- You've heard of the horse whisperer? Trevor Compton is more of a house whisperer.
The local interior designer says often, a house "speaks" to him about the kind of decor that suits it best, like his own, flat-roof, 1950s home, in which he found the perfect showcase for his collection of art deco furnishings and collectibles.
While art deco dates from the 1920s and '30s, some 20 years or more before his own North Glenora house was built, Compton has found the perfect marriage of the two in the clean lines and architectural esthetic they share.
The art deco movement encompassed a range of styles over those years, from soft curves and flowing lines in the 1920s, evolving into a harder, more architectural look in the 1930s, he says. His collection spans the gamut of styles.
His 3,000-square-foot house, which he bought seven years ago, was built in the art moderne style by a local architect for himself and his family. "He would have trained in the '40s, when they still would have had that art deco esthetic, but he did all kinds of things that were new at the time," like adding double-glazed windows, weeping tile and insulation, says Compton.
"I've tried to restore it, rather than renovate it. The house really spoke to me. It said art deco, kind of a Hollywood glamour," he adds. To that end, he's included geometric, leaded-glass inserts in the interior doors and had a matching glass panel made that runs along the side of the main staircase.
His furniture, decorative glassware, clock collection and many other accents are all art deco, amassed over many years of searching here and in Montreal, where Compton used to work as the head of display for the Eaton's downtown store. Since returning to Edmonton in 1991, he's worked at Finesse, Hothouse and now, at Cottswood Interiors as a design consultant.
"I go to lots of clients' houses and sometimes they want to imprint their style on the house and they don't allow the house to speak," he says. "Sometimes the house speaks a language that's quite definite as to what kind of style it should be."
He recalls one woman in a flat-roof house like his who had decorated the home in a Victorian style. "It was such a jarring disconnect between what the house style should have been and what it was. She actually did the house a disservice."
But that doesn't mean a particular house can take only one style of decor, he adds.
The prior owners of his house had decorated it in an ultra-modern, almost space-age style that worked very well in the home, though it was built more than 50 years ago.
"This clean-line esthetic can take an art deco look, it can take a '50s look, it can take a really contemporary look. ... This era of house was really a kind of chameleon for lots of design styles that would come after it was built," Compton says.
The house has been modernized in many ways, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms. Compton has also changed the doors and windows, but has tried to maintain the same graphic, clean lines of the house.
He has also added beautiful outdoor spaces, including a "plaza" on his front lawn that includes gorgeous landscaping, a water feature, sculptures and outdoor furniture. On the second floor, a large balcony includes a smaller water feature and a dining area.
"It's a real entertaining house," says Compton.
His modern kitchen opens to a large dining area and living room. A second, smaller and more intimate dining room used to be the owner/ architect's office. Now it's filled with an art deco dining suite and collectibles.
But soon, Compton hopes it will take on someone else's personal style, as he's selling his home and downsizing to a condo.
Our thanks to :
Marta Gold, Edmonton Journal
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