Colorful Colonial
A keen interest in Early American design, plus their own artistic talents, helped a Massachusetts couple shape a standout home that shines with handpainted murals and stenciling.
Artistic talents plus a keen interest in Early American design help a Massachusetts couple fashion a haven illuminated by handpainted details.
Atrip to Old Sturbridge Village in 1969 helped plant the seeds of Cindy and Dick Hawes’ shared interest in all things Early American. However, it was the years-long renovation of the Billerica, Massachusetts, home they purchased in 1983 that truly cemented their passion for the past.
Dick, whose ancestors traveled to America on the Mayflower in 1620, says his enthusiasm for Americana began even earlier. “My mother used to decorate in the Colonial revival style of the 1960s, which probably influenced us, too,” he reflects.
To give their home the authentic appeal they love, the couple started on the exterior. “I redesigned the front doorway, added transom lights above the door—a flat board garrison door—and added iron strap hinges to look old,” Dick says. Indoors, they tore out everything down to the plaster walls and laid wide white pine flooring planks in varied widths, redid all the trimwork in Colonial style and historical colors, and replaced the hollow-core doors with traditional six-panel doors. In the kitchen, laminate kitchen cupboards were scrapped in favor of custom-built solid cherry Shaker-style cabinets and an island that Dick constructed.
The couple’s interior design became more sophisticated over the years, along with Dick’s carpentry skills. He has built everything from chests and benches to fireplace walls and mantels, one of which includes a television cabinet patterned after a built-in cupboard seen in the Cogswell’s Grant museum in Essex, Massachusetts. “The great thing about building your own furnishings,” Dick says, “is being able to make pieces that fit awkward spaces, like the three-legged table I made for the dining room corner.”
The couple’s styles of purchasing furnishings, however, are often diametrically opposed. “I’m more spontaneous,” says Cindy, who admits her collections, which sometimes blossom to unwieldy numbers, need more curating. After 47 years as a mechanical engineer, Dick believes in doing a lot of research before buying and selling items to make room for newly purchased pieces. “That’s how we upgrade,” Dick explains, “by deciding where the new thing’s going, then what we’ll get rid of.”
In addition to his carpentry skills, Dick is a self-taught artist and has adorned several walls throughout the home with large murals, inspired by the work of renowned muralist Rufus Porter, who once lived in Billerica. Dick’s creations enliven the living room, hall and master bedroom. He’s also painted smaller pieces, including the living room fireboard. “I love all the bright colors from Dick’s work— they bring life to the room,” Cindy says.
Cindy has contributed her own creativity to the home. She did all the stenciling in the house, using historical patterns found online and paint colors that pop against the white walls. Her hand-hooked rugs also serve as wall art. Cindy’s twin sister, Elaine Kunicki, inspired Cindy to take up rug hooking and then taught her the craft. “There’s a rhythm to it,” Cindy notes, “and it’s easy once you get going.”
Though the couple have already put such a personal imprint on their home, they intend to keep collecting, crafting and dreaming up new projects. “The house is kind of our hobby, so it’s ongoing,” Dick says. “Even if you are trying to make a house look old, you can still keep things fresh and new and interesting.”
“The house is kind of our hobby.” —Dick Hawes