It would take some serious vision to transform the home, an atrium-centered
villa high in the hills of Orange County, Calif., from a half-built construction site into a cohesive family
retreat. So the owners, John and Monica McEntee, hired interior designer David
Dalton to bring together the somewhat schizophrenic plans—a 10,000-square-foot
residence with architectural roots that were part modern, part
Mediterranean.
The main priority for John and Monica McEntee’s
10,000-square-foot Southern California residence was to make it feel established
yet comfortable. Almost all of the home’s furnishings were created by designer
David Dalton to be elegant for entertaining yet durable for kids. Top: The
focal point of the entry hall is the custom ironwork that surrounds the glass
front doors and features the homeowners’ family initial. Bottom: The piano
in the two-story living room is often played by John and his daughter
Melissa.
The assignment required Dalton to wear two hats: as a designer,
of course, but also as a kind of home therapist, resolving stylistic conflicts
and melding together the family’s need for an environment where they could work,
play and relax. John, a concert producer and music manager listed in the Fortune
500, wanted a sophisticated space where he could entertain his VIP clients;
Monica sought a homey setting where she could nurture her growing family—three
children, ages 17 to 31, and three young grandchildren.
The solution was to marry clean-lined, contemporary furniture
with rustic accents, creating a design concept Dalton refers to as "lofty and
lodgey." From the limestone floors in the entry hall to the wood beams on the
family room ceiling to the Indonesian table in the library, the woodsy touches
kept the sprawling space intimate. The clients’ hankering for texture, rather
than color, also enhanced the warmth. "Some people might think that’s plain or
boring," says Monica. "But there’s so much life in something you can feel. To
me, texture is color."
The Barclay Butera armchairs in the family room are the most popular
seats in the house. "There is always someone sitting in one them," says Monica.
"The family room is the hub of the home."
Starting with a warm charcoal and taupe color scheme, Dalton
swathed nearly every surface with family-friendly fabrics, including an
easy-to-wipe stamped vinyl on the dining room chairs. Then, to keep the
contemporary look from becoming too cool, he punched up the neutral palette with
cherry red and lime green accessories.
Upstairs, in the master bedroom, muted greens take the starring
role, with occasional cameos of aqua. To satisfy the couple’s request for
luxury, Dalton upholstered the main wall with a rich linen velvet. Off to one
side, a curved sitting room filled with teal pillows and a low-slung sofa bench
is known as the "wish room," a serene place where every guest is invited to make
one wish.
In the library, the cherry red leather chairs are easy
to wipe down. "If my grandkids say, ‘Can I sit here and eat my ice cream?’ I
tend to let them," says Monica. Chairs and cabinetry designed by David Dalton.
Light fixture from Ironworks International.
The entire U-shaped home surrounds an open-air atrium
accessorized with lush plants and a votive candleholder that was once part of a
17th-century church altar in Germany. "That courtyard keeps our home centered
and grounded," Monica says. "It has life and big trees, and the candles always
remind me to be grateful."
The homeowners wanted the bedroom to have a beach
house feel, so Dalton chose grass cloth wallpaper and natural hues. Furnishings
from David Dalton. Fabrics from Donghia.
In addition to the unifying center, Dalton was able to keep the
inside warm and snug by creating a generous space for entertaining outside. In
the backyard, a 1,500-square-foot pavilion doubles as a concert stage for the
couple’s numerous bashes, including their annual Christmas party, an event that
last year drew over 1,000 guests. Decked out with side-by-side Sub-Zero
refrigerators, a walk-in pantry and top-of-the-line appliances throughout, the
made-for-catering outdoor kitchen is actually bigger than the indoor one, a
200-square-foot space Dalton purposely restrained to create a homier feel.
The open-air pavilion includes a stage for concerts,
a plasma TV and an enormous outdoor kitchen that accommodates catering needs
with plenty of storage for dishes, a dozen 60-inch round tables, side-by-side
Sub-Zero fridges, two large sinks, warming drawers and a walk-in pantry.
"My main focus when building this place was that it be a home
rather than a house," explains Monica, whose children and grandchildren wielded
quite a bit of power in design decisions. With Dalton’s help, she turned a
storage closet underneath the stairs into a children’s playroom. In the
screening room, small-scale seats are designed especially for the little ones
and outside, there’s a fully loaded playground complete with a slide and jungle
gym. The pool, jokes Dalton, "is like something out of Walley World." Think
fountains, water jets, a giant waterslide and a sandy wading beach off to
one end.
Off the master bedroom, the circular
sitting room with a view of the garden is Monica’s wish room. "I take people
here to make one wish," she says.
The final effect is a playful, hassle-free home that manages to
keep everyone, from the grandchildren to the neighbors (who are invited to drop
in on Monday evenings for relaxed dinners of sloppy joes or spaghetti), coming
back. The suppers, like the home, are made for a crowd to enjoy. "Everything I
do," says Monica, "is family style."
David Dalton Associates, 323.525.3155,
www.daviddaltoninc.com