A First Look at the AGH Country House

Welcome to a first look at the AGH Country House. This project is extra special to my heart because it is the next AGH home. We moved in June, and was empty as can be for the first couple months (minus our two linen sofas and a breakfast table with vintage chairs), but full of ideas and excitement. I’ve now started to make some head way, and hope to be nearly settled by the arrival of Fall. It’s a balancing act to work towards making a house feel like home, but not rush or make decisions out of haste. The best decisions and outcomes tend to come slowly and with thoughtfulness. I love that in every home we’ve lived, each has had its own unique and distinct look and aesthetic, and it allows me the creativity to start over with a blank slate and dream up something new each time. The AGH Farmhouse (two houses ago) was an 1805 center chimney colonial that was quite primitive and Americana in its feel; The AGH Lake House (last house) was a brand new gut-renovated cottage that felt reminiscent of a West Coast bungalow. The AGH Country House is an 1860 federal with romantic details that are formal, feminine and a little bit European countryside in its feel. The home is a little over 1,800 square feet with a kitchen, atrium (that we’ll use as a dining space when needed), living room, office, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, and a laundry/household room. It’s situated on 3 shady acres on a quiet, windy country road. I’m so excited to spend the remainder of summer collecting and filling each space, and to share along the way with a full tour sometime this fall.

In a design project, there are hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of selections to review, maintain, and approve. The most important thing about each of those decisions is to create cohesiveness throughout the home. What better way to ensure this than consistently referencing your “guiding compass” throughout the entire process, which is why mood boards are so important! We create a mood board for each project that our clients approve and use to guide the direction. The mood boards for the AGH Country House project were as difficult as it was a creative breeze. I knew what I wanted, but designing for yourself can be the toughest challenge of them all. There are so many options and personal notes to keep track of. This home is going to carry a European aesthetic and house all of my favorite patina-ed finishes and natural materials.

Take a walkthrough video tour here, and see some snaps of the house here and here.