Photo by Muffy Aldrich
The Modern Guide to The Thing Before Preppy

Showing posts with label House. Show all posts
Showing posts with label House. Show all posts

Monday, December 4, 2023

Christmas Decorations (r)

The essence is restraint.

Classic New England preppy Christmas decorations have two flavors.

The first is very simple and elegant, erring on solemn.  One wreath on the front door, with just a red bow.  A few white candle lights in the lower windows, and perhaps the same on the second story.   A tree with lights and ornaments.  

The second is a variation of the first, but with a bit of wit or whimsy.  In my house growing up, all of the stuffed owls and water fowl (given to us by a Yale taxidermist) and decoys (carved by my grandfather) got little Christmas hats.  

The essence is restraint.  Basically, decorations are done right when they are easy to miss.   

Dressing one's house, or heaven forbid one's pets, in such a way that competes with the local shopping mall is as unthinkable as smothering oneself in perfume or cologne and then stepping into a crowded elevator. 

A bit of wit.  A bit of ingenuity. 

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

The Daily Prep

Photo by Salt Water New England
Way back when, a friend suggested that I post a picture of what I was wearing each day, and call it the The Daily Prep.  

Shown:


 

Saturday, October 7, 2023

Who and what makes a good towel?

My Eclectic Approach to Towels - Photo by Salt Water New England 
I receive a steady stream of questions from the community about towels (personal, guest, and beach).

In a nutshell:

  • Where do you buy towels today?
  • What do you look for in a towel?
  • Do you buy towels that last or towels that are easy to replace?
 

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

In My Closet: Sweater Edition

Photos by Salt Water New England

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Should Your House Have a Name?

The Ledges - Photo by Salt Water New England

Over the years, I have received questions about naming houses, including one just a few days ago.  The basic questions for the community include:

  • Does your year-round house have a name?  How about your summer house?
  • If one is building or buying a house, what goes into selecting a name?
  • Is it generally a good idea to name a house?


Thursday, July 13, 2023

Hollyhocks

Yesterday, Visiting Friends.  Photos by Salt Water New England


 

Monday, June 12, 2023

Remembrances of Schools Past

Photos by Salt Water New England 
A question for the community:  

What furniture, dishes, clothes, or accessories do you have around your home or office with your day school, prep school, college, or grad school name on it?

 

Sunday, June 11, 2023

The Porch Today

Photo by Salt Water New England
Both my Swedish grandmother and my English grandmother represented on the porch today.

Saturday, June 3, 2023

"If you don't like the weather in New England..."

A Hot Yesterday...  (Photos by Salt Water New England)
"Yes, one of the brightest gems in the New England weather is the dazzling uncertainty of it." -  Mark Twain 

Shown:

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Spectacular Weather For the Start of the Holiday Weekend...

Photo by Salt Water New England
The smell of the beach roses, the cries of ospreys, gate guards posted, life guards on duty, outdoor gatherings, and dogs everywhere.   It was a spectacular start to the holiday weekend.
 

Thursday, May 18, 2023

Bathing Suits?

Photo by Salt Water New England

A reader question:
I hate hate hate bathing suits.  Ugh.  Someone wrote "the near-death experience of trying on bathing suits" and yes!  That is me.  Where do people go to get bathing suits for people older than 25?  Help!  Also, where to find the best ones for men.  An easier category but still not an obvious source.

