a transitional transformation

By Kitt Walsh | Photography by Rick Bethem

Working on this project at Fiddler’s Creek felt a lot like déjà vu for Interior Designer Elizabeth Manchego of Diana Hall Design. Walking into the three-bedroom plus office, three-and-a-half bath residence was something of a homecoming. 15 years before, Manchego, then as Assistant Designer for another firm, had helped apply faux finishes and design every room in the house.

“Everything then was Tuscan, very ornate, and overly ‘done’”, recalls Manchego. Dark wood, heavy plaster and lavishly finished ceilings was the style then, but it was the exact opposite of what they couple who bought the house now wanted.”

Interestingly enough, this full circle moment happened by chance. The couple knew nothing about Manchego having worked on the home before. “They sort of pulled my name out of a hat,” she laughingly relates. “But when I walked into their home, I remembered everything about it.” Manchego held extensive interviews with the couple, retirees from Tennessee, who wanted to use the property as their second home, to establish their budget and tastes. Then she assembled a two-day presentation about her vision for the home, incorporating all their notes and adding her creative flair. “The wife wanted a neutral, elegant palette and the husband wanted color in every room, but those wishes were easily accommodated. The fact that the home

Foyer: Every inch of this entry foyer had been faux finished in the home’s previous incarnation, including the ubiquitous columns. Manchego began again, painting everything, including the ceiling, a clean white to set a lighter tone. The back wall is clad in Schumacher’s grass cloth wallpaper with a Greek key inside a hexagon to add a classical note. The Woodbridge console has brushed nickel pulls and above it, the mirror’s texturized resin frame is silvered. The Visual Comfort lantern chandelier continues the metallic theme with its polished nickel cage. The hand-knotted rug with its abstract diamond pattern is from Hadingers Flooring.

was filled with classic columns, harkening back to that previous Tuscan design, was the true challenge.” It wasn’t that the columns were structural, the problem was that the floors had been built right up to and around the columns and to remove them would have meant extensive reflooring, an outcome the owners wanted to avoid for both time and expense. So, Manchego had to think strategically. “We added wainscoting in some rooms to blend into the columns making the design more classic and then painted all of them white to take the emphasis off of them. It was important to the owners that the home’s design made everything appear lighter, brighter, and more transitional. Manchego was successful. The owners loved everything about the redesign, finding it livable, comfortable, and elegant; all, as they said, they could ever hope for. For her part, Manchego appreciated the couple’s exquisite taste and cooperative attitude and enjoyed working, again, on this lovely residence. She sums up the project perfectly, “It was a most wonderful transformation.”

Living Room: As the first room visitors see in the home, it was important to the owners that the living room’s design be elegant and impressive. Manchego began with the coffered ceiling, which was washed oak once finished in tones of dark red and deep brown. By painting it white, it made the ceiling look even taller, an illusion aided by hanging floor-to-ceiling draperies in a light gray. The Vanguard sofa sports off-white performance fabric and is served by matching end tables from CTH Sherill. Twin swivel barrel back club chairs by Rowe, the bisquit-tufted ottomans with nail head trim, and the beige architectural armchair from Vanguard add extra seating. Cushions from Kravet Couture, reflect the colors of the rug from International Design Source (IDS.) The entertainment center, “So pretty it almost made me cry,” says Manchego, is from Old Biscayne Designs and has textured two-tone doors and a dark gray lacquer cabinet. Above the Fremarc Designs coffee table, the 40-inch Crystorama globe chandelier in an old silver finish brightly lights the scene. The abstract paintings introduce the husband’s requested pops of color.

