Text by Holly Seng
I grew up in an 18th century farmhouse, and we just went to Annapolis yesterday, so I was feeling inspired to look up some colonial interiors. Here are some lovely examples of colonial exteriors and colonial interiors. Some are authentic and others had been renovated or new builds created to capture the colonial aesthetic. […]
My father called me Mugwump my entire childhood...and then some. Now you know.
I grew up in an 18th century farmhouse, and we just went to Annapolis yesterday, so I was feeling inspired to look up some colonial interiors. Here are some lovely examples of colonial exteriors and colonial interiors. Some are authentic and others had been renovated or new builds created to capture the colonial aesthetic. […]
Why is Scandinavian design so popular among house owners and interior designers? Because this design is clean and warm, helping you to create a light-filled space without any clutter.
Though every grey-shingled, white-trimmed house on this legendary New England island looks like every other grey-shingled, white-trimmed house, the natives know the labyrinthine way to the Oldest House. (Oldest' being a proper noun here, not an adjective). And when you finally track it down on its solitary hilltop, its air of chaste isolation - in this town teeming with trophy houses, Hamptons émigrés and admirably restrained twee - will take your breath away. With just a few gnarly lilacs scraggling up the stony drive, a bare yard all around, a rank swamp behind and in front, the weedy echo of a long-gone lily pond, the stark and solemn Oldest House is asceticism made flesh. Or anyway, wood and brick. Houses in this 17th-century 'lean-to' style always faced south. That way, their two-storey facades could warm themselves in the sun while their sloping backs could simply hunker down against northwesterly winds. This is architecture plain as a Quaker hat, as is the Oldest House itself - expect for that slightly pretentious chimney, a brick tour de force embellished with an odd, inverted U in relief. Some think it celebrates the c1686 uniting in wedlock of two warring families - the Gardners and the Coffins - builders of this grandish residence (Coffin lumber on Gardner land). Some think it's a lucky horseshoe, inverted for the dumping of malevolent household spirits, and call the place 'Horseshoe House'. Whatever its symbolism, that chimney turns characteristically functional below the roofline, providing a single fireplace on the first floor, plus three more on the floor below, where it warms two moderately large rooms - the west parlour and the east hall - and the summer kitchen. The west parlour was the, um, best parlour, while the east hall was the dining room/den/library/'family room', and, with the coming of the winter, kitchen. Upstairs, despite laws of physics regarding the movement of heat, two spartan sleeping chambers are as frigid today as they surely were then. As dark, too. And surely inhospitable to shivering children bedding down in hard little cots on the north-facing side. Why would anyone choose to build a house on an island with no farm land and no forests, offering the barest of subsistence living? Well, if one were a Massachusetts Quaker in 1659, and if Quakeresses were being hanged for their beliefs on Boston Common (they didn't call them Puritans for nothing), a little free land on a scrubby, sandy island out in the Antlantic might look pretty appealing. So the earliest Coffins prospered in their Oldest House-to-be, passing it on, eventually, to the seafaring Paddacks, a clan whose paterfamilias must have been fairly terrifying or at least implacably unforgiving. The story goes that his small daughter Love idly dug a little trench (with a clamshell, mind you) in the capacious lily pond across from the Oldest House. Somehow, though it seems inconceivable, her digging emptied the pond, blew out the dam and ruined the mill, and father Paddack was evidently so furious that fearful, guilt-torn Love revealed the truth only on her deathbed. That bed is not in the house today. Its current furnishing, carefully maintained by the Nantucket Historical Association, comprise a scholarly best-guess as to what was really there - 'It was the Quaker way to use things, and use them up.' Not an original stick remains, consequently. And 17th-century American furniture being virtually unbuyable today, the Old House has been sparsely furnished with fairly humble 18th-century pieces from the NHA collection. But 'sparse' is an understatement here. These rooms are not just bare-bones, they hardly include a stitch of warming upholstery, curtains or clothing, despite an impressive display of spinning and weaving machinery: a large and looming loom in what was once the hall nd a spinning wheel in the