con·ser·va·tion

For those without unlimited income, one of the most challenging things about restoring an old home is living among the ruin.  This is the position where Chad and I find ourselves in 2012.  Inside Butternut Hill, the years of abandonment show.  Although the former owners attempted to run a bed and breakfast in the home, they did so in mostly shoddy ways, often hiding damage behind a piece of furniture or a picture. Classy.  We face an uphill battle in every room, but I am happy to report that we have carved out a few spaces in the little time that we have had.

The Parlor:  We selected a deep red tomato paint for the walls, with woodwork and fireplace in an antique ivy, and the room is warm and cozy.  To play up the warmth, I selected gold slightly metallic curtains, and a few old frames with gold accenting to compliment the original 10 foot mirror still hanging there.

I have grouped a few of my Victorian-era funeral memorial prints for children above the couch - I like to think that these help connect our indoor space to our outside environment (considering we are surrounded by cemeteries on three sides of the property).  The prints serve an historical function as well, reminding me of the past functions of the room (as I am learning by reading Bill Bryson's new book "Home").  Before the incorporation of funerary business, the parlor is the room of the house in which deceased loved ones were presented to friends and family one last time. 

Finally, we were able to preserve the original tile from the 1860s renovation, it is a wonderful bold yellow, and it remains in great shape! The artwork is from the Mexican restaurant down the street - we asked if it was for sale, and eventually, they sold it to us!