A Little Local Real Estate

<div style="text-align: center;">I drove out to Lincoln, Massachusetts on Saturday to go to a wonderful little art gallery there, about 15 miles northwest of Boston/Cambridge. Lincoln is an historic town near Lexington and Concord and played an important role in the American Revolution. As I neared the gallery, this gorgeous Colonial house appeared around a bend, almost in slow motion, with a sign in front "For Sale."</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQ_gvcgiKoVSIYic3sjRKUTLV2gr-URmYmjnxH4tZK8aQJYfv7H8eUYqKX-YE1-UQE42gSyGStbs7I1F0TNgqv_Mj0xVHIlUtdcXNvqud9Eb35znPimBTFTO-z7tRq7oOj4eGPa2-S24/s1600/723_13.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456418761634518738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQ_gvcgiKoVSIYic3sjRKUTLV2gr-URmYmjnxH4tZK8aQJYfv7H8eUYqKX-YE1-UQE42gSyGStbs7I1F0TNgqv_Mj0xVHIlUtdcXNvqud9Eb35znPimBTFTO-z7tRq7oOj4eGPa2-S24/s400/723_13.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 393px; height: 397px;" /></a>As you can imagine, I couldn't wait to get home and check out the details of my new country home. It was built in 1785--can you imagine?--and sadly it is under agreement. At least it saves me $2,295,000.<div><br /></div><div>But I thought it would be fun to look at a little local real estate that's still available. To give appropriate credit to the sellers, I'll provide links for each of them in case anyone is interested. See if you can guess the prices before you look.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl2SVUly9xe_EXQTXbbAwFbyEiVXCzZ8yDr77b4d_rY5PEgmN8REYVNMP4RxiSZgwRlP0OM2ZD7ssFyQcpu8dpYjw9vt3KffTnkhfO2N9Yvr72ufsZYtp0K8Z5Vx4zaizzGprW9Y9GqI/s1600/4_500.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456418738701968274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggl2SVUly9xe_EXQTXbbAwFbyEiVXCzZ8yDr77b4d_rY5PEgmN8REYVNMP4RxiSZgwRlP0OM2ZD7ssFyQcpu8dpYjw9vt3KffTnkhfO2N9Yvr72ufsZYtp0K8Z5Vx4zaizzGprW9Y9GqI/s400/4_500.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 312px;" /></a>This gorgeous Mansard style Victorian found <a href="http://www.newenglandmoves.com/viewDetails.nem?GLID=1012064354&selectTab=1&propertySearchType=2&associateSearchType=&cid=2371119">here</a> couldn't be any more perfect. It's on a 1/2 acre too which is extremely rare.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXWC6XhN0Dx5FYpPyM0DNXXQs53vEyVCh0YwBfTBnbbwqXn049YagrkZq4AEIrgqsrq8_R_AhcQsdt91ywD7y5ZoPVklxAnqJK22VAa6Qm0FfbmvtT3dWcJHlXnXl-wkh22pbePFHKLE/s1600/2_195.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456418707260153762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEXWC6XhN0Dx5FYpPyM0DNXXQs53vEyVCh0YwBfTBnbbwqXn049YagrkZq4AEIrgqsrq8_R_AhcQsdt91ywD7y5ZoPVklxAnqJK22VAa6Qm0FfbmvtT3dWcJHlXnXl-wkh22pbePFHKLE/s400/2_195.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 312px;" /></a>Here's another extremely handsome Mansard found <a href="http://www.newenglandmoves.com/viewDetails.nem?GLID=1011994370&selectTab=1&propertySearchType=2&associateSearchType=&cid=2372854">here</a> that just about makes me drool. This image is going in my inspiration file because I love the color palette. I'm really starting to like houses with trim that's darker than the body color. It automatically feels historical.