“I  like to take credit for finding it,” quips Neada Onufrychuk, referring to the captivating parcel of former farmland she discovered on the outskirts of Vienna, Virginia. The lot’s now-owner vividly recalls the day she happened by a for-sale sign and followed a gravel road to the site of her future home. “The property was so magical. The way the light came through the trees,” she describes, “I could just see my kids running down to the creek and being free here.”

Neada and husband Brian, a wine and spirits distributor, were living in downtown Vienna with their two young children at the time and searching for a buildable plot. After purchasing the five acres in 2017, they assembled an expert team, which included architect Stephen Vanze and designer Lauren Liess. The brief: Conjure a timeless, built-to-last abode that supports casual living and social gatherings. Airy interiors that capitalize on the sylvan setting figured prominently in the couple’s vision.

With a demolition on the horizon, the pair not only gave short shrift to the tumbledown brick residence on the lot, they overlooked altogether an attached log cabin obscured by dense bushes. Vanze and his colleagues, however, spotted the 1800s-era edifice on their first visit and recommended a course correction. “Our initial instinct was that we had to save that log cabin,” Vanze recounts. “It’s an important part of the story of the site.”

The Onufrychuks quickly got on board. And the storied structure, which was lovingly restored and improved, was integrated into the residence’s three-volume plan. It now serves as a dinner-party venue/pool house at one end of the main residence, while a three-car garage, with an office above for Brian, forms an “L” at the other. Glass-lined hallways link the side volumes to the center. Says architect Melanie Giordano, “We wanted to make the log cabin feel like part of the composition.”

Landscape architect Jennifer Horn reinforced the home’s old-meets-new narrative with thoughtfully designed gardens and outdoor living areas. For example, she specified irregular pavers with planted joints for the cabin’s more informal “remnant garden” and clean-lined bluestone for the terrace and pool surround. “The idea was to create the feeling that everything around the cabin had been preserved and had existed for generations,” she reveals.

At the heart of the 11,000-square-foot plan, an expansive great room celebrates its scenic surroundings. Abundant windows drench the well-used hub with natural light. “The house is an expression of the way [the Onufrychuks] live,” asserts Vanze. “All the rooms, including the upstairs, are organized around that living space.”

The architectural style, which Vanze dubbed Modern English Country, borrows from homes that came out of England’s Arts & Crafts movement. In particular, the work of pioneer architect C.F.A. Voysey (who was active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries) inspired the home’s asymmetrical design, sloping roofs and white-stucco exterior, as well as the spare interior detailing. “We essentially did a modern version of a Voysey house,” says Vanze. “It’s cleaner, simplified a little bit.”

Natural materials play a starring role inside—from the great room’s ceiling beams to the library’s white-oak built-ins. The plainspoken architecture—and outdoor splendor—provided a perfect backdrop for Liess, who espouses a down-to-earth design philosophy.

As she pored over the wife’s archive of inspiration images, a project vocabulary emerged. “Soulful, quiet and romantic, with a little bit of edge—that’s how I saw it,” she states. Starting in the kitchen, the designer selected decorative finishes and paint colors in muted shades “that got spread throughout the house and then embellished with tonal, watercolory fabrics,” she says. “I didn’t want anything in the house to overpower what was going on outside the windows.”

White-washed walls showcase original artwork, passionately curated by Neada. Lighting selections sport dark finishes for added contrast. “Bringing in that little bit of black creates a tension that makes it interesting and not so one-note,” offers Liess.

For the laid-back furniture plans, the designer specified many pieces from her own upholstery and case-good collections. A smattering of found elements, she points out, introduces “a bit of patina and quirk.” A pair of antique mirrors, hanging in the entrance hall, sets the tone.

The resulting blend is just what Neada had envisioned. “I wanted a mix of some old, some new but I didn’t want it to feel too dusty,” reveals the homeowner. “This is a nice in-between and it feels authentic to me.”

Friends and family gather for game days in the great room and relaxed dinners by the cabin’s fireplace. Says Neada, “It makes me love my home even more when I feel like other people enjoy being here too.”

Architecture: Stephen Vanze, FAIA, LEED AP, founding principal; Melanie Giordano, AIA, principal; Sydney Davenport Katz, AIA, LEED AP, project manager; Nancy Rizk, project architect, BarnesVanze Architects, Washington, DC. Interior Design: Lauren Liess, Lauren Liess, Great Falls, Virginia. Builder: CarrMichael Construction, Oakton, Virginia. Landscape Design: Jennifer Horn, RLA, Jennifer Horn Landscape Architecture, Arlington, Virginia.

RESOURCES

GENERAL
Flooring: cochranslumber.com.

KITCHEN
Cabinetry & Countertops: caesarstoneus.com. Backsplash: cletile.com through annsacks.com. Range: thermador.com. Flooring: architessa.com. Sink Faucet: watermark-designs.com. Sconces: laurenliess.com. Paint: Greek Villa by Sherwin-williams.com.

BREAKFAST AREA
Lighting: laurenliess.com.

GREAT ROOM
Sofa & Arm Chairs: laurenliess.com through taylorking.com. Sofa & Arm Chair Fabrics: taylorking.com. Sofa Pillow Fabrics: Lee Jofa through kravet.com. ; arabelfabrics.com. ; laurenliess.com. ; rosetarlow.com. ; peterdunhamtextiles.com. ; legracieux.com. Coffee Table & Stone Table: laurenliess.com through woodbridgefurniture.com. Nesting Tables: vintage. Round Side Table: noirfurniturela.com. Pendants: laurenliess.com. Rug Underlayment: laurenliess.com. Layered Rug: frenchmarketcollection.com. Sofa Table: antique. Floor Lamp: vintage. Sitting Area Chairs: laurenliess.com through taylorking.com. Sitting Area Chair Fabric: taylorking.com. Sitting Area Coffee Table: arteriorshome.com. Sitting Area Stump Table: etsy.com. Additional Floor Lamps: curreyandcompany.com. ; visualcomfort.com. Paint: Greek Villa by sherwin-williams.com. Art: marylittle.com.

ENTRY HALL
Drapery Fabric: laurenliess.com. Drapery Fabrication: laurenliess.com. ; pauldavid.design. Window Shade: horizonshades.com. Runner: vintage. Lanterns: laurenliess.com. Mirror: antique. Demilune & Hanging Console: laurenliess.com through woodbridgefurniture.com. Paint: Greek Villa by sherwin-williams.com.

LIBRARY
Chair: frenchmarketcollection.com.

CABIN
Dining Table: sarreid.com. Chairs: industrywest.com. Chandelier: laurenliess.com.

LINK TO CABIN
Bench: arteriorshome.com. Ceiling Fixtures: laurenliess.com. Paint: Greek Villa by sherwin-williams.com.

OWNERS’ BEDROOM
Bed: tarashaw.com. Bed Fabric: suzannetuckerhome.com. Bedding & Pillows: peacockalley.com. Accent Pillow: vintage. Leather Benches: sarreid.com. Drapery Fabric: lesindiennes.com. Drapery Fabrication: laurenliess.com. ; pauldavid.design. Base Rug: fibreworks.com. Throw Rug: landryandarcari.com. Chair: laurenliess.com through taylorking.com. Chair Fabric: taylorking.com. Chair Pillow Fabric: walter-g.com. Floor & Table Lamps: laurenliess.com. Nightstand: noirfurniturela.com. Paint: Greek Villa by sherwin-williams.com.