There is a smell that old houses have, some would call it musty. I might say the aroma of antiquity, perhaps. That sounds nicer.

The point is, I love old houses. I actually love this smell.  The picture above is from the formal foyer of our 1840s Greek Revival historic home.

One of my favorite Sunday afternoon activities is scouring estate sales, and finding open houses of antique homes for sale. 

We went to one last weekend – and oh my, the fixtures, the wallpaper, the woodwork, all stunning and untouched.

 I took a few pictures, and thought, wouldnt it be amazing to photograph and document these old homes, as well as the people who have lived in them for decades?

Here are a few pictures of the amazing details, if you’d like to see.

What is it about these old houses that gets me? 

There is an element of nostalgia, no doubt. Did you know that nostalgia is derived from a Greek compound of two words that mean “homecoming” and “ache”?

And that is exactly how I feel when I enter one…a feeling of being at home, perhaps a nod to my childhood growing up in an old Vermont farmhouse, combined with an undeniable ache.

And there is more to love. Old houses are a vestige of a time past. The epitomy of endurance. 

They offer a vintage perspective. And there is exhilarating possibility lurking behind all the chipped paint. 

And don’t forget the dose of inspiration. Each wallpaper was more beautiful than the next.

 

They must be 100 years old. Yet still so on point. 

What do you think? Do you also have the old house bug, or prefer modern or turn-key?