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50 C o t t o n b a r o n Sheppard King and his wife built their grand estate on Turtle Creek in 1925 with glorious a r c h i t e c t u r a l treasures brought back from trips to Europe, such as doors salvaged from a Spanish cathedral, carved marble columns that once belonged in an A serene MANSION Thomas PheasanT, ArchitecturAl Digest's Dean of american Design, unveils eleganT new inTeriors for The hisToric rosewooD mansion on TurTle creek. By REBECCa ShERman ancient Roman palace, and antique stained-glass windows bearing the coats of arms of British nobility. The Kings lavishly installed marble on the cantilevered stairway and enlisted local artisans to carve wood ceilings and plaster columns. Their stucco Italianate masterpiece was saved from certain demolition by Caroline Rose hunt, who painted it pink and launched her Rosewood empire with the elegant mansion hotel in 1980. Interior designer Thomas Pheasant was inspired by the building's original details for his multi-year overhaul of the hotel, newly unveiled for its 40th anniversary. The original old mansion — which houses the restaurant, bar, and meeting rooms — wasn't touched. "The people who originally built it must have had a fascinating life," Pheasant tells me from his Washington, D.C., offices. "you see all these European bits and pieces and collections they brought back and made their own. The original interiors have their own sense of escapism." Pheasant's redesign is focused in the rotunda, lobby living area, and guest rooms and suites. he likens the rotunda to a folly or gazebo, with an ornate plaster dome carved with cascading vines. The dome was made by Dallas-based Casci Ornamental Plaster, whose founder collaborated on the library's original plaster barrel ceiling in 1925. The new dome took more than six months and 12 master craftsmen to complete. The revamped lobby living room now has ample lounge seating furnished with tables and seating designed by Pheasant. Guest rooms and suites are designed in Pheasant's signature serene palettes of creamy neutrals mixed with muted blues, greens, lilacs, and terra-cotta tones. "The first time I met with Rosewood's design team, I asked them what they were looking for," he recalls. "They put a copy of my One of more than 50 original paintings commissioned for the hotel. The hand-carved plaster ceiling in the entry rotunda is by Casci Ornamental Plaster. Thomas Pheasant designed the light fixture and marble table.