Inside Look: A Minimalist English Gothic Revival Manor in Bryn Mawr

Designed by master architects at the dawn of the 20th century, this home has an interior that combines understated traditional elegance with an unusually modern minimalism.


house for sale bryn mawr english gothic front elevation

104 Orchard Way, Bryn Mawr, Pa. 19010 | Bright MLS images via Keller Williams Realty

Usually, one finds uniformly gray walls in ultra-modern houses with totally open floor plans. They’re not usually associated with chair rails, brass chandeliers, wall sconces and crown moldings.

Yet here they all are together in this beautiful English Gothic Revival house for sale, designed by the architectural firm of Duhring, Okie & Ziegler and built in 1901.

house for sale bryn mawr english gothic dining room

Dining room

The wood detailing in this home’s spacious main-floor rooms is all white, providing a grace note to all the grey.

house for sale bryn mawr english gothic kitchen

Kitchen

And the kitchen is likewise a vision in white: no granite or stainless steel here, no siree.

house for sale bryn mawr english gothic living room

Living room

The net effect of this design choice is to give the interiors of this house a lightness not usually associated with either the English Gothic style of the exterior or the American Colonial style of the interior. And the basic color scheme makes elements like the stone fireplace in the living room stand out.

house for sale bryn mawr english gothic attic

Attic

But it’s not all grey and white. The finished attic, for instance, retains the original timber framing and support beams and has a brick wall at one end.

house for sale bryn mawr english gothic stable

Stable

Likewise, this house’s former stable retains all of its original features, including the coffered wood ceiling, and now functions as a bonus room that could serve as a home gym, office or storage space. There’s also loads of potential for spiffing it up and turning it into an impressive den or study.

house for sale bryn mawr english gothic terrace

Terrace

All of this is set on a lush green lot. A stone terrace in front, a wood deck off the kitchen, and a rear patio accessed from the living room offer splendid views of the grounds.

You might wish to update some of this house’s fittings and fixtures and replace the dropped ceiling in the kitchen, but if you choose not to, the kitchen and bathrooms are all in very good shape as they are.

This house for sale is situated midway between downtown Bryn Mawr and the Villanova campus, between the SEPTA Regional Rail tracks and Lancaster Avenue. This makes it a great location for someone who wants quick and convenient access to Center City, King of Prussia via the Blue Route and local shopping and dining.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 5

BATHS: 2 full, 1 half

SQUARE FEET: 4,195

SALE PRICE: $950,000

104 Orchard Way, Bryn Mawr, Pa. 19010 [Anna Skale | The Anna Skale Team | Keller Williams Realty]