House Progress Downstairs Bedroom Part #1

This is the downstairs bedroom. Its a fairly small room on the right side of the house as you face the front door, and behind the stairs to upstairs. Having a private bedroom was pretty advanced for the day. In earlier times the adults would have slept in the parlor.

Here is a view looking into the room from the keeping room. You can see it has all original plaster and trim. The plaster walls have a dark blue buttermilk paint on them that is quite spotty now. Unfortunately the previous owners put wallpaper over it, and in pulling off the paper, a lot of the old paint came off too. Oh, well, it sort of looks like Pompeii.

If you ignore my tools, you can see the beautiful original wide pine floors, never sanded or finished or dinked with, just perfect.

If you look to your right as you walk in you can see this wall, facing the street. Great enclosed corner posts, early baseboard and chair rail, and 18th C. 12 over 12 windows. And decrepit 18th C wall paint of course, and sadly modern trim paint dribbled all over the old. Sigh!

Keep looking around to the right behind yourself and you can see this wonderful wall of original 18th C. sheathing. Covered in modern paint of course.

And here's the door you came in through. A nice 18th C paneled door. Why lemon yellow one wonders? It is the right door, the gray buttermilk paint underneath matches the trim on the windows exactly.

Do you see what I see? I've taken my heat gun to a spot on the sheathed wall, and look at the pretty old paint, a cross between mustard and pumpkin. Very pretty. I can see how I'll be spending my winter.

 A few weeks later, its starting to look pretty good! I need to find the right tool to get down in between the boards, but otherwise I'm pretty happy.

Waters Tavern Barn and Antiques Sale

Hanging out by the wonderful campfire, here's a few of the dealers and Cheryl Bonin (in the white vest) our hostess at the Waters Tavern Barn and Antiques Sale. She owns this fabulous property in West Sutton, MA with the old tavern, the old mill behind on the stream, and the most amazing stone work I've ever seen. Most of the sale was in the barn, and a few of us hardy sorts set up outside. Yes, I did say outside in December in Massachusetts. Luckily it was a great day.

Another view of the front of the mill.

Look at the unbelievable workmanship of the stonework on the mill run . I've never seen a self supporting stone bridge like this outside Japan. Incredible.

Here's my humble booth outside.

Doesn't this entrance look inviting?

A few pics of the inside of the barn, doesn't it look all Christmassy?

I wish I had a chance to take a few pics when it was really crowded early in the day, it was quite packed. Oh, then there was the adventure where the old stove backed up, and we all got smoked out. Always something going on. So, put this on your shopping list for next year. Because if you don't find an antique or decoration you can love, you will surely love the hot cider and homemade cookies, but best of all is the warm camaraderie.