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home • Spring •3 9/4/142016 11:36 AM

Home Rebirth

T

he Lakes Region is a historic area, with many old buildings. From little train stations to barns to schoolhouses and churches, the entire area exudes old structures.

Many are still in passable condition, just crying out for someone with vision and energy to turn them into something new and useful.

The trend for restoring old schoolhouses and churches and repurposing them into residential homes started years ago and continues today. Sometimes the homeowner will get lucky and very little needs to be done to restore a structure and make it livable; at other times, an old structure requires a lot more work to repair years of wear-and-tear and weather.

The challenge of living in and upgrading a former church might seem daunting to many, but not to Kirk Gilmore and John Agostine. They purchased a wonderful property on Union Street in Wolfeboro they have lovingly named Celebrate on Union; the former church turned home/event/rental space is indeed a celebration of all things wonderful.

“The church was built in 1890 by the Evangelical Adventist denomination,” explains Kirk. “The church changed a few times over the years and was last used as a place of worship in the 1990s. The building was purchased in 2000 by a private owner who started restorations.”

“It was in livable condition,” John recalls. “The previous owner had renters in the building so it was definitely in a condition

photo courtesy Kirk Gilmore

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

What Once was Old is New Again

Living Color - Exterior & Interior Painting Published by The Smiley Publishing Group, LLC, P.O. Box 119 Wolfeboro Falls, NH 03896 | 603-569-5257 | thelaker.com Publishers of home, The Laker and Dining Out in the Lakes Region.

Smiley Publishing Group, LLC. assumes no financial responsibility for typographical errors. Advertisers will please notify the management immediately of any errors which may occur. © 2016 All Rights Reserved.

No reproduction in part or whole without express written consent.

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photos courtesy Kirk Gilmore that it could be lived in. It did need cosmetics.” He laughs as he says there were décor touches not in keeping with their tastes, such as “shingles on some interior walls.”

The previous owner had taken out the pews and renovated the bathroom, which saved some time and work when John and Kirk began their renovations.

Kirk and John had been living in Texas; John is retired and Kirk works long hours and was heartily sick of time spent commuting and sitting in a lot of traffic. The notion of moving to New Hampshire, with its quieter pace, appealed to them.

After deciding to move, they knew they required a four-bedroom home.

Thus started their search. They discovered Wolfeboro and loved the look of the town. Their story of finding the perfect property is quite typical. After seeing properties and not finding what they wanted, they were shown the church building. While it might have seemed an odd choice that would turn many buyers away, Kirk and John were open minded and willing to take a look.

(John had lived in a renovated church in the past and loved it.)

The interior of the church was not in terrible disrepair, although the soaring celling in the sanctuary needed repairs and repainting. Kirk and John saw the possibilities immediately and knew the work to restore the church and make it not only a livable home but also a unique bed and breakfast or event rental space was possible as well.

“We wanted a place that could generate income, that was close to town, with space for me to work remotely,” says Kirk.

Moving quickly to acquire the property, Kirk and John bought it in October of 2013. Known for hosting wonderful themed parties that are talked about by many, Kirk says their goal was to throw open the doors for their first Christmas party in December, just a few months after purchasing the church.

Kirk and John share a philosophy of inviting people into their home for gatherings. “We have always hosted parties and we like people in the community to meet and have a great time. We love to share what we have with a wide group of people; it’s good for the community,” says Kirk.

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home • Spring 2016 • 5

In order to make the church into the space they envisioned, they moved into the lower level and over time have also renovated that space to their liking. Much of the work has been cosmetic.

Upstairs, the stage area where services took place had to be removed and the floor repaired. The painter spent about five weeks repairing and repainting the horsehair plaster ceiling. The floor was redone in antique wood and a stairway leading to the top floor area was replaced with a beautiful wooden staircase.

A fireplace mantel from Ohio was shipped in and installed; although it is not a working fireplace but rather just decorative, it fits well in the large room due to being seven feet wide and 11 feet tall. A corner cabinet also was added (it had been purchased from an old mansion/estate).

Luck was with Kirk and John when it came to the roof, which was in perfect condition. However, Kirk says it was a shock their first winter in New Hampshire to be hit with high heating bills; that was remedied by blowing in insulation into the attic. The heating bills, after that, have been very reasonable. “Insulating the attic was the most important renovation we did,” says Kirk.

The beautiful, colorful original stained glass windows were all in good condition and add a unique touch to the entire property. The event space has a kitchen, and space for gatherings from baby showers to intimate gatherings.

Décor touches add to the grace and beauty of the former church. Glowing chandeliers were hung in the large main room and curtains were custom made for the tall windows. Small things do make a big difference and when the front doors were painted an eye-catching blue, it created a signature, stylish look to the building.

Kirk and John’s private living quarters on the lower level also have personalized décor. The long central hall has beautiful walls created when John used a unique method of covering the surfaces with brown paper bags with

a clear coating for durability.

John says, “The lower level was formerly the pastor’s office and Sunday school rooms and a food pantry. Kirk did most of the lower level construction work and the space now has two bedrooms, an office, a full bath and kitchen, plus a 35 by 18 foot Great Room.

John makes soap as a small side hobby (he sells his soaps and candles at the Wolfeboro Farmer’s Market), and he needed some space for soap making; a portion of the Great Room is used for this.

The lower level laundry room received a unique and fun décor touch when Kirk and John decoupaged pages from an old book with sailing scenes onto the ceiling. The walls of the bathroom are painted a dramatic black and lighting, fixtures and framed pictures stand out perfectly against the dark walls.

Last summer the property was included on a local home tour and received rave reviews from those who were curious to see such a unique property.

These days, renovations are complete and the Union Street property is listed online at airbnb. Lucky overnight guests can say they slept in an honestto-goodness former church. The main level guest rooms are beautifully decorated and nothing could be more delightful than spending a vacation with Kirk and John as hosts. (Overnight guests have privacy and John and Kirk keep to their lower level living quarters, but are accessible should guests need anything.)

Outside, the yard has been beautifully landscaped with a two-level patio, which sees a lot of use in the warm weather months.

For information about Celebrate on Union rentals, contact John and Kirk at info@celebrateonunion.com.

One-room schoolhouses were once the norm in the Lakes Region. Transportation was limited in the 1800s to mid 1900s and little schools, which could serve each neighborhood, made a lot of sense. But when school buses were available, children could travel to one large school in a central location. The need for small schoolhouses faded, and the Continued on page 9

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photos courtesy of Denise Williams/Maxfield Real Estate Continued from page 6

buildings were torn down or abandoned.

But now and then, an old schoolhouse is restored and transformed into a private home. It isn’t an everyday occurrence, but when someone refurbishes an old schoolhouse into a home, the results can be charming and unusual.

In Wolfeboro, one such building, the 1854 Whitton School House, received a beautiful renovation when a second-home owner with vision transformed the structure into a vacation home.

Much of the original charm of the old schoolhouse remains, showing the care the owner put into the repair/construction and décor of the building. Historically, the Whitton School was located near the railroad tracks in Wolfeboro with one teacher for all grades. By 1933 only 19 students were attending the little school; in 1941 it closed. At that time it was converted to a dwelling house.

The character of the schoolhouse was described in a 1913 report by Supt.

Harry L. Moore, “The building is of the old type with woodshed and toilets adjoining. It is in good repair and kept clean throughout. A workbench, constructed by the boys, with a supply of tools, occupies one front corner of the main room. A sink with water tank, individual cups and mirror, occupies the other corner. In the rear are the cooking table, oil stove, and oven, also dishes and cooking utensils. A kitchen cabinet is now being constructed by the boys.”

When the current owner bought the property, he made sure the schoolhouse was not lacking in décor and renovations. Beautiful pine floors, beamed ceilings and even an antique chalkboard complete the decor of the main living space.

The open living floor plan allows for a kitchen/dining and living room in a huge space. The kitchen is a gem with a mammoth island for food prep and family gatherings. On the first floor, a bedroom and full bath (with a wonderful soaking tub) complete the space. The Irving tin lamp fixtures further add to the antique look of an old home or schoolhouse. (The building is over 1,600 sq. ft. total.)

On the second floor, two bedrooms and a half bath offer space for guests or additional family.

The property is for sale at this time, and listing broker Denise Williams of Maxfield Real Estate says, “The owner took about two years to do the renovations. He installed such features as Vermont slate on the kitchen island top and a television area made to look like a chalkboard.” (During the renovation, the owner gutted the building, but was able to leave the post and beams and the chimney.)

Denise loves the property and says she has sold old schoolhouses in the past. Thus, she is aware of the work that has gone into making this old schoolhouse new again to be used as a year round or second home (it has close proximity to Lake Wentworth).

More information on the Whitton School House is available by contacting Denise Williams at Denise@maxfieldrealestate.com or 387-5223.

For those who aren’t afraid of a renovation challenge, who like the idea of living in a different sort of home steeped in history, a church or an old schoolhouse are just a few of the options. With a bit of imagination you might just find your perfect home…that was once a schoolhouse, a barn, a church, a meetinghouse or other historic structure.

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OSSIPEE Craftsman-style 3-bedroom, 200’ on Beech River, exquisite interior with beautiful upgrades blends perfectly with pretty outdoor spaces. $231,000 (4472865)

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RandyParker@MaxfieldRealEstate.com Jane@MaxfieldRealEstate.com Maxfield Real Estate • 603-569-3128 15 Railroad Avenue • Wolfeboro, NH 03894

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FOR THE LIFE OF YOUR TREES.

G

o ahead. Admit it. You begged to live year-round in your playhouse in the backyard. You were completely entranced by The Borrowers. You still often wonder what it would be like to just travel in a trailer and explore the world. Or maybe you’re addicted.

You just can’t turn off the TV shows: Tiny House Nation, Tiny House Hunters and Tiny House Builders.

What is it about tiny living that draws us in? Is this movement for real?

Are people really living tiny here in New Hampshire?

To start my local research, I went to the source of all popular thought: Facebook.

I wrote something like “Lakes Region friends: Doing a story and looking for tiny homes. Already got a couple. What can you tell me about?”

