But most important to this couple is what happens within the walls of home. And at the holidays, when nearly every area glows with Eileen's collection of carolers and small trees illuminate treasured furnishings, that means a nod to old traditions, and some new ones.
The Kennedy family's daughter recently married, so a new son-in-law will be celebrating with them.
An additional tree, a live one from a nearby tree farm, will be decorated with ornaments, including school-made crafts proudly carried home by the children years ago.
Located just off a country road in Moorestown, the home features a tall stone facade. Inside, the Kennedys have created a blend of elegant and cozy, exactly what they hoped for when they started to build.
"We wanted a livable home, not a showplace, but we wanted it to echo a different time period," says Bob, who, with Eileen's help, set about to painstakingly re-create the mid- to late 1800s in their domestic world, down to the precise size and construction of the moldings and the windowpanes.
"I carried around a huge notebook for months, and rode around in a car loaded with samples of wood," says Eileen, who shared not just her husband's vision, but also his commitment to getting things right.
While Bob served as general contractor during construction, Eileen was seeking the right furniture, fabrics, and something less tangible - the feel of an estate home that might have been in the Mid-Atlantic region in the past, but one that could still make a modern family (including four young adult children) happy and comfortable.
So for 19 months starting in 2004, the Kennedys strove to establish the architectural look and feel of another century: elliptical arches, a reception area, 11-foot ceilings, and a stairway with wider stair treads than are seen in modern homes.