parlour/kitchen. One hopes, for the Paddacks' sakes, that they lived here with a touch more luxury than we see now, for the family lived there for 132 years. B The entrance hall. Just seen to the left is the almost unnavigably steep staircase The Oldest House fell on hard times after that - a curiously mixed blessing; for while it quietly crumbled, it also remained virtually untouched. Only an 1881 family reunion awakened descendant Tristram Coffin to the necessity of saving his family's piece of American history. By 1923, when the house became the property of the NHA, a carefully rethought (though equally inauthentic) bit of architectural licence resulted in the replacement of its double-hung windows with the quaint latticework we see there today. Seemingly, the OH ghosts don't care what kind of windows the house has, for they don't haunt its interior. The east hall, with a photo reproduction of the Nantucket Historical Association's portrait of the Oldest Occupant - Mary Gardner Coffin The east hall was used as a 'family room'. The design of the 18th-century American table and chairs reveals their English derivation. Stoneware jugs and a wooden trencher stand on the pantry shelves The pantry also holds wood and metal mortars and pestles and a churn and an axe The austere second sleeping chamber contains a cradle, a rope 'youth' bed and an early trundle bed, covered with a wool quilt. The sleeping chamber. The child's rope bed is covered with a blanket embroidered with roses in the corners. How sadly grim that lone abode Where once the yeoman reaped and sowed! It seems to warn, who ventures near, To shun those walls, moss-grown and drear; Where ivy climbed and roses grew When time was young and life was new. (from Caroline Parker Hills's poem The Oldest House, 1895) Well, the historic landscape expert might quibble about those Victorian roses and ivy. And 'grim' is a trifle harsh. But 'lone' closer to the genius loci, perhaps. And 'lovely' largely sums it up. THE WORLD OF INTERIOR - 2000 Text: Carol Prisant, Photography: Eric Boman "The history of Nantucket's Oldest House is one of religious persecution, frightening fathers and doleful ghosts. But 'lovely' is the only word do describe it", says Carol Prisant. Yes, I agree! Just lovely! * * * Coming soon.... ...my trip to Germany in March
Stepping into Betsy Heck's two-story Colonial-style home in Wildwood is like taking a trip back in time.
This is a place to share some of my early American furniture collection, and furniture I WISH were mine!
Two decades ago, when legendary Manhattan-based interior designer Robert Couturier, a native Parisian, met his now-husband, the Connecticut-born historic preservationist Jeffrey Morgan, their tastes were poles apart. “I didn’t know much about American decorative arts,” says Couturier, famed for creating grand-scale, lavishly decorated interiors on four continents. “Jeffrey said he wanted to show me some […]
The definition of a tavern in today’s dictionary, means an establishment offering beer and liquor for sale while allowing consumption on the premises. During the colonial period, the tavern m…
I grew up in an 18th century farmhouse, and we just went to Annapolis yesterday, so I was feeling inspired to look up some colonial interiors. Here are some lovely examples of colonial exteriors and colonial interiors. Some are authentic and others had been renovated or new builds created to capture the colonial aesthetic. […]
Timeless . Early American . Woodworking. A relaxed, rustic Virginia colonial with touches of new and old. The home was modernized while also taking care to maintain the traditional vibe the client loved so much. Builder: John L. Hanson [...]Read More... from American Soul
Text by Holly Seng
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This must be a wonderful room to feed and entertain family and friends before the open fire. Don't you love the beautiful stonework inside the firebox? I wish I could see more. via
For this Quaker-style English cottage in Washington Crossing, an addition was designed that blends seamlessly with the original 1721 house.
Explore the 7 biggest trends in 1950s decorating -- complete with descriptions and vintage illustrations of 1950s decor for each style.
Austere American Farmhouse, Phoebe Troyer‘s Ohio home is so uncomplicated you might call it sparse – maybe eve
This soothingly austere 1710 abode offers a stylistic getaway from the opulence of a Connecticut estate's main dwelling
Light up your memory with some some great old home décor - more than 200 antique and vintage table lamps from the beginning of the twentieth century to its end!
The Windsor chair is a classic beauty and worthy of a seat at any dining table. This style of chair originated in England during the 18th century.
