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Decorator Pamela Horst of Pillar & Peacock had the Noir entryway bench and its cushion of Moore & Giles metallic leather custom made for the clients over a decade ago. The light fixture is Made Goods, and the colorful abstract painting is from Into Art.
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The fireplace surround in the living room was retiled with handcrafted Clé Tile. The chandelier and table lamps are Visual Comfort, and the painting by Richmond artist Chris Shands and furnishings came from the clients’ previous home. The lumbar pillow fabric is Holly Hunt Watercolored. The rug is Annie Selke.
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The kitchen was updated with paint, new brass hardware and a new plaster range hood designed to bring in a little raw, organic style. The pendants are Visual Comfort, and the bar stools are CB2.
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To emphasize the lines of the Juliet balcony and modernize it without changing the original, Horst specified a single paint color on the stair risers, railing and spindles, and paneling.
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The custom loveseat from Kim Salmela Atelier in the dining nook is upholstered in a Designers Guild velvet. The black Tilda light fixture is Arteriors, the fringed stool is Made Goods, and the wallpaper in the adjacent office nook is by Richmond designer Lindsay Cowles.
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The homeowners had the dining room table handcrafted from reclaimed heart pine wood many years ago. The chandelier is by Made Goods, and the rug is by Loloi Rugs. The painting is by Richmond artist Ed Trask.
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Tucked under the eaves, the welcoming third-floor bunk room — furnished with pieces repurposed from the owners’ girls’ and guest bedrooms — has a relaxed, cozy vibe.
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The coffee table in the family room was designed and made for the homeowners by Richmond artist Maurice Beane about 14 years ago. The chairs are Moss Studio, and the lamps are Visual Comfort.
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The headboard in the primary bedroom was crafted from an old zinc gate with an added panel upholstered in linen. The painting is by Richmond artist Greg Osterhaus, the cerise oak night tables are Serena & Lily, and the sconces are Visual Comfort.
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Like most Fan homeowners, these newcomers have found that one of their favorite places to be isn’t a room at all — it’s the front porch, an important element in the life of the neighborhood.
Families seem to know when it’s time to make a change of address. Life events usually precipitate moves to homes better suited for a fresh start. For one Richmond couple, switching from suburban to city life was inspired by their recently emptied nest and a desire to downsize in a new setting. In their search, they focused on the Fan District and ultimately settled on a classic 1913 Fan house. They saw the typical front hall, double parlors and kitchen and imagined how they could transform their new digs to match their casual lifestyle. With plenty to do within walking distance, they were sold on the neighborhood and purchased the house in 2021.
Above all else, the owners recall, “We wanted to have a great first-floor living space. We love having people over, and we also wanted something that was as open as we could make a Fan house, but still private. We don’t need formal spaces, just comfy and dog-friendly!” Planned alterations were designed to create a place where they could relax and entertain and their grown children could come and go.
To achieve their goal, they turned to professionals they knew well. “We’ve worked with our designer, Pamela Horst of Pillar & Peacock, on five projects. We wouldn’t work with anyone else. She gets us. We love our builder, Mark Franko, as well, and we’re repeat customers. Not only does his company do incredible work, everyone who works for him is so talented and just great to work with all around.”
“When we begin a project design, we always ask clients about how the house is going to be used,” says Adrianne Bugg, a principal partner at Pillar & Peacock who teamed up with Horst. Without making too many structural changes, the team created for the family ample room for a crowd to move from room to room, mingling and enjoying the cheery vibe of the house. “We wanted to make it ‘them’ while honoring the architecture of the house.”
The result is an airy, wide-open floor plan with easy flow from room to room. The first floor is divided into four distinct areas that transition effortlessly from front to back, beginning with a bright entry hall that invites guests in and sets the tone of color and comfort throughout the house. A central aesthetic theme is the combination of neutral walls with splashes of many vivid hues in artwork, fabrics, textures and furnishings.
Adjacent is the living room with a contemporary feel. Traditional pocket doors lead from the living room to the former back parlor, now a dining room. The table seats eight, a detail that emphasizes the family of four’s love of a full house.
Next, the center hallway empties into an area with a combination of purposes that encompasses the entire back of the house. Previously, a door led from the kitchen to the family room, but Franko’s team opened the kitchen’s back wall to expand options for communication between rooms and ease of serving drinks and food. The kitchen’s components, including an island and loads of countertops, are arranged with plenty of space for cooking and chatting.
The family room spans the back of the house, and it’s filled with seating just right for guests or a Saturday-afternoon nap in front of the TV. Football parties and gatherings of family and friends make such a space essential. North-facing windows added in the renovation flood the room with light, and just outside is a wide porch overlooking a private bluestone patio with party lights, lush plantings, outdoor furniture and a table for dining al fresco.
The second floor features a serene primary suite with roomy closet and bathroom. Down the hall is a graciously appointed guest room that rivals any luxury accommodation, a spare bedroom for visiting children and a home office suited for today’s flex work schedule. Especially for guests, the third floor features an enchanting modern take on the old bunk room concept, where children happily piled in together, talking late into the night. In one room that measures the width of the house, beds are tucked under eaves, including two on the front of the house, that each have three little windows offering views of the street below. In all, the charming and cozy, loft-ish room sleeps six.
“We love sitting on our front porch in the early evening and talking about our day,” the owners say. “Inevitably, neighbors stop by while walking dogs. It’s a constant reminder of why we decided to make the Fan our home. The community is amazing.”
