PIECES OF HISTORY
Learn how lovers of history commemorate a countrified style and celebrate a simpler time through the use of primitive wood furnishings, woven textiles, pewter, pottery and collectibles that honor the past.
Two Pennsylvania residents who have a fondness for history pay homage to simpler times by filling their home with inspiring collections of wood furnishings, pewter and woven textiles.
JJeff VanVoorhis and Susan Fox were happy beyond measure when they purchased their 1814 brick home in New Freedom, Pennsylvania. “We had originally looked at it in 2001, but someone else bought it before we could,” Jeff reveals. But, in a fortuitous turn of events, the house soon became available, and the couple took ownership in 2003. Little did they know that the home held a secret connection to their own family history. It wasn’t until years later that they discovered Jeff ’s paternal ancestor, William R. VanVoorhis, had made the acquaintance of the house’s original builder, German immigrant Johannes Hershner, after Hershner sold the dwelling in 1822 and migrated to Middletown, Ohio. “The families were brethren in the community,” Jeff explains. The loose historic ties to their beloved abode reinforced the couple’s decision not to go overboard with the upgrades. “We updated the bathrooms and kitchen with soapstone counters and stainless-steel appliances,” Susan adds. “But much of the home we left alone to show its character and age—our house has the original wavy glass windows, fireplaces, moldings and floors. We believe in building on and respecting what others have done before us.”
In keeping with the home’s history, Jeff and Susan embrace a simple, primitive design through the use of antiques and quality reproductions. Rich and rustic dark-wood furnishings complement the home’s original oak and pine hardwood floors and pine kitchen cabinets, while sizable collections of pewter, brown drip pottery and Eldreth ceramics add authenticity to the homey decor. Woven coverlets, throw pillows, linens and other textiles balance the composition throughout, while a limited selection of smaller collectibles enrich the design and maintain its simplicity.
A sunroom adjoined to the main house is one of the couple’s favorite spaces, although it initially left a lot to be desired. “It had inefficient insulation and no heat or air-conditioning,” Jeff says. “It was too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, so we had very limited use of the room.” To address the problem, the couple installed well-insulated windows and doors, as well as a pellet stove, so they could enjoy the room year-round. A tall prim cupboard filled with folk-art pottery and a pie safe flank a countrified farm table and chairs, encircling the space with a cozy ambience. “Now, even on cold winter days, the room is toasty, bright and cheerful,” Susan says.
With an interior design as personal to Jeff and Susan as the history of the house itself, it’s no surprise that Susan likens living in the space to “an old soul stepping back in time.” Indeed, if any home has captured the quality and character of its ancestors, it’s Jeff and Susan’s beloved brick dwelling.