FARMHOUSE CHARM

This inviting historic property, which Ruth McKeaney and her family call home, is brimming with design inspiration.

- MONIQUE VALERIS

DECK THE DINING ROOM Florals, bold wallpaper, and a painting Ruth commissioned for her husband add texture to the dining room decor.

Most people would balk at renovating a 300-year-old home, but hospitality expert Ruth McKeaney didn't think twice. In 2010, her best friend told her about a grand but dilapidated property outside Philadelphia. Despite its extensive damage, Ruth and her husband, Bob, saw its potential. They put in an offer and moved in three weeks later.

As they learned, the home had a rich history: Built in 1717, the property first served as a 300-acre dairy farm. In 1902, renowned architect Richardson Brognard Okie bought it for $15,000 and lived there with his family for over 40 years. After his death, over the next 70 years the farm fell into disrepair—the barn burned down, acreage was sold, and some outbuildings were nearly rubble. “We saw abandoned buildings and niches and prayed we would be good stewards,” Ruth says.

The renovation uncovered many problems like corroded cast iron pipes, leaky ceilings, and trees growing into the roof. Over three arduous years, the couple renovated the property, and the family now proudly calls it Hillside Farm.