Kellyanne and Steve Patterson live in a meticulously renovated 19th-century barn, and if you stepped
through the front door with no forewarning, you might expect to see it filled with a collection of period
antiques.
But when you actually cross the threshold, you find yourself in a lofty, cathedral-like space where your eyes are drawn up and around by a profusion of contemporary art pieces. A big wooden turtle looks up at you from the floor. A large garnet-colored urn sits high on the wall, flanked by huge candlesticks. And on your left, an abstract painting is a swirl of vivid blue, purple and orange.
There’s not a Windsor chair or hand-stitched sampler in sight.
That’s the kind of surprising discovery in store for people on the first Saturday in October — October 3, this year — the 69th occasion of Chester County Day, the premier, annual house tour that benefits the Chester County Hospital. This year’s tour focuses on the northwestern part of the county — from Exton to Elverson — and like every year, there are plenty of classic fieldstone farmhouses decorated inside with period antiques and collectibles. People love that aspect of Chester County, and those who seek it will not be disappointed.
But the tour features plenty of surprises as well. Every homeowner and every home has a story to tell, so you can never be sure what’s in the next house or even in the next room.
Harmony Hill Road
Nestled on the western bank of Valley Creek, between West Chester and Downingtown, the home of Bill and Elaine Frech presents the 18th century in all its charming glory. A springhouse sits by the road, and the facade is classic fieldstone. Trees arch over it, and a period flag adds a blaze of bright color.
But there’s color inside, too, of an unexpected kind: contemporary paintings by Vietnamese artists that the Frechs came to admire while living for years in Asia. While the living room has family portraits and antiques, the family room features cases full of porcelain vases, plates and figurines, and carved wooden pieces.
The exterior is just as elaborately decorative. Wide grassy expanses contrast with profuse gardens that were once a “hill full of weeds,” Elaine Frech says with a smile. The grounds rise steeply on the western side, and on the steepest part the Frechs installed a waterfall that cascades down toward the house. Atop the bank sits a pergola that crowns a patio where you can sit in peace and follow your eye down the waterfall to the house and lush greenery around it.
By the road is a springhouse that was known to be the local post office in the 19th century and is reputed to have been a hospital for Patriot soldiers after the Battle of Brandywine. It certainly seems possible. An architectural historian who studied the Frechs’ house commented on its “air of antiquity.” And standing in this unspoiled valley, the 18th century seems very close indeed.
Herminie Hill Farm
Another stop on this year’s tour is similarly evocative of centuries past — a farmhouse located in Honeybrook, and believed to have been built in 1783.
The greenery stretches far and wide around it, and the view is much like it must have been when the house was built, with relatively few modern buildings nearby to detract from the timeless beauty of the countryside.
You can see the original springhouse from the road (pictured on the right), and farther up the hill, sheltered by large trees, the farmhouse sits in lovingly restored and enlarged splendor. The original was just four rooms — two on each floor — with a center hall. Over the years, many of the period decorative elements had been removed.
The current owners worked hard to remedy that. Outside and in, what you see now is a classic Chester County farmhouse. The facade is fieldstone with two windows on either side of the center door, and five windows on the second floor — it has visual interest, yet still remains elegantly symmetrical.
Both outdoors and indoors the owners have added back a wealth of era-appropriate details that were removed over the years, and furnished it with period antiques. Antique-lovers will find a formal dining room with a centerpiece of a family heirloom table, a tile fireplace surround decorated with a bird pattern that echoes the china.
The living room and den have a sophisticated but comfortable feel, with upholstered sofas and chairs and paintings of nautical scenes.
The kitchen is just as comfortable, but with a whimsically rural feel —baskets, wooden bowls, copper kettles and other objects from the farming world line the walls and hang from the ceiling.
This is where tour-goers find the fine Windsor chairs.
Must Have Barn
The many contemporary furnishings in Steve and Kellyanne Patterson’s home do not obscure its rich and varied history. The barn was built around 1852, and was used until farming activities stopped in 1975. The property was purchased in 1995 and the upper part was converted for residential use.
