Restoring Charm <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReGouTgcCJTAE3bB3UCXonhlaPe_Vw-PqViv3qvzXShQJCDAhJSaPtP2ZyDr4_ON0VuRr_Tq-sy2Q3PqWgTexHN6Lhp5kR55aUiDJV_WPVFiFR2iEH5HzCX-LXSW9wuyTGWcfy82fHcY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-04+at+8.49.29+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReGouTgcCJTAE3bB3UCXonhlaPe_Vw-PqViv3qvzXShQJCDAhJSaPtP2ZyDr4_ON0VuRr_Tq-sy2Q3PqWgTexHN6Lhp5kR55aUiDJV_WPVFiFR2iEH5HzCX-LXSW9wuyTGWcfy82fHcY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-04+at+8.49.29+PM.png" width="229" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGU6s167M4ru4k5D91ngK_Yofe2OVco6as3uu_qap9WDQCXN5fiNnaTRbtyRxckMBu_NK6S-ZELrZfqz23vlap2_Em1wbGlcmx7EflTN9IGTLyfLAIlH3-oYcxdGP7rEBoKXelLe87vw/s1600/shutters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGU6s167M4ru4k5D91ngK_Yofe2OVco6as3uu_qap9WDQCXN5fiNnaTRbtyRxckMBu_NK6S-ZELrZfqz23vlap2_Em1wbGlcmx7EflTN9IGTLyfLAIlH3-oYcxdGP7rEBoKXelLe87vw/s1600/shutters.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.designsponge.com/2013/10/a-bewitching-old-stone-house-in-the-hudson-valley.html" target="_blank">Remodelista: A Bewitching Old Stone House</a> <a href="http://www.oldhousedreams.com/2012/04/09/1750-colonial-milford-new-jersey-725000/" target="_blank">Old House Dreams</a></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8S4lVhIuBJPP-yhHuWlvztov2vZuzPuxTCWi6Up5NCPQhCPkBOq95VfjttjLaMVS1IKEE26hvhDJvln37zedBnS2aJoVlHHEkfmwIix5SQXn2nSy40GVSUQqqXBdxyo3rUHiL4MgVAk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-03+at+12.14.46+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8S4lVhIuBJPP-yhHuWlvztov2vZuzPuxTCWi6Up5NCPQhCPkBOq95VfjttjLaMVS1IKEE26hvhDJvln37zedBnS2aJoVlHHEkfmwIix5SQXn2nSy40GVSUQqqXBdxyo3rUHiL4MgVAk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-03+at+12.14.46+PM.png" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9coi3QZft7WxZ9HVCUwx_szPlgBJHJQJ8z94NSKSz2D0xb-WkQ3DAE3q8Kbt9HyFYNl3pdJOghetAwDixYSWeqTBwpNNqgeGS6w3Y29fF8Bk6pPMKPobh-PeiGJC5lNSgJXLX7KkgdM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-03+at+12.13.34+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9coi3QZft7WxZ9HVCUwx_szPlgBJHJQJ8z94NSKSz2D0xb-WkQ3DAE3q8Kbt9HyFYNl3pdJOghetAwDixYSWeqTBwpNNqgeGS6w3Y29fF8Bk6pPMKPobh-PeiGJC5lNSgJXLX7KkgdM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-03+at+12.13.34+PM.png" width="265" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> <a href="http://acountryfarmhouse.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">In the Fields</a> <a href="http://www.madelinestuart.com/interiors.php" target="_blank">Madeline Stuart</a></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was talking with someone about renovating an old house a few months ago and I came to</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the conclusion that my goal isn't always "renovation" as much as it is "restoring charm." One </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">of the things I love about old houses are the details, sometime quirks, that they have.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUoAfVbr8QoKZTPRGdED6dmljyPC00ZnLMr5hhxb9OoVlbJMpWqsWkYXslt-kPpolKiewchd71EWqordksLri49yo0Jr-wTiL7MQbL8PowwRKS8sHUU1yeom4eEh2h1aKzOapjoCyzyc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-03+at+12.15.50+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUoAfVbr8QoKZTPRGdED6dmljyPC00ZnLMr5hhxb9OoVlbJMpWqsWkYXslt-kPpolKiewchd71EWqordksLri49yo0Jr-wTiL7MQbL8PowwRKS8sHUU1yeom4eEh2h1aKzOapjoCyzyc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-01-03+at+12.15.50+PM.png" width="496" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Darryl Carter's Living Room</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZl-b_dTTUSk8zbQdKa6Hb7opLdIhKJnhArhbN6Kjr96TWjz0P7eacEz57r8T64oEScxbhKt5TMniIqHIvZ8T4YGjCQh3ANh7k5zfs6MifOlkLcqdJkALK4cZRkz9Nj_U7FjUTR-12Q0E/s1600/shutters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZl-b_dTTUSk8zbQdKa6Hb7opLdIhKJnhArhbN6Kjr96TWjz0P7eacEz57r8T64oEScxbhKt5TMniIqHIvZ8T4YGjCQh3ANh7k5zfs6MifOlkLcqdJkALK4cZRkz9Nj_U7FjUTR-12Q0E/s1600/shutters.