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mahogany table, designing the legs of the piece to match the newel posts he
built for the staircase.
“He actually hand-carved the newel posts. He mentioned that he did furniture too.
We
’d been looking for a table. We designed it from the ground up. We now have
something that can be passed down through generations,
” says Christine. “He did the chairs too. He’s truly amazing.”
The back of the house is equally stunning with a kitchen that makes the most of
its space with cherry cabinets stacked to the ceiling.
“We worked with someone who did kitchen design. Our big thing was not wasting
space,
” explains Christine, who recalls a mad dash to Home Depot upon discovering an
extra eight inches of space that might accommodate a much-needed ladder for the
kitchen.
“I thought it might be just enough slide out space for a ladder. Sure enough, it
worked.
”
Ivory Coast granite countertops contrast nicely with the cherry cabinets. A
large island invites informal gathering when entertaining a few. The Dacor oven
does the trick for large dinner parties.
“We sometimes have chefs over to do dinner parties. They tell us that they love
cooking on this. It lives up to its reputation.
”
A light and bright breakfast room with window seat spills onto the back porch.
Weather permitting, the breakfast room and den doors are left open to allow
full views of the wonderfully landscaped backyard and pool. A second building
—a two-story structure slated for a pool house and exercise room—looks out over the pool.
The den offers comfort and privacy with an elegantly streamlined entertainment
center and shelving in cherry that harbors family pictures and interesting
collections of glass and pottery. Comfy leather furnishings anchor the room,
framing a granite surround fireplace, the focal point for one of Christine
’s favorite pieces, Salvador Dalí’s Flower Woman with Soft Piano. “My husband bought it for me. I absolutely love this piece,” Christine says.
The upstairs spaces are equally inviting with a round staircase accented by
stained glass windows. The second floor greets visitors with a landing and
hallway adorned with artwork. Four bedrooms occupy the upstairs, including the
master bedroom with a visually stunning stained glass window of a tree. Floor
to ceiling shelves add functionality and architectural interest.
Christian Aubry custom bedding in bronze and ice blue match sweet curved chairs
in the adjacent sitting area. Paintings by Jack Vettriano and John Palmer
occupy these spaces.
“I love this little sitting area,” says Christine who never has to look far for a place to relax in this house. “It just feels cozy. I used to travel quite a bit with my husband but the concept
of just picking up and running somewhere doesn
’t have the same appeal now that we live here. I really love this house.”
