 405-531-7663 amy.stoker@evrealestate.com

ENGEL&VÖLKERS

AMY STOKER

$989,000

5708 Mistletoe Ct | Gaillardia | 5 bed | 4.1 bath | 5,187 sq ft

Deanna Cardenas • Advisor 100 S. Broadway Ste 100 Edmond, OK 73034 405-531-7663 deanna.cardenas@evrealestate.com

ENGEL&VÖLKERS

DEANNA CARDENAS

©2020 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

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2 5 Y E A R S I N R E A L E S TAT E - I T ’ S T H E E X P E R I E N C E ® ACTIVE/RECENT SALES PENDING

PENDING

ACTIVE

PENDING

43 1 N .W. 1 8 T H S T R E E T

424 N .W. 1 8 T H S T R E E T

1 0 0 6 N .W. 1 7 T H S T R E E T

2 24 N .W. 3 4 T H S T R E E T

SELLER REPRESENTED

$725,000

PENDING

$1,150,000

SOLD

$450,000

$589,000

SOLD

8 1 7 N .W. 1 9 T H S T R E E T

1 8 1 5 N . H U D S O N AV E N U E

52 0 0 W H I T E F E N C E S

6 3 45 H A R D E N D R I V E

SELLER REPRESENTED

SELLER & BUYER REPRESENTED

BUYER REPRESENTED

SELLER REPRESENTED

$375,000

SOLD

$1,750,000

SOLD

$1,739,000

$1,295,000

SOLD

1902 BEDFORD DRIVE

1 5 6 0 5 WO O D L E A F L A N E

8 3 7 N .W. 4 0 T H S T R E E T

3 2 1 N .W. 1 4 T H S T R E E T

BUYER REPRESENTED

SELLER & BUYER REPRESENTED

SELLER REPRESENTED

$1,184,000

SOLD

$799,500

SOLD

$779,000

$799,000

SOLD

8 2 1 N .W. 3 8 T H S T R E E T

70 0 9 T R E N TO N ROA D

3 2 2 N .W. 2 0 T H S T R E E T

6 0 8 N W 1 9TH

SELLER & BUYER REPRESENTED

BUYER REPRESENTED

SELLER REPRESENTED

BUYER REPRESENTED

$750,000

$699,000

$600,000

$499,900

W E N DY C H O N G REALTOR® & CERTIFIED LUXURY HOME MARKETING SPECIALIST | RE/MAX PREFERRED 405-751-4848 | WENDYWCHONG@GMAIL.COM WWW.WENDYCHONG.COM |

@WENDYCHONGREALTOROK

AWAR D WIN N ING & NATIONALLY R ECOG NIZE D R E ALTOR LUXI E R E 105

THE ART OF DOWNTOWN LUXURY LIVING

426 NE 1ST TERRACE $795,000 426ne1stterrace.com

This home offers three levels of living and features over 2,500 square feet. Upon entering, the impressive molding and luxury infused details are stunning. The kitchen could truly be found in a luxury home design magazine as the cabinetry, lighting, KitchenAid stainless steel appliances and counters are all restaurant worthy.

412 NE 1ST STREET $625,000 412ne1st.com

MATT MARCACCI REALTOR™ 405.613.5303 matt@okcurbanliving.com okcurbanliving.com

Elegance and luxury abound in this absolutely stunning townhome. Nestled in the heart of Bricktown, you’re just walking distance from all of the best entertainment, dining and nightlife that Oklahoma City has to offer. It is abundantly apparent from the second you step inside that this home was built with exquisite attention to detail and only the highest‑end of finishes. A completely open concept floor plan is perfect for entertaining friends and family alike.

