Inside the Process: Loudermilk Designs & the Southern Living Showcase Home
Each year, Southern Living selects a small number of homes across the Southeast to serve as Showcase Homes—projects that reflect the way people actually live, gather, and settle into their spaces. These homes are thoughtfully designed to feel aspirational yet approachable, offering readers a closer look at architecture and interiors that balance beauty with everyday comfort.
In 2024, Loudermilk Designs had the privilege of leading the interior design and all interior selections for the Southern Living Showcase Home in Cashiers, North Carolina. While Loudermilk Homes was the preferred builder for the Southern Living Program and brought the architectural vision of the home to life, our role was to shape how the home would feel once you stepped inside—working closely with Southern Living to ensure every decision aligned with their vision while still feeling warm, layered, and livable.
A Mountain Escape
Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Cashiers, North Carolina, offers a setting that feels both serene and storied. Known for its cooler climate, lush forests, and cascading waterfalls, Cashiers has long been a retreat for those seeking a slower pace and a deeper connection to nature. The town’s quiet elegance and respect for its surroundings make it a natural backdrop for thoughtful design—where homes are meant to feel grounded, welcoming, and enduring. This mountain context played a meaningful role in shaping the interiors of the Southern Living Showcase Home, influencing a modern palette and materiality that feel at home in the landscape while still offering comfort, warmth, and refinement.
What Sets a Southern Living Showcase Home Apart
A Southern Living Showcase Home is different from a typical design project. Each home is created in partnership with Southern Living’s editorial team and product partners, with preferred vendors and construction materials.
For this home, Debbie Reynolds, with Loudermilk Designs, served as lead designer, overseeing all interior selections and refining materials as needed to meet Southern Living’s parameters. The challenge—and the joy—was creating spaces that felt cohesive and natural, even within a defined framework. Every selection was considered not just for how it looked, but for how it contributed to the overall experience of the home.
Design Is Never a Solo Effort
Although Debbie led the design, no decision was made in isolation. Collaboration is at the core of how Loudermilk Designs works, and this project reflected that fully, with the help of the other four designers and the firm’s Principal, Roane Loudermilk.
Selections were regularly brought back to the team for review—fabrics laid out, finishes compared, proportions discussed. Before anything was finalized, the question was always the same: Does this feel right together? That shared responsibility ensures the final result feels thoughtful and well-balanced, not driven by a single point of view.
The Work Behind the Scenes
Much of what makes a Showcase Home successful happens out of sight. With a tight timeline and multiple vendors involved, logistics become just as important as design.
Chrissy Ethridge played an essential role in managing orders, tracking shipments, and coordinating deliveries, while Michelle Rosado also provided invaluable support, helping Chrissy navigate damaged items, returns, and last-minute adjustments. Keeping everything moving smoothly—especially under the time constraints—requires constant communication and flexibility, and this team handled it with care and precision.
Working Alongside Loudermilk Homes
The close coordination with Loudermilk Homes on this project was key throughout the process. Their on-site presence and responsiveness allowed design decisions to stay in step with construction progress. When changes arose, our teams worked quickly together to adapt—keeping the project on schedule without losing sight of the design intent.
A Home Rooted in Values
The Southern Living Showcase Home was an opportunity to do more than design beautiful rooms. It allowed us to demonstrate the values that guide our work every day: collaboration, attention to detail, and respect for how people truly live in their homes.
We’re grateful to Southern Living for the opportunity to be part of this project, and proud of the many hands that helped bring it to life. Long after the showcase doors closed, this home continues to represent what we believe in—design that feels intentional, welcoming, and built to last.
