CALL ME HOPELESSLY ROMANTIC, but I chose to live in a house which was built in 1826. It’s a house that had fallen on hard times. In fact, when it came on the market in 2001, the first offer was from a man who wished to remove all the marble and mahogany fireplaces, the sweeping staircase, and the original black-walnut pocket doors, and sell them as “salvage items.” Here’s a glimpse of one of the rooms we’ve restored:
I call this the “Music Room,” for it houses two of my pianos (there’s another piano in a room off this one, located behind a set of pocket doors). I’ll explain why I have three grand pianos in another post.
The great-great granddaughter of the house’s original owner — her name is Janice, and she’s 95 years old now — was gracious enough to send me a late 19th-century photograph of this room. As you can see, it once held a good deal more furniture, including — get this — a grand piano. Probably the room is happy to have music bounce off its walls once again. I can tell you the acoustics here are spectacular.
I designed the curtains to match — as much as possible — those in the early photograph.
At the north end of the room is a set of black walnut pocket doors. Would you like to see what’s behind them?
Why, it’s that third piano I told you about. The make is “Hazelton Brothers,” and per its serial number, it was built in NYC in 1919.
Also in this little room is a fireplace, with a giant, elaborately carved over-mantel-mirror. Surely this would have been sold by that greedy salvage dealer I mentioned at the beginning of our story.
Other decorative features in the room are the ornate valances mounted above each window. Unfortunately, these valances, made of black walnut, are now very fragile. The man who removed them in order to install my hangings swore they would fall apart if anyone dares move them again.
This house, though large, is certainly not for the persnickety. In fact, after watching a few episodes of “Property Virgins” on HGTV, I suspect that only me and my partner would be happy to live here. For there are no closets in the house, and its floor plan is not an “open” one. Each room is an entity unto itself, complete with a door for privacy (and for keeping heat in the room, when the fireplace is in use).
If you’d like to see some of the other rooms we’ve restored, I’d be happy to show them to you. Just drop me a line in the comments thread below.
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Related Posts:
House Tour Part 2: The Entrance Hall & Staircase
House Tour Part 3: The Parlor
House Tour Part 4: The Dining Room
Welcome to My Herb Garden
From Parking Lot to Rose Garden
Kevin, Often when I read your posts, I wonder what your house looks like, so I'd be thrilled to see more of the rooms! We have a 130 year old house, so we know what you mean about closets and closed doors to keep the heat in. Keep giving the tour.
Louise
Wow, Louise! Where do you live?
By all means, post more pictures of your house! I'm sure many of your readers would love to see
I know I would!
Janice
Kevin, We live in Dayton, KY, a small town on the Ohio River, directly across from Cincinnati. It's an old river town which has some great old houses built in the 1880s.
Louise
You've done this grande dame proud Kevin. A house like yours could never be duplicated today. That kind of craftsmanship has been lost.
Of course we would love to see more.
Thank God you saved this house! Personally I prefer all the self contained rooms as opposed to that open floor plan. My home was built a little more than 100 years after yours…but I don't have much for closets-the one thing I could truly use! It is so neat that you have an old picture of the interior of your home! I'd love to see more. Thanks so much for sharing!
I LOVE this story!!! and YES, I'd love to see more of the house. This stuff thrills me! An old, saved & restored home!! Excellent!!
Please, more photos of the house – I love seeing what you have accomplished – thanks for sharing and it would be wonderful if you would post more rooms.
Absolutely beautiful! More please…
Dear Kevin,
I would be thrilled to see other restored rooms in your house. This is the first time I've posted to your blog although I've been reading it daily for over a year. Thanks!!
More rooms please!! I love that lamp on the piano. Is that oil or is it electrified?
I absolutely want to see more photos! Especially the before/after types. Like other readers I've always been curious about your house whenever you talk about it. This glimpse was just wonderful. Thanks for sharing it!
We just moved into a house that was built in 1853, but it's been updated quite a bit and has little to none of the artistry yours has. Regardless, I want to take a trip to the Archives soon to see if I can locate any old info on it.
The second last owners stopped by after we moved in and asked us if we had seen the “Secret Room” yet. Turns out when I finally finish all the sanding, mudding, and painting, I'll have to cut a small panel (that had been mudded and painted over years before we arrived) out of the closet to sneak into a little 4x7ish room, that these people found full of old dolls and newspapers that they donated to the local museum. Should be a fun and creepy adventure!
