Project: Hampstead Residence
Location: Montgomery, Alabama
Design: Harvi Sahoto & Anna Lowder
Developer and designer Harvi Sahota and his wife and partner Anna Lowder designed their home with specific elements in mind: timeless design elements and authentic spaces. To this end, they knew quality materials were critical.
Italian cabinets were selected from the start. Marble counters, handmade doors, Belgian plumbing fixtures. And then for the courtyard…
“We have loved Peacock Pavers since we first encountered them over 20 years ago in custom homes in the New Urbanist beach towns along Highway 30A,” Sahota said. “The homes in Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach – designed by some of the region’s most renowned architects – speak the timeless language of natural luxury and refined elegance. We admired how Peacock Pavers could make a beach home feel at once welcoming and urbane through the honest, tactile material of concrete.”
Over the years they searched for the right opportunity to use Peacock Pavers in one of their projects. “We spent many years building and then living in various city-center loft renovations and infill developments, so we didn’t have the right fit until we began planning our first stand-alone home in Hampstead,” said Sahota. “With the outdoors and courtyard as the home’s focal point, we knew immediately Peacock Pavers would be the best choice for us based on aesthetics, durability, and price point.”
Their home is located in their New Urbanist community called Hampstead, designed by Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company – the same town planners of Alys Beach, Seaside, and Rosemary Beach. “We value the importance and integrity of time-tested design principles, and design and build our homes, town centers, and civic buildings to inspire and generate an excellent quality of life. Great architecture, craftsmanship and quality materials all play an important role at Hampstead.”
Peacock Pavers fit perfectly into this environment. “The pavers are handmade by Southern artisans from recyclable concrete material, making them much more environmentally friendly than quarried stone and less expensive and impactful to transport,” said Lowder. “ We love that each paver has a unique color gradation, texture and appearance, yet together the pavers work harmoniously like limestone and natural stone.”
They selected Oyster as the color for their pavers, which is used throughout the private courtyard on the terraces, porches, and swimming pool. “The Oyster color was chosen to work with our painted brick home and courtyard walls, creating a coordinated palette that is bright but not harsh, warm and expansive, Sahota said. “The pavers open the courtyard visually, creating a private space that feels open and light.”
They designed the pavers to be laid in a Standard Random Pattern with half inch grout lines, creating a timeless look made from various sizes. It creates a space that isn’t heavily “patterned” and allows the eye to focus on the overall environment.
“We have lived in our home for nearly two years now, and maintenance and care for the pavers is simple’” said Sahota. “It takes nothing more than sweeping or hosing them down to clean, and we apply a clear coat sealant once a year (available from Peacock Pavers) to help protect them and keep them looking new. It couldn’t be easier.”
The timeless character of Peacock Pavers inspired the landscape planning as well. “We drew the plan based on the idea of simplicity and purity. We wanted the plants to mirror the classic quality of the materials – the brick, pavers, and cedar,” Sahota said. “We selected a palette of greens – boxwoods, grasses, jasmine, rosemary, elephant ears, dogwood and olive trees – that would give year-round softness and color to the courtyard without overpowering with too much tone or fuss. It’s an honest and authentic space that is invigorating and peaceful.”
Anna Lowder
& Harvi Sahoto
