Solis Betancourt and Sherrill originally intended the dining room to be a family room but quickly realized the couple would never use the living room if they had an alternative gathering place. Instead, they opened the room to the kitchen and created a space for entertaining with the airy atmosphere of a conservatory. “The dark dining table anchors the dining room and alleviates the ‘everything is painted’ effect,” says Sherrill.
The designers envisioned the dining room as part garden room with its plentiful glass doors and stone floor. They added a fireplace for winter warmth and crowned the room with a wood-and-metal chandelier. “We originally intended this room as a family room,” says Sherrill, “but we realized they’d never use the living room if we had followed through.”
In the kitchen, a rich wood table serves a similar purpose as a counterbalance to a handsome painted chest and chairs. The designers installed trapeze-style pendants which can remain high for overall radiance or can be pulled down to create more intimate pools of light. “A few quiet, contemporary details that are quite functional give the house modern comfort among all the antiques,” says Sherrill. It’s these expertly integrated elements that allow the couple to enjoy today’s conveniences in a home that celebrates the best of the past.