Within five minutes, I had six replies: There’s a tiny house being built along Route 16 in Ossipee. Check out the one on wheels in Chichester.

This is exactly what my husband and I want to do. Do I know that a seasoned craftsman and his wife built one last summer? My brother’s uncle’s third cousin’s goddaughter is building one in Michigan all by herself and she’s only 19! (Okay, I made that one up.)

This movement is for real.

The first reply I receive, though, is intriguing in itself. “I know of someone that sells tiny houses. They are going to be at an event in Manchester this weekend.”

I gather a little more information, and then traipse off to Manchester for the New Hampshire Home Builders Show. In front of the Radisson (hotel), looking only slightly out of place, are several tiny houses, and a long snaking line leading to one painted delightfully lavender.

Sure enough, that is the object of my desire. It was built by Tiny House Northeast of Wakefield, NH, a company headed by Isa Bauer, a tiny house

proponent long before tiny houses became a movement at all.

On its website, Tiny House explains its mission, “Tiny House Northeast is cultivating sustainable living spaces and work spaces with the efficiency, aesthetic value and comforts of an old-fashioned cabin, a Victorian cottage or a hip urban pad through tiny houses on wheels.” It goes on to explain its special emphasis on building tiny houses meant to withstand New England winters and that there are several available floorplans.

Each project is essentially made-to-order, so they also cheerfully offer to incorporate architectural elements or other features per the client’s request.

By the time the line shortens enough for me to enter the house, my hands are numb and my face is cold. I hop up a small step onto a covered porch broad enough for a chair or two and enter the tiny home.

Immediately I am struck by the warm temperature and cheery décor in the little living room. To the right, up eight or so stairs is a bedroom/loft area from which I can watch Isa in the kitchen explaining the features of the home: a two-burner stove, built-in storage, a space modifiable for composting toilet, shower and washer/dryer.

“What kind of insulation does this house have?” I ask Isa, who greets guests as they come in. She explains that this model home has traditional fiberglass insulation, but owners have choices of eco-friendly elements, blown-in, or spray foam, too.

“Tiny House Northeast custom design-builds highly insulated, heat efficient, normally wood framed buildings in which a person, couple or even family with a big dog can live any time of the year in New England, even in the North Country. Our structures are similar in construction to a normal home on a foundation. They are not at all like a typical vinyl and aluminum RV or camper, neither of which is built for our normal New

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England winter cold and snow. In fact, aluminum-vinyl RVs are specifically intended not to be lived in year-round and are manufactured accordingly,” she says by email later.

I ask how she and partner Eric got started in the Tiny House business.

She says, “Our grandfather built our summer place from bottom to top, and piece by piece with the expansion of our family on Balch Lake in Wakefield. Observing the minor miracle of his creating a lake home for three generations of family—grandkids and all, and the smell of fresh cut lumber always remained with me as a very good thing to do in life.

“My own first home was an approximately 350 square foot Victorian Era summer cabin at 19-years old. In the late 1980s, I was thrown into either managing my own home construction projects or being, what seemed to have been, overcharged for even small projects. A combination of that early familiarity with construction with a desire to provide affordable and conservation-minded seasonal and year-round homes drove our beginnings into the Tiny House Northeast, a tiny house design-build business.”

She goes on, “Among our team we have several tiny homes of our own, and not all on wheels. It was natural for us to start up the business. Eric, administrator and graphics guru, is normally living in a tiny cabin. Tim, an interior architect, has happily lived in several officially tiny spaces ranging from a couple hundred square feet to just double that. Katie owns a tiny house on wheels in Massachusetts. Other Team members are in the process of stockpiling ideas and money until they can have their own tiny home; either on wheels or as a micro space in an urban area.”

The company’s trademarked “Weelhouse” is designed specifically to accommodate winter weather in the Northeast. Built on a heavy trailer, and normally 20 feet or longer, it weighs in at just less than 10,000 pounds. While not all tiny house owners want to move frequently, many consider freedom to move part of the freedom they seek in

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the tiny house lifestyle. Isa goes on to say, “For those who want to tow one often, for camping for example, we can build a lighter version of a tiny house or suggest maintaining a length of 16 feet or less. Even a 12 to 16 foot long model can have a sleeping loft, bathroom and cooking/living space.”

I have noticed through the years that what seemed to have started as a trend for 20-somethings in the early 2000s, has begun to attract people of all ages. As my husband and I have been working on our teeny house (a term I’ve coined to mean more than 500 and less than 1,000 feet) we have been surprised by the number of people who express envy at the simpler lifestyle we’ll have to live, even as they wonder if we’ve lost our minds.

Isa says, “The earlier market attracted mainly young adults whose main concerns were based on affordability and sustainability.” The emergence of tiny house TV shows “seems to be driving the trend toward a wider market, one that has expanded to include buyers of all ages who simply appreciate the healthier environment and appearance of a wood construction cottage.

The trend is toward longer tiny houses on wheels that provide for a bit more storage and breathing space than the earlier approximately 12 to 20 foot long models.”

So do tiny homes come with tiny prices? It depends on your planned use for the home, how much sweat equity you want to put in, and the amenities you want to include.

The captivating lavender home Isa brought to the Home Show has been Northeast’s working model for at least a year now and has a price of $42,000, reduced from its original price of $55,000. It’s a considerable investment, but how do you put a dollar figure on the freedom it offers?

Isa and the team at Tiny House Northeast offer design/ build consultations and training classes throughout the year. For more information about Tiny House Northeast, visit www.tinyhousenortheast.com.

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23 Crystal Shore Rd, Wolfeboro $1,295,000

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10 Old Mill Drive, Wolfeboro $306,500

SOLD 377A Kings Highway, New Durham $293,000

SOLD

82 Greenes Basin Rd, Moultonborough $242,000

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34 Sanctuary Lane, Alton $205,000

163 North Shore Rd, New Durham $483,500

82 Kent Locke Circle, Alton $300,000

SOLD 72 North Wolfeboro Rd, Wolfeboro $278,000

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Real estate: the business of selling land and buildings – Merriam Webster Dictionary

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By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper

The above is a simple definition of a very detailed business. Realtors in the Lakes Region know this better than anyone and people make the decision to sell or buy property every day with the help and insight from area real estate professionals.

All over the Lakes Region, realtors are busy no matter what time of year it is, listing and showing homes, condos, land and other properties. It can be a rewarding, but work intensive business; there are few among us who can say we aren’t curious about the homes we see for sale and what they are selling for these days.

If you want to know what the current and upcoming real estate market is

like in the area, talk to realtors. Beyond reading the graphs and charts and ups and downs in business reviews and on the evening news, realtors know the true story of the current market.

Are things continuing to improve from those dreaded recessionary years when it seemed houses were not selling and prices plummeted? According to Chip Maxfield, president of Maxfield Real Estate (with offices in Wolfeboro, Alton and Center Harbor), “We have been very busy. Last year, for us, was a banner year and we expect it to be even better this summer.”

Maxfield says the waterfront market is starting to kick in now (late March as of press time).

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Susan Bradley, realtor at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Laconia, concurs. “The market is picking up and seems to be busy. There are a lot of sales and inventory is getting lower. Prices are firming up because of low inventory. I am expecting a good season.”

“The market is heating up, which is normal in the first quarter,” says Ellen Mulligan, realtor at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Center Harbor.

She comments that she had full weekends of showings in March, and once the weather breaks, she is even busier.

That is indeed encouraging news for sellers, which leads to the question, is it now a buyer’s vs. a seller’s market? Indeed, during the recession, many buyers with straightened circumstances were eager to sell; they lowered prices and the buyers could set more terms. Has that changed?

Susan Bradley explains, “It is not a seller’s market, but more of an even market. It is still a bit of a buyer’s market, but not to the same degree we have seen in the past.”

In regards to lack of inventory, she muses, “I am not sure why there is a lack of inventory, but things have been selling.”

Ellen Mulligan says there is less inventory because many properties have sold and there are more buyers shopping for first or retirement homes and the secondhome market

remains busy as well.

“Each year the sales have gotten better,” she adds. “We now see properties with multiple offers, and the second-home market has been less affected by the recession.” She adds that condos are starting to sell again and that is a good indicator of activity. Prices are rising somewhat across the board.

Mulligan is seeing the most popular architectural styles as Adirondack for lakefront property, with a woodsy, cabin design and open floor plan. In residential properties, an open concept with a first-floor master bedroom is popular.

Mary Lamprey Bare, owner/realtor at Lamprey Real Estate Associates in Center Harbor, describes activity as she is seeing it. “In our office, we stayed busy this winter communicating with buyers interested in the area. Last year the phones were very quiet and buyers did not brave the mountains of snow to come to the area. This winter we saw a good number of people looking, making offers and closing transactions. The biggest hurdle has been low inventory and finding the right property for buyers.”

She goes on to say, concerning inventory, “During the winter months inventory was low in most price ranges. In my office we saw buyers that have done their research and are looking for well priced, quality homes.

Homes priced under $250,000 seemed to be the ‘hottest ticket’ in recent months. It is very difficult to find affordable housing in the area for first-time homebuyers. Over the last year, we have seen a slight increase in the average sale price in many price ranges. 2015 saw an increase in the number of waterfront sales.”

Ashley Davis, an associate broker at Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty in Meredith says, “Year-over-year, it has gotten better. It depends upon the price point, but activity this year has significantly increased since last spring.”

Many realtors surmise the uptick in activity this winter may be because of the mild season; it has simply been easier to show properties with less snow to inhibit travel.

Davis says, “I have seen a lot of second-home activity for entry-level,

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waterfront property. Condos also are a strong investment and we are seeing activity on the smaller lakes as well as Winnipesaukee.”

She says home prices vary by town, and “overall we are seeing less inventory than there was, but buyers are discerning and smart. They know if a property isn’t priced correctly.”

Most realtors are aware that out-of-state buyers come to New Hampshire because of the tax advantages of living here. Waterfront homes are selling and second-home buyers in the $3 million price range are shopping for waterfront.

