Old Money New England Home Built In 1808 Has At Least Four Grandfather Clocks, And Its Faux Painted Marble Floor Is The Host’s Biggest Skip

Built in 1808, this brick Federal house in New England earns a “keep” from its visitor before he even reaches the front door. That is the verdict from the host of the @JSeaEdit channel, who walks through what he calls a real old money New England home.

Inside, there is beautiful wood furniture, old portraits, wonderful millwork and plenty of maritime history. His video ends with a list of keeps and skips, and there is plenty to keep here, although one choice goes straight onto his skip list.

Spoiler alert, it is the floor.

Leather Fire Buckets Hang By The Door As A Lesson In History

The maritime connection hits you the moment you step inside, the host says. Hanging in the entry are leather fire buckets. He has seen them in a few older houses, and explains that they were hung by the door and used to pass water from person to person to help fight a fire.

Today they are a reminder of the home’s history. It is a nice detail for anyone decorating an older house, because a single honest object from the past can say more than a room full of reproductions.

The Painted Marble Floor Is His Biggest Skip

Then comes the part he expects some heat for. The painted marble effect runs through the entry, continues up the stairs and spreads onto the landings. “This is my biggest skip,” he says.

For his own taste he would much rather see unpainted wood. There is so much beautiful detail around the staircase, he says, that the faux marble pattern keeps pulling his attention away. Later in the tour he finds a beautiful old wood floor in another room and says it is much better than the faux painted one.

At Least Four Grandfather Clocks Keep Time In The Same House

The host points out the first tall case clock, otherwise known as a grandfather clock, and warns viewers to keep an eye out because he counted at least four during his visit. One was apparently not going to be enough, he jokes, because another stands in the room just off the entry.

Yet another stands in the formal room across the hall, so the house is never short of a ticking reminder of the time.

Old Furniture Made To Last A Lifetime

The antique furniture is a keep for him. He loves the warmth and character of the wood, and says these are pieces he would have for a lifetime and never tire of. His advice is to seek out older pieces you love over newer mass-produced furniture that lasts only until the next trend.

He also says not to be afraid of mixing woods and periods. Mixing, he says, brings far more warmth and personality than having everything match perfectly. In the home he sees portraits, ship paintings and a good mix of old and older, and none of it looks like it came from one showroom.

Ship Paintings And Portraits Tell The Town’s Story

Ship paintings bring another piece of the town’s maritime history into the house. For your own home, the host says, an original painting is the way to go. A ship or a coastal scene found at an estate sale may be all you need for that coastal New England feel, as long as you choose something you love to look at.

Classic portraits are next. It would not be an old money house on his channel without them, he says, and they add depth and character to the story of the home. Above the fireplace in the formal room hangs a portrait of Margaret, who lived in the house for 100 years, from her birth until 1955.

A Faded Carpet That Earns A Keep

Across the hall in the formal room, the host’s eye lands on a carpet that is faded and almost threadbare in places, with another rug layered over it. He loves it. It is not a color he would pick, but it tells a story.

“In New England, we are practical and we don’t like change,” he says. Even though the rug is well worn, it still works. He loves how a threadbare rug paired with beautiful antiques and millwork keeps a grand home from feeling too stuffy.

Red Walls And Blue And White China

In the dining room, he says he would love choosing the china for the table, especially after seeing the pantry. The red color makes the blue and white stand out perfectly. Blue and white, he says, is always a keep.

He is not usually much of a red person, but it works here, especially with the nautical paintings and that faded Nantucket red he loves. The painted woodwork around the windows draws his eye, as do the old bindings, soft colors and little stacks of books. “All these smaller details, that’s what I enjoy,” he says. The room is grand and made for formal gatherings, yet it feels comfortable.

Take The Look Home Without The Price Tag

The host’s keep list is long. It includes the paintings, the antique wood furniture, the millwork, the old blue and white Delft, the entire china collection and that worn carpet. He says this is a look you cannot replicate with an Amazon link or at a hobby store, because it is authentic and worth the time to find pieces with character that you want to live with for a very long time.

That makes a handy checklist for your own home. Look for wood furniture with warmth, one original painting you love, a rug with a little wear, and a few good books with old bindings. Estate sales and auctions are good places to hunt, and he says he is happy to show how to find treasures there if viewers want to see it.

Even if your house was not built in 1808, you can borrow the lesson. A room that tells a story beats a room that matches, and a worn rug that still works is better than a new one that only looks good in a catalog.

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