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Darryl Carter, same room, different view</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Some of my favorite details are shutters and moldings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(While Darryl's shutters seem more decoration than original details, I like how he's paired</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the shutters with roman blinds of the same color as a window treatment. I also notice he</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">typically uses shutters that cover about 2/3 of the window. I need to add, I love this room!)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Jl29TK02P6H999A0i178fbftZmaDdQ59TUEAWSc8MdzSfcfeQqGV4xW2oToA5vJz4H9BBmaELifKMDa-zTimcAQlBTLxf7B4m6JM5fRdDCIEopZ7BTTS_-LHZyhuDyIswr0koriRTzM/s1600/IMG_3518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Jl29TK02P6H999A0i178fbftZmaDdQ59TUEAWSc8MdzSfcfeQqGV4xW2oToA5vJz4H9BBmaELifKMDa-zTimcAQlBTLxf7B4m6JM5fRdDCIEopZ7BTTS_-LHZyhuDyIswr0koriRTzM/s1600/IMG_3518.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shutters, in particular, are really common on old New England houses.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wish I could find the photographs of my old condo; it had shutters that</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">folded back into the wall. I'll show you if I can find them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is one the charming old houses in Marblehead, Massachusetts that</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">looks still has its original shutters.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUx6YqSFXjCiq-B_3OS7eacfWuHemMa-dmkhy5_kgyC9QjDTVxGkH-Ucir5q0bEZetC7voSiAgyLspuynkohyWkhkYVcsCZRfdYYzTTwtWLZI-0kWkN3VvXd4WegQbUuw0zGxPUy_few/s1600/IMG_3519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUx6YqSFXjCiq-B_3OS7eacfWuHemMa-dmkhy5_kgyC9QjDTVxGkH-Ucir5q0bEZetC7voSiAgyLspuynkohyWkhkYVcsCZRfdYYzTTwtWLZI-0kWkN3VvXd4WegQbUuw0zGxPUy_few/s1600/IMG_3519.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Shutters are also great for privacy if your house is right on the street.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EpJ5l7Nnq0osd6zJLJK-tB800wtmT169DR754ZmYJdXD5LlQ7NBK2Sah-MxHIKZAkyvD27ep271FdrMjChIrNjzv1WASNbQyzLKCStXVGQ4qxpVfkg0A4zcMs-grjDTnIwjUcfAjVMc/s1600/IMG_1199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EpJ5l7Nnq0osd6zJLJK-tB800wtmT169DR754ZmYJdXD5LlQ7NBK2Sah-MxHIKZAkyvD27ep271FdrMjChIrNjzv1WASNbQyzLKCStXVGQ4qxpVfkg0A4zcMs-grjDTnIwjUcfAjVMc/s1600/IMG_1199.jpg" width="460" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I believe my house was originally built for laborers so there aren't a lot </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">of fancy details; in fact, in typical Yankee style, the detailed mouldings</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">were installed only in the living room where guests would see them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now that I've replaced all of the windows downstairs, I thought adding shutters </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">to all the windows would be a way to add charm and provide a privacy solution </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">since my house is so close to the street. So last summer I took down my drapes </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and rods so I could try living with the windows open and uncovered during </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the day. I found that when it's light outside, you really can't see in at all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had just a few months earlier, seen Loi install shutters in <a href="http://toneontoneantiques.blogspot.com/2014/04/sharing-paint-colors.html" target="_blank">his Maine house</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">so I contacted his source, Shutterworks in Lewiston, Maine, to see if they'd (A)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">provide me an estimate and (B) be willing to work with me long-distance.