In December, I had the opportunity to tour the Nelson-Galt House in Colonial Williamsburg, designed by Heather Chadduck Hillegas. Heather is the 2022 Colonial Williamsburg Designer-in-Residence. You can read about the Designer-in-Residence program and a bit about Heather’s background here. The goal of CW’s WILLIAMSBURG brand is to reimagine historical design for today’s living, and Heather accomplished that with the Nelson-Galt House. She cleverly used a combination of commissioned pieces, loaned and family antiques, and current design elements to demonstrate that even the most traditional and historical spaces can be made to feel fresh and timeless.
A hallmark of good design is when a dozen people walk into a space and each is taken in by something different. This is true of Heather’s design. Read on as I take you on a tour through the home, sharing my own thoughts on the details that captivated me.
As a disclaimer, I was only able to tour the first floor of the Nelson-Galt House because Heather, her husband, and their dog are living there. This was in no way disappointing because Heather packed enough design delights into the first floor alone. The Jan/Feb 2023 issue of Veranda magazine features additional photos, as well as Heather’s perspective on designing the historic home.
All photographs below by Annie Schlechter for Veranda, except where noted
entry hall
Guests to the home step into the entry hall. Here, hand-painted stripes mimic the look of wallpaper. The colors are cheerful and welcoming, with blue and green used to tie together the living room to the left and the study to the right.
living room
The living room is one of my personal favorites. Gray trimwork and paneling have a green undertone that complements the delicate and lovely mural wallpaper (Kensington Whitework mural by Paul Montgomery in a custom colorway). I love the story behind the design of the mural. A whitework bed curtain fragment from the Colonial Williamsburg archives was photographed and then reproduced to mimic what the original textile would have looked like. Designers photographed this fabric and used the images to create the mural wallpaper. The green chairs are upholstered in Dandridge Damask by Schumacher, which was inspired by a gown worn by Martha Washington. Comingled with these historic elements are ikat pillows, a jute rug, and a chinoiserie-inspired coffee table that look like they could have been plucked from the pages of a current design magazine.
study
The study’s monochromatic color scheme brings the drama, with the blues of the walls, daybed, and canopy coming together in a lovely and cozy way. What really caught my eye were the little details in this room: the custom shades on the lamps over the daybed, and the paisley mats behind the architecture prints on the wall, to name a few. Heather focused on those details throughout the home, which truly brought the design to life. I wish I had photos of these specific elements to share, but photography was not permitted during the tour.
passage
The hallway between the study and the sunroom features beautiful botanical prints against a timeless trellis wallpaper. The paper is a custom “trellis-only” version of the Jefferson Trellis wallpaper by Adelphi Paper Hangings that appears in the powder room off the passage.
sunroom
Bright and cheerful, and reportedly one of Heather’s favorite spaces in the home, the sunroom is a blue-and-white lover’s paradise. Different shades of blue play together in the upholstered and slipcovered furniture, window treatments, pillows, and paint. One of the tour hostesses commented to me that she would never have thought to use so many patterns and shades of blue, but therein lies the genius of Heather’s design!
kitchen
The kitchen is quaint by today’s standards, but the design is charming and functional. As a Virginian, I appreciate the use of native soapstone on the countertops and backsplash. The WILLIAMSBURG Brand floorcloth looks almost like a beautiful inlay design on the hardwood floors. My favorite element in the kitchen is the walnut butcher block counter. Heather’s brother crafted the countertop from wood from a tree that had been on Chadduck family property in Virginia. One of many examples of Heather really leaning in to this project on a personal level.
dining room
The dining room is the 1695 home’s original working kitchen, where cooks would have prepared meals in the enormous brick fireplace on the opposite side of the room from the view above. The room is so welcoming; it is easy to imagine enjoying a meal with loved ones by the fire. Although the fireplace is the dominant feature, the room’s design stands up to it. The mural on the walls (Williamsburg’s Regency Views by Paul Montgomery) is stunning, and while many would have simply painted the wall below the chair rail, Heather specified a decorative painting that is a subtle plaid pattern.
I can only imagine the number of hours that went into planning, designing, and executing Heather’s vision for the Nelson-Galt House. I also cannot emphasize enough the layered quality of the design and the impact of the details – art, accessories, florals. While the photography beautifully captures the spirit of the spaces, there are many more views and details to take in throughout the house. The house will host additional tours in 2023. Click here for information. Hope to see you all in Williamsburg!