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_3IIvIPqmufCdphYOmcv19kZ-WA2YIdA61xLzbO6Z2JISpTmf4KzkbPPfRArT3pkeelx6SCznCavVAev7DlNNpdJeTG2hk1VjYkbI8x8hV6v-Rlwz8VraqwMqT7D65KwCh8r_bNVhfk/s1600/1_350-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456418697497542354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_3IIvIPqmufCdphYOmcv19kZ-WA2YIdA61xLzbO6Z2JISpTmf4KzkbPPfRArT3pkeelx6SCznCavVAev7DlNNpdJeTG2hk1VjYkbI8x8hV6v-Rlwz8VraqwMqT7D65KwCh8r_bNVhfk/s400/1_350-2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 312px;" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Here's a newly renovated salt box house found <a href="http://www.newenglandmoves.com/viewDetails.nem?GLID=1011971541&selectTab=1&propertySearchType=2&associateSearchType=&cid=2373951">here</a>. This house lising also shows an old photo of the house which is cool. </div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456418690835461890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAd_WUS2EpWiWk9PjW7owumoV0d3b7cXyrRknzrIiTRVDJLqn-XYPHzKzz-RbvohtZ5SPzrSS02X__gMS9V_6gue6g-kwmpYhCtK-cB1WNRd2oltVjePMMpJiKr72d8-Oxt_hJ9lvgXKQ/s400/70977475_9.jpg" style="text-align: left; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 312px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">The listing states the house was built in 1940 which I thought was wrong because the photo itself seems older but I checked public records and 1940 is correct. It reminds me a lot of Paul Revere's house in Boston (shown below) which was built in 1680.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456427237046135218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmOGbFfP84r0ecCJmd1fMbzGv_DcPp7-4BlCF4ST8U5oHBJDdIvtt_vB1BrE45NKjpy2y2jk7MIWLdha4AHcLe3xBp9sXMqoYDjSz5qdQk9VSKeuWoQXWz3nuIF6kCprtMUdbXdiNQuU/s400/paul-revere-house.jpg" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 356px; height: 362px; " /></span></div><div>And finally, if you'd like something you can add your own personal touches to, here's a Victorian that just went up for sale. This is on the street where I last lived and I walked past it many times envisioning what I would do to it. It's actually got a nice covered front porch that could be really sweet. They say it has a lot of the original architectural details so I'll have to get over and check it out when there's an open house. This one found <a href="http://www.newenglandmoves.com/viewDetails.nem?GLID=1012089977&selectTab=1&propertySearchType=2&associateSearchType=&cid=2376919">here</a> will go pretty quickly.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6wobryyD8nfn91wJrWNDFalvsYO93qRzigmmVCHfQCjRQQdmkfePb_1PUwcdlrYeZ_6nZZjaWiBkarGtGxUNm5ZrxdqQ_nEq95b09Sv9GJ-7FvyHq6IhQVEPADjP7KC6wZBkhR-ff64/s1600/639.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456417961887110114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6wobryyD8nfn91wJrWNDFalvsYO93qRzigmmVCHfQCjRQQdmkfePb_1PUwcdlrYeZ_6nZZjaWiBkarGtGxUNm5ZrxdqQ_nEq95b09Sv9GJ-7FvyHq6IhQVEPADjP7KC6wZBkhR-ff64/s400/639.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I want to get out and get more inspiration for color shemes--would it be wrong to take my Benjamin Moore fan deck so I can match the colors?--so sometime soon, I'll get over to "Tory Row" outside Harvard Square so you can those houses with me. Many of these Colonial era homes were owned by Loyalists--people loyal to the crown of England...and they're amazing! This home below...</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSy5GQIb59qrFZoAfsj8Np0udoiWh640bc_8_bKlnfQj1cAnBoozIRo9dY92RafpkuvdbckkwyeKncSCLEif8yG-p9KG9LkxzzzY3jo4u5SHYSHPxLJOZiFesgnh_r7R_RnpRO2l1gIQ/s1600/lhouse.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456417953424619394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSy5GQIb59qrFZoAfsj8Np0udoiWh640bc_8_bKlnfQj1cAnBoozIRo9dY92RafpkuvdbckkwyeKncSCLEif8yG-p9KG9LkxzzzY3jo4u5SHYSHPxLJOZiFesgnh_r7R_RnpRO2l1gIQ/s400/lhouse.jpeg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a>...known as the (Henry Wadsworth) Longfellow House, was originally built in 1759 and after the Loyalist owner was chased out of town was used by George Washington for his home and headquarters during the American Revolution. How cool is that?</div>

A Little Local Real Estate

I drove out to Lincoln, Massachusetts on Saturday to go to a wonderful little art gallery there, about 15 miles northwest of Boston/Cambridg...

