Home Again

While on a run in 2003, designer Leslie Schofield stumbled upon a building lot that immediately felt like home, its open expanse suggesting not just a house but the layered gardens and outdoor living spaces that would take shape over time. Her designer’s eye kicked into high gear, imagining a place ready to grow, inside and out, alongside her young family. Now, 20 years and two renovations later, the sycamore-shaded, craftsman-style home remains the retreat she originally envisioned.

Photos by Joshua Caldwell; Styling by Noelle Wright

Understated arts-and-crafts details adorn the exterior of designer Leslie Schofield’s East Millcreek home. After arriving under a canopy of mature sycamores, guests are greeted by an intricately paned front door custom-designed by Schofield, an homage to a vacation retreat in Punta Mita, Mexico.

Inside, the sense of evolution becomes deeply personal. The decor offers perfectly distilled slices of the designer’s life: Rather than merely highlighting her aptitude for her craft, each room embodies things the Schofields hold dear. For example, the home’s rich palette is largely driven by colorful items gathered through generations of love for travel, from antique storage solutions to an arsenal of crimson woven rugs passed down from Schofield’s parents, who lived in Pakistan for a time. “I am really drawn to the red in Asian-influenced designs,” says Schofield, principal of Leslie Schofield Studio. “That bold palette is why I kept all of my walls and furnishings very tonal and quiet. My rugs and throws are like art — I didn’t want the structure of the home to compete.”

“This space is a visual collection of our journey through life, as well as my parents’, who traveled the world,” Schofield shares. “Every piece has a story and was chosen with intention.” Grounding the lively decor, a Negresco quartzite slab fireplace by European Marble & Granite offers a quiet focal point. Furnishings include Gregorius Pineo and Eames pieces, a Numi pendant, and a custom Kravet sofa, with a rug sourced through Adib’s Rug Gallery.

Though this designer expertly curates gallery-worthy textile pieces, her walls do not lack adornment. Nearly every spare surface is an eclectic canvas, with works by Schofield’s daughter and other family members — a nod to her deep love of family. Mementos of her children appear throughout the house and yard, including a handprint-decorated slab of concrete salvaged from a previous garden.

A 10-foot walnut table anchors the dining room, surrounded by heirloom Chinese wood chairs, modern seating, and a vibrant Persian rug — creating a warm, layered space designed for gathering with family, neighbors, and friends.

That sense of personal expression carries into the home’s function. As avid entertainers, the Schofields envisioned a space that serves as both a gallery and gathering place. “When we first built the home, we were on a shoestring budget, so I made the kitchen as big as I could stretch,” Schofield says. “But I wouldn’t compromise on an ample dining space.”

Well-manicured paths wind through the backyard garden, with landscaping by Ethos Landscape. Statuary appears in unexpected moments — a Zen-inspired Buddha along one route, a playful fire hydrant marking a former property boundary along another.

Today, the dining room centers on a 10-foot walnut table — with modern seating for nieces, neighbors, and pets alike — joined by heirloom wood chairs from China and a colorful Persian rug from Adib’s Rug Gallery in Millcreek. Within the welcoming space, the designer’s touch reveals itself in the details: Bench seats upholstered in Kelly Wearstler fabric often host Schofield and her husband, Jon, during family game nights. Through a walnut-cased opening, guests catch sight of the cozy kitchen, recently updated with Hammerton lighting, Atelier Purcell barstools, and intricate lava-stone tile for a high-style finish.

A set of concrete handprints — salvaged from a previous iteration of the home’s patio — now rests as a focal point in the garden, reflecting the Schofields’ deep love of family.

A Gloster outdoor sofa and Janus et Cie wicker chairs flank a custom gas fireplace.

Outside, the landscaping reflects a commitment to quality and the designer’s discipline, balanced by an eclectic mix of statuary that echoes the interior’s collected appeal. Beneath a wisteria-wound pergola, comfortable furniture invites the family to lounge in style. Along winding, plant-lined paths, sculptures bring a sense of whimsy and quiet surprise to the abundant garden. On the property’s far end, an eight-person barrel sauna and outdoor shower deliver the ultimate outdoor luxury.

Speaking of her home’s outdoor garden and living area, Schofield shares, “This is where we spend every possible minute from spring through fall. We wanted a Zen-like experience. With our statues, water, and every tree cared for like a child, it’s a dreamlike space for us, and we love having friends and family here whenever possible.”

Over time, the Schofield home has become an accumulation of lived experience shaped by Schofield’s design sensibility and her family’s life — defined by travel, memory, and successive layers of building and renewal. The interiors and gardens read as one continuous narrative, still evolving.

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