Modern kitchen with dark wood cabinets, marble island, black bar stools, and pendant lights over a spacious open layout.

 

Designer & Stylist

Gabrielle Messina


Location

Dillsburg, Pennsylvania


photographer

Kinna Shaffer

 

Dark walnut kitchen cabinets with marble island, black bar stools, and pendant light over hardwood floors.
Marble kitchen island with dark wood drawers, brass handles, two red wine glasses, cutting board, and a bottle of Lillet.

The Orchards

New Build


Situated on an old orchard, The Orchards was designed around the rolling countryside it sits in. The material palette is deliberately old: rich walnut, hand-troweled plaster, Carrara marble, local stone and slate, drawn together with clean, modern lines. The house was built for two sensibilities at once — modern and clean for him, traditional and rooted in the past for her — and the work was in letting them share a room without friction. It's a home meant to be lived in for a long time, and built to get better with age.

Elegant entryway with wood-paneled walls, vintage rug, dark pedestal table with white flowers, and framed artwork.

Entry


Just within the steel entry doors, foyer is completely wrapped in warm European White Oak. PA Bluestone underfoot- it's coolness in contrast to the warm oak- Two completely concealed secret doors leading to the scullery and the mudroom. An imported rug softens the space while the hand-troweled plaster meets the timber in a soft, natural seam. The styling stays minimal — a stoneware vessel, a few worn books, a low candle against the near-black table — so the materials carry the space rather than the objects.

Elegant entryway with dark wood paneling, vintage rug, pedestal table with white flowers, and framed artwork.
A lit multi-wick candle in a stone vessel beside white roses on a dark round table near wooden shelving.
Woman lighting a candle on a dark pedestal table with white flowers, vintage rug, and framed art in a modern home.
Dark moody interior with wooden shelves, a black pedestal table holding white flowers, and a glowing candle on a stone surface.
Built-in wooden shelving unit displaying ceramic vases, bowls, and decorative objects against a stone wall.
A blurred woman carries tropical leaves past wooden built-in shelves displaying vases, bowls, and framed art.
Woman browsing oak built-in shelves displaying ceramic vases, bowls, and decorative objects in a modern interior.
Elegant bathroom with green leaf wallpaper, marble sink, gold mirror, brass sconce, and decorative torso sculpture.

Powder Room


Our client's have polar opposite tastes; his clean and modern;  while her's is layered and a bit whimsical- here we blended both. The powder room was designed to feel like the inside of a forest canopy, with it's leafy wallpaper running floor to ceiling in greens and shadow.  The mirror is a found piece, framed in wood and already worn from another life, lit by brass sconces. It's clean, cool marble against a wallpaper that doesn't take itself too seriously — utilitarian and beautiful at once, which is exactly the kind of room we like to design.

Elegant powder room with floral wallpaper, marble sink, gold-framed mirror, and brass wall sconce.
Elegant powder room with botanical wallpaper, marble vanity, wood-framed mirror, and brass wall sconces.
Dark walnut kitchen cabinets with marble island, black bar stools, and pendant light on hardwood floors.

The Kitchen


Walnut cabinetry anchors the kitchen, paired with a Carrara island that drops to the floor in a waterfall edge. Two opaline schoolhouse pendants hang over the marble, and a row of black stools tucks under the overhang. The details do the work: the walnut against the veining of the stone, brass pulls left to patina, a professional range with brass knobs set into a niche of honed marble. Open shelving and a tucked alcove hold the everyday — stoneware, a glass hurricane, a bottle of Lillet beside a board of figs — so nothing reads as too precious to use.

Dark walnut kitchen island with marble countertop, black bar stools, and pendant light in modern kitchen.
Modern kitchen with dark walnut cabinets, marble island, black bar stools, and globe pendant lights on hardwood floors.
Elegant kitchen featuring dark wood cabinetry, thick marble waterfall island, globe pendant light, and black bar stools.
Marble kitchen island with fruit bowls and lit candle in glass hurricane, dark wood cabinetry and stone wall in background.
Marble kitchen island with fruit bowls and glass candle holder, dark walnut cabinetry with brass hardware in background.
Luxury kitchen featuring dark wood cabinetry, thick marble waterfall island, black stools, candles, and industrial pendant lighting.
Woman in white robe standing at dark wood kitchen island with marble countertop, black stools, and pendant light.
Woman in white dress at marble kitchen island with fruit bowl and candle, dark wood cabinetry with brass hardware.
Marble kitchen island with brass hardware, two red wine glasses, wooden cutting board, and Lillet bottle on countertop.
Rustic marble surface with figs on wood board, Lillet Blanc bottle, red wine glass, and stone candle holder.
Luxury kitchen with dark walnut cabinets, marble island, and professional stainless steel range with tile backsplash.
Dark walnut panel-front refrigerator with brass handles beside a marble kitchen island and stainless range.
Dark walnut kitchen island with white marble countertop, black bar stools, and globe pendant lights.
Professional stainless steel gas range with brass knobs, tile backsplash, and pot filler in luxury kitchen.
Close-up of professional stainless range with brass knobs, gray zellige tile backsplash, and dark walnut cabinetry.
Marble kitchen niche shelves with glass spice jars, brass pepper mill, and olive oil bottle beside a terracotta plant pot.
Dark green kitchen with gold hardware, open shelving, marble countertops, and black-and-white checkered floor tiles.

