Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Times
Saturday, May 29, 1976, page 20 (of 31)
The page
The text of this pageRead by computer from the scan, so some words may be wrong. The page picture is the original.
Home Life
Weekend of May 29/30, 1976 TIMES/GUIDE 13 The Coral Gables Times / The Guide Home Life •Decorating •Design •Remodeling
Their townhouse has touch of the old south . . . and the Victorian and contemporary eras the times/guide visits . . . jack and judith eder
By ANA MARIA ALVAREZ Staff Writer Touches of old and new are delicately combined to make every room in Jack and Judith Eder's South Dade townhouse an adventure. From the enormous hand crafted wooden bed — a piece which once graced an antebellum mansion in New Orleans — to the boldly modern off-white sofa which wraps around the living room floor, the decor of the young couple's home is the work of Mrs. Eder. The trip starts at the rustic gates of the Eder's townhouse. They open up to an outdoor garden shaded by wood beams. The couple built a deck where a small outdoor table and chair set is surrounded by beautiful pieces of driftwood and potted plants. From above hang baskets filled with a variety of plants. A small parlor, lit only by the dim flame of candles, is paneled in grey wood, a theme carried throughout this room and most of the home. The greyish mantel in this room is surpassed in beauty only by the stained glass window which is suspended above it. The glass came from a church in Pittsburg, while the mantel came from an old southern home in Louisiana that was going to be demolished. A grey striped velvet love seat — contemporary in style — is complemented by fox skin pillows. A chrome and glass coffee table is decorated with an antique collection of cut glass pieces, topped with sterling silver. The main living room has an originally designed off-white couch that forms a corner in the room. "I drew a picture of what I wanted and had it made," said Mrs. Eder. Although the room is not yet completely decorated, she plans to design a large coffee table for the living room and pick out one large piece of art to hang on the designer wallpaper that covers the walls of the room. The chrome and glass dining room table is surrounded by six Victorian chairs. The dining room curtains and wallpaper were chosen to pick up the design on the back rests of the chairs. Fifty-eight cylinders hang from the handblown chandelier made in Italy which is set above the dining table, while a collection of crystal candleholders with long white candles decorate the table itself. The wooden staircase leading to the three bedrooms and two baths upstairs is also finished in a light tone of grey. The couple's favorite area of the home is the TV room upstairs. It's done in rich shades of brown and beige, giving it a warm and cozy atmosphere. "I like brown because it is a very warm color to me," said Eder. "I don't see why because I live in Miami my home has to look typically Miamian," he said. "This room is filled with things that we have both picked up here and there on our travels," said Mrs. Eder. A small, earth-tone sofa is See LACE, Page 14 Judith and Jack spend a lot of time on their patio (above) and when they feel elegant retire to their eclectic parlor (below). A crystal chandelier highlights the Victorian yet modern dining room. Photos by ELIZABETH OWEN