Glad you and your partner saved the house and kept it so ornate!
Janice – Will do!
Marilyn – Thanks you. It's been a labor of love. (Emphasis on labor!)
Katreader – Ditto regarding open floor plans. I prefer private rooms, especially for the kitchen!
Genene – Glad you liked it, and thought to tell me so. More pictures/story to come.
Marie Campion – Wish I had more “before” pictures, but it didn't occur to me to photograph crumbling plaster!
Eliza – More soon, I promise.
Nancy Hickman – Nice to meet you!
I've always wondered about this room, which you have mentioned often when describing your houseplants. What a treat to finally see it! You and your partner did that a house a big, big favor.
Terry – It's a banquet lamp, made in 1902 by Mappin & Webb. The base and stem are sterling silver. I found the lamp at a shop in London back in 2000, and my wonderful partner bought it for me. It is not electrified, and it does work. I rarely use it, however, because once the flame is extinguished, the scent of kerosene lingers in the air.
Adele – Well, now when I mention my Primula malecoides in the music room window, you'll have a reference point!
I’d love to see the kitchen and bathrooms! So who needs closets? That is why they made those huge pieces of furniture wardrobes. Thank goodness you bought the house, you understand and appreciate it enough to restore and not destroy.
p.s. love your new blog header
Kevin ~ love your new format…also want to say how much I enjoy your blog and it is so nice that you address people who respond to your entries, it must be time consuming, but it truly is a really nice touch!
Good to see that you saved all that lovely woodwork and marble from ending up in some hastily-constructed McMansion somewhere.
A.MA.ZING.
Thank you Kevin for sharing the glory of the craftsmanship and loving beauty of your beautiful home. I’d of course, love to see more. Love seeing it all and hearing the stories of each piece. A beloved lamp all the way from London..what goings on that must have been part of! Those black walnut valances are magnificent. Bless your hearts for preserving the gentility and grace of the past. Adore being able to peek inside, thank you so much! Happy Saturday!
Beautiful new page look, congratulations!
Cary – Glad you like the new site!
Would you believe…after Terry commented on that lamp yesterday, I spent 2 hours cleaning it? Washed the glass globe, and polished the stem and base. What a job! (I have no doubt that whomever owned that lamp before me had a scullery maid to manage the polishing business.)
Lana – You are right – back in the 19th century they used wardrobes for clothing. There were also lots of out-buildings for storage on the property (some of these you can see in the first photo). Unfortunately all of the out-buildings are long gone.
Love it, Kevin! I hardly post on my blog in winter. This is a GREAT way to keep your readers coming back till spring. Definitely want to know more about the pianos. Our house is 100+ but seriously modified by previous owners. Lots of character has been lost, but we I sure don’t mind having two huge walk in closets upstairs!
Marie Campion – Welcome. I’ll definitely show more rooms over the coming weeks. Hope to “see” you again!
Eliza J – Glad you like the new site. I especially like the new “comments” thread.
BBI – This house is on the National Register of Historic Places, simply because it was left intact (no matter how bad the condition!). But oh, would I like to have a walk-in closet. More on the pianos later, I promise.
Kevin maybe you can use oil in the lamp instead of kerosene? The kind that is used in table-top oil lamps. I have been keeping some small oil lamps on hand for when/if the power goes out, and am making some from canning jars for Christmas presents. The oil doesn’t smell really bad, and you may be able to even get some scented. It is a beautiful lamp! To go in a beautiful room! I bet it looks really great now that you cleaned it. I also love the dark door and window frames and am glad you didn’t paint them.
Hey Admin, this is a good blog you have here. I suggest that you focus more on search engine optimization (SEO) and backlinking so you can rank it higher on Google! The result would be an increase in traffic, as well as the fact you’ll never miss a connection with a potential reader! And yes, the main point of this comment is to advertise my services, though, I only advertise what I know will help! If you want to discuss more about search engine marketing and what I offer, don’t hesitate to send me an email at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you!
Would love to see more pictures!
I’d love to see more rooms. Our house is “only” 91 years old but I, too, appreciate rooms with doors that close off the rest of the house. Your music room is lovely.
Kevin, I love your site and I love your home. Please show more.
Terri – More rooms soon, I promise!
Deborah Rosen – We’re probably in the minority regarding open floor plans. Personally, I could neither cook nor write in a room without a door. Too many distractions otherwise!
