It is always wise to have a well-traveled architect.

Richard Davis is constantly finding inspiration for his work, even when he is theoretically on vacation.  For a project in Springdale, Arkansas, Richard incorporated a concept he gleaned from Donato Bramante’s Tempietto in the Church of  San Pietro in Rome.

The small temple from the sixteenth century is located in a courtyard of the church.  Five hundred years after the temple was built Richard used the idea of the circular loggia to create an ultra-contemporary solarium for his client.

The task presented by the client was to set a solarium in the center of an existing courtyard, formed by the rear porch on one side and existing loggias on the other three sides.

To create this new addition, Richard took the centuries-old concept of Bramante’s Tempietto in the center of a church courtyard and updated it for the twenty-first century. The result is a four-sided loggia or cloister, surrounding a magnificent, bright and airy, nineteen-foot high solarium, encased entirely by glass walls.  The new space provides a light-filled, casual living space with easy access to the pool and the main house.

With glass walls all around, the focal point of the room is the ceiling from which hangs a spectacular, four-tier, Niermann Weeks ” Biarritz” chandelier, which was hand-made with over 10,000 crystal beads.  The chandelier complements the muted Christian Lacroix “Parvenue” sheer fabric that covers the windows. Both were specified and procured by gifted interior designer, Vicki Crew of Dallas.

The ceiling itself is covered with custom-scaled and printed wallpaper, created in Switzerland by Jakob Schlaepfer and selected by Ms. Crew. The “Poppy Corte” pattern was fitted into the domed ceiling in twelve wedge-shaped panels. The mural-like effect features flora, Romanesque scrolls, and a sky motif around the perimeter.

The solarium is reached via a sleek, all-white, glass corridor with dentil molding on the ceiling– an elegant and timeless touch. At the end of the narrow corridor, the color and light of the solarium burst forth with dramatic energy.

With the personal style of the client’s wardrobe in mind, Dallas designer Vicki Crew masterminded the light and elegant furnishings and accessories.

The striking roof of the solarium is clad in copper with a seamed, diamond pattern, trimmed with dentil molding that matches the molding on the interior. The chimney cap on the main house is topped with the same copper as the diamond copper shingles on the conical roof of the solarium.

David Harris Construction and Andi Stephens of Kitchen Distributors, Inc. also worked on the project.
Interior Designer Vicki Crew of Dallas served as interior designer.

RDDA enjoyed bringing a whimsical touch of Italy to the northwest corner of Arkansas.