At Home With
KingsHaven
Estates, Interiors, Landscapes
At Home with KingsHaven: Interiors, Estates, Gardens, Objects
Lauren Wylonis
ESTATES
interiors
LANDSCAPES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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A House Worth Coming Home To
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Room with a Point of View
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Introduction: “Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost”
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Agincourt: A New Old Arts and Crafts House
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Mindful Design 139 for Better Living
Choosing aN OUTLOOK
Grantham: Brick of a Different Hue
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Lighting the Way 159
Garden 221 Architecture and Outdoor Living
Heydon: The Secret Garden Estate
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Beauty in the Details
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Antiques, Art, Objects, and Collections
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Acknowledgments To my family, friends, clients, and all of those on the road home
My deepest gratitude and appreciation goes to our KingsHaven team. This exceptional group not only encouraged me as I wrote this book but assisted in all ways, big and small. Mimi Boston Johnson, my dear friend and vice president of design, was and is an invaluable collaborator: our discussions, concepts, and projects fill many of the pages of this book. Ed Wylonis, my beloved brother and partner in KingsHaven, spent countless hours organizing pictures, projects, and photo shoots. Ed and Mimi have provided commitment and motivation over the course of many years. Rob Baruzzi, Marielle Casanova, Kate Denley, Lisa Devine, Matt Hammock, Jenn Juanacio, and Rusty Leaf have each made important contributions, from photography to coordination to styling. Axel Miguez, loyal friend and creative mind, has spent years perfecting the design, production, and photography of our ironwork fixtures. Jennifer Schifano’s excellent edits and corrections on a tight schedule were indispensable and invariably accompanied by a smile and words of encouragement. Don Eberly and our marketing team were always willing to assist with opinions on chapter topics and photo selections. My heartfelt thanks goes out to my editor and friend, Andrea Monfried. I was never sure whether it was her common sense or sense of humor that I found the most valuable, but she was integral to the process of writing and making this book. Andrea’s commitment to publication quality was shared by the Images team in Australia, especially designer Nicole Boehringer. My sincerest gratitude to Joshua McHugh for his visionary photography and also for his friendship. His unerring attention to detail and pursuit of perfection are an inspiration to us all. Joshua’s upbeat demeanor and kindness in the face of unpredictable schedule demands were nothing short of heroic.
# ithaca I’ve traveled a long way. Inside the mudroom entry tucked up by the ceiling, I watch the swallow bring feathers to her nest— my mother taught me that blue-colored birds were good luck. When I walk through these plaster halls, I swear I can see the paint of my heart drenching every single one of these walls. I have completed my Odyssey. —ZZ
Many thanks to good friends Ed Wheeler and John Milner of John Milner Architects, who tirelessly and creatively contributed to the three estates in the book. Ed’s architectural drawings were superb, and John’s wisdom always made for a richer design experience. I greatly appreciate our superb contracting and building teams, as well as Dave Binkowski of the KingsHaven Properties building team. I recognize Don Pohlig, Todd Pohlig, Dave Malec, and Steve Lindes, whose work on the first estate was as exacting as it was indefatigable. My appreciation to Taylor Souman, Jonathan Sensing, Norm Seldes, and Andre Gasio, whose craftsmanship and dedication to our projects were unmatched. I am indebted to KingsHaven’s many fine partners, craftsmen, and artisans: you are our A team. We are honored to have shepherded the art of architects, artisans, and craftsmen of earlier times. Thank you for your beautiful work. My love and gratitude to my amazing family and friends. Without their kind words, this book would not have been finished, let alone started. Last, to Zach, Sydney, Nina, and Joe, thank you for inspiring my pursuit of mindful, healthy, and joyful living at home.
