 |
Design for a Carved Oak Panel by John J. Tackett.
One of a series for the Lodge of an Architectural Enthusiast.
Greenwich, Connecticut.
John Tackett Design
|
In some respects, it seems like only a short time since founding my own firm twenty-five years ago. Despite an enviable position at the legendary Parish-Hadley Associates, the time seemed right at the end of the summer of 1987 to go out on my own. There were many factors to be considered, of course, and just one was the boom in the demand for design services for high-end residential projects, my specialty.
 |
Townhouse Renovation.
Drawing by Paul W. Engel and John J. Tackett.
John Tackett Design. |
Fortunately, it was just a short time after sending out announcements of my new venture that the phone started to ring. The first call was from a couple with small children who had tired of their Manhattan penthouse duplex in a modern building on the East River and had bought a splendid Georgian Revival townhouse on a relatively quiet, tree-lined block on the Upper East Side. Besides having some notable, traditional architectural features, it was wide, a 'double-wide' as we say in the South. Originally two typical 1880s townhouses, they were joined in the 1920s and given a make-over in the classical vocabulary of the day. My job was to bring all the systems up to date, create a new kitchen, service areas, and bathrooms in keeping with the Georgian theme, and improve some of the earlier detailing. It was a great job, lasting almost two years start to finish, and an auspicous start for
John Tackett Design.
 |
Park Avenue Apartment Renovation.
New Panelled Dining Room/Library.
Interior Design by Bunny Williams.
Architecture by John Tackett Design.
Photo by Billy Cunningham for Architectural Digest. |
More about this townhouse project and others that followed will be presented in future posts of The Devoted Classicist. Some projects have already been featured and may be viewed by clicking on
John Tackett Design Portfolio in the LABELS list in the right-hand column of the standard web version of this blog. And for resume information, see my second blog post
"A Bit More About Me".
