vintage spaces
This page The Green Room features beautiful handpicked pieces in wonderfully natural furniture. Opposite page The dining room bids a grand, refined entrance off the foyer.
large pedestal. This piece bears a salesman sample dress form, of which Margaret owns several, again, festooned with a rosary. (Vintage dress forms come in variations: the
salesman sample, in miniature, so that salesmen could travel easily with them in tow, and life-size, some with collapsible shoulders. The Tao home boasts multiple examples of each.) Directly across from the dining room, Tony is comfortably ensconced in his office (and when asked, declared his favorite room in the house). He’s graciously allowed a few dashes of Margaret in the otherwise modern space — her father’s old Missouri Report law volumes line the bookshelves, some dating from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Nearby is a row of tiny books: one of old poetry, one having been published in 1807! On to the living room— aka, The Green Room. Just past the foyer, the area is laden in golden and soft, soothing green. The couches and chair are upholstered in gold, and 12 gilt frames line the large back wall in aesthetic symmetry. Each frame is occupied by a species of beautiful green fern — repurposed pages from old books with each plant’s native country handwritten in pencil. Ornate sconces (which are carefully placed throughout the house as well) complement the art, next to an immense pine wardrobe. Originally purchased years ago when Margaret had little storage space, the armoire claims its rightful throne in The Green Room. A double-sided fireplace, which dually serves the kitchen/hearth area, draws the eye to the corner opposite the wardrobe, touting more alabaster
The family moved to the house 10 years ago; Margaret specifically choose the Shawnee space for its plush, off-white carpeting and creamy walls — an unbiased framework awaiting her decorative touch. The neutrality emphasizes the subtle gilt, green and blue that Margaret so dearly appreciates. Entering the Tao’s carefully crafted home, one is immediately enveloped in its calm. An old dress form stands sentinel in the foyer, adorned with a vintage rosary. To the left, a glint dances from the formal dining room, where Margaret’s great-grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary set is displayed — the brightest of gold in the plates, cups, and candlesticks is only eclipsed by the stunning gilded coffee urn and accompanying cream and sugar bowls — also part of the anniversary set, dating from 1958. Old napkin rings are another of The Collector’s passions; they are im- pressively presented in her beautifully aged pine china cabinet along with a row of French canisters, gifted by her uncle who resides in France (a few Eiffel tower representations can also be found throughout the house). There are also several white ironstone and McCoy or “McCoy-esque” pieces, and ceramic art circa late 19th century) —which, yes, she also collects. Another love of Margaret’s? Her many alabaster works, a few of which make an appearance in the dining room, such as a remarkable
VintageKC / Fall 2014 18
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