The governor's house is a neoclassical building inspired by the work of British architect Robert Adam and Bostonian Charles Bulfinch. It is the oldest continuously occupied executive mansion in the United States. The building was one of three in Richmond designed by Boston architect Parris (see the Wickham House, RI23). The brick facade is five bays with the central bay pulled slightly forward. Exterior detail is restrained to the point of austerity. In contrast, the interior is lavish, though with typically delicate Federal-era detailing. After a major fire, W. Duncan Lee, a prolific Richmond-based architect who specialized in the Colonial Revival, began his career when he undertook interior renovations and added a substantial rear wing. More recently, the original paint colors and balustrade were restored on the exterior, and an interior restoration was completed in 2000.