Family time and design traditions have always been important to Marshall and Matt Rigby. When the couple relocated to Marshall’s hometown of Richmond, Virginia, after living in New Orleans and New York, they looked to local designer Janie Molster to help them settle into a fitting new home. “Marshall and I have a lot in common, and we hit it off immediately,” recalls Molster. After that successful collaboration, it wasn’t long before the Rigbys turned again to Molster, this time for a more ambitious renovation of a classically inspired 1920s home that was long on character and charm but hardly designed for the way modern young families live.
Although the previous owners had remodeled the house in the ‘80s, Molster took it to the next level, first refining the floor plan by taking down walls and opening up spaces. “Rooms arranged with a circular flow and multiple connections are best for both entertaining and daily activities,” she explains. “We always try to eliminate ‘dead ends’ when updating an older home.” Framed openings and archways embellished with ornate molding enhance these connections, allowing new components to feel integral to the original structure.
