Prospect home on 8 acres is full of contemporary, abstract art and nods to horse industry

Lennie Omalza
·4 min read

The owner of an eight-bedroom, 10-bathroom home in Prospect had been eyeing the estate she now calls home long before she and her husband purchased the eight-acre property.

"This was the house (I wanted)," she told The Courier Journal, "but it was out of our budget range — (but) then it went down in price two or three times."

She visited the house and its previous homeowners five times before finally taking the plunge. "We went back and forth," she recalled, "and finally, I said, 'let’s put a bid on it ' — and we got it."

A home of their own

The great room of an eight-bedroom, 10-bathroom, 15,000 square foot, southern-and-European architecture inspired home in Prospect was built in 2002. 02/10/23
The great room of an eight-bedroom, 10-bathroom, 15,000 square foot, southern-and-European architecture inspired home in Prospect was built in 2002. 02/10/23

That was three years ago. The home was built in 2002, so it was still rather new — but the homeowners made a few changes to help personalize the space.

"Our realtor, Susie Ades-Pomerance, was very helpful with sourcing home professionals such as fireplace inspectors, plumbers, and painters, etc.," the homeowner said. "(And) Barry Wooley was our interior designer, whose team did an amazing job meshing our existing art and furniture collection with new, elegant but family-friendly additions."

Among some of the family’s favorite furniture is a pair of chairs that are set across the fireplace in the great room.

"(They’re) authentic art deco chairs," the homeowner said. "That’s my favorite period. I love art deco."

A portrait of a horse in the family room on the first floor of the home in Prospect that was built in 2002. 02/10/23
A portrait of a horse in the family room on the first floor of the home in Prospect that was built in 2002. 02/10/23

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She adds that Wooley also helped update architectural and decorative elements in the home to make it their own; this included transforming the guest apartment and adding a herringbone hardwood floor throughout the lower level.

Art aficionados

The kitchen of the home in Prospect that was built in 2002. 02/10/23
The kitchen of the home in Prospect that was built in 2002. 02/10/23

The homeowner holds a degree in studio art and art history from New York University, as well as what she describes as the equivalent of an MBA in visual art management. Having studied under professors who were curators at the Guggenheim Museum, her love, appreciation, and knowledge of art runs deep.

Her art collection is vast and varied, including everything from pieces by artist Ralph Steadman, who is known for his collaborations with Hunter S. Thompson; to antique posters, prints, and paintings with ties to Churchill Downs.

There are items that hold special meaning to the family, too. In the dining room, there are paintings of her husband's great-grandparents, which date back to the early 1900s. And in the finished basement, a shelf near the pool table holds a wooden work that depicts the family crest.

Another particularly notable piece is a nearly six-foot-tall, mixed-media work of art from India.

"It’s a painting (made) with precious gemstones and gold leaf," the homeowner explained, adding that the intricate artwork was crafted sometime in the mid-1800s and included Islamic influence.

A nearly six-foot-tall, mixed media work of art from India that was crafted sometime in the mid-1800s and includes Islamic influence. 02/10/23
A nearly six-foot-tall, mixed media work of art from India that was crafted sometime in the mid-1800s and includes Islamic influence. 02/10/23

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The piece appears to depict Naga — a member of a class of mythical semidivine beings known in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism — surrounded by dozens of people.

"(The depiction of people) was part of the European influence of imagery because the Islamic faith does not allow figural art in their works," the homeowner said. "They are (usually) more … geometric or (include) animal designs."

A grand great room

The back pool of an eight-bedroom and 10-bathroom home in Prospect is on an eight-acres of property. 02/10/23
The back pool of an eight-bedroom and 10-bathroom home in Prospect is on an eight-acres of property. 02/10/23

A wide array of art is spread throughout the home, including in the great room, which is the homeowner's favorite area. With its nearly 30-foot ceiling, the room provides offers ample white space to display several of the owners' unique art and furniture pieces.

"(We) have the more elaborate, turn-of-the-century furniture combined with the more streamlined art-deco (pieces in here) just to try to keep a visual flow to it," the homeowner said, explaining that the home's interior design is all about balance.

She adds that though the great room — with its easy access to the fully stocked bar on one side and the kitchen on the other — is the area she's most fond of, she also likes the library. Set just to the left of the entrance, the room is dark and moody, a contrast to the white walls and ample natural light in the great room.

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"I love sitting in the library because of the glow of the hardwood," she said. "We also have a back patio, and a pool, and a pool house. … Every room is special."

Know a house that would make a great Home of the Week? Email writer Lennie Omalza at aloha@lennieomalza.com or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at kgregory@gannett.com.

nuts & bolts

Home: This is an 8-bed, 10-bath, 15,000-square-foot, southern-and-European architecture-inspired home in Prospect built in 2002.

Distinctive elements: Set on eight acres; nine fireplaces throughout, each with unique, elaborate marble and hand-carved mantles; detailed and extensive crown molding throughout; lion theme and Greek-inspired acanthus leaves throughout; crystal chandeliers; outdoor patio, pool, and pool house; fine art throughout, including hand-blown glass sculptures in the dining room; a collection of Churchill Downs and thoroughbred antique posters, prints, paintings and photographs; classical, figurative art paired with contemporary, abstract art.

Applause! Applause! Realtor Susie Ades-Pomerance, and interior designer Barry Wooley.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Prospect home full of contemporary, art, nods to horse racing industry