By Michaela Bankston
Photos by Kathleen Ivy
The arrival of fall means three things to Anthony King: He will soon spend more time in the sunroom; the cows will be moved back to shelter, and an annual trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios is around the corner.
King, who grew up in a military family, lived in several places before his family settled in Huntsville in 2005. Though he attended high school there, he played club soccer in the Birmingham area before playing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“The core of the people that I knew were in Birmingham, and so then, I went to UAB, and I kept that whole core,” he said.
That did not stop him from a stint playing professional soccer in France, before ultimately moving back to the area.
“(The Birmingham area), to me, is probably one of the best places you possibly could live, just being so centrally located to go to the mountains, go to the beach,” King said.
He initially landed in what he called a “cookie-cutter neighborhood” but desired more land. He found his “dream spot” next door to a friend in 2022. Then, he went to work making it his own.
Inside the log cabin, he personally whitewashed the walls to contrast with the darker exterior, restained the beams, replaced carpet with wood-like vinyl, remodeled most of the master bathroom and added wallpaper alongside other decorative touches.
Outside he built a new barn and chicken and duck coops, put up a new fence and planted several trees.
“It’s a place where, in 20 years, those trees will be very nice trees, and it will look fabulous out there,” King said.
He had no experience with farm animals before, but finding this spot with acreage gave him the opportunity to learn.
“Before I moved out here, I’d never touched a chicken in my life,” he said.
In addition to the chickens, the farm currently has ducks, miniature Highland cows, bees and two barn kittens, named Frog and Tadpole. He also has two Australian shepherds, Tonks and Roux, that keep him company near the house.
Face of the Home
The 1990s cypress log cabin offers a warm, woodsy feel that contrasts with the clean, whitewashed interior.
Dining Area
The open-concept area allows a spacious feel and easy flow between the dining area, kitchen and living room.
Kitchen
The bright blue island in the center of the kitchen provides a welcomed pop of color, and the exposed beams and light fixtures play into the modern-rustic style of the home.
Living Room
King doesn’t normally sit in the living room when he’s home alone, but he said the couch is utilized as a jungle gym when his neighbors and their kids come over.
Master Bedroom
The master bedroom is one of the lightest rooms in the house with earthy touches of color and simple artwork, including photos of his cows to enhance its rustic nature.
Master Bathroom
This bathroom was completely remodeled to modernize it a bit, a project King completed by himself with the exception of the tile.
Bourbon Room
Between running his electrical company and tending to the farm, King finds time to relax in what he calls the bourbon room, which features personal memorabilia from his time playing soccer at UAB and in France, as well as other items from Michigan State University, where his grandfather was the dean of veterinary medicine.
King acquired this Egyptian-crystal chandelier on a trip to visit his dad, while he was stationed in Egypt. He also added the wallpaper, which features the Black family tree, to the ceiling as a tribute to his Harry Potter fandom.
Harry Potter
Anthony King has been a fan of Harry Potter since his grandmother bought him the books, which she would write messages in, when he was a child. He continues to rewatch the movies, which he called a staple of Halloween and Christmas. Additionally, he and his brother travel to Orlando, Fla. almost every year to visit Universal Studios, especially the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Sunroom
As the temperature cools off for fall, King will split his relaxation time between the sunroom and bourbon room. From the couch, there is a nice view of the backyard and pond.
Backyard & Pond
The expansive backyard leads to the farm, garden and a pond and is a great place for Tonks and Roux to relax.
Garden
In King’s second-year garden, he has a variety of vegetables, including pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, okra, tomatoes and peppers. He likes to cook pasta and freezes the tomatoes and peppers to make plenty of sauces year round.
The Farm
Barn
MooDean’s, the barn for the miniature Highland cows, is a play on words for Mo’Dean’s, the bar in the sitcom “Letterkenny.” The cows, Bonnie, Gail, and Glen, are also named after characters from the show.
Duck & Chicken Coop
When King purchased the property there were older barns on it that he tore down. He repurposed the tin from them to make the chicken and duck coops and barn.