Saturday, April 15, 2023

Some Old Durham Structures

Photos by Salt Water New England


Built 1847 - 1849
 

Monday, March 27, 2023

Garden Tools

Photos by Salt Water New England
When asked about essential garden tools and the best places to get them, readers have suggested the following:
I may be frugal in a lot of ways, but I have learned that you have to invest in a good pair of loppers and shears. (Bob NOLA)
Felco pruning shears (they even have a left-handed version!). I bought mine at Amazon but that's because I live in rural NC and nobody around had them. I get my heirloom seeds a good hardware or garden store (there are 2 in the town where I work). I still have some garden tools from my husband's grandfather (including a lovely hoe, which I admit I use more to poke a bonfire than I use in my raised bed vegetable gardens). Ergonomic trowel (from a box store) probably one of my favorites but sadly it doesn't last very long. If I could find the new design in high quality construction, I'd be thrilled! (Hoya)
A good pair of gloves with a nice gauntlet is helpful. Saves arm and hand scratches. good pruning shears are a must. (mary anne)
My favorite tools are my Felco 2 pruners, a Smith Hawken telescoping ratchet lopper, and a circle hoe.  (Joyce North)
I ran a small field-grown, perennial nursery from our home. My customers were always asking for recommendations of tools and such. My list is surprisingly small and affordable.
  • Felco Bypass Pruners
  • Felco Bypass Loppers
  • Small “nippers” for delicate trimming.
  • Kitchen string
  • Auger attachment for cordless drill which is perfect for mass planting of bulbs.
  • Deluxe soil knife w/serrated edge, replaces my late father’s hunting knives. Can be found at: GardenersEdge.com
  • Atlas Gloves, the best overall gloves out there. They are machine washable and inexpensive.
  • Heavy duty, leather work gloves for all seasons and available in women’s sizes. Can be found at: WomansWork.com
  • Muck shoes, high & low
  • Hoe, edger, and pointed shovel, inherited.
  • Hula Hoe, perfect to maintain inside edging.
  • Spear & Jackson Spade from England. This was my splurge, and well worth it.
  • Good, sturdy wheelbarrow    (Laurie Ann)  

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Scottish Tartan Throws

Some of Muffy Aldrich's Scottish Tartan Throws

This is the time of year when I start taking out the Scottish tartan throws for many of our chairs and beds.   Typically made of British wool, they have all of its fabulous properties.  They are fire resistant, breathable, anti-microbial, warm, lightweight, hearty, and repairable.

And while knockoffs abound, there is almost no reason not to get authentic versions.  For a surprisingly reasonable amount, one can get throws and blankets that have have gone through every state (design, dyeing, blending, carding, spinning, weaving, and finishing) in various historic Scottish mills. These are products with soul.  

Because they are so useful in so many places (many keep a few in the back of the car), they make perfect gifts, as long as you resist the urge to keep them for yourself.  

Photo credit: Muffy Aldrich

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

New England Preppy Towns

Photos by Salt Water New England

From a reader:
Hi Muffy,

Can you please re-post your list of classic New England towns from a few years ago, as well as the selection criteria used?

Thank you!

New England Preppy Towns

In the past, this community has generated this list.  How would you change it?

Connecticut
  • Darien
  • Guilford
  • Guilford -Sachem's Head
  • Easton
  • Essex
  • Fairfield - Greenfield Hill
  • Fairfield - Mill River
  • Farmington
  • Fenwick
  • Green's Farms
  • Kent
  • Lakeville 
  • Lyme
  • Madison
  • Mystic - Mason's Island
  • New Canaan
  • Nonquitt 
  • Old Greenwich
  • Old Lyme
  • Redding
  • Rowayton
  • Roxbury
  • Salisbury
  • Sharon
  • Southport
  • Stonington Borough
  • Suffield Village
  • Washington
  • West Cornwall
  • Weston
  • Wilton
  • Woodbury
Maine
  • Camden
  • Cape Elizabeth
  • Castine
  • Christmas Cove
  • Kennebunk 
  • Kennebunkport
  • Kittery
  • Northeast Harbor
  • Prouts Neck
  • Rockport 
  • Seal Cove
  • Yarmouth
  • York Harbor 
Massachusetts
  • Andover
  • Beverly Farms
  • Chatham
  • Chestnut Hill
  • Cohasset
  • Concord  
  • Cuttyhunk Island
  • Deerfield
  • Dover
  • Duxbury 
  • Dunstable
  • Edgartown 
  • Groton 
  • Hamilton
  • Hingham
  • Manchester/ Manchester-By-The-Sea.
  • Marblehead
  • Marion
  • Nantucket
  • Newburyport
  • Orleans
  • Rockport 
  • Salem/ McIntire District
  • South Dartmouth/ Padanaram
  • South Hadley 
  • Wellesley
  • Wellfleet
  • Wenham 
  • Westport/ Old Hill 
  • Weston
  • Wianno/Osterville
  • Woods Hole
New Hampshire
  • Center Harbor
  • Exeter
  • Francestown
  • Gilmanton
  • Hancock 
  • Hanover
  • Hopkinton
  • New London
  • Portsmouth 
  • Rye 
  • Wolfeboro
Rhode Island
  • Barrington
  • Bristol
  • Jamestown 
  • Little Compton
  • Narragansett
  • Watch Hill
  • Wickford 
Vermont (Some may say none, but others would include...)
  • Brattleboro
  • Burlington
  • Charlotte
  • Grafton
  • Manchester 
  • Middlebury
  • Newfane
  • Norwich
  • Putney
  • Shelburne
  • Stowe
  • Waitsfield
  • Woodstock 

