The House That Pearsall Built

Famed MCM furniture designer Adrian Pearsall’s home is a triumph of thoughtful modern updates, respectful restoration and many of his original furniture pieces.

It’s not every day that the home of a Mid Century Modern design icon is for sale—let alone one they designed for themselves. Such was the case when the family home of Adrian Pearsall hit the market in 2013. Toni Crevo and her husband, David Koral, found themselves purchasing the sprawling Mid Mod estate in Forty Fort, Pennsylvania, “as is” from the Pearsall family. Toni admits they were not quite sure at first what they were walking into, but as time passed the state of the home became clearer. “It was very obvious on the day we closed that it was more of a project than we thought,” she says.

Pearsall house entrance — Toni Crevo and her husband kept the entryway all original, including the abundance of windows that they made watertight. Walls of windows allow for the perfect transition of interior and exterior spaces. “The exterior paint colors have been maintained from the home when we purchased it,” she says.

Shortly after purchase, Toni and David began the process of lovingly restoring the home. Toni says their mission was to “restore and maintain where and whenever you can to preserve the integrity of the property and renovate where necessary to make the home one that works with modern-day needs.” After many setbacks, they accomplished their goal with vision, determination and the assistance of realtors TJ Pierce and Jed Splittgerber of Mid-Century Homes by Anthology.

Pearsall house courtyard and pool — As part of the update to the home, Toni worked with Ed Kopek of Edwards Garden Center to get the right look and feel for the landscaping. “The design is very much a ‘scaled-backed’ version of what was here when we purchased the home,” Toni says. “Due to the age of the trees and plantings, we have had to remove and make choices to replace on most of the property.” The result is a mixture of new stone and foliage with some of the original trees and shrubs. “The over two acres of pristinely manicured and irrigated landscape is a labor of love,” she says.

The Legacy

Adrian Pearsall, an American naval veteran with a degree in architectural engineering, got his start in the world of design when he founded his own furniture company in 1952, Craft Associates. After spending a few years of crafting his own unique style, Pearsall became widely known at the end of the decade for his glass-top walnut tables, which were sold in major retail stores. He and his brother opened their factory in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Once that business was sold, Pearsall went on to start Comfort Designs in the 1970s, where he expanded his designs to include upholstered seating. He is most recognized, however, for his work using black walnut.

built-in shelves in home office — The built in shelves in the library were crafted by Pearsall, but the desk and chair are a contemporary addition by Toni and her husband.

home library with skylights in Pearsall home — The library is another unique space in the home that Toni and her husband kept all original. “In the library we wanted to bring in an international style with the Barcelona Lounge Chairs paired with Planter Coffee Table, surrounded by the warmth of Pearsall’s walnut bookshelves and walls,” Jed says. “The way the light pours in from those skylights onto the steel and glass really completes that space.” The green and white veined marble is part of a water feature that was original.

In 1964, when the home was completed, Pearsall, who was also trained as an architect, had included myriad state-of-the-art amenities that a modernist dream home would boast, such as an enormous indoor pool, custom fireplaces, multiple atriums and courtyards. The six-bedroom home also had unique personalized features, such as a full-sized ice cream bar and fountain as well as a photography dark room.

transition between living room and dining room — The open layout allows for seamless connection between living spaces, while the windows and skylights bring in natural light. note the massive cantilevered concrete bench on the right, which is actually an extension of the fireplace hearth.

walnut bar in Pearsall home — This walnut bar adjacent to the dining area was originally located in the den and a metal sculpture stood in its place with water running through it, but Toni and David decided to create a new look. The bar is now enclosed in the marble half-circle that once housed the fountain. “We wanted to reinvent the water feature,” Toni says. built platforms into the floor and ensured the carpet is easy to remove if they decide to expose it in the future.

As with most mid-century home projects, staying true to the home’s roots was an important part of Toni and David’s overall vision. “The Pearsall legacy was the intrigue to look at or possibly purchase the house,” Toni says. “The contemporary look combined with the Frank Lloyd Wright style to live with your surroundings and natural elements is what we envisioned when we first experienced the house.” With that in mind, she focused her project on bringing modern amenities to the home, while keeping as much of the original design as possible.

dining room with view to atrium — Extending parallel to the living room, the dining area looks out into the home’s atrium. Originally, this area included part of the marble water feature, a piece of which now surrounds the bar and divides the dining space from the library. “There were water pools on the floor that had stepping stones into the dining room,” Toni says. “When we purchased the house the water feature was filled with plants.” Toni and David decided to cover up the feature due to dogs and kids.

concrete bench surrounding fireplace in Pearsall home — The fireplace with cantilevered concrete bench is original to the home, with a small update. “After the fire we put a gas insert where the original wood burner was but it became the true spot of enjoyment in the house,” says Toni. “It is an art piece.” The black sofa and matching armchair, side table and coffee table are all by Pearsall.

