The stately, inviting front rooms of Southern Sighs welcome you to stay, play and visit a while. Both feature hardwood floors, hand crafted French and Afghan Orientals and fireplaces with gas logs that add sparkle to a winter’s night.
Formal Parlor
This is the Inn’s formal public room. The art and furnishings are eclectic, and the walls inspired by the rich interiors of the traditional French Villas Innkeeper Mary Lynn visited in her early treks to Europe. Formal, yes, but also relaxing, inviting and soothing to the core. The room’s comfortable seating inspires conversation and an old world sense of congeniality. Enjoy a quiet moment with your special someone beneath the stately, gilded mirror or get to know your new friends.
The Vintner Room
It’s time for fun. Here, you can watch a game on the bar TV, enjoy a a slice of cake, relax with a glass of wine before dinner, engage in a lively game of Fussball or simply kick back, relax and take in the banter. Named after Mary Lynn’s great grandfather, Adolph Russow, who was the Vintner at the Monticello Wine Company. The Winery began in 1873 and lasted until prohibition in 1916 and won awards at the Vienna exhibition in 1873 for their Virginia Claret. The Vintner’s Room combines French and American interiors with an inviting sense of play.
The Delft Room
We consider the Delft Room to be the true heart of the home. This is where your hot breakfast is served! In the Delft Dining Room, you will start the day with a cup of fresh hot coffee and plated breakfast in a room as cheerful as a bright spring morning. Enjoy it all in a setting that features antique Delft tiles on the fireplace, an English chandelier, the German Rosewood Hutch, antique sideboards and the long white dining table where you are bound to make new friends.
Second Floor Art Gallery
At the Inn, you can reach the upstairs suites through The Gallery. This welcoming, second floor parlor is a showcase for maritime, historic, local and European art. Sit awhile on the welcoming couch, plan your day, read a book, visit with friends or enjoy a few moments of quiet reflection at the end of the day.
From Grunge to Gracious
Landscaping 101: Transcending from Rectangular to Angular Necessitated the Leap from Grunge to Gracious
Nothing motivates you like a deadline! An invitation arrived in Fall 2019 requesting our participation in the Virginia Garden Week Tour for April 24, 2020. A quick scrutiny of the property pinpointed major landscaping changes that had to happen fast.
We needed an overall vision to put a plan in motion capturing native plants/shrubs and trees into a harmonious visual bouquet representative of the region and reflecting the architectural styles and taste of 1913 when the home was built.
John Kauffman spearheaded the overall plan for the gardens. Michael Lewis, Sr. headed the acquisition and planting of many of the tress and shrubs and Justine McFarland, flower designer and grower, punctuated their work with flowers and rosebushes. Aaron McFarland, arborist/horticulturist, added advice and muscle power in planting. Stonemason Diego Marcos turned the ordinary into the extraordinary. We had a dynamite team that made it happen in a few short, cold I might add, months of hard work.
What changed? The existing flower beds and pond area were transformed from right angles edged with railroad ties to flowing lines, new flower beds, stone clad walls and stone/tile patios built for welcoming seating areas. A brick pillared colonial fencing system was created for the parking area, sheds updated, painted and highlighted with trees, shrubs, flowers. The biggest undertaking (weight wise included) was the removal of a 500-pound cattail root ball from the “fish pond.” The pond was given a new life complete with a waterfall. Mulched trees and shrubs, flowers and shrubs planted and a vegetable/flower garden tilled and growing gave the home a welcoming and more completed look. The addition of low-level lighting on the home and gardens accented the positive changes.
In appreciation of the hard work and dedication of our entire team, we hosted a party for the entire team. We traded our grunge work clothing for a more sophisticated look---in warp speed we went from grunge to gracious for the party!
