Vive la difference

One small change can sometimes spark a major remodeling project that ultimately transforms an entire house.

When architect Duane Stone was asked to design an antique paneled room for this near-new builder home, he could see there was plenty of untapped potential in the house.

"The homeowners were quite open to suggestion," he says. "They have many European antiques and artworks, which needed a more fitting setting. What started out as a small job ballooned to become something much larger, with changes to both the exterior and interior architecture."

Stone says the existing house was not authentic in terms of traditional French architecture. Consequently, parts of the roofline were altered and two peaks removed to create a steep-pitched hip roof. The existing stucco door and window casings were also replaced with solid limestone custom cut to the architect's design. This gives the house a sense of solidity and permanence. An iron balcony above the entry completes the look.

"We also remodeled the entry and added new 10ft walnut doors, which were modeled on old French doors," says Stone.

Inside the house, every room was gutted and rebuilt to improve the proportions and scale. While the major structural walls were retained, doorways were reconfigured and stairways replaced to provide a better flow.

"The living room underwent the most dramatic change," says the architect. "Originally, this room was a double-height volume overlooked by landings on the second floor. This meant the room was not comfortable or intimate. The design was more a reflection of a passing trend, than a traditional feature."

Stone removed the double-height volume to enclose the room, while still providing a high ceiling that is in proportion with the size of the space. Custom paneling reminiscent of a French salon replaced the original trim. Again, this was designed to suit the scale of the room. Similar paneling was added to the formal dining room, library and master suite.

To finalize the interior design, Stone collaborated with designer Susan Howell Branch, who helped establish the color and material palettes.

"We began by finding a rug for the living room, and derived the colors from this," Branch says. "This is an antique Aubusson from the Empire period. While it has a certain masculinity, there are also floral elements that give it a delicate edge. The robin's-egg blue on the wall is a color in the rug an historically accurate color for French paneling."

The attention to detail extends to the handmade cabinet and door hardware, which is gold plate with an antiqued finish.

The interior door and window casings also have a historic link the design was sketched by the architect during a visit to the Palace of Versailles.

"Because this is a home to be lived in, the living room needed to be lively, inviting and comfortable, despite its obvious formality," says Branch. "We found a chinoiserie print fabric that is authentic, yet whimsical, so the room is not too serious."

The paneling in the formal dining room is complemented by a rose pink damask on the walls and day bed. In the library, however, the architect provided walnut paneling, which conceals modern technology for the home office.

All the flooring was also replaced with walnut. The living room features a parquet de Versailles pattern, while other floors are in a chevron herringbone pattern.

Story by: Trendsideas