Fall house pic
by Beth Buxbaum
Built in 1980, this reproduction 18th century Colonial Williamsburg home in Newtown has an air of stately sophistication. Designed with the stature and architectural finery befitting a residence of the period, the home has a classic, traditional appeal. The interior elements were set to the taste and lifestyle of the original owners. In 2011 the house was sold and the new owners appreciated the house's authentic replication of a Colonial Williamsburg style home but wanted to change and update elements of the interior living space.
The owners commissioned Deborah Leamann, of Deborah Leamann Interior, to transform the interior of their home. Designed to meet the likes and preferences of the prior owners, the new owners felt the interior was outdated, according to Deborah Leamann. “It was the homeowners' wish to bring the home into the 21st century,” she explains. “They wanted to blowout the cobwebs and bring it back to life.” The interior was dated; it was stuck in the 1980s, according to Deborah. “There were a lot of bright colored walls and wall coverings,” she describes, “and the rooms were looking very worn.”
While maintaining the authentically replicated architectural elements, it was Deborah's task to give the interior a facelift, from floor to ceiling. With attention to detail and balance, the living space was refreshed and reappointed reflecting the tastes and lifestyle of the new owners. According to Deborah, there was very little reconstructing, but there were a few rooms that were transformed with architectural modifications “We didn't gut anything,” Deborah adds. “My intent was to create a fresh feel,” Deborah explains, “I wanted to streamline the space, dialing down the 1980s decor.”
Room by room, Deborah restyled and reappointed the space beginning with new coats of paint. “I freshened it up with lighter wall colors and window treatments,” she adds. She covered the bright colors with a more neutral, warm palette. Beginning with the entry, Deborah infused the space with a new sense of airiness and made it more welcoming. Deborah’s appointments were more non-traditional. “Breaking away from the classic table with mirror above, in this entrance I placed a biblioteque ( bookcase) to showcase the homeowner’s books and sentimental art objects,” Deborah describes. “Two Queen Anne Chinoisserie side chairs, with stenciled leather seats, elevate this vignette,” she continues. Tucked under the stairs is an antique settee with vintage pillows from the studio of Mary Jane McCarty. This entry is a front-to-back design, with French doors at the rear of the entrance hall that lead out to the patio and beyond. Taking advantage of all the light in this space, Deborah added a mini greenhouse overflowing with greenery.
From the entry we move into the rest of the living space. To execute some minor architectural modifications, Deborah enlisted the expertise of local builders, Worthington and Shagen, to create a few custom pieces. For instance, in the living room, Deborah had them remove the builder's grade white wood mantel and widen the wall. The craftsmen from Worthington and Shagen replicated a mantel from an original drawing of an 18th-century mantle and refinished it to look aged, like it had been there for 200 years. Custom bookcases were added on the opposite side of the room. To finish this room, Deborah created multiple seating groups and hung art pieces salon style over the sofa. “It's a nice juxtaposition to all of the straight lines in this space.”
The den, just off of the living room, offers a cozy, intimate feel. Embellished in neutral shades of cream and tan, this informal gathering space is furnished with a cream-colored leather sofa and chair pulled together with a neutral colored area rug. Deborah removed the glass doors from the bookcases and applied a brown grass cloth backdrop, opening up the space. A light, bright color scheme sets off the bookcases. In the study, directly off of the den, Deborah wanted the two rooms to have a flow and connection. Also done in tones of brown and cream, this room overflows with natural light streaming in from the bay windows adorned with roman shades. Deborah worked with the same color palette she applied in the den, adding the same window treatments and matching fabric and rug. Two easy chairs sit, facing a French-style walnut desk, offering views of the outside through the wall of windows.