The Scullery


The scullery is proof that the most utilitarian rooms can also be the best ones. The floor is a checkerboard of slate and honed marble, a classic foundation that only improves with age, and the cabinetry is finished in a bold, saturated green. Brass hardware runs across the drawers, unlacquered and left to soften from bright gold to something warmer over time. Open shelving and glass-fronted uppers hold the working pieces of the house — bowls, books, a little pottery — arranged without fuss.

Dark green kitchen with brass hardware, checkered floor, open shelving, and rattan cabinet doors under a dome pendant light.
Green kitchen cabinetry with gold hardware, marble countertop, open shelves with bowls and glassware, and a bowl of red apples.
Dark green kitchen cabinets with gold hardware, open shelves, marble countertops, and black-and-white checkered floor.
Dark green kitchen cabinets with brass hardware, open shelving, marble countertops, and black-and-white checkered floor tiles.
Cozy living room with stone fireplace, dark velvet chairs, wood built-ins, and terra cotta pots on mantel.

The Living Room


The living room is built around a wall of local stone that climbs around a blackened, patterned firebox set in a pale, hand-finished surround. We chose velvet swivel chairs in a mossy charcoal, pulled close around a low round table on a neutral rug. Light oak cabinetry flanks the fireplace as a counterpoint to the stone, and a line of terracotta vessels along the mantel ties back to the orchard outside. The palette stays tonal — stone, oak, muted green — and keeps the focus on the view.

Stone fireplace with white surround, decorative ceramic vases on mantel, wood cabinetry, and dark geometric firebox screen.
Cozy living room with olive velvet armchair, round wood coffee table, lit candle, white roses, and stone fireplace backdrop.
Modern sauna interior with cedar wood walls, slatted bench, and large window overlooking a green landscape.

The Wellness Suite


The wellness suite was designed as a sanctuary, balancing marble and oak to echo the countryside outside. His-and-her rift-cut oak vanities topped in Carrara anchor the room, and the soaking tub is clad in custom rift-cut oak panels beneath a wall of stacked marble, positioned to look straight out onto the land. The shower is wrapped floor to ceiling in marble and closed off, when wanted, by custom sliding doors that disappear into a concealed track. Beyond it, a cedar sauna lined in tongue-and-groove planking opens to a full wall of glass — a slatted bench, a slate floor, and a clear view of the green hills. It's a room dedicated to wellness and the views, and one you wouldn't be in a hurry to leave.

Minimalist cedar wood sauna interior with slatted benches, slate tile floor, and a wooden bucket in a corner.
A modern sauna interior with wood-paneled walls, a sleek electric heater by a large window overlooking a green rural landscape.
Modern bedroom with tall fluted wood headboard, dark bedding, wooden nightstand, and wall-mounted lamp in neutral tones.

The Primary Suite


The suite is built around a fully custom bed floated in the center of the room, with nightstands and bedside lighting integrated into the frame so it takes the views on either side; a reeded oak wall runs behind it, and black linen keeps the palette deep against pale plaster. A seating area at the far end — curved bouclé chairs around a low wood table, anchored by a tall black display cabinet — makes the place to wind down. The bath balances marble and oak, with his-and-her rift-cut oak vanities in Carrara and a soaking tub clad in custom oak panels beneath stacked marble, positioned to look out onto the land. The marble shower closes off behind custom sliding doors set in a concealed track, and a cedar sauna lined in tongue-and-groove opens to a full wall of glass and a clear view of the green hills.

Modern bedroom with dark wood fluted wall panel, black bedding, marble nightstand with books and white flower, and swing arm sconce.
Modern bedroom with tall fluted wood headboard, dark bedding, floating nightstand, and wall-mounted reading lamp.
A fluffy golden doodle dog rests on a dark bedspread in a modern bedroom with wood panel headboard.
Modern bedroom with dark olive linen bedding, stone fireplace, beige wardrobe with gold handles, and slatted headboard.
Elegant living room with white accent chairs, round coffee table, and black glass display cabinet on hardwood floors.
Black glass-front display cabinet with ceramic decor, flanked by two white upholstered armchairs and marble side table.
Elegant sitting room with cream bouclé chairs, round dark wood coffee table, and black glass display cabinet.
Dark brown velvet loveseat with decorative geometric embroidered lumbar pillow in green and neutral tones.
Floating wood bathroom vanity with marble countertop, black framed mirror, and crystal wall sconces.
Marble bathroom countertop with undermount sink, crystal sconce, black mirror, and white rose arrangement.
Modern bathroom vanity with light oak cabinets, marble countertop, brass pull handle, and wall sconce mirror.
Natural oak bathroom vanity with marble countertop, black framed mirror, and brushed nickel wall sconces.
Light oak bathroom vanity with marble countertop, black framed mirror, crystal sconces, and gold door pull.
Woman arranging white flowers at a light oak bathroom vanity with marble countertop and woven hand towel.
Luxury bathroom with white brick tile walls, wood vanity, marble countertop bathtub, and bamboo bath caddy.
Elegant bathroom featuring a built-in soaking tub with marble surround, warm oak cabinetry, and white glazed brick wall tiles.
Elegant marble and white brick tile walk-in shower with chrome rain showerhead and dual control fixtures.
White vertical shiplap cabinet doors with elegant paired antique brass bar pulls.

 

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