Welcome to the Grier Home

Settled in the charming Sharingbrook neighborhood this newly remodeled home expanded its original footprint by adding a stunning primary suite on the main level. The working butler’s kitchen and multi-dining spaces are perfect for entertaining large groups. The home’s curated art and family antiques make for a very inviting and comfortable space. The home interior design exudes casual sophistication with beautiful built-in cabinets, stunning fixtures, and colorful wallcoverings with fun textiles throughout. During the remodel on-suite bathrooms were added to each bedroom on the second floor along with a large laundry which are perfect accommodations for when the kids and grandkids come for a visit.   

This house was built in 1983 and purchased in 2016.  The Grier’s wanted a family home in Manhattan so they could be closer to the family.  The home is perfect a house for their family of 21 and for entertaining as well. The house was a vision of Chuck Grier. Christmas for Chuck and Susie started with Chuck's dad and his love of Christmas. Clearly, Chuck loves Christmas as well. 

Santa Collection

Susie started her Santa collection around 1990.  Chuck brought the very first Santa and they have continued to add a Santa each year since.  A few Santa’s have retired.

Nativity

The Nativity is a Simpich Nativity.  Susie was fortunate to collect most of the Nativity that was part of the set before Simpich closed its doors. That collection is found in the living room. 

Carolers

There are two sets of carolers. The Byers are in the hallway near Susie’s office and the Simpich Carolers are in the living room.

Silver

The sterling silver pieces throughout the house are inherited from Susie's mom and the Jones family.

Butler’s Pantry

Was originally the laundry room. During the remodeling process, Chuck saw it as a butler’s pantry he and our son Evan saw the potential for to layout the room. This room is not only equipped as a kitchen it also houses extra dishes and canned and dry goods. Of late it also serves as a puppy supply station. It is used and loved daily.

Dorm Room

The adjacent room to the butler’s pantry is called the dorm room. The Grier’s older two grandsons use this room when they are here. This gives them a chance to lovingly take a break from the rest of the younger grandchildren.  

Men's Room

This bathroom serves as a three-quarters bath for the dorm room. When closed off from the shower they fondly call it the “men's room.”

Kitchen

The footprint of the kitchen is the same as when they purchased the house. The cabinets are basically in the same layout - they did replace all the hardware, backsplash, and countertops. The refrigerator and the wine fridge were existing and were left in place. In the kitchen cabinet on the east wall is Chuck’s mom’s collection of Fostoria glassware. There is a picture of Jean Grier in the kitchen under the cabinet of Fostoria. Jean Grier taught Susie how to cook and clean and take care of our babies. For that alone, Susie is happy to see her sweet face daily. Jean also started the teapot collection sitting on the Lazy Susan. The Lazy Susan was used for decades on her kitchen table housing any condiment a large family might need.

The Hearth Room

The renovation of this room is courtesy of Chuck Grier. He had a vision for this room from the beginning. The stone on the fireplace and the mantel were replaced while we made this room ours. The ceiling was redone and the double door facing south was installed. This room has been a perfect place to display our love of Indian rugs and other treasures. The rugs were either purchased in the mid-1950s or given to Susie's maternal Grandfather Jones. The Jones family also contributed to the hearth set by the fireplace. Cross-country skis came from Susie's mom from Maine. Photographs are from both the Jones and Rutledge side of the family.

Artwork

The artwork in the house has been a pastime of Chuck and Susie together.  You will notice as you walk around the house, they have varied tastes and tend to pop art on the wall given the space it needs and how it speaks to the room it is in.

Hallway by the Dining Room and Library Room 

This hallway has some fun art and pictures of Susie's great-grandfather and his three-masted yachts. A picture with Susie's great-grandfather Freeland Jones at the wheel of the yacht named the Elfin is shown. It is the smallest of the pictures. Freeland, at one time, had a fleet of three, three-masted yachts. As the great crash and depression moved into his life, he sold two of his fleet. The Elfin was his last yacht at the South Brooksville Yacht Club in Maine. He ceremonially had holes chopped in the hull of the yacht and purposely sunk her. He did so rather than watch her rot tied to the dock. That wheel travels from where the Christmas tree is now to Susie's office where it can be seen today. 

