Amelia Handegan Revives a 19th Century Greek Revival

Built in the 1890s, The Pillars was one of approximately a dozen grand homes built as the popularity of Hot Springs, Virginia peaked.  Guests such as Thomas Jefferson flocked to the Homestead Resort, which dates back to 1766. The Pillars, a three-story Greek Revival, was built on a hill overlooking the Homestead for the resort’s then-manager. 


Over the years, The Pillars hosted notables such including Thomas Edison and President Grover Cleveland. But by the time the current owners – Bill and Susanne Pritchard of Houston – bought the house, it was in serious disarray. Mindful of the home’s rich history, they hired two professionals experienced in historic residences: interior designer Amelia Handegan of Charleston, South Carolina, and New York-based architect Allan Greenberg.


Photography by Max Kim-Bee and captions from Veranda magazine.

“The house was pretty beaten up,” says Greenberg. “It had not been maintained for a long time.” As can often be the case with old homes, one project dominoed into another: 100-year-old plumbing and wiring had to be ripped out and replaced, and the discovery of what had been a third-floor fire necessitated a new roof.

To read more, please visit Veranda magazine. And to see more of Amelia Handegan’s spectacular work, you will want to purchase a copy of her new book, Amelia Handegan Rooms.