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Happy Easter

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Mq6dgNeUBWo5wif2l1i-IuNVJuufxs-fFxKRa7KzdYLGH1XJFMCjtAeEpGB9QZg_vbe5S-npD47giO65hFfuzdllXEqBADmJaiCZSNV6tP28PqVko-LXcTbNwEanch-nWy1FtxGwa-A/s1600/easter+eggs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455874771898886226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Mq6dgNeUBWo5wif2l1i-IuNVJuufxs-fFxKRa7KzdYLGH1XJFMCjtAeEpGB9QZg_vbe5S-npD47giO65hFfuzdllXEqBADmJaiCZSNV6tP28PqVko-LXcTbNwEanch-nWy1FtxGwa-A/s400/easter+eggs.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 308px;" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Whatever Easter means...</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyyycOpsCBTkGLzMnCtfMqRVlJPlcD3CylIZt-CsyTtU9C3CAc4FWa5fBnE3pJCsteFhDoWkMWPOBe2MT-XAvgF2e5K8Ejm06L-ILbxH8KQKEfVL3LivqYd8hHdf3qt8rw1ULwXyfcdzM/s1600/easter2007.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455874664535745074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyyycOpsCBTkGLzMnCtfMqRVlJPlcD3CylIZt-CsyTtU9C3CAc4FWa5fBnE3pJCsteFhDoWkMWPOBe2MT-XAvgF2e5K8Ejm06L-ILbxH8KQKEfVL3LivqYd8hHdf3qt8rw1ULwXyfcdzM/s400/easter2007.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 366px; height: 333px;" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">...to you...</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqmBzzU2ZTSdG-4stPHkqJxwztSmKyXkphUcVbBcsjvMetmvx-KwCEbUo5pH63H0V31FinyFoqT242KgLwD8GvUWQs2DnIbF1WbtYIM9YJrgLIni43FcDBrNwicwetR72HYTzgjz44fI/s1600/Chocolate-Bunnies-Platter-GTL0407-de.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455874656873503298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqmBzzU2ZTSdG-4stPHkqJxwztSmKyXkphUcVbBcsjvMetmvx-KwCEbUo5pH63H0V31FinyFoqT242KgLwD8GvUWQs2DnIbF1WbtYIM9YJrgLIni43FcDBrNwicwetR72HYTzgjz44fI/s400/Chocolate-Bunnies-Platter-GTL0407-de.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 313px; height: 400px;" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">...I hope...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcjWd2YbPB3Xv9b1V65gwtMMDfj_2Z5b8p7f-3_VOl6rW6gTOyJklYLdXoJdUhP_xIAoKK19OUVd375z_5x413pi-mJBOWruxgQbKiGwY7DcbALoI6ognlel9hib7JVglkeOBEqg4P0Y/s1600/peeps.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455874649194162658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcjWd2YbPB3Xv9b1V65gwtMMDfj_2Z5b8p7f-3_VOl6rW6gTOyJklYLdXoJdUhP_xIAoKK19OUVd375z_5x413pi-mJBOWruxgQbKiGwY7DcbALoI6ognlel9hib7JVglkeOBEqg4P0Y/s400/peeps.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">yours is wonderful!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDoMZdRdk5Ck7wPGhHXI3ztSwvN2ZNTHLzPlPrO2EM5DfBMMw3bdwfLn_P3DibjBnBhBvp16lPVGAGfildS1kPKLxEuNaCvNWjOoQt8BOFZZXbWDiaA8LpfG5Xqn4EB6CN_lLflRqFnXw/s1600/3475_MEDIUM.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455874639488971442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDoMZdRdk5Ck7wPGhHXI3ztSwvN2ZNTHLzPlPrO2EM5DfBMMw3bdwfLn_P3DibjBnBhBvp16lPVGAGfildS1kPKLxEuNaCvNWjOoQt8BOFZZXbWDiaA8LpfG5Xqn4EB6CN_lLflRqFnXw/s400/3475_MEDIUM.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 364px;" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Easter from my cottage to yours.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

Happy Easter

Whatever Easter means... ...to you... ...I hope... yours is wonderful! Happy Easter from my cottage to yours.

