Southern Living Comes to Town....

Just a few years ago, the five buildings that compose 21c Museum Hotel-19th-century warehouses and a bank-stood vacant on Main Street. What a difference a few million dollars can make. Now those refurbished, fine brick-and-cast-iron buildings house a world-class contemporary art gallery, a 91-room boutique hotel, and a first-rate restaurant that holds its own with the big boys anywhere. Dark wood floors, exposed-brick walls, and steel columns still give the rich feeling of the old, totally remade for the new. Floorboards salvaged from the 1860s buildings serve as bar fronts and front desk, and such touches add charm throughout the complex.

I love the lobby, with its sculptures behind the reception desk. If you're an artistic conservative, think before you enter. This isn't Norman Rockwell territory. And if old Norman's works were depicted here, they might be missing some clothing. Owners Steve Wilson and Laura Lee Brown gave a large chunk of their modern art collection to be on permanent exhibit in the hotel, and there's something to see in every nook and cranny.

- Southern Living Tales from the Road