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This blog post details the transformation of a new, five-bedroom, 5,200-square-foot Toll Brothers colonial home in the North Star Chase subdivision, showcasing how a plain vanilla property was elevated to a sumptuous space through strategic design choices. The owner, Linda Mulvihill, a mother of three, took on the formidable task of personalizing the new construction. Her first significant decision was to halt the builders from installing standard wooden spindles on her two-story staircase, insisting on wrought iron instead. This preference for wrought iron not only redefined the interior staircase but was also extended to the exterior, distinguishing the home from others in the neighborhood. Wrought-iron gates now encircle a garden of roses and wildflowers, leading a curved path to the columned portico entrance. The integration of this element from the garden into the foyer’s staircase creates a cohesive visual flow upon entering the home. Mulvihill's design aspiration was to blend Asian and Italian influences to achieve a casually elegant atmosphere. To realize this vision, she enlisted Joyce Keeney, senior designer and founder of Interior Concepts in Hockessin. Together, they meticulously integrated these diverse cultural aesthetics through thoughtful selections of color and texture. Mulvihill's fondness for red was incorporated by Keeney, who harmonized strong hues with more subdued colors found in carpets, throw pillows, and drapes. The majority of the furniture was sourced from EJ Victor Upholstery in North Carolina, while lighting fixtures predominantly came from Fine Art Lamps in Florida, ensuring a consistent design language throughout the home. Mulvihill noted her tendency to create formal spaces, and Keeney's expertise helped her strike a balance between formality and comfort. The living room immediately captures attention with a jeweled chandelier suspended above a black Yamaha grand player piano, establishing a formal yet inviting space suitable for both entertaining and casual family moments. An all-wool, custom-colored Oriental carpet anchors the room, reflecting the hues of Oriental tables, hutches, and an olive silk sofa. Rich embroidered silk draperies from Kravet Couture, in green, gracefully puddle on the floor, while family photos and paintings are encased in antique gold frames. A notable piece is a 24-karat gold leaf coffee table, representing chinoiserie—an 18th-century Western European and English decorative fashion that incorporates Chinese ornamentation and structural elements. Keeney highlighted the versatility of chinoiserie, explaining its compatibility with various furniture styles, making it ideal for Mulvihill's desired blend of Italian and Asian influences. The formal dining room features a mahogany table with a burled piano finish and a china cabinet from EJ Victor’s Newport Mansion collection, filled with Lenox dishes. An Italian crystal chandelier with antique gold accents serves as a central focal point, complemented by custom-finished antique gold sconces. The room is distinctively wallpapered with Scalamandre silk paper, a sophisticated choice that, despite its challenging installation process, provides a luxurious, textured paint-like appearance. Dark wood floors and Oriental runners guide the transition from the dining room to the family room, where columns similar to those at the portico entrance mark the space. A striking 11-foot Maitland Smith console table with a stone top, weighing 1,000 pounds, dominates the family room, above which hangs a large painting of Venice framed in antique bronze. The walls, faux-finished by local artist Gary Paiement to resemble Tuscan plaster, feature a soft neutral sage with copper undertones, creating a serene yet invigorating ambiance. In the family room, black-and-white family photos offer a visual contrast to the rich greens, reds, golds, and rusts of the oversized sofas, throw pillows, and heavy velour drapes. Thick walnut curtain rods frame a floor-to-ceiling fireplace and walnut mantel. French doors open to an expansive double deck, leading to a pool and fire pit, offering breathtaking views of the Pike Creek Valley. The gourmet kitchen, which adjoins the family room, includes builder upgrades and is further enhanced by furnishings such as a Guy Chaddock table and chairs beside a second fireplace, creating a cozy area for family meals and homework. The kitchen is illuminated by chandeliers: a large crystal and gold fixture above the table and several smaller, dark bronze chandeliers above the granite island. An original landscape oil painting and embroidered drapery panels by Beacon Hill incorporate Tuscan colors. The office, however, diverges from the main Italian and Oriental motif, dedicated instead to Dr. Mulvihill’s golf hobby. Delaware artist Tracy Berger created a wall-length mural of Pebble Beach, the doctor’s favorite golf course, as a birthday gift from Linda. The room is sparingly furnished with a mahogany desk, a black wall unit, and chairs, allowing the large bay window with its valley view to take prominence. Linda Mulvihill acknowledges that decorating is an ongoing process, continually adding pieces and relying on Keeney's guidance to refine her home's aesthetic, a testament to her keen taste and clear vision for her living space. #HomeDesign #InteriorDecorating #WroughtIron #AsianItalianFusion #LuxuryInteriors #CustomDesign #HomeRenovation #DesignConsultant #DecorativeElements

