With Valentine’s Day just one month away, I thought it would be fun to tour the exquisite home of one of my favorite jewelry designers, Elizabeth Locke. Elizabeth draws upon a lifelong fascination with the antique jewelry of the Etruscans, Greeks and Romans to create her own neo-classical handmade 19k gold jewelry. The search for the perfect bit of history to incorporate into her designs takes Elizabeth on a “continual treasure hunt” around the globe to European markets, antique shows, and auctions. Her deepest passion is for one-of-a-kind antiques, and so naturally, her home – an 1816 Federal-style farmhouse, Clay Hill, in Virginia hunt country – is a perfect reflection of this passion.
Soon after Elizabeth and her husband and John purchased Clay Hill, antiques belonging to former occupants who had lived in there in the 1920s and 1930s came up at auction. After purchasing as many of them as they could, Elizabeth pieced the rooms back together using photographs from magazine shoots from the 1920s. Elizabeth and John worked with Neumann Lewis Buchanan Architects to restore the home and create period-appropriate additions, and designers Jean Perin and Alison Martin Elizabeth did the interiors.
Elizabeth and John lived their 100-acre Virginia estate for over 30 years before establishing the garden of their dreams. They created a formal Italianate garden inspired by the six years Elizabeth spent living in Florence next to the Boboli Gardens. The design encompasses boxwood parterres, a Gothic-style greenhouse, a cutting garden, vegetable beds, and a lily pool.
Unless otherwise noted, images and captions are from One Kings Lane.
A Federal-style pier table, sofa, and chairs flank the entrance (the seating all upholstered in a Scalamandré red silk). One Kings Lane
A rounded arch sets off a view past an inherited long case clock to moose antlers hanging in the entrance hall. One Kings Lane
The view from the sunshine-yellow sitting room into the deep emerald-green library. One Kings Lane
The shelves are filled with 20th-century volumes inherited from John’s grandfather, a serious bibliophile. The spiral-stairs miniature was an architect’s model. One Kings Lane
Now that it’s filled with yellows (and blues to balance the palette), everyone flocks to the sitting room. Elizabeth often ends up here with a magazine when she has a window of time to herself. One Kings Lane
Elizabeth Locke One Kings Lane
Furnished with pieces inherited from John’s grandmother’s Park Avenue apartment, the dining room is “quite formal,” Elizabeth says. One Kings Lane
Elizabeth carries the Federal style, with its pleasing proportions inspired by ancient classical designs, into the formal room. An obelisk completes the look. One Kings Lane
Everything gets bejeweled: A bust wears one of Elizabeth’s own designs. One Kings Lane
A table in the kitchen makes an easy perch for morning list making and organizing the day. Elizabeth often has company, though—as she says, “This is where everyone always hangs out.” One Kings Lane
A powder room was redone with a swirling red-and-white wallpaper. One Kings Lane
The ceiling of the master bedroom creates the atmosphere of an otherworldly Italian garden. One Kings Lane
Master bedroom ceiling via New York Social Diary
Meant for display, not work, the surface of an antique desk is filled with beloved family photographs. Elizabeth says, “I’ve always been more into style than comfort.” One Kings Lane
Elizabeth’s own designs on the bedroom vanity. She says her jewelry has a sort of neoclassical design sensibility and often feature micro mosaics. One Kings Lane
A guest room via Architectural Digest
In the bathroom, the Venetian glass chandelier in a bright turquoise-aqua color was inspired by the original 1920s bathtub, which had been aqua. One Kings Lane
The porch is furnished with antique wicker furniture, collected from various places. Elizabeth painted it all Charleston Green, a deep green with a “giant dollop of black in it.” One Kings Lane
Elizabeth loves to set up meals on the orchid-covered enclosed porch. One Kings Lane
Designed in the shape of a Gothic arch, the greenhouse has smaller arches tracing the glass windows. Boxwood parterres surround the greenhouse, including a row of tall columnar boxwoods that hide the cutting garden in the back. Lemon trees, planted in urns, dot the Italianate gardens. They’re moved to the indoor pool during winters to keep warm. One Kings Lane
Decades ago when traveling in Udaipur, India, Elizabeth spotted these wrought-iron profiles of the young Queen Victoria. When they created the garden five years ago, she finally installed them. One Kings Lane
A moment of rural peace is elevated by a lily pool, with elegant seating to take in the views. One Kings Lane
Elizabeth found the 19th-century wrought-iron furniture at an antiques store—it brings a whimsical, leisurely atmosphere. One Kings Lane
Elizabeth’s land originally had a “ratty-looking garage” in this spot; they tore it down and realized it had been hiding a beautiful view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Over the garage’s footprint, they planted a vegetable bed. One Kings Lane
Elizabeth’s husband, John Staelin, after collecting fresh-laid eggs from their chicken coop. One Kings Lane
Elizabeth loves downtime in the greenhouse—although, she says, “just like everything else in life, you’re always tidying up—deadheading flowers, watering the wilting things.” One Kings Lane
Dotting this parterre are lemon trees, placed in urns for mobility. One Kings Lane
Elizabeth Locke has exquisite taste in decor and in jewelry. Please visit www.elizabethlocke.com to learn more. You can shop her collection through Neiman Marcus, and below I have highlighted some of my favorite pieces, perfect for Valentine’s Day (hint hint) or any other occasion! These heirloom pieces are true works of art.
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A 19th Century Virginia Classic by Anne Dutcher
Barry Dixon’s Edwardian Manor for Sale
I have always loved her jewelry and her home. I dream of owning a piece and will in the near future. I so admire every piece she designs and I swoon over all her pieces when I visit Neimens in LA. Since 2005 she is at the top of my bucket list in every category.
That picture of the back porch with the green wicker inspired me 3 years ago to paint the white wicker on my sun porch green, and put in a bead board ceiling, painted “haint” blue. Imagine my surprise to see the color of the wicker described as “Charleston Green”! Every picture of Charleston Green I’ve ever seen is a VERY dark black green, more “black with a giant dollop of green”, than “deep green with a giant dollop of black”! The wicker does not appear to be anywhere near that dark! Either it really isn’t Charleston Green or the photographs of this porch/wicker are very misleading”. Oh well, I love the color I painted my wicker anyway!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful story and photos…am a “longtime” admirer of Elizabeth’s works.