“The second-home shoppers usually arrive in the spring and it starts to pick up, but this year we were busy much earlier, even as early as January,” says Susan Bradley. (The majority of her real estate sales are to second-home buyers, so she knows the market very well.)

At Four Seasons Southeby’s International Realty in Meredith, manager Steve Patriquin says he is seeing the market “improving a lot. We are seeing more traffic because the winter weather was so light. We were in summer mode – it was busy through the holidays and didn’t slow down. We are ahead of the first quarter of last year.”

He continues, “We are seeing good activity for property under $250,000 and also over a million. In the last three weeks (mid March) we closed on two properties.”

“This will be the year waterfront starts to pick up a lot,” predicts Chip Maxfield. He cites statistics that show 129 waterfront properties sold in 2014; in 2015 there were 175 waterfront properties. Maxfield says he feels we are in a “qualified boon market.”

He says waterfront homes that are popular are rustic/arts and crafts/ Adirondack; traditional and Capes with a second story are popular with residential buyers.

When it comes to island property sales, Chip Maxfield is in the know. Maxfield Real Estate, in 2015, purchased Island Real Estate. He says island property is a bit of an unusual segment of the real estate population. “It is a different

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type of buyer, a hardier sort of person who is willing to put up with more to have the island experience.”

By this, Maxfield means that a potential island property owner must be okay with traveling via a boat to their cottage or home on one of the many Winnipesaukee islands.

If the buyer is comfortable with that, the rewards are significant: increased privacy, great views and beautiful waterfront.

Says Steve Patriquin, “We are seeing a lot of activity for waterfront property.

There isn’t a lot of inventory for lakefront with beach or docking rights, so those go quickly. Anything with water is selling.”

His advice for sellers as we come into the busy spring/summer real estate season is to be realistic about pricing. “That is critical,” he asserts. “Also, buyers are finicky; they do not want to have to do anything to the house.”

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Jane Mooney, realtor at Maxfield Real Estate in Wolfeboro, when asked about the current overall market, says, “I am seeing noticeable improvement in all sectors— residiential and second home—and for the first time in a while, land is starting to sell.

Interest rates are staying down, inventory is lower, and there is increased interest from buyers.”

She continues, “It has been a busy winter. Most agents I talk to have experienced the same heightened level of activity during months that are typically slower. Buyers seem ready to buy, plus the mild temperatures and the lack of significant snow storms this year have kept many people out and about and interested. One difficulty we are experiencing is getting double and triple-booked for showing times - a good problem to have!”

As for the second-home market inventory, Mooney says, “Unquestionably

we could use more second-home inventory. A lot of the buyers who are looking now are waterfront and water access buyers who want to be here this summer. They know the market, and they know what they want. If you are thinking about listing your water access or water front home, the time to do it is now.”

Susan Bradley says waterfront under $3 million seems to be popular; this is the time (springtime) to get your property on the market if you are thinking of selling, no matter the location or listing price.

During the depths of the recession, those with the means and the knowhow could buy up properties at auction prices, fix them up and resell for a profit. Known as flippers, savy folks with the money and skill to fix up lessthan-perfect-properties were making a tidy profit on fixer-upper homes. Is that still prevalent today, now that the recession is fading?

“Not as much,” says Bradley. “We are seeing buyers that are end-users; in other words, people are buying a house to live in it. And there is very little speculative building going on right now.”

Steve Patriqin agrees. He finds that fewer people are buying property as a flip or investment and more are purchasing homes to live in rather than buying, fixing up and quickly turning over a property for a profit.

What should sellers do to prepare their property for sale, in this competitive market with savvy buyers sometimes calling the shots? It can certainly be confusing, and sellers wonder if they should repaint the house, install new carpet and buy new appliances to make their home more attractive to buyers.

All realtors interviewed for this story stress the importance of decluttering.

If a home looks cluttered, a buyer perceives it as being less than clean. It is difficult to look past a room full of boxes or piles of furniture or clothing to the bare bones of the home they are thinking of buying.

As an experienced realtor, Chip Maxfield knows what buyers want and how to make a home show the best. “Wash all the windows, clean thoroughly and declutter. Your home should look like a house that isn’t lived in.”

Many realtors say that staging a property is helpful. Maxfield explains,

home • Spring 2016 • 19

“Hire a stager if possible – it is well worth spending the money to do so. That first look at your home is the most important.”

Steve Patriquin concurs.

“Declutter. Use neutral colors (in painting and/or home décor). Don’t do anything major, such as installing new flooring.”

Susan Bradey says, “This is the time to list your house if you are thinking about selling.

Get it listed and up on the internet now because buyers are researching on the internet.

Delcutter your home, tidy up the yard. First impressions are very important.”

This is a good time of year to list a property, according to Ashley Davis. “We see a lot of spring inventory come on the market. The best thing to do when preparing a property is to declutter. Make sure your house is simplified.

Stagers can help. Curb appeal should be strong. And quality photography is important because most buyers are looking on the interent now.”

“It will be interesting to see how the early ice out and mild winter and early spring affect the motivation of people preparing to put their houses on the market. The selling season may be extended in 2016, which is always good news for our business. The question is whether sellers will take advantage of warmer temps and get a jump on spring clean up,” says Mary Lamprey Bare.

Ellen Mulligan says it is important to declutter and that the advice and expertise of a professional stager is very helpful in getting your house ready to show and sell. “Declutter and simplify,” she says.

Funding is all-important and at the height of the recession, even those

with good credit were jumping through hoops to get financing.

Is that still the norm in the changing market?

Says Mary Lamprey Bare, “Financing remains a challenge and lenders are still scrutinizing buyers’ income and credit worthiness. Buyers should plan on a minimum of 45 to 60 days to close a transaction.”

According to Susan Bradley, “It is not bad; it has loosened up a bit. More banks are offering good loans. But you have to have a good credit score and be qualified to buy.”

Ashley Davis adds, “Lenders are backing off a bit. Banks are still raking through buyers’ financial situations.”

In other words, have your credit scores and finances in order when applying for credit to purchase property.

Says Chip Maxfield, “Financing is fairly easy if you have good credit. If you are open and candid on what you make and owe, it makes the process go much smoother.”

As always, the business of real estate – of buying and selling property – is never simple. The market changes and the way people buy and sell their homes and other properties also changes. The advent of online shopping has only added to the competitive factor.

However, if you are looking to sell your property, or to buy a new or second home, the advice and expertise of Lakes Region realtors is important. The market is indeed improving and you are sure to find the house or vacation spot to suit your needs among the many listings in the area this summer.

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Beech River Mill Ossipee Shutters the World

By Barbara Neville Wilson

Custom Millwork Shop Countertops: Granite • Cambria • Corian Silestone • Slate • Marble Quartz • Soapstone • Formica 22 • home • Spring 2016

The rush of water over the dam is loud as I let myself in the non-descript wood door. The sign out front says “Beech River Mill Custom Blinds, Shutters & Doors.”

The walls of the little lobby are packed: copies of newspaper write-ups; planks showcasing handwrought hardware; a faded white shutter with penciled writing “Ice Out, March 19, 1947; Ice Out, March 26, 1948; Ice Out, Jan. 6, 1950,” a piece of heavy iron machinery with a surprising embellishment of tiny hearts along one edge.

In a moment, Donald “Randy” Ouellette, Senior Vice President of Beech River Mill, comes through an interior door, brushing sawdust from his work clothes. After formalities, he ushers me into the workshop, lit with bright afternoon sun and little changed since it was built in 1851. He stands next to handcrafted wooden packing boxes as he shows me an old sign, “Smart Brothers Inc. Blinds & Shutters.”

The Smart family started the shutter mill in 1851 across the dam from their family’s bread and butter: a window sash mill, now long gone. At the time, the two complemented one another perfectly.

Hydro-powered, the shutter mill put out prodigious numbers of paneled and louvered blinds and shutters for more than 100 years. Patterns for items for the Pullman train car company, among others, remain in the shop today. During World War II, the U.S. Army purchased louvered vents for barracks, and sent them all over the world.

According to the Beech River Mill website, “In most cases, the products of the mill were made from

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California sugar pine, which was shipped by train right into the village of Center Ossipee. During busy production periods, the Smarts used one traincar load of wood every two weeks.”

Members of the Smart family ran the business, powering their machinery with the Beech River’s waters, hiring the talent of local people unafraid of hard work. Their products were sent worldwide and won recognition for careful craftsmanship. But in 1964, after more than a century, the last of the Smarts retired, and the mill lay fallow for 20 years.

In the 1980s, the mill was revived using a mixture of original equipment and more modern machinery. It regained its reputation as the premier custom shutter manufacturer in the United States with customers from far away places. Randy points to the carefully constructed boxes beside him. “These are going to the Bahamas,” he says.

The Beech River Mill is a true family business. Randy is the Senior Vice President, and brother-in-law Jeffrey Drenning is production manager. Mother Beverly does the bookkeeping.

Dad Donald, who bought the Mill along with Beverly in the ’90s, is officially retired, but is seen pretty regularly next to the original 1850s vertical band saw, “pitching and catching” slats with his wife. Together, they can mill out a mile of slat stock a day.

A classically trained trumpeter, Randy has exacting standards for all Beech River products. The fact that his collective family’s livelihood depends on the Mill’s reputation only cements his high expectations for anything they produce.

And their customer base has high expectations of all that Beech River offers. “We differentiate ourselves by doing what we say, and walking the walk,” Randy says. Their clients are willing to spend money for quality custom work when they are building or renovating a home because they want to “do things once and never have to do it again.” The wood of choice tends to be Spanish Cedar or African Mahogany, which Randy orders at the rate of 2,000-3,000 board feet monthly. Piled together, the eight-foot rough sawn boards stand four to five feet tall and seven feet wide.

From that wood, every part of the product is shaped in-house.

About 80-90 percent of the Mill’s orders come from the Eastern Seaboard, with Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and northern New England making up the bulk, but traffic to the Midwest is increasing annually.

About 10 to 20 percent of all orders are international, where clients’ expectations are ultrahigh. Instead of Spanish Cedar or African Mahogany, the international customers select “big leaf Honduran Mahogany that you could make high end furniture out of,” says Randy.