Then came a day in 2000 when Steve happened to ride past it on a motorcycle. He and Kelly had been looking for a property, and she had always wanted a barn. He looked at the barn, then had her take a look, too. It was what she calls a “have to have.”
Although much was done, much more was needed. With vision and a great deal of effort, the Pattersons transformed this barn into their home. The warmth of stone and the rough-hewn wood, amid silk and velvet, make this a comfortably elegant home.
For all the renovation outside and contemporary touches inside, the property remains bucolic. The requisite springhouse sits by the road, and a silo soars into the air on the western side. There are a few houses in the area down the hill, but the view to the northwest is dominated by the lake at Marsh Creek State Park, a half-mile away.
A Little Bit of Europe
Historic houses typically grow and change over the years, and Judith Alignan’s fieldstone farmhouse on Little Washington Road near Guthriesville is no exception. It started life a little over 200 years ago as a smokehouse and springhouse, and was gradually enlarged until it became the tenant house for the farm when the owners built a new house next door.
Alignan has lived there for 35 years, and she has continued the tradition by changing it extensively to suit her vision. When she first arrived, for example, what is now her living room was a garage with a dirt floor. But with the help of her friend John Humphrey, who did the distinctive stonework and woodwork, Alignan made it her own.
Overall the house has an old-world, European aura. The woodwork and stonework have a traditional style, with a whiff of whimsy that recalls the imaginative decor of the Arts and Crafts movement.
The outdoors includes extensive gardens and a tree-sheltered pond fed by water from the spring under the house. Alignan’s imaginative sense of design give the entire property a faintly magical, otherwordly charm.
Glen Oak Farm
The pastoral charm of Glen Oak Farm near Glenmoore belies the dramatic transformations the property has seen over the years. Pat and Jay Heim bought it 22 years ago “in a state of needed repair,” Jay says with a grin.
The couple wanted a Pennsylvania stone farmhouse. The only complication was that the circa-1760 stone farmhouse was encased within a drastic modernization done in the 1860s. Jay plunged in, working to take the house back to its original form.
They returned the house to its 18th-century roots, and they returned the surrounding fields to their original function as well. Jay wanted to make it a working farm, and so he did. They started with 19 acres; now they have 295, where they raise Angus cattle, hay and other crops.
The house is surrounded by delightful views — lush greenery on dramatic hillsides. The exterior has some fieldstone walls, but mostly is white with green trim, a charming, classic farmhouse look.
Interior features include a dining room with a magnificent walk-in fireplace, a formal living room and another sitting area off the kitchen, all decorated with period antiques. An inviting patio is lovingly landscaped and features a beehive oven extending from one wall.
Jay Heim points out over the fields to a line of trees. One of them is far larger than the others, a massive oak, and he mentions that it’s a Penn oak, green and growing since William Penn’s day. The tree is three centuries old, ancient but stoutly healthy, literally a piece of living history.
It’s certainly possible to feel a quiet awe, looking at it. And having the chance to see such things is what Chester County Day continues, in its 69th season, to offer. -CL-
The 69th Tour
The first Chester County Day was held in 1936 and, with a few exceptions, has continued yearly ever since. The event has raised more than $3.6 million for the Chester County Hospital and each year attracts visitors from across the U.S. and Canada.
This year’s tour focuses on the northwest quadrant of Chester County, from Exton to Elverson. Homes are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The $35 ticket gives visitors exclusive access to more than 20 of the area’s finest houses and grounds. Free previews of the homes on the tour are held from September 13 to October 2 in a variety of locations listed on the website and in the Chester County Day Newspaper.
For the first time, $100 VIP tickets are available. As thanks for this additional donation, there is a VIP reception catered by Vickers Restaurant, a gourmet lunch by Jimmy Duffy Caterers, and a VIP lounge and rest area at a restored building that now houses a Penn Liberty Bank branch office.
To order tickets (tickets are limited), find the ticket sales locations, or find out more, call 610-431-5301 or visit CCHosp.com. -CL-