The living-room, which is spacious and comfortable, is at the right just before you enter the den. The woodwork has been painted white, following the Colonial idea, while old-fashioned, diamond-paned windows have been substituted for the original ones. Here, as throughout all the house, one comes unexpectedly upon groups of shelves filled with books. There are built-in cupboards that provide places for the wonderful collection of books, many of which are rare editions, owned by the present occupants. Like every room in the house, this shows several tables of unusually fine design, a handsome side-wing chair, and a few other choice pieces. The great open fireplace with its Colonial accessories lends much to the hominess of this room.
At the left of the hallway is the large and spacious dining-room, which is in reality three rooms opened into one, the partitions showing in the beamed ceilings. The walls are finished in green textile and are left unornamented with the exception of one or two choice pictures. There was a method in the construction of this room which was planned for unbroken spaces to bring out to advantage the lines of the beautiful old sideboard. Then, too, the space shows off the lines of the rush-bottomed chairs that are used for dining-chairs. The mantel, framed in white wood, is hung with rare porringers, ranging from large to baby size. There is a restful atmosphere about this room, that, combined with its perfect setting, is most refreshing. At the farther end of the room, French doors open upon the sun parlor which is used during the summer months for a breakfast-room. This overlooks the garden.
The bedrooms up-stairs are large and airy, each one of them being carefully furnished with Colonial pieces which include four-posters, high and lowboys as well as quaint, old-time chests of drawers that can do service as bureaus, or as storage space for extra blankets, hangings, or rugs.
The floors throughout the entire house are of hard wood, many of them being the original ones that were laid when the house was built. Rare old Chippendale, Sheraton, and Hepplewhite chairs are used in the furnishings, while hand-woven rugs cover the floors. The windows are screened by chintz hangings of bright colors and gay designs, and the whole house presents a sunny, restful atmosphere.
At the rear of the house an ell has been added where the new kitchen with all modern conveniences, pantries, servants' dining and sitting rooms are found. Thus while the exterior features of the old house have been carefully preserved, the addition of the ell gives comfort and convenience to the new building.
Shrubbery has been planted around the house, and a veranda thrown out; window-boxes filled with brilliantly blossoming plants add a bit of color to the remodeled farmhouse which is painted red with white trim. Velvety lawns have replaced the old-time farming lands, and the planting of trees has done much to add to the picturesqueness of this estate. The grounds themselves are extensive, covering forty-five acres, and the natural beauties are unusually varied. Broad stretches of fields and hills intersected with trees make a most appropriate setting for the old Adams homestead.
CHAPTER XII
THE CHARLES MARTIN LOEFFLER HOUSE
It was a staircase that was responsible for the remodeling of one house which had no other unusual feature. It was designed by a village carpenter whose object was four walls and a shelter rather than architectural beauty. The structure was so simple and unobtrusive that it did not arouse any enthusiasm in the heart of the architect who examined it, for it presented no chance to show his ability in its remodeling. It was the kind of a farmhouse that one would find in almost any suburban town, built without any pretensions, its only good feature being the staircase which saved it from passing into oblivion and caused it to be remodeled into a charming, all-the-year-round home.