Criteria

What are the attributes that make for a preppy town?

My list of criteria, in no particular order, include:
  • Architecture and historic preservation; 
  • Town green;
  • Level of civic participation (for both local businesses as well as charitable organizations); 
  • Private clubs; 
  • Private schools; 
  • Safety; 
  • European motor specialists;
  • The percentage of land devoted to walking trails and preserved open space compared to playing fields;
  • Congregational churches;
  • Commuter train service;
  • More station wagons than SUVs;
  • More organic farms than high end restaurants;
  • The percentage of houses that never go up for sale;
  • The percentage of people whom you wouldn't know if they were very well off or living in genteel poverty; 
  • The percentage of locally owned shops versus chains; (and the absence of Black Dog stores);
  • Quality of harbors and/or miles of coastline;
  • The number of dogs being walked; 
  • Egalitarian spirit;
  • Services for seniors;
  • Percentage of people wearing some variation of The Uniform;
  • Availability of parking spaces downtown;
  • A productive hum, neither inert on one hand nor overheated and competitive on the other.
What other attributes would you include?

>

 

Friday, June 10, 2022

The Adirondack Chair

A Pair of Adirondacks Chairs
Adirondacks Chairs are a style of sturdy outdoor seating defined by slats, wide armrests perfect for books and drinks, a high back, and a slanted seat.  While their provenance is inland (in the early 1900s, Thomas Lee invented them in the Adirondack town of Westport, New York, on the shores of Lake Champlain) they have become a staple (or invasive species) of the coastal aesthetic. 

Ideally made of teak, they can be made of other types of wood, and increasingly rot-proof resin.  

Their reputation for comfort may be slightly oversold, given how low and hard they are and the angles involved.  Variants, including rockers and swings, provide some compromises.  

Photo Credit:  Muffy Aldrich
 

Saturday, April 30, 2022

The Weather Vane

Photos by Salt Water New England

Weather vanes provide the perfect venue for expressions of passions, appreciation of craftsmanship, and even wit.  In a culture that values the architecture of streets and entire villages to support a greater collective vision, weather vanes allow for individuality.   

In terms of The Uniform, weather vanes may be the equivalent of the motif belt or, for some people, socks.  

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Dark Green Windows, White Trim, White Clapboards, and Wood Shingles

Photo by Salt Water New England
There is a uniform for classic New England summer houses.  These houses are non-winterized. They combine dark green paint, (on windows or shutters), wood shingles and white trim.  And sometimes they have wings (or other attached structures) in white clapboards. Lilacs are almost mandatory.

These structures go by the same name as, but give a completely different feel than, the ever more common and newer year-round, large and vaguely-contemporary looking second houses, replete with central air-conditioning, black windows, and modern cable deck railing. 

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

White Clapboard Houses and Old Yards…

Photo by Salt Water New England