Woman Designs Family Home Inspired by Father of the Bride (Exclusive)

• Emily and James Riter bought a home for their future family of six and transformed it into a peaceful haven perfect for making memories
• The colonial architecture of their space — which they owned, designed and built — was partly inspired by the 1992 film The father of the bride
• Emily tells PEOPLE she hopes to inspire others to make time for classic aesthetics that are harder to achieve than ever.

Emily and James Riter had a clear vision of the type of home they wanted for their family. But getting there was a challenge.

“For the first nine years of our marriage, my husband and I lived in this small, 1,300-square-foot house with our three boys. Even while we were in that house, we wanted to create a simple, beautiful home,” Emily tells PEOPLE.

“As our family grew, we really wanted to create a more sustainable space. We wanted a place where we could grow our family and be hospitable and generous, a place to share memories, slow down and rejoice in each other. That’s when we started looking.”

The couple didn’t know whether to “buy land or find a neighborhood they liked” until they came across a neighborhood with “kids playing in the street on their bikes.” That was their sign that they were home.

“The house we found was originally built in the 70s. We had this image in our head of this mid-sized house The father of the bride“A stylish house,” she said.

The 1992 film struck a chord with Emily over the many times she watched it over the years, and it stayed with her as they discussed the next steps in building the house.

“This style is so nostalgic. It appealed to us for two reasons. It’s a classic aesthetic and The father of the bride illustrates what home really is: the people, the memories, the experiences, all the pain and joy that life can bring.

“We were fortunate to have so many more opportunities and so many more years of our children’s childhoods at the beginning of this project,” Emily continues. “We were able to think and imagine exactly what we wanted for the next 60 years of our lives and the next 20 years of theirs. We thought about rehearsal dinners and Thanksgivings, and the traditions we already have together.”

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The couple “always loved colonial architecture and wanted to stay true to it.”

“We both genuinely love this movie. We used to watch it together. For years I watched it myself and since childhood I have dreamed of creating something similar.”

“It was important to us to have a place to read. We are all big, passionate readers. We would like our children to grow up surrounded by literature, so it was important to have a special place to read. We also had books stacked to the ceiling everywhere in our first house, so we needed a good way to store them all.”

To achieve this, they took an old office space and equipped it with a “secret door.”

“That way, when we want to be more outgoing and have social events, people can go into the living room and we can keep it open. If we want to be more introverted and make it a quiet family space, the library is there,” she says.

“Originally there was another bedroom upstairs and a narrow hallway. We took that bedroom out and opened it up to have a landing, so that as a family, in the evening, after they’ve brushed their teeth and everything, we still have a place to read, connect and relax before putting them to bed without having to go downstairs.”

The family also decided that their three boys would continue to share a bedroom, as they did in their first home.

“Our boys love sharing a room, so they wanted to continue to do that and so did we. We built bunk beds with four bunks. Right now we have three boys and it’s really special because even with more space, they still want to be together,” Emily says.

The soon-to-be mom of four says having “a playroom on the first floor, right off the kitchen” has been a game-changer for her.

“I can hear them while I’m cooking meals or doing laundry. There are also patio doors that open out to our outdoor space. We wanted them to have that Montessori feel with an indoor-outdoor space, so we made a sunroom so they can just run to their play area or the garden and play. We can still see them from multiple places in our house or outside,” Emily says.

“Whether we eat at the corner table, in the kitchen or in the living room, I can always keep an eye on them without being in the room with them. We also have space options, thinking about the future,” she continues.

“When our children are older and leave home, we could take the space out of the kitchen and living room, which is the playroom, and turn it into a tea room or other dining space that other people could also enjoy.”

The kitchen includes “our island and dining area,” as well as outdoor tables that make the space “such a cozy area.”

“Our heart is definitely in the kitchen. I love to cook and there are three meals a day plus snacks, so this space is probably my favorite. It lets the light in. We can still go out and enjoy it both ways. It just makes me think of family, entertaining and having fun.”

During their time at home, Emily and James, who love to entertain, have also learned to love their pantry.

“We have what’s called a butler’s pantry, which is really just a big pantry with sliding doors that open into the kitchen, which is also used for laundry. It’s been helpful because we added a sink in there. We recently had an event and it was nice to be able to throw all the dishes in there and close those doors and not have to worry about cleaning the dishes and the kitchen right away,” she shares.

“Being able to put them away and share them with my husband, James, after everyone had gone, because we had two sinks to wash them in. We are very grateful to have created these little things because they are so useful.”

In total, it took them almost two years to transform the house.

“We really, really wanted that new-old home feel, something timeless with all new finishes, fixtures and systems. We wanted to build a true Colonial Revival architectural style, which was popular in the 1920s,” Emily says.

“Our house was partly completely renovated and partly built from scratch. We brought it up to date, but there are still some original features. Realizing this vision of new and old can be a challenge for owners, architects, designers, builders and contractors.”

She continues: “My husband and I could not have done it without our subcontractors. Some of our subcontractors found the project too difficult and gave up. Other contractors then stepped in, including a couple who saved us when we were in a tight spot.”

The challenges of bringing a vision like theirs to life made Emily realize, “I think there’s a reason why our culture doesn’t build as much of a classic style as we have throughout history. Part of it is the cost, but also because it can be harder to find the right contractors and suppliers. That can also be a burden for some builders.”

Emily’s experience and the interest of others were important factors in her decision to share the home on Instagram via her handle @emily.riter. She began sharing scenes of her home and the process in September 2023.

“I want to support that desire of people who want to build the kind of houses we used to build back then. I hope to give some inspiration and ideas about what people can do in their own homes,” she says.

“I opened it to share the beauty and design behind creating our home so others could see that it is achievable and do something similar. I honestly never thought it would grow like this in six months.”

With interest growing, Emily and James are working on a website that can provide even more details about the products, subcontractors and sources that helped them with their build. Emily will also provide design consultations and floor plans for purchase, amidst this wealth of information.

The growing family enjoys their days in their beautiful home, where they create the first of many memories to come.

“I think there are areas that we will finish more and decorate more. I think the main parts of the house are done. We are always gardening. We are always learning something new in the garden, so those spaces are constantly evolving. We are dreaming of maybe doing a spiral staircase in the attic and a third level if needed, but for now we have plenty of space for our family.”

“We’re expecting our fourth baby and it’s a little girl, so we’re so grateful. She’s coming in October. And in the meantime, we’re working on launching our website, Heirloom Terrain, in July,” Emily says. “We’re working hard to get that done and then slow down and continue to enjoy our family time this summer.”