History in the making
A love of 18th-century American architecture and antiques inspired the design of Barbara and Robert Sallick’s clapboard house in Connecticut
At first glance, this clapboard-clad house could be mistaken for one of the many original 18th-century homes that grace Danbury, Connecticut. In fact, it was built as recently as 1968 by Barbara and Robert Sallick, co-founders of the Waterworks bathroom company and lifelong enthusiasts of all things 18th century. The decision to build their own home inspired by the era came after a long search for a period property. ‘We hunted high and low for the perfect house, but all the ones we saw were in terrible condition. In the end, my father suggested that we build our own and we thought, “Why not?”’ says Barbara.
The couple’s love of 18th-century American architecture is heavily influenced by living in Connecticut, a state that is full of extraordinary houses from the period. ‘We spent a lot of time at museums and historic open house days and we were both drawn to the clean architectural style of the era,’ says Barbara.
When it came to designing their own house, Barbara and Robert made sure to do their homework. ‘Someone tipped us off that the plans of many 18th-century American houses are held in the Library of Congress,’ explains Barbara. ‘There was a
particular house in Connecticut that had the classic 18th-century layout that we admired, so off we went to Washington DC and, lo and behold, there were the plans for that very house. We bought them for $20.’
Their enthusiasm of the original buildings guided Barbara and Robert when planning the building project and wherever possible they used authentic building materials. ‘ We had a wonderful carpenter who threw himself into the project and insisted on cutting all of the clapboards by hand. It took a year to build, and a great deal of patience,’ says Barbara.
Hiring an architect proved invaluable, especially when it came to helping to site the house. ‘Our plot is basically one big hill and a bit of an awkward shape. Also, we knew that we needed to adapt the plan in some places to make concessions to modern living with the things like bathrooms and a laundry room.’
Part of the house’s success lies in the beautiful furnishings. ‘Collecting antiques has been a lifelong project for us both,’ says Barbara. ‘First, we bought funny little things, then traded up and up until we had the exact pieces we wanted. In a way, our love of 18th-century furniture has been the glue for our relationship, as it is something we’ve always shared.
‘Sometimes I think it would be fun to take on a new project, but we’re embedded in this house, especially now we have grandchildren,’ says Barbara. ‘There are so many memories here. For us, this house will always be home.’