Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/184518
An assemblage of found objects and gifts, alongside treasured ex votos ("offerings of vows" given to saints) from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. A smiling face and posh insect enjoy their perch on some of Dailey's many design tomes in the gallery. Diorama by David Simcik; artist's work available at Grange Hall. "It was obvious this space had very special bones, so it was just a matter of listening to what it wanted." – Rob Dailey Opposite page: In the entry, sea-urchin light fixture from Asia Art in San Francisco. Eighteenth-century chair from Ann Koerner Antiques in New Orleans, upholstered in suede from Holly Hunt. Dailey discovered the bowl while shopping Round Top Antiques Fair; it's carved from one piece of wood. Raw-steel pedestal with acid-stained finish, designed by Dailey. OCTOBER | PAGE 39 | 2012 T ackling a dwelling whose interior was preserved in the decorative equivalent of amber requires no small amount of vision, even when said habitat was originally conceived by noted architect Bud Oglesby. Fortunately, Rob Dailey saw the possibilities that lay beyond its 35-year-old façade. And in less than a year, he placed his own unique thumbprint on the two-story town home before ultimately deciding to make like a rolling stone, list his creation and sell it — a feat that only required five days on the market. But the vision and ideas live on in his mind's eye and in these beautiful photographs. "It was obvious this space had very special bones, so it was just a matter of listening to what it wanted," Dailey says. "Granted, it was cool, but I didn't want to do the whole revisit-the-'70s thing." With that in mind, he enlisted the help of David Alkire, a contractor he had collaborated with in the past. One of their first tasks on this particular project involved the original giant curved staircase that dominated the entrance. While it was clearly a unique feature, Dailey decided to replace it with a sleek custom-designed steel-and-white-oak staircase that now leads to a stunning glass bridge that connects the two upstairs bedrooms. The result is a cathedral-like gallery with an air of quiet grandeur. "I've had friends who refer to it as a holy place," Dailey says. Its hush is unbroken by the appearance of an old church pew from his parents. Dailey left the bench outside for nearly seven years to let nature take its course; the beautifully weathered wood offsets the piece's somewhat severe lines, and it now exudes the approachable dignity of a favorite elder statesman. The gallery's overall solemnity is interrupted by the appearance of a happy little message from artist Trenton Doyle Hancock: "Wow, That's Me." Add a weighty table loaded with design books as well as interesting objets, and you have an entrance that captures the depth and dimension of Dailey. It certainly conveys a sense of permanence, but with a sleight of hand and a little pre-planning, the space can be — and was — converted into the setting for many memorable dinner parties. The juxtaposition of vast openness with the intimate tableaux found throughout the home is a Dailey signature honed over his almost 30-year career as an interior decorator. Beckoning from tables, cabinets, dressers and counters, each eyepleasing assemblage includes items ranging from