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The price seemed really good and yes, if I measured carefully, they would</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">make the shutters and I would drive up to pick them up so save shipping costs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0RgNls6cQFCW3wRtg3kbyWi-u4MuNzKX2LHVncMJ6MtNgPEQvlZ0xgIKLYnC1rJnftY6EYivtPM8qxyx7bB0Mb44KuVba6SiDocGiaZxnXAZgovW7CSmDwRBhKMXg6f1KAOLsjuR7os/s1600/IMG_1503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0RgNls6cQFCW3wRtg3kbyWi-u4MuNzKX2LHVncMJ6MtNgPEQvlZ0xgIKLYnC1rJnftY6EYivtPM8qxyx7bB0Mb44KuVba6SiDocGiaZxnXAZgovW7CSmDwRBhKMXg6f1KAOLsjuR7os/s1600/IMG_1503.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fred at Shutterworks does almost every style of shutter imaginable </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">so my task was to choose something that "fit" the house. I decided to</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">base the shutter panels for the windows on the panels in my tiny basement </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">door which I believe to be original to the house.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLAnHrYKlW23TywfdHe3wTMFmT2OwcbYgAlNPhZnMvvrBihAN6Qn8MOhe16unGskYm0lhA2kotuhbWXGPk_WdkGPNAz793JlpsyszPuOPf5-hgDxtSL_cqPXukfjoz02eyFUt8zDhhYs/s1600/IMG_1621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLAnHrYKlW23TywfdHe3wTMFmT2OwcbYgAlNPhZnMvvrBihAN6Qn8MOhe16unGskYm0lhA2kotuhbWXGPk_WdkGPNAz793JlpsyszPuOPf5-hgDxtSL_cqPXukfjoz02eyFUt8zDhhYs/s1600/IMG_1621.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just to make sure I liked it, I asked Fred to make</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">me up a sample so I could see what it looked like.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And the "Urban Cottage" shutter was born.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I carefully measured each of the windows--three times each--and</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">sent the measurements off to Fred. I think it took about two months</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">for building and painting the shutters and I drove up to Lewiston the</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">week before Christmas to pick them up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzurnUv9y2hL0DfkABDQYyftldxB-LdMC4h_gFWsPVx0O-hdoOlfvsDMweVxlXN2JGCkvvbXHzMEz-KPRnjEPWuBVogQx-BUkftixZBkAxeGmtPyLpSIVsTySPyx8WliqlqyI7D63GrSk/s1600/IMG_2259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzurnUv9y2hL0DfkABDQYyftldxB-LdMC4h_gFWsPVx0O-hdoOlfvsDMweVxlXN2JGCkvvbXHzMEz-KPRnjEPWuBVogQx-BUkftixZBkAxeGmtPyLpSIVsTySPyx8WliqlqyI7D63GrSk/s1600/IMG_2259.jpg" width="539" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And here they are!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fred works with a painter so I was able to get them spray painted before the pairs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">were assembled. I used Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKuSzmkVFA5iZ7eVuSvvySSmde9tts8nINr_n1XNIZaeeiyyPee2dAywZziR84_0hFsH9mtuk7s8K1rXZe_wX4NAFbzy6XQcnX9XkXxV7FTSQBIs0lzCybrjlSPT1RcH8APaL5zya3RE/s1600/IMG_2260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKuSzmkVFA5iZ7eVuSvvySSmde9tts8nINr_n1XNIZaeeiyyPee2dAywZziR84_0hFsH9mtuk7s8K1rXZe_wX4NAFbzy6XQcnX9XkXxV7FTSQBIs0lzCybrjlSPT1RcH8APaL5zya3RE/s1600/IMG_2260.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So my first project of the year is getting these installed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm looking forward to the old New England charm these </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">will bring to my downstairs. </div></div> Restoring Charm Remodelista: A Bewitching Old Stone House Old House Dreams ... Read more » 4:53 AM