Always accommodating, the Mill fulfills orders to customers’ expectations, but I see pain in his eyes when Randy tells of a Caribbean customer who ordered a full house of shutters out of “pattern grade Honduran Mahogany,” then painted it afterwards, obliterating the beautiful pattern and color of the natural wood.

It’s all about a customer’s intent, says Randy. When he talks to prospective customers, he tries to discover where they are functioning in life. “If someone is used to a Ferrari, don’t try selling them a Nissan,” he says.

Beech River quality takes attention to detail that can be uncommon in today’s work force.

The four full-time employees, family or not, are all dedicated to “bucking the trend” in an “age of box store madness.”

They take their time to make each shutter, each panel, each door, and each louver right for each customer. That kind of focused attention takes training that Randy is willing to put

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in if the employee is willing, and Beech River rewards the effort. “As the company is successful, the employee is successful,” he says.

The shop is a gear head’s dream, full of original 1850s equipment, sprinkled with “updated” machines from the 1950s and 1960s. The machines are functional and durable, and Randy and team can work on all the pieces themselves.

Some of the oldest machines still use flat belts made by Page Belting Company of Concord.

Although leather belting is still available, Randy tends to use the more durable synthetic version because “today’s leather isn’t as durable” as leather in the 1800s. The crew uses an original hand belt lacer to repair belts as needed.

Randy laments that some other custom shutter manufacturers try to market themselves as “Geppetto’s Workshop” while working out of modern buildings, using automated technology, but the Beech River Mill building, itself, is in many ways part of its shutter story. By all counts, the structure has long since passed its life expectancy. It’s almost a miracle that it’s still

standing, Randy says. Its stubbornness makes the Ouellette’s fight hard to maintain and restore it.

Like most factories built at the time, the workroom has many large windows that afford magnificent natural light. For times when daylight couldn’t maintain light levels, the Smarts used calcium carbide (acetylene alcohol) lamps, notorious for exploding if gaskets failed or flames burned too high.

Randy counts it miraculous that the building still stands when such a dangerous light was used in a workroom filled with dry wood, sawdust and shavings. Although the calcium carbide lamps have long since been replaced, brittle six-over-six single panes of glass need constant attention. Replacing glass, Randy jokes, could almost be a full-time job in itself.

The Smarts were determined to pay as little as possible for power, relying primarily on power drawn from the dam, but since that was heavily weatherdependent, they also set up a steam generator powered by wood scraps from operation. Not satisfied there, they also pulled an old automobile engine into the mill so they could run that when water and scrap wood petered out.

Although the Mill saved money by creating its own electricity, the simple fact that it was built over the millpond has caused the building to suffer the indignities of moisture. Randy and family have replaced countless rotting beams and floors.

Previous owners sought to save money wherever possible, and for years on end. A prime example is a back facing exterior wall that was never sided.

In just the past several years, the Beech River Mill crew stripped old felt paper and installed siding to that part of the building for the first time in a century-and-a-half.

A “short” half hour interview stretches to an hour and then stretches to two hours. Randy is like a child at Show and Tell, and I am his eager audience, marveling at the history of the mill, the ingenuity of our forebears, the quality work of Beech River Mill workers, and the stubborn survival of this custom industry in our sometimes slapdash, anonymous world.

Even more amazing? It’s right in Ossipee, NH. Learn more about Beech River Mill at www.beechrivermill.com.

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Spring Gardening...

By Sarah Wright

at Devylder Farm

26 • home • Spring 2016

S

pring has officially “sprung” and this year we’ve all been pleasantly surprised by unseasonably warm temperatures. I can’t remember a time when I was able to take a walking trail through the woods in March without snowshoes on. Seeing all this grass has me thinking about flowers already and what I’ll plant this year. But New England temperatures can be fickle, so it’s important to check the USDA Zone Map to ensure a great growing season. Or you could just ask Dennis Devylder at Devylder Farm.

Many homeowners have already begun yard cleanup work, so what comes next? “If you have apple trees in your yard, prune them by the end of March or early April, before they have green tips,” says Dennis. “Also, prune raspberry and blueberry plants.”

If you’re new to gardening, or would like to increase your output, now’s the time to have your soil tested for Ph levels. The soil sample should be taken at a depth of four to five inches. A good middle range hits at 6.8, but a high Ph level isn’t as bad as a low level. “At a low Ph, plants just won’t produce as much, and fertilizer can only help so much,” says Dennis, “Bring up a low Ph with hydrated lime fertilizer for the first year, granulated to prevent lime dust.” (The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension has information about soil testing online at http:// extension.unh.edu/Problem-Diagnosis-and-Testing-Services/Soil-Testing or call 877-398-4769 Monday through Friday from 9 am to 2 pm.)

Fertilizers are very important in gardening, but are surprisingly

overlooked by many homeowners. Treat soil at the start of the season for healthy growth of vegetables and perennials. Devylder Farm uses a granulated 10-10-10 fertilizer, an all-purpose fertilizer with equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, available at hardware stores and garden centers.

If you want to get started on your garden early, choose some hardy crops.

What plants are the hardiest? “Peas, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli and kale can handle planting in late April or early May,” says Dennis. “Wait until Memorial Day to plant tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplants and melons. If it drops to 50 degrees at night, those plants can die.” Don’t forget that there’s always the option of starting plants indoors in pots and later transplanting them outside.

Once the weather warms up, you can start seeding radishes, lettuces and squashes. Spinach, radishes and lettuce are especially good for beginners, because they grow quickly. Dennis recommends planting seedlings for tomatoes, peppers and eggplants to get them producing faster. Plants such as peppers like it really warm and will need full sun, so they can be difficult for first-timers.

As far as flowers go, the best flowers to plant for early color are pansies and Johnny Jump Ups, which can withstand the fluctuating April temperatures.

You could also buy potted flowers to place outside, as long as you remember to bring them in at night until it gets warmer. Perennials have always been popular if you don’t want to replant every year. Most of the perennial flowers at Devylder Farm are grown outside; if you buy a plant from a heated greenhouse, you’ll want to transfer it outside to the cooler air gradually.

Devylder’s Farm is already busy planting non-stop with plenty of hanging plants available in eight-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch pots. Geraniums are always very popular, along with “super” petunias and verbena for gardens.

Lettuce seeding will be next on the farm’s agenda, and soon they’ll be planting lots of sunflowers.

What are the current gardening trends for 2016? With rising temperatures everywhere, it’s no surprise people are looking for heat-loving vegetables

and drought-resistant plants like succulents. Interest in low-maintenance, drought-tolerant landscaping is expected to be accompanied by a desire for more formal, evergreen plantings, making great use of dwarf conifers and evergreen shrubs, like azaleas, boxwood and rhododendrons. Raised beds can solve a lot of gardening problems, but if you aren’t looking for that kind of investment, you could grow herbs and fruit-bearing plants in containers.

A small yard shouldn’t hold anyone back from nurturing a “green thumb.”

Other than composting to help the environment, eco-minded gardeners are planting flowers that attract bees and butterflies. “Upcycling” is big online, with some people using old cinderblocks or wood pallets to create vertical planting designs. Type in a search on Pinterest for gardening ideas and you’ll surely be inspired.

Trending flowers this spring include peonies for their drought-tolerance, deer-resistance and easy maintenance, and dahlias for their bright colors and ability to flower from summer into fall. Speaking of bright colors, some gardeners are looking to “wow” their neighbors with brightly vivid flowers this year, and plant producers are listening, growing super-bright flowers, often in two-toned colors. At the other end of the spectrum are those who will be planting delicate blush tones like the “Apricot Sorbet” petunia, new for 2016.

Perennials have always been an easy choice for part-time gardeners, but plant companies are working on producing other low-maintenance options like lush flowers for gardeners who’d enjoy rose-like blooms without the extra work that roses require.

Of course, no one can escape the seemingly endless chore of weeding, but it’s crucial for the health and appearance of your plants. And while you’re at it, remember to pull the dead blooms off your perennials to keep them looking their best. Happy gardening!

Devylder’s Farm is located at 563 Pleasant Valley Road in Wolfeboro. The farm will be open seven days a week, starting May 1, from 9 am to 5 pm. For further information, call 569-4110.

home • Spring 2016 • 27

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home • Spring 2016 • 29

Making a Great Impression

with Staging

By Kathi Caldwell-Hopper (photos courtesy Great Impressions Staging)

R

obin Webster loves real estate. As someone who has been working professionally in the real estate market for a number of years, Robin knows what buyers finding appealing, what owners should do to sell a house and what it takes to move property in a timely manner.

Add to this the fact that Robin loves decorating; she is one of those people with an intuitive ability to make any room or home look its absolute best.

Some people have it (home décor ability) and some don’t. Those that don’t can turn to Robin for advice on staging a home to make it look its most inviting when putting property on the market for sale.

Robin, who owns Great Impressions Staging in Wolfeboro, says, “I used to sell and appraise real estate and I have flipped and renovated homes.”

This experience put her in the know about what makes a home attractive and appealing to buyers. Some stagers are decorators, but Robin has the added ability and experience to know the psychology of buyers and sellers because she has worked with them as a realtor. She knows what pulls a buyer into a home and the things that might lead to a buyer rejecting a potential property.

Robin has been in more homes than most of us and she knows those homes intimately. She has changed out wall colors, moved and added and deleted furniture, rugs, accessories and curtains to bring homes to their absolute best when a client is getting ready to sell a property.

Because she has worked as a realtor in the past, Robin knows that “realtors work hard to get a listing and once they get it, it becomes difficult to 30 • home • Spring 2016

switch gears and tell buyers to clean up their house in order to sell it. I am a sort of assistant to the realtors; once they get the listing, they often call me in to give the homeowner advice on how to best present the home for showings.”

In other words, if you want your house, in this competitive market, to sell in a timely fashion, you want it to look its best. If you aren’t in the know about how to place furniture in welcoming groupings, how to hang artwork on your walls like a pro, how to choose the best colors and style for your home, or simply how to declutter and create open, inviting spaces, Great Impressions Staging can help.