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Introduction
“Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost” My travels around the world in search of artisans and artwork keep me in a constant state of motion and exploration. One day I might be out on a KingsHaven job site on Philadelphia’s Main Line, working with a stonemason to salvage the granite facade of a historic estate. The next day I might be on a plane to South America to work with blacksmiths on a lighting fixture or piece of furniture, or to meet with artisans who create gorgeous handcrafted baskets in the designs of their tribal ancestors. When I am not traveling, I am happily and meticulously designing lighting, furniture, and home decor for our KingsHaven store and design projects, often inspired by the people, places, animals, landscapes, and details I have encountered. I find beauty in every country and culture I meet, in every unexpected adventure. Each nation, each city, each village, each forested plot, rain or redwood, has its own people, animals, homes, art, and antiques. I don’t find anything more beautiful than an item made by hand, more fascinating than the story of that artist and that piece. I am committed to developing strong and fair trade relationships with these artists, ensuring a benefit to them, to their families, and to their communities. The artists and craftspeople I have met and worked with have put their hearts and souls into their work, and it shows. We create, together, something that is bigger, better, and more distinctive than any of us could have created alone. These pieces allow our clients to create individual and utterly satisfying homes. Whether design preferences tend toward the traditional or the contemporary, our projects include sumptuous, sometimes exotic textures; elegant details; refined materials; and artisanship that extends into art. Each project is an extraordinary experience in design. The artists and craftsmen, the KingsHaven team, and our clients enjoy the searching, creating, and wandering that culminates in a wonderfully designed space. Our projects are as singular as each client’s fingerprints, yet all accomplish the goal of providing a backdrop for luxurious and joyous living.
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I did not come to a career in design via the traditional route. I practiced and taught as a forensic psychiatrist for fifteen years before starting my design career. Even so, art is my passion and an essential part of who I am as a person. Since the age of seven, I have been drawing, watercolor painting, and oil painting. As a premed student at Johns Hopkins University, my few electives were devoted to the arts: studio drawing and art history. In the little free time I had in medical school and residency, I explored throwing pottery, making tiles, and refinishing antique furniture. For a period I researched needlepoint designs printed in nineteenth-century women’s magazines and reproduced them in modern colorways for contemporary decor. I searched flea markets and thrift shops for art pottery, antique mirrors, prints, and textiles. In retrospect, I can see that the same love of people, their stories, and their challenges that led me into psychiatry also guided me into design. My daily job was to help people with feelings of depression, anxiety, and fear. I had patients who had been devastated by severe traumas or had lived through harsh violence. My goal was to assist them in getting past the difficult times to become the best versions of themselves: happy, functional, in good relationships, and able to succeed in whatever they chose to do. My treatment centered as much around guiding them toward healthy life choices and habits as it did around therapy and, when necessary, medication. I found psychiatry stimulating and fulfilling, but there came a time that my young children, boy-and-girl twins, needed more of my time. While I missed my practice, I found nothing more rewarding than being with my kids. Like many others, our family had educational and health challenges, and there was no place I was more needed.
product design: when I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I would draw what I considered the perfect light fixture or cabinet and have it made. Relatively quickly, I founded both an interior design company and an enterprise to renovate historic properties. My brother, Ed Wylonis, joined me as a partner. After degrees from MIT and Wharton and a hectic career in business start-ups, Ed was excited to grow our new endeavors closer to home. Ironically, I couldn’t have found anyone better if I had traveled the world searching. Our next joint venture was the KingsHaven store. We had started to receive requests, from both consumers and design professionals, for the lighting and furniture we had created for our projects, so it was a natural next step. For me, design and renovation was simply an extension of the artwork I had been doing all my life, something in which I found joy whatever the day, year, or season. My dear friend Mimi Boston Johnson—we met while collaborating on a pro bono renovation and design project for a local school—joined us as vice president of design. Mimi brings decades of design experience and an extraordinary eye together with kindness, wit, and wisdom. The KingsHaven team grew to include dedicated and talented architects, designers, contractors, and artisans in the United States and internationally. The group’s indomitable spirit has created projects that are beautiful, special, crafted: a combination of diverse skill sets and cultures. We are eternally grateful to every member of our team and every exceptional client. In fact, our decision to write this book stemmed from the idea that KingsHaven is truly a team effort. We hope that our knowledge, experience, and photographs inspire ideas to pursue at home, with clients, or on a vacation abroad. Welcome to the KingsHaven team!
