Character Studies: A North Carolina Charmer

August 5, 2026

Storied pieces and highly curated collections fill the sun-shimmered interiors of an airy abode with charm, hinting at places and people close to the owner’s heart.

Tucked in a small town just west of Raleigh, North Carolina, the home of Shirley and Tom Stankus evokes images of Manderley’s morning room in Daphne Du Maurier’s famed novel, Rebecca, where every furnishing was chosen “with great care, so that each chair, each vase, each small infinitesimal thing should be in harmony with one another, and with her own personality.” Much like that imagined space, the chambers Shirley curates are perfection.

Completed six years ago, the couple’s house boasts ample room for both entertaining and relaxing. However, Shirley admits that when it comes to décor, the free-flowing floor plan forces her to make disciplined choices in order to maintain a sense of cohesion. “I concentrate on my love of traditional style,” she says. Her passion for the French Country look and a deeply ingrained devotion to the warm hospitality of the South also wield their influence upon the environs.

Shirley has always been a consummate collector with a flair for decorating—after retiring from a career in home health administration, she spent several years professionally staging and redesigning properties—but her aesthetic preferences have shifted over the years. “When I was first married, I was drawn to early American colonial design,” she shares, “but as I got older, my tastes evolved.”

An eclectic blend of blue-and-white porcelain, botanically inspired paintings, and antique pieces impart further character to the domicile, underscoring Shirley’s belief that a gracious dwelling is best dressed in items that kindle fond memories and foster a sense of joy. “When you sit in your chair and look around,” she says, “you’ve got to put a smile on your face and say, ‘I’m home!’ ”