Opposites Attract | Jacksonville Magazine June 2014 home profile

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JUNE 2014 // JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM
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WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU BLEND A LITTLE ROCOCO, SOME ENGLISH
CHIPPENDALE, A DASH OF EXOTIC SOUVENIRS AND A SPRINKLING OF
FAMILY HEIRLOOMS? FOR ONE JACKSONVILLE COUPLE, THAT’S JUST THE
RECIPE FOR FEELING RIGHT AT HOME. words by Juliet Johnson images by Wally Sears
Since 1662, couples have traditionally followed their marriage vows with the
husband saying, “With this ring I thee wed... and with all my worldly goods
I thee endow.” It’s not long before those “worldly goods” multiply until one
or both parties are left asking, “just how much of this do we have to keep,
honey?” It’s no surprise, then, that for many couples, the first therapist they
seek is the interior designer.
The blending had already been done when Alyson and Walter Lee (yes, that Wally
Lee—former 20-year president of JAX Chamber) first moved into a spacious spread
in Glen Kernan. Alyson had plenty of her own furniture—magnificent, large antiques
that had been in her family for generations—tending towards Rococo, French Empire
and English Chippendale. Wally, too, had a wealth of treasures from trips and trade
missions, each significant, each with an amusing anecdote or story. He is especially
fond of chinoiserie. Thanks to the vision (and perhaps mediation) of the couple’s
Above: The colorful and inviting media room is a fun
space for the couple to decompress. The purple walls
are offset by a pair of Penio paintings of New York’s
Central Park (acquired locally in San Marco.) The
elephant, from Thailand, is made from a very dense
wood, and weighs just over 300 pounds. Photos from
a Kenyan safari keep the elephant company; nesting
tables evoke a holiday in Honduras. A neat Chinese
hand-painted red lacquer tower with a mass of little
drawers rounds out the room.
Right: Every painting in the home has a story: one piece
was done by a lady in the same asylum as Vincent Van
Gogh; three pastels are the work of Wally’s sister in
Spartanburg, SC; and a scene of Italian trees recalls
an amusing trip to Italy.
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JUNE 2014 JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM | 129

The outdoor living area takes full advantage of the
view with a floor plan that sees the kitchen and double
living room all open to the dramatic, St. Johns vistas.
interior designer, Thomas A. Ranney, Jr., the home now
seamlessly blends the styles of both.
As retirement loomed, so did the notion of downsizing.
Alyson wanted to head home to San Marco, where she grew
up. Wally wanted to move nearer to Downtown (knowing
only too well, perhaps, that he’d likely not really retire at
all). They watched as Old San Jose On The River was being
built and, when a great floorplan on a second floor appeared,
they knew they had found a home base for their next chapter.
With soaring ceilings and a seemingly infinite river view,
the 2,500-square-foot condo is a dramatic, luxurious space.
Of course, the view and spectacular light don’t hurt, but the
clever placement of the furniture and the stylish integration
of the two collections make the home flow almost as effortlessly
as the river it overlooks.
“The challenge was to rescale the large pieces the couple
owned from suburban living and fit their worldly collections
into a single-story home,” says Ranney, “There just aren’t
the same nooks and crannies in which to tuck things.”
Millwork was added, as were elegant ceiling moldings.
Eventually, the kitchen opening was widened and the dining
room taken out. It was a bold move, but, says Wally, “we still
entertain a lot; the double living room is simply a better use
of space for us.”
Most of the art in the home was newly acquired, as were
most of the lighting pieces; the furniture had been around
for a while, but took on new life in the bright, vibrant space.
Visitors step off the elevator into what was originally
planned as a “bonus room.” It's been designed as a library,
with sofa and chairs and a card table for four. A true morning
room, with heavy silk drapes, this has become the couple’s
favorite room when not enjoying their view on the balcony.
Back inside, an old church bench sits hopefully outside
the vast kitchen. It’s decorated with just one pillow—a long,
fat velvet cushion, plushly embroidered with a dragon—the
Chinese symbol of potent, auspicious power. That it sits
equidistant from Wally’s office and the kitchen is an irony
one should not overlook.
The living room feels enormous and is in two halves. One
half is gathered around a fireplace; the other offers comfortable
seating in front of a silver-leafed screen. The screen’s
primary job is to hide a fire door, but Ranney has created a
striking focal point to balance out and amplify the view. It is
silver leaf on the framing with wallpaper inserts. The effect
is powerful and dramatic.
Poised in front are alabaster lamps in a contemporary
design that lends a sophisticated twist and adds a natural
grounding. The English brass rubbings, hung symmetrically
130 | JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM JUNE 2014

Exquisitely decorated bookshelves were crafted
locally by New Leaf Construction to Ranney’s
designs. Corbels and intricate millwork (which
was glazed and stried, inspired by a Charlotte
Moss Library) lend a custom touch.
JUNE 2014 JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM | 131

above each lamp, offer provenance to the overall exotica.
The master bedroom’s imposing four-poster bed is offset by classic
furniture—all from the couple’s previous house in Glen Kernan. Of
particular interest are the lamps—retrofitted brass tea caddies. The
walls are a deep mossy taupe, contrasted with crisp white molding.
“The disparity in art and color lends an updated feel,” says Ranney.
The linens play off Wally’s grand oriental rug and a mirror that
once belonged to Alyson’s mother, which anchors the opposite wall.
Together, Ranney and the Lees have curated a timeless home
with the perfect aspect for a life-long trade advocate like Wally.
And those “worldly goods” the couple has acquired over the years?
They seem to fit together just fine.
Clockwise, from right: The kitchen is full of stylish surprises: a glamorous
wallpaper is the more durable version of French silk. The ceiling is beaded—
to capture reflections from the water. Portuguese pottery accents break up
wide granite counters; the painting behind the cooktop is an intrepid touch.
A large tang horse raises his head as if to catch delicious aromas and three
strong, comfortable leather stools offer seating; The home is littered with
antiques, heirlooms and pieces picked up on family travels; The back porch
offers a lovely view of the St. Johns River.
132 | JACKSONVILLEMAG.COM JUNE 2014