A Visit to Warrenwood Manor
There are few things in life I love more than history. The idea that objects and places have stories to tell has always mesmerized me. I always wonder who has walked the streets before me. When I first stumbled across Warrenwood Manor on Instagram I was enthralled immediately. The idea that a young couple would purchase a small farm and renovate it for events touched a deep place inside of me. I have always wanted to peel back the layers of time to reveal the stories beneath the exterior of a house.
Brittney, the lady of the manor, is getting to do just that. As I watched their IG feed, I was more and more curious about this amazing house and it's history. I made my way to Danville, Kentucky where Warrenwood is located and enjoyed my time there immensely. The history of the house is evident as you drive up and you can't help but smile at the gingerbread feel of the woodwork. You walk in to a gorgeous entry way complete with gorgeous woodwork and original light fixtures. I cannot tell you how beautiful the light is as it slants across the floors. Brittney gave me the grand tour sparing no nook or cranny. I reveled in it! I loved getting the behind the scenes look at the renovations. The house rambles on and on with sweet surprises like a light filled sitting room and original hardware in the bathroom. One of the most elegant features is the hand painted wallpaper throughout the house. Each room is a delight and surprise. They have lovingly furnished many of the rooms with pieces that carry the same amount of history the house itself carries. Brittney shared some of her lessons on huffpost if you would like to learn a little more about her personal journey through the renovation.
My favorite part of the story is the first event held at Warrenwood was Brittney's own wedding. It seriously doesn't get more romantic than that, in my opinion. Their end goal is to have an event space for weddings or other occasions and living quarters for Brittney and her husband. Warrenwood's mission is to provide flexible rental packages that are completely customized and reasonably priced. A customized rental package would depend on the event date, what parts of the property you'd like to rent and how long you would like to rent the property. Warrenwood Manor offers a historic home, rustic barn and outdoor space for rental. Our number one goal is making sure that someone hosting an event here gets exactly what they want and leaves saying, "I wouldn't have changed a thing."
For the history buffs out there, here is a quick history on the house and links to more documentation.
In 1785 Captain William Warren, a Revolutionary War Soldier, purchased 304 acres of land. This purchase included the 100 acres upon which Warrenwood Manor now sits. It wasn’t until 1856 that descendants of Captain Warren, John Fouche Warren and Samuel Wilcox Warren, would commission the construction of Warrenwood.
Warrenwood is one of three Gothic villas, including the Helm-Gentry House and the Mound Cottage, constructed between 1852 and 1856 in the Danville area. All three homes were modeled after the Elley Villa of Lexington and roughly based on sketches published by A. J. Downing and A. J. Davis. The builder of these villas is unknown, but they were probably designed and built by the same architect due to their similarities. It is believed possible that the houses were constructed by Robert Russell Jr., a local Danville builder, who is attributed with the construction of most of the early brick structures in the area.
The home rests on a foundation of stone allowed to settle for two years before the bricks were laid. The dark red bricks that make up the home’s exterior and interior walls were burned on the property and laid four deep in the thinnest parts of the walls. Lumber, cut from the property, was used to construct rooms measuring eighteen feet square and ceilings fourteen feet high. The front door, surrounded by leaded, Venetian glass opens to a large hall lit by two Venetian hall lamps. Solid walnut details include doors throughout the house, window facings, massive mantels and the banister ascending to the third floor.
To connect with Brittney and Warrenwood Manor
Address:
3044 Hustonville Road
Danville, KY 40422
Website: http://www.warrenwoodmanor.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/warrenwood_manor