Balancing Old & New

In the current world of MCM, debate swirls around the topic of restoration, renovation and finding the right balance in-between. Mindful of this, Toni and David sought at the outset to only include those updates that felt truly native to the home. “We reused materials where we could and any materials removed were saved,” Toni says. This included keeping and restoring the Case wall-hung toilets as well as all the wood in the home. However, the scope of the work to be done only kept expanding. “From leaky windows and gutters, to running toilets, to new appliances, to extermination and mold—you name it, we had the problem,” Toni says. These issues climaxed in a devastating fire that tore through the home and destroyed the original pool and pool-house area. “We were devastated and weren’t really sure if we had it in use to start over,” she says. “At that point, it truly became a restoration vs. renovation story.”

original den with stone wall in Pearsall home — While Toni and David moved the shelving and cabinetry with solid-slate top from another part of the house, the rest of the den is completely original to the home. The only updates made were upgrading the windows and door. “In the den, we highlighted Pearsall trademark wood—walnut—through classic designs from Eames and Wegner,” Jed says.

avocado lounge chairs designed by Pearsall — Just off of the entryway, the living room provides walls of window views to the back patio. Toni and her husband David restored all of the original flooring to keep an authentic Mid Century feel. The avocado lounge chairs with side table are Pearsall originals.

After the initial shock wore off, Toni and David got back to work with a renewed vision. “We looked at each other and said, ‘Ok, let’s do what we really want this time,’” Toni says. “We had to look at the house and think about what it truly needed to be able to live there again.” This included replacing windows and doors as well as a total redesign of the pool and outdoor spaces. “Through the whole process inside and out, it was still about clean lines and nothing that moved it out of the ‘feel and style’ of the original house,” she says.

Pearsall 2291-C chairs in living room around circular fireplace — The two Pearsall 2291-C chairs were sourced through MCM furniture expert Roger Chandler. “It was unplanned, but the way those paddle-armed walnut lounge chairs with their angled legs pair with the original rounded fireplace highlight the true artistry of Pearsall,” Jed says.

Fabulous Furnishings

In addition to keeping as true as possible to the original architecture and design of the home, Toni also wanted to include as many original pieces as possible from Pearsall’s portfolio. Shortly after purchasing the home, she secured all the Pearsall pieces that were originally in the home through auction. The buffets, bar, hutches, case goods, wall units, and bookshelves were custom-built by Pearsall for this home. However, Toni wanted to expand her collection for an even more authentic feel to the home. Last year, when Toni and David decided it was time to move on and put the Pearsall home up for sale, they enlisted the help of TJ Pierce and Jed Splittgerber of Mid-Century Homes by Anthology to make their dream a reality.

Damaged most by the fire, this area was completely redone. It was originally an open breezeway that Toni and David decided to enclose during the reconstruction. They designed it an open space with a roof and call it the sunroom. “We are glad we made it an additional living space,” Toni says. the sofa with built-in marble side tables and floor lamp are Pearsall originals, while Bertoia diamond chairs add extra flair to the space.

kitchen with wall of window, green cabinets and large island — Leading out from the family room, the kitchen provides a peek into the atrium with walls of windows. The wall and island cabinetry, and marble countertop on the wall cabinets, are all original, while the coffee bar and breakfast table, originally an ice cream bar, are remodeled. For modern touches, Toni and David added new appliances and granite countertops.

Jed got to work with the goal of finding as many original Pearsall pieces as he could while also including furniture by Pearsall’s contemporaries where it made sense. His research led him to furniture dealer Roger Chandler in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who specializes in Pearsall pieces.

“After chatting about design, we quickly realized we were on the same wavelength, sharing a passion for all things mid-century,” Jed says. He worked with Roger to secure six additional Pearsall pieces: the gondola sofa and chair set and avocado upholstered chairs in the living room, and the blue-green upholstered chairs in the family room. He sourced additional Pearsall originals from various dealers and auctions, including the walnut-base sofa in the recreation room. The home also includes reproduction pieces from Pearsall’s contemporaries, such as Eames, Wegner, Saarinen, Bertoia, Nelson, Platner and Miles van der Rohe.

primary bedroom opens to outdoor patio with Acapulco chairs — The primary bedroom received a full remodel, taking the guest bedroom next door and incorporating it into a larger and more usable primary suite, Toni says.

The result of their labor is a beautiful combination of old and new, from the architectural design to the furniture styling in each room. “Being able to experience his designs within his personal residence takes everything to another level,” Jed says. The overall impression leaves one with a deeper understanding and appreciation not only of Pearsall and his designs, but of all the elements that make Mid Century Modern design the polished gem that it is.

Pearsall house guest bedroom — There are three guest bedrooms with ensuites have nearly identical layouts. Here, windows frame other side of the bed to let in natural light. Toni and David made sure to source furniture for each room that felt organic to the space.

For more on Adrian Pearsall’s home before the final renovation, see The Adrian Pearsall Home: A Polaroid Portrait. To learn more about Pearsall himself, read on here. And of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more Mid Century Modern inspiration!