Magical refuge

Southern Living, May 2002 by Martin, Robert

Let us take you inside this charming cottage, where a fifth-generation family blends past and present.

William Wordsworth once lamented in his poem "The World Is Too Much With Us" that our constant pursuits of wealth and happiness often overshadow life's simpler gifts. Because he made this observation nearly 200 years ago, his head would spin to see us now. In our daily rush here and there, we could greatly benefit from retreating to some special hideaway where time passes at a slower pace.

Preserving a Homeplace

Not only do Barbara Stone and her son, Chan, know of such a place-they enjoy living there as well. Their 1840s country Greek Revival cottage, named the Chancellor House (after Barbara's great-great-grandfather, Williams Chancellor), sits on the outskirts of Harpersville, Alabama.

While this house may be an architectural time capsule, it's not a museum. Instead, outfitted with modern conveniences that have been discreetly added, the home is vibrant and alive. Being the fifth-generation owner, Barbara has gone to great lengths to ensure this. "My intent was and is to maintain the feeling of the old homeplace while integrating updated features," she explains. "Also, many of the furnishings and decorative arts are original to the place."

Gardens by Design

Chancellor House elicits an immediate change of thought. Once the iron entrance gates swing open, all worldly cares fall away. Surrounded on two sides by a high picket fence, the one-story structure is a vision of whitewashed lap-- board siding, built from heart pine and accented with green trim. In keeping with its Greek Revival roots, the house has two porticos adorning both the front and west sides. These classic porches, with their simple box columns, support plain pediments that tie into the gabled tin roof beyond.

At the west yard, the house becomes a serene backdrop for two parterre gardens, one composed of perennials and the other of boxwoods. Assisted by friend and garden designer Mary Carolyn Boothby, Barbara created these outdoor sanctuaries to complement and ground the cottage. "The current gardens are in the Colonial Revival style," states Barbara, "and they are far more fancy than the original family would have planted." Still, her landscape ambitions have paid off. During the summer months, roses and other flowers perfume the air surrounding Chancellor House.

Come On In

After lingering in the gardens, visitors have the option of entering the home through either the front or side porticos. Because the cottage is L-- shaped, both sectors are only one room deep. Therefore, each space flows freely into the other, without interior hallways. In back, an ample double porch follows the shape of the house and acts as an exterior hall, connecting both sections.

Adapting With Time

In addition to receiving visitors, the central hall accomplishes other functions. First, the room accesses the rear gallery through double doors that are identical to and directly across from the front entryway. This design feature reflects back to a time when natural ventilation was the only means of cooling. "When both sets of doors are open," Barbara says, "the hall acts as a wonderful breezeway."

The hall also connects two adjacent front rooms in the cottage. Similar in size, these east and west parlors mirror each other not only with the same pine flooring, walls, and ceilings but also in their placement of fireplaces, windows, and doors. Another authentic detail shared by the two spaces is a stippled faux finish found on the woodwork. This technique, which is common to the period, gives the doors, wainscot, and mantels a granite-like appearance.

Just as her ancestors did, Barbara makes the most of these rooms-using the east parlor as a bedroom and sitting room and the west parlor as a bedroom and formal dining room. "Because this house is a cottage rather than a grand plantation house," she explains, "these rooms would have served several functions."

Repurposed Dogtrot

The side portico and entrance occupy the former breezeway (also called a dogtrot). Originally a passage to the rear gallery, the breezeway was enclosed in 1969, forming an entry vestibule and a much-needed bath.

One interesting and authentic element is the 6-inch shiplap wallboards. Applied when the vestibule was open to the outdoors, these boards were painted as exterior wood siding.

Cleverly Concealed Kitchen

Serving as a corridor to the west parlor, the side vestibule also leads into one of the most enchanting rooms of Chancellor House: the kitchen. Formerly a bedroom, it was converted into a cooking area during the early 1900s, after the original kitchen outbuilding burned.

The kitchen displays some of Barbara's clever methods for updating the house while staying true to its spirit. "My goal was to have a spacious, functional kitchen that did not detract from the cottage's vintage feel," she notes. The homeowner, along with contractor Phillip Driver, accomplished this by concealing appliances and fixtures in cabinets made to look like freestanding furniture. For dish and utensil storage, Barbara relies upon old cupboards and other pieces that are not attached to the walls.