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A Veranda report profiles designer Ashley Whittaker’s work on a 1930s neo-Georgian estate in Greenwich, Connecticut. The ongoing project pairs the home’s historic character with practical changes for a family of seven and playful color, pattern and furnishings.
Designer Ashley Whittaker is continuing work on a 1930s neo-Georgian estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, balancing the home’s historic character with a more relaxed setting for a family of seven. A report by Veranda describes the residence’s playful game room, reworked kitchen and family spaces, and rooms where bold color and pattern sit alongside traditional architecture.
The owners bought the property about five years ago after leaving New York City in search of more room for their five sons, then ages eight to 18. The roughly six-acre estate includes mature trees, a swimming pool and pool house, and two detached garages, one of which has a guest apartment. Whittaker describes the house as rambling in a charming way, reflecting additions made over several decades, including new wings in the 1990s.
The game room is among Whittaker’s favorite spaces. It has a wool-covered banquette, brass drinks tables and an antique Russian cabinet stocked with dominoes, cards and board games. Pierre Frey borders from the 18th century are arranged in a way that disrupts the regularity of striped walls. The room’s mix of formality and informality reflects the broader design approach: the house retains its period features, but its rooms are meant to be used comfortably.
Architect George Knight, whose New Haven firm has experience renovating older Connecticut homes, had previously overseen an update to the property. For the current owners, he reworked the kitchen so it could function as a social space and changed a back staircase to improve the route from the children’s bedrooms. Knight and Whittaker also widened the opening between the kitchen and family room. The project includes a 30-foot living room arranged in two seating areas, while the dining room pairs peacock-blue lacquered paneling with a white chevron floor design.
A Historic House Made for Family Life
The project illustrates how a large historic home can be adapted for everyday use without removing the features that give it its character. The kitchen changes and widened doorway address how the family moves through the house, while the living room’s two seating areas are intended to work for both quiet evenings and larger gatherings. Whittaker told Veranda that the living room should be comfortable for family time by the fireplace as well as entertaining as many as 60 guests.
The design details also show that historic interiors need not be treated as formal or visually restrained. In the dining room, a dark-stained floor is painted with white chevrons, and glossy blue walls set off the owners’ blue-and-white porcelain. In the living room, patterned fabrics in blues, greens and earthy taupes contrast with creamy Venetian plaster. These choices create a contemporary layer while leaving the home’s Georgian moldings and paneling visible.
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From Earlier Renovation to Current Design
The owners involved Knight in their property search because of his firm’s experience with older Connecticut houses. According to Veranda, the wife contacted him after finding the Greenwich residence and learned that he had worked on an earlier renovation there. That connection gave the new owners an architect familiar with the building’s history and previous changes.
Knight had already modernized areas that once separated service functions from entertaining spaces. In the current work, he and Whittaker focused on making the house feel more familial than formal, while accommodating the family’s needs and the owners’ art and antiques. The home includes works by Robert Motherwell and Peter Beard in the library, as well as art by friends of the homeowners in other rooms. Veranda reports that the project remains underway.
““There’s a playfulness to the space. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but at the same time, feels elegant.””
— Ashley Whittaker, designer, speaking to Veranda
The Remaining Work Is Unspecified
Veranda says Whittaker’s work on the house is ongoing and that she and Knight are creating a new space, but the report excerpt does not identify what that room or project involves. It also does not give a completion date, renovation budget or a full account of the construction work. The ages of the sons are reported as ranging from eight to 18, but the source does not specify the date on which those ages were recorded.
The report is a design profile, not a formal project announcement or independent assessment of the renovation. Details about permits, costs and the precise scope of the architect’s work are not provided.
Whittaker and Knight Continue Work
The next confirmed development is that Whittaker and Knight are continuing their work on the property. The source does not say when the new space will be completed or when further details may be shared. Until then, the reported design focuses on the finished or described rooms: a game room for casual gatherings, a kitchen made more social, and living and dining rooms that combine traditional architectural details with contemporary color and pattern.
Key Questions
Where is the estate?
The house is in Greenwich, Connecticut. Veranda describes it as a 1930s neo-Georgian mansion set on about six acres.
Who is designing the home?
Ashley Whittaker is leading the interior design work, with architect George Knight involved in changes to the house. Veranda reports that the project is ongoing.
What changes were made to suit the family?
Knight reworked the kitchen as a social space, changed a back staircase to improve access from the children’s rooms and worked with Whittaker to widen the opening between the kitchen and family room.
What is distinctive about the dining room?
The dining room has peacock-blue lacquered paneling and a dark floor painted with white chevron bands. The report says the design draws inspiration from a room by decorator Albert Hadley.
When will the project be finished?
The report does not provide a completion date. It says Whittaker’s work is ongoing and that she and Knight are creating an additional space, without describing it further.
Source: veranda.com
