Oldest House
The Oldest House on Sunset Hill, also known as the Jethro Coffin House, was built in 1686 and is believed to be the oldest residence on Nantucket still on its original site. The island’s English population at the time totaled several hundred, and the native Wampanoag outnumbered them by at least three to one.
Builtas a wedding gift for Jethro Coffin (1663–1727) and Mary Gardner (1670–1767), the house represents the unity of two of the island’s oldest families. Jethro was the grandson of one of the island’s original proprietors, Tristram Coffin, and Mary was the daughter of John Gardner, one of the leaders of the socalled Half-Share Revolt, in which the island’s tradesmen rallied against the wealthier fullshare proprietors. Although the relationship between Gardner and Coffin was never amicable, the marriage of Mary and Jethro helped unite the families and soothe old wounds. Built on Gardner land using Coffin lumber, the house is a physical manifestation of this unity.
Bythe late nineteenth century, the house was abandoned and had fallen into disrepair, but a Coffin family reunion held on the island in 1881 ignited renewed interest in the property. The NHA acquired the house in 1923, and four years later, the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA, now Historic New England), commenced an extensive reconstruction in an attempt to return the house to its historic appearance. The Oldest House was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1968. In 1987, it was struck by lightning, which caused extensive damage necessitating substantial repairs to and partial reconstruction of the roof and chimney. Today, the house stands as a monument to the lives of the island’s earliest English settlers and offers visitors a glimpse of daily life on Nantucket in the seventeenth century.
It is now a historic house museum owned and operated by the Nantucket Historical Association (NHA). It is also a contributing element of the Nantucket Historic District, a National Historic Landmark District.
CONCEPT
Alice is a 28-year-old successful artist and writer living in New York. Every summer she comes back home to Nantucket to be inspired and to rejuvenate. She loves to invite her old freinds over to share imaginative stories and art concepts. Alice’s rooms are designed for her creative works and remind her of childhood. The spaces are whimsical, kitch, cute, and grotesque,. Most of her best-known works are created in her Nantucket home.
FURNITURE PLAN
1. Bed
Mattress
Bedset
Night Stand
Light
Bench
Sofa
Fabric
Armchair
Coffee Table
Stool
Discoball
Easel
Painting
15. Console Table1
Console Table2
Mirror
Rug
Arm Chair
Side tables
Dining Table
Dining Chairs
Flooring
Dishes
Mirror
Lighting
Alice’s Bedroom
Alice’s Bedroom
Alice’s Bedroom
Diningroom
https://businessofhome.com/articles/why-are-these-nysidstudents-heading-to-nantucket
AUGUST
NANTUCKET BY DESIGN
New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) students teamed up with the Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) for Nantucket by Design, August 1-4, 2018. NYSID offered a school-wide competition for the chance to re-design rooms in the oldest house on Nantucket. Patricia Kennedy (@interiordesignista) and Audrey Keller’s (@audreyseye) room theme was ‘Gather,’ celebrating table and hearth as heart of home in honor of the original family that lived there, while Juhee Son (@jh_sonn) and Seryung Hong (@serinnehong) presented ‘Alice in Wonderland’, aka ‘Nantucket-land,’ showcasing fairytale whimsy. The students were inspired and motivated by participating in the event, applying their interior design skills to create impactful design, networking with design luminaries, and invigorating their passion for the profession.
Audrey (coral dress) & Patricia (blue dress) playing backgammon by fireplace
Alice in Wonderland room by Seryung & Juhee
‘Gathering’ room highlighting table and hearth as heart of home
Seryung (white dress) & Juhee (green dress) amid a card game
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl-4z1zAhY-/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmJQvURA8XX/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl6NmwPFZIH/