After generations of expansion and use, this delightful house contained many eclectic additions, and rethinking the house’s proportions and floor plan was necessary to make it livable. To shape the interior design, Elizabeth Brosnan Hourihan keyed overall details to fine English antique furnishings. Although Elizabeth sought antiques of the highest quality, she kept to a twenty-first century vision. The house remains airy, uncluttered, and open to ocean views. Elizabeth, the clients say, “helped us create a special home that suits our needs perfectly, yet honors the home’s ancestry.” The house was published in New England Home Magazine and featured on the HGTV show New England Dream House. Architect, Robert MacNeille, AIA. Architect, Robert MacNeille, AIA, Carpenter & MacNeille Architects and Builders, Inc. Photography, Richard Mandelkorn and Eric Roth.

This house is firmly planted in the Shenandoah Valley, while its inspiration is tied to the owner’s British ancestry and fondness for English country houses. Situated on an abandoned fence line between two former pastures, the home engages pastoral views from all of the major rooms.

Keith Fuller
Example of a mid-sized classic medium tone wood floor kitchen/dining room combo design with red walls

One bedroom was turned into a home office with custom bookshelves to feature our client’s love of reading. A dark grey on the walls allows this room to feel very cozy in the day and allows someone to marvel at the amazing cityscape at night. The client had an amazing antique Chinese curio cabinet that was open on both sides to continuously bring the cityscape inside. With a love of family and ancestry, we curated a collection of family photos going back generations opposite the marble base desk, making the perfect backdrop for video calls.