“I do a lot of consultations,” she says. “That is a reasonable way to get advice on staging your home. All homes are different and a consultation gives the homeowner advice. Then they can move forward and do the work themselves.”

If doing the staging and the work to get the house in top-notch condition for showings is too much for the homeowner, Robin can come back to offer more services.

What is her insight and advice for homeowners hoping to put their property on the market? “Decluttering is very important. A house full of stuff appears smaller and less well maintained. People are very visual, and the strongest point I try to make with everyone is how much real estate has changed due to the advent of the internet.”

She continues, “It used to be that anyone wishing to buy property would

go to a real estate office and ask what was for sale in the area at their price point. They would be given printed listings with a black-and-white photo of the house. Now everyone goes online when they begin their search. You can see all interior home photos and there are virtual tours of homes online. I hear buyers say that if they don’t see what they like on a specific listing in the first few online photos, they move on to another listing. It could, in reality, be the right house for them, but if the photos turn them off, they will never get in the door. And that is where I come in.”

Robin knows what buyers do and don’t want to see in online photos. “I advise clients in a kind, respectful way. Sometimes when I go into a home for a consultation, I notice the homeowner has a collection of things and that collection is overpowering the house.”

For example, a collection of dolls or sports memorabilia or antiques might be wonderful, but will overwhelm a buyer who is there to see the house – not a homeowner’s eye-catching collection.

“A buyer needs to envision what it would be like to live in a home, and a big collection of things can be overpowering. The home needs to be neutralized so the buyer can see the house. And things like taxidermy can be a real turn off to buyers.”

Lest one assume Robin is consulting and staging only large, waterfront homes, she assures that she does all sizes and types of properties to make them look their best for showings. “I do everything from mobile homes to the biggest of lakefront houses,” she says.

Some of Robin’s suggestions include changing paint colors; if the colors are too bold or outdated, she recommends neutralizing the paint colors.

“If a potential buyer is looking at a house and there are too many things they aren’t happy with, such as an outdated kitchen, walls in a bright or outdated color, if the exterior needs paint, a large amount of objections will make them walk away. They don’t want to be bothered with a lot of work; if homeowners can do as much as they feel is possible it will help sell the house.”

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Certainly not every homeowner can do all that Robin suggests, but if they take her advice and insight to heart and do what they feel is within their means, it is a positive step in the home sales process.

Odors, too, can create an impression. If someone in the house smokes, make sure they smoke outside. Robin stresses that smoke and pet odors are big turn offs to potential buyers.

These smells are difficult to get out of carpets and you will need to wash down the walls to remove any lingering smoke smell. “I try to be gentle with homeowners and give suggestions such as these in a manner they can relate to. But they need to know that these days many people do not smoke.”

Robin can relate to clients from all walks of life; as a realtor and stager, she has seen many lifestyles and she works with all sorts of people to bring their homes to life with staging.

“I am a New Hampshire native,” she explains. “We moved to Wolfeboro about 12 years ago and my kids went to school Before locally. About five years ago, I started my business, Great Impressions Staging. It was good timing because my kids were going off to college. It was time to do something for me – something I enjoyed. I hit the ground running and made a point to get to know local realtors because a big part of my business is realtor relationships. Most of my clients come to me through realtors.”

When Robin started her business, she says she felt like a pioneer, because there were few stagers around. Now, she works with many local realtors, and the professionals have come to realize a home sells faster when it looks its best.

“I feel passionate about my work and I wholeheartedly believe in it,” Robin adds.

She started her business during the recessionary years and yes, she says, it was tough at first. She started by finding a house that was on the market and had been for over a year without selling. She approached the owners and

offered to stage the entire house for free. Once she got the owner’s ok, she staged the house and it sold in just a few months.

Great Impressions Staging was off and running. Robin uses the services of two men when she needs to move furniture in and out of homes that she is staging. She speaks highly of the movers and says she could not do all she does without their help. She also works with another expert, Ann Bastis, who helps with staging during the busy season.

When staging homes, Robin can access furniture from her private collection; she has enough furniture for eight to nine homes and she tries to mix it up when it comes to accessories. “Most of the furniture I use for staging is neutral; I spice it up with decorative items.”

Some staging is done with owner-occupied pieces and Robin loves the challenge of using what a client has in the home for staging. “And I will shop for people if they ask me to and pack for them if necessary,” she adds. “I also

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With a business that is growing every year, Robin could be content to keep things as they are. But she dreams of one day having a big warehouse with pods for each home style. For example, if staging a five-bedroom lakehouse, she could go to a pod with the appropriate furniture and accessories for that style of home.

She laughs as she confides, “I would love to have a television show about staging!”

Robin has been spreading the word about the benefits of staging properties, and she gives talks to local realtors. “I bring lots of visuals to real estate round tables. I have beforeand-after photos and some great stories to tell, such as the story of empty units at a development community. They called me to stage two units and after I did so, one of the units sold the next day!”

These days, along with being busy staging homes, Robin After is excited about a new real estate staging association in New Hampshire that has a mission to educate realtors and the pubmake realistic silk flowers for use in staging homes where the owners don’t lic on the advantages of staging. The group is titled Real Estate live in the house and there would be no one to keep real flowers watered.”

Staging Association (RESA - Greater Concord chapter) and it is affiliated with Robin can stage any space to bring it to its ultimate beauty; she recently the national RESA. staged a mobile home and she did a one-bedroom condo last year, as well as “It is nice to be able to share with other stagers because most of us work huge waterfront homes. No challenge is too big or small. alone. We can meet, share ideas and help to promote staging,” Robin exThe most challenging and unusual property Robin staged, she says, was plains. (She is the association’s VP of membership and marketing.) on Governor’s Island. “It was a unique place, and very large. I had to soften There are many reasons Robin Webster loves real estate, but perhaps the some of the features of the home.” biggest reason is to roll up her sleeves, meet the challenge of making any Some homes Robin stages have odd floor plans, but she sees this as a fun home, whether large or small, look its best in order to sell. She creates not challenge. “I can work with some funky designs to make the home attraconly gorgeously decorated rooms that bring buyers in the front door, but also tive,” she explains. new possibilities for real estate buyers and sellers. And that is the best reason When asked what her personal favorite architectural style might be, due of all to love what she does. to all the homes she has seen, Robin says she loves Adirondack.

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Photos: Pickering House, Wolfeboro, courtesy Patty Cooke

Wolfeboro’s Pickering House

Gets New Life

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eter and Patty Cooke knew they were on to something when their just-launched website, PickeringHouseWolfeboro.com, reached 3,000 views in just two short days this winter. What made the big yellow house next to Carpenter School in Wolfeboro so interesting to so many people?

The Pickering House has stood on Main Street since the early 19th century.

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Concern about the impending loss of a local icon is very common, says Maggie Stier of the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance. New Hampshire residents are surrounded by historic buildings and often take them for granted…until they are at risk or gone.

When Maggie heard the house was in foreclosure, she knew what its loss would mean to Wolfeboro, and that a pro-active strategy could make a difference. Last June, she met with town and state officials and local history buffs to find out if others were worried about losing the Pickering House and to offer assistance with state and federal resources that could help save it.

Maggie heads the NH Preservation Alliance’s “Seven to Save” project, and instinctively sensed the Pickering House had characteristics valued by the committee. She thought it might even be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Buildings that meet that honorary designation may also be eligible for certain preservation funding incentives. In October, the Pickering House was nominated and listed on New Hampshire’s “Seven to Save” for 2015.

The yellow house has strong architectural integrity though it has undergone changes over its 200-year history. The original federal-style exterior was enhanced with a broad porch and decorative fence, probably shortly after Pickering’s son-in-law, Charles Rollins, inherited the house around 1859.

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Inside, the homestead has been changed to accommodate five apartments. There are now 26 rooms, some of which retain aspects of their earlier historic detailing. Although sections of the ell were rebuilt after a fire in 2004, and the heating system and other mechanicals require updating, previous owners have been gentle with changes, sparing the building from major updates that could have decreased its architectural integrity and overall historic value.

Parker’s 1901 History of the Town of Wolfeborough New Hampshire, describes Daniel Pickering as a founder and long-time trustee of the Wolfeboro-Tuftonboro Academy, predecessor to the current Brewster Academy. He also owned numerous manufacturing, hospitality and retail businesses and was the town’s first postmaster. The yellow house and the two houses between it and Center Street (Route 28N), are said to be three of the most historic buildings in town. Together they act as a gateway to historic downtown Wolfeboro, although a gas station now stands where Pickering’s store once was.

The Cookes became aware that the Pickering House was available and, in a short three week period, became owners with a commitment to preserving one of the oldest and most important residential buildings in Wolfeboro, NH. Patty and Peter Cooke do not go into the project lightly. Patty is owner

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of Wentworth Style, a renovation and interior design firm with particular expertise in the rehabilitation of old homes. Peter is a commercial real estate project manager. They love old buildings, but realize that when approaching any project, they must balance romance with practicality.

First, with the help of Architectural Historian Mae Williams of Meredith, they will do research to determine the Pickering House’s full story and evolution. They will seek to corroborate accounts found in local documents and ferret out fresh information. They will inventory the house’s features, date its various aspects by construction details and assess its physical condition.

They will evaluate its “bones,” keeping in mind the building’s suitability for uses permitted by Wolfeboro zoning ordinances.

This part of the project will take time to be done right. As Maggie says, “Drive-by appearance is only part of the story in determining a building’s significance and making a plan for its preservation.” The Cookes will take all the time needed in this research and assessment phase, then use the gathered information to make their plans and determine the path ahead.

They will probably rehabilitate the Pickering House so it will look substantially the same as it does now, but suit it for more comfortable modern living. They will use old materials wherever possible. “Lumber is just not as good today,” as when the Pickering House was built, says Patty. “What I love about my business is that it is the balance of making smart decisions and keeping the integrity of design.” In the past, New England farmers included “some nice design elements” that she likes to keep to scale in every project while also making cost-effective decisions for real life living.

