Greenwich Glamour
January 9, 2013
Text by Erin Marvin   Photography by John Gould Bessler   Produced by Stacy Kunstel
The stone and wood facade of this stately home may acquiesce to the architectural style of its nearby neighbors, but on the inside it has a modern spirit all its own.
When Kate and Daryle DiLascia purchased this property in Greenwich it was for location alone. They liked both the private county club community that envelops the house and this particular siteâs adjacency to a beautiful lake, which would pull double duty as a spectacular backdrop and a place for their children to enjoy hours of outdoor entertainment. The original houseâsmall, bland, brickâhad good bones but needed a facelift and additional space to accommodate the young family. The DiLascias reached out to Ridgefield architect Doug MacMillan for help, asking him to renovate and rebuild the structure to its fullest potential.
MacMillan and his team took the house down to its studs, saving the basic shell but opening up the kitchen, expanding the downstairs public areas and adding a screened-in sunroom and a two-car garage. Bedrooms were moved to the second floor, and all face the lake for panoramic views that promise sweet dreams and sunny mornings.
Throughout the house, floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors, as well as new skylights over the kitchen, bring in copious amounts of natural light. Though the original house rose up a dozen feet from street to front door, the DiLascias didnât want the same âhouse on a pedestalâ feeling. The design team renovated the surrounding topography, expanding and leveling the backyard and redoing the driveway to soften the appearance of the steep ascent. A grand new stone and wood veneer now faces the neighborhood.
Inside, interior designer Michelle Morgan Harrison, of the New Canaanâbased firm Morgan Harrison Home, revamped the interiors with a decidedly modern flair. Kate, trained as a nurse, wanted things to be kept simple yet beautifulânot to mention easy to clean as sheâs also the mother of three children under the age of twelve. Spaces suitable for easy entertaining was another important consideration as wasâa somewhat more surprising requestâa room to house a ping pong table. (Table tennis is one of the familyâs favorite pastimes.)
Morgan Harrison, a former fashion editor for ELLE and Mirabella, turned to her roots to find inspiration for the interior palette, talking with Kate about her favorite colors when it comes to clothing. Kateâs penchant for white, cream, light blue and silver apparelâalong with the occasional pop of yellowâis reflected in color choices. The overall calming palette has a definite âwowâ factor, with crystal chandeliers, frosted glass, Lucite, mirrors and shiny silver chrome glittering throughout the house. âIt just adds a lot of life to a room and ups the glamour factor in a really beautiful way,â says Morgan Harrison of her fondness for reflective surfaces.
The dining room, for example, is layer upon layer of sparkle and shine: a large starburst mirror hung on an antique mirrored wall; iridescent silver wallpaper peeking from beneath the luster of large-scale Asian artwork; the sheen of gray silk drapes topped with a valence accented by silver tape; gray mohair dining chairs whose hues change with the light; and chrome, crystal and glass accessories of all sizes catching and casting reflections around the room. When it comes to entertaining, the room is a definite crowd pleaser, and the custom round table can easily accommodate a dozen guests for dinner parties.
The living room is equally glamorous and inviting, with swaths of sunlight pouring through multiple windows and a large mirror over the fireplace reflecting the furnitureâs soft cream, silver and blue hues. Plenty of seating options invite large gatherings, with a piano ready to host those musically inclined. Most evenings end in the adjacent game room, where a regulation size, etched-glass-topped ping pong table rests on chrome legs beneath twin chandeliers. âTheyâre really a fun, amazing family, and I think the house reflects that,â says Morgan Harrison. âThey love entertaining and having fun together with friends and family.â
Family-friendliness reigns even in the midst of all this modern elegance, with textiles, surfaces and furnishings chosen for their wearability and wipeability: vinyl, highly durable velvets, Teflon-coated leather, resilient mohair chairs, washable sisal and wool rugs, and patterned carpet to hide the occasional stain.
Though Kate and Daryle favored serene, creamy hues for their master bedroom, the kids wanted color, and lots of it. The boysâ rooms are Jack and Jill, with headboard walls bedecked with wide stripes of blue and white in one room and brown, orange and white in the other. Bright greens and blues were chosen by the DiLasciasâ daughter, and the guest room is oh-so-mod with gray and yellow hues in a mix of ikat and chevron patterns. Bedrooms are comfy and cozy and reflect each childâs style, but all boast a contemporary flair that matches the rest of the house.
Even in the kitchenâa sea of stark, cool whiteânothing feels untouchable or too delicate for small hands. Morgan Harrison added small bursts of sunny yellow here, too, to warm things up. âThe problem with modern is that is can be very bare and lack a lot of character,â the designer says. âThatâs the reason for the pop of yellowâto liven it up a bit.â
Horizontal paneling wraps kitchen walls and joins the space to a small adjacent office, a cozy nook Kate loves. Interior millwork throughout the house also nods to a more contemporary aesthetic; MacMillan favored flat panel work, as opposed to raised panels, and cove crown molding with a simple, clean arc, rather than the ornate crown found in more traditional homes. âThis house is an interesting blend,â notes MacMillan. âThe outside is very traditional, but the inside trim work, millwork and decorating style has a modern flair.â
âIt was a challenge to create that balance,â adds Morgan Harrison. âWe came up with a very glamorous yet modern transitional look.â
Style labels aside, every element comes together perfectly to make this house a true classic beauty both inside and out.
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