Kevin,
Thank you for saving the beautiful lady (house)! I also appreciate the old, well built home. My grandmother’s home in Germany was over 400 years old! Yes, of course we’d like to see more!
Terry – What great presents those oil lamps will make!
Unfortunately oil is not an option for my banquet lamp. The antiques dealer said kerosene-only.
Love the new format (now that I’ve finally had a moment the give it a look…) and of course I want to read more of the house story and see more pictures!!! Keep all the good things coming!!!!! Now I need to go make more granola….
Rosemeri – Thank you!
Suzanne K – I’ll bet I would have loved your grandmother’s house.
Our old house in Bethlehem, PA (a religious community founded by Moravians in 1742) was, when we bought it, the proverbial dump. It had been built around 1850, enlarged in the 1870′s, and enlarged again around 1910 when plumbing was brought in. At some point it became a boarding house – then 2 apartments – and, finally – the whole thing was nicely gift-wrapped with asbestos Every beautiful detail of our house was gone, but it’s in an historic district and we restored it carefully (it took 30 years) while respecting the fact that we weren’t creating a “make-believe-old house”.
Historic buildings tell us much about who we were and what we valued. I would do those 30 years of hard and dirty work again before I’d ever choose a McMansion.
Show us more!
Hi Kevin
Yes! I love old homes & would love to see more pictures of your beautiful home.
Hi Kevin
Yes! I love old homes & would love to see more pictures of your beautiful home.
Brenda – Uh-oh. Are you hooked on Sunday granola-making too?
Nancy – Kudos to you for having the vision to restore your place. Such work isn’t for everybody. I suspect you are an “old soul” like me.
Laura – Thank you for having a look. Much, much more to come over the following weeks and months!
You’re house is beautiful!
Why, thank you April!
thanks for the music room tour, more please! A question to Nicole H: is there any chance the “secret room” was used on the underground railroad? I’ve heard of similar rooms in houses that were along the escape routes. Just wondering…../
Kevin
the house looks so lovely int he photos, but it is truly magical in person. You are so talented in so many areas. You are an inspiration,
Nicole H. – That secret room sounds intriguing! Must have been a hiding place for something… or someone!
Way back in the 70s, I lived in an old house, bought together with three friends, that was build around 1865. We soon found out that it was haunted. The seller had only hinted about ghosts and laughed when we asked outright if it was haunted. Lots of interesting occurrences happened to each of us, when alone and when together. You haven’t mentioned if your “Grand Lady” is haunted. Has anything happened to make you think it is?
John – There have been times when I thought I heard ghosts, but I’m sure it was “just the wind…” as they say in old horror movies. Actually, any ghosts here would probably like us because of the work we’ve put into the place!
But I’m curious about YOUR ghost stories!
I would love to see other rooms:) These two are VERY well done, but I’m sure you know that. Thanks for the peek:)
Kevin -
You’ve done an amazing job in your restoration. I am an interior desiger and have a passion for old homes. You just can’t get the craftsmanship, architectural detailing and history from the houses constructed today. I love hearing about the history of your home and the family that lived there. Please post more pictures.
More pictures please..I worked in historic preservation for many years restoring ceramic installations like fireplaces, entry halls in older homes and institutions. Congratulations on being one of the hardy band who treasure and restore our built heritage.
Marie Glasse Tapp
Tile Restoration Center, Seattle WA
I love your weekly postings and hope you will just continue to include house pictures with your regular entries, just as you did this time. Thank you.
Kevin
great job in restoring this room please show more I agree that doors on rooms are better than open plan I’ve lived in numerous houses and the older ones are much preferred!!!!
Donna – Thanks for having a look. Tricky to photograph here because of the shifting light.
Kristine – Nice to meet you. Couldn’t agree with you more about the detailing of old houses. Descendants of the original owner have sent me oodles of photographs of the house, which were taken in the late 19th- and early 20th-centuries . I need to scan them and include them in future posts.
Marie Glasse Tapp – Welcome. I’d like to thank YOU for the historic preservation work you’ve accomplished in Seatlle. You’d probably love all the old Dutch houses around here — some with Delft-tiled fire-surrounds!
Julie – Well, I’ve covered so many of the gardens here A Garden for the House that I figured it was time to show the house itself! Thanks for attending “the tour.” More to come.
