Timothy Stanley is breathing new life into a 104-year-old home and working to preserve Huntington’s Southside neighborhoods.
By Amanda Larch
Photos by Rick Lee
HQ 121 | Spring 2023
Someone once snapped a photo of Timothy Stanley leaning against his Camaro with a stately Colonial Revival home on 13th Avenue in the background. In a fun twist of fate, Stanley is now the proud owner of that very same home and has made the interior his own.
“I’ve always loved the exterior of this house, but I’d never been in it,” Stanley says. “Long story short, it was meant to be. I feel blessed to be able to be the caretaker of this house.”
Stanley purchased the home last October and has been redecorating it ever since, putting his own personal touch in the 104-year-old home while keeping its stunning original features intact.
“I love the detail. I love old homes,” he says as he gives a tour of the home, walking along the gorgeous original hardwood floors. There is no carpeting in the home, only ornate accent rugs, all the better to show off the flooring.
A few years ago, Stanley renovated another Huntington home, located a few blocks away, and has been channeling that experience here. From swapping the wallpaper in favor of walls painted in varying hues of blue — his favorite color — to keeping the space open and inviting, new life and energy have been infused into the home.
His vision and knack for interior design are evident, making for an exciting future for the property, which includes an office, den, living room and dining room on the first floor. The home also has great outdoor entertaining space, with a side patio leading to a spacious yet intimate backyard.
Three aspects initially attracted Stanley to the home: its moldings, details and location, as it overlooks Ritter Park in Huntington. Additionally, the home’s open floor plan was a big draw.
“I just love a big house. It’s great for parties because it’s got a circular pattern; it’s easy to flow through from one area to the other because it’s all the way open,” Stanley explains.
The property boasts five baths and seven bedrooms, including one in the original carriage house out back and four bedrooms on the second floor. Stanley makes each bedroom stand out with blue walls and crystal chandeliers.
Natural light filters in through the many windows in each room, beautifully complementing the decor. Almost every room has a chandelier, creating a soft glow perfect for entertaining guests in the evenings. Many of Stanley’s own original artworks adorn the walls, and accent furniture adds to his personal touch. The five fireplaces throughout the house are fixtures Stanley absolutely refused to touch.
“They’re all ornate and different in their own way,” he says.
He’s also kept the original moldings, beautiful details that jut out from around each doorway and fireplace.
“It’s amazing, the details. You can’t get this in new construction,” he says. “To me, it’s spectacular.”
When asked what makes this house feel like a home, Stanley says it’s surrounding himself with the things he loves. And for a spacious house like this, the more the merrier.
“My style is maximalist, and it’s eclectic,” he says. “My house is filled with things that I love and enjoy looking at.”
These favorite things are the result of years of collecting during his travels: glassware, crystal and Blue Danube china. Stanley talks often of his passion for glassware and his love of the color cobalt blue.
Cobalt makes for striking glassware, and Stanley’s home is decorated just so with pops of that luscious, electric blue. He points out his favorite piece: a 6-foot blue and white ginger vase, set in a place of honor in the dining room.
Stanley grew up in Kentucky but has lived in Huntington on and off for years. He’s now part of the Southside Alliance, a group that works to keep their slice of Huntington beautiful. One of the group’s more recent projects was designing the new Fifth Street and Eighth Street bridges near Ritter Park.
“I love Huntington, and I love the park,” he says. “The Southside Alliance is a group of people who are trying to preserve this part of Huntington and make it an even better place to live. They’re bringing so much value to the community.”
