When designer Gary Inman joined a veritable dream team to work on one of Manakin-Sabot's newest manor houses, he knew the project would be exciting.

Kyanite is at home in traditional or contemporary settings. In this installation white cabinetry contrasts beautifully with silver Kyanite contertops and natural wood flooring.

"[The homeowner] told me to do what I would do with my own home," says Inman, director of interior design at Richmond-based Glavé & Holmes Associates. When Inman joined the team, the design of the home already was being conceptualized. Every room of this 4,800-square-foot home, from the laundry room and five full bathrooms, to the first-floor master bedroom and full basement, needed his skilled attention.

Thus began a project that would incorporate David Iatesta sconces in the Italianate style, a monumental limestone Provençal mantel, custom-made Stark carpets, hand-forged steel from the West, Niermann Weeks lighting, Pierre Frey window treatments, and a mélange of accessories from suppliers and specialty craftsmen from around the world.

"Some of my favorite vendors are here," says Inman, pointing to a custom-crafted limestone range hood created especially for the home by Stone Age Designs.

Above: Colors and styles in the master bedroom reflect the homeowner's love for all things French. Although the fireplace is grand, it doesn't overpower the serene mood of this room. Furniture pieces in the Louis XVI style are by Louis J. Solomon. Drapery fabric by Pierre Frey. Below: The master bath holds a graceful oval tub, background, by Kallista, with a polished stone surround. The colors in this relaxing retreat are quiet and neutral.

Alongside building designer Doug Bowman and builders John W. Montague & Sons, Inman and his co-designer, Mindy Carter, began solidifying their vision for the home from blueprints. The team met regularly to define the specifications for each room from every possible angle.

They included expansive windows across the back of the house so that the homeowner could enjoy watching canoeists and Canada geese glide across a fully-stocked, 70-acre lake.

They designed a laundry room complete with wall-to-wall cabinets and enough floor space to accommodate sleeping quarters for four loveable dogs.

The team even made space for three kitchen sinks, constructed of hammered and aged copper that will develop a mellow patina.

"The influence for the design of the house is French country," explains Carter.

After focusing on residential design for more than 15 years, Inman has a slew of vendors that are prepared to fulfill every little detail a designer could dream up, including painters that specialize in making new houses look old, should the need arise.

"We wanted the house to look established, not as though it were newly built," Inman explains, "So we glazed the trim to give it an aged feel." Painter Erika Vaden, with her father and business cohort Rich Voedisch, began to "age" the home by glazing the trim and crown molding in the dining room. They went on to add subtle details to just about every room in the home.

In the kitchen, Voedisch painted the trim to mimic the custom-designed cherry cabinets. "We knew we couldn't have cherry cabinets and white trim," laughs Inman. In the breakfast room, Vaden painted the wooden beams of the vaulted ceiling with a glaze designed to look like those that may have been used in a French-country barn.

One set of details Inman did not have painted to look aged are hand-forged steel balusters with a natural wax finish that lead from the foyer to the second floor. "So many metals are painted to look like you've had a blacksmith make them," explains Inman. "This is authentic craftsmanship that we got from a blacksmith in the West."

The living room palette is soft and earthy. A limestone mantel and surround are custom. Bergères, sofa, and matching chair are from Century. Floral needlepoint pillows by Chelsea Textiles. Stark carpet. Through the elegant arched doorway is the foyer, featuring a tumbled-limestone floor.

The rustic-looking metalwork blends perfectly with a large hanging tapestry that Inman found at a tradeshow in Chicago last year. "When I saw [the tapestry], I just knew it would be perfect here," he says, explaining how it fits in with the limestone wall and cobbled limestone floor.

By keeping his clients top of mind as he travelled to tradeshows throughout the past few years, Inman has been able to develop his Rolodex of specialists for this particular home. Yet, he notes, every home has a different influence that requires its own set of specialists - and its own details to which a designer needs to be attentive.

After months of careful design, it is no surprise that Inman and Carter still find details to which they are happy to attend in the Manakin-Sabot house, such as the wall mounting of antique French oyster plates in the kitchen. After all, an afternoon in this suburban home provides an uninterrupted lake view, a symphony of carefully crafted workmanship, and a virtual trip around the world.