October 2019

  There are so many amazing communities with pockets of well-preserved homes around the country, and one-off old house gems found on rural stretches are certainly irresistible to me. When stunning homes just start ROLLING in from the same town, though, I have to investigate. If it's spectacular, I'll then try to convince you to move there. Let's not pretend like Edenton, NC is a well-kept secret....

I know, I know. We hear it a lot, don't we? "Charm of Yesteryear with Modern Conveniences!" "Historic Details with the Comforts of Today!" Usually, I'm a purist. Most of us here are. The best details have to go through an "uncool" phase to come back big, right? Those Mid Century console sinks with the thin chrome legs?? I'm obsessed with those sinks! That look is so fresh now, somehow. Thank you to...

I guess I'm addicted to huge hearths this fall! I can't stop and won't stop when it comes to these moody, cozy areas. Many modern-update sins can be forgiven by their presence. Not that it's needed here- it's Colonial perfection with incredible wide plank flooring, several fireplaces, super wide window and door casings. All of our favorites. The raised paneling, mantel and accents in the living room are...

Online bidding begins October 21st and concludes October 29th at 1 p.m. (ET) Bid here! Friendly Hills! The name makes me smile, the views are pretty incredible (I'm a Carolina Girl with a soft spot for Blue Ridge panoramas) and Margaret Banning lived here seasonally and wrote many of her bestsellers on site. Really fun to think of her roaming this grand property and working away in the small log...

This home is a quirky combination of two structures- one framed and one brick. The framed portion is actually quite a bit older and according to early deeds and newspapers, was probably built somewhere between 1747 and 1748. The brick portion was built in 1812 (hence the name!) with bricks made from clay found on property, and is the oldest brick home in the Washington Valley area. The look of these two...

A twist on a classic. The purple door on this one is really striking and the lovely Flemish bond masonry is painted green! Flemish bond is a decorative masonry style; sides of the brick (stretchers) and ends of the brick (headers) alternate and the pattern created is really refined. You'll often see Flemish bond with the headers in another color, and that contrast is seriously superb. The technique...

It's been especially rainy and gray in my area the past few days. This weather will not let up! Since nothing pairs better with the impenetrable gray than heavy blankets, hot tea and a fire, I'm finding myself drawn to the warm wood and cozy fireplace situation here. I'm also a big fan of the wallpaper and love how much wallpaper can transform a room - I'm so glad that making a statement with it is...

Telescope style - ever heard of it? It's one of my favorite vernacular phenomena. They're the homes with multiple attachments connected in a row and in decreasing size until, yes, the structure starts to take on the appearance of a telescope! They're usually created over time with the addition of several expansions to an original structure, but the Nelson Homestead is really interesting because it seems...

Dandridge is a real treat for old house fans. It was named after First Lady Martha Dandridge Washington and bills itself as the "Second Oldest City in Tennessee." The town was a booming steamboat port in the early 1800s, but the railroad came in the 1850s and shifted the commercial epicenter to nearby Jefferson City. It settled in as a sleepy County Seat after that. So, what do we get? Small-town vibes...

I'm passionate about preserving old houses because they're the physical remnants of long, complicated stories about who we are. It's easy because they're often gorgeous, but what really gets me is thinking about families, and echoing laughter, and even pain - just that feeling that we get when we're *home* that sets us at special ease and brings out our truest selves (and our comfiest, rattiest...

Don't you hate it when you're looking all over for the perfect 56-room Neoclassical mansion and just can't find exactly what you're after? Found it. Silk-producing business tycoon George Dery built this home (silk was VERY lucrative at the time, if you're wondering) and spared absolutely no expense. Coffered ceilings, marble fireplaces, gorgeous stained glass (Tiffany, naturally!) and an indoor pool are...

The Captain Frederick Grisard Mansion is blowing my mind. It's an 1848 Greek Revival that is deceptively classic on the outside. Wrought-iron fence, wraparound porch...it's been in the same family for four generations and is on the market for the first time in 100 years. Charming, huh? Just wait until you step inside. Time warp! The interior is utterly Mid-Century and, if I may say so, completely unique....