Nestled on Richmond’s leafy Three-Chopt Road, this charming 1920s residence was lovingly brought to the modern era by Anne Hulcher Tollett and her Hanover Avenue team. A distinct blend of eclectic architectural details, including its curved roofline and pronounced key entry, this gem of the Near West End was in need of an overhaul to make it liveable for an active family with teenagers. Utilizing existing pieces in the client’s art and furniture collection – a mélée of antiques and contemporary paintings – the end result is a well-lit balanced interior of old and new.
ENTRY HALL
Reflecting the homeowner’s love of mixing the traditional with the contemporary, the entry hall of the home is graced with a new Perigold table with an antique vase and a Hassan rug that seamlessly blends in with the floor and brings the room together; setting the tone for the whole house.
KITCHEN
Hanover Avenue took the original kitchen, which was historically a small galley kitchen that wasn’t suitable for modern family living, and added an addition to the home to create a gracious sprawling space that connects to the dining room and family room. This is a kitchen story of clean whites and neutrals with lighting from the outside flowing in over the swivel chairs covered in all-weather fabric.
FAMILY ROOM
This functional family room is right off the kitchen, with slip-covered Lee Industries swivel chairs and calming accent walls covered in Danube IKAT by Thibaut.
LIVING ROOM
This formal living space is centered around a whimsical antique rabbit which sets a playful tone in a room meant for relaxation and entertaining, as well as a room ready for kids and dogs. The sofas are covered in all-weather fabric with this in mind. In addition to redoing all of the millwork, Tollett added a huge floor mirror to give the illusion that there was a double entry into the back study, creating a sense of symmetry. As a nod to the history of the house, an enlarged photograph on metal of the house from the 1930s hangs above the mantel flanked by two studded vases.
THE STUDY
This room was originally a very dark and uninviting (and unused) side room in the house. Hanover Avenue reimagined this space as a place where the parents could retreat and escape from their teenage kids. Connected to the living room, Tollett and her team brought light into the space that’s enhanced by a Quadrille wallpaper, a Perigold geostool, and a Circa Lighting floor lamp, all brought together by an elegant rug from Hassan Rugs.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
The husband and wife wanted this smaller primary bedroom to be a cozy warm space. Along with a deep Farrow & Ball Mahogany paint, it’s also a story of mixing old and new and layering different fabrics and movements of furniture. The art on either side of the bed was sourced from the Reynolds Gallery in Richmond by artist Nancy Blum.
PRIMARY BATHROOM
Along with the primary bedroom, this bathroom was also part of the new addition to the house that Hanover Avenue added. The bathroom needed to be done with a budget in mind due to the expenses of the addition. The riddle was solved by finding beautiful materials that were aligned with the quality of the rest of the house but weren’t going to break the bank. The marble floor was found at Floor and Decor, and Kohler was utilized for the faucets and other hardware.
THE GROUNDS/TERRACE
The gardens and grounds of this historic Virginia home were originally designed by famed landscape architect Charles Gillette during the time of the home’s construction. The original layout of the Gillette garden, including the old brick terracing, still exists, with slight alterations. Hanover Avenue wanted the outdoor furniture to blend in so that the focus would be on the gardens, and in doing so chose grays, charcoals, and blacks as the color scheme.
DINING ROOM
Originally a dark paneled room, the lacquered ‘Ammonite” Farrow & Ball paint brightened the space alongside fully reconstructed millwork. The old French chairs and new bench surround a modern table alongside an antique sideboard found at auction. The antique urns, vases and Chinese dragons give nod to the family’s appreciation of tradition and bring the room together. Alongside the contemporary art by a local artist found by the homeowner, the room is crowned by a Mini Endless Double Pendant designed by Roll and Hill.
Photography by Helen Norman.
For more like this historic Virginia home, be sure to check out this Haussmann-era apartment.
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