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Photography by Alise O'Brien
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There's a saying about a beautiful woman that applies perfectly to the new home of interior designer June Roesslein: She's got great bone structure.
The home's elegance goes beyond the lovely decor that is expected of one of the city's top designers. This is a house that will wear well—its design accommodates Roesslein and her husband when they're home alone, as well as during frequent family gatherings that can swell to 50 people or more.
"We're big on tradition. We like to have them all over for Sunday dinner," says Roesslein, who started June Roesslein Interiors 30 years ago. "Them" refers to the couple's six adult children, their spouses and—so far—seven grandchildren, as well as extended family members.
Roesslein and her husband, builder Howard Chilcutt, thought they were past the stage of needing a house. Several years ago, they sold theirs and moved to a large condominium. But as their children started having children, Roesslein and Chilcutt realized they needed a house, not just a home. They wanted a substantial house, but not one that looked too stately. The more informal part of the house was among their first priorities. "We wanted a really big family room and a really big breakfast room," Roesslein says.
Working with architect Dick Busch, Roesslein and Chilcutt laid the house out in zones—a grand hall that's a combination living room and dining room (with space for a Christmas tree, framed by the foyer's arch) and a family room, breakfast room and kitchen that seamlessly flow into one another.
In less deft design hands, the result could have been two barn-like spaces. However, thanks to the skills of a couple with decades of design and construction experience between them, the house in Town & Country is light and airy, but cozy. Plentiful windows and French doors fill the house with light.
The friendly atmosphere of the house begins just inside the front door. The foyer is small, with a not-particularly-high ceiling that rises to a dome, almost like a classical Roman structure. "The feeling is more welcoming," Roesslein says, "than the vast vaulted spaces of so many large new homes."
From there, the house opens to a gallery hall leading to the two wings of the house—the family room on one side and the master suite on the other. The long side is punctuated with archways into the grand hall, which can be seen from the front door.
"I have to have lots of light. I can't function in dark spaces," Roesslein explains. The grand hall, with its coffered ceiling, is flooded by light coming through five sets of French doors. Entering through the more enclosed foyer heightens the drama of the large, open space.
Roesslein and Chilcutt didn't want a separate dining room that, even if it were large enough, wouldn't be as flexible as this room for big gatherings. One end holds a dining table, but Roesslein has the option of setting up several round tables to create intimacy that wouldn't be possible in a traditional dining room.
The other end is furnished with comfortable sofas and chairs oriented to the fireplace. The view from a small balcony opening from an upstairs hall reveals that the space is, indeed, grand.
Another key to the friendly feeling, says Roesslein, is the repetition of archways throughout the house.
"They define the space and that's what gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling," she says, sitting at the extra-long island in the kitchen. From there, she can see the breakfast area—with a custom trestle table that extends to seat the entire family--and into the family room beyond.
The style is French country, a feeling enhanced by the wide archways and thick walls that separate the kitchen, breakfast area and family room. The arch into the kitchen from the hall reveals an extra-deep wall. Not only does it add to the ambience of an age-old farmhouse, but it also creates enough depth to allow the ovens, two refrigerators and cabinets to form a flush facade.
The kitchen is a subtle blend of creams, taupe and caramel. Around the perimeter, the granite countertops are black. The island counter, though, is an unusual cream color that swirls with the natural patterns of the stone. The custom cabinets are antiqued and distressed, a pale gold glazed with caramel. The base of the island is, on the other hand, dark, giving the illusion of its being a piece of furniture. Roesslein chose ceramic tile that looks like limestone because the porous stone would inevitably absorb oils created by cooking.
Light from the large windows plays over the island, which spans 10 feet—long enough for cookie-making parties. "This is where everybody congregates," she says. "I love to cook and have everyone around. People can be in the other room and still be connected to what's going on in the kitchen."
Roesslein's kitchen has everything she needs to entertain: two dishwashers, a six-burner stovetop, a warming drawer and a wine-cooling refrigerator under one counter. The breakfast area is a long, narrow space, with that trestle table running perpendicular to the kitchen island. The family room is just beyond, through another set of double-wide arches. She chose Tibetan area rugs—in two completely different styles—for those spaces.
A large flat-screen television is mounted above the mantel in the family room. It's the most obvious—and most practical—solution to the inescapable design question, "Where should we put the TV?"
In the wing opposite the family room, the master suite creates a third, more private zone on the first floor. (Upstairs, there are three bedroom suites.) Unlike the rest of the house, with its muted neutral colors, the bedroom is a smoky blue and chocolate brown—a classic combination. The window treatments are simple brown velvet curtains. Roesslein came across the bedding, pale blue with a chocolate pattern, by chance while out of town.
"I had looked and looked and looked at fabric and bedding," she says. "I found this in Arizona and I bought it. I knew it was perfect."
The furniture in the bedroom is deliberately unmatched. A classic dresser in a black finish with traditional hardware looks vaguely oriental. A bedside table is actually a part of the same furniture line but looks different because of its natural wood finish. The headboard is upholstered. Two upholstered chairs and a large glass-fronted cabinet complete the furnishings. Again, the feeling is intimate rather than grand, despite the size of the room.
"I like cozy spaces," Roesslein says. "If you have too much space between furniture, there's an aloofness. Size and scale are so important."
The master bath is "not overly lavish," though it has an alcove with a soaking tub. The room's lighting fixtures add both whimsy and elegance. Over the sink and mirror, the light appears to be a rod with delicate handkerchiefs tossed over the bulbs. The main fixture is bolder—a large, fluted Deco-ish shade in ebony and ivory.
Roesslein is delighted by the variety of lighting fixtures available now: "For years, everything was the same, the same, the same."
The master dressing area is reminiscent of older houses with elaborate linen rooms. It's a windowed hallway with a wall of drawers. On either end, there are his and her walk-in closets. Hers is the size of a large bedroom, with room for all her clothes—no need to rotate by season. And his has an exercise bike and television—leaving no room for excuses.
Roesslein thinks couples should share the burden when a house is being planned.
"It isn't fair when one partner doesn't participate," she says. "Then anything that doesn't work just right is laid on the shoulders of the one who handled the project."
Now that the house is finished, Roesslein says she can't think of a thing she would do differently. She and her husband, she says, "were on the same page" when it came to its design. "We always could work together really, really well—and that's critical. Building a home is the second most stressful event after the death of a child. But it can be a wonderfully fulfilling process."
Five design tips from June Roesslein
1. When choosing your colors, try to keep it simple and basic. Choose one basic color and carry it through a number of rooms. In my house, the color is caramel.
2. Add accents that can be changed out—such as pillows, trims on draperies, vales, flowers, and artwork.
3. When choosing an accent color, remember that you should use it at least three times in the same room.
4. The size and scale of the room is critical when you are choosing the artwork and furniture. If it is a big room, make sure what you pick is also large; the opposite goes for a small room.
5. Don’t forget warm and cozy. You can soften the spaces with draperies. Family photos also make it personal. You don’t want your house to look like a showroom.