SERVICE & CLASS. Sara Knudsen • Advisor/Broker Associate 405-408-8480 sara.knudsen@evrealestate.com Certifications and Designations: Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist Accredited Buyer’s Representative® Seller Representative Specialist At Home with Diversity® e-Pro® - Technology in Real Estate Military Relocation Professional Pricing Strategy Advisor Seniors Real Estate Specialist® Resort and Second-Home Property Specialist Supreme Auctions Certified Auction Agent Residential Real Estate Council Luxury Homes Certification Member of Institute of Luxury Home Marketing®

ENGEL&VÖLKERS

SARA KNUDSEN

©2019 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

SOLD

4405 BRIDLE CT | DEER CREEK 5BD | 3.1BA | 3,187 SQ FT | $397,500

Lisa Hashemi, Advisor • Engel & Völkers Edmond 405-503-7522 · 100 S. Broadway Ste 100 lisa.hashemi@evrealestate.com · www.lisahashemi.com lisa.hashemi.realtor LisaHashemiSellsRealEstate ©2019 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

ENGEL&VÖLKERS

LISA HASHEMI LUXI E R E 107

GLOBAL RECOGNITION. OKLAHOMA EXPERTISE. 4 7 1 1 D E E R F I E L D D R I V E , S T I L LW AT E R 5BD | 4.2BA | 9,676 SQ FT | $4,100,000 Nestled among 63 acres of lush greenery, Deerfield Retreat offers an unparalleled opportunity for the ultimate luxury of a private enclave or, conversely, a worldclass development venture. The compound boasts a palatial residence at its heart, complete with handcrafted finishes and bespoke details.

ENGEL&VÖLKERS

BRITTA ELITE TEAM

Britta McAfee Thrift, JD • Advisor 1138 N Robinson Ave · Oklahoma City, OK 73103 405-821-2313 · britta.thrift@evrealestate.com @britta.at.ev ©2019 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

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Charli Bullard • Engel & Völkers Oklahoma City 1138 N Robinson Ave · Oklahoma City, OK 73103 405-414-6215 · Charli.Bullard@evrealestate.com ©2019 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

110 LUXI E R E

NEW DEVELOPMENT FOR LUXURY LIVING IN NICHOLS HILLS 1114 CUMBERLAND CT 4BD | 4.1BA | 3,900 SQ FT $1,650,000 Look no further than this absolutely stunning, new construction in Cumberland Court! This home features a downstairs study, safe room, entertaining living and kitchen with an upstairs media room. Each bedroom has an ensuite bathroom, & the downstairs master bedroom features its own sitting room with a fireplace, an oversized walk-in closet & bathroom suite.

U N M AT C H E D P R I VAC Y I N THE HEART OF NICHOLS HILLS 6638 AVONDALE DR 5BD | 6.1BA | 8,292 SQ FT $2,150,000 This absolutely stunning home nestled in the heart of Nichols Hills is graced with unmatched privacy. The large corner lot has a beautifully treed front-yard with a private outdoor patio. The kitchen and den are open to the backyard with vaulted beamed ceilings. Hidden rooms, secret passageways, multiple storage areas & garage space make this home unique.

ENGEL&VÖLKERS

CHARLI BULLARD LUXI E R E 111

Joy Baresel • President/Owner Engel & Völkers Oklahoma City & Edmond Private Office Real Estate Advisor +1 405-826-7465 • joy.baresel@evrealestate.com joybaresel.evrealestate.com • Follow on instagram: @joybaresel ©2019 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.

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INTERESTED IN SELLING O R B U Y I N G P R I VAT E LY ?

T H I S B E A U T I F U L E S TAT E O F F E R E D AT 1 . 7 M W A S A P R I V AT E A C Q U I S I T I O N There are many ways to accomplish an exchange of property. Engel & Völkers specializes in exclusive listings across the globe. We understand every client is unique in their personal desire for privacy. When you are looking for a private real estate acquisition email me, I am happy to assist.

ENGEL&VÖLKERS

JOY BARESEL LUXI E R E 113

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Luxiere - Oklahoma Lifestyle & Real Estate // Edition 33

Articles inside

Ann Felton Gilliland: Woman of Influence

The Business of Balance

A Race with No Finish Line

Learning and Leadership with Kati Hanna

A Note From The Publisher