residential design - showhouses a duo of showhouses: #1 - 2012 MANSIONS IN MAY - A FRESH TAKE ON Neo-TUDOR The Great Hall of a neo-Tudor estate in Morristown, New Jersey becomes a stately room echoing its period inspiration through strategically placed antiques but refreshed for a sit-down-and-relax lifestyle with greenery and re-upholstered classics. Barbara Ostrom of Barbara Ostrom Associates, Inc. took a dark, drafty great hall with towering stained glass windows, a massive stone hearth and exposed timber and brought it into the twenty-first century. Glynallyn, at 12 Canfield Road in Morristown, New Jersey, was built around the turn of the last century by George Marshall Allen to resemble a 16th-century English castle, Compton Wynyates. The result was a warm-toned room grounded by a 15-foot by 25-foot gold-toned Oushak carpet with rich accents of crimson, the complimentary color of green in the leaves of the towering ficus trees and dramatic ambient lighting softened by smaller pools of light provided by table lamps. The nod to the tudor inspiration of the architecture was in the use of a suit of armor in the organ pulpit, tartan chair upholstery and a seven-foot tall wooden duchess once carried in village processions. I had the responsibility of doing the site measurements and floor plan of the 40foot long space in AutoCAD as well as collaborating on selecting and sourcing appropriate antiques from Newell Antiques in Manhattan. As project manager, I requisitioned and met with the electricians who installed the 225-pound three-tier iron chandelier into the 41-foot ceiling, ensuring that dimmers and new floor outlets were also put in place. Researching and visiting nurseries to find the best tall trees and flowers, I also arranged for on-site application of flame retardants to drapery for certificate of occupancy compliance. I met the movers and assisted with installation of lighting, furniture and antiques. Lastly, I arranged for the placement of a baby grand piano, which provided visual interest in one of the more barren corners of the huge hall.
Spring 2012 Principal: Barbara Ostrom • Barbara Ostrom Associates, Inc. Client: Morristown Medical Center
Copyright 2012 Peter Rymwid