Friday Before & After: Cooking in Connecticut

Kitchen 2It only took opening the garden gate to the 20 acres surrounding this c. 1795 home in Woodbury, CT for homeowner Nancy Fishelson to know that this was the one. And while a warren of rooms with low ceilings and very little light presented a challenge, Fishelson took it on wholeheartedly while paying deference to the 18th century farmhouse’s roots. After removing a brick wall and doing away with the small casement windows, Fishelson installed a bank of twelve over eight windows above the sink and countertops. Twelve over eight windows are some of my absolute favorites, and are both a period and regionally appropriate choice for an 18th century Connecticut Farmhouse. 
Kitchen 3 Kitchen 4Aren’t the Fireslate sink and countertops beautiful? I am not usually a huge fan of manufactured stone, but this Fireslate looks extremely natural. Kitchen 1To widen the opening between the kitchen and living room, Fishelson used salvaged antique beams to complement the existing beams in the kitchen. For more photos of this successful Connecticut restoration, visit Country Living.

Photos via Country Living

More Historic Preservation

New Home in the Old Country

Scan 3Back to my love affair with Volume 4 of Elle Decoration Country. Today we’re in Umbria, in a new home that straddles traditional and contemporary in a very successful way. The siting of the home along a hillside, and the use of local materials is an ode to the traditional, while the minimalist interiors and modern furnishings bring the home into the 21st century. As a lover of old houses, this house is definitely a favorite in the “new house” category. While its age is not necessarily apparent upon first glance, a second look reveals the integrity of the structure and modern details such as windows, doors etc. I would happily spend time in this loggia, wouldn’t you? ScanScan 2 Scan 5Scan 1 Scan 4Photos via Elle Decoration Country Volume 4

More Architecture