There has always been something magical about the historic 200-year-old Federal farmhouse on Riverside Avenue. Interior design and antiques shop owner Ali Mahon grew up right next door and spent weekends leaning over the wall to admire the grounds. “I used to meet the owner, Mrs. Hatch, there, and she would hand me raspberries picked from her elaborate gardens,” she says. By the time Ali went on her honeymoon in the 1990s, the property, which dates back to 1804, had been owned by only four families. That changed over the course of a week. “The minute I got back, my mother called and said, ‘We bought the Hatches’ house.’” Together, mother and daughter worked on a refresh that was more classic than comfortable. “My mother was a purist, so the house had a bit of a museum feel,” the designer says. “She brought in the best of the best rather than a comfortable sofa you’d sink into.”Jane BeilesHomeowner Ali Mahon sits with her Labrador retriever Decker on the home’s front steps. The bold red front door is painted Spanish Red by Benjamin Moore.When it was Ali’s turn to move in almost 30 years later, she worked to honor the home’s historical significance while making updates that elicited the warmth she remembered from her childhood: “During storms, we would all gather inside with Mrs. Hatch, and I remember that cozy feeling that came with hunkering down there.” Ali removed a 1960s addition, opened up the small kitchen, and created a showstopping great room by attaching one of the property’s original barns to the back of the house. She also leaned into a period-friendly palette—mustards, blues, browns, reds—and a host of perfectly imperfect elements: “It’s what I strive for: exposed beams, slanted doorways, low ceilings…” Now the house has come full circle, providing refuge (and cocktails!) to Ali’s friends and her four adult children as well as the opportunity for the fruits of the gardens to be passed on to a new generation of admirers. “As I get older, I’ve found that I love the dirt,” Ali says. “I wish I could figure out how to get raspberries to grow. I think Mrs. Hatch would have loved that.”Take a tour of Ali’s home below:Tour More Picture-Perfect FarmhousesEntriesJane Beiles This welcoming front entry features a 19th-century American William and Mary settee in its original upholstery, a collection of eight vintage hand-colored engravings of birds in bamboo frames, an early-American painted wooden that belonged to Ali’s parents, topped by a wallpapered box she found on Nantucket with four glass onion bottles lined up below. Get the Look: Wall Paint Color:White Dove by Benjamin MooreDoor Paint Color:Spanish Red by Benjamin Moore Jane BeilesAt another side of the house, Yellow Labrador retriever Decker (one of Ali’s three dogs) lounges by the “new” front door where guests are also welcomed by an abstract by artist Catharine Warren and a pair of 18th-century English hall chairs crafted from carved mahogany.ParlorJane BeilesThe home’s original parlor is now spruced up with a mix of color and pattern thanks to botanical stripe wallpaper, a hexagon rug, and a vintage settee reupholstered in a small-scale geometric pattern. Ali also mixed eras in the room, courtesy of a pair of Louis XVI armchairs, an early-American wooden pineapple finial on the coffee table, an 1800s textile hanging above the mantel, and a vintage acrylic leather armchair signed and dated by artist Jeff Messerschmidt in 1975.Get the Look:Wallpaper: “Nori Stripe” by Galbraith & PaulRug: Elizabeth EakinsSettee Upholstery:“Betwixt” by SchumacherDining RoomJane BeilesFriends and family members love gathering in the rattan armchairs around the antique Belgian trestle table, in part because they’re cocooned by the curry tones of the room’s wallpaper. “There’s something about the warmth of this orange wallpaper—it was one of the main starting points for the home’s palette,” says Ali. “Everything I chose had to go with that color.” An early-1900s rooster weather vane above the original brick hearth gives the space a decidedly country kick. Get the Look:Rattan Armchairs: Casa GustoWallpaper: “Sumi” by Galbraith & PaulRELATED: The Prettiest Dining Room Paint Colors That Fit Any StyleKitchen Jane BeilesJane BeilesBecause Ali loves to entertain, she doubled the size of the kitchen and added a pair of Dutch doors for easy access to the terrace and screened-in porch. The island’s 3-inch-thick butcher-block countertop is made of wood salvaged during the renovation. An elegant hanging globe light and a mix of oil-rubbed bronze hardware help ground the open and airy space. On the right, the pantry doubles as Ali’s “needlepoint nook” and houses many of her canvases and yarns as well as unexpected items like an antique cheese strainer hung