Inside a Timeless English Manor–Style Home in Tennessee by Designer Eric Ross

Ross’s first step was to flesh out the home’s architectural plans, which had already been drawn up by architect Pfeffer Torode, to achieve the classic English manor-style house he envisioned for his clients. “I wanted this home to feel like a different time and place,” Ross recounts. Aided by builder Davis Properties, the designer refined the exterior with painted brickwork and a Georgian-style limestone portico to give the home a stately appearance. His architectural contributions inside the house also pay tribute to the past. Working with a craftsman who specializes in recreating vintage millwork, Ross introduced columns, dentil molding, and wall paneling to imbue the interior with old-world character. He even modified the home’s steel doors and windows by adding panelized glass so that they would look less modern.

In the same vein as the home’s architecture, Ross gravitated to those time-honored furnishings often associated with esteemed British country houses, such as old Persian and Oushak rugs, blue-and-white porcelain, and antique case goods and tapestries. “When you’re casting a spell and creating a story, you have to make it feel authentic,” Ross explains. Colors that suggest patina also help to historicize the interior, like the verdigris-blue walls and draperies that envelop the great room. Even some recently made pieces manage to fool the eye with their antique-like appearance. In the jewel-box-like dining room, a traditional scenic wallpaper, modern crystal chandelier, and reproduction double-pedestal dining table seem plucked from Ballyfin, the early 19-century Irish country estate-turned-hotel which Ross had in mind when designing the space.

Like many family homes built today, this one boasts multiple kitchen spaces, but even with their assorted modern conveniences, they feel connected to the rest of the house with their traditional touches. In contrast to the main kitchen’s all-white millwork, two of the room’s three islands have dark wood bases, giving them a furniture-like look reminiscent of an antique cabinet. Patinaed wood was also selected for the grilling kitchen, where masculine-looking, lightly stained millwork is tailored to the husband, a master griller who primarily uses the space. There is even a dish room that does double-duty as a bar, outfitted with walnut-lined cabinetry to better showcase the homeowners’ impressive collection of gleaming antique sterling silver.

As committed as Ross is to design traditions, he is not opposed to taking liberties, he says.

“In America, we’re freer with our interpretations.” For example, instead of staining the wall paneling in the husband’s study, which would customarily be done for a gentleman’s room, Ross painted it deep blue and added gold metallic wallpaper to the ceiling to foster a lounge-like feel. Nor did he limit himself to the British Isles when seeking inspiration. Taking his design cue from the sun-dappled interiors of Italian palazzos, Ross enveloped the primary bedroom with soft neutral hues and tone-on-tone damask fabrics to create a space that is both tranquil and timeless. Far from disturbing the home’s narrative flow, these occasional diversions add to the uniqueness and charm that can be found in every corner of the house—and on the outside, too. “I wanted everywhere you look to feel special,” Ross says. “I didn’t want the spell to be broken.”