KRESS BUILDING

With the help of decorator Taylor Bennett, architect Christie Echols
and husband Michael turns a former department store into an mixed-use space that is both industrial and refined.

TEXT BY CASSIE LIVINGSTON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY MOORE CLARK

With a passion for development and area improvement, Michael Echols and his wife Christie are known for their work restoring historic properties and creating special places for businesses and community in downtown Monroe. Before recently announcing his election bid for State Representative, the dynamic duo hosted an open house of their newest revitalization effort, the Kress Building.

Located at 217 DeSiard Street in downtown Monroe, the newly renovated Kress Building was once home to the S.H. Kress & Co. Department Store. Built in 1947, the Kress Building has been one of the most structurally significant buildings that the Echols have transformed. Constructed of concrete and reinforced metal trusses, the framework and fabric of the building provided a great foundation for Christie’s architectural vision. She designed the mixed use building to include commercial space at street level with six luxury apartments located in the two-story plus mezzanine floors of the building. Next door, the Baker Building was also recently renovated by the couple and now adjoins the Kress Building by a bridgeway that connects the two over a charming alley.

Modeled after a successful open house for Baker Building, the Echols held a public viewing for the spaces during the April Downtown Gallery Crawl and enlisted the help of six local designers to stage five of the luxury apartments. The finished product was exceptional, and the spaces reflected the designers’ personal aesthetic balanced by the industrial architecture of the building. Designers on the project included Taylor Bennett, Set Staging’s design duo Brandi Brownlee Howard and Heather Land, Shawn Brazzell, Margaret Moses, and Paul Michael Company decorators Gabriela Landress and Cole Brown. Participating retailers included Levee Gallery, Palette House, Paul Michael Company, Material Things, Three Threads and Walsworth & Company.

Christie, a licensed architect, explains that the opportunity to express her creativity is extended to her by the financial wizardry that her husband Michael offers to their partnership. “I had full creative control of the building, which was fostered by Michael’s ability to find funding for this project. His resourcefulness, along with his passion for historic preservation and the revitalization of downtown Monroe, help keep me motivated. Being able to share this dream and vision makes the work really satisfying.” Echols said she was also glad to partner with TAAG’s Brian McGuire and Robert Ellis to produce construction documents for the project, and draftsman Gaylon Perry of Perry Home Designs. Another great collaboration was the addition of Taylor Bennett to the design team. Christie adds “Because Taylor lives downtown, he is invested on a level that really helped make the design of the apartments special. He was not only designing his own home, but also crafting an experience for those wanting to live in downtown. He brought beautiful, light and airy designs to the spaces, and I was able to draft his ideas together. It was an amazing experience having a designer to collaborate with. His gentle and quiet disposition is balanced by his dependability, strong work ethic and utterly stunning design sensibility.”

Throughout the apartments’ spaces, Christie used doors and light fixtures original to the building, as well as wood salvaged from one of their previous restorations. The building’s steel-frame windows and exposed beamwork were utilized to full advantage. Christie says, “We felt like the industrial elements were part of the built-in character that we wanted to celebrate. We kept the exposed columns and piping wherever we could and balanced that with a lot of pure geometries and clean lines.” The finishes, like classic oversized tiles, beautiful v-groove cabinets, crystal globe chandeliers, chosen by Christie and Taylor for each apartment, offers an aesthetic that also complements the industrial design of the building. Storage abounds in each well-appointed kitchen with custom millwork by Rucker’s Custom Cabinets. Joe Gremillion and his team at Twin City Granite installed gorgeous granite and quartz countertops throughout the building. Plumbing fixtures were sourced from Coburn’s Kitchen & Bath. Using a streamlined palette, walls and trim are painted Sherwin Williams’ Pure White, Functional Gray, Acier and Folkstone, woodwork is painted Benjamin Moore’s Mediterranean Olive and Heather by Dunn Edwards, and exposed beams are painted Sherwin Williams’ Tricorn Black.

