Washington, DC–based interior designer Melissa Colgan bought a weekend home in Sperryville, Virginia, in 2023: an 1830s farmhouse that once served as the county doctor’s home and office. Set near the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park, the 1,200-square-foot house has grown over time from a single-room log cabin into a two-bedroom family retreat.
Colgan and her husband, Daniel Schned, had been exploring Rappahannock County for years before finding the property. They worked with DC architect Alexander Smith of Mortar & Thatch on updates intended to make the house more practical without giving it the feel of a new renovation.
The most significant change was upstairs, where the original single bedroom was divided into a room for the couple’s daughter and a main bedroom with space for a king bed and built-in closets. Downstairs, the living room retains its original 1830s log siding and pine floors, which helped guide Colgan’s use of ochre, red and blue, along with botanical and floral patterns inspired by the surrounding landscape.
The furnishings combine antiques, local finds and newer pieces. They include a 1920s French fruitwood dining table, an early American rocking chair found at Ruckersville Antiques and a BDDW sofa upholstered in a floral Décors Barbares print. In the mudroom and laundry area, gingham skirts soften the cupboards, while the kitchen gained cabinets and open shelving to improve storage and movement through the compact space.
The property also includes a barn that was renovated by a previous owner with a kitchenette, living area and sleeping quarters. Colgan has added fabrics and antiques there, but says most of her design attention went to the farmhouse itself. Its weathered wood and wavy 19th-century window glass remain part of the home’s character.
Sources: Architectural Digest.