Traditional Design Meets Modern Taste in This Impeccable White Oaks Savanna Home
As it turns out, you can have your cake and eat it, too, at least from a design perspective. This newly constructed abode in Stillwater’s White Oaks Savanna is clear proof of this.
The owners were city dwellers drawn to the natural beauty of the development, a community of 30 sprawling homesites set among 320 acres of rolling prairie and woodland. Their new home journey began with a cordial difference of opinion. One wanted traditional, the other contemporary. They ended up with a blend of both. On the exterior, classic Tudor details, such as sweeping asymmetrical gables, timbers and stucco, create a familiar form, while the interior is open, airy and light-filled — adjectives rarely associated with Tudor architecture.
Photography by Rob Grosse / Spacecrafting
A logical solution? Maybe, but very tough to pull off without looking like a discordant mashup of two very different styles. But the experienced team from O’Hara Interiors, Christopher Strom Architects and Redstone Builders were able to meld the homeowners’ tastes to yield a refined 7,000-square-foot, five-bedroom, four-and-a-half bath residence with a strong connection to the landscape, plus lots of utility.
“This home has pretty architecture throughout, but in the background, there’s a ton of function,” says O’Hara Interiors Senior Designer Emily Anderson. “That’s a credit to everyone from Chris and Eric [of Strom Architects] to the cabinetmakers.”
She and fellow Senior Designer Krystal Kellermann came on early in the process to help wade through the mundane yet crucial tasks: Which finishes will best complement the design of the home? How will both large and small furniture pieces fit seamlessly within each room? Which walls will beds and nightstands go on? How will traffic flow between seating areas? Where will the homeowner keep extra bedding?
“Collaboration at this stage is invaluable,” Kellermann explains. “Not only when selecting furniture, but also in ensuring that all cabinetry is tailored with the design and utility that makes daily life easier for the homeowners.”
Anderson and Kellermann also sought ways to accentuate the architecture and add softness to the straight lines and sharp angles, whether through a variable-length pendant cascading at the center of the triple-height staircase or a curvy bench and oblong sconces in the entry hall.
The homeowners wanted elegance, but they also weren’t afraid of pattern or color. They opted for rich jewel tones that help bridge the traditional and contemporary aesthetics. For instance, the dining room (an alcove off the kitchen and living room) has a saturated teal ceiling and walls that both bounce and absorb light, as well as vibrant chartreuse and burlwood chairs. The effect is like a cozy and inviting shadow box.
In the soaring great room, Anderson and Kellermann selected timeless neutrals for the larger furnishings and reserved brighter hues for the smaller accents. “When it comes to bigger investment pieces like a sectional, neutrals are the way to go,” Anderson says. The duo also filled the great room with fibrous textiles, such as a custom hair-on-hide rug to absorb sound and prevent the 16-foot-high room from becoming reverberant.
To reduce visual chaos in the kitchen, the team incorporated ample concealed storage in the island and along a pantry wall, which helps bring order to everyday meal preparation and entertaining. “This is especially important when you have one large open space,” Kellermann says. Extensive space for cooking takes center stage, with wide counters for food preparation on either side of the range and shelves elegantly hidden behind sliding porcelain panels. Meanwhile, a linear pendant and crisp, pleated counter stools add polish and stylistically connect the space to the living room beyond.
Anderson and Kellermann didn’t miss the opportunity to bring a bit of drama to the second-floor primary suite by lining a wide hallway with herringbone hardwood floors and painting the large closets a rich purple (Benjamin Moore’s Bordeaux Red). A watercolor-inspired floral wallpaper on the ceiling is another surprising touch that enhances the grandeur of the space, an area of the abode that could easily have been overlooked. “We wanted to dress it up, and the homeowners were open to unique elements,” Kellermann says. “We always present ideas we know our clients will love, but we also push them out of their comfort zone a tiny bit.”
The designers also spread their creative wings in the main-floor powder room, a fun little pocket with timeless wallpaper depicting white herons taking flight, a slightly quirky, off-center wall-mounted sink and a minimalist Kelly Wearstler pendant. A little Old World, a little here and now, a lot of fresh elegance — icing on the cake.
Project Partners
Interior Designers: O’Hara Interiors, Christopher Strom Architects
Architect: Christopher Strom Architects
Builder: Redstone Builders
Community Developer: White Oaks Savanna
Window Supplier: Andersen Windows and Doors (E-Series product line)
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