This one, however, marked a significant personal milestone for Garner: the first time she was making design decisions on her own. As mom to three children, “she wanted a new, warm, family home,” Steve recalls. The architect drew inspiration from Garner’s childhood memories of life in West Virginia. “I had this idea of creating something that felt like a farmhouse and a barn,” Steve says. “We wanted natural wood, coziness—a kind of warm embrace of a house for her because she’s such a lovely person.” This vision quickly took shape, with Steve presenting an initial sketch showing a garden in the front and a walk through trees leading to the entrance, and a rear façade that felt airy and open to the outdoors. He found inspiration in old post-and-beam architecture with its exposed construction details, which served as a model. Garner immediately fell in love.
The result is a residence that eschews grandiosity in favor of understated elegance—a home that, while impressive, is always in awe of nature’s majesty. Enveloped in woods and orchards, the design pays homage to the great outdoors at every turn, whether through art, textiles, or architecture. (There’s even a screened-in porch on the second floor.)
The interior design process focused on creating a calm, neutral palette with an emphasis on natural textures. “Jen loves vintage pieces,” says Brooke, who acquired a French 1850s farmhouse table for the dining room, along with midcentury decorative items from Swedish and Danish designers. “There’s also something a bit whimsical about her. And she likes gentle shapes, curves. This place is kind of the house version of Jen’s personality.”
One of the most welcoming spaces is the kitchen, which features honed marble and soapstone countertops, rounded mohair-covered breakfast table chairs, and a fireplace. (It also opens directly onto the swimming pool.) “She responds to soft and cozy,” Steve says of his client. “She’s not trying to be showy or have huge pops of color or stuff like that. There’s a kind of natural quietness to the things that she likes.”
