[From the Fall 2023 Showcase of Homes Magazine]
Written by Megin Potter | Photos by Randall Perry Photography
Ed DeRocker’s 1st Masterpiece:
A French Norman Retreat in the Southern Adirondacks
The storied elegance of this grandiose modern Adirondack lakeside compound put local designer Ed DeRocker on the map.
Edmond DeRocker, the founder of Front Street Home in Ballston Spa, treated clients like family.
“He got to know each and every client personally and his designs were spin-offs of their personalities,” said his sister, Sherrie Fonda, DeRocker Designs’ Director of Operations for more than 37 years.
A self-taught designer with a panache for rescuing historic properties, Ed opened his first firm on Ridge Street in Glens Falls. After moving to a larger building, in the early 2000s, he relocated to a historic 1790 structure known as the “Blacksmith Shop” on Glen Street, then expanded to Nantucket, MA, where he opened a retail shop called The Penelope. The Front Street Home Design Center, 6 Front Street, in Ballston Spa, opened in 2013. Three years later, Ed’s son-in-law, Gregg Kawecki, joined the team as Project Manager.
Within their family, which included nine children, Ed was the second oldest and Sherrie the second youngest. When they were kids, Sherrie gravitated toward her older brother, and as adults, she absorbed all he had to teach her. Within their duo, he was the artistic one, and she; the practical one, said Sherrie.
“It was that way for us, it really worked. From day one, I absolutely loved it.”
Because of Ed’s kindness and warmth, DeRocker’s Designs felt like one big family, while his exterior, interior, and landscape designs became highly sought-after. Working up until he was diagnosed with leukemia in April, Ed passed in June.
A Designer’s Dream
Twenty years ago, Ed DeRocker’s design dreams came true.
“He had this internal drive to see how far his talents could go, and his clients loved everything he did. He had a gift. His vision was amazing,” said Sherrie.
Built in a romantic architectural style that harkens back to medieval Europe, Ed designed the interior of this 12,500 sq. ft. French Norman home in the Southern Adirondacks as a comfortable family gathering space.
Situated amid the turn-of-the-century retreats (that were the playgrounds of the Gilded Age elite) this daring new construction takes design cues from the natural world - much like those grand Adirondack camps that have now become National Historic Landmarks.
Blending high-end interior style with natural elegance, this home’s elaborate finishes, furniture, flooring, area rugs, decorative moldings, and fireplace surrounds are reminiscent of those from a French country estate.
An Artist’s Vision
It took five years to complete the main house, which displays expansive balconies and sprawling walls of symmetrical multi-pane windows. The gleaming flooring is made of oak, and its interior walls are clad in decorative facades and Tuscan murals by Bill Edwards of 30A Decorative in Santa Rosa, Florida.
Fairytale iron leaf candelabra chandeliers dangle from the red oak and fir wainscotting peaked ceilings in the stately living areas. Modern amenities complete the formal kitchen and dining area that seats 12 for memorable evening entertaining.
A monumental hand-forged bronze banister (made to look like a tree) grows along the staircase, its branches gracing the tips of the upper level, while its trunk and roots support the lower.
A Steward’s Surprise
In a layout oriented toward a sun-filled outdoor lifestyle, a set-in river rock spa with granite highlights takes center stage in the fully equipped gym under an octagonal ceiling below a central turret capped with cone-shaped roof.
The deluxe master suite bath features pillowed limestone flooring, freestanding his and hers dividers, and another octagonal ceiling framing the surprising placement of a mountainous slab of granite, which, on one side, features a regal elevated soaking tub, while on the other, a dozen heads pour down water into the roomy glass shower.
Four tumbled marble fireplaces warm the home’s interior, and outside, another is placed in a comfortable seating area. Recreational opportunities abound on this property, which also includes two guest homes, a double dock, and lakeside tanning deck.
Ever conscious of his environmental footprint, Ed DeRocker was a steward of style who sourced materials locally whenever possible. He watched over his friends like they were family, and the homes he designed like treasures. He had a friendly, adaptable, aesthetic and the unique ability to see beauty in even the most unexpected of places
