The John C. Sullenger House

Named for John C. Sullenger, who purchased the land in 1865 and established the farmstead in the 1880s, the 2,800 square-foot Sullenger House is a handsome farmhouse with charming Queen Anne details, built around 1884. Abandoned and neglected for more than two decades, Nickel & Nickel began restoration of the home in 2002. The Sullenger House serves as the point of guest reception and hospitality. Highlights of the home’s features include:

  • restored and remodeled original clapboard wood siding
  • original exterior detailing, including fish scale, sunburst and rosette elements
  • original central hall staircase; restored original newel post and balusters
  • original fir wood floors
  • new chimneys constructed of brick that’s authentic to 1880s architecture
  • newly excavated, arched-ceiling cellar, finished in plaster and antique terra cotta tile
  • traditional, hand-cut limestone foundation blocks
  • recreated porch and second story balcony with authentic Chippendale railing
  • new cedar shingle roof, typical of 1880s home construction

The interior design of the Sullenger House evokes a romantic version of the early farmstead, but with a panache appropriate for a world-class winery. Provincial in style, the interior combines a light, airy and earth-toned palette of painted woodwork, wallpaper and textiles, with an eclectic blend of distinctive antiques appropriate to the home of a prosperous, 19th century farmer, including:

  • French mantles with mirrored trumeau
  • early Swedish trestle tables from the 1750s
  • art noveau bisque-ware vases from eastern France
  • one-of-a-kind antique crystal and beaded chandeliers