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Front Hall Facelift

<div align="center"><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline" class="Apple-style-span"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454589336534454082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1rERhewFX1dtSZ8Xz21DtOqRfKH-UrnYSHE7dyBKkHkIzHSTCnPjIWgg3yT15LnM-PV1kfi_FZgQBDrE2eJSBBlni1oDduZnmEoLR30N2KulSVotf3ieDtOXHmXjYYrYDJJr0zf0Rik/s400/IMG_1974.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" /></span>Just as you walk in my front door, you're greeted by the staircase to the upstairs. This is typical in a side entrance Greek Revival, only in my cottage it's much more petite. The stairs are about 2 1/2 feet wide and the hallway is just a little over 2 feet.</div><br /><div align="center">This is the view that greeted my friends when I gave the first tour of the house just after closing. They were speechless. They didn't see any potential at all. The carpeting was the first to get ripped out. The banister and newel post was stripped of its mint green paint, the pink wallpaper came down and the stairs and floors were refinished.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSySaa5mhyWZsdf0klf1SizziICa51jYxgT3JFW1wrDQntq2jXMHB1w-gdQBbJwG_ejuK5AgYy5Jwk16ELzXYEIB75q4t0OiQIoFRB-0GMOB5RhfL2R2n-Ch6q9x6zG2Y0SsEzCTbLkDA/s1600/house+025.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454589525709031426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSySaa5mhyWZsdf0klf1SizziICa51jYxgT3JFW1wrDQntq2jXMHB1w-gdQBbJwG_ejuK5AgYy5Jwk16ELzXYEIB75q4t0OiQIoFRB-0GMOB5RhfL2R2n-Ch6q9x6zG2Y0SsEzCTbLkDA/s400/house+025.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 299px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>This is same view today. I just repainted most of it except for the back wall where you can see the beadboard is half painted. On the left-hand side is the White River color I painted the living room and the right side is the white primer. The baseboard is also unpainted. And, yes, this wall is different than what you see in the original photo. I ripped that wall out before I moved in because it was such a dark area and I thought I would find a window hidden behind the outside wall. Why I rebuilt the wall is a story for another day.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghW2aiVmBzIqvQb3tBUfWC9TaZI8g6wf9cahpuBbkhiEgrRnspgNpfWE2NuKuV3t-TZKC3NDpLIR4dqLiSv82gTdPSgml17h0Tvo4lr4-jBh9UE339-K9-nBZ2MbRwieJe_HRqj7i77gs/s1600/IMG_1990.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454589517593404386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghW2aiVmBzIqvQb3tBUfWC9TaZI8g6wf9cahpuBbkhiEgrRnspgNpfWE2NuKuV3t-TZKC3NDpLIR4dqLiSv82gTdPSgml17h0Tvo4lr4-jBh9UE339-K9-nBZ2MbRwieJe_HRqj7i77gs/s400/IMG_1990.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 308px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 409px; CURSOR: hand" /></a></div><div align="center">Imagine how many people have walked up these stairs to bed in the last 167 years.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">I kind of think the newel post and the banister should be a little darker. What do you think? </div><p align="center"></p><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Here's a before photo looking toward the front door. It's a great shot of the pink shiny wallpaper.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiikOmwG7H8GqrkS0uepmhwB0_d4QbpaIauJC4fsKj-2efFvz5Wlcy-HKYz5vwlU59LCv6Ow_nY8llotFDR0eRZHNahKUQ4SFvr3tHugfzRKndTWV15VzHTu8QGKlKDZB_iZVAtPvfcis/s1600/house+030.