Bill and Lois Moore decided to take a spin into Paducah. What they found was a new place for their carousel and a new life on Paducah’s scenic riverfront.
Sponsored by Whitlow, Roberts, Houston & Straub
By Elene Wrye
It could be unassuming at first glance – that quaint door on Broadway nestled among bustling business entrances. But once you enter the home of Lois and Bill Moore, you’ll soon discover that it is anything but that.
Were you to walk past it (which you most likely have), you may initially only see the colorful window shade that hangs from the top of the door. And should you happen to indeed peek inside for a moment, you might even catch a glimpse of a white goat figurine with bright, turquoise eyes staring back at you from the stairwell.
You may have even heard about the “carousel in the condo.” And if so, you’ve probably pondered both how and why someone could transport a working, antique carousel into their living space.
But when you do open the door to the condo that sits at the corner of Broadway and Water Street, you’ll be instantly welcomed with open arms to the home-away-from-home of Lois and Bill Moore.
When you enter the apartment and make the trek up the stairs, Lois, with her infectious personality, will excitedly invite you in and envelope you in her wonderful gift of hospitality as she encourages you to make yourself at home. Momentarily you’ll be offered a cup of coffee, to which you’ll probably happily oblige as she excitedly offers you a tour of the home.
Of course, as soon as you reached the top of the stairs you would no doubt do a quick about-face to take in the full-size and fully functioning antique carousel that sits proudly in the middle of the living space – a birthday gift to Lois from Bill one year, complete with both original seating and antique horses, which hail from England. It is eclipsed only by the magnificent view of the river that is visible from every window in the living room, dining room, and kitchen.
At this point, Bill has already emerged from his writing space in the back to greet you, too. As both a writer and consistent thinker, he’ll gladly share with you the latest thing he’s been reading and will be curious to get your thoughts on it as well. By his easy-going tone, you most likely feel like the two of you have already been great friends for quite some time.
But by now, Lois has buzzed by and grabbed the both of you to begin the tour. As you take a look around, the wide array of colors immediately draws you in. Bright hues of raspberry and periwinkle stand out both boldly and tastefully everywhere you look.
The design is stunning and the home’s feeling is hospitable. It’s a style that is a breath of fresh, colorful air and Lois and Bill are personalities that are the same.
Lois and Bill call Springfield, Illinois home. More specifically, “home” in Springfield for the couple is actually an old church that they renovated. Complete with stunning stained-glass windows to accent Lois’ colorful design, the immense, historic square-footage even houses a fire pole that Bill knew the space must have. The couple’s carousel had plenty of room for its antique horses to spin around and delight guests there in the church as well. Photos of the unique home can be found within the pages of Lois’s design book, “Collaboration.”
Lois and Bill successfully owned and operated five different stores in Illinois that displayed everything from gifts and décor to antique English furniture. All the while, Lois was continuing to work as an interior designer for clients all over the country, even designing her own line of custom rugs.
But when the creative, dream-following duo was searching for a getaway, and were mere signatures away from closing on one that had the perk of added studio space in Franklin, Tennessee, the thought of moving to Paducah (the home of dear friends of theirs) danced enticingly in their heads.
Unbeknownst to both Lois and Bill, the two were thinking along the same lines in regards to redirecting their path from Franklin to Paducah. It would be almost a year-long process of spending weekends in Paducah perusing homes, apartments, and even churches, before a friend told them of the former Fox Briar Inn condos that had become available.
“When we got here, Lois came in just to look – but I know her – so I watched her and I thought oh, she likes this. I knew I was going to end up buying this one.”
It didn’t take long for Lois to put her signature touch on the space with her design, creating not only a place of respite for the couple, but a stunning showpiece for her masterful work. Color is Lois’s signature look. The bright colors that make themselves at home along the walls, in the fabric accents, and even in the bright pink, neatly folded laundry towels, welcome you into the incredible mixture of both joy and peace that the color palette provides.
But for as much color as your eye may see throughout the Moore residence, it may actually see more white – white walls, mainly white furniture, white cabinets, and even wood floors painted white in the hallway leading from Lois’ studio to the master bedroom. The “whitest white there is,” is how Lois affectionately describes her backdrop color. The white serves as a blank canvas to the array of colors that Lois uses in her design.
To hear Lois talk about her passion for interior design, you quickly learn that there is so much more to her than this artistic skill that she has honed over the years. There is a designer who seeks to truly create a happy life for others by transforming their home into a reflection of themselves.
Both Lois and Bill practice the hospitality that they preach. The now-colorful condo at the corner of Broadway and Water Street has already been a welcoming tool that the couple has used for both quaint lunches and large gatherings with friends old and new. The condo is always dressed and ready to welcome the next new visitor.
“At the end of the day, it’s a happy life. A happy backdrop – whatever that happy looks like to every individual.”
To see more of Lois’ work, visit her website at www.periwinklesdesign.com or find her at LoisMoore/Periwinkles on www.houzz.com.