While Christie and Michael Echols are finding new purposes and renewed life for old buildings, the real joy has been the substantial and meaningful difference they are making in the community. Through the process of rebuilding our downtown, the couple’s endeavors have sparked wonderful relationships with all kinds of creative people. Christie says, “We’re building a community of people who have become pioneers for downtown Monroe. What has grown from this is a strong sense of community, a group of friends who have come together and are making a neighborhood. Now things are starting to get fun.”

The smallest of the Kress Building’s apartments was staged by design duo Brandi Brownlee Howard and Heather Land. After garnering terrific feedback from their collaboration on the Baker Building, the two launched a company called Set Staging. Says Brandi, “Heather and I have loved working together on smaller projects, but Christie offered us the ability to really showcase our talents on a grand level, and what developed was a business that appeals to our love of design and spaces.” Brandi and Heather are known for their Global/Boho style aesthetic which combines a layered, collected feel and love of travel. The duo sourced from their personal collection, along with pieces from Material Things and Sallie Anzelmo at Three Threads.

In the apartment, a metal and glass desk from Material Things mirrors the industrial aesthetic, while lucite chairs add a modern feel. A large horse head statue is prominently featured under an abstract painting by Sallie Anzelmo. Christie says, “I love the cabinets in this apartment. We wanted the v-groove cabinets to come all the way to the bottom, because although they had a very rustic, traditional concept, we wanted them to read modern.” Hand-painted stemless champagne flutes available at Three Threads sit on top of a wood accent wall. In the bedroom, linens from Material Things are used, along with an oversized tassel that adorns the wall, and a large format abstract painting by Sallie Anzelmo. The bathroom uses clean modern lines hidden behind an original chartreuse door. A steel frame shower stall, sleek white subway tiles, and a corrugated sliding door leading to the closet add a modern industrial vibe to the apartment.

“I really wanted people visiting Monroe to have an opportunity to stay in a warm and inviting space. We decided after the public viewing to make this apartment available to rent through Airbnb for at least a while. It’s important to me to not only create opportunities for talent to bloom, but also generate interest in the revitalization efforts of downtown Monroe. We hope that the rental will help cultivate growth within our community,” says Christie.

Local designer and artist, Margaret Moses chose home furnishings sourced from her store Palette House. A large diptych that Moses painted in earth-tone hues echos the subtle neutrals reflective in the space, and is hung above a sofa by the eco-friendly upholstery company, Lee Industries. Moses uses the ceiling heights, light-colored walls, and large mirrors to reflect light in the space. Artwork by Jeff Brown and Tim Hayes, provided by Levee Gallery, is exhibited throughout the apartment. Staying true to the industrial character already inherent to the building, Echols left a ladder in the living area. She explains, “During the renovation, the ladder served as the only way to get to the roof, so several friends were tortured with a trek up the rungs. Not only was it original to the building, it became a functional element in the room.” Moses uses the ladder to display planters and luxurious throws from Palette House.

“My home is a mix of old and new, and that is what I wanted to bring to this design,” says Margaret. The burl chest and antiqued patina on the mirror juxtaposed with modern chairs and Willy Guhl-styled iron planters reflect the designer’s personal style. In the bedroom, the upholstered bed with nailhead trim is dressed with bedding by Matteo, and a chic, white upholstered chair anchors the space. The bathroom is a study of refinement offering a custom vanity with a simple seal keeping the articulated design and execution the focus.

Paul Michael Company’s resident interior decorators, Cole Brown and Gabriela Landress were tasked with staging one of the larger two-bedroom apartments. Says Christie, “This apartment is moody and dramatic with rich, dark-hued walls that give the space an elegant feel. The pure geometries found in the kitchen, between the rectangular framework and globe chandelier, has a relationship that adds a formality to the room.” Large steel windows line the spacious open-concept living room.

