An Architect's 1901 Home in Pennsylvania
June 16, 2019
“Home renovations are like childbirth — quite debilitating but fast forgotten, overshadowed by the happiness of the finished product,” says architect Lenore Davies of Pripstein + Davies.
After looking at nearly 50 homes, Lenore and Marc Davies eventually found what they were searching for: a 1901 gem in their dream place in Pennsylvania, surrounded by a diverse community. As an architect, Lenore found the bones of the house and its possible as the ultimate draw. Ten years after, the Davies have filled their house with vintage finds, contemporary colours and smart, ecofriendly details.
at a Glance
Who lives here: Lenore and Marc Davies and their 3 sons
Location: Wyncote, Pennsylvania
Size: 4,500 square feet; 7 bedrooms, 3 baths
That’s intriguing: Lenore plans to put in a large wooden ski lift piece as a porch swing.
Colleen Brett
Approached in the driveway, the Davies’ house is almost hidden behind a grove of enormous, ancient trees. Lush gardens surround the house, and the entire place begs for passersby to research and meet the inventive household behind it.
Colleen Brett
The front porch is full of unexpected charm, foreshadowing the balance of traditionalism and playfulness inside. The benches are original to the house, but Lenore painted them a cheerful yellow. A Moravian star produces a decorative front porch lighting, counter by the Wissahickon schist that frames the door.
Bench paint: Hugs & Kisses, Benjamin Moore; front door paint: Painted Fir, F&H; trim paint: Louisburg Green, Benjamin Moore
Colleen Brett
Having lived in California for quite a few years, Lenore sees out space as an extension of the house. Down the rear steps of the wraparound porch is a small slate patio with green Adirondack chairs surrounding a small table — perfect for enjoying sunny afternoons.
Throw pillows: Pottery Barn, L.L.Bean, Plow & Hearth; chair: Hodnebo; wicker furniture: Goal
Colleen Brett
Even though Lenore fell in love with all the old charm of the house, the absence of communal space was a struggle. The excellent room is a brand new addition and the center of family life. The coffee table is made from pieces found at flea markets and assembled locally.
Leather armchair and ottoman: Restoration Hardware
Colleen Brett
The inside walls mimic the exterior the house with a grid of fresh white molding. Massive windows maintain a sunny connection to the exterior. Lavish Turkish rugs — souvenirs from childhood travels during Lenore’s dad’s years as an Army physician — are sprinkled throughout the house.
Paint: Victorian Garden, Benjamin Moore
Colleen Brett
Redesigning the kitchen was a delicate balance of quality and maintaining a budget. “We splurged on those soapstone countertops and cut back on things which are less noticeable,” she says. Rather than using a pricey name brand, she picked painted cabinets from local company Custom Woodworking.
Together with three growing boys, Lenore faces an unending weekly job of grocery shopping and food stocking. Rather than spend money on one gigantic appliance, she bought two GE refrigerators with opposite-facing doorways to basically create the exact same thing.
Colleen Brett
Pay attention to the practical idea: Rather than choosing to have electric outlets muck up her immaculate subway tile backsplash, she moved them to underneath the cabinets.
Colleen Brett
Lenore constructed a pivoting cabinet to store big kitchen appliances (such as her KitchenAid mixer) without taking up counter space.
Colleen Brett
This eating nook is full of sunlight from big windows which face the yard. Lenore suggests that redecorators”maintain all significant bits impartial. When it is time for a change, swap in splashes of colour with much more affordable details, such as placemats or toss pillows.”
Colleen Brett
Metal kitchen stools from Dwelling Home add a contemporary touch to the traditional-style kitchen. A custom built homework station by Custom Woodworking is put right off the kitchen.
Colleen Brett
Behind the kitchen is a small but efficient mudroom. A gardening sink gives Lenore a location to clean up after spending time outside. Built-in hooks and cubbies provide a place for the couple’s three sons to stay organized with their items.
Faucet: Kohler; sink: Whitehaus
Colleen Brett
Lenore loves to repurpose old, forgotten items and also make them useful again. Here, old spice containers turned into small planters.
Colleen Brett
Lenore added enchanting old wooden bins close to the mudroom entry to put away her sons’ sports gear and arrange other clutter. She also installed a skylight — the only one in the house — in this area. “A lot of my clients are drawn to skylights, but they really tend to flow and create a great deal of heat. The positioning ought to be thought through very carefully,” she says.
Colleen Brett
A small powder room is conveniently located off the mudroom. White classic milk bottles remaining ledge of wainscoting put high on the wall.
When it arrived to flooring, Lenore prioritized practicality without sacrificing flair. “All these slate-looking tiles are in reality porcelain and are amazingly durable. You could drive a car ,” she says. “My boys give them quite a beating, and they are still in great condition.”
Paint colour: Glenwood spring, MAB
Colleen Brett
Flea market finds are stacked up next to the brick entryway fireplace. The fireplace, used frequently during the wintertime, is surrounded with decorative tilework. The patterned William Morris background over the mantel is used in other rooms throughout the house to give a nod to its traditional roots.
Colleen Brett
The Arts and Crafts–fashion dining area is adorned with flowery William Morris wallpaper and wood paneling.
Dining room place: J Z Horning Table & Chairs
Colleen Brett
The master bedroom is also decorated with William Morris background, and houses an oversize antique wooden desk. The desk has been a gift to Marc, who’s very tall and desired an extra-large workspace.
Colleen Brett
One of the advantages of moving into a house with additional bedrooms is it’s easy to turn you into a remarkably large walk-in closet, such as Lenore and her husband did in this area.
Colleen Brett
Glass-front doors open into the master bath. The doors, first to the house, led straight to the hallway prior to their remodel.
Paint: Small Sparrow, MAB
Colleen Brett
In the boys’ area, Lenore allowed herself to experiment with all playful, bright colours, knowing that the commitment is temporary. She purchased the bunk beds at an unfinished-furniture store and painted them cobalt blue.
Wall paint: Hugs & Kisses, Benjamin Moore; rug: Colin Rug, Pottery Barn Kids
Colleen Brett
As an architect, Lenore works largely from her home office, which is perched on the third floor, looking out over the front yard. The area is cozy and quirky, and gives her private space to work in peace.
Paint: Blue Marina, Glidden
Colleen Brett
The backyard is one of the very relaxing, relaxing and ecofriendly places in the house. The patio is covered in a coating of recycled tree bark. A gas-fired fire pit has ample seating.
Outdoor sectional and cushions: Chesapeake Low Platform, Pottery Barn; flame pit: Potted
Colleen Brett
Lenore constructed this shed to store outdoor cushions and accessories. Reclaimed wooden doorways from Old Home Parts were flipped to show the more interesting, weathered side of the timber. The small roof is coated with a low-maintenance, lush backyard from Live Roof. The dwell roof adds texture to the roof, absorbs warmth and helps mitigate water runoff.
Colleen Brett
Now the majority of the remodel is completed, Lenore (shown) plans to appreciate her household’s oasis. But there are a couple items on her home-project horizon. “First, I’m going to repaint every area,” she says. “Together with my children in the house, the repainting will probably never end, however.”