Masonry handled the stonework .
Moving On Up
Holland ’ s aesthetic is informed by the land , and the property in Middletown — with views of Sweet Berry Farm , Newport Vineyards and Hoogendoorn Nursery — reminded her of Napa Valley . She incorporated neutral raw wood and stone throughout and let Mother Nature do the rest .
“ It ’ s really private , and we just fell in love with the view ,” Holland says of the eleven-and-a-half-acre parcel , which was in Middletown ’ s first book of deeds . The land also offered adventure for her children and , in gathering wood for fires and observing wildlife , taught them a few life lessons , too .
Holland designed the house to suit her family ’ s needs , from the host-worthy kitchen to the dedicated mudroom at the garage-side entrance , which leads to the kids ’ wing . But , after a decade in Middletown , and with her youngest headed off to school in the fall , Holland and her husband are moving on . In midwinter , the property was listed with Gustave White Sotheby ’ s Michelle Kirby for $ 2.85 million .
“ Two years after we finished this place , we bought a house in Maine ,” she says , adding that it was always their dream to live up north . But Holland is hopeful her design will speak to someone who also appreciates the well-framed views , the fireplaces , the big kitchen table — namely , the many-splendored things that inspire togetherness and make a house a home . �
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