Pumpkin Time

I was at the grocery store the other day, and contemplated buying one of those fake foam-type pumpkins they sell, just so I could carve it once and be done with it. But I resisted. After my homegrown pumpkins from last year, I’d feel guilty about having fake ones at the house. So I will probably stop at a farm stand en route to High Point Furniture Market later this month and pick up a few pumpkins.

I love the idea of carved pumpkins more than the actual carving of pumpkins. But I love thinking about different designs for what I’d carve. This picture from several years ago is always one of my most-pinned images.

And because I have a completely off-center sense of humour, this one still makes me laugh! (Excuse the bad photoshop job!)

I am always a fan of the creative pumpkins that Martha makes, especially the ones which are carved using a drill bit or two.

And OMG, this might just have to be the pumpkin I make this year… if I have enough time! Martha says they’re porcupines, but I am pretty sure that they’re hedgehogs!

Can you even IMAGINE gluing on each piece of candy corn?

Do you carve pumpkins?

Poe Day

Today is the anniversary of the death of Edgar Allan Poe in 1849. Although several other cities claim him as their own, his final resting place is here in Baltimore, and it is where he will spend all of eternity. Our football team, The Ravens, is the only major sports team named after a poem, and the teams mascots are Edgar, Allan and Poe, three raven characters. Although dismissed by some, Poe is generally thought of as having written the first detective novel, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, and the first sequel to a detective novel, The Mystery of Marie Roget and The Purloined Letter. He mastered the horror story, often telling the tale from the murder’s perspective, and seemed to have a delight in murdering lovely women.

The house where Poe lived before his death is here in Baltimore, and it’s just opened again to visitors after being closed for several months due to lack of funds. I bought a painting of the house that one of my second cousins painted and it’s one of my treasures.

His poems, especially The Raven and Annabelle Lee  are both well-known. There are some wonderful versions of The Raven being read by actors with wonderful voices, including James Earl Jones, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Sir Christopher Lee, but my favourite version is by Christopher Walken, who speaks it not as verse, but in a conversational tone with great inflections. You can listen to it here. “Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe..”

I recently spent a few days digging through the archives at work, searching for information on the physician who treated Poe just before his death, for an author writing another book on Poe. The good doctor who treated Poe was a member of our medical society in the mid-1800’s. I didn’t find anything on the doctor, but did find a lot of other fun things.

The Morgan Library and Museum in NYC is having an exhibition from now until January 26th entitled “Edgar Allan Poe: Terror of the Soul”. The 100+ pieces in this exhibition are drawn mainly from the Morgan Library as well as several private collections. There are several copies of “Tamerlane and Other Poems” out of only 50 copies printed.

So, think of Edgar Allan Poe today as the man who make a profound difference in the literature that we read today. And maybe have a bit of a laugh, too!

I’ll Take This: Mini-Downton Abbey

Since it looks like it’s shaped up to be house week here at Pigtown*Design, I thought I’d cross the pond and show you a mini version of Downton Abbey – yours for a mere £465,000. Actually not a bad price. Georgian, of course, and with a 300-year old pedigree to go along with it. Here’s a little history of the place: Commissioned in 1673 by William Hudson, a wealthy merchant and Chief Lord of the manor of Bridlington, The Toft was designed to display Hudson's new found wealth and status. The property was originally a two story house with attic accommodation and a cupola to the south elevation so that Hudson could keep an eye on his ships at the Quay. The property remained in the Hudson family until the mid eighteenth century. In around 1840, the house was remodelled with a third story added, the interior however was of such quality that it remained largely untouched.

The entry hall with its marble floor and brilliant red lacquered walls is gorgeous, but the real feature in this room is the different pediments over each of the doors leading to the principal rooms.

The timber paneled dining room has a gorgeous Doric-framed chimney breast and window seats under leaded glass windows. The floor looks like it could use a bit of refinishing, and I am sure the paneling could use a good scrub with oil soap as well.