19th century Primitive Capitan Chair Early American Oak Capitan Arm Chair Dimensions: 28"Hx 21" W x18"D x17" Seat H A beautiful piece that will add to your décor! less
In an antiques dealer's 1820's farmhouse, natural decorations harmonize with cherished furnishings, prized collectibles, and family heirlooms. "An old house is the ultimate antique, and a way of life," claims the owner of this four-square Ohio farmhouse, an antiques collector of 20 years' standing. The loving care that he and his wife devoted to the restoration clearly bears witness to the claim. The house is filled with furniture and accessories collected on cross-country travels in search of Early American treasures. The house, however, never seems more complete than when the couple's grown children and young grandson come to call. In keeping with the traditional farmhouse lifestyle, the kitchen is the heart of the house and the center of family activities. With the aroma of Mom's holiday specialities filling the room, the fireplace providing its own special warmth, and the table dressed for Christmas Eve dinner, we have been called to supper. Make yourself at home, and enjoy the simple pleasures of farmhouse living. Family Room The soft yellow walls and gold-colored sofa in the family room come alive with the addition of multicolored quilt throws, layered rugs, and a flame stitch seat cover. Tabletops and wall-mounted curio shelves also support the color themes with odd matched candle sticks and hand-woven baskets. The Albany stove visible on the far left bears the date 1858. The traditions of Christmas are also featured with a full tree and even fuller cache of toys and gifts beneath. Each branch is tipped with popcorn. Toys underneath are corralled by a fence the owner's father constructed in 1940. Parlor To warm the parlor, the owners built a Rumford-style fireplace to fit within the surround of a mantel the son retrieved from a nearby dwelling. During the holidays it becomes a perfect repository for a still life of seasonal fruits, which frame a Seth Thomas pillar-and-scroll mantel clock dating from around 1825. The traditional-styled furnishings, earthtone upholstery, and classics like the 1740's banister-back chair in the foreground add their own warmth to the setting. A loose cushion provides comfort as well as protection for the original cane seat. Bedroom Upstairs the bedrooms are furnished with both comfort and practicality in mind. The stark white walls provide the perfect backdrop to the mix of blues and reds found in the woodwork, furnishings, and floor coverings. A rail hung at window top height offers a functional display for collectibles and family keepsakes. The owner's grandson makes quick claim to the trundle bed in the room his parents share when the family visits for the holidays. The wood-spoke wheel on the right, which once supported a country carriage, now provides a sculptural element for the room. Buttery The buttery occupies a newly built addition behind the farmhouse. The white-oak floor boards, taken from the attic and reinstalled in alternating widths of 16, 18 and 20 inches, are protected from winter trackings by a generous-sized rag rug. A piggin on the floor alongside the Ohio water bench is filled with rosehips, which the owners gather in abundance during the holiday season. The bench now serves as a display for the butter churn and band box on top and clay jugs on the shelf below. Other collectibles crowd the shelf near the ceiling. Stairway Popcorn and cranberry strands festoon the staircase for the holidays. The paneling underneath still retains its original red paint finish. The slant-lid countertop desk with Shaker styling has been in the family for 40 years. An antique ladderback now serves as the desk chair. Although the room was originally lit by candlelight, today an electrified chandelier captures the look and style of the period. A Wedgwood blue baseboard gives the room a decorative edge, uniting it with the blue painted chest in the dining room beyond. Cupboard A colorful display of fruit, including the hospitable pineapple, fills a wood-carved trencher on top of a red painted tap table. Both the trencher and table were lucky finds on a holiday visit to New England. A matched pair of ladderback chairs with rush seats and checked cushions fits comfortably under the extended tabletop surface. The wall-mounted cupboard, c. 1840, is from Ohio. The age-worn and highly distressed finish -- so desirable in today's furnishings -- is natural here. In addition to its interior storage space, it offers a display area for the small objects perched on top. A collection of colored baskets is also displayed on the wall shelf above.
Early American colonists settled along the Eastern seaboard with only the basic provisions...
This Cracker home was lived in until 1987 when it was moved to the pioneer museum.
Sold by Create your own from scratch Size: Standard (5" x 7") Birthdays or holidays, good days or hard days, Zazzle’s customized greeting cards are the perfect way to convey your wishes on any occasion. Add a photo or pick a design and brighten someone’s day with a simple “hi”! Dimensions: 5" x 7" (portrait) or 7" x 5" (landscape) Full color CMYK print process All-sided printing for no additional cost Printable area on the back of the card is 3" x 4" (portrait) or 4" x 3" (landscape) Standard white envelopes included Paper Type: Matte The most popular paper choice, Matte’s eggshell texture is soft to the touch with a smooth finish that provides the perfect backdrop for your chosen designs. Light white, uncoated matte finish with an eggshell texture Paper is easy to write on and won't smudge Made and printed in the USA
A slideshow of 21 photos of authentic 1960s kitchens to give you fabulous ideas for your 1960s retro kitchen remodel -- you've got to see these kitchens!
Stenciling allows you to personalize an item or wall with the perfect quote or image. Stenciling was also popular interior decorating technique in early American homes. It stretched limited resour…
AD takes a look at some of the most distinctive examples of 1700s residential architecture in the United States, among them Monticello, Gunston Hall and Gracie Mansion.
I grew up in an 18th century farmhouse, and we just went to Annapolis yesterday, so I was feeling inspired to look up some colonial interiors. Here are some lovely examples of colonial exteriors and colonial interiors. Some are authentic and others had been renovated or new builds created to capture the colonial aesthetic. […]
