Sue and John Henry don’t just live in a beautiful townhouse — they built it. The couple moved from a rental to a townhouse they purchased on a large corner lot in Alexandria, VA. The lot felt oversized for good reason. After some investigating, Sue and John found that the lot was buildable. They immediately started drafting ideas of their future, custom home. They never expected they’d be able to build a dream home while living next door and getting to stay in a neighborhood they loved so much. And they never expected the amount of creative and personal growth that would result from the experience of building a home.
Sue is an artist and textile designer and John is a lawyer with a designer’s eye. Their collective creativity pushed them to design a home that suited their unique tastes. An architect friend helped them put their ideas down on paper and they felt ready to build. “We built our house from scratch and thought, foolishly, that it would be a quick process,” Sue expresses. “The process was much trickier than we expected and ultimately required major perseverance. Looking back, it was a blessing to be somewhat hung up in permitting because the time allowed us to do extra planning and material selection.” The project took four years, but in 2009, they moved into their one-of-a-kind townhouse in their ideal neighborhood with their two young children.
“I would say that the bones of the house are rustic modern. Our focus was on natural, reclaimed materials and eclectic art and furniture made by friends or handed down by family. There is a lot of big wood and metal in our house… I’ve been working to soften it up with my fabrics, varied colors, textures, and plants and flowers, probably bending to the electric at this point,” Sue shares. “We strive to make our home welcoming and comfortable to all and love to have people over to enjoy it with us.” The creative energy this home holds is inspiring. This is not a home inspired by Pinterest or design blogs. It is a home inspired by trips to an architectural salvage yard in New Jersey. It’s a home with the heart and soul of the owners designed into every room.
The decision-making and teamwork between Sue and John to design their home didn’t just benefit the look of the home. Sue describes the process of creating a home from scratch as growing, “Not to get too philosophical, but I uncovered a lot of strength within myself while we were building this house. I discovered that I had a voice and an opinion that was stronger than I thought it was. I also found out that being the nice girl wasn’t going make the builders pour concrete or the electric company turn on the power. I was able to get really clear and direct, and it’s a lesson that I’ve taken with me.” Between a gorgeous home and a clearer sense of self, the wait for their dream home was obviously worth every minute. –Lauren
Photography by Casey Gammon
Image above: The dining room in the Henry family’s home is filled with an eclectic mix of modern, salvaged and repurposed pieces.
from Design*Sponge http://www.designsponge.com/2017/10/an-artists-haven-built-by-hand-in-alexandria-va.html
from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/166783412364
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