Tudor home show-off its attitude in style

FLINT — Mary Ryan saw the house for the first time when she was a teenager out for a drive with her parents. She noticed the large, round window and told them, “I’m going to live in that house some day.”

Years later, she heard the house was for sale. She and her husband, Dan, contacted the owners, Mary and Walter Solomon, and bought it before a for sale sign went up in the yard. They moved into it in May 1987.

The English Tudor house sits on a rise surrounded by gardens. Built in 1938 by Theodore and Pearl Curtis, owners of Curtis Flowers, the house had casement windows, four bedrooms, five bathrooms and a solarium.

The Ryans updated the house but kept its integrity. Mary added color, carefully chosen antiques and comfortable new furnishings to create a warm atmosphere throughout the house.

“I enjoy interior design very much,” Mary Ryan said. “I chose the colors, the fabrics, the wallpaper and the paint. The 73-year-old house is quite amazing. We wanted it to be warm, cozy and inviting, and we wanted to use all the rooms.”

The previous owners painted everything white, which was very boring, she said. The house now glows with color, with green walls in the living room, red in the dining room, yellow and white stripes in the foyer and earth tones in the solarium.

“I would not use black, brown or gray in my home,” she stated. “Michigan is much too gloomy.”

They replaced the metal casement windows with energy-efficient double and triple-paned windows. Magnetic storm windows mount inside the leaded windows in Dan’s bathroom and in the solarium.

“It’s so cozy,” Mary said. “We take them down in the spring. This made a significant difference in our energy bill.”

Patterned valances above the windows add color without blocking light. Narrow blinds underneath pull down easily and have no hanging cords.

They replaced the worn kitchen floor with Brazilian cherry and put Brazilian teak in the living room. When they removed carpet from the stairs, they found walnut beneath and had it refinished.

Original mahogany paneling covers one living room wall, behind the walnut fireplace surround. Several oil paintings hang on this wall, centered with a wide framed picture of a canal in Venice. Two comfortable couches flank the fireplace with a large upholstered ottoman between them.

Four of the five bathrooms have the original tile, intact and in pleasing colors. She put in new sinks and countertops. Upstairs, Dan’s bathroom has turquoise tile, faux-painted chocolate walls, and a new glass shower door. His light fixtures came from Restoration Hardware in Troy, where she also purchased train racks to hold towels in the full baths.

A small sitting room has a little Italian chandelier and a dressing table and stool from Barbara Koegel. Mary’s bathroom includes soft green and coral tiles. She added glass cabinets for decorative items, an Art Deco light over the sink and a Swarovski crystal chandelier.

“I’ve always wanted a chandelier in my bathroom,” she explained.

The master bedroom, painted red, overlooks the garden. The walnut marble dresser dates from 1880 and an armoire holds the television.

A guest bathroom has black-and-white tile and Parisian accents. Here Mary hung a sleek black and Swarovski crystal chandelier, with Lalique glass above the sink.

The guest room holds Mary’s collection of Maxfield Parrish prints dating from the early 1970s. Recessed lighting accents the prints, which show the artist’s brilliant use of the color blue.

Dan, an ophthalmologist, uses the fourth bedroom as an office and music room. He plays acoustic and electric guitar and sings with Flint Master Singers. He and Mary are part of the upcoming Flint Community Theater production “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

But the house is a work in progress, Mary said. Two years ago, they created a 10-by-20-foot walk-in closet in an attic space on the second floor. Last year, they painted the dining room red with one wall papered in white-flowered wallpaper.

They renovated the cramped kitchen four years ago, a process that took four months. They gutted four small rooms, creating a bar/office space, a charming breakfast room, and a large modern kitchen. Light pours in through the window above the sink and colorful dishes are displayed in hardwood cabinets.

“I wanted it to look like furniture,” Mary said. “I love the glass doors. With two people, you don’t have to worry about having dishes out of place.”

A frosted glass panel on a side door reads, “Wine Cellar,” and opens to the basement stairs. Another frosted door marked “Laundry” leads to the laundry room and a half-bath.

“I’m a collector,” Mary admitted, leading the way to her extensive collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia in the recreation room. All of the objects are retro, not reproductions. Starting years ago with one colorful tray, she now has clocks, carriers, and large button signs kids once used as sleds. With persistence, she found the right “Coca-Cola red” fabric for the couches in this room.

“I worked hard on the placement of everything,” she said, adding, “I’m through collecting.”

With an artist’s eye and ingenuity, Mary turned the stately English Tudor into a delightfully warm home. She also developed the landscape with her gardening skills. She is active in the Flint Antiques Club, The Art Club and National Women’s Farm and Garden Club.

The couple will share their garden with the public June 2, hosting a fundraiser dinner to support “Growing Up Artfully.” The program, directed by Linda Moxim, allows underprivileged children to attend events at the cultural center.

“This will be the eighth annual fund raiser in the neighborhood,” Mary said. “Last year, our neighbors raised $40,000. We are hoping we can do more.”