Jason Lefton and Bird Cox bought their Midcentury modern home in Bon Air the first day they saw it in 2014. The 1966 Hardiplank structure, tucked into 1 ½ acres that encompass an in-ground pool and sprawling party decks, was painted chocolate brown – intentionally receding into its heavily wooded setting.
But the couple didn’t want a demure dwelling. They’re creative people — he, the owner of laser engraving business Big Secret in Richmond, and she, a freelance writer (who contributes to Richmond magazine) and talented crafter. “We wanted it to be a cube of art in the woods,” Jason says.
They discovered muralist Eli McMullen at his Virginia Commonwealth University arts school senior show, purchased a painting and immediately thought of him when they decided to ramp up the façade of their house. McMullen sketched some designs, Lefton and Cox chose a favorite, and the young artist went to work with multiple colors and painter’s tape on the largest canvas he’d ever tackled.
The family — including 1-year-old son Ferris and three cats — is beloved in the area, but not everyone on the block was thrilled with the boldly painted geometric shapes bursting forth from the trees. When asked for a reaction, one family said, “ ‘Oh, we love YOU,’ ” Bird says, laughing.
Their Faves:
HOMEWARD BOUND. The outfit baby Ferris wore on his trip home from the hospital — a striped sweater-knit onesie and a teddy bear cap — are cherished keepsakes of his birth.
A creative keepsake: the outfit baby Ferris wore home from the hospital is displayed as a sweet memento of his birth. (Photo by Sarah Walor)
HEAD TURNER. The couple commissioned Eli McMullen to paint the front of their Midcentury home after they purchased a painting from him.
“We wanted it to be a cube of art in the woods," says Jason Lefton. (Photo by Sarah Walor)
FIRST WORDS. Bird and Jason exchanged greetings for the first time in an Ellwood Avenue coffee shop in 2009. Bird was sitting in an overstuffed chair, which Jason later acquired from the shop owner. “It’s the cat’s favorite,” she says.
(Photo by Sarah Walor)
HANDMADE GIFTS. Bird made Jason two highly personalized books — one, a fold-out that reveals a series of photos taken in Italy of strangers holding signs that spell out “I am in love with you.” The other is a hand-cut pop-up book featuring underwater images from
vintage children’s encyclopedias.
(Photo by Sarah Walor)
SOUVENIR OF SPAIN. On the couple’s first trip together, they commissioned an artist in Barcelona to decorate five wooden nesting dolls with pen and ink designs.
(Photo by Sarah Walor)
HEAVILY SYMBOLIC. Jason’s and Bird’s wedding rings are custom creations. Hers features his great-grandmother’s diamond held in its setting by two bears. His was made by an Etsy craftsman out of copper, ironwood, deer antler, meteorite and titanium. Jason made the pyramid-shaped ring box, engraved with “Bird.”
(Photo by Sarah Walor)
EMBELLISHED STORY. A gift that Bird made for Jason — a Pendleton plaid shirt featuring beads, appliqués and a polar bear embroidered on the back — was inspired by Jonsi Birgisson, the uniquely styled lead singer of Sigur Rós, an Icelandic post-rock band.
(Photo by Sarah Walor)
REVELATORY DEALINGS. Bird’s tarot card collection began with a set given to her by her mother when she was 14. She later found comfort in divination during a stressful time in her life.
(Photo by Sarah Walor)
