https:\/\/luxesource.com\/an-opulent-eclectic-estate-in-coral-gables-gets-a-refresh\/#.XyraV5NKi7P<\/a><\/p>\nLike a meticulous collector, designer Hillary Littlejohn Scurtis takes a curatorial approach to her work. \u201cI am very disciplined, and I don\u2019t like random objects that have no narrative,\u201d she says. \u201cIf something doesn\u2019t speak to the function of the room, I take it out.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a strategy that proved crucial for her latest project, a French Provencal-inspired estate in Coral Gables that called for an interior design refresh. The client, a world traveler who grew up in Kenya, had developed a taste for the exotic. Boasting authentic French details, the home was originally created by architect Bill Taylor and residential designer Phyllis Taylor.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe rough textured Florida keystone on the front of the house is similar in color to houses in the south of France,\u201d Bill Taylor points out. Inside, Phyllis Taylor incorporated diverse elements acquired during a trip to Paris, including elaborate replace mantels sourced at a flea market and architectural salvage stored in warehouses. \u201cThe antique paneling in the library was a lucky Internet find,\u201d she adds. \u201cAnd features like the kitchen\u2019s tiled barrel vault and the office\u2019s tin ceiling were important components for the ambience of each space.\u201d<\/p>\n
Working with designer colleagues Patricia Duran and Susana Kempen as well as general contractor Patrick Lee, Scurtis was tasked with editing the home\u2019s opulent look and giving it purpose. \u201cIt couldn\u2019t be decoration for decoration\u2019s sake,\u201d she notes. \u201cAnd the most important thing was to make this palatial home feel cozy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scurtis began by looking up and down\u2013at lighting and rugs. A Baccarat chandelier in the main living area, for instance, led to the introduction of a second one in the dining room, where the washed faux-wood paneling was an unfortunate shade of peach. \u201cThe room was impressive and intimidating, so to make it more elegant we painted the woodwork dark green\u2013like a London supper club\u2013and added an emerald rug featuring a massive leopard on it for a bit of fun,\u201d Scurtis says. The piece rests beneath the owner\u2019s sizable wood table surrounded by antique chairs.<\/p>\n
A zebra rug, meanwhile, adds a note of playfulness to the mosaic tile flooring in the office. Sunny and airy, the space is minimally styled with new ivory-colored barrel chairs and the owner\u2019s understated antique desk, allowing the ornate tin ceiling and French-style gold chandelier to take center stage.<\/p>\n
A similar idea prevails in the family room, where the team stripped the dark blue ceiling beams and let the client\u2019s rainbow-beaded chandelier come into focus. \u201cA huge set of windows in the room looks out to a canal, so the water and chandelier became our palette guides,\u201d Scurtis says. The trio peppered the o -white sofa with pillows in various textiles and added a rug with an indigo motif. As a final touch, framed Herme\u00cc\u20acs scarves pop against the room\u2019s new white-paneled walls.<\/p>\n
The designers lined the family room\u2019s bar with shagreen leather stools and placed a few more within view. \u201cThey\u2019re repeated as counter stools in the kitchen, so there\u2019s a connection from one space to the next,\u201d Duran explains. There, the owner requested a display of art and objects, but Scurtis insisted they be related to culinary purposes. To compromise, she says, \u201cWe celebrated his heritage with African pottery and hung beautiful dishes on the walls.\u201d<\/p>\n
A nearby corridor connects to the main spaces, and to underscore its prominence, Scurtis lined a wall with mirrors as a nod to the Palace of Versailles. \u201cThe homeowner is in the hospitality industry, so he wanted his living spaces to recreate the attention to detail so prominent in his hotels,\u201d Duran says. Along the mirrored wall, the designers placed a black settee to enjoy views of a courtyard it faces\u2013one of the nontraditional ways they considered the client\u2019s love for entertaining. \u201cThat hallway is so wide, I thought: What if you had a moment when you break away from the cocktail party where you could sit and enjoy the view?\u201d Scurtis says. \u201cYou could have a cocktail party in the courtyard and move to the kitchen for dinner, where the food and prep provide entertainment and theater.\u201d<\/p>\n
But when it\u2019s time for relaxation, the master suite is an ideal respite. In a clever move, Scurtis relocated a bed from a guest room\u2013a better t for this space\u2013and paired it with an ivory-colored sofa. To balance the tone of the traditional wallcovering, the team sourced a contemporary rug featuring abstract lines. And in the master bathroom, they added practical elements like a cozy chair and a blue cotton dhurrie rug near the freestanding tub.<\/p>\n
By the project\u2019s end, the combined taste of homeowner and designer helped transform the house, ushering it into the future. \u201cHis opulent aesthetic and my edited approach work well together,\u201d Scurtis says. \u201cUltimately, it became a dance we did very well.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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