This is a guesthouse that would be difficult to leave. The dreamy, romantic bedroom is nestled into the treetops, while the living areas downstairs (below) mix modern conveniences with antiques and midcentury furnishings, like the tomato red Jens Risom webbed chairs by Knoll.
walls maximize Santa Fe’s exquisite light. Not surprisingly, this objective also carried over into the home’s furnishing and art, as conceived by Violante & Rochford Interiors. “We often use a lot of white, because it reflects light so beautifully,” says Michael Violante. “Our sensibility,” adds partner Paul Rochford, “is to mix antiques into most of our environments.” A focal point of the dining room, for example, is a color field painting by Emily Mason (LewAllen Galleries) hanging above a late-18thcentury Gustavian Swedish cabinet. “We like a contemporary aesthetic inside, but we also like old and repurposed pieces,” explain the homeowners, citing the living room’s French fireplace and Tiplady sofas—contemporary takes on the first sofas ever made. These are complemented by two armchairs from venerable English furniture company George Smith. “Antiques give soul to the house and balance with the cleaner, crisper lines,” says Violante, who sources pieces from
As chair of Santa Fe’s Historic Districts Review Board, Sharon Woods understands the intentions that govern the organization’s guidelines—and sees them as opportunities rather than restrictions.
february/march 2015
santa fean
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