Labor of love

Without even contemplating finance, restoration on a grand scale is both a time-consuming and exacting business. However, for those with the skills, and the required patience, taking a slice of architectural history and preserving it brings much satisfaction.

Mark Perrin and Ron Beining, the owners of this early 20th century mansion called the Lawrence S Donaldson Residence after the original owner see themselves as privileged caretakers of an extraordinary property.

"The home has an amazing presence and a welcoming feel," says Beining. "When we first saw it we knew it was the right home to buy."

In 1906, Donaldson, a Scottish immigrant and later department store magnate, commissioned architectural firm Kees and Colburn to design the house. The resulting 9600sq ft, Victorian- and Arts & Crafts- influenced house was subsequently completed in 1908, but renovated numerous times between 1910 and the present day.

Aside from the main residence, a 4200sq ft carriage house was also constructed. However, the estate was subdivided after it passed from the Donaldson family's care. Perrin and Beining have been able to reunite three of those six lots, including the carriage house, which is connected to the main house by a service tunnel.

The size of the house three levels and a spacious basement meant that it was going to be a challenge to restore.

"One factor in our favor was that the home had remained in the care of the Donaldson family until the 1960s, so we were fortunate that it was well-maintained up until that time," says Beining.

"However, in 1978 many of the extraordinary furnishings, fittings and fixtures including numerous original Tiffany light fixtures and windows were removed from the house. A major part of the project has been tracking down items that were removed, and trying to reacquire them."

In 1910, the Donaldson family hired well-known designer John Bradstreet to decorate some of the mansion's rooms. One, the Bradstreet Study, features extensive oak paneling and intricate marquetry. Another room, the Bradstreet Sun Parlor, is the most notable in the house, says Perrin.

"The room is particularly interesting. Its fumed cypress paneling and carved motifs are reflective of the Japanese influence on Bradstreet's designs. In this case a peony motif was used."

Originally, the room featured 11 carved wood panels, that were subsequently removed in 1978. Recovered by Perrin and Beining, they were fitted with new glass which was matched to a small fragment found in the basement.

Painstaking in their attention to detail, the homeowners employed only materials and craftsmen of the highest quality. Hardware was extensively researched and recreated if it couldn't be replaced. Faux finished walls and metallic ceiling finishes were completed in original colors.

In the dining room, the dome ceiling was finished with white-gold leafing consistent with the original treatment. In other rooms, paint and wood finishes were also kept as close to authentic as possible.

Some areas of the house required more attention than others. On the second level, structural work was necessary to convert a contemporary bathroom back into a master bedroom. Other bedrooms also needed to be extensively reworked. A period office and library were also created on the second floor.

Part of the restoration involved bringing services up to a modern standard. All wiring and plumbing was completely upgraded, a commercial phone system was installed, touchscreens for a central stereo were placed in each room, and the laundry chute was resurrected.

"We were inspired by the state-of-the-art technology that was used when the home was first built," says Perrin. "One of our goals was to carefully integrate some of today's technology into the early 20th century decor."

Story by: Trendsideas