On Friday, June 15, Doug and I toured some historic homes in our city. A few historic homes were open to the public as part of our cities 4th of July festivities. Here is a sampling of what we saw.
I really liked the first house. The owners had kept a lot of the charm while adding modern conveniences. Before the house was built there was a pottery business on the property. The homeowners still find pieces of broken pots in the yard.
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| An English Tudor-style Home built in 1924 |
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| A cute window next to the front door |
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| The stone was on the inside fire place too |
The second "home" was a mansion build in the 1890s in the Victorian Eclectic-style. It was turned into a bed and breakfast and not many of the rooms hold their original charm. I didn't get a good photo of the outside but the living room was nicely decorated and there was a beautiful chandelier in the stairwell.
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| A pretty old sofa in the mansion |
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| Stained glass above a window in the living room |
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| An armoire that they ruined by chopping a hole for a TV |
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| An amazing chandelier |
The third home we saw was another English Tudor. It did not wow me as much as the first so I didn't take any pictures of it. The lady who lived there was very nice but didn't have much of an eye for decorating.
The fourth home was tied with the first of the day for my favorite. It was a lovely Victorian Eclectic-style home built in 1896. The family who lived there had it decorated beautifully with antique furniture. They stayed true to the beauty of the historic home.
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| One of my favorites |
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| A beautiful antique piano in the living room |
Behind this lovely home was the most amazing garden I've ever seen. I was so amazed that I forgot to take pictures. Doug and I were very impressed with the neatness, variety of vegetables, and size. Doug has a small garden of his own. Someday when we are homeowners we'll have a big beautiful garden like the one at this home.
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| My handsome husband under a rose trellis |
The last home we went to was a big disappointment. The outside was beautiful and a great example of the "Foursquare" style. It was built in 1912. As soon as we stepped into the house we were shocked that someone could decorate such a treasure entirely with Ikea furniture. Don't get me wrong, I like Ikea and modern furniture, but it didn't belong in that house at all. In my shock and disappointment I didn't take any pictures of the last house.
Have you ever explored old neighborhoods in your city? What do you think of modern furniture in a historic home? Where is your favorite place in your town to act like a tourist? Please leave a comment below. Thanks!
I know I keep commenting on your blog, but I had to ask! Was the last house you saw a big white one? The one you said was built in 1912? If it's the one I'm thinking of, it may be the house my landlords live in. Diana and I went there to sign contracts, and I remember being really disappointed in how modern they tried to make it. I think my dad would be disappointed too, seeing how much he loves his antiques. :)
ReplyDeleteIt was yellow painted brick with a big porch. I'm sure a lot of people ruin old houses with modern stuff. I figure if you live in an old house you should keep most of the feeling old with the kitchen as an exception. It's kind of hard to make a refrigerator look antique. If you wanted a modern house you should move into a modern house. But that's just my opinion.
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