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In what was originally the library, the second owners of Groveland hired McMillen, Inc., to complete some decorative work in the 1950s. It is believed the hand-painted ceiling paper, custom paint and gold-leaf detail are the product of Eleanor McMillen Brown or her peer, Sister Parish. The French brass inlay and bronze doré cartonnier writing desk with white marble clock and bronze cherubs — a gift to Sam Douglass — was installed in three separate pieces. Above the desk, a limited-edition landscape watercolor painting by HRH the Prince of Wales. To its left, a photograph by Sam Preston, Sam Douglass' grandfather. Antique Persian mahal carpet (Sultanabad), circa 1890. Paula and Sam Douglass at home in the sunroom of the historic River Oaks home they've named Groveland. "I get asked all the time, how did I even know about the house sale. And it was because of a relationship I had with their daughter," recalls Paula. tweaks that weren't true to Briscoe's vernacular. The property, originally built for the Paddock family, was purchased by the Stranges in the early 1950s before it passed to the Harrisons. "A lot of the renovations, in terms of bringing the house into the 20th century, were made during [the Stranges'] ownership because that was the time in history when elevators, central air and heat came into existence," Paula notes. One of those changes, which Paula and her crew went to great lengths to freshen, was the library — or, as the owners call it, the Green Room, in reference to its marvelous bright hue. In person, it resembles the creamy flesh of a perfectly ripe avocado. "The original paneling was antique pine, so this particular shade of green is representative of interiors done by the New York decorating firm McMillen, Inc., in the early '50s," Paula says. "Gold leaf was very much a technique and application used by either McMillen founder Eleanor McMillen Brown or her peer, Sister Parish. Essentially we only restored it." As for touches such as the luminescent papered ceiling that recalls the Fortuny printing process, Paula notes, "I respect the art form so much that we did not want to destroy that." While the green room might not have required an exhaustive renovation, the rest of property, which had been uninhabited for several years, certainly did. Serving as project manager and full-time contractor, Douglass Interiors supervised the three-year completion of the project. "I didn't know how long it was going to take to restore it," Paula admits. "There were many, many surprises; however, Groveland has truly been brought back. She's in a better state now than her original condition." Paula worked with all of the disciplines, from structural to decorative, employing teams of skilled artisans. "If you were to take all the walls off and go down to the studs, you'd see how beautiful all that work is as well," she says. "I'm a very detailed-oriented person and have always subscribed to the very highest standards of quality in anything I've done." Consumed with creating the most aesthetically pleasing footprint, she labored to do what few would even consider, from relocating unsightly air-conditioning units to a concrete slab specifically built for them behind the carriage house to burying miles of electrical, plumbing and gas lines deep underground. And did we mention the historical accuracy with which she not only restored the gardens but added to them? She faithfully followed the plans of Bayou Bend–era gentleman Pat Fleming, who originally laid out Groveland's gardens. The devout believer even requested that the Rev. Larry Hall from The Church of St. John the Divine bless Groveland and all who pass through it — once before work ever began and again after it was completed. "Actually, I have blessings for all our projects before we start, and we bless the crews," Paula says. "No one during this three- MARCH | PAGE 41 | 2012 year project was hurt, we had no illnesses." Like the other homeowners who came before them, the Douglasses added something of their own to enhance the property. "Our contribution to the Groveland project is Raffles [a structure between the main house and the carriage house, named in homage to the great colonial hotel Raffles in Singapore], the outdoor kitchen, the pools, the creation of the east garden, as well as the Christos garden," Paula says. Intimate in size and scope, Raffles is where the family casually unwinds to watch movies and football and entertain alfresco. "This is a lovely home that's been very kind to us," she says. "This house has taken care of a lot of people. It has allowed us to have a family in a wonderful, healing environment. I'm forever grateful for that … I think every home should always, if possible, accommodate the needs of family and friends so they can always feel welcome — a warm and inviting respite."