There is a house in North Carolina that breaks nearly every rule of conventional architecture, and once you hear about it, you will not be able to stop thinking about it. Jule Gilmer Körner, a creative force in 19th-century interior design, built a personal residence so unconventional that his neighbors called it a folly.
The name stuck, and honestly, it fits perfectly. With 22 rooms spread across seven levels, 15 fireplaces tucked into nearly every corner, ceilings that range from cozy to cathedral-height, and a private little theater that holds the title of America’s first, this Victorian marvel in Kernersville, North Carolina, is unlike anything else you will ever tour.
Keep reading, because every section of this article reveals something more surprising than the last.
The Story Behind the Man Who Built It All
Jule Gilmer Körner was not your average Victorian-era homeowner. Born in 1851, he grew up to become one of the most forward-thinking interior designers in the United States, at a time when that profession barely had a name…