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R ule one when decorating a Dilbeck: Don't compete with the architecture. A light touch goes a long way, and Vanderford's understated approach is just what the Bluffview house cried out for. "We wanted the interiors to be subtle, and we didn't want to upstage the views," he says. A palette of greens, bronzes, and browns was pulled from the prodigious natural world flourishing just outside the windows, and they made judicious use of the color black as a way to ground rooms with cathedral ceilings and heavy timbers. Custom cabinetry and other millwork add to the house's elegantly crafted feel. "They are casual people; they wanted things that felt elevated and beautiful, but also felt relaxed," Vanderford says. In the living room you'll find rich materials like a bronze and alabaster chandelier by Jonathan Browning; a Barchi rug from Abrash, hand-knotted from soft wool in Afghanistan; Thomas Pheasant's mahogany-and-brass lounge chairs for Baker, which Vanderford says "have a strong sculptural presence, like art"; and an iron cocktail table studded with iron birds from George Cameron Nash that references the wooded landscape around the house. The black-linen sofa and daybed designed by Kara Mann for Baker have unexpected woven leather details that bring a sense of casual, he says. Dilbeck's original living room — a vaulted bi-level space with staircase leading to a pair of bedrooms — is now being used as a dining area. The owners love to host dinner parties, and a bigger table that seats 12 — set in this show-stopping space — makes a dramatic statement for entertaining. Vanderford designed the table's black-marble top and brass base to give balance to the high ceilings and timbers, and he replaced the previous ornate iron chandeliers with lighting pendants by Apparatus that almost disappear into the rafters. "They let Dilbeck's beams be the star," he says. Above: Bernard Quesniaux artwork in the living room is a Paris flea market find. Thomas Pheasant for Baker lounge chairs. Kelly Wearstler floor lamp. Custom cast-bronze table by Philip Thomas Vanderford. Left: The kitchen's white oak cabinetry was designed by Philip Thomas Vanderford. Jonathan Browning light pendants. Magis stools. (Continued) (Continued from page 77) 79