Story by June Sullivan
Photography by Steve Geraci/Reflex Photo
t has been said that the lily sprung up from the tears dropped by Eve as she left the Garden of Eden. Perhaps, then, the fleur-de-lis, or lily’s emblem -- seen as a design element in various areas of this magnificent Georgian home -- might hint at the reluctance of its homeowners to leave the sun-drenched Tuscan hills when they vacationed there several years ago.
“We fell in love with Tuscany,” says the wife. “It was so beautiful. And we wanted to live that experience back home. Thanks to our interior designer Keith Mazzei of diSalvo Interiors of Garden City, my husband and I are living that dream now.”
Indeed, the couple’s two-year-old Manhasset home sits high enough on a property incline to suggest the hillsides of Tuscany. Inside, its new decor -- so expertly crafted by Mazzei -- warms the soul. Each room is lavished with Tuscan influences seen in a liberal use of natural stone, sturdy hardwood furniture and exquisite moldings, as well as the rustic warm colors of nature.
Annemarie diSalvo, co-owner of diSalvo Interiors, explains that their interior designers guide clients to the best architectural elements for the space, as well as to the best fixtures and materials. However, she adds, the clients always make the final decisions.
“This house was a jewel -- with wonderful bones,” she says. “It did, however, need the proper detailing to bring out its full beauty and design theme.”
For example, the home’s now awe-inspiring foyer is rich with added architectural embellishments such as upholstered ruby red tapestry panels and copper-leafed wall niches and majestic dome, which provide color contrast to the brightness of the hall’s new white carrera marble, and double grand
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