Decoration of Independence

A well-traveled pair boldly display their eclectic and artistic style in a renovated Colonial Revival.

by Eileen Smith Dallabrida Published December 14, 2010 at 10:10 AM

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Like the rest of the home, the living room is a showcase for the homeowners’ art collection. Photograph by Thom Thompson

What sealed the deal were the updates that had been integrated seamlessly into the design. Borrowing space from the butler’s pantry created enough room for a first-floor powder room, a rarity in homes of that period.

The kitchen, with its painted cupboards, bin pulls and milk glass pendant lighting, maintains the feeling of the time. Yet it is equipped for two busy 21st century homeowners who enjoy entertaining, with granite counter tops and professional-style stainless steel appliances. An island with a gas cooktop and bar-height seating invites conversation with the cook.

The Dormans upped things a notch, adding a sound system that allows them to enjoy music throughout the house. “I like high-tech things, but without the wires,” Chuck says.

The second floor was re-configured to include a laundry room. (Instead of a washer and dryer, the basement now boasts wine storage.) A sumptuous master suite includes a big, dreamy bedroom with a fireplace and a large walk-in closet. The spacious adjoining bath is steeped in luxury, with an oversized stall shower, a deep tub, a long counter with two sinks and a closet for linens.

In all, there are six bedrooms, which translates to plenty of space for friends and relatives visiting from out of town.

The kitchen, with its painted cupboards, bin pulls and milk glass pendant lighting, maintains the feeling of the time. Yet it is equipped for two busy 21st century homeowners who enjoy entertaining.

A bedroom on the second floor has been reinvented as a media room with a flat screen television where the Dormans listen to music and watch movies. The room is open to a sleeping porch overlooking the garden, a private perch for enjoying a cool breeze on a summer night.

“We don’t believe in watching TV in the living room or the bedroom,” Chuck says. “When we do watch TV, it’s in this cozy space where we can be together and relax.”

On the third floor, there’s a guest room with an en suite bath. Black-and-white marble in the classic basket-weave pattern is inlaid in the floor like an antique carpet.

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