<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">When David and Anne Dentler got the opportunity to build the house of their dreams, they seized it with passion. The stately and sprawling Keystone Manor was built in 2002 and loosely fashioned after features of homes the couple admired in their native home of Pittsburgh, Pa.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“This home is custom down to the minutest details,” Anne Dentler said.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Anne Schaefer Dentler’s family lived in old Pittsburgh.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“My father was an artist and my mother was a poet,” she said. “My brothers were all musical and could play instruments but didn’t read music. Dentler has fond memories of her own home and overnight visits in the homes of other family members. Vintage and current family photographs line a curio, connecting five generations.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">David Dentler was the son of a preacher and his family moved often. He incorporated favorite characteristics of those homes in Keystone Manor. He also had to have a special room to display his extensive train collection.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Dentler described her husband as an adventurer. He flew airplanes, and when he wanted to try jumping out of airplanes, his wife followed.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“We came down here on our honeymoon,” Dentler said, referring to her first trip to Louisiana. “And we both just felt like our feet suddenly grew roots. I sent my husband back to sell all our things and I began to look for a place for us to live.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The Dentlers were living in the Oak Park Subdivision when their new 12,750 square foot house was completed. It features a grand foyer with a sweeping stairway. An elevator – Pittsburgh brand – is tucked away in another part of the house.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Hanging from the 30-foot ceiling of the foyer is a Capodimonte-style chandelier imported from Italy, home to the original Capodimonte fine porcelain factory. Sconces and a dining room chandelier are also Capodimonte-style porcelain.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Cyndi Eagle was interior designer. Bryan Galley was builder.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“It was wonderful to work with Bryan Galley,” Dentler said, and Cyndi kept me from making some big mistakes.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">In addition to the home, the property features a spacious adjoining art studio.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Art is my one addiction,” Dentler said. “I feel deprived if I don’t get to work every day.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Dentler is the founder of the Association of Louisiana Artists and said it was her husband’s encouragement that empowered her to produce and sell her paintings.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The house is decorated with a variety of artwork. Many of the pieces are from local artists. One painting is from a past art student. In the master bath are two whimsical ceramic pieces Dentler purchased from a local grade school art show.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Only one of Dentler’s pieces is framed and hung in the house’s public areas. It is a print titled “Open Invitation.” The piece was commissioned by the then-governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, to communicate the spirit of Arkansas.</span>

<span class="R~sep~AHeadsubhead">Inside Keystone Manor</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Certain ornate elements of Victorian homes appeal to Dentler. The sofa in the formal sitting area is camelback. Chairs are wing backed. The fireplace front is ornate. Over it are twin Capodimonte sconces. Tabletops are marble.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The carpet and padding in the living room are so thick, shoes sink deep. Walls are painted a deep plum color, a color pulled from the matching sofas Dentler owned when she moved into her new home.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Because of the size of the exterior of the Dentler house, the beautiful Corinthian columns and the magnificent entryway, the house seems lavish. It is. However, it is also extremely comfortable, functional and inviting.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The master bedroom suite is private and separate from the other rooms of the house. It features row after row of built-in drawers, his and her closets and his and her baths. Mirrored closet doors allow the person in the dressing area a full view of their appearance, front and back. Closet lights come on when the doors are opened, and go off when the doors are closed. Racks move down with a pull of a handle to put even the clothing hung at the top of the closet at arm’s reach. Library ladders are also used to access clothing and accessories in the high-ceilinged, spacious closets. A separate cedar closet protects special seasonal clothing made of certain fabrics.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">None of the cabinetry – and the amount of storage in the Dentler home is colossal – is opened with pulls. A slight push on the outer rim is all that’s needed. It’s referred to as touch latch doors.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Dentler calls these special touches “the magic of the house” and accredits it to her builder entirely.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">As to what makes a house a home, she credits the relationship she had with her husband and how they worked together to make their shared vision a reality. It is that relationship that is the keystone of Keystone Manor.</span><p><span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The exterior of the Dentler Keystone Manor features Corinthian columns and large beautifully designed transoms over the four-lite French doors. Two Gators on the Geaux keep a watchful eye on the property. (Rita LeBleu / American Press)</p><p></span></p>