Old Houses – A Doe in the Foothills

An Ohio Saltbox Dream

Am I asleep? I must be dreaming. Because I just saw a New England colonial saltbox-style house…in OHIO!

Yes, I’m a fiend. It’s true. I admit it. My name is Lisa and I’m addicted to old houses. It’s a lifelong obsession and it will not change.

There are certain styles that draw me more than others – Folk Victorian farmhouses, stone houses of all eras, castles, mid-1800s homey Italianate, Second Empire, frontier log cabins, and saltbox Colonials. Sure, a cozy Queen Anne or Federal could turn my head too. Basically, if it’s newer than 1930s or 40s, too modernized, or too pretentious (like the turn of the last century 5k+ sq. ft dealios that shout “We’ve more dollars than sense”), I’m typically not feeling it.

This gorgeous pre-Revolution home had no problem getting my attention. Apparently, a fellow Old Housie decided to move one to their spot in Ohio. I had the same idea (if only my budget allowed for it…c’mon lottery win, any time now…).

I am all about a good Time Capsule house and this one, while not a true time capsule, is a decent example. Sure, I’d wanna backdate some rooms (and get rid of every tile countertop I ran across – yech!) but, all in all, it’s not overly modernized. It comes off well-lived in and well-loved. And the land itself is beautiful. You know I love me some Ohio hills!

Ohio-Saltbox-MeditationSpot — A rustic bench is all this needs to be the perfect spot for meditating!

I wanna say this property screams comfort and old-time earthy charm, but it doesn’t. It whispers it in your ear, gently, and makes you feel cozy. It says “let’s set out some pumpkins for Samhain and enjoy the view”. As my best friend would say – ‘le sigh’.

This Tenn. Lovely’s After My Heart!

This sweet place mixes music, natural beauty, and maybe even some ghosts…

OK, so I have to share this old house with y’all!

It’s in a Folk Victorian style, with a stated build date of around 1900. It sits across from Loretta Lynn’s property in Hurricane Mills, TN. And it comes with 2 land options – 15 acres for $159,900, or 30 acres for @219,900.

How cool is that?

The house itself needs some work but comes with a mobile home. If it’s in decent shape, that could be home base while the main house is renovated. After that, it would make a nice guest house, private grandparent suite, game house for the kids, or even a craft shop/office/library (I’m always looking for those!).

Hurricane Mills-land view — Link to home description – and more pictures – by clicking the image!

The land is beautiful. Not too manicured but not exactly overgrown either. There’s plenty for a self-sustaining garden, some grazing for animals, and even the Oak Grove of my dreams. Cause you know a Pagan gal’s gotta have a proper rit site on the ol’ homestead! A girl can dream anyway…

I can’t help but wonder if the property has its own Civil War era ghosts, as Loretta Lynn has claimed her place does. As long as they’re friendly, I’m good to share the space. My childhood home (among others I’ve lived in) was haunted also, so it’s no big stretch.

Now, to figure out how to cover the money, taxes, move, reno, etc. for this sweet, sweet place…

Original Stenciling? Oh, yes, please!

My old house obsession just got majorly fed. I found a Maine lovely with an 1800 build date, complete with 9-over-6 windows and original stenciling. Color me stoked!

The stenciling is thought to be inspired by Moses Eaton. He, and his son Moses, Jr., were renowned Early American stencilers in the late 1700s-early 1800s. Examples of their work still survive and are icons of Early American home decor. Seeing as Moses, Jr. did go into Maine during his career, I wonder if the work could be his after all?

Back in the day, the wallpapers the rich enjoyed were out of reach for poorer households. So, they did like they do now…DIY their way to a sexier home! This meant floor treatments (i.e. oilcloths, handmade rugs, paint, etc.) and stenciled or muraled walls. Paint could still be expensive but smaller designs, rather than full coverage, made it doable.

Wall stenciling_crossett library cite — Example of wall stenciling. Photo from Crossett Library (link to flickr)

Not everyone had the skill to do a righteous stencil job. When possible, it got hired out to folks like the Eatons. And, if you couldn’t tell already, I’m a Moses Eaton fan. My ebay wishlist is full of Eaton-inspired stencil patterns. Once my house and budget is ready for my decor plans (some ugly paneling to replace with drywall), my living room will feature some stencilwork along the doorways, wainscotting, and ceiling beams. Worry not…when I get there, I will post pics!

This Circa home is pretty close to a time capsule home, in my opinion. Suits me fine…they’re my favorite kind of old house. When you can feel the history just from the pictures, you know it’s something special. If you’re an old house junkie like me, you’ll definitely appreciate the original cook hearth, woodwork and (yes) the stenciling.

Enjoy! 😉

A Mansfield, MO Charmer

I found this lovely old house charming even before I realized why Mansfield, MO sounded so familiar to me. Mansfield is where Laura Ingalls Wilder and her husband, Almanzo, settled.

For those who don’t know, she wrote The Little House series (affiliate link), which inspired a TV show in the ’70s. I watched the re-runs as a kid (and again as an adult), but didn’t read the books until this past summer. They’re written in a way that’s easy for kids to read but detailed enough to hold an adult’s interest. In addition to guiding my mind back to a time my ancestors would have recognized, those pages demonstrated a few good homesteading methods. 🙂

This house is said to be a similar style to the one Almanzo and Laura built on their Missouri Ozarks homestead (compare). As usual, when I see old houses, I find myself wanting to back-date the decor. The home has good bones, though, and is adorable in any case. And the setting…well, it’s tough to beat! Click the image for more pictures of this lovely property.

Some Nola Eye Candy!

NOTE: The original post, linked to from the image I included, have since been removed from that site. Neither are showing on my post anymore. I will certainly add some more Nola eye candy in the future.

If there’s one thing I love, it’s old houses. Another thing I love is New Orleans. The food, the music, the vibe…it’s just too awesome! Today, I ran across the best of both worlds.

The place is tiny (no big get-togethers here) but it’s cute. It’s also right in the heart of the French Quarter and near the Treme. Some of the best of Nola, without having to bother with a hotel room to sleep at? Count me in!