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This Chadds Ford home is stunning. Photos by Angle Eye Photography
The relaxed, minimalist home finds its harmony in nature with help from an open floor plan and light-filled rooms.
To find inspiration for the home he dreamed of building in a sylvan enclave in Chadds Ford, Kris Vaddi didn’t have to go far. “I wanted the house to belong to this area,” he says.
“The owner wanted an open floor plan with a lot of volume but not a lot of fuss, very clean and contemporary.”
—Builder Scott Porter
“The stairway was designed to be a glowing, light-filled tower. It acts as a lightwell to make an impact day or night.”
—Architect Jeffrey Dolan
Two islands in the kitchen provide lots of space for food prep and serving. Streamlined Porcelanosa cabinets were imported from Spain.
He was drawn to the mica schist walls of stately Oberod, a former du Pont estate in Wilmington. And while attending his son’s lacrosse game at the Haverford School, he was smitten by a façade that combines natural stone with metal beams. Above all, he was inspired by the land, a peaceful plot ensconced in mature oaks and tulip poplars. “My wife and I love trees and plants and nature,” he says.
A climate-controlled wine cellar is visible from the adjoining dining room via a glass wall.
Period Architecture designed a spacious stone home with an open floor plan and soaring expanses of glass that would visually tie the house to the outdoors. “He wanted an open floor plan with a lot of volume but not a lot of fuss, very clean and contemporary,” says builder Scott Porter. “When you open the front door, you can see all the way through to the beautiful trees.”
Vaddi and his wife, Lakshmi, enjoy hosting large gatherings, so having a layout conducive to mingling was a priority. Two islands in the kitchen provide lots of space for food prep and serving. Streamlined Porcelanosa cabinets were imported from Spain. “European style with clean lines, yet very functional with lots of storage,” Porter says.
In the bathroom, a shower head descends from a 12-foot ceiling. Behind the soaking tub, there’s a built-in ledge for plantings of succulents.
The owners integrated their love of plants into the pool house, which doubles as a greenhouse.
Throughout the house, the vibe is relaxed, serene and minimalist. A climate-controlled wine cellar is visible from the adjoining dining room via a glass wall. Bottles are displayed on a wall paneled with walnut. A pair of upholstered ivory sofas in front of the fireplace provide a comfy conversation area. White oak floors enhance the flow.
Made of machined, chemically blackened steel, the staircase floats from the basement to the second floor. “It was designed to be a glowing, light-filled tower,” says Period Architecture’s Jeffrey Dolan. “It acts as a lightwell to make an impact day or night.”
In the bathroom, a shower head descends from a 12-foot ceiling. Behind the soaking tub, there’s a built-in ledge for plantings of succulents. The Vaddis also integrated their love of plants into the pool house, which doubles as a greenhouse. Outside, tiered gardens are defined by retaining walls. “They wanted a house that’s in tune with nature,” Porter says. “And now they have it, nestled in their own little forest.”
Period Architecture
53 Church Road, Malvern, Pennsylvania, (610) 719-0101, periodarchitectureltd.com
Porter Construction
129 Center Mill Road, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, (302) 530-6011, porterconstructionllc.com
Porter Design Group
(919) 637-1988, porterdesigngrp.com
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