The Dining Room and Library Room 

The Grier’s wanted two, round dining room tables to maximize their seating space when the family is all together. Along with the addition of the table and chairs in the living room, they manage to seat everyone (21) when they are all here. The dining room begins to display some of the art Chuck and Susie have chosen and loved together. 

Library Room 

The library room houses their love of books and another dining room table. If you look at the bookshelves, you will see a reflection of what we like to read. And yes, there are three shelves just for the youngsters to pull from. On shelves are pieces of their lives past and present they like to keep out and remember.

The Living Room

Is a softer room where the family could cuddle up while watching the football game. Simpich carolers are in here. More of their favorite art is in this room. The display cabinets in the living room are where a collection from our past and present lives.  

The Ladies’ Room

The stonework in the ladies’ room is what was left of the original stone fireplace that was removed by the previous owners from the living room. The stonework was uncovered by a curious and tenacious Wayne Sloan and Chuck Grier. 

Laundry Room 

Also off this hallway is another room that was originally a good-sized room with only a sink. It became the first-floor laundry room. It should be mentioned that the wall that the washer and dryer are on was an entry into a garage that is now the primary bedroom. 

Primary Bedroom 

This was a garage when the Griers purchased the house. As they were initially touring the house, the room that is now Susie's office was the primary bedroom. There was a small closet in that bedroom. Susie whispered to Chuck while we were touring the space that the entire space was not exactly what we/she wanted. Chuck said …and Susie quotes, "Stick with me...I have this figured out." And figure it out he did. He transformed a garage into our bedroom and additional closet space. 

Primary Bath 

The footprint of the bathroom is the same. All of the tile and backsplash and best of all the sink area were transformed. A large existing tub was removed making room for the dressing table area. The sink vanity was against the wall and was torn down and replaced with the free-standing sink area/vanity.

Susie's Office 

Chuck’s vision is at work again here. He immediately saw this as an office space for Susie and a first-floor nursery when we had babies visiting. This was the first-floor primary bedroom when we purchased the house. The built-in cabinets serve as office storage and a random collection of what is dear to Susie's heart. The photos above the two large cabinets are more family pictures that are in the hallway from the primary bedroom. 

Hallway into Susie's Office 

The pictures on the wall are of Susie's maternal and fraternal families. The small desk with baby pictures above the desk is of the Grier’s four sons. The desk, called a stamp desk, was Susie's Grandmother Rutledge's writing desk. She would sit at that desk and post letters twice a day, morning and afternoon, and open mail that was delivered twice a day as well. Bobbie, as we called her, would sit at this desk first in the morning as her hair curls would "set" while she answered mail that came or later in the day posted mail she was answering or promptly send thank you notes to hostesses that she had seen that very afternoon. 

Stairway 

The Christmas stockings on the top railing were originally knitted by Aunt Carolyn. As the family kept growing in numbers, tired Aunt Carolyn threw her hands up and gave them the "recipe" for the stockings and Susie continued the tradition. At last count, there are 20 stockings.  

Second Floor

Chuck wanted each family to have their own bedroom and ensuite bathroom. The first bedroom up the stairs is called the Carrera Bedroom because of the amount of Carrera used in the bathroom. The art in this bathroom is from Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey. Mr. McCloskey and Susie's mom were friends from college. They would make plans to see each other every summer that Mary Rutledge was at the Shack in South Brooksville. (Shack is what the family house was called on the coast of Maine). The bedroom next to the Carerra Bedroom is called the Princess Bedroom. The name of this bedroom is taken from the pink bedding and other decor. The headboard and dresser are Susie's Rutledge Grandparents’ original wedding bedroom set. The bathroom for this bedroom was carved out of a bedroom. This bathroom is called the Bubble Bath.

Upstairs laundry room again; Chuck thought it would be nice for the kids that stayed upstairs to have a laundry room of their own. Susie will tell you this is a big help when it comes to turning the upstairs over after everyone has left. The orange bedroom is called the Presidential Suite, as this was the original primary bedroom. The family that has a baby or the most children usually uses this bedroom.