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FeedLabor of Love
Newlywed builders inspire blended bliss in Gladwyne.
Photos by Matt Wargo Published September 23, 2009 at 04:03 PM
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He is the builder with the global vision. She is the finisher with an eye for exquisite detail. Talk about a marriage with a concrete foundation. 
The fruit of their union—or unions, as it were—is a French country home that skillfully weds their professional talent and personal aspirations. Call it the ultimate expression of blended bliss.
The house the couple came to build is a fully customized, resort-worthy adult retreat. Every square inch of architect Fred Bissinger’s blueprint is purposefully executed to accommodate, celebrate and indulge their specific tastes, and the life style they share with their two superbly trained canine housemates.
For interior designer and close friend Michelle Wenitsky, the patter of those medium-size paws was a welcome change from that of little feet and the grimy little hands that can go with them. Unencumbered by the dictates of a young family, Wenitsky had carte blanche to create an upscale, chic, decidedly less kid-friendly environment in which to showcase the recently married pair’s vast collections of artwork and furnishings. “I think the goal for them was to incorporate all of the unique treasures they’ve collected in their travels,” she says. “He had some; she had some—so the house really is a blend of both of their tastes and personalities. Their large paintings and sculptures work really well with the scale of this house.”
Case in point: Three huge freestanding blown-glass pieces, called “cocoons,” make a stunning statement the moment you walk through the front door. The stemware, by local artist Steve Tobin, is designed to represent the human body. “They were made in Venice and are the largest blown-glass pieces in the world,” says the homeowner. “I went to his Bucks County studio and just fell in love with them.”
Tobin is one of an elite group of locally and internationally acclaimed artisans represented in a home that includes hand-carved mahogany doors by Scheel & Sharp, custom crafted fabrics and wall coverings—one actually studded with authentic Murano glass beads—and a variety of furniture designed and built by Argentinean craftsman. 
Dynamic and sophisticated, Wenitsky’s colorful backdrop incorporates deep aubergine in the dining room with a red-and-gold entryway and an upstairs hallway of teal green. If those walls could talk, they’d be chatting enthusiastically about their evolution from boring to bold.
“Initially, we picked colors for the entire house that were very light and very soft and very safe,” recalls Wenitsky, who gently and subtly nudged her clients out of their color comfort zone. “Once they saw the drama unfolding, they began to embrace the concept of a stronger, less neutral palette. And now they love it. The walls are more than just background—they’re part of the story.”
And though the tone of that story is definitely Old World European, it’s far from a gothic novel. There’s nary a tapestry or gargoyle in sight, jokes Wenitsky, who opted instead for an ambiance of light and airy elegance, juxtaposing French and Italian antiques with the couple’s more modern artifacts. “Mixing styles keeps a room fresh. Everywhere you turn, there’s something interesting to look at,” says Wenitsky. “If you stay too strictly to one style, it becomes boring and expected.”
Like the life-size wood sculpture by Wolfgang Behl that anchors the party room, a huge space divided into several cozy furniture vignettes better facilitates intimate conversation—whether entertaining a crowd of five or 25. “Splitting the seating arrangements worked out really well,” explains Wenitsky. “If they have a few people over for cocktails, they have a reasonably sized sitting area. Nobody is shouting across the room.”