She bears in mind that she is creating homes for clients in 2016, and people live differently today than when the historic structure was first built.

Windows generally remain in the same location and in the same proportion, but they’re double-paned. Siding may need to be replaced, but she will never put vinyl on a Wentworth Style home. She also tries to keep at least three “wows” in every property—distinctive architectural elements, often reused or re-purposed from the original building. Patty is already eyeing the

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Pickering House’s front door for optimal impact.

Although Patty and Peter have bought an iconic property, many of us choose to own less prominent structures that bear the patina of time. Patty applauds the efforts of people who are taking a second look at old buildings instead of just knocking them down. It’s “nice to see people are making the effort,” she says.

Maggie notes there are resources that can make individual or town-wide preservation efforts easier. For instance, in March the people of Wolfeboro voted for the formation of a Heritage Commission.

According to the NH Division of Historical Resources, Heritage Commissions “give local government new abilities to recognize and protect historical and cultural resources” in their towns. Built on the model of the very successful NH conservation commissions, a Heritage Commission is tailored by the town to suit its needs, but it has no regulatory powers. It can advise and assist the town planning board, can accept and expend funds, and acquire and manage property on behalf of the town. It can assist with the preservation of town-owed historic properties, carry out educational initiatives, and help selectmen administer preservation tax incentives for historic barns or downtown structures.

Wolfeboro also voted to adopt RSA 79-E, the Downtown Revitalization Tax Credit, which gives some breathing space to people willing to take on projects like The Pickering House: it ensures that qualifying properties will not see increases in local property taxes for five years after the rehabilitation is completed. The credit can be extended if the structure is restored to National Park Service Standards or if it is used for housing after renovations are complete. Federal tax credits of 10 to 20 percent can also be given for the costs of rehabilitation of qualified income-producing structures.

Sometimes the formation of groups like the Heritage Commission or creation of tax credits raise red flags for property owners. In our “live free or die” state, they can be concerned that the “Preservation Police” will run roughshod over property owners’ rights. Nothing can be further from the

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truth, says Maggie. Initiatives like the Heritage Commission and tax credits are intended to support voluntary preservation, but they have no ability to prevent a property owner from doing what they want with their property.

“Every town has its own assets and challenges,” Maggie says, but “truly, preservation almost always brings with it substantial economic benefits.”

So how does a property owner approach historical rehabilitation pragmatically? Maggie suggests the first steps are to do what the Cookes are doing at the Pickering House: understand the property, plan and prioritize.

Research the history of your property. Find out when it was built; discover past owners and uses; and take stock of its architecture and design elements.

The county Registry of Deeds, a town’s Heritage Commission, historical societies, libraries and Internet searches can all yield results.

If your property is in a part of town that has other historical structures, share what you’ve learned with your neighbors and encourage them in learning more about their property. While private homes are not generally eligible for government or grant funding, preserving the heritage of a subcommunity can lead to enhanced visibility and higher resale value for all.

After doing your research about your property’s past, choose your vision for the property’s future. What features tell the story of your home’s history?

What elements do you really want to keep? What modern amenities are nonnegotiable? What extras would be nice to have and how can you add them without sacrificing a sense of history?

Finally, set a budget that includes margins for the inevitable surprises and start making choices. As Peter and Patty Cooke find out on every project, you can rarely include everything you want, but you can still produce a building you love.

Wolfeboro Selectmen are currently soliciting seven members and five alternates for the new Heritage Commission. Contact the Selectmen at 5698161. The NH Preservation Alliance website is nhpreservation.org. Follow progress of The Pickering House at PickeringHouseWolfeboro.com.

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ALTON Panoramic views of Lake Winnipesaukee highlight this beautiful Adirondack style lake home in Timber Ridge. Set on a very private 2+ acre lot with 156' of your own waterfront. Enjoy watching the Mount Washington as it cruises by! This beautiful home offers expansive views of the lake from every room. A Great Room with stone fireplace, radiant heat floors, knotty pine cathedral ceilings and built-in bookcases is a wonderful place to entertain. Beautiful Maple kitchen with island opens to the dining area. The 1st-floor master suite gives you direct access to the oversize deck. The second floor offers 2 spacious and bright bedrooms as well as a full bath.

The lower level adds more living space with a fireplace family room, full bath and two more bedrooms. Plenty of room for everyone plus a breakwater and deep water docking system for your boat. $1,395,000(4474787)

BARNSTEAD-A true lakeside cabin with 150’ of your own water front on Halfmoon Lake! Enjoy morning sunrises and lazy days on the screen porch overlooking the lake. Soak up the afternoon sun and watch the sun set from your private dock. Spend warm summer evenings around the camp fire by the waters edge.

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Generational Shift A Couple of Ba

By Barbara Neville Wilson Perhaps it’s because we both grew up in tract houses. Perhaps I read too many Victorian novels. Or maybe it’s just because we don’t believe in doing the same-old, same-old. We just don’t do housing the easy way.

Glenn asked me to marry him in 1986, and over the ensuing 30 years, we’ve lived in two houses. With a little luck—or maybe it’s “with the right buyer”—we’ll be in a third by year’s end.

We both love old houses and have always liked to leave as small an energy footprint as possible. I’d like to tell you it’s all for altruistic reasons, but it isn’t completely. It’s just silly to spend money on fuel if we can stay warm and spend less money other ways.

Our first home was a true fixer upper, a farmhouse with lots of character in Tuftonboro. We never had time to research the house’s history, but a later owner discovered part of it was built in the early 1800s and additions were put on around the turn of the 20th century. Victorian upgrades and later 1960s decor made it pretty eclectic when we moved in, but it was our first home and we loved it—despite 126 window panes that had to be replaced, a refrigerator sunk 12 inches into the floor, and rotten carrying beams in all the wrong places. (I won’t mention the lack of insulation, broken plumbing and ice dam-prone roof.)

Young newlyweds, we happily spent evenings and weekends tearing out plaster, scraping off tile, and discovering ancient plantings in the yard’s five acres. We liked gardening so much we decided to become organic farmers.

When we realized a baby was coming, we simply moved faster, determined to have running water in the kitchen and a full bathroom and laundry up before she arrived.

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aby Boomers Choose New Digs Most of our time, energy and money went into making the house warmer and tighter. We insulated walls, lined chimneys, replaced the 1950s-era boiler with a wood/oil furnace, and replaced old windows with insulated glass.

For fun, we went to auctions and bought up treasures. Why not? We had two floors to furnish and a carriage house, three-story barn, and two-story chicken coop to store excess. Besides, we were going to be there forever. We might need the stuff.

After the birth of Girl #2, things changed. We realized we could raise vegetables or raise girls, renovate a farmhouse or shape girls’ lives. We couldn’t do it all, so we put our house on the market and started planning our next move. Our neighborhood was home, though, so we simply bought land up the street to build our dream house.

We pored over plans. We went to home shows, scouting ways to make the home efficient. We spoke to craftsmen and read all we could. We wanted to build a new home and infuse it with an old-time feel. Research complete, my husband, Glenn, who teaches Technical Drawing & Architecture at Kingswood (high school), sketched our home, combining childhood dreams and room for extended family, and, of course, more stuff.

It’s been a wonderful house: three floors and a barn give plenty of room to stretch out—and collect. The European-style radiant heat fireplace warms the house with wood, often cut from our property, and keeps fuel bills low.

The tall thermal-paned windows let in plenty of light and help warm us as the sun circles the house through the day.

The 17 acres have been launching pads for numerous children’s adventures, and we love the muted summer sounds that come from the boys’ camp through the woods. The five-bay garage has plenty of storage.

BUT. Our last daughter is in college, and Glenn and I tend to enjoy daily life within the confines of kitchen and family room, bedroom and bath. The other 3,000 square feet just get dusty.

So, in October 2014, we found and bought a little cottage. In the timehonored tradition, it’s in the neighborhood.

It was built in 1950 and needed work, but it was tiny, 480 square feet and a loft, so how much work could it need? We’d have it done by summer.

A year-and-a-half later, we’ve framed in a second story master suite and made the house more energy-efficient. We put in new windows, a new kitchen, new wiring, new bath, new plumbing, new roof, new stairs and, because the original structure was so out of square, all new walls. The only original sign of the old cottage is the patchwork patina on the floor.

A friend who knew our first house suggests we’ve entered our second honeymoon phase: same challenges, different location.

We received our Certificate of Occupancy last week, and if all goes well, we’ll sell our house and move in by the end of the year. We’re looking at multi-use furniture, and suddenly we’re thinking a Murphy bed is not just for gags in a Hollywood movie.

However, we face a new challenge: We collected a lot of stuff when we lived in the farmhouse, and collected daughters and more stuff while living in House #2. We can’t stuff 3,400 square feet of stuff into a 720 square foot house, can we? We have to pare down. We have to pare down. We have to pare down…

Let’s build a barn.

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a The Art of a

by Barbara Neville Wilson

Grilling The Barbecue Lifestyle

There was a time when a cookout was a casual affair. Hotdogs roasted on the end of a hastily cut stick, or foil-wrapped potatoes stuck in the coals of a campfire.

In 2016, however, “cookout” is hardly in our vocabulary. Instead, we grill.

Grilling has become increasingly popular since the turn-of-the-century.

Tom Bryant of Meredith’s Landscaping by Tom correlates our interest in increasingly functional grilling spaces to the decline in comfort with international travel. “With all the turmoil going on in the world, people aren’t traveling. They’re enjoying staying at home with friends and family” and so they put resources into the “outdoor living marketed everywhere.”

For quite a few years, you’ve probably noticed that standard black charcoal or gas grills are being replaced by sleek models clad in stainless steel, or more recently with pops of color. Portable mobile cookers become rare

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as stand-alone gas grills are fixed into backyard landscapes. Weatherproof cabinets and comfortable seating areas replace picnic tables and folding chairs. Ambient lighting builds a mood. Fireplaces warm the area and fire pits often perform more than one function. Some include a broad lip so food and drink can be served. Others even sport a full cover to make an unused fire pit a full-sized table.

