Date Posted:19:50:35 07/11/01 Wed Author: A Subject: These are posted at LB but I dont think you all go there so incase ya dont here ya go, there is a (LONG) article thingy to, I will post that underneatht he pics In reply to:
A
's message, "Pictures" on 02:06:03 07/04/01 Wed
Screening Room
Dr. Seuss Room
ihh nice pool, like the fireplace thingy
Sunroom
He didn't want the front of the house shown for obvious reasons. MTV Cribs needs to come to his house! Looks sweet
Lance Bass's favorite Dr. Seuss book seems to have had
serious implications for the life of this early-twenties Mississippian. While he has always loved music, he never dreamed that it would take him where he is today, traveling the globe using his musical talent to entertain millions of people as a member of the pop group N Sync.
Lance, who grew up in Clinton, joined the group when
he was only 16 years old, and for the past six years
he has been recording albums, touring internationally,
and making videos with the other four members of the
group-a very fast-paced and grown up lifestyle for
someone so young. Lance says that he deals with his
fame by reeminding himself just how blessed he has
been; he knows that opportunities like his only come
around once in a lifetime. Keeping in touch with
family and old friends also helps to keep things in
perspective. There may be times when this popular star
wishes he could go unnoticed, but he admits that the
positives of fame outweigh the negatives.
Because of the hectic pace his life travels the
majority of his days, Lance needed a place to call
home that would provide him privacy and a relaxing
atmosphere. After he located a house in the metro
Jackson area,he says that he neede a designer who
could do it all b/c his schedule does not permit him
to actually do a lot of planning with a designer.
Kathie Sorensen of Elite Interiors suited his needs
perfectly. Her shop, currently located in Brandon but
soon moving to Lakeland Drive in Flowood, provided an
excellent source of unique accessories, which he says
is one of his favorite things about the look that she
achieved. Every time he came home for a visit during
the decorating process she had added more fun new
things.
Lance's favorite room in the house, the sunroom, is
open and airy and overlooks the pool area in the
backyard. The view and the comfortable atmosphere of
the room are the things about it that Lance likes
most. The room was an addition to the house, and when
she began the design process, Kathie says that she
first decided on the warm, neutral color scheme and
the tropical feel that she wanted the room to have.
The bamboo blinds add to the tropical atmosphere and
also provided inspiration for the island. The granite
topped island is faux-finished with bamboo insets that
match the blinds, tying the room together and also
making it very unique. The barstools, made from Cairo
alligator and leather, also add to the uniqueness of
the room. A large textured chenille sofa and a ratten
and brown velvet chaise lounge provide plush seating,
and a sisal rug with a tapestry border covers the
ceramic tiled floor. The casual comfort of the room
makes it a peaceful haven for Lance to spend time
reading and listening to music.
The view from the sunroom allows visitors to see the
lush pool area, but what they can't see from the
sunroom windows is that a cleverly tucked away sun
porch provides a place for shade-dwellers to enjoy the
outdoors comfortably. Situated directly beneath the
sunroom, the porch area is a quiet outdoor space,
enhanced by the sound of running water from a fountain
positioned in front of it. Plenty of green and
blooming plants and cadlelight give the space a
natureal feel, while iron details like candle stands
and planters and animal and plant themed accessories
continue the tropical flair of the sunroom. The floor
of the porch, by Ray Rountree, is Brix-crete, a mixed
concrete that is hand-colored and laid like tile.
The Brix-crete continues into the backyard, encircling
the swimming pool and the jacuzzi. The pool area is
well suited for entertaining friends and family, which
is one of the things Lance most enjoys doing when he
comes home. He says seeing the people who are close to
him is one of the things he most looks forward to when
he has the chance for a visit home, and the pool is a
great place to spend time enjoying their company and
the beauty of the outdoors. A large concrete slide
encourages guests to have fun, while the fireplace and
cushioned aluminum and iron chairs provide plenty of
comfort. Kathie says that when they first began the
project, the backyard was solid red clay, lacking any
charm. The transformed the area into a tropical
gathering place, from the slate colored pool to the
teak benches beneath the arbor. The arbor, custom
built by Joseph Gibbs, gives the area a nice
dimension. Landscaping, by Todd Tyler, completed the
look, enlivening the area with color and the natural
touch of greenery.
Complete with cinema screen and film projector, the
Hollywood-themed theater room provides hours of movie
viewing, another of Lance's favorite activities to
share with friends and family. Plush black leather
sofas arranged in three tiers and large, soft silver
pillows allow guests the most comfortable viewing
experience. Adding to the atmosphere of this room, the
lights are chrome torches that Lance saw in London.
The fixtures consist of a piece of silk, blown by a
fan from its interior, giving the apperance of a
flickering flame. The deep crimson walls hold framed
pieces of memorablilia from two of Lance's favorite
Hollywood personalities Lucille Ball and James Dean.
Lance's mom, Diane Bass, says that Lance has love Lucy
since he was achild and watched the black and white
reruns on TV in the afternoons. One of the frames in
the theater room holds Lucy collectibles given to
Lance by Lucille Ball's daughter.
Another of Lance's favorite childhood personalities,
Dr. Suess, provided inspiration for the brightly
colored gameroom upstairs. Lance's mom began reading
Dr. Seuss books to him when he was very young, and now
he has the complete set. The Dr. Seuss room was his
idea, says Kathie, and so she began the designing of
his home with this room. primary colors dress the
spacious area with a bright and happy feel, while
characters from Dr. Seuss books dance along the walls,
hand painted by Lance's brother in law Ford Lofton.
Bookshelves hold Lance's collection of Dr. Seuss books
and other memorabilia, and the whimsical, laid back
atmosphere of the room provides plenty of space to
display music awards and other collectibles that would
not fit into any of the more formal areas of the
house. With a pinball machine at one end, a sodashop
styled ice cream table and barstools at the other, and
overstuffed couches and chairs in between, this room
personifies youth and fun.
By taking things that have been meaningful in his life
and incorporating them into the design of the house,
Kathie and Lance have created a home that is both
unique and personal. B/c Lance's busy life with NSYnc
causes him to live out of a suitcase when he's not in
MS, he neede a relaxing atmosphere to call home. MS
will always be home to Lance, b/c, he says, his heart
will always be with his family, who all reside here.
As he has traveled the world on tour, he has
encountered many different ideas about his home state;
some people are even surprised to see him wearing
shoes! His window of fame has provided Lance the
opportunity to correct common misconceptions about MS,
and he says the best way he has found to share his
roots is through the way he lives and the way he
treats people he meets: "People have referred to me as
a 'southeren gentleman,' which I take as a
compliment."
When he does get the opportunity to come home to MS,
designer Kathie Sorensen has made sure that he can
relax and enjoy his friends and family in a house
designed to suit his personality and his needs for
privacy and rest-a home away from the road.