Formal Dining Room: A cleverly

designed, custom built-in with three drawers acts as serving buffet. “I didn’t want it to take up too much space as the dining room isn’t very deep so this saves space while still offering a pace for storage and to serve from,” says Manchego. Double scones from Kelly Wearstler for Visual Comfort light the Capiz texture of the niche’s wall covering and painting from a gallery on Naples’ Fifth Avenue. A designer-led shopping trip to Gattles Fine Linens in Naples supplied all the glassware, chargers, and even napkin rings atop the Vanguard pedestal table. A sculpture by John-Richard, a gold twig inside a silver ring set on a marble block, serves as centerpiece. Seating for six is provided by the Michael Weiss for Fairfield high-backed chairs covered in gray/sliver fabric banded in leather. Wainscoting continued from the hall tie into the room’s columns. A trio of glass bowls on the wall were hand-blown for the room and are lit by the crystal and nickel San Marco chandelier bar from Restoration Hardware. Kitchen: Manchego had the glazed finish removed, the cabinetry painted soft white, and the hardware changed to polished metal in this gorgeous kitchen. The original island featured two different counter heights, a now dated look that needed to change. The designer chose Taj Mahal quartzite to top the now level island, because of its gold veining that matched marble floor. She highlighted the whole scene by use of pendants from Visual Comfort. Fairfield stools have been upholstered in a light gray herringbone pattern with nail head trim. All Wolf appliances are new, and the custom range hood was designed by Manchego herself. But the room’s true showstopper is the dazzling backsplash, a mixture of marble and Capiz stone from UMI Stone.

Connoisseurs of wine, the couple entertains often with wine tastings a favorite event. The brushed silver metal wine rack consists of pegs that can be added to as more vintages need display. 28 bottles are held at present, with more in a built-in wine refrigerator. This clad opening with wood trim once had iron gates, but now allows easier access to the dining room for festive dinners. Wine room: The designer left the original countertop in place in this wine room but painted the cabinetry a mushroom gray. She then added texture with a cork-like wall covering by Phillip Jefferies. Two hanging lanterns from Progressive Lighting feature clear, seeded glass and brushed nickel. An intriguing shadow box of miniature pods is by Palacek and the tusk near the serving sink is by Global Views. The arched opening, one of two in the room, offers access to the living room.

Family Room (top left): The renovation was done in two phases and, in the second, the couple opted to create a comfortable family room for relaxing and watching TV in a less formal space. A grouping of windows with Roman shades flank a funky threedimensional entertainment center by Bernhardt in ceruse greige. The Hancock & Moore sofa holds three power recliners and the twin birch leather chairs facing the television are also recliners. The identical Taylor King swivel rockers sport a diamond pattern and the designer assures they are “very, very comfortable.” A shell stone drum table from Wilson Lighting hosts a mixture of elements continued in the Vanguard cocktail table, with its shaded slate cabinet, marble accented top, and partial glass trundle, which recesses when the recliners are extended. Cushions are by Lexington, the Bokara Oriental Rug is from IDS and the two-toned grid-patterned draperies are by Kravt Couture. A local artist Alejandra Ponce painted the sea turtles on commission to introduce color to the room. Even the ceiling got a makeover with grass cloth by Thibaut grass cloth between the beams.

Guest Room (bottom left): A double linen drum shade by Wilson Lighting softly illuminates this charming guest room. The metal bed by Wesley Allen features an upholstered head and footboard. The tufted Pine Cone Hill bedspread is topped by chenille pillows in Schumacher fabric and pillows with a sea fan fabric by Stroheim. The Villa & House white lacquered raffia nightstands hold ombre glass lamps by Jamie Young. Three Elk Home boxes contain glittering geodes and are set atop light blue wood grained wallpaper by Thibaut. The textured giclee is from Artists Guild of America.

Master Bedroom: A duo of whimsical antique silver chandeliers, from the Ellis Collection by Capital Lighting soar overhead in the spacious master bedroom. Floor-to-ceiling draperies by JF Fabrics accentuate the ceiling height, now painted a natural tan to add intimacy to the space. A Vanguard Cleo bed has a tufted linen headboard and a Taylor King chenille upholstered bench at its foot. The coverlet is by Restoration Hardware. The throw and other cushions are by Lili Allessandra. The bed pillows were custom-made. The silver twig wall sculpture by Uttermost echoes the frame of the twin nightstands by John-Richard which have reeded front doors and ring pulls. Glass lamps by FlowDécor provides soft light for nighttime reading. The seating area features two linen covered chairs and a table from Vanguard, with a pierced metallic lamp by FlowDécor. The round ottoman by Vanguard, in an alligator print, has one button and plenty of space for the owners to put their feet up at the end of a busy day.