In an age obsessed concerned with restorations and reclaimed materials, it always surprises me that there are still beautiful old abandoned houses to be found in the mid-Atlantic. But Tom Glass, a DC area builder, discovered a gem in rural Virginia, which he lovingly brought back to life while preserving centuries worth of patinas.
According to Chesapeake Home, the house was built in 1797 by an officer in the Revolutionary War named Robert Kelso, but had been abandoned since the 1930s. A testament to the quality of the original materials, the abandoned home had "every piece of woodwork still intact" when Glass discovered it many decades later.
After discovering and purchasing the abandoned home, Glass moved it to his property four hours away, where he worked with his team and a local architect to reconstruct the home while also including amenities like air conditioning and modern plumbing. The rebuild took 21 months, and the result is stunning. Old woodwork takes center-stage that is complimented, rather than overshadowed by, modern lighting, art, and clean-lined furnishings.
To learn more about the home, including a video detail of the reconstruction, check out Scott Sowers' article for Chesapeake Home.
Images: Chesapeake Home
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Wow. I wish I could "discover" something like that (and be able to afford it) and bring it back to life. What a great job!
The bathroom is to die for, love the new with the old...the colors, the reno, all perfectly done and complimenting each other. The rest of the house is so lovingly restored, it'd be unnecessary for anyone to ever do a thing to it for another hundred years. Lack of fussiness throughout is refreshing, too.
Gorgeous job. And can you imagine finding a property and moving it whatever you'd like? Gives the phrase "Location, Location, Location" a whole new meaning.
Love the house! (the furnishings, not so much...)
You have to discover it, buy it, ship it to your property, put it back together, and then finally bring it back to life. That's a lot of work! It looks awesome though.
Really, really nice. I like a lot of stuff on Apartment Therapy, but this place makes me feel at home.
It's a lovely home - I'm impressed with the thought and work that went into it's rebuilding...
...however, as with many architect-designed houses, it appears that much of the lighting and furnishings were mere afterthoughts.
love the bathroom and spacious
That house is gross, hideous, awful, revolting.
Sell it immediately (to me).
I wonder what his rationale was for moving the house from Appomattox County to Rappahannock County. In terms of population density, at least, Rappahannock is a lot more rural.
The spareness of the dining area is what gets me - it's perfect.
I'm a fan!
I like the mix of modern with the old, there's nothing wrong with that in my mind. At least it's not throughout the entire house. It seems alright in the bathroom and that one part of the kitchen. I like keeping an open mind about restoration and design. There are purists who might have restored it down to the very tiniest detail, and that's fine, too.
What an impressive job! I love how he has kept all of the original details but added a modernity to the house as well as his own personality through his choice of colors and artwork.
The kitchen island probably looks more at home in it's location in person rather than in the photos.
That is amazing. Love the windows and beams.
Wow love all the woodwork, from the floors up to the ceilings. I like that they let it keep an aged look. The bathroom is a nice surprise with all the brown through the house.
Thank you for this wonderful post! I really enjoy 18th century architecture, so this was fascinating!
But where's the mid-century modernism? ;)
I absolutely love this: it's so evocative and beautiful I could eat it.
(Unlike the OCD display of apples on the kitchen counter. I have a mental image of a visiting child reaching for a healthy snack and getting screamed at).
Best tour by far. Thank you for posting this.
Absolutely flawless.
A beautiful renovation with the original character preserved. Stunning.
A beautiful old home! I love the unexpected blue for the bath vanity!
The Designer Insider
I could honestly move into that bathroom. The colors and finishes are absolutely outstanding. I want to know what's happening on those lower walls. That patina is making my feel swoony.
Truly gorgeous. Love the huge windows.
Thank you for saving part of our cultural heritage.
Very very very nice. The combination of old charm with modern life-style up grades are so well done in this house. Kudos to the owner for putting in such an effort to save this beautiful piece of architecture/history.
"I wonder what his rationale was for moving the house from Appomattox County to Rappahannock County."
He didn't own the land that the house was originally built on, and obviously the landowner didn't want the house but wished to keep the land...
...and he already owned the land that he eventually rebuilt upon, and was looking for a project from which to create his new home.
Beautiful! Beautiful! I'm loving how the simple furniture, minimal art & accessories keep the eyes focused on all of those gorgeous, original details.
The home is absolutely gorgeous...love the restoration! The furnishings look nice, but I would like to see some 18th or 19th century antique pieces thrown in.
"however, as with many architect-designed houses, it appears that much of the lighting and furnishings were mere afterthoughts."....uh what?
Warm, cozy and charming. Stunning!
I love a good board & batten wall. And the leather chairs in the kitchen. We rarely sit at the table so the coffee lounge look I can really vibe with.