Architect Gil Schafer has a distinct talent for designing houses that look as if they have always been there. He knows the history, the materials and how to infuse a certain timeworn quality into each building. So, he was a natural choice when the owners of the William Gatewood house in Charleston, SC wanted to make their old house look, well, old again.
Built in 1843, the house is a mixture of Greek Revival and Classical revival styles. The building’s foundation and masonry were reinforced and all the brickwork required re-pointing. An elevator was removed from the porch or piazza (as it’s known in Charleston) allowing the windows and archway to be reopened. The porches were replaced on the attached kitchen house and the original doorways reopened.
Inside, all the moldings were returned to their original appearance. A cast-plaster ceiling medallion was duplicated for the dining room from an original in the parlors. and other elements were gently returned to their original appearance.
Window looking onto the piazza.
Tuscan columns on the piazza.
Triple-hung windows in the parlors give access to the piazza.
De Gournay wallpaper in the dining room.
Kitchen house.All photos via gpschafer.com
8 comments:
the man has a great eye a lot's of taste that's obvious. Even empty the house looks very nice.
Thanks for sharing
David
That scene scape wallpaper is phenomenal - it works so well not only on a scalar level, but the varying depths of the broad expanse of walls also gives it a three-dimensional quality as if the room were really inside of the forest. The house is kind of Beatrix Potter does Dixie.
I would love to follow your superb blog. but how? the images are breathtaking and the blog is informative and so elegant. Bravo.
Thanks for your kind comments. I've added the followers gadget to make following easier.
I have only just found you. Marvelous. Thank You!
Great post, I'm such a fan of Gil Schafer. I especially adore the historically accurate pumpkin-colored walls.
Thanks, Ann. I think he's wonderful too.
Great newel post. Isn't that the work of Thomas Day?
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