DESIGN ON A GRAND SCALE

THINKING BIG

Who would have thought "traditional" could be so, well, so untraditional? Style is in the eye of the beholder, and the eye of interior designer and antique dealer Darryl H. Savage always sees possibilities. Bold versus demur. Yet the striking result is surprisingly comfortable.

When someone made Darryl and wife René an offer they couldn't refuse on their Annapolis, Maryland, home, they began the search for a larger replacement, a house to showcase his decorative talents as well as the treasures they has collected over the last twenty years. He fell for a bedraggled Carpenter Gothic with ten bedrooms and enormous potential. She wanted the amenities a growing family needs to maintain a comfortable, efficient household.

So they compromised. "We took the practical approach, central vac and all," he admits. With an eight-year-old daughter and a son on the way, it was a logical choice.

At first glance the new brick colonial might have seemed less than exciting, but Darryl's creative eye saw far beyond the surface. Timing helped. Since the house was still under construction, the designer was able to have some interior walls removed, windows changed and added, and French doors installed to create a dramatic light-filled space. The stage was set.

No shy player, Darryl like to experiment on a grand scale. Perhaps it stems from his early work in his family's hotel business where he did design and refurbishing for the hotels. "Maybe I'm still thinking in terms of lobbies," he says with a laugh. "I do gravitate toward large pieces."

When he began DHS Designs, specializing in residential work, he soon had a very small shop filled with massive antiques. The effect is arresting. "One large piece is much more interesting than a lot of little things," he maintains. "It gives clients wonderful ideas."

Enter the home of Darryl and René Savage through a dramatic foyer that showcases a concert grand and Napoleon III neoclassical mirror. Catrina Lankford painted tole finials and walls to add architectural interest. Custom painted Niermann Weeks pedestals. Robert Allen linen covers Kittinger ottoman. In living room, portrait (c. 1738) by Charles Bridges is of Alexander Chisolm, a founding father of Charleston. Robert Allen silk covers sofa. Christopher Hyland runner adorns round end table. Gold vases by Ron Dyer. Bronze sculpture by Diane Cary-Thomson rests on 19th-century papier-maché tray table.

The designer's home offers audition space for his original combinations and the "finds" he brings home from antiquing jaunts. His hallmark-light, neutral colors, simples linens, and natural textures-forms a subtle backdrop for fine, often behemoth antiques. One example: sisal floor covering. "If I had expensive oriental rugs with these antiques sitting on them, it would just be too much. The sisal tones it all down, looks more architectural."

This architectural interest crops up often, occasionally mixed with a touch of whimsy. He has used faux stone finishes in unexpected ways. Columns and a number of antique finials offer a hint of grandeur. But an open floor plan, light, and strategic placement provide the foundation. "The rooms here work because I've given the correct space to display beautiful objects," says Darryl.

"I've always preferred a mix," he explains. "I love Classical, Regency, but mixing periods makes a home more livable today. And there's a stability to the traditional that's good for raising a family." In Darryl's hands, the oft-maligned style achieves stardom, combining practicality and drama from a designer who isn't afraid to think big.

Italian 19th-century stone statue, originally bought for the garden, looks right at home with columns that preface the living room. The designer had walls removed to create a 45-foot expanse. Eighteenth-century mahogany knife urns sit atop the mantel, which was designed by Darryl. Engravings are also eighteenth-century. Schumacher silk covers the love seats. Nancy Corzine silk on slipper chair.

Turn of the century bisque continental epergne makes a striking centerpiece on the French limestone tabletop designed by Darryl. Root and twine place mats by Chateau A; Christolfe silverware. Nineteenth-century English mirror hangs above console (1920's vintage), which Darryl had repainted. Antique Chinese celadon chargers. Wall covering by Brunschwig & Fits.

Family room furniture covered in Robert Allen matélassé fabric. Silk check on pillows by J. Robert Scott. Sisal with woven wool pattern by Design Materials. Terra cotta flame finial (c. 1900) stands next to a screen covered with old french wallpaper. Nineteenth-century tabernacle above antique marble mantel is flanked by late 19th-century English brass sconces with etched hurricane globes. Pierre Deux coffee table base supports a hand painted custom wood top. Bowl by Waldo Fernandez contains ostrich eggs.

In the master bedroom, terra cotta finials (c. 1900) punctuate majestic Palladian window and French doors draped in Lee Jofa silk. Summer Hill love seat and damask. Marble-topped bedside table and crystal chandelier are both 19th-century French. Antique lace pillow shams complement Palais Royal coverlet. A 19th-century child has been immortalized via a carved likeness on the Baltimore signature marble mantel.

INTERIOR DESIGN BY
DARRYL H. SAVAGE, ASID Allied
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
ANNE GUMMERSON
TEXT BY LINDA E. CLOPTON