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A Veranda report showcases designer Ashley Whittaker’s work in a 1930s neo-Georgian estate in Greenwich, Connecticut. The home pairs historic details with colorful, practical rooms shaped for a family with five sons; Whittaker and architect George Knight are continuing work on the property.
A 1930s neo-Georgian estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, has been reworked by designer Ashley Whittaker to balance its formal architecture with rooms suited to everyday family life, according to a tour published by Veranda. The residence, acquired by Whittaker’s clients about five years ago, is home to a family with five sons and combines traditional details with vivid color, patterned textiles and more open connections between key living spaces.
Whittaker told Veranda that the game room is among her favorite spaces in the house. Its wool-covered banquette, brass drinks tables and antique Russian cabinet stocked with dominoes, cards and board games give the room a relaxed function within the stately home. Two 18th-century Indo-Persian borders, used in an unexpected way on the walls, interrupt the regularity of traditional stripes. Whittaker described the room as playful without losing its elegance.
The property sits on about six acres among mature trees and has grown through additions over the decades, including wings added in the 1990s. It also includes a pool house, swimming pool and two detached garages, one with a guest apartment. Architect George Knight, whose New Haven firm has experience renovating older Connecticut houses, had previously worked on the estate. He and Whittaker addressed how the home functions as well as how it looks.
Knight updated the kitchen as a social space and reconfigured a rear staircase so children can come down from their bedrooms into the kitchen, where there is room for homework. He and Whittaker also widened the opening between the kitchen and family room. In the 30-foot living room, two seating areas and a mix of chairs make the large space usable for both family evenings and gatherings, while creamy Venetian plaster walls temper the varied blue, green and taupe fabrics.
A Historic House Made for Family Life
The design illustrates a practical challenge in renovating a large historic residence: preserving its architectural character while making the rooms work for the people who live there. Here, that means connecting the kitchen and family room more openly, creating space for children’s routines and giving formal rooms furnishings that can accommodate both quiet use and entertaining.
The result also shows how decorative choices can soften the formality of a Georgian interior without removing its defining features. In the dining room, peacock-blue lacquer covers paneled walls, while white chevron bands painted on the dark floor add a graphic counterpoint. The report describes these choices as part of a house-wide balance between traditional architecture and a more personal, lively approach to color and pattern.
For readers interested in design, the project offers a concrete example of renovation as both spatial planning and decoration. The account does not establish costs, construction timelines or the project’s environmental impact, but it documents how the owners’ needs informed changes to circulation and shared spaces.
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A Greenwich Estate’s Earlier Renovation
The owners found the house while seeking more room after deciding to leave New York City, according to Veranda. They had asked Knight to help with their search because his practice has experience with older Connecticut properties. After the wife recognized the estate as a fit, she learned Knight had already overseen an earlier update there.
That prior work had modernized portions of the interior while retaining the home’s historic character. The estate had also expanded over time, including the addition of wings in the 1990s. Whittaker’s furnishings and finishes build on that layered history rather than treating the house as a new or uniform interior.
The article’s examples range from a modern landscape photograph set against Georgian moldings in the living room to a collection of blue-and-white porcelain displayed against glossy blue millwork. The homeowners’ art collection includes works by Robert Motherwell and Peter Beard, as well as pieces by friends and artists named in the report. These details help explain the personal mix of old architecture, art and contemporary decoration.
“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
Project Details Still Unreported
Veranda’s report does not state the renovation budget, the precise dates or duration of the work, or which portions of the house were completed in each phase. It also does not provide the owners’ names or a full account of the estate’s architectural history.
The source says Whittaker’s work on the house is ongoing and that she and Knight are creating a new ba—; the supplied report ends mid-sentence at that point. It does not identify the planned space or explain what work remains. No completion date or further project details are provided, so the scope and timing of the next phase are unclear.
Design Work Continues at the Estate
According to Veranda, Whittaker and Knight are continuing work on the property. The source material available for this report cuts off before naming the next project, so the next room or renovation phase cannot be confirmed. Any further details about the work, its schedule or the completed design would need to come from a later update by the designers, owners or publication.
Key Questions
Where is the estate?
The residence is in Greenwich, Connecticut, and sits on about six acres, according to Veranda.
Who designed the interiors?
Ashley Whittaker decorated the home for longtime clients. Architect George Knight worked with her on changes to the layout and had overseen an earlier update of the house.
What makes the game room distinctive?
The room combines a wool-covered banquette, brass drinks tables and an antique Russian cabinet holding games. Its wall treatment pairs two 18th-century Indo-Persian borders in a way that departs from standard stripes.
What changes made the house more family-friendly?
Knight updated the kitchen as a social space, reconfigured a back stair to connect children’s bedrooms more directly with the kitchen, and widened the opening between the kitchen and family room.
Is the renovation complete?
No completion is reported. Veranda says Whittaker’s work is ongoing with Knight, but the available source text cuts off before describing the next project or giving a timeline.
Source: veranda.com
