Creating artful interiors

This single room gives a glimpse into the unique skill set that Chase Ryan brings to interior design projects.  Our clients came to us with the desire to do something with an unused space but weren't necessarily sure how it could best serve them.  After talking with them extensively about their lifestyle and family habits, we encouraged the idea of transforming this space into an old world pub that would be perfect for entertaining their friends.  It would need to be cozy enough to feel comfortable but not too delicate, and yet still have the sophistication they appreciate.  In order to achieve the finished look imagined by Chase Ryan, we started by addressing the architecture challenges in the bare room photos shown here.  Our client's primary requests were that they get incredibly comfortable seating and a full size bar. 

Based on historic pub looks and the feelings absorbed from the ambience when in them, we decided it was necessary to remove some of the natural light from the abundance of windows and add a fireplace to create that feeling of comfort that classical pubs exude.  After the layout changes had been selected for the fireplace and full size bar, we began to design the architecture from the ground up.  One of our greatest finds was the brick pavers that were removed from an industrial building that was centuries old in upstate New York.  The stories these bricks have can be seen and touched as you walk down the hall leading into the pub itself and instantly make you feel at home.  In order to pursue an authentic pub look, we decided it was necessary to remove the tumbled travertine flooring and selected hand carved Oak planks up to 16' long custom milled per our drawings.  After this flooring went from imagination to reality, we decided it was necessary to bring the 200 year old brick and inlay it into the border of the room to enjoy both elements simultaneously.

Once we had completed the flooring design that would visually ground our new pub, we began working with the walls to get the proper texture needed to create a fitting backdrop.  Continuing with historical accuracy, we chose to use a classic pine bead board panel for use above the baseboard up to a slightly taller than average chair rail.  Upon completion of the bead board, our generational finishing craftsman distressed every square inch of the bead board to match a sample we had pulled from an old English bar.  From the day we revealed the pub we wanted to make sure it looked like it had been created centuries ago and was simply waiting for someone new to appreciate and care for it.  

In accordance with middle age history, it was necessary to give the wall above the bead board and chair rail a chance to make a statement of its own, so we found the perfect wall covering of a hand drawn map.  The map sample was a little lighter for the space than we wanted so after installing, we used the age old technique of tea staining to darken the wall covering and give it a slightly splotchy look.  As we continued up the architecture of the walls, we elected to give all trim in the room including base boards, door and window casings, and crown moulding the same distressed texture that the bead board now showcased.

Moving to the ceiling, it was essential that we add oversized timbers for beams to give us a visual depth and then we designed a custom finished tin to give us a beautiful copper ceiling to accentuate the depth of the ceiling even more.

After completing the flooring, walls, and ceiling we then turned our full attention to creating a fireplace that anyone who stepped into the pub would not soon forget.  It was crucial to the design to complete the main facade out of the historical brick from New York and so we started with that and allowed the brick to tell us what to do next.  While looking at the shapes and textures of each paver used to create the fireplace facade, it became apparent that we could not use a traditional mantle that would be cut perfect to the fireplace.  It was then that we realized we would need to find an antique to repurpose that would honor the historical value of the pavers and even add to the authenticity of them.  

In searching for this antique, we traveled to the antique show at the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, North Carolina in hopes to find the perfect piece.  While scavenging through over 250,000 square feet of antiques, we came to a dead stop in the basement of the old Market Square building, standing in the middle of the aisle, in a booth no larger than 10' x 10'.  There were the most beautiful spindles and deck railing from a Tibetan ship thought to be from the early 1800's.  To our amazement, not only did they have the natural character and intricate carving we had already decided to add to the full size bar, but by using the two spindles as columns and the deck rail as the mantle, it was only 2 inches larger than our fireplace design!  We immediately purchased the pieces and had them shipped back to the residence so we could begin installing our latest find.  

Once we had the spindles and railing installed to frame out the fireplace it became evident that the scale was just a little off.  The wood was not holding its own ground against the brick.  While looking at the unfinished design, we decided to have 2 panels carved with comical pub scenes into the wood to continue to add history and also a sense of humor to the permanent structure.  Once these were completed and installed it was truly complete.  It was simplistic yet historical and classy but comfortable.

Now that the fireplace was installed and ready, we knew that the bar was going to have to be magnificent in order to demand the attention it deserves in this unforgettable pub.  This ended up being one of the easiest pieces in the room because on the same trip to the furniture market in High Point we found a manufacture who had just transformed some of his showroom into an English pub.  He had already designed a full size restaurant worthy bar and it was exactly what we needed to adorn this pub.  We ended up only making a few tweaks including having 10 Gargoyles carved to add to each of the bracket supports on the bar.  This would give us a more dramatic feel to the intricate relief carving on the bar itself.  Once we outfitted the bar with world class modern appliances it was evident that the backdrop was almost complete.  

Now that we had created the perfect room to drink in, we thought it was important to create the rest room that would need to accompany it.  Inspired by classic whiskey barrels we decide to make the room feel as if you were literally stepping inside a life size barrel.  We were able to locate a decommissioned whiskey barrel and decided to use this as the vanity itself.  Then we went about securing hand selected cedar planks to line the walls with.  After lining the walls from random matched planks, we added the architectural element of leather wrapped planks with oversized nail head spaced along them.  This gave us the feeling of the steel straps that were used to hold whiskey barrels together while adding another element through the leather that has a softer visual feel.  We now had the perfect bath to compliment an old world pub.