According to the national Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association (HPBA), 2016 trends heat outdoor cooking to new temperatures: The top trend is the installation of smart technology in outdoor appliances. With the help of special apps, owners can control the temperature of grills and fireplaces, or monitor propane usage from their mobile device. Families no longer have to endure half-cooked burgers while someone makes an emergency run for more gas.

Accessories continue to make the cookout experience gourmet. HPBA points to the introduction of new pizza stones, fish broiling baskets, rotisseries and woks specially designed for grill use.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandated new, more stringent emissions standards in 2015, and the barbecue industry has responded. The market will see biomass products that meet or exceed the standard, making the products burn more efficiently and cleaner.

According to last year’s 26th Annual Weber Grill Watch Survey, 68 percent of Americans own a grill. HPBA says of those, 10 percent have full outdoor kitchens, usually featuring premium grills, furniture, lighting and an outdoor fireplace and/or fire pit. This year, HPBA predicts upgrades will include cabinetry, refrigerators, dishwashers, built-in sinks, bottle rails, cocktail bars, seating options, food preparation areas, surround sound systems and televisions.

Becoming more common, too, are massive linear fireplaces with highheat tolerant glass doors. Sometimes up to 12 feet wide, they fit sleekly into

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their chimney, sometimes as an addition to an exterior wall, sometimes as a stand-alone monument. Fuel is fired by wood, propane or electricity with a realistic flame.

Today, the patio truly brings the indoors out, but how do we begin the process? The foundation to everything, says Tom Bryant, is a good plan created in stone: concrete pavers, bluestone, natural stone or brick. On a piece of paper, list all the things you want to do on the patio: grill, relax, entertain, sunbathe…they’ll all need a place and a traffic pattern that encourages easy flow from one section to another and into and out of the house.

Then start sketching: many people like a fire pit as the center of their design. What shape should it be? There are many kit designs if you will do it yourself, many circular and others square. You can also customize for the look you want. Will you be entertaining or relaxing around it? You may want to consider including some of the new overstuffed weatherproof chairs. Do you want to cook in the pit? Consider adding a tilt-back cooking grate like the one offered by New Hampshire’s own Swenson Granite Works. Will you be eating and drinking at the fire pit? Most of us do. You can add a significant edge so plates and glasses are safe.

Many patio perimeters include sitting walls with plantings to soften the edges. Want to incorporate a trendy wood-fired oven? Remember it will need a substantial frame to support its weight. Be sure to sketch in your thoughts on lighting, too.

Depending on your experience, the size of the project, and your budget, now is the time to call in professionals. Before meeting with anyone, check reputations through friends and neighbors, the Better Business Bureau, and online reputation sites like Yelp, Houzz and Angie’s List. A patio that goes beyond the basics of a floor of pavers can cost thousands of dollars. You have every reason to vet your contractor before you get into a relationship.

You want your professional to listen to you. This is one of Tom’s favorite steps: he and landscape designer Martha meet with clients and listen to their dreams. Each project is ultra-custom. “Nothing is cookie cutter,” Tom says.

After listening, and “playing it back to them,” for accuracy, Tom and Mar-

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tha return to the office and put together what Tom calls a menu. It describes and prices each feature of the project a la carte. That way, the clients can sit down and prioritize what they want accomplished. In some cases, clients will divide a project over a few years so they will eventually have exactly what they want without breaking the bank in the process.

In New Hampshire, the season for landscaping is short, made even shorter by the fact that most property owners want to be outdoors as much as possible during the beautiful but short warm months. In order to accommodate clients’ schedules, Tom often will collaborate with other trusted professionals in the landscaping community, combining crews to complete projects in short time frames.

The point, he says, is to complete a project to the client’s specifications and on their timetable.

It won’t be long before staying indoors just seems “so February.” Start planning now for this year’s outdoor grilling space. Remember, it’s not just for cookouts anymore.

$1,895,000. Moultonboro Sprawling Winnipesaukee home that has privacy, views and located in Blackey Cove.

Tastefully & recently updated with custom details; beadboard & tray ceilings, window seats, built-in breakfast nook, Hardwood floors throughout the main level, chef’s kitchen with extensive cherry cabinets, granite Island, custom tile & lighting. 4 bedroom suites, family room with fireplace and a fabulous screened porch, deck, private yard with stone walkway, patio & U-shaped dock.

$1,249,000. Moultonboro New Listing on Winnipesaukee with all you could desire for casual lakeside living.

Custom built contemporary with 3 finished levels, open concept main level with stone fireplace, Hardwood & tile floors, kitchen with island, screened porch and 40’ deck. Master suite with loft, 1st floor bedroom, 2 guest rooms and family room in lower level. Waterfront features a raised stone patio with fire pit, sandy beach, docking system & a wood fired cedar sauna for ultimate relaxation.

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Custom-built sprawling 9 room contemporary home on 32.2 acres with 268’ of water frontage on tranquil Hills Pond. There is a seasonal dock and your own private island just off shore! If you want privacy, an excellent place to hike, have horses or gardens, canoe, water-ski all in a beautiful home with so much potential for expansion, this is it! Surrounded by fields, fruit trees, stonewalls & trails. 4-car garage, 3-season porch, generator, Tulikivi soapstone cookstove, sauna & exercise room.

CROMWELL POINT on Squam Lake for carefree living in a most desirable location. This custom built “Acorn” home has 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, lovely brick fireplaces in living room and lower level, hardwood floors and trim, cathedral ceilings, screened porch and deck with seasonal water views. Amenities; private sandy beach, boat slip, tennis court and canoe racks. Abutting 20 acres is conservation land in Cromwell Pt. offering almost complete privacy on all sides.

Elegant home on a quiet cul-de-sac on 2.32 manicured acres. Dramatic foyer entry with custom windows, cathedral ceilings, gas fireplace in LR, gourmet kitchen, breakfast nook, formal dining room and 1st-floor luxury master suite with tiled bath. Lavish custom details include wrought iron railings, tray ceilings, crown molding, cherry and tile floors, granite counters and island. 3 guest rooms, loft, pantry, laundry room and partially finished lower level with sliders to the private back yard with irrigation & perennial gardens.

Ellen Mulligan, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 32 Whittier Highway, Center Harbor, NH 03226 Office: 603-253-4345- ext. 124 | Cell: 603-387-0369 email: ellemulligan@metocast.net

www.ellenmulligan.com home • Spring 2016 • 43

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Spring Tips to Attract Beautiful Birds to Your Yard When hosting neighbors and friends for spring gatherings, your thoughts may dwell on accommodating guests. But how often do you consider your animal visitors?

“During spring, flocks of birds migrate and are looking for places to refuel and rest,” says Spencer Schock, of WindowAlert, makers of bird-products for homes. “A few small tweaks to your yard are like placing out a welcome mat.”

Unfortunately, migration is not without peril or hardship, but turning your home into a refuge for birds can be fun and add beauty to your yard. These tips will help to keep feathered travelers safe during their migratory journey: • Protect flight: millions of birds die annually by striking glass, making windows a hazard to birds in flight. Try applying special decals that reflect ultraviolet sunlight to your home’s windows, particularly those windows that are highly reflective of open sky.

The decals won’t affect your view because they’re virtually invisible to humans, but will help keep birds safe. For example, some have patterns that give the appearance of slightly frosted translucent glass, but glow like a stoplight for birds.

A 2015 American Bird Conservancy Study found that decals applied to a piece of glass covering the departure point of a flight tunnel, caused most birds to avoid the window (a net protected all the birds in the study from actually getting hurt, no matter where they chose to fly).

• Bed and Breakfast: Birdfeeders come in all shapes, sizes and styles, and simply adding one to your yard can help beautify it and give birds the energy needed to continue their flight.

However, remember that bird strikes are often a problem near bird feeders, as feeding birds are easily frightened and are apt to take wild, evasive flight; position feeders closer than three feet or further than 30 feet from windows. If your feeder is close to the window, birds fly away from the house.

Believe it or not, the safest type of feeder is the kind that attaches to the window itself.

You can also make your home’s outdoor spaces more bird-friendly filling your garden with the right plants and flowers for pollinating bird species.

• Watch and record: Grab a pair of binoculars and a field guide book and take note of the types of birds you see and when. This will help you become better prepared for next season. In addition, consider becoming a “citizen scientist” by submitting your observations to The Audubon Society and Cornell University’s database at ebird.org.

By making a few simple modifications to your yard and home, you can assist birds on their long journey. (courtesy State Point)

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What to Know Before Renovating or Building a Home

performance.

Are you building a home or making upFor a coordinated look, consider a suite grades? One of the most important factors of products that work together. You get a to consider is the material used. While “alltoilet, tub and sink, all in the same style. natural” may be appealing, in construction, Switching to an easy-access toilet can be man-made products often provide more another smart move. Options in the bathoptions and value. room like grab bars, walk-in tubs and pedSeek out materials offering durability, estal sinks, all provide enhanced safety and energy-efficiency and resistance to threats comfort. like fire and extreme weather. Many highGorgeous Windows quality products are domestic, so you can Over time, windows can look old and support U.S. manufacturing while making become difficult to operate. Make wise key choices. replacement choices that add beauty and Boost home beauty, strength and effiPolymer slate and shake roofing tiles add beauty and privacy to key areas of your home without ciency with these projects: durability to a home. compromising light entry. Whether it’s an Solid Foundation acrylic block window over a bathtub or a set of decorative glass windows Start a new home with a solid pre-cast concrete foundation. Some are in the kitchen, privacy windows are a great accent for any room. Operable customized for individual homes and installed quickly; far faster than alterawning, casement, slide and single hung units can easily be opened to ennatives like poured concrete. courage airflow.

Rigid foam insulation in concrete panels wards off heat loss and creates The Roof a barrier against sidewall water penetration. These features make the baseYour roof is your protective layer, between the elements and you. Ideally ment damp free and a comfortable area for extended living space in the it should be impact- and fire-resistant, as well as beautiful. Natural slate and home. shake roofing materials evoke traditional charm; however they tend to dePlucky Plumbing grade over time. Look for the manmade alternative.