As I drove my kids to activities, helped with homework, and chaperoned class trips, I began to renovate our home. Over the next few years, restoring and redesigning the houses we lived in became a new passion. A love of historic architecture led our family to choose houses with charm and fine craftsmanship that at the same time needed a great deal of work. My goal was to create a home that made our family life easier to manage and our social life more rewarding. I developed a style that was based on healthy, easy, and beautiful family living while preserving the architecture and charm of the original buildings and simultaneously adding a contemporary quality. My spaces were designed as much for our children as for the adults and were flexible and adaptable in every aspect, from the colors I used to the lighting I designed. I also took my first steps into
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introduction
“Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost ”
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Heydon
The Secret Garden Estate
The Heydon estate, originally named Betzfred, is a 10,700-square-foot stone house. Exquisite leaded-glass and reverse-painted windows, hand-carved limestone fireplace surrounds, rare chestnut wide-plank flooring, and intricately crafted paneling as well as a red-clay-tile roof proclaim its refined materials and craftsmanship. Sited on several acres of land in the western Philadelphia suburbs, the residence was designed in 1929 by the Bissell & Sinkler architectural firm for Frederick P. Ristine, a Philadelphia investment banker, and his wife, Elizabeth. Despite its size, Heydon offers immediate intimacy with a private and beautiful front entry court and stablelike garages. When we discovered this home, it had been vacant for about three years, and much of the exterior was in need of significant restoration. The antique iron lighting and door hardware had been damaged by rust and wear. The ironwork was originally handcrafted by Samuel Yellin, the legendary American ironworker. Yellin, who learned metalsmithing in Poland, was a seminal figure in the development of the ironwork of the Arts and Crafts movement. It was essential to replace some of his iron designs with exact replicas in order to retain the original style of the residence.
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Master metal designer Samuel Yellin is thought to have crafted the original iron lantern over the front door. By the time we acquired the house, however, it was rusted beyond repair. KingsHaven’s iron artisans fabricated a faithful reproduction that reproduces the unique charm of the original.
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KingsHaven’s reproduction of the iron components was a tedious process—ultimately gratifying, to be sure—that involved more than fifty separate pieces. We removed lighting hardware, door handles, locks, and more and used traditional hand metalcrafting techniques to re-create the components down to the floral designs on the door knob escutcheons and the iron twists of a magnificent lantern over the front door. We repaired the fir beams in the Tudor work and changed the timeworn brown paint to a gray-green that enhances the connection between the house and its lush surrounding gardens. Also subject to our restoration were the red-clay-tile roof and the copper-and-wood cupola. The interior of the house needed even more work than the exterior. Leaded-glass windows, plaster, and chestnut paneling were in desperate need of attention. Now visitors who enter the primary public rooms—entrance hall, living room, dining room—are greeted by light chestnut paneling and a finely carved staircase. Original leaded-glass windows shower the stair in natural light; new handcrafted iron fixtures in the entry and throughout the home add continuity and texture; carved-stone fireplaces suggest warmth and welcome. The assemblage begs the question “New or old?” These traditional spaces benefit from transitional lighting and furniture: contemporary lines make the home feel current and updated without stripping any of the rich architectural character.
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White-marble-and-brass geometric backsplash tile by New Ravenna adorns a stretch of wall behind the stove. The lines of the burnished brass KingsHaven Paris Prism pendants and Baker Street chandelier subtly connect with those in the tile.
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Painting the original detailed plaster crown molding the same color as the walls updates the room and gives the illusion of a higher ceiling. Pillows covered in blue-patterned fabrics in different textures and scales add depth to the upholstered pieces and avoid an overly matched stiffness.
