Architect puts his stamp on formerly bland Colonial
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Ryan Indovina in his renovated living room in his Highland Park home. -
An arched doorway leads to the dining room in Ryan Indovina's renovated Highland Park home. -
The spacious second floor landing in Ryan Indovina's renovated Highland Park home. -
The renovated master bedroom with an added bathroom and closet in Ryan Indovina's Highland Park home. -
Ryan Indovina's renovated Highland Park home.
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Every neighborhood could use a Ryan Indovina.
The son of architect Robert Indovina, he grew up in Fox Chapel, joined his father's profession and went to work in Los Angeles and New York. Then, 21/2 years ago, he moved back and began looking for an older house in Highland Park that he could put his "stamp" on without erasing its architectural style.
"Lots of houses had stained and leaded glass and woodwork. There was none of that here," he says.
This solid but mostly undistinguished 1925 brick Colonial had five bedrooms and 31/2 baths but had lost much of its interior charm to the wear and tear of a large family and several misguided renovations. It was the blank slate he'd been looking for.
"It was an opportunity to test out a lot of things I wanted to do."
He made the most of the opportunity, giving each room a clean simple design whose contemporary leanings never overwhelm the traditional floor plan. The project, which cost less than $50,000 because he did so much work himself, is a runner-up in the PG's 2010-11 Renovation Inspiration Contest, small category.
This year's competition, co-sponsored by the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, drew more entries from architects -- either for their own homes or for clients -- than in past years. Mr. Indovina, 29, said he wasn't sure the judges would like what he had done with an older house. But even if contemporary style and furnishings aren't your thing, you'll find much to admire in this house.
On the first floor, the old hardwood floors shine, thanks to his careful sanding and refinishing. New recessed lighting highlights the bright white woodwork, cool gray and white walls and an array of sleek pieces made from the 1920s to the '50s. The second and third floors are similar, except that the furniture is made from old, warm wood.
"I filled the house with modern furniture and old stuff," most bought at auction -- Concept Art Gallery for modern, Dargate Auction Galleries for the antiques.
In the front hall, where a Colonial chandelier probably once hung, there is a 1963 Danish light fixture based on Louis Poulsen's artichoke lamp. In the dining room, old laboratory chairs from Slippery Rock University that Mr. Indovina discovered at Construction Junction were sanded and refinished. They surround a 1920s Le Corbusier glass-topped table with aluminum base.
The living room is a modern furniture lover's dream, featuring chairs by Eames, Breuer and Bertoia. A large oil painting by Robert Indovina fills one wall.
First Published February 26, 2011 12:00 am
