Home Section, Canal Knowledge
Winter 2001, pp. 20-23

     Carol and Kevin Darr of Covington became fascinated with Venice when they visited Italy a few years ago. "The trip was magical," says Carol, a photographer, who came home with lots of memories. "We also visited Rome and Florence, but it was the Venetian houses that got me thinking, wouldn't it be wonderful to have a house that paid homage to the grand Venetian villas overlooking the canals?"

     Kevin, an orthopedic surgeon, agreed. "I liked the idea immediately," he says. The couple's dream began to take shape when they found six acres that included a high bluff with water on three sides. "When I told my real-estate agent that I wanted acreage on the water near Covington, he informed me that it was impossible," Kevin recalls. "He said all of the good land overlooking the water is already taken. I replied, 'Just keep looking.' Then, when we least expected it, we heard about some land that wasn't officially on the market. It was just what we wanted: a forest of trees with a view of the Bogue Falaya River."

     The couple immediately called in architect George Hopkins, AlA, of the Hopkins Co. to design their dream house. "Carol had assembled an extensive photo gallery of Italian architecture from their visit to Italy," Hopkins says. "It was an exciting project to build a modern version of an Italian villa on a site that is surrounded by water."

     The result is a Palladian-style villa that takes full advantage of the site. "Like Venice, the property is subject to occasional flooding, so the ground floor was designed to endure rising water," Hopkins continues. "We simply placed the outdoor living areas, including a large screened porch and corresponding open porch, on the first level with a formal entry into the house." "We liked the idea of having the living areas high above the river," Carol says. "It really does feel somewhat like Venice, yet we are secluded by a boundary of beautiful trees that still allows us a view of the water."

     It was Carol's idea to use stone, including the interior lime-stone arches that define the den. "I think the columns add an interesting Italian element," she adds. "I told George that we didn't want opulence," Kevin says. "We wanted the house to be simple in nature, a place where we would always feel relaxed and our children would enjoy growing up."

     Designed in a Greek-cross shape with the stairway, fire- place and a library/reading room at the core, the plan includes a bank of arched windows in the den to capture the breathtaking view of the river. The large kitchen, breakfast room and study/media room flank either side of the den. Both spaces open onto balconies that also over-look the water. On the opposite side of the house, the design incorporates a formal living room and playroom. Three French doors and tall side windows provide plenty of light for the living room, while the nearby family room is ideal for the children. The couple wanted a playroom where their young daughters, Elise and Diana, could keep their toys. "And my study is a perfect place to do my paperwork," Kevin says. "It turns into the media room when we watch television." To enhance the interior, the couple commissioned Vikki Leftwich of Villa Vici to give them casual elegance that would always be mindful of their love of all things Italian. "It's a wonderful house, designed with classic proportions, and it was exciting to help select everything from the colors to the furnishings and accessories," Leftwich says. "We chose the colors by sitting in the space and watching the sun move around the house. We used several shades of off-white, adding touches of yellow or taupe to our palette for just the right effect."

     Leftwich selected classic furnishings complemented by hand-painted Italian pieces. "The sofas in the den are simple and armless," she says. "Nothing distracts from the view, which always has center stage in the house." Elegant silk-taffeta drapes cover the arched windows in the den, while the same taffeta gets a metallic overlay for the drapes in the dining room. A large, Italian-made trestle table, surrounded by two coronation chairs and simple, upholstered side chairs grace the dining room. An Italian imported chandelier lights the room.

     "We enjoy driving down the gravel road to the clearing where our bit of Italy seems to rise out of nowhere," Kevin says. "Our home never ceases to delight us." "I'm pleased that we were able to capture so many Italian architectural features in the house," Carol adds. "The symmetry of it all is very pleasing to the eye, but most of all, our home is comfortable for our family. The view may not be Venice, but it's as good as it gets in Covington.