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SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

Photography by Michael Patch

Gracious downtown Lynchburg home exudes warmth & welcome

Hailing from the Carolinas, Fran and Rad Briley infuse their home in the historic district of Lynchburg with Southern charm. Originally built in 1885 as a Renaissance revival duplex by the Williams family, the founder of Sweet Briar College, the home’s original purpose was as an income property for the family, but later became part of the endowment for the college. Moving in during 2006, the Brileys completed the conversion started by previous owners as a single-family residence. The Brileys’ home reflects their 53 years of marriage and the South’s iconic hospitality with a warm and welcoming environment. 

From duplex to single home
The brick house has a friendly front porch and two front doors, due to its time as a duplex. The couple’s love of symmetry and light is evident, and this home provides both in spades. Windows that reach from the floor to the ceiling, similar to South Carolina homes, span the front of the house. When it was built, these windows were used to welcome generous airflow through the space. Now they let in copious amounts of light. 

Part of transitioning the home to a single-family dwelling involved creating a passthrough at the front of the house on the main floor and the top of the stairs. Instead of demolishing the two front staircases to create one, they embraced the difference and kept both. The stairwells are lovely and make a grand impression upon entering the house. Another quirk of living in an old duplex is the fact that one side of the house has the original heart of pine hardwood floors while the other side was “updated” to oak over heart pine. Again, this simply adds to the story of the house. 

Dual design
Guests entering the house find a living room to the left and a study to the right, divided by the dual staircases and split foyers. Fran says that the family loves and lives in the study. This is the room where they watch TV, curl up with a book from the built-in bookshelves, and enjoy the double-sided gas fireplace. There are four fireplaces on the main floor that they had made into two double-sided ones instead. This makes the rooms feel a little more open, each with the original mantle in place. 

The décor in the study, as well as the rest of the house, has an English aesthetic. Fran and Rad grew up around horses, farms and water sports and, when time allows, are restoring a much loved trawler on the Chesapeake. This, along with having two sons, has affected her design choices, which she says lean more toward the masculine. 

The study has a cream-colored linen sofa and three neutral-colored chairs for the seating in the room. Blue-and-white porcelain ginger jars and bowls provide pops of color in the shelves and on the mantle. An antique southern walnut chest of drawers provides storage on the left of the fireplace, while on the right of the fireplace, a 19th century French armoire is topped with an antique market basket. A modern portrait of Briley’s two sons at the ages of 8 and 11 hangs above the mantle. It was painted by a college professor that Fran knew in North Carolina who was a Holocaust survivor. 

The overhead lighting is offered by what used to be a light post in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina, salvage items like this became available for those who could reimagine their intended use. Fran says she has two other light fixtures in the home that came from New Orleans, as well. 

The study has two cased openings that lead into a game room where a full-sized pool table resides. A large brightly colored equestrian Neiman artist proof rests above the mantle. Black-and-white photos taken by a family member of Pawleys Island hang in a grouping along the back wall. Fran lived in the area of Pawleys Island while growing up, and they visit every summer with their family. 

Out in the double-sided foyer, the Brileys found the perfect spot for a Habersham breakfront. It is filled with brown-and-white Spode transferware plates. A collection of taxidermy – wild turkey, great horned owl, wood duck and screech owl hang on the walls. A large French trestle table with a pair of blue-and-white ginger jars and Italian lamps resides on the other side of the foyer. 

The living room and dining room are located on the left side of the house, in a floor plan that exactly mirrors the study and game room, with the double-cased opening and dual-sided fireplace. Fran says she intentionally made the living room an unfussy place to sit. A huge abstract by Lynchburg artist Hiram Gerber hangs above the mantle. Navy, red and cream brushstrokes make the painting feel as if it’s moving on the canvas. A caramel quilted mohair camel-back sofa and two cream slipper chairs offer comfortable seating. A gold painted coffee table, a repurposed architectural window grate, adds a touch of modern to the space.

The dining room, painted deep blue, highlights even more of the Brileys’ collection of blue-and-white porcelain. A chair rail with wainscoting beneath creates architectural interest. Two gorgeous, oversized ginger jars decorate the mantle. An antique parquet dining room table sits on top of a vintage oriental rug in the middle of the room. A huge sideboard resides along the back wall, providing storage for serving pieces. A gold framed mirror, a pair of lamps and a pair of ginger jars rest on top. An original built-in cabinet allows storage for china and silver. Although not normally a fan of florals, the Brileys bought a watercolor painting by Charleston artist Betty Schwark in the ’80s that adds a pop of bright color to the room. The flowers in the picture sit on a blue-and-white striped tablecloth, which was enough to feed their love of the color combination. 

In the kitchens
Along the back of the house, some shimmying of purpose had to take place to make the house function better as a single dwelling. The kitchen for each duplex originally sat in the back, but with no need for two kitchens anymore, the right kitchen was converted to a butler’s pantry and bar. Both open shelves on top and closed white cabinets on the bottom allow for tons of storage. There is even an overflow sink, microwave, refrigerator, and stove for use during parties and social gatherings. Fran says this has been great when having a party because it spreads people out around the house. 

The now solo kitchen sits on the left side. Open white shelving above the white countertops keeps the room feeling light and airy. A butcher-block island allows for informal seating. A large antique English pine linen press gives character to the space and pops of various artwork on the walls adds visual interest. 

Connecting the kitchen to the bar is what Fran calls a “passthrough” room. Over the years, this room was enclosed and then opened to service both sides of the house. A pair of rust-colored linen velvet loveseats are flanked by a pair of cream-colored wing back chairs. An informal antique kitchen table provides an overflow space for social events or a place to sit and play cards. Built-in bookshelves are filled with porcelain, antique Appalachian baskets and local artwork. The large 19th century English armoire secures the other end of the room and is topped with a large antique French grape basket. 

Art & soul
A handful of paintings in the room hold a special place in the Brileys’ heart because they were painted by one of their sons. A picture of a dog sled team in the snow was a Christmas gift that foreshadowed a trip to do just this. Her son also painted watercolors of fishing flies that have an abstract feel to them. Watercolors by Lynchburg artist Solly Blank and a brightly colored oil of 1960s-era adults entitled “Rivermont” add even more interest to the walls. 

It has been said that, “North is a direction. South is a lifestyle.” Fran and Rad Briley have truly embraced their love of the outdoors and the Southern way of life has shaped not only their lives but also the home they live in. Their home is warm, welcoming and traditional with a touch of modern. It greets you with a warm hug, just as every good Southern home should.


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