Somehow you feel transported to another place and time when you step inside the inn, and there’s a sense of romance that seems to please all who stay here. It’s a major achievement for decorator Margo Estrada of Branford, Connecticut, who worked with Maura Phillips on the project for nearly two years.

According to Estrada and Phillips, the inn’s history was worth preserving a million-fold, but it presented an awesome challenge. “Color was the first element of design we determined, because it would set the tone for the inn, and distinguish it apart from others,” says Ms. Estrada. Choosing strong, often vibrant wall colors was a way to maximize the play of light in the rooms and camouflage some old and less than perfect surfaces. They chose harvest yellow, rich maple sugar brown, deep coral and periwinkle blue, among other gorgeous colors to work with to create cozier rooms where the ceiling height could have made them seem cavernous. .

“We chose to design window treatments that were imaginative and whimsical using minimal fabric in ways that feature the windows rather than hide them,” says Ms. Estrada. She drew five basic shapes for the windows and adapted them for each room accordingly. Each room or suite was given its own thoroughly personal style, and each will continue to evolve as more treasures are found.

Harry Phillips maintained the original architectural elements of the inn wherever he could, including arched nooks, heart of pine stairwells, balconies and floors. Guests should note the slant of the floors that lends unique charm to the rooms. He added balconies and six-over-six double-hung true divided light windows, adhering to the standards of the National Register of Historic Places. He also built bathrooms that seem to have always been there, though each of them is new, with French showers, classic subway tile and two-person jetted tubs.

Furniture and décor is a delightfully eclectic mix of old and new – items collected over the course of several years by Maura Phillips, a self-proclaimed treasure hunter. She haunted antique shops, estate sales, junk stores and flea markets for paintings, dishes, chairs and rugs. So much, that Estrada never dreamed she would have access to the enormous amount of unusual items that they would later place in each room to give it its own personality. Months were spent moving furniture, selecting light fixtures from Phillips's collection of antique chandeliers, and working with the upholsterer and seamstress on furniture, curtains, duvet covers and dust ruffles.

The inn appeals to people because it is a clash of old and new, and incorporates the fragrance of fresh flowers and linen spray, the feel of soft cotton, and many colors and textures of wood and fabric.

When one guest was asked about the style of the StoneFort Inn and the effect it had on her stay, she answered quite simply. “It’s utterly charming!” We hope you think so, too.