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We reconfigured the original living room, butler’s pantry, and kitchen— widening the doorway and combining several smaller rooms—to create a more generous and comfortable kitchen and family room. In the kitchen, light gray and white cabinetry and dark gray and super-white marble brightened the space with interesting new textures. New appliances and expanded counter space improved functionality. We replaced the original narrow pine flooring, patched and damaged, with wide oak-plank flooring stained to match the chestnut in the family room. KingsHaven’s transitional lighting fixtures—brass-plated iron pendants, sconces with a hunt club flair, an iron-and-brass chandelier, and recessed lighting—make this space perfect for enjoying a morning croissant and coffee. Handcrafted brass and iron cabinet pulls and a backsplash with a geometric mosaic with white-marble and brass inserts contribute to our update while maintaining a connection with the rest of the house. Upstairs, we merged multiple small bedrooms to create more spacious large bedrooms with en-suite baths. One of the small bedrooms was converted into a potting-shed-themed laundry. Our reworking in the master suite allowed for a larger bedroom with a fireplace and sitting area and a master bath with soaking tub and large Calacatta marble shower. We refinished the original chestnut flooring; to patch areas where we had removed walls, we salvaged long boards from a linen closet. We replastered and repaired a second entrance to the master suite—a private spiral stair that connects the room to the basement and living room. KingsHaven-designed lighting preserves character.
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The charred iron and wood of the KingsHaven Luna globe chandelier bestows a transitional attitude and feel on this traditional room.
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Room with a Point of View Craftsmanship and character are, to my mind, the two essential elements in renovating or building a home, large or small. In the same way, certain aspects of interior spaces are absolutely crucial. I once was asked for my guidelines for anyone building, renovating, or redesigning a residence. In response, I offered three principles that inform all the homes I design. Whether your next project is a city condo, beach villa, or new house, a focus on these fundamentals is all-important for a uniquely beautiful and comfortable result. My first words of advice were “Design mindfully.” Great design is about beauty, of course, but also about creating a space that allows you, your family, and your guests to live their best lives. Every inhabitant and every guest, including children and pets, is happier in a space that has been designed with mindfulness. Mindful design takes into account the functions of rooms, the way the family lives, and the challenges family members face on a daily basis, making living areas that are enjoyable and uncomplicated. Second, I recommended planning the lighting design and choosing light fixtures early. There is a saying that lighting is the jewelry of a room—lighting often provides art and focus in a space—but that analogy understates the value of lighting. I describe lighting as the jewelry and the shoes. No one can get too far without shoes, and no one wants to be in a room with poor lighting. Lighting has a profound impact on mood, and optimal functioning in a space cannot happen without it. My third guideline was to utilize detail and texture. Adding, salvaging, or restoring architectural detail can be the key to an exquisite renovation or a one-of-a-kind new home. Some of the most beautiful historic dwellings, from castles to guest cottages, are set apart by the quality and beauty of their architectural details. In contemporary—especially minimalist—settings, simplicity contrasts with and highlights the richness of texture. Natural wood, linen, burlap, iron, and concrete are beautiful independently or in combination, as finishes or as furnishings, in these environments. Adding artwork and objects is another way to cultivate detail and texture in a room. Collections and art pieces highlight what the inhabitants enjoy most and, in the truest sense, complete a mindful space.
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Crown molding with a compartment for curtain hardware camouflages the heights of the existing windows in this bedroom, which differ by as much as two feet. Roman shades on the shorter windows give the impression of a window that is equal in height to the taller windows. The burnished brass Montparnasse semiflush light fixture is by KingsHaven, and the window treatments by Leo Muldoon.
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Beauty in the Details
Architectural details are the secret backbone of any design project. The work of most noted architects and designers is rife with deliberately devised detail. Fine architectural detail springs from great thought and planning, and it is often the beauty in historic buildings. From the castles of France to the Spanish colonial architecture of Uruguay, design is in every detail. Details are easy to overlook in the planning stage of a design project, but they are some of the most worthwhile and least expensive ways to enhance a new home. In an older residence, restoring rather than removing architectural detail is in many cases the key to creating a modernized home that retains its original charm. When renovating or redesigning interiors, it is essential to consider exterior architectural details. Keeping window trims, windows, and exterior doors consistent produces a cohesive design inside and out. For instance, if a home has eight-pane double-hung windows, use that same style on an addition, rather than four-pane windows or windows without mullions. Exterior doors are frequently replaced in renovations of old houses. Doors that are consistent with the other exterior doors will enrich the overall style of the house. A salvaged antique door may enhance architectural character even more than a faithful reproduction.
