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The Stoners’ renovation enhanced the primary suite on the left side of the house with a bath and closet, and added the covered front porch. The exterior paint color is Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore with stained cedar.
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The wallpaper in the living room is by Arte, the sconces are by Cerno, the sofa and chair are by American Leather, the waterfall cocktail table is by Arteriors, the rug is by F.J. Kashanian, and the artwork is from Wendover Art Group.
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Jennifer found the vintage dining room light fixture at Elizabeth Stuart in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The table is by Gabby, the chairs are by Neuvo, the drapery fabric is from Design Legacy and the rug is by F.J. Kashanian. The custom cabinetry was crafted by Prestige Custom Cabinetry.
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Chairs by Fabricut are upholstered in a Stroheim fabric. The solarium wallpaper is by Area Environments, and the rug is by F.J. Kashanian.
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The kitchen stools are by Gabby, the Fusion Granite waterfall countertop on the peninsula is from Absolute Stone, and the sculpted wood panels on the range hood and island are by Art for Everyday.
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The backyard furniture is by Janus et Cie, the pillows are from Four Hands Outdoor collection, and the artificial boxwood screening is from New Growth Designs.
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The vintage barware and keepsakes are from Jennifer’s collections. The chairs are from Ambella Home, the chandelier and table lamps are by Visual Comfort, the waterfall desk is by Four Hands, and the accent table is by Arteriors.
“If something really cool comes on the market, let me know,” Jennifer Stoner told her real estate agent during the pandemic. Their kids were grown, and suburban life just wasn’t them anymore.
“I wanted a house with unique bones — something funky we could play with, and Jeffrey wanted somewhere he could sit outside and enjoy the view,” she says of her husband.
On a stormy Memorial Day weekend in 2021, they found exactly what they were looking for: a split-level 1970s home on Lake Cherokee, just across the street from the James River. They sold their home in Wyndham and got to work.
They tore down walls, opening up the floor plan and allowing for broader views of the 25-acre lake. They bumped out the front of the house, creating curb appeal while accommodating a new owner’s suite with ample closet space and a luxury bath. Through the renovations, Jennifer was careful to keep the home’s character and quirks intact. “We still have our ‘Brady Bunch’ window in the living room,” she says with a laugh.
Through her decorating business, Jennifer Stoner Interiors, she procured unique items from her go-to vendors. She notes vintage pieces are easier to find these days, whether from the furniture market in High Point, North Carolina, or local shops like Verve, Mid Century Morris and Project1 at West End Antiques.
“When the pandemic hit and the supply chain got bad, there was a return to vintage and antiques because you could actually get that,” she says. “The midcentury trend paired with the pandemic created this perfect storm and reenergized the vintage vibe.”
Steps down from the foyer, the main living areas on the lower level each face the lake. Jennifer has incorporated many classic ’70s colors like orange, green, gold and brown but with her own contemporary stamp. “It’s been so much fun to start from scratch,” she says. “When I think of the ’70s, I think of the conversation pits and the big sectional couches. This house encourages time to chill out and just be together. It’s not a huge house, but it’s great for entertaining, and it feels intimate.”
Their favorite room is the bar they’ve created inside the original solarium — sans the old hot tub — with views in all directions. “I always gravitate here,” Jeffrey says.
The space is like a glass box for Jennifer’s favorite things. She pulled out her old vinyl records and displays vintage pieces like her grandmother’s Culver glassware and antique brass cigarette case. A piece of Venetian Murano glass from the couple’s trips to Italy rests on the coffee table along with an Alexander McQueen handbag and a little dragon Jennifer loves.
Interesting art can be found throughout the house, such as tribal masks, modern sculptures and figurative paintings, plus Jeffrey’s photography and an end table their daughter designed. “I just love conversation pieces and anything weird,” Jennifer says.
For the last few decades, she’s focused on her children and her clients, so Jennifer has embraced this time to do something for herself.
“The thing I love most about our house is that it’s comfortable,” she says. “I’m perfectly happy sitting home with my feet up and just enjoying the house.”
Her goal for her clients is to have that same feeling of contentment. “A home should be personality driven — it should feel like you,” she says.
While modern technology controls the lighting, temperature and window shades, the front deck is a no-phone zone. “Out here, it’s still 1976,” Jeffrey says. The couple loves hosting parties as well as kayaking and paddleboarding or just taking in the scenery.
They’ve also gotten to know their dozens of neighbors on Lake Cherokee, many of whom are empty nesters like themselves. The neighborhood just held its annual New Year’s Day flotilla, a longtime tradition.
“The great thing about the lake is it looks different every day and throughout the day,” Jeffrey says. “We love to travel, but now when we come back, it feels like the vacation continues.”