This Chester County Farmhouse Embraces the Old and the New

Photos by Barry Halkin / Halkin Mason Photography

An abandoned farmhouse is rebuilt to maintain its character and charm.

At Evergreen Farm, architectural inspiration flows from a springhouse that dates to 1845. Once a freestanding structure, it’s now integrated into an elegant Chester County farmhouse that blends vintage character with amenities designed for modern family living.

kitchen

The original intention was to restore the abandoned farmhouse on the site, but the building couldn’t be saved, so the owners opted to build a new house from the ground up. “Our first priority was making the house look as old as others in our area,” the owner says. “We often have people ask us how old the house is, and they’re surprised that it was built more recently.”

farmhouse

The duo turned to the team at West Chester’s Archer & Buchanan Architecture to come up with a historically authentic design that can be enjoyed by future generations. At one meeting, firm cofounder Richard Buchanan showed the couple a rendering of a house he’d drawn freehand. “As soon as he showed us the drawing, we knew it was the custom look we wanted,” the owner says. “Our house is identical to the sketch, and that pencil drawing is now framed in our house.”

dining area

The owners wanted a traditional layout with a defined kitchen, breakfast area and family room.

stairwell
The owners wanted a traditional layout with a defined kitchen, breakfast area and family room. “Our previous homes had a much more open concept, and we found that we were becoming too casual by eating at the kitchen island and not sitting down as a family,” says the owner.

staircase
To give the new home an authentic farmhouse feel, the team established a working palette of stone, wood roof shakes, horizontal siding and historically correct windows. Inside, all three levels of the springhouse connect to the main house. The vaulted cellar connects to a lower-level family room; the ground floor, with its walk-in fireplace and winder box stairs, aligns with the front hall; and the loft sitting room connects at the second-floor stair landing. “Each level includes original elements of the historical fabric that add richness and texture to the overall design,” Buchanan says.

hallway

firepit

A recent project for the tight-knit family of seven was a freestanding customized garage that accommodates the sporting equipment and vehicles collected by the young adults at home.

As with previous generations, the needs of the current owners have evolved over time. A recent project for the tight-knit family of seven was a freestanding customized garage that accommodates the sporting equipment and vehicles collected by the young adults at home. The new structure also includes a gathering space with a loft, kitchenette and powder room. A large glass sliding door system opens to a covered porch and vistas of the landscape beyond. “While our style of day-to-day living has changed dramatically since 1845, we still have a strong desire for outdoor living and a connection with the outdoors,” Buchanan says.

living area in the Chester County farmhouse

The garage includes a gathering space with a loft, kitchenette and powder room. A large glass sliding door system opens to a covered porch and vistas of the landscape beyond.

outdoor dining at the Chester County farmhouse