on the wall (“I love how graphic it is,” says Ali), French canisters, and succulents planted in urns.Get the Look:: Globe LightWells AbbottKitchen Cabinetry Paint Color: White Dove by Benjamin MoorePantry Cabinetry Paint Color: Kennebunport Green by Benjamin MooreRELATED: Best Kitchen Design Ideas for Every Style and Budget Powder RoomJane BeilesThe jewel-box of a powder room boasts baset-patterned wallpaper, vintage sconces and bell jar lantern, an antique Italian mirror, and an early-American painted cupboard finished with a marble slab.Get the Look:Wallpaper: “Cestino” by Casa BrancaBarn Addition: Great Room Jane BeilesWhen architect Rob Sanders proposed attaching the largest of the barns to the house to create a soaring entertaining area, “it was music to my ears—I’d always wanted to do it,” says Ali. After each and every board was dismantled and all reassembled, Ali carved out room for a dining area, and created two stories of living spaces filled with character-rich antiques, including a wicker trunk-turned-coffee table and a graphic 19th-century banner weather vane. A handwoven striped rug lays the groundwork for the cozy downstairs seating area, while a large handcrafted iron chandelier looms above. Get the Look:Rug: by Elizabeth EakinsSofa Fabric: Likasi by LarsenChandelier: handcrafted by John Ramsey of Deep Landing WorkshopBarn Addition: Dining RoomJane BeilesA pair of hanging lanterns illuminates the dining portion of the great room and provides mood lighting for vintage farm table surrounded by Old Hickory Hoop Chairs with custom bandana cushions. The 18th-century Swedish cupboard is the perfect spot to store extra flatware, table linens, serving pieces, and candles.Get the Look:Lanterns: “Faulkner” by JambBarn Addition: LoftJane BeilesOne side of the barn-turned-great-room’s loft is outfitted with a reupholstered vintage sofa, cozy arm chairs, a chinoiserie table from (upon which you’ll find an always-in-progress puzzle), and an early American trade sign. Get the Look:Chairs: “Andrews” by Charles StewartChinoiserie table:Brunschwig & FilsPrimary BedroomJane BeilesIn the primary bedroom, an original 26-foot long wood beam (with hand-etched Roman numerals!) caps the floral wallpaper. The wallcovering’s mocha shade is in keeping with the handwoven carpet as well as the antique calico quilt on the upholstered bed. An early-American horse weathervane atop an antique dowry chest add patina.Get the Look:: Wallpaper“Blossom Fantasia” by ScalamandreBed Upholstery Fabric: “Maupiti” by Pierre FreyRug: by Elizabeth EakinsSons’ BedroomsJane BeilesThanks to Ali’s efforts, all four of her adult children’s bedrooms prove you can—and always should—come home again. In this room for one of her son, an eye-catching red-and-white Hawaiian quilt accents the bed and pairs well with a 48-star American flag and bold striped walls. An antique French chest of drawers and well-aged leather wing chair provide handsome counterpoints.Get the Look: Wallpaper:“Bosco Branca Stripe” by Casa Branca Jane BeilesA trio of framed 1940s signal flags sets a nautical tone in another bedroom, as do a whimsical ship lamp and the marine blue writing desk.Get the Look: Wallpaper:“Jerash Pewter” by Robert KimeHallwayJane BeilesThe hallway between the boys’ bedrooms features an antique carnival game wheel above a child’s Orkney chair.Screened-In PorchJane BeilesDuring warmer months, company gathers on the screened-in porch, just off the kitchen. It is furnished with vintage woven sofas, elephant garden seats, blanket chests, garden chairs, an Adrian Pearsall compass table, and stately lanterns. “I always serve a local beer from Half Full Brewery in Stamford at happy hour,” says Ali. “My grandmother had a lot of sayings, and one of them was ‘The glass is half full.’ The beer is a nod to her.”Get the Look:Ceiling Paint Color: Woodlawn Blue by Benjamin MooreLanterns: “Elsinore” by Visual ComfortBack Garden + BarnsJane BeilesJane BeilesWhen redesigning the back garden, Ali left enough open lawn for games of football, lacrosse, and soccer. “All these years later, family and friends still want us to host games here,” she explains. “I love informal gardens, and I tried to plant things that would attract butterflies, bees, and birds, with little maintenance. I kept the design low key so I can add over time. Tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, and flowers do best here.” The property’s three barns have served many purposes over the years; today, the largest is now attached to the main house (left), and the other two (right) house Ali’s antiques shop. “I love coming home. The minute I drive up, I exhale, and I hope I don’t have to leave again for the rest of the day.”Check Out More Dreamy Country Houses: