Classical Reawakening
Photography by Joshua McHugh
When a client can realize a dream, they did not know they even have, creativity can turn into reality. In the case of this Long Island estate, a magnificent piece of property centered by a grand 1913 Georgia style manor house hit the mark when it was offered before even coming to market. Our client snapped it up, fully understanding the massive project that would be needed to upgrade it into a modern home. The bones were magnificent—a classical, symmetrical brick house with a slate roof and lovely proportions—but the organs were all in failure. There was no air conditioning, the wiring and plumbing were over 100 years old, and a very poor addition had been added in the 1970s. We oversaw the design and construction of everything including restoration of the gardens, a new pool, tennis court and multiple barns. We razed the addition and replaced it with an elegant loggia pool house nestled into a slope, moved the pool and added the rest. Custom bricks were made to match the original, and the house was lavished with designer love.
The foyer sets the tone of what is to come. The original checkerboard, black and white marble floor and hand wrought iron stair railing were carefully removed for restoration and later reinstallation. The moldings and pilasters were rotting, and we replaced them with scaled up plaster beauties based on the originals, but with improved, oomphier proportions. This was the restoration model we followed throughout; respect but improve. The furnishings are a truly eclectic mix of the past and present: pairs of commissioned, contemporary Hervé van der Straeten consoles have antique gilded mirrors above flanked ruby glass sconces, while an out-of-this world bronzed piano by London’s Based Upon is landed by the window, and a large Alexander Calder flies above. An iconic Roy Lichtenstein painting is a sun kissed dream; sailboats and sunshine, rendered large, bold and modern.
The foyer has pairs of new highly polished mahogany doors at either end, one opening into the living room, the others into the dining room. A third pair is centered on the front door and leads to the library, creating a remarkable flow for living and entertainment. The magnificently scaled living room, with its original mantel, has been designed with multiple seating groupings. The arrangements at each end are mirror images, seemingly symmetrical, but not.
The furnishings and artworks are wildly diverse and include pairs of Chinese Tang dynasty horses astride English Regency consoles flanking the fireplace, contemporary bronze cocktail tables and a console, 1940s style upholstery inspired by Jansen and a 1970s Vladimir Kagan tete-a-tete which centers the room. Further interest is provided by antique Indian stools in the form of elephants, which graze on a custom coral gradient rug. A fabulous Andy Warhol Marilyn Monroe from the reversal series gazes down on everything.
The square dining room has new paneled walls with a contemporary take on linenfold millwork as wainscot, lacquered in ocean blue. The antique sideboard and traditional table are countered by a modern glittering glass and bronze chandelier, and the room is grounded by a magnificent antique Persian carpet. All the art and sculptures are contemporary: an early Gerhard Richter painting over the fireplace, a Linda Benglis on the sideboard, an Anish Kapoor above a cabinet and Jeff Zimmerman snake candlesticks on the table.
Newly crafted mahogany millwork wraps the library, polished to a glowing sheen. The bookcases themselves are wrapped in ivory parchment to create brightness and modernity. Four swivel lounge chairs circle an ottoman by the fireplace, an English game table is set to the side, and a square flip-top card table is used for backgammon or intimate meals looking out to the terrace and garden beyond. All the upholstery materials are vibrant shades of red in touch me textures. The Rembrandt painting of a horse is a reminder of the live ones living on the property, happily housed in a Jamie Drake designed barn.
Light streams in from French doors and windows in the sunroom. The client challenged me here, “We will have so many places to sit. What else can we do besides sofas and chairs?”. As if Mame Dennis invaded my psyche, I said let’s hang swings in the corners. And thus, two steel hammocks are the perfect place to while away a little time. A geometric pieced cowhide rug is an energetic, yet practical, floorcovering and a rare Helen Frankenthaler folding screen amplifies the sunshine.
The kitchen was created from several smaller rooms, blown out and opened up. A custom purple flecked terrazzo floor climbs off the floor to the island’s waterfall sides and top. This zig-zag centerpiece is 27 feet long and fashioned from chiseled grey washed oak and dark espresso-stained walnut. The perimeter is wrapped in white satin lacquer cabinetry, a clean and modern take on the traditional. It is accented with inset panels of violet back painted glass in one area. Backsplashes in lilac carry the color through. A thick slab of fabulous mahogany creates a live edge table surrounded by purple embossed leather chairs.
Off the kitchen is a small lounge area paneled in vertical planks of the finest white rift oak—a highly elevated take on a 1950s rec room. Leather chairs by Soane, a biomorphic molar of a cocktail table by Les Simonnet from 21st Gallery, and a vintage 1970s lamp are smile-worthy.
Six bedrooms, with en-suite baths, studies, dressing rooms and a den are situated on the second floor. The primary suite is swathed in a romantic palette of mango and orchid, furnished with an eclectic mix of 18th century, Art Deco and contemporary furnishings, all atop a magnificent antique carpet.
The exterior has multiple terraces accessed from all the first-floor rooms, as well as a new pool and pool house loggia, walkways and paths. We oversaw the restoration and creation of new gardens with Janice Parker Landscape Architect.
