The 18th-century Georgian Ann Long Merck shares with her husband, Tony
Ann with pups Winston and Buckley in the second-floor drawing room
In the foyer, apricot-hued silk wall coverings and coordinating curtains provide an elegant backdrop for a pair of works by mid-century German Expressionist painter Otto Neumann and portraits by contemporary classical realists Daniela Astone and Charles Weed.
A 1968 portrait by French painter André Minaux sets the tone for the first-floor drawing room. “She has that little bit of pink,” says Ann. “We put her right over the classical Georgian fireplace and suddenly the room got very feminine.” Sketches by Ben Long and two still lifes by Jill Hooper round out the room’s luxe vibe.
Ann has a deep love of nature that began with her father, who often took her birding in the ACE Basin. She’s still an avid birder, and her collection of turkey, pheasant, owl, and hawk feathers are displayed throughout the home.
“I’m especially fond of my drawings, collected over the last 25 years,” Ann notes. The stairwell walls double as a veritable gallery of these works, which span the 18th to the 21st century and include etchings by Alfred Hutty, a charcoal sketch by Italian artist Daniela Astonè, and figure drawings by Ben Long, among many more.
The upstairs drawing room is outfitted in a sophisticated palette of rich browns and yellows. An inviting mix of textures, from an antique Khotan rug atop seagrass to suede upholstery on the 18th-century armchair, adds visual interest.
A lifesize cartoon for fresco by Ben Long adorns the space.
Possessor No. 5 by Danish artist Louise C. Fenne
18th-century gilt dolphins found through G. Sergeant Antiques play nicely off the gold tones seen throughout.
The dressing room
In the butler’s pantry, hand-painted Gracie wallpaper complements a portrait of Mary Roane Ritchie Green by 19th-century master portrait artist Thomas Sully, who completed more than 2,000 works of wealthy patrons and politicians.
Sleek cabinetry by Bulthaup commingles with antiqued pilasters in the kitchen, located within what was once the rear porch.
The courtyard was originally laid out by celebrated landscape architect Loutrel Briggs.
The guest house, built circa 1850, stands perpendicular to the main residence and includes its own kitchen and living space.
The separate guest quarters, located within what was once a detached kitchen house, feature original exposed wood beams and wood flooring.
The guest quarters feature more breathtaking artworks, such as Otto Neumann monotypes.
One of Jill Hooper’s studies for a self-portrait