Another more informal gathering area to be reappointed was the family room. Repainted in a shade of mustard to complement the original cherry floors and coffered ceiling, this room's facelift included a woodburning fireplace that Deborah designed for this space. “My purpose was to add personality and warmth to the room,” she explains “Crafted in a traditional motif with the raised panels, she designed the arch of the mantel to create a curved line in a very linear space. A few other modifications involved lowering the wainscoting for better proportions and adding a custom wall cabinet finished in a warm dove white. Built by Worthington and Shagen, this cabinet houses the flat screen TV and other entertainment equipment. To complete this room Deborah added an antique drop front desk in one corner and a collection of unique accessories, including an antique weather vane mounted above a new custom bench.
A departure from the other rooms, Deborah made few changes in the sunroom. One major renovation that had to be addressed was to put in a new floor, since the original floor had water damage. Very little was changed except to address the water damage. Other than that she just added new furnishings to give it a new look and ambiance. “This is a great space to entertain on a more casual level,” says Deborah. She created an inviting dining area with a settee and wicker chairs on one side, balanced by a comfortable lounge area on the other. This room is appointed with French doors leading to the patio with the pool and gazebo around the corner.
Moving away from informal and cozy to the more formal dining room, in this room Deborah wanted to maintain a more traditional look. Deborah began with the selection and placement of an antique oriental rug and built everything else around that. A reproduction 18th century double pedestal English mahogany table with a satinwood border is adorned with two Jacobean style chairs. “These are very masculine chairs so I added slip covers in a linen floral print by Lee Jofa to give them a feminine touch,” Deborah continues. The side chairs are new and covered in linen velvet also designed by Lee Jofa. Illuminating the space is an iron chandelier with crystal beading from Neirman Weeks. An antique mule chest was placed to function as a buffet and doors were added to a corner cabinet. Deborah used lamp lighting to add softness to the space. Finishing touches included a selection of art pieces and accessories including an antique case clock.
All the first floor living space was transformed with Deborah's eye for comfortable and warm interiors. This theme was carried out with the two upstairs bedrooms as well. The daughter's bedroom was actually one of the first rooms Deborah redid. Deborah explains that the owners wanted their daughter to feel at home in the new house. “The daughter had some definite ideas of how she wanted her room to feel and look,” Deborah adds. Awash in soft and calming tones, this bedroom was accented with celadon and ivory French toile wallpaper and filled with off white furnishings and an antique chest. “I finished the room with plantation shutters and an over curtain to add softness,” Deborah adds. In the master bedroom Deborah also used a soft, crisp palette. Floral window treatments in pastel shades dressed the windows and accent a cozy sitting area in one corner of the room. The arrangement has two overstuffed chairs that are on casters so they can be turned easily to face the fireplace. Deborah explains that new furnishings were rearranged to fit the space. “Art and accessories were placed to make it personal and inviting.”
Inviting is the best way to describe the newly renovated lower level. What was once a giftwrapping room was transformed into a stunning wine cellar. Located off the house's side entrance at the bottom of the stairs, this space was completely overhauled from top to bottom. They tore out all the hunter green cabinets and reconstructed the walls, floors and ceiling. “We put our hearts and souls into this space,” Deborah reveals. First they exposed the staircase to open the space and add some interest. All the walls and the floor were done in brick which was balanced with the wood ceiling and the wine cabinets and shelves. In the center of the space sits a reproduction antique farm table constructed with a tongue and groove application. Recessed lighting sheds a soft glow and a pendant light hangs over the reproduction farm table adding a rustic feel. “Every element was taken into consideration during the design process in this room,” Deborah adds, “from the stair treads to hinges and knobs, nothing was overlooked.”
Nothing was overlooked throughout the entire interior transformation. Deborah's approach is to balance everything, with attention to interior elements and styling, to have the end result be fitting of the
house's character and space. “This house was modeled after a Colonial Williamsburg home,” she explains, “and I worked with the footprint of the house.” Her intent was to maintain as much of the original architecture and flavor of the reproduction as possible. “I wanted to push the envelope a little. I wanted the owners to step out of the arena of the expected. We put more of a spin and an edge on the interiors, while still remaining traditional.”
Beth S. Buxbaum is a freelance writer from the Philadelphia area.