One Man's Folly

The driveway to the estate of Mr. Fulow Gatewood
is lined with pots of hydrangeas.
Photo by Max Kim-Bee via Veranda.

Three great Southerners, each a much-admired acquaintance of The Devoted Classicist, have come together to produce a new book, ONE MAN'S FOLLY: THE EXCEPTIONAL HOUSES OF FURLOW GATEWOOD by Julia Reed (whose home was featured in a previous post here).  Furlow Gatewood, 92, has been an associate in the wildly successful to-the-trade source John Rosselli Antiques for more than 40 years.  Bunny Williams, my friend of over 32 years since our days at Parish-Hadley, wrote the Foreward to the new book.



Phillip, and Italian greyhound, sits in the entrance hall
of one of the guest houses known as Peacock House,
before a 17th-century Italian table below a
19th-century Dutch chandelier.
Photo by Max Kim-Bee via Veranda.

It was Rosselli's wife, the reining queen of decorators, Bunny Williams, who convinced Mr. Gatewood to do the book, according to the article in the March-April 2014 issue of Veranda.  "Gatewood never went to architecture school, but he creates these buildings with fabulous style because he has this innate feeling for architecture," Bunny is quoted to say.  "Then he furnishes them in the most delightful, eclectic way.  He has a real flair that often eludes professionals."


Another view of the entrance hall
at Peacock House.
Photo by Max Kim-Bee via Veranda.

The property near Americus, Georgia, consists of eleven acres with five houses and numerous outbuildings.  Peacock House, featured in the current issue of the magazine, originally began as a dirt floor greenhouse before becoming home for 40 peacocks.


Flush boards face the walls of the living room in Peacock House.
Photo by Max Kim-Bee via Veranda.

Now, with a few rooms added, it is a guest house, although no one has ever slept there overnight, according to the article written by Mimi Reed and produced by Carolyn Englefield.


A bed from John Rosselli fills an alcove at Peacock House.
Photo by Max Kim-Bee via Veranda.



Furnishings from John Rosselli decorate a guest room
at Peacock House.
Photo by Max Kim-Bee via Veranda.

A guest bath at Peacock House.
Photo by Max Kim-Bee via Veranda.



Architectural salvage played an inspirational factor in the design.  Fretwork from the noted West Cornwall, Connecticut antiques dealer Michael Trapp led to the creation of an elegant open garden room.  Porch posts from the Atlanta flea market, Scott Antique Market, set the theme of the gothic gingerbread exterior.


A porch with salvaged fretwork
becomes an outdoor garden room
with furnishings from John Rosselli and Treillage.
Photo by Max Kim-Bee via Veranda.

Architectural salvage was effectively used to give
character to a storage building near Peacock House.
Photo by Max Kim-Bee via Veranda.

 

An earlier article featuring different aspects of the property can be seen on the Veranda website here.

The Devoted Classicist Library
ONE MAN'S FOLLY:
THE EXCEPTIONAL HOUSES
OF FURLOW GATEWOOD
 

The new book, to be released by Rizzoli on April 8, 2014, may be ordered now at a discount at The Devoted Classicist Library here.