The dining room features a bold wallpaper by Schumacher, deep green walls, a contemporary dining table, and Baker chairs recovered in an Ikat fabric.
When it came to their newly purchased Grosse Pointe Farms farmhouse, homeowners Veronica and Iain Andrews gave designer Annie Kordas just one request. “We wanted it to have a Ralph Lauren vibe,” Veronica says.
Kordas was more than up to the task and translated the homeowners’ request into dark, moody colors; equestrian-themed wallpaper; and a mixture of antique and contemporary pieces. “I appreciate things that are old and have character,” Veronica explains of her affinity for antiques. “I love things that have a story behind them.”
Custom tortoiseshell-painted molding by artist John Kline, new furnishings, and an upgraded built-in bar finished the sitting room perfectly.
The couple moved to Grosse Pointe from Chicago in 2022. The four-bedroom, 3,000-square-foot farmhouse, built in 1900, was the first house they looked at. “We were told it was one of Grosse Pointe’s 10 original ribbon farms and that it was moved from Jefferson Avenue in the 1950s,” Veronica says of the home’s history.
At the time she and her husband purchased it, the house had gone through a number of renovations over the years, and several additions had been joined to the original one-story structure. Kordas helped the couple redo three of the original first-floor rooms located at the front of the house, including the sitting/living room, the dining room, and the office/den.
Designer Annie Kordas (seen above) loves to give the rooms she designs a collected feel which was masterfully accomplished in this chic home.
One of the toughest challenges, the designer says, was the sitting room’s dated paneling. “It was choppy and in rough shape,” Kordas recalls.
“We talked about drywall,” Veronica adds, “but we eventually decided to embrace the history and the imperfections” by painting the paneling black (Benjamin Moore Onyx). Doing so, Kordas says, turned the negative feature into a positive, especially with the addition of a custom tortoiseshell-painted molding by artist John Kline and all new furnishings. The room’s built-in bar was also upgraded and has become a homeowner favorite. “We love having a nightcap in here,” Veronica says.
The dining room also features a carefully curated mix of old and new, including a bold horse-themed wallpaper by Schumacher, deep green walls (Regent Green by Benjamin Moore), and a contemporary dining room table and large landscape by Saugatuck artist James Brandess, which the couple brought with them from Chicago. Baker chairs were recovered with an Ikat fabric to mimic the pattern in the drapes. “I love how they mirror each other,” Kordas says. The clubby den was modeled after The Polo Bar in New York but includes a few surprises, such as floral chairs from Judy Frankel Antiques.
The den was inspired by The Polo Bar in Manhattan and includes surprises such as chairs from Judy Frankel Antiques.
Mixing old and new and recovering vintage pieces is a big part of Kordas’ style. “I like to use older things and refresh them and put them in a new context,” she explains. “I want my spaces to look collected over time.”
The home’s darker public rooms lead into more private areas, including the kitchen and family room at the back of the house. “I like how the darker rooms transition to light,” Veronica says, adding that she also likes the rooms’ mix of masculine and feminine feels.
Kordas calls it a balancing act. “We made sure all of the spaces are synergistic,” she explains. “The rooms aren’t big, but they’re so special.”
|
|
|
