Photographs by Chip Pankey
In a burst of spring fever, I decided to take my great home quest to the charming little town of Rossville, Tennessee. Rossville is a historic whistle-stop in Fayette County, situated along Route 57 between Piperton and Moscow, about a half-hour drive from East Memphis. The home we are featuring this month is one of three gorgeous homes in a family compound located on the 200-acre complex of polo fields where the Memphis Polo Club plays and trains.
The owner welcomed us warmly into her home, along with her good friend and interior designer, Warner Moore, who’d arrived early to arrange the beautiful flowers for our photo shoot. Dressed in comfortable country attire with three dogs at her heels, she told me that her husband, a builder, had completed the house in 2002. It was designed by the late, great Louisiana architect, A. Hays Town, one of the South’s most beloved and iconic architects.
Interior designer and good friend Warner Moore (and family dog!) look very comfortable and content on one of the home’s two handsome porches.
Though both husband and wife were born and raised in Memphis, the couple loves the country life. No wonder! Theirs is a dream of a place in a magnificent setting, part country rustic (with reclaimed beams from Louisiana, brick floors, and green, sweeping views) and part elegant sophistication, with masses of toile, oriental rugs and oil paintings.
The warm and comfortable home has four elegantly decorated bedrooms, with horse paintings and equine motifs everywhere, as well as dog paintings in the British tradition. We laughed together that her decorative taste runs to, well, you might say, “horses and dogs, dogs and horses.”
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The master bedroom is dominated by a four-poster bed and further enlivened by a pair of floral-covered chairs and two colorful orange and green horse paintings.
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The guest room is a cocoon of rose-colored perfection with its hunting dog-patterned toile and Staffordshire figurines.
There is a definite British country-house feel to the place, which is not surprising since the homeowner’s parents rented a flat in London on Pont Street (near Harrods) for six weeks every summer, and of course brought back treasures. She told me funny stories of her mother returning to the States loaded down with Staffordshire figurines in her carry-on luggage. I am sure some of us can identify with that!
Clearly, the lady of the house comes by her superb good taste honestly, as her mother was a decorator who had worked with Moore in the past; she herself has a great eye, and once was employed at Second Hand Rose, the (sadly) recently closed shop in Cooper-Young.
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The refined living room with its vintage, reclaimed beams and “refreshed” upholstery just oozes comfort and charm.
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The cozy library/study is filled with mounted polo mallets (of course!), family photographs, and the family's favorite books.
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The cozy library/study is filled with mounted polo mallets (of course!), family photographs, and the family's favorite books.
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The back hall is dominated by a huge Mase Lucas painting, another example of our homeowner’s decorative taste which is, in her words, “horses and dogs, dogs and horses."
The artwork throughout the home is outstanding, with paintings and photography by such local artists as Ebet Roberts, Mase Lucas, Twin (the collaborative art of Terry and Jerry Lynn), and so many others. I couldn’t help noticing, too, in the library the mounted polo mallets and rows of books by Dick Francis, the famous British crime writer and former steeplechase jockey, and best-selling author Tom Clancy. Both are favorites of her husband.
They’ve now lived in this splendid home for 17 years, and the lady of the house likes to say, “Momma got me what I needed the first time around.” Still, it seemed to her lately that things were getting a wee bit tired and some “freshening” was in order.
That is when friend and talented interior designer Moore stepped in to help with the recent “re-do,” which entailed new fabrics, upholstery, and drapes, among other things.
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The dining room is an artful mixture of antique elegance and refinement mixed with rustic country charm, set off by Moore’s masterful flower arrangement on the antique chest.
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Wrought-iron chandeliers, the horse painting over the mantel, and that wonderful view make the family room the perfect place for rural relaxation.
Even though her two boys are grown and out of the house, it is clear that the country life agrees with our homeowner. She characterizes herself as “kind of a hermit,” which is not really the case, but truthfully it would indeed be a hard place for anyone to leave.
She rides several times a week and encouraged us to take a look at the stables. My husband, who was raised in the Irish countryside and who had come with me on my country jaunt, took her up on the offer and visited the nearby barns where horses and polo ponies are stabled.
Also, by happy coincidence, she and Chip Pankey, our photographer, were old friends from White Station High School days. A good time was had by all.
Our trips to Rossville brought another great discovery. The first time we visited the house, we met the owner for lunch at the Wolf River Café in Rossville, clearly the only game in town and a wonderful gathering place famed for its catfish and hushpuppies.
I was particularly intrigued by the packed parking lot which had all manner of cars and trucks and even a Bentley! It was such a hit that Chip Pankey, my husband, and I went again and, to my amazement, when I ordered a grilled-cheese sandwich, the waitress said, “You ordered that the last time.” Either I stuck out like a sore thumb as a city slicker in this rural setting, or it was just a really friendly, well-run spot – whichever, I highly recommend it.
Lastly, here’s a bit of background on the Memphis Polo Club, which was formed in 1954 at the Memphis Hunt and Polo Club and moved to Rossville Farm in 2003. It is open from June through October and hosts polo tournaments and social events which are open to spectators. It bills itself as “elegant but not exclusive.” The first polo tournament of the season is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, June 1st and 2nd, subject to weather and field conditions.
For more information on how to become a member, or for a schedule of this summer’s events, go to memphispoloclub.com.