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454589338301507426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiikOmwG7H8GqrkS0uepmhwB0_d4QbpaIauJC4fsKj-2efFvz5Wlcy-HKYz5vwlU59LCv6Ow_nY8llotFDR0eRZHNahKUQ4SFvr3tHugfzRKndTWV15VzHTu8QGKlKDZB_iZVAtPvfcis/s400/house+030.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>And here's what it looks like today. As you can see it's a very tight space. The track light wasn't my first choice but it allows me to take off the spotlights making it easier to get furniture and building materials in and out. The back of the front door was painted mint green and since I expected the door to be replaced rather quickly--hopefully as part of the porch project--I just used walnut gel stain to make it look like wood. The door is also the wrong style. This is a Colonial style door. The original trim is still around the door so you can see where the sidelights are supposed to be (where the switch is). They may still be behind that panel.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1rERhewFX1dtSZ8Xz21DtOqRfKH-UrnYSHE7dyBKkHkIzHSTCnPjIWgg3yT15LnM-PV1kfi_FZgQBDrE2eJSBBlni1oDduZnmEoLR30N2KulSVotf3ieDtOXHmXjYYrYDJJr0zf0Rik/s1600/IMG_1974.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHu8qUpg-P6udjL13R2oSz465dGXo7C_qs1oyRXwg5HOQF14m4kYepGiIL47d5OZaZKsVOdq-gPSojgJy0tuUOpWvtb6DbykueTcAO-IvQ9dxeRlsMv3CE8Q1cLtjd-NnvJXmZjOiiccA/s1600/IMG_1973.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454589333721048162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHu8qUpg-P6udjL13R2oSz465dGXo7C_qs1oyRXwg5HOQF14m4kYepGiIL47d5OZaZKsVOdq-gPSojgJy0tuUOpWvtb6DbykueTcAO-IvQ9dxeRlsMv3CE8Q1cLtjd-NnvJXmZjOiiccA/s400/IMG_1973.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> Here's a really blurry shot of the front stairs viewed from the living room.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwqC97vmEVqEh40x4KvKaNGFNkw9KQl9gICyjE6tDEeJutRVFXB3pB_kXD6grN6hh8HddRbxpQv0gbeOwSnixTYkV4XUzmCJdW3SZzcPuyE-fiacUgcOqQQ-Ybc-UCUIiiIvEx_PVEEs/s1600/house+024.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454589322517534162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwqC97vmEVqEh40x4KvKaNGFNkw9KQl9gICyjE6tDEeJutRVFXB3pB_kXD6grN6hh8HddRbxpQv0gbeOwSnixTYkV4XUzmCJdW3SZzcPuyE-fiacUgcOqQQ-Ybc-UCUIiiIvEx_PVEEs/s400/house+024.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a>And what that looks like today. One the projects on my short list is repaint the wall going up the stairs. You can see that tried a color (behind the lowest balusters) that I hated so I primed over it.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAG14cCA3fwQV5UwoAh3aGReHVHe35G2ClAN974D68_4nTKQdOdK8OemqnLBPyDdLV1KqfTW7NNN_1DXOKgZiAz1XcesCkxdgfdS2ekl6vaj9pWUc0ZAS0fAPeWrtGptovsb09rbuayc/s1600/IMG_1975.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454589316805893074" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAG14cCA3fwQV5UwoAh3aGReHVHe35G2ClAN974D68_4nTKQdOdK8OemqnLBPyDdLV1KqfTW7NNN_1DXOKgZiAz1XcesCkxdgfdS2ekl6vaj9pWUc0ZAS0fAPeWrtGptovsb09rbuayc/s400/IMG_1975.jpg" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" /></a> I'm considering painting this stair wall a dark gray. I think it would beautifully highlight the graceful curve of the base molding.</div>

Front Hall Facelift

Just as you walk in my front door, you're greeted by the staircase to the upstairs. This is typical in a side entrance Greek Revival, on...

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