This article details the journey of Alex Pires, a Washington attorney turned Dewey Beach restaurateur and nightclub owner, and his wife, Diane Cooley, in building their shingle-style cottage in Dewey Beach, Delaware. The project began when Pires purchased a 1920s oceanfront cottage six years prior. Initially, Pires attempted two renovations to bring the cottage in line with the shingle style, inspired by the architecture of Henry Hobson Richardson in his hometown of North Easton, Massachusetts. Dissatisfied with the renovations, Pires and Cooley decided to demolish the existing structure and build a new home that truly reflected their vision. They enlisted long-time friend and architect David Jones of David Jones Architects in Washington, D.C., for the design. The objective was to create a distinctive residence that stood out among the typical developer-built cottages in the area. Jones, who developed an appreciation for historic architecture throughout his career, embraced the challenge of designing a shingle-style dwelling. The project presented unique challenges, including editing Pires's numerous ideas and adhering to height restrictions while maintaining the style's verticality. To ensure historical accuracy and detail, Pires and Cooley researched shingle-style architecture extensively, including touring historic "cottages" in Newport, Rhode Island, designed by pioneers of the style. The shingle style, originating in the Boston area in the 1880s, is characterized by unpainted wooden shingles and a departure from Victorian fussiness, favoring unembellished surfaces, honesty of form, and purity of line. Interiors were designed with fewer, larger rooms to maximize sunlight. Pires compiled photographs of notable architectural details, such as the small, multi-paned windows of Richardson's William Watts Sherman house and the turret inspired by the Isaac Bell House in Newport, designed by McKim, Mead and White. The house, situated on a corner lot, features two facades: a broad gable with a deep porch facing the ocean to the east, and a more vertical tower and gable facing the street and beach path to the north. Forest green trim bands contrast with the sand-colored cedar shingles. Nautical motifs, such as a lighthouse-shaped newel post, are incorporated into the exterior. The main floor is elevated to protect against ocean surges, with breakaway walls on the lowest level for the garage and storage, a design element that allows water to flow through without compromising the structural integrity of the house. This functional and aesthetic approach prevents the common "stranded" appearance of many beach houses built on pilings. Finding a builder capable of executing the intricate design proved difficult, with three companies declining the project. Pires ultimately hired Bob Purcell, known for his craftsmanship, after admiring a home he built in Lewes. Purcell accepted the job, committing to Jones's insistence on an entirely wooden construction, which is rare in modern building practices. The detailed design earned architect David Jones a 2008 national Palladio Award for best new house under 5,000 square feet. For the interiors, Pires and Cooley collaborated with Pinehurst, North Carolina-based designer Brenda Lyne, impressed by her work at the Bellmoor Inn. While Cooley initially desired a less formal style, she appreciated Lyne's ability to combine elegance with durability suitable for a beach house. The interiors feature a neutral palette with blond Australian cypress flooring and white painted wood paneling. The main level's living-dining room, facing the beachfront, is furnished with white linen slipcovered sofas, Asian-themed accents in blue, and contemporary local art. A screened-in wrap-around porch includes a hot tub and ocean views. The kitchen, though compact, is highly functional with a bead board-covered island, cream-colored cabinets concealing appliances, and blue Bahia granite countertops. Pires's office, in contrast to the breezy aesthetic of the rest of the house, features dark walnut paneling, plantation shutters, and built-in library shelving, displaying his collection of boxing memorabilia. The second floor includes an office-sitting area, a guest room, a bedroom for Pires's daughter, and a master bedroom with ocean views from the turret. Pires reflects on the project, stating their goal was not merely to build a large house but a well-designed and crafted home, honoring American architectural history while creating a lasting, beloved residence. #HomeDesign #CoastalArchitecture #ShingleStyle #HistoricPreservation #DeweyBeach #ArchitecturalDesign #InteriorDesign #OceanfrontHome #CustomBuilt