Perhaps your toilet rattles and leaks; maybe your tub and sink look dingy Polymer slate and shake roofing tiles capture the authentic look of natural no matter how much you clean them. If it’s time to replace bathroom elematerials but are more resistant to chipping, flaking and splintering. ments, use newer materials offering water efficiency, style and safety benefits.

To be a savvy homeowner, don’t leave it to chance. Select durable, highLook for a toilet marked with the WaterSense label, which indicates it’s quality man-made products. (courtesy State Point) been certified to be at least 20 percent more efficient without sacrificing

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Pet Owners: Tips to Keep Floors in Tip Top Shape

W

hether you share your home with dogs, cats, birds, turtles or anything in between, you are probably aware of the challenges of protecting and cleaning your floors.

To make this chore as easy for you as it is for your non-pet parent peers, consider the following tips: Pets in Boots Outfitting pets with boots before going outside will protect their paws from pollutants, hot and cold surfaces and potentially sharp items on the ground. It will also keep their feet and your floors cleaner. There are many brands and styles available, so shop around for a design that your pets will enjoy wearing.

Post-Walk Clean Up After walks or other trips outdoors, check your pet’s fur and feet. Keep a cloth by the door for a quick cleanup before animals settle in and get cozy on carpets. This will make maintaining floors easier as you go.

Prevent Accidents Prevent pooch accidents by getting your dog on a regular walking schedule. The knowledge that the next trip outdoors is on the horizon will make pets less likely to use the living room carpet as a toilet. If need be, you may want to consider employing a day-time dog walker to make outdoor trips a more regular occurrence. If you have litter box issues, keep the box clean to encourage dedicated use.

Regular visits to the veterinarian can help ensure there are no health issues at play.

Choose Flooring Wisely Until now, even the best prevention of stains and accidents has offered no guarantees. And shedding of fur, feathers and dander is hard to avoid. However, innovations in flooring are making it easier on those who love their pets but are not interested in forfeiting a clean, stain-free and odor-free home.

Give yourself an advantage with a pet proof carpet, which is designed to

resist the challenges pets present. Compared to nylon carpet, which absorbs up to five percent of its weight in liquid, this alternative has zero percent moisture absorption to resist stains and eliminate any residue that can be left in the fiber, which can lead to a musty, dingy odor. (These features will also benefit those with kids.) It also offers a permanent spill and soil shield that makes cleanup of hair, soil and dander three times easier than with conventional carpeting. (courtesy State Point)

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home • Spring 2016 • 49

Empty Nesting Life is an interesting circle. What was once important fades into distinct unimportance as the years and circumstances change.

Those were the thoughts filtering through my head one morning as I enjoyed a first cup of coffee and reviewed my schedule for the day. At the top of the list were the freelance stories I needed to finish.

I projected ahead and imagined myself hobbling down the stairs to my office on the lower level of my home. I shuddered a bit, knowing it would be a chore to maneuver the stairs with file folders and coffee cup in hand, especially now that I am coping with a knee injury. But I have worked in my little office for years and endured the ups and downs of a basement-level set up.

We put an addition on our home about 10 years ago and it gave us added space to move our kids’ bedrooms from the lower level of our home to the main floor. (Everyone in my family, at times, has cursed the 1970s architecture of our house, with the biggest portion of the home on the upper level and the “living room” and extra rooms on the first – or ground floor – level).

Our son and daughter loved their new bedrooms with lots of closet space, bright walls and nice views. Over time, they grew up, went to college and

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(or what to do with this big house now that the kids are grown)

are now in the working world – one in Florida and the other in Massachusetts. Although they come home as often as possible, their bedrooms are two waiting-to-be-occupied rooms we keep closed off during the winter to save on fuel costs.

I have eyed my son’s upper level bedroom many times (I targeted his bedroom because he lives far away and gets home only a few times a year) as a possible alternative to my basement office. I could envision the bedroom converted into a wonderful first-floor office with a big desk, room to spread out…and a lot more natural light than my current workspace.

For the last year, I have at first gently, and then rather forcefully, told my son of the plan.

“You need to start paring down your stuff,” I warned him a year ago at the Christmas holiday. I stood in his bedroom door, surveying the bookshelves full of little boy to high school books, the elementary and middle school baseball trophies, the Scrabble, Monopoly and other board games and all the items of a child’s growing-up years.

Then there were the big black bookshelves he made for a college project.

They too were packed with CDs, birthday cards, letters, graduation memorabilia and much, much more. I was almost afraid to glance into the closet because I knew it held more than clothing. Oh yes, I saw when I took a look,

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home • Spring 2016 • 51

there were old strobe lights and cool teen Halloween costumes and boxes full of stuff.

Was it worth it, I asked myself as I saw the work that would be required to clean out his room? My son promised to at least start to tackle it, but I could tell his heart wasn’t in the project. In fairness, he did roll up his sleeves and make some heroic efforts to declutter, but I knew the lion’s share of the project would fall to me and I have never been comfortable going through and deciding the ultimate fate of someone else’s possessions.

I’ve been chipping away at the clean out, but I know it will be difficult to turn the room into an office that will serve as a bedroom now and then when my son comes home.

“And what,” a little taunting voice in my head sometimes asks, “will you do if he needs to come home to live for a while?” I would want him to feel welcome and he couldn’t share his bedroom with an office space, I tell myself. “At that point, it’s back to the basement I would go to revive my office,” I say with a sigh.

Maybe I should just leave well enough alone, although my son is successful and will not likely be living at home again.

I have scanned home design magazines, looking for décor that serves as both a bedroom and an office. I must say there isn’t anything that would really work for the room and I just don’t have the go-get-’em attitude to become an instant interior decorator in order to revamp the bedroom.

So at this point, things are still up in the air when it comes to moving my son’s memorabilia and never used stuff out and my desk and files and work things into the room.

However, we try to do one major project in our home each year, and redoing the flooring on the main level was at the top of the list this year. We had company coming for Christmas and I couldn’t stand the idea of another season with the faded, old carpet in the dining room and the peeling tiles in the kitchen, not to mention the indoor/outdoor industrial carpeting from the distant past that still clung to the hall floor.

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Because we are not home improvement experts, we must rely on others to do the work and it has led to some interesting issues over the years. All were solved, but we have learned a lot along the way. It has made us cautious about change, however.

The flooring that needed to be replaced spanned a large room – an open kitchen and dining room and a long hallway. Would it be smart to do tile in the kitchen and another kind of flooring in the dining room and the hallway?

One thing I knew was, due to the spills and stains of years on the current carpet, it was time for something easier to clean in high-traffic areas.

We started to ask others with laminate flooring if they were happy with the choice. Most said yes, they loved their laminate flooring, although one of my friends has real hardwood floors and urged me to go that route. However, when I looked into it, I realized the price point for hardwood was more than we could swing.

We shopped at local stores to see what type of laminate would be available. The choices were dizzying to say the least. In some of the stores, the laminate samples were divided by price (and most likely by durability). The old adage of getting what you pay for probably was true when it came to laminate, we assumed.

Gazing at the choices, we could easily eliminate the really inexpensive laminates. Our floors get a lot of wear and tear and we didn’t want something that might not withstand the traffic and spills associated with everyday living.

The middle range choices looked pretty good and would likely suit us quite well. The upper range laminate was gorgeous – in trendy silver-gray hues to natural wood-like flooring, any of the choices would look wonderful on our floors.

After gazing longingly at the high-end laminate, we shuffled to the middle 琀栀攀 䰀愀欀攀猀 刀攀最椀漀渀猀

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bedroom” area should I turn the room into a home office.

It was the place where he grew up on the road to becoming the successful young man he is today. “It’s just material possessions,” I tell myself as I look at the things in his room, but I know better. The books, the posters and CDs and the now out-of-date clothing are remnants of his childhood, especially important to me because he now lives so far away.

Life is indeed a circle, I have come to see with each passing year we live in our home. Some things, like old carpeting, are easy to get rid of in place of something new and fresh and attractive.

Other things, however, aren’t so easily shrugged off, like memories associ-is reme Quality ated with the material possessions my son collected over the years. long after price is Eventually I will be ready to either store all his stuff or, with his permisCenter sion, give some of it away. Occasionally, I clean out a bureau drawerHarbor or a shelf, when the mood strikes.

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range priced flooring display and saw there were more than enough choices to suit our tastes. We took home samples of various styles and tried to imagine what would work best.

“Nothing too dark,” I warned my husband. “After all, our house isn’t filled with natural light and dark flooring will only make it look dimmer inside.”

We really hadn’t a clue what we were doing when it came to choosing laminate and we both knew it. In the end, it came down to a choice we could afford that would look good and be durable. And it had to be something we could live with for years and not get sick of easily.

A flooring carpenter did the installation. My daughter, who lives a few hours away, was eager to know how the flooring looked and asked me to send her cell phone photos. She is very particular about such things as flooring and a home’s décor, so I expected her to dislike our choice but she called immediately to say what a positive difference the new laminate flooring had made.

Every day, we congratulate ourselves on the choice of laminate flooring.

It looks like wood and is certainly easy to care for and it didn’t break the bank, and I am learning the correct cleaner to use to keep it in good condition. (Normal soapy hot water isn’t the best treatment for cleaning laminate floors.)

As for a new and easy-to-access office, it is still just a distant plan. Will I buckle down and clean out my son’s bedroom and turn it into the spacious office of my dreams? I honestly don’t know. I can become frustrated that he has not cleaned out the room when he is home, but I suspect the real procrastinator is me.

It might come down to the simple fact that a bit of me is clinging to the last piece of my son’s childhood, not yet ready to relegate him to a “guest

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ATTENTION

Fellow Business Owners!

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Lakefront property continues to be the number-one performer on a cost per square foot basis, beating out any other type of real estate by wide margins in our region.

For nearly 35 years, The Laker has become the go-to guide for this unique second-home audience and locals alike. As a small business owner, you cannot afford to ignore this important segment of our community. Where else can you find a two-bedroom home that sleeps twelve?

Did you know there are an estimated 56,000+ second and vacation homes in the Lakes Region?

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