Virginia-Highland tour home transformed from ground up

Home and Garden

Virginia-Highland tour home transformed from ground up

Nancy Lee wasn't daunted by naysayers when she asked about digging underneath her Virginia-Highland home to add a garage. Contractors shot down the idea, but she and her husband kept pursuing the unconventional idea for their 1920s home.

The bank of windows draws the eye to the pool courtyard just beyond the family room. Furnishings are from Domestic Comfort and Bernhardt.--Text by Lori Johnston

The inside of the fireplace mimics the herringbone pattern used outside. The round coffee table (from Bernhardt) wrapped in black raffia with metal ferrules, centers the room, which has Domestic Comfort couches.

Designer Mariano Montealegre of Urbana Designs plays up the chevron pattern in the antique rug in the pillows, which have the same charcoal gray used for the drapes. The sofa and love seat, in a linen-weave fabric, are from Domestic Comfort.

Evoking the look of a contemporary resort, the pool was a longtime desire for homeowner Nancy Lee. The pool and furniture have clean lines amid the wooded intown setting.

Frontgate furniture surrounds the pool area, which is open to a cabana with a fireplace and TVs.

Brick in a herringbone pattern on the walls in the pool area matches the front of the home. The pattern adds visual interest and texture to the outdoors.

The pool cabana is designed for entertaining year round. The family often watches sports and movies outside, since the cabana is equipped with a dropdown screen, projection system and two TVs.

The homeowners selected countertops for the cabana bar that are similar to the kitchen countertops, to make the outdoor living area appear to be an extension of the home.

The oversized island, with Cambria natural quartz countertops, is a multifunctional zone for preparing meals and homework time for the Virginia-Highland family.

The island is commanding in the kitchen, so the contemporary pendants (from Sonneman Lighting) were chosen because they disappear into the room when not in use. "It really becomes more about the entire room versus trying to draw attention to the island," designer Mariano Montealegre of Urbana Designs.

The family dines in an area that opens to the kitchen and living room. The dining room is furnished with items from Vanguard and Restoration Hardware and an Arteriors chandelier.

Tufted chairs from Restoration Hardware surround a table by Vanguard in the dining room. A chandelier from Arteriors hangs from a ceiling painted Sherwin-Williams' City Loft; the walls are Collonade Grey.

A grouping of chairs from Vanguard and a sofa by Bernhardt creates an intimate space in the living room, which has an Alexa Kong painting over the fireplace. In between is a leather ottoman, also by Vanguard.

Red-hued accessories pop against gray tones and metal elements in the furnishings and accessories. The chairs are by Vanguard; the glasstop geometric side table is from Bernhardt.

A metal Arteriors mirror in a dramatic starburst design stretches out over a wall (painted Sherwin-Williams' Requisite Gray) in the living room.

The renovations to the home included new built-ins by Pogue Cabinets that span the desk and around the office walls.

The master bedroom offers relaxing views the pool and cabana area, just beyond the Juliet balcony. The upholstered bed is from Century Furniture, with a Restoration Hardware fixture and chairs from Sam Moore. The bedroom walls are painted Sherwin-Williams' Pediment.

The Juliet balcony is believed to be an original element of the home; the homeowners recently updated the railing.

An art piece made of natural paper bark and framed brings an organic element to the bedroom, which has an upholstered bed from Century Furniture.

A landscape - labeled Thunderstorms - by area artist Alexa Kong, above a Bernhardt dresser, brings a moody feel to the master bedroom, with walls painted Pediment (a Sherwin-Williams color). The room opens into the customized master closet.

Artisan Custom Closets outfitted the Virginia-Highland home with custom cabinets and drawers for the master bedroom closet.

The master bathroom was already renovated, saving the homeowners from one room they didn't have to redo. A chandelier from Arteriors and tile inlay design adds elegant touches.

The renovations to the home included new built-ins by Pogue Cabinets that span the desk and around the office walls.

Colorful framed artwork leads into one of the kids' bedrooms, painted Sherwin-Williams' Gauzy White.

The four-bedroom, six-bath home, renovated from a Tudor revival to a transitional French country style, is on the Virginia-Highland Tour of Homes on Dec. 6-7. Since 1999, the homeowners have spent about $600,000 to update, expand and add a garage to the 1920s home.

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The bank of windows draws the eye to the pool courtyard just beyond the family room. Furnishings are from Domestic Comfort and Bernhardt.--Text by Lori Johnston

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