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Salvage trim, baseboards, and wood flooring whenever possible. In our work in older homes, we often need to eliminate walls between small rooms to create larger, more comfortable, and better lit spaces. We routinely salvage baseboards and trim, which means we can patch trim in other parts of the residence. Wood flooring from closets fills gaps left by removing the walls. Replicate original wood trim. Lumberyards can cut knives that will reproduce antique trim, a convenient option if large amounts of trim are needed for an addition. The simple continuation of baseboards and window trim in a residential renovation subtly suggests that the addition is part of the original home. Preserve ceiling and wall details such as paneling, beams, and coffered ceilings. These elements furnish a space with invaluable texture, detail, and character. If they are too dark in color or too traditional in aesthetic, they can be painted white or a neutral color. Even outdated trims and plaster cornices give rise to a stunning effect when painted the same color as the walls. Contemporary furniture and style pop against highly detailed trim, which imparts a background texture to the whole. Staircases are indispensable architectural details, lending patina, style, and grandeur to a home. In a new residence, spindles and other components should work with and enhance the preferred design aesthetic. If the staircase in an older home needs an update, painting the risers, stringers, and spindles the same color as the trim, while maintaining stained wood for the treads and staircases, is quick and inexpensive and fosters a more modern look.
Antique lighting offers an exceptional focal point in a limited space. These unique slag glass light fixtures draw attention in a stair hall.
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Antiques, Art, Objects, and Collections Expressing the passions and personalities of those who share a home is a thoughtful and continuous endeavor. Beloved items and favorite colors cultivate joy and diminish daily stress. Art, antiques, handcrafted objects, and collections contribute greatly to character and mood. There are countless wonderful ways to integrate artworks and objects into home design. Use art to bring spirit into a space. Abstract art updates the ambience of a more traditionally designed room; conversely, more traditional art can make a casual space feel finished and formal. Artworks should harmonize with the colors of a room. Marine art complements a home with blue and green tones, and plein air paintings accent a residence with green, gold, and neutral shades. A black, white, and neutral palette sets off brightly colored pop art, and the artworks will not clash with other colors. A stone sculpture or beautifully woven basket placed on a pedestal at the end of an axis, perhaps in front of a window or a wall, creates a compelling focal point.
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Landscapes and Joyful Living Fair landscapes are central for healthy and mindful living. It is one thing to enjoy magnificent beach and mountain locales on vacation (or even on a business trip), but it has never been more critical than it is now to integrate beautiful views into daily living. Screen time—time on cell phones, computers, e-readers, and other devices— has shifted focus away from life outside and toward technology. Health concerns, mental and physical, are on the rise as online pursuits take the place of daily activity and interpersonal connection. Truly mindful design incorporates beautiful exte riors, gardens, and landscapes to encourage rejuvenating indoor and outdoor living. While most people claim that they would love to live with an appealing outlook, they may not be able to explain why. Science offers a partial answer. A growing body of research provides evidence that observing attractive landscapes is beneficial in several ways. Environmental psychology studies since the early 2000s have shown that beautiful vistas counteract mental fatigue and stress, promote more rapid recovery from illness, improve long-term emotional and physical health, and augment a sense of well-being. These inquiries have led to improvements in workplace design and mental health and hospital settings. Designing and creating captivating views both inside and outside the home are equally essential to quality of life. Not every landscape is equal. Evidence shows that natural settings tend to have higher health benefits than urban landscapes. Does this mean it is best to avoid city residences? Absolutely not. It just suggests that it is worth including easy access to a natural space, such as a terrace with plants or a rooftop garden. If this is not possible, urban settings close to a nearby park or green space are desirable. Even a lone sidewalk tree can improve the view and benefit inhabitants. For a home without a view, it is important to landscape creatively. Installing a wall garden, planters, and a tabletop fountain can change a viewless patio into a green, fragrant refuge. Tall, fast-growing evergreens camouflage myriad unsightly objects— from a traffic light to a satellite dish—at the same time becoming a new focal point for an arbor or perennial garden. Outdoor areas encourage inhabitants to relax, play, dine, and exercise—to live joyfully—in a beautiful landscape.
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Choosing a Point of View
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Garden Architecture and Outdoor Living
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$55.00 [USA] £50.00 [GB]