The Manor House Before and After

We’re so excited to be able to reveal some before and after pictures to you of the Manor House of Tuscarora Inn and Conference Center.  We were called in to get it spruced up for a new women’s wellness retreat which will be held April 30th thru May 3rd.  This is a retreat that will focus on the overall health of women – physical, social, emotional, nutrition and spiritual.  I think we all need this time of breaking away even more now in this fast paced, high-tech world that we live in.

Let me tell you a little bit about this special home where the retreat will take place.  The Manor House was originally owned and build by a local dentist and his wife, Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Ginter.  Construction began in 1960 and continued over a seven year period as Dr. Ginter worked side by side with a local builder each weekend.  The Ginters were entranced by the architecture of the reign of Emperor Charlemagne in France and Germany so this home was built as an idiosyncratic adaptation of this style.

There are several architectural designs repeated throughout the house.  The Fleur de Lis motif associated with Charlemagne is incorporated in the home and a Gothic flavor is also found in the quatrefoil design used throughout.  Attention to detail is evident in every nook and cranny – from the solid cherry hardwood floors with countersunk walnut dowels, to the yellow Rondelle windows with bulls-eye glass, to the hand-carved cherry cabinetry in the library.  The circular design in the plaster of the living room ceiling was meticulously created using the bottom of a wine bottle.  These are just a few examples and I could go on and on.  It’s a wonderful home to explore.

The grounds surrounding the manor house are equally beautiful.  The Ginters constructed three ponds on the property.  The tooth-shaped pond in the front of the home was appropriately named “Molar Pond”.  They also planted an orchard with hundreds of apple, peach and pear trees, along with grapevines and pine trees.

In decorating, we were careful to stay true to the history, style and location of this home.  Hope you enjoy the pictures:

Living Room Before

Living Room After

Covering the sofas with creamy ready-made slipcovers gave us a neutral background on which to layer paisley and floral pillows in earthy shades of red, green and brown.

We loaded the bookshelves with a wealth of wonderful literature that was tucked away in an upstairs room.

Living Room Bookshelves Before and After

Entrance Before and After

The two chairs are actually dining room chairs.  We made the “chair cozies”  to  freshen them up inexpensively.  We were inspired by vintage French grain sacks which would typically be monogrammed with the farmer’s initials.

Fireplace Before

Fireplace After

(we added the brass kindling box, artwork and deer antler collection)

One challenge we faced was what to do with this carpeted wall (previously used as a display case) in the dining area:

We were able to find a great vintage mirror at a great price that fit the space nicely … no more carpeted wall and the mirror reflects much needed light.

Library Before

Library/Game Room After

Front Foyer

The foyer in the front of the home is circular so we added a round table to hi-lite the architecture.

We styled the table with moss, rocks, birch logs, pheasant feathers and deer antlers to reflect the woodsy, natural setting of the home.

This is what you see when you look up …. amazing isn’t it?

We’ve got some ideas for reupholstering the dining room chairs whenever our client is ready.  A Ralph Lauren plaid similar to the chair on the right would be a gorgeous complement to the paisleys and florals we used on the pillows throughout the house.

This home is perfect for small group retreats, family reunions and personal reflection.  For further information, contact Tuscarora Inn and Conference Center.  It’s a wonderful place to get away!