148 Hawthorn St, New Bedford, MA Along with the faulty wiring and the headaches, old houses come with the absolutely, most positively stunning details that make your jaw drop and your heart soar. These beautiful built-ins and most extravagantly ornamented rooms are so pretty that it boggles the mind and pretty much no one would, or could, execute them to such perfection today. Craftsmanship, people....
I can't stop staring at this Gothic Revival facade. The ornament is so bold! It sits on over an acre of hilltop property, with distant Manhattan views, no less. There are 6 fireplaces, a carved mahogany staircase complete with fabulous Tiffany stained glass window, decorative plaster ceilings to die for and much, much more. This property is dripping with rich wood, luxurious details and impressive...
NY-66, Chatham, NY Ah the Hudson Valley, the pride of New York State. River views, idyllic landscapes and a little peace a quiet are the icing on top of these gorgeous old homes. 1. 4 Gilchrest Road, Congers - $449,000 3 beds/2 baths 1,900 sqft This rare Early American cape borders the shores of Congers Lake with easy access to its 3 mile walking paths. A delightful farmhouse offers refined...
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...
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...
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...
by Rhonda Montague (Photo courtesy of: The Preservation League of Essex County.) The stately Porter-Bradstreet residence was built by one of the earliest settlers in America, John Porter, who emigrated from England in the early 1600’s. There are fewer than 400 First Period homes (construction dating from 1626-1725) remaining in the entire country. Unfortunately, this precious piece of American...
10 Under 50 is, without a doubt, CIRCA's most popular recurring series. No surprise there -- who doesn't love to ogle darling old houses? And when these dream abodes are financially attainable for $50,000 or less?! Count us in! One lucky CIRCA reader has turned daydreaming into reality, as the new owner of a Georgia property included in our August Edition of 10 Under 50: 4618 Wrens Highway Thomson,...
This house. THIS HOUSE! JUST LOOK AT IT! Surrounded by the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay, it's everything I love in a big, old house. A little rough around the edges (there's that word we love: "potential!") but still steeped in old-fashioned grandeur. Earlier this month I was in a bookstore and passed by a book called Life Would be Perfect If I Lived in That House. Oh, if I only had a...
So, you want a house with a little bit of history? How about one owned by a Revolutionary War patriot who used the second floor as a Masonic chamber? If that's not enough, what if I told you that this c. 1760 house is the oldest wood frame structure in Williamstown, Massachusetts and comes with original paperwork signed by the builder? The list goes on -- the Clark-Young House is indeed a gem. Now let's...