Kevin- Like many of the other posters, I have wondered what your home looks like and totally admire what you have done. As someone who has restored a home-mine being a mid-century mod- so i didn’t have to go back as far in time
, I can completely appreciate the time and effort you have put into your “nest.” I anxiously await the tour of the rest of your grand abode!!! – Zehra
Wow! Absolutely beautiful! I love older homes. They have so much history and many stories to tell. I am glad it wasn’t sold to the salvager; most homes are just waiting for their moment of restoration. I grew up in Victorian homes and never realized how important the homes’ details and history mattered to me until my husband and I moved to an area where there was no crown or trim except for baseboards or around doors in the entire house. Now I think it’s an offense to strip these beautiful houses of their history. I would love to see more pictures of the house, before and after if you have any. Excellent job on the music room!
zehra – Welcome, and thanks for having a look. Good for you for restoring your place!
Welcome, Caroline. Thanks for the kind words. I agree with you — most houses are just waiting for the right owners to come along and save them. I can’t imagine living in a modern home now, in spite of all the advantages (closets!) they offer.
Your home is truly a work of art, and the thoughtfulness and love the two of you have poured into it shows! I truly hope you share more of this transformation.
kevin, Thanks for sharing – I’ve always wanted to see more pictures of your home and property, as it really looks charming. I’m so glad that you saved such a treasure of a home so that it’s regained all it’s original charm as well as the care and love you have given it – what a pleasure to see the pictures –
also Happy Birthday! I do hope you will share with us what you did on your Birthday – I love the new look to the website also –
cheers,
jim
Welcome, trillium. You are right — much love has been poured into this house. But the place seems quite happy now. Stay tuned…more rooms to come.
Welcome, james lambert – How kind of you to think of my birthday! As a matter of fact, I spent much of the day on a ladder (the next-highest step – kinda scary) polishing the woodwork and cleaning the glass of the mantel mirror in the music room. What a job!
Please keep the posts coming! The house is amazing, as well as the care and love that you have put into it! Thank you for sharing!
You asked earlier for accounts of when I lived in an old Victorian house and met its spirits-in-residence.
Ah-h-h-h. Ghost stories. Where to begin? The old Victorian that I and my three housemates lived in was surely haunted. Each of us eventually “met up” with manifestations of whatever spirits were there. We had heard the usual creaks and groans, most likely due to the wind (yeah, right), but other occurrences were more vivid. Ready? I know it’s not exactly the right time of the year for ghost stories, but…
Supposedly, the owner who inherited the house from the original builder was a doctor, and at that time (early 20th Century) many patients were treated at the home for both physical and mental conditions, in addition to many, many babies being delivered there. The occasional groans were usually accompanied by low moans and even some crying, just within hearing range, but also low enough to make one wonder if you were hearing things. A few times we would swear that we heard a metallic rustling… chains? We never felt threatened, but when my dog’s hackles rose and he would bark at a closed door or the dark hallway, we got the creeps, for sure!
There was a little bedroom upstairs (BTW The house had a beautiful, carved walnut curved stairway. The “servants” back stairway was plain.) that would remain quite cold all year, no matter what the temperature in the house. We always referred to it as “the nursery” and used it for storage since no one wanted to actually sleep in it!
By far the most unnerving incidents involved the blue light. Yes, if you can imagine a blue light similar to a natural gas pilot light… I was the first to see it. I was home alone one winter’s night (of course), and reading in bed (upstairs, in the back of the house) with my trusty dog at the foot of the bed. He suddenly started growling and looking at the closed door. Thinking that the married couple, who had gone out for a movie, were coming back home, I got up with the intention of visiting the bathroom across the hall and then greeting them at the top of the stairs, down the hall from my bedroom. As I left my room and crossed the dark hall to go into the bathroom, I noticed out of the corner of my eye an eerie blue light, for all the world like a pilot light, hovering about a foot off the ground at the end of the hall near the stairway landing. I was already into the bathroom by the time what I thought I had seen “registered” in my brain. I kind of dismissed it as possibly a car’s headlights. Coming out a few minutes later, I looked directly down the dark hallway. Sure enough, it was STILL there, just floating in the air. Well, I didn’t wait around, but went back in my room to try to get my dog to come into the hall with me so I could go the other way to get to the light switch and turn on the hall light. Of course, my dog wouldn’t budge off the bed, but by now was barking rather earnestly. Both his hackles and the hairs on the back of my neck were on end! So, like any red-blooded American young man, I slammed and locked my door, and for good measure, moved a dresser in front of it.
