Robert McElroy and Horace Hartshaw collaborated on the sculptural staircases, bespoke cabinetry, and wood-framed windows in this beautifully crafted compound set on five acres.
Location: 36 Rabbit Run Road, Malvern, Pennsylvania
Price: $1,990,000
Year Built: 1975
Architect: Robert McElroy
Woodworker: Horace Hartshaw
Footprint: 4,348 square feet (3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths)
Lot Size: 5 Acres
From the Agent: “Set on five acres in Willistown Township, the McElroy House is an extraordinary contemporary residence designed and built in 1975 by legendary builder Robert McElroy as his own family home. With its wooded backdrop, stream, and privacy, the property embodies the qualities McElroy championed throughout his career: architecture that grows from its landscape and invites daily life to flow in rhythm with nature. McElroy, a true pioneer of contemporary design from the late 1950s through the 1970s, crafted homes along the Main Line and atop Valley Forge Mountain known for their dynamic rooflines, expansive floor-to-ceiling glass walls that invite sunlight and views, vaulted ceilings, and exposed beams—all optimized for hillside privacy and harmony with the land. While McElroy provided the vision, the soul of the house resides in its extraordinary woodwork by Horace Hartshaw. The home’s atmosphere is one of creativity and sanctuary — equally suited for art making, gathering, or quiet reflection. Every element, from the fluid millwork to the spatial flow, reflects McElroy’s belief that a house should ‘interfere with the environment as little as possible.’“
The home was built in collaboration with woodworker Horace Hartshaw, who was an apprentice to Wharton Esherick, one of America’s most iconic craftsman.
Photo by Thomas Donkin
Photo by Thomas Donkin
Photo by Thomas Donkin
See the full story on Dwell.com: Wondrous Woodwork Fills an Architect’s $2M Home in Pennsylvania
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