MARLA SCHECHTER

Description

The McElroy House - Set on five private 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 rare 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. Yet The McElroy House carves its own path with an artistic depth that sets it apart from his broader commissions, inviting you to reimagine daily life amid the trees. While McElroy provided the vision, the soul of the house resides in its extraordinary woodwork by Horace Hartshaw, the esteemed woodworker who apprenticed under and collaborated closely with the iconic Wharton Esherick. Hartshaw designed and built nearly every wooden detail inside the home: the bespoke kitchen cabinetry, multiple staircases—including the sculptural spiral that serves as a functional centerpiece—solid doors with custom handles, stair rails that flow like sculpture, and built-in elements that are both practical and expressive. Each piece was crafted specifically for this home, creating an atmosphere that feels at once natural and highly personal. 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,” living as one with its site. For those drawn to pedigreed architecture and private natural settings, The McElroy House represents more than a residence. It is a piece of living history — the personal masterpiece of a builder whose work helped shape modern life on the Main Line.

Features