Home Again

story: Amy Mangan photography: Djamel E. Ramoul

Wednesday, January 06, 2010 -

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A transient couple return home to Ocala, giving a ranch-style home a beautiful French Country life.

Ann and John Dozier know a little bit about moving. They should.  Since 1986, this busy couple has moved over 12 times across the country as a result of John’s executive job with Merrill Lynch. Originally from Ocala, the Doziers’ moves have taken them to places like Charlotte, Phoenix, Louisville, Raleigh, Miami and Princeton, New Jersey to name a few. When they were finally given a chance to choose a place to call home rather than have the choice made for them, guess where they decided to go?

“After all the moves we had made, John said I could choose anywhere to live,” laughs Ann. “I looked at Vermont and a few other places, but decided Ocala holds dear friends and memories.”

Now all they needed was a house.

“We were living in Princeton when a friend from Ocala called to tell us about a house for sale in Ocala,” adds Ann, “John knew of the house and said ‘Get tickets. We’re flying tomorrow to look at it.’”

The trip sealed the deal and Ann and John were, once again, Ocala homeowners. However, the existing structure needed extensive renovation to make room for the Doziers’ furniture and decor collections that had been acquired throughout the years. On the priority list was ample room for the Doziers’ sons and their families — especially for her beloved grandchildren — when they would visit from New York and Utah. So, some Dozier flexibility and patience was required once more as they undertook an 18-month renovation and addition.

The result? Well worth the almost two-year wait. Which, when you stop to think about it, wasn’t very long for a couple who had to wait even longer to return to friends and family. Welcome back, Ann and John! We’re glad you came home.

Color Me Blue

Ann’s kitchen is classic French Country blue with a cherished collection of china and crystal inspired from a favorite home decor store in Carmel, California.

The master suite is dressed in elegant beige and understated blue French toile bedding. Middle: The stately crystal chandelier survived multiple moves and has held center stage in several Dozier dining rooms. Bottom: Creeping fig adds personality to the front entrance of the Dozier home.

Gold-tassles add whimsy to a dramatic red wallpaper on the entryway walls.

Ranch Meets WOW

The screened-in porch epitomizes Southern style and comfort. A new garage add-on also gave the Doziers an additional upstairs bedroom and bath guaranteed to make any guest want to stay. The master bath echoes the home’s understated elegance. 4. A local welder created the pot-rack from a picture provided by the Doziers.

The Doziers worked hard to preserve the  exterior landscape by renovating, quite literally, around existing trees. An antique pine hutch is the perfect display for the Doziers’ blue and white china.

 






Architectural Design:
Jerry Stevens, Shibui Studios, Ocala
Contractor: David Bengston, Ocala
Interior Decor: Kathy Williamson,
The Gift Box, New York City

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