Flight of Fancy

A zebra print rug from Saffevieh and black crystal chandelier set a mood of tongue-in-cheek opulence in the downstairs parlor. The grand, mossy green settee recalls the home’s Victorian past; the vibrant green walls and black-on-pink draperies bring the room into the present.  Photo by David Dietrich
A zebra print rug from Saffevieh and black crystal chandelier set a mood of tongue-in-cheek opulence in the downstairs parlor. The grand, mossy green settee recalls the home’s Victorian past; the vibrant green walls and black-on-pink draperies bring the room into the present. Photo by David Dietrich

Many folks believe that old houses retain an imprint — a memory, if you will — of the people who have lived within their walls. If that is true, the Hendersonville farmhouse known as “White Oaks” will remember Don and Jean Greeson fondly. They’re the couple that came upon her in hard times, picked her up, dusted her off and then tickled her ‘til she giggled.

“I grew up in Kansas City and had a wonderful cool old house there,” Jean recalls. “To me this felt like an old Missouri farmhouse in North Carolina.”

Built in the late 1890s as a gentleman’s farmhouse, White Oaks has had many incarnations—including a stint as a tearoom. Don Greeson fashioned the deep blue shutters, which include a discreet “W.O” monogram to honor the structure’s history. Photo by David Dietrich
Built in the late 1890s as a gentleman’s farmhouse, White Oaks has had many incarnations—including a stint as a tearoom. Don Greeson fashioned the deep blue shutters, which include a discreet “W.O” monogram to honor the structure’s history. Photo by David Dietrich

“It was built in 1898 and it’s had updates through the years,” says Don. White Oaks had passed through many incarnations, including a stint as a teahouse. But by the time the Greesons purchased it five years ago, things had reached critical mass: crumpled plaster walls and ceilings, outdated wiring and a crazy quilt of coverings on the heart pine floors. An intimidating prospect.

Fortunately, Don and Jean are a one-two punch when it comes to creating terrific living spaces; a resourceful, can-do team. A graphic artist by training and currently a real estate professional with Beverly-Hanks, Don was Director of Advertising and Marketing for Lexington Furniture before launching his own line of outdoor furniture. Jean, who once owned a lighting company, is now the Greeson in the highly respected interior design firm of Greeson & Fast, known for their imaginative, elegant-eclectic environments.

Jean and Don Greeson with Mary, their 7-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (rescued from a puppy mill) and Buzz the cat. The former screen porch has been converted into a year-round retreat, replete with wicker furniture that once belonged to Jean Greeson’s grade school French teacher.  Photo by David Dietrich
Jean and Don Greeson with Mary, their 7-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (rescued from a puppy mill) and Buzz the cat. The former screen porch has been converted into a year-round retreat, replete with wicker furniture that once belonged to Jean Greeson’s grade school French teacher. Photo by David Dietrich

Before the couple could work their magic on the decor, they had to make the house livable. That meant bivouacking in two downstairs rooms while the renovations were underway. “We did a lot of the preparation and finish work ourselves,” Don explains. “I just swallowed hard and started ripping up carpet and tiles.” They knew when to bring in the specialists, however. N2 Floors handled the refinishing once the boards were bare. Master carpenter Chad Vanne addressed some structural issues; contractor Aaron Burdette of Solstice Construction followed with others.

That still left plenty for the Greesons to tackle. “The foyer was the most intimidating room,” recalls Jean. “We had to sand the entire staircase.” Don handled much of the architectural detail: designing custom tile work, installing crown moldings, refinishing window and door frames, painting a trompe l’oeil skyscape on the ceiling in the den and encasing the dining room in meticulous woodwork inspired by one of the “cottages” in Newport, RI.

Architectural elements in a Newport, RI “cottage” inspired Don Greeson’s woodwork in the dining room. A mirror table from Curren and dining chairs from Hickory Chair sit beneath the elegant crystal chandelier. The drapery and upholstery fabric are from Designer’s Guild. Photo by David Dietrich
Architectural elements in a Newport, RI “cottage” inspired Don Greeson’s woodwork in the dining room. A mirror table from Curren and dining chairs from Hickory Chair sit beneath the elegant crystal chandelier. The drapery and upholstery fabric are from Designer’s Guild. Photo by David Dietrich

And then there are the chandeliers. “I owned a lighting company,” notes Jean, “so I’m obsessive about it. Every room has a chandelier, even if it wasn’t the most practical choice.”

“Jean’s favorite color is ‘sparkly,’” Don quips. The collection ranges from shimmering, diminutive gems in the bedrooms to an enameled wrought iron Italian floral fantasia in the foyer to an over-the-top black crystal masterpiece in the parlor. To Jean’s great delight, Don has ingeniously retrofitted each one with a dimmer. “I come up with some really weird ideas,” she says with a laugh, “and Don can almost always figure out how to make it happen.”

With the framework in place, Jean began to work her magic. “There are a lot of different flavors throughout the house,” she observes. “It’s a farmhouse, but it’s Victorian era so we did do a Victorian feel in some of the rooms. Still, each room evolved on its own, although part of it was incorporating pieces that I already had that I really loved and wanted to live with again.”

The Greesons expanded the functional space of the kitchen by breaking through the wall to the adjoining pantry and insetting the refrigerator. The exposed brick to the right of the sink is the chimney for the home’s original wood-burning stove. Photo by David Dietrich
The Greesons expanded the functional space of the kitchen by breaking through the wall to the adjoining pantry and insetting the refrigerator. The exposed brick to the right of the sink is the chimney for the home’s original wood-burning stove. Photo by David Dietrich

Jean pulled out all the stops and let her imagination soar: “One thing that was fun about doing our own house is that I could try fun and outrageous things that clients might not be open to.” It makes for an exuberant mélange. “It’s certainly colorful, with lots of animal prints and florals,” says Jean. Applying a discerning eye, the designer playfully layers color and pattern in unexpected juxtapositions that are none-the-less harmonious.

Consider the downstairs parlor, a New Orleans-Gothic fantasy draped in pink and black and anchored by a zebra print rug or its counter-point — the wicker-chair sunroom, awash in chintz, festooned with ferns and softened by vintage chenille bedspreads that Jean has cleverly converted to curtains.

Part of her signature style is, indeed, the “sparkly” aspect. Jean’s deft use of reflective surfaces artfully moves light throughout the rooms — mirrored finishes, metallic elements and glass accents add the bling. Everything is embellished, yet the rooms retain an integral sense of order and grace, stopping short going of over-the-top.

The cumulative effect is one of elegance and ease, a flight of fancy that is grounded by down-home charm. “Every single inch of this house has been redone,” notes Jean. Still, the Greesons cherish the history of the structure, even adorning the facade with new shutters featuring a “W.O.” monogram that Don designed.

If White Oaks could speak, it would surely say “Thanks.”

Local Resources: Greeson & Fast Design – interior design; Susan Toumey – wallpaper hanging; Honeysuckle Hollow – tabletop accessories; N2 Floors – floor refinishing; Solstice Construction Co., Inc. – heavy remodeling

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