With assistance from Downingtown-based E.C. Trethewey III Building Contractors, a couple built a unique Kennett Square home rich with natural elements, writes Eileen Smith Dallabrida for The Hunt.
The pair have always designed their own home — eight in total since they married 45 years ago — and were looking for the best plot on which to build it.
“The lot had to have perfect sweeping views and took over a year to find,” said Ted Trethewey, founder of E.C. Trethewey III Building Contractors.
The Kennett Square property exceeded all their expectations. Aside from adding a 75-year-old bonsai tree, the landscape was entirely the work of Mother Nature.
The home’s exterior blends vintage wood siding with local Avondale stone, offering a creative take on rustic materials. Natural light floods the interior through a large cupola lined with windows, while many of the interior materials were carefully sourced from a salvage firm.
“We wanted everything to be authentically old,” said the owners.
The home includes a serenity room arranged like a study, with two comfortable armchairs and many cherished items that they have collected over the years, including art, pottery, books, and antique pine furniture.
Read more about the unique Kennett Square home designed by E.C. Trethewey builders and the couple in The Hunt.
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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on VISTA Today in November 2025.