Most of the furniture used to decorate the apartment was designed by Paul Michael and manufactured in Dermott, Arkansas. Large steer horns sit atop a custom table made from salvaged 18-wheeler floor boards and an iron base. Explains Cole, “Paul is very resourceful and likes to repurpose interesting materials. A few years ago, a box truck called “Big Red” broke down and was no longer drivable. Paul decided to rip out the floor boards and use the materials to start making furniture. This catapulted our line of Paul Michael exclusive 18-wheeler furniture.”

The spacious master-suite has soaring 14 ft. ceilings. A wood frame bed is dressed in a black and white motif adds a rustic, but modern touch. The master bathroom features dual vanities and a large soaking tub, creating a serene environment that is both stylish and functional. Artwork, custom agate, and crystal pieces populate the sleek black countertops and gray walls.

Taylor Bennett jumped at the opportunity to co-design the Kress Building and quickly realized on the first walk-thru that not only did he want to help with the transformation, he also wanted to make it his home. “I fell in love with the historic windows that cover the width of the living area, with authentic details that include the original hardware and iron cranks. In the morning, the space is bathed in sunlight and feels airy and bright.”

The furnishings in the home reflect Taylor’s signature style, a very clean-masculine look layered with features that are both utilitarian and beautiful. A dumbwaiter, original to the Kress Department Store, takes focus in the living area, while a feature wood shelving wall adds balance. Artwork sourced from Levee Gallery, a painting by Bernard Mattox, is hung above a Mid-Century dresser. Slip-covered armchairs and a German Bierkeller table add a rustic touch.

Bennett’s favorite neutral, green, is found in a olive-hue on the bottom cabinets in the kitchen. Sleek, white quartz countertops and square tile on the backsplash add a modern feel. In the guest bathroom, Christie and Taylor co-designed a slated-wood vanity constructed by 1×2 panels that is a base for a simple porcelain sink.

In the bedroom, a custom-designed headboard by Joshua Mitchell is punctuated by artwork from Levee Gallery and Courtney Wetzel. Neutral linens dress the bed and a cowhide rug is layered on the floor. In describing his work on this project, Taylor said, “ Being able to collaborate with Christie provided me with a wealth of knowledge. She has a real vision and gift for preserving and elevating a property’s historical and architectural significance. Christie allowed me to explore with colors, materials and finishes, while providing inspired execution that maximized the design of the space.”

Local interior designer Shawn Brazzell partnered with Walsworth & Company to fulfill her creative vision for the apartment. “I don’t usually get to design for an industrial space, so this assignment gave me an outlet to express my personal style while giving a nod to the history of the building.”

“The sofa was the first thing I chose for the space. I love the chartreuse color and Mid-Century aesthetic,” said Shawn. The living room is demarcated by stripes that appear on the floor where long rows of storage bins once stood.“Historically, part of the floors were covered by shelving and what wasn’t covered aged differently. The result was a natural patina that created a broad stripe on the concrete floors. I loved the character that it added and made the choice to leave them untouched,” explains Christie. Brazzell added a centrally placed console flanked by a concrete and wood dining table, adding division to the open floor plan. A large eat-in kitchen is flooded with light from the wall of original steel windows. Sleek, white subway tiles keep the lines clean while olive-hued built-ins provide ample pantry space.

In the master bedroom, a four poster bed with upholstered panels is dressed with a white coverlet and crocodile-patterned duvet. A slate-blue leather armchair adds a burst of color to the well-appointed room. An original door is hung barn-style invigorating an old structure with modern sensibilities and beckoning guests to enter the luxurious master bathroom.

Brazzell was able to offer an ebullient spirit of design to an industrial space. From the crimson-hued gladiolus to the bayou-themed artwork by Brandy Williams, the apartment is a display of color and refinement.

To schedule your tour of the remaining Kress Building apartments and see if downtown living is right for you, call Michael Echols at 318.366.7370.