When the married couple came home hours later (and turned on the hall light), I filled them in. They, of course, asked what I’d been drinking (iced tea) and didn’t believe a word I said. However, it was not many more weeks later that THEY experienced the same phenomenon one night when they were home alone! Our other housemate also met the blue light one night and had to eat her disbelieving words at our stories. Over the next three years, we all would see the blue light occasionally, but were never successful at getting any photos of it.
Years later, after we had sold the house and moved on with our lives, I was approached in the public library one day by a complete stranger. This middle-aged woman asked me if I was the John C. who had lived in the old Ezra Cox mansion on Center Street back in the 70s. I told her I was the same, and she said that she and her husband were the current owners and had a question to ask me. When she hesitated, I asked her if it had anything to do with a blue light. Her eyes widened and she exclaimed, “YES!” She was so-o-o relieved and almost cried when I told her my stories. She said that she and her husband had also been visited by this mysterious blue light, just a few weeks after moving in. I assured her that there was no danger, at least in our experiences.
I saw her on occasion after that, and we always just knowingly smiled at each other.
TRUE story!!!
Kara – Thanks for having a look! I plan to show more of the house over the following weeks.
John – Guess who won’t be able to sleep tonight?
Seriously, what an experience you had. I’d have barricaded myself in my room too, especially if Lily the Beagle had raised her hackles! (And this from someone who grew up watching “Dark Shadows” and who is presently addicted to “American Horror Story.” )
I take it you live in a modern house now?!
Yes, we built a new home back in 1983, so we could have some acreage (just four though). No ghosts here. Nor even strange happenings, at least nothing other than what our two children did over the years. Before I retired from elementary teaching, I used to tell my ghost stories to my students during the Halloween party. Always had a few notes the next day from parents who had to spend the night with their kids in the bed!
Kevin – thanks for sharing the beautiful photos of your home. I loved looking and comparing the old photos to the new ones you have done a remarkable job. just lovely. The only thing I think I would do is take out some of the old trees. wouldn’t want them to fall on your gorgous house. and it wil lopen it up so you can see it better too. of course replace them with smaller trees farther away from the house. are you thinking of trying to restore the outside to it’s former glory? It is beautiful now but might be fun to add back the big porches. love the posts, can’t wait to see the rest of the house. you are so multi-talented. I am envious.
Been following your weekly newsletters and enjoying them all. Located in the same zone far away in Kansas. It has been a dry and warmer winter here too.
My forced forsythia and pussy willow stems are blooming .
Love everything you share … really loved seeing the rooms in your historic home.
Renee – Nice to meet you! Glad you find this site a fun place to visit.
Forced flowering branches make all the difference in winter, right? No matter how weird that winter might be!
OH, how I have enjoyed your pics. I live in Lebanon, OH which is rich with history. I will follow for more on your labor of love.
Tracy
Hi, Kevin,
I just came upon a couple of your “tours” and appreciate your mention of cleaning 11 foot mirrors framed in mahogany. My grandparents lived in a grand old house in Charleston which was built in the 1700s. The house, at 16 Charlotte Street, was truly a member of our family, who lived there from when my great-grandfather bought it in 1912 for $10,000 until my great-aunt passed in 1974. 64 years, a long relationship! My great-grandparents’ three daughters lived in the house all their lives… with their families since the home had 21 rooms! Some of my fondest memories are going to visit my grandparents and great-aunts and uncles as a child and teen. The bedrooms had tall, wide mirrors framed in heavy wood (probably mahogany, too). Sadly, after my great-aunt passed, we sold the home to an architect who lived there but fell on hard times and sold the brass chandeliers, the beautiful framed mirrors, and other distinctive (but removable) features. The first installed bathtub in the city of Charleston, however, still remains in the home: it looks somewhat like a stone casket: no running water, of course; servants would heat and pour water onto the bather when the home was originally inhabited. I still occasionally have dreams about our old family home; sometimes I can even smell that special smell of old homes: a combination of age, old wood, love, and old leather.
Thanks for the stroll down memory lane, Kevin!
Absolutely love this room. I can’t quite make out in the old photograph what is in the frieze area. Like the wallpaper you chose and the red curtains. So how many square foot is the house and how many rooms? I see some registers so I’m guessing you have forced air heat. Sorry for all the questions, I’m an old house lover.