The first floor drawing room with moulded paneling, concealed storage cupboards and ornate carved chimneypiece, is one of the unique features of this house.

All but a few of the rooms within the house enjoy intricate plaster friezes, deep decorated architraves, cornices and fine moulded plaster ceilings.

The one bedroom that the listing showed is even wood paneled, although I’d move the dresser out from right in front of the beautiful fireplace!

There is a walled knot garden in the rear of the house, which is believe to be more than 150 years old, as well as another garden space.

It’s close to the Yorkshire coast – actually within walking distance – so the location is excellent.

Yes, I would take this in a heartbeat!

I’ll Take This: Other House

When I was looking for pictures of the silver house I just wrote about, another house caught my eye. There are a lot of these “shingle cottages” in the area where I grew up, including the house where my family lived for 30 years.

This house could just as easily be in Nantucket, or along the North-east coast somewhere, as where it is in the middle of Baltimore City. With it’s grey cedar shingles, white and dark grey accents, jutting rooflines and white picket fence, it’s a classic. The inside is filled with nooks and small rooms, as well as some rather bizarre colour combinations and a 1970’s kitchen. However, it all could be remedied with a few coats of paint. Let’s take a look, shall we?

The front hall with a small alcove

From the alcove looking out. I’d say that the woodwork on the walls is probably original.

Living room with a fireplace, french doors, hardwood floors and window seats. Nothing wrong there.

What fresh hell is this? As if the floors didn’t have enough orange in them, the walls are rather blazing. And the gold trim, EEK! But there is a swinging door, probably to a butler’s pantry, and a working fireplace in the dining room, so some points have been added back.

I am not sure what to say about the kitchen. Any ideas?

This seems to be the room off the kitchen – I am guessing it’s a den. Nothing a good coat of the right white paint wouldn’t remedy.

The kitchen wallpaper extends to the powder room.

I am guessing that this is the master bedroom. I’d love a fireplace and a windowseat in my bedroom.

And leaded glass windows! I’d be right here with a stack of books next to me!

I am not certain whether this is a bedroom or a dressing room. What do you think?

There are several additional bedrooms, and I will spare you from seeing the bathrooms. Luckily, there’s a lovely and lush shade garden surrounding this house and there is a huge porch, so that’s an attraction.

All in all, it’s a pretty nice house with great bones and some great spaces. It just needs a bit lot of paint.  More information is here.

I’ll Take This: House that Silver Built

I grew up in a neighbourhood where all of the houses were built right around 1900, really a golden era in building and architecture. The houses where I lived were filled with beautiful detailing and special touches. So when I see one that’s gone on the market, I try and find the images of the inside so I can see what still remains.

This house, on one of the prettiest streets in the area, has just gone on the market, and I must say, it’s one I’ve always loved.

It’s called Chrogi, after one of the early owners, Gideon Stieff’s three sons, Charles, Rodney and Gideon. If the name Stieff is familiar to you, they were one of the premier silver-making companies in the US during the 20th century.

The current owners have kept the house in beautiful condition, and any work they’ve done to it has been sympathetic to its original style.

The Stieff family lived in this house for more than 50 years, with children and cousins living close by. In fact, another house formerly owned by this family is also on the market. I wrote about it here.

Back to Chrogi…Wood paneled library with leaded glass windows! Be still my heart!

More leaded glass windows and wonderful high ceilings. (not crazy about the light though.)

The kitchen’s obviously recent, and they did a fine job. It never would have been this nice when the house was built, what with the arches and the columns… a kitchen was for the cook!

At first glance, I thought the walls were heavily veined marble, but then I realized they were toile. I am wondering if the sink might be original, with the towel bars on the sides. I love the sconces and the beadboard.

Here’s another bath – none of this looks original.

The obligatory pine-paneled rec room, which still looks like it gets lots of use.

I love a good porch overlooking a garden, and this house has about two acres included!

You can get a good idea of the size of the house and the grounds in this image.

This house is on the market for $1.6 million. More details and images are here.