Lance Cheney of Richard Neel Interiors had what he calls “a dream job” – designing an upscale gated condo in Esplanade.
The south Tulsa complex features sleek, red-brick, one-story town houses, each accented with great lush greenery and private courtyards that add to the ambiance of these homes.
While the town house made a dazzling first impression on Cheney, he also was excited because the homeowner gave him carte blanche to create the interior design and choose the furnishings.
It’s seldom a designer has a free hand on a project – clients usually have specific checklists of all they want to achieve and often hover over every phase of projects. However, the homeowner in this case trusted Cheney’s instincts and let him take the lead.
To start the design process, Cheney visited with his client at his South Shore gated community. Taking note of the furnishings, Cheney got a sense of how his client liked to live.
“That condo had been completely redone and it was beautiful,” Cheney says. “I suggested he bring 35 of his favorite things to the new town house and get rid of the surplus.”
His client followed Cheney’s advice. He brought a desk, a table, an armoire and treasured family photographs.
The streamlined kitchen, easily accessible from the living and dining areas, features modern appliances and a center island. The spacious living room features a large leather sofa, a hexagon-shaped coffee table and contemporary art. A patterned rug anchors this area of the den. A sectional sofa is ideal for relaxing. The master bedroom has a quiet design scheme. Whimsical pillows add a spark of color. The master bath includes marble countertops, a tile floor and a rug with an interesting geometric motif.
“It was great,” Cheney says. “After every day’s change in a room, he would call us and say, ‘I love it!’ – a very gratifying response for any designer.”
Among the amenities in the town house are an open floor plan with one room blending easily into the next and recessed ceiling lighting. Notable is the specific art lighting accenting the numerous large, modern paintings, adding a dramatic aura to the home.
With 2,000 square feet to play with, Cheney started the project in the den, library and study before working in the living room, kitchen, dining room, two bedrooms and 2½ bathrooms.
The interior pallete is a subtle, masculine color scheme of white, browns and camels. Cheney describes the environment as “amazing, airy with generous spaces and smartly outfitted. It’s a very quiet, masculine space. And the owner is a Tulsa attorney who is very sports-minded and as neat as a pin.”
In the library, Cheney kept the design simple. He added a small chest, modern chair and floor lamp.
“We kept it sparse but comfortable,” he says. “It is a streamlined, simple style. We wanted to know if we were on the right track. We did it all in one day.”
Cheney and his staff were ecstatic when the client called early the next morning to say, “It’s fabulous.”
To furnish the living area, Cheney chose a Chesterfield-style sofa and a coffee table of burled wood. Shelves on either side of the fireplace are filled with art and sculpture. Rugs soften the setting. A large flat screen television is perfect for the owner’s sports interests.
White linen chairs circle the small dining table. The kitchen’s island is perfect for halftime entertaining.
Cheney calls this masculine but sleekly elegant town house “the coolest bachelor pad ever.”
