Each one is so unique and different, tailored to the homeowners that have so lovingly created the space to fit their lifestyle and searching for one that matches yours (or at least, closely enough that you can make it your own). Some people want cozy spaces for reading and spending time with family. Others want rooms just for working out, and still others want open spaces where you’re never out of sight from children or parents. When Larry Schwartz discovered his little slice of heaven near Freedom Park, a 1956 ranch home in a cul de sac, he knew it would be a perfect space catered to his penchant for entertaining and his love for family.
“A ranch was the way to go for me,” says Schwartz. “I cook a lot, I entertain a lot. So, I needed something that was conducive to that.” Despite the age of the home, updates had been made, but Larry called on designer Emily Bourgeois to fine tune plans for the home. The team gutted the home, removed the roof and added 2800-square feet to the home, transforming a once closed off ranch into an open home perfect for entertaining. Guest rooms were added along with a bathroom and a media room. The kitchen was widened and a banquet was added for a cozy aesthetic that Larry says has become one of his favorite spaces in the home. “When Emily suggested a booth in the kitchen, I was kind of skeptical because I thought it could be an enclosed wine cellar for when I host parties,” explains Schwartz. “But now, I find I spend most of my time in the kitchen, eating breakfast, watching TV or just reading the paper.” The only thing that remains of the original house is the brick wall in the garage. “I liked the look of the brick, it added some character,” says Schwartz.
The process took around three years, and if you ask Larry, it’s still in progress. He says that the aesthetics grew as he worked more closely with Emily and they got to know each other. “Once we learned about each other, the style evolved,” explains Schwartz. A frequent international traveler, Larry incorporated European influences in the home and even discovered his inspiration for the living room ceiling while he was touring the Cave of Moët in Champagne, France. “I took a picture of the ceiling and texted it to Emily,” he recalls. “I think she thought I was crazy at first, but she made it happen and it really adds some drama.”
Emily and Larry brought in Chris Kudra of The Beauty of Iron to create all the ironwork, handcrafted and created especially for the home. Chris custom made the chandelier, dining table base, sconces, curtain rods and art hangers, and the metal doors – to name a few things. The ironwork throughout the home, coupled with the European feel adds a feeling of unity and provides a flow to the home that wasn’t there in the old floorplan.
For the powder room in the hallway, Emily created a space that’s both functional and fashionable. The mirror-tiled, curved wall leads into a private water closet, while the lounge-like “waiting room” offers guests a chance to have a seat on the bench and take a minute before washing up to return to the party. Hard wood, leather, brass and mirrored tile give the room a swanky look and the paneled door in the wall means you might walk right past it if you’re not paying attention.
When asked what his advice to homeowners would be when renovating a home, Larry offers an audible wry smile and suggests they hire Emily. He quickly adds, “Have a lot of patience and don’t rush. If a house flows properly, almost any design can work, so create rooms that give thought to other rooms.”