When Shaker meets state-of-the-art: Couple builds home inspired by Kentucky history

When Nancy and Bruce discovered the property at 1120 Kidds Mill Road in Versailles, they had a vision to connect history with the present.

The couple lived in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, before purchasing the 38 acres in 2008. Nancy, an avid horsewoman and architect, said if they were going to move to better accommodate their horses, they were headed for horse country.

The only building on Whisper Creek Farm was an old tobacco barn, which they remodeled into an equipment building. They built an impressive seven-stall horse barn and a 1,600-square-foot guest house, where they lived while building the main house. They moved into their permanent 6,000-square-foot residence in 2010.

With a love for contemporary design, the couple wanted their house to possess the styles they admired — but also incorporate characteristics of the Bluegrass.

“When we built our house in Jackson, it reflected the mountains and the landscape, so I wanted to reflect (the Kentucky landscape with this one).”

So they built the house in Shaker style and blended it with contemporary elements. Nancy said the idea was that the house was “old” and they simply built on to an original dwelling.

“(The Shakers’) philosophy was to only build what you will use. Form follows function. That really appeals to me,” Nancy said.

It was designed with very simple lines — from the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in the library to the stone fireplace mantles created from French limestone. The floors are reclaimed beechwood from a tobacco warehouse, complete with nail holes that give it character.

“It’s the perfect floor for a farmhouse. You see all the little nicks,” Nancy said.

Stone walls made from Indiana and Kentucky quarry limestone and dry stacked to match the home’s exterior signal the end of the “old house” and where the new wings begin. Large windows sit on either side of the transition room.

“It’s wonderful views when the stars are out, and the beautiful moon. We keep it open to keep that feeling of going from one house to the next,” she said.

The area leads into the great room, where the couple said they spend a great deal of time. The open space is embellished with their extensive collection of native art — from photographs to hanging war shirts from the Lakota Sioux tribe. Clerestory windows let in natural light around the top perimeter of the room. And through the house’s back windows is a tranquil view of a creek, a millstone fountain, and deer that wander up near the house to graze. Another fireplace and a dividing wall with a TV make the room the perfect space to gather and relax.

On the other side of the dividing wall is a bar with refrigerated drawers, which leads into the kitchen, featuring a large island with a cutting board space built into the granite. When the two were shopping for a countertop for the island, Nancy said she could see the outline of a horse in its pattern. When she learned the name of the type of granite was Orion — the same name her horse — she was sold. The kitchen also houses an extended appliance garage behind the wall sink and a large marble wall that hides spices behind the stove. An adjacent table, built from Kentucky walnut, sits near a fireplace where they have breakfast and coffee each morning and catch up with each other in the evening.

The back entryway off the kitchen area serves as a laundry room with a functional adjoining bathroom.

“I come in dirty (from riding horses) and full of hay, and I can use the back bathroom to clean up so I won’t drag it though the house,” Nancy said.

While the property has served them well in keeping and riding their beloved horses, it’s also been a place where their family has loved gathering as well as enjoying the Kentucky countryside.

“Everyone just loves it here. It’s easy to have a large group of people,” Nancy said. “The creek is very pretty. I ride with my neighbor, and my granddaughter rides. (We love) being outdoors,” she said.

This story was originally published December 1, 2019 at 6:00 AM with the headline "When Shaker meets state-of-the-art: Couple builds home inspired by Kentucky history."