A Sweet Stay in Starland: What’s Next for Savannah’s Gingerbread House

New owner modernizes Savannah landmark while preserving its integrity and character

Written by KENDALL McKINNON
Photography by AMY LIND

THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE is a Savannah landmark, instantly recognizable by its signature gingerbread-style arches. It’s a home any Savannahian might admit to having had their eye on at one point or another, though none perhaps as much as Jen Jenkins, who owns Foxy Loxy Cafe just one door over. Jenkins initially rented her cafe space, which shares a courtyard with The Gingerbread House, back in 2011. When those owners decided to sell in 2013, her first attempt to buy the home came to pass. It was at that time two others, equally enchanted by the house, swept in and bought it. 

“The story is, I sat over in that courtyard and stared at this building for eight years, still pining after it,” Jenkins says.

This decade-long love story reached its turning point when Jenkins finally struck a deal with the then-owners, purchased the house, and got the keys in 2021. She could see the grand potential for new life in the old mansion, but there was a problem. 

“I felt intimidated by [the house],” she says. “[And] by the expectations people have about this place … It’s something about a property like this that so many people know about or is on postcards or magnets. I want to be a good steward of it. It doesn’t feel like just mine. It’s just my time to care for it.”

The original German estate, constructed for the Asendorf family in 1899, has gone through a few owners and purposes, including serving as a residential mansion and then a destination wedding venue. Despite its antique allure on the outside, the  interior was worn and outdated. It needed brightening up, so Jenkins enlisted Amy Lind of Amy Lind Interiors. 

“With the multicolored gingerbread trim adorning the exterior of the home, it was only fitting that we would bring a variety of vibrant colors to the interiors.” 

— Amy Lind, interior designer

Together, Jenkins and Lind decided to go bold — to modernize the second floor of the short-term rental (managed by Lucky Savannah Vacation Rentals), while also preserving the integrity of the home and highlighting its inherent character.

“With the multicolored gingerbread trim adorning the exterior of the home, it was only fitting that we would bring a variety of vibrant colors to the interiors,” says Lind. Guests will find a chartreuse hue on the fireplace, bright red-orange color on the ceiling and a light peach tone on the walls. 

Beyond the paint colors, the home’s iconic exterior also influenced the curved shape of a custom bench and wet bar. Designed by Lind and built by JD Painting & Carpentry, the matching bases both pop with reeded white oak. Above the bar, suspended brass shelving by Forsyth Metal Works and J&L Glass add glam. On the opposite wall, the long bench is fitted with emerald-green cushions by Savannah Quality Upholstery.

The curve motif continues in the dining table chandelier, the sconces and the sofa in the lounge. Lind even custom-designed the two yellow guest beds with an oversized scallop detail across the headboard (American Pegasus, Savannah Quality Upholstery), echoing the arched gingerbread trim that can be seen on the wrap-around porch through the bedroom windows.

This attention to traditional architectural details balanced perfectly with Lind’s addition of modern furnishings, sleek light fixtures and playful fabrics. Gallery walls of artwork and funky furniture — like a coral, velvet Louis-style chair sourced from Tapley’s Mercantile and Antiques — made for the ideal finishing touches to blend the old and the new together into one eclectic space.

“Luckily, Jen was a dream to work with, as she was so trusting of our vision and let us really push the boundaries — even when we suggested painting bold colors on all of the ceilings,” says Lind. “She is a fellow creative and has a fabulous collection of artwork that she has either created herself or acquired from other artists over the years. It was meaningful to incorporate some of those pieces onto the gallery walls in the lounge and green bedroom. Our goal was to create a space that not only functions well but also sparks joy throughout the experience.”

With three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living area and a breakfast nook, overnight guests have ample selection when it comes to where to make themselves cozy. 

“We wanted the space to feel sophisticated yet comfortable, so guests truly feel like they can kick up their feet and relax in style,” Lind says. “We want [it] to feel fancy, but not in a stuffy way.”

Renting the house isn’t the only way to get a closer look at the Steamboat Gothic architecture. Visitors can wander through the iron gates into E. Shaver, Starland’s second location of the beloved local bookstore complete with a cafe — located just outside the adjoining rental space.Jenkins previously helped to host E. Shaver pop-ups at Henny Penny Art Space & Cafe, so the pairing came naturally.

“I’m most excited for [the Gingerbread House] to be open to the community again and to be linked with locals and daily life in Starland.”

— Jen Jenkins, owner of  The Gingerbread House & Foxy Loxy Cafe

“Once I purchased the Gingerbread House, I reached out to E. Shaver because they had expressed a need for event space for author talks and other literary events,” says Jenkins. “We kept meeting, talking out various scenarios and finally landed on the current set-up and relationship, which I’m thrilled with.”

For Jenkins, her pining paid off. If you, too, have had your eye on the Gingerbread House, now’s your chance to delight in it, whether by browsing the bookstore cafe or staying for the weekend.

“I’m most excited for [the Gingerbread House] to be open to the community again and to be linked with locals and daily life in Starland,” she says. “Since it had become so focused on destination weddings in the past, I hope the changes we have made will bring it back to a more locally focused, community-focused space.” 

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DETAILS

All details provided by the interior designer.