You might be asking, “Which Oliver Wendell Holmes?” Holmes Sr. (1809-1894), the famous Boston physician and man of letters? Or his son, Holmes Jr. (1841-1935), the even more famous Bostonian who served on the U.S. Supreme Court for 30 years? The answer is “Both.” Holmes Sr. built this 15-room “cottage,” as summer mansions were called […]
Homes
It wasn’t hard to find Sharon Drake’s real estate office on Front Street in downtown Bath. Everyone in the convenience store where we stopped to ask directions knew her — customers as well as those behind the counter. Not surprising when you consider that she’s been selling homes in the area for more than 30 […]
When it came time to build a fireplace, Roger Wells told his mason that he wanted a Rumford Fireplace — the single best fireplace design to come along in the last 200-plus years. Count Rumford, born Benjamin Thompson in 1753 in Woburn, Massachusetts, was a physicist and genius inventor, a Tory who fled Boston with […]
Also read Sandy Wells’s 10 tips for antiques collectors. Drive just under a mile off interstate 89 near the town of New London, New Hampshire, and you’ll suddenly come upon the hamlet of North Sutton, with its blink-and-you’ll-miss-it white clapboard general store and Baptist church. Drawn by the sweet calm of tree-lined Kezar Lake, you […]
Have you ever wondered if heating with wood would trim your fuel bills? Look over the information in these charts to help find the answer.
Project: Family Room Makeover Kerry Carter’s family room had started to overwhelm her. With three children and a full-time job, this Sudbury, Massachusetts, mom was too busy to figure out how to make the most-used area of the house really work. The piano had been shoved into a corner; built-in shelves were stuffed with games, […]
When Matthew and Jenny Mead entertain, they like their guests to have a sense of awe when they walk into a room. Awesome is this woven gingerbread harvest basket dressing up an antique sideboard and filled with autumn’s bounty. This project is edible, or you may save it from year to year. Make this gingerbread […]
In another bowl centerpiece, Matthew attains easy elegance with what he calls “drop and layer” style. Using no florals, fruits, or water, he simply nestles white and silver ornaments in a compote among glistening silver cake dragées and glass stones. He tops it off with an antique bell ornament and rhinestone brooches — inexpensive flea […]
New England’s style genius, Matthew Mead, creates a sparkling new look for decorating for the holidays, from tabletops to mantels, to staircase. Love of nature and a passion for colorful china and glassware are the essential ingredients in Matthew’s elegant style. Follow his tips to make this season one that friends and family will never […]
Homes
Word of Advice
Over the course of our conversation with Ed and Phyllis Baker that morning, we scribbled down some of the wise and practical things they had to say on various subjects. For instance … On a successful marriage: “Have a kiss every day.”Get Our FREE Yankee Best New England Vacations Guide! Email(Required) Subscribe “Don’t have separate […]
For the past 55 years, Ed and Phyllis Baker, ages 77 and 76 — their three children now away with families of their own — have been living on their 108-acre farm, 105 acres of which are currently for sale (asking $495,000), in the small town of Goshen, New Hampshire. Never heard of Goshen? Well, […]
Residents of the Newport’s Top of the Hill section feel it is the most heavenly neighborhood. And we recently found out why. For one thing, the Top of the Hill neighborhood is just an easy 10-minute walk to the downtown area with all those wonderful shops and restaurants along the harbor. Then, if you walk […]