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Vibrant color, brilliant white walls and a John Richard chandelier give the dining room a thoroughly fresh attitude.
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Gibson found the magnificent Venetian mirror in the entryway while traveling in England.
Sometimes, when you step over the threshold of a living space for the first time, you just know you’ve found a home. It’s that moment when your heart and head persuade you to take a chance on a new adventure. Such was the case for Dana Gibson and husband Mark Longenderfer when they bought a Ginter Park treasure in 2018. They fell in love with the scale and simplicity, the abundance of light, and the fine craftsmanship of the Colonial Revival house and its imposing Ionic columns and tiled front portico.
“The architecture offers a splendor I saw when I was younger … a grandeur. I wanted to inhabit that beauty,” Gibson says.
The house was designed in 1912 by D. Wiley Anderson for the Burton family. “He designed fancy, kind of ostentatious houses in the neighborhood,” Gibson says. “Ten to 15 years later, that style was no longer fashionable.”
Pairs of double-hung windows topped with fanlights, 11-foot ceilings, spacious parlors with pocket doors, a sun porch with a painted tin ceiling and tile floor, wavy window glass, and a chiming doorbell are all vintage details that make it extra special.
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Dana Gibson and her dog Paco. The crystal chandelier and pier mirror are original to the house.
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In the sunroom, blue and white fabrics from Gibson’s collection pick up the blue in the original tile floor.
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Originally known as Burton Manor, Gibson’s house was designed by D. Wiley Anderson in 1912.
The house was perfectly suited to the couple’s passion for home renovation. Longenderfer is a contractor, and Gibson is a designer and artist, and both have lent their talents to every home they’ve occupied — and there have been quite a few.
“We are project people,” Gibson explains.
“My husband builds, and I design.” From cottage-like dwellings to a suburban split-level, they have successfully tackled a range of design challenges in the last two decades.
Gibson’s overarching mandate as she begins each new project is simple: “Your house should make you happy and comfortable when you walk in,” she says. “It should reflect who you are and have a joyful aspect.” To achieve that goal, she takes her cues from the house, admitting that she tends to begin with lots of enthusiasm.
“One idea basically sparks the next. ... I start with neutrals, and then start layering.” —Dana Gibson
“I go full steam ahead, and Mark holds me back,” she says, laughing.
Without a set plan in mind, Gibson says, “One idea basically sparks the next … I start with neutrals, and then start layering.” She emphasizes how important it is to “see how light falls in a room” before choosing paint and fabric colors. “I’ve made a few mistakes. I painted the dining room hospital green and hated it. White walls brightened up the space, lifting a load off my shoulders.” She’s still not sure about the coral color of the room’s coffered ceiling but has resolved to leave it for now.
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Layers of color and pattern run from the kitchen to the front of the house.
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A portrait of Parthenia Gibson, the designer’s grandmother, by her great-grandfather Charles Dana Gibson hangs over the kitchen fireplace.
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The half-canopy bed in the master bedroom is draped with fabrics from Gibson’s collection.
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A vintage ironstone washbowl and a time-worn console serve as a sink and vanity for the powder room, papered in Gibson’s “Grackle” design in green.
The great-granddaughter and namesake of renowned American artist Charles Dana Gibson, Gibson channels her own creativity as a home product designer of cheerful, preppy chic lamps, wallpaper, chairs, stationery, fabric, accessories and more. Though pieces from her collections could easily fill all 5,000 square feet of her house, Gibson avoids the showroom vibe by adding patterns and prints of favorite designers such as Peter Dunham, Tricia Guild and Kathryn Ireland.
For some details, Gibson has sought advice and production assistance from interior designer Sara Hillery, who helped make one of Gibson’s favorite design elements a reality — the living room’s dazzling pink silk drapes that puddle on its heart pine floors. “I like choosing colors that are light-infused. … I want surfaces to share the light, not grab it. I’m always making sure the color won’t be too heavy,” Gibson says.
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In the patterned parlor, Gibson paired her “Mum” wallpaper with drapes made using her “Botany” fabric in yellow.
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Bright white furnishings and walls in the living room ground the dazzling pink floor-to-ceiling drapes.
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Gibson found the antique painted desk at Kim Faison Antiques. The mirror once belonged to her grandmother.
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An antique portrait, which Gibson picked up at the High Point market, is grouped with drawings by Hunt Slonem, Harold Mesibov and Gibson herself.
Much like the modern updates of traditional motifs in her work, her new home’s interior celebrates contrasts. “I like the complexity of periods and styles and different artistic viewpoints harmonizing.” With enough space to spread out and direct attention to special objects, she adds, “This house is definitely not cluttered and stuffed with furniture, which appeals to me greatly.”
The dining room reflects this blended style where old plus new equals funky. Beneath a modern chandelier designed by John Richard, a well-loved old farm table that was a gift from her grandmother is surrounded by chartreuse chairs. An abstract Aimee Joyaux painting hangs over a wide antique sideboard topped with lamps sporting shiny lacquered blue shades. In the adjacent living room, a pair of bergere chairs covered with bright parrots, one of Gibson’s fabric designs, add to the joyful mélange of color and pattern that exudes a sense of warmth, comfort and plenty of fun.
Reflecting on past houses she has lived in, Gibson says her style has evolved. “Over the years I’ve gotten more bold and daring. I like the energy that opposites create, ornamentation contrasted with clean and spare. That schism and unexpected twists are what make a house memorable.”
