Southern Classic

The best part of blogging is the wonderful new friends you meet.  Just after our last post, I was delighted to receive an email from the very kind and charming Architect Madison Spencer, who generously sent me additional photos and described his work at Blue Ridge Farm.

Blue Ridge Farm is a historic estate situated on 167 acres in Western Albemarle County in Virginia.  The original house was built between 1852 and 1854 and redesigned and expanded in 1923 by famed architect William Lawrence Bottomley and landscape architect Charles F. Gillette. 

Charles F. Gillette, College of William and Mary

Mr. Bottomley, considered a leading architect of the Colonial Revival style, did some of his most beautiful work in Virginia, though he was in fact, a born-and-bred Manhattan-ite.  The recognition of the classic regional style of what is called the "Virginia garden," is likely due to the prolific work of Charles Gillette, who landscaped hundreds of estates in Virginia and the upper South.

After 1970, the slowly fading property passed through a succession of owners and uninspired modern additions, until it was rescued in 2002 by Charles and Kim Cory.  They hired Madison Spencer, an old friend, to enhance the property and restore it to its graceful 1920's design.

Madison Spencer has been widely published and is known internationally, in part for his work on historic properties, several of which have achieved landmark status.  

He is a classicist who designs homes, commercial properties, resorts and offices, and has been honored by the Institute of Classical Design and Classical Architecture.  Mr. Spencer has offices in Newport, Rhode Island, and Charlottesville, Virginia.  See more of his stunning work by clicking here.

Blue Ridge Farm consists of a 12,000 square foot main house with 33 public rooms and 17 out-buildings.  Read Erin Parkhurst's excellent article in Virginia Living Magazine by clicking here.

Ralph Harvard, a native Virginian, was the talented interior designer on the project.  The sitting room is painted in Farrow & Ball Cooking Apple Green.  The thrilling discovery of Mr. Bottomley's original carved inscription, "Love and contentment abide here within these four walls," was made when some bookcases were removed.

One of the most beautiful buildings on the property is the pool pavillion, an original design by Madison Spencer.  It blends seamlessly into its surroundings but retains its own graceful character.

Landscape Architect Rusty Lilly, a Gillette scholar, guided the restoration of park-like gardens. 

Erin Parkhurst's Virginia Living article describes how, in homage to Bottomley, Mr. Spencer cleverly integrated the fretwork motif from the library into the new pool house.

View more of Madison Spencer's elegant designs here.

For further reading on William Lawrence Bottomley, Charles F. Gilliette or Colonial Revival houses and gardens, we recommend these books from our library:

                


Images:  Eric Kvalsvik for Virginia Living magazine article by Erin Parkhurst 2.  Eric Kvalsvik for Virginia Living magazine, article by Erin Parkhurst 3.  Richard Felber for Garden & Gun magazine  4.-5.  Eric Kvalsvik for Virginia Living magazine, article by Erin Parkhurst 6.  Erik Kvalsvik/Ralph Harvard published in Antiques and Fine Art magazine 7.  Erik Kvalsvik for Virginia Living magazine 8.  Erik Kvalsvik/Ralph Harvard published in Antiques and Fine Art magazine.  9.-12.  Madison Spencer Architects 13.  Brie Williams 14. Brie Williams for Virginia Living Magazine 15. Madison Spencer Architects