- Project: 308 Mulberry
- Architect: Robert Gurney Architect FAIA
- Location: United States, Lewes, DE
- Photography: Maxwell MacKenzie
Robert M. Gurney Architect has completed the transformation of 308 Mulberry, a historic property in Lewes, Delaware. The project balances faithful restoration of a 19th-century timber house with the addition of modern one-story pavilions, a swimming pool, and a landscaped courtyard.
Restoring the Historic Fabric
Lewes, Delaware, is an eighteenth-century coastal town known for its nineteenth- and early twentieth-century building stock, much of it timber-framed with balloon construction. The house at 308 Mulberry Street—originally built in the early 1800s—was in poor condition when purchased by its current owner.
Robert M. Gurney Architect restored the exterior of the original two-story house with historically correct detailing, while removing early 20th-century additions that compromised its integrity, including a screened porch, storage room, and poorly proportioned extensions.
The Pavilion Strategy
The client’s program required doubling the home’s footprint, so the architects devised a strategy to preserve the historic house as the centerpiece while introducing four one-story pavilions.
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Layout: Organized around a new swimming pool and a Deodor Cedar tree, the pavilions create a courtyard-like composition.
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Material palette: Cedar shingled walls and roofs visually tie the new buildings to the historic house, but are crisply detailed without overhangs or trim.
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Openings: Black steel-framed glass expanses punctuate the cedar walls, while tall red brick chimneys and landscape walls provide vertical and horizontal accents.
This approach respects the historical character while introducing contemporary clarity.
Interior Design – Historic Meets Modern
The interiors present a juxtaposition of eras:
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Original house: Clean, minimalist modern interiors defined by white walls, white ash flooring, floating stairs, and glass details. Traditional moldings and casings are absent, creating a sleek canvas.
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Living pavilion: A rich contrast, featuring mahogany walls and ceilings, basalt floors, stainless steel cabinetry, white marble countertops, and a marble fireplace surround.
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Screened porch pavilion: Finished in Douglas Fir, complete with a fireplace, allowing year-round use.
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Additional pavilions: Contain a bathroom, exercise room, and flexible living spaces.
Natural light floods the interiors via glass walls and skylights, ensuring a strong indoor-outdoor connection.
A Dialogue Between Old and New
The 308 Mulberry project demonstrates how historical preservation and modern architecture can coexist in harmony. By restoring the historic house while adding light-filled, proportioned pavilions, Robert M. Gurney Architect has created a residence that contributes to the fabric of historic Lewes while embracing contemporary living.
