Eastern Residence

From its inception, this complex project was about combining the sensibilities of past eras with several different period styles to create an interior that is gracious and somewhat grand, yet comfortable for family living. In addition to pragmatic considerations, the clients expressed a love of gardening and landscape, and admiration for the rambling houses of the 1920s and 1930s in the Main Line outside of Philadelphia, with eclectic architectural styles. "I took this as a cue that a broad range of design periods should be considered," says Hayes, adding, "The key and difficulty is to combine this concept with contemporary living… There was an economy to their overall design that allowed the inhabitants to sense spaciousness and luxury without the emptiness and coarseness that can be present in residential design and culture today."