By Jessica Pack
There’s a term, “Gay Nineties” which according to dictionary.com is ‘the 1890s in the United States, a period regarded nostalgically as a decade of prosperous comfort and associated with gaslights, early bicycles and cars, and the Gibson girl.’ While I struggle if I forget my cell phone when walking to the neighboring room, the way folks lived was, well, formal. FAR more than the norm for 2021—and even more so, with so many individuals working at home.
I held that concept in mind when we were asked to stage 1262 Fair Ave., a home built in 1890 in Columbus, Ohio. The home still had the original glass front door and I can only imagine the stories this home could tell about its “life.”
The first story I can share is that what I thought was the deadbolt, was actually the doorbell so no matter how many times I twisted it, the door would NOT come unlocked. Public records from the auditor website dating back to the early 1900’s list one of the early residents as Minnie Chilcote. As Minnie would be well into triple digits if she were alive today, her spirit likely roams the halls of 1262 Fair Ave and laughed a little bit at my failed attempt to enter her former home.
The home is now fully updated for life in the 21st century but there are still reminders throughout of the style and detail found in the Gay 90s. Pocket doors greet you as you walk in and at one time would have been able to offer privacy to those in the front living room. Kids were probably shooed away while the adults sipped a beverage. I made sure to include wine and glasses on the coffee table for that reason.
Both fireplaces in the living and dining rooms have a double mantle and tile work that blends timeless with modern. We opted to do more leaning art than hanging art to not disturb the plaster walls. I had never seen a detail like that and was glad they were not changed.
Families of today always yearn for storage and 1262 Fair retained the dining built-in hutch. Oh, the dinner parties Minnie must have thrown and the bone china that was on display inside that same cabinet. When we decorate a historic home, it’s impossible NOT to feel that connection with the past.
What was once two rooms, is now an open concept living room and kitchen with a huge bay window. The stainless appliances and white cabinetry allow natural light to flood this space with glorious sunshine-something we ALL want here in Ohio. When considering what pieces of decor to use in the kitchen, I found myself drawn to things like our vintage silver cream and sugar set or the galvanized metal planter to marry the old with the new. Those items were the perfect choices for a home whose bones are 131 years old.
On the refinished second floor, the door to each room is still capped with a transom window. While the home now boasts a current HVAC system, these transoms were yet another touch left in place to pay homage to the history of the home. Two bedrooms, the master suite, and a full bath are found on this level. The master was yet another opportunity seized to open up two rooms and create an inviting space for the new home owner. We placed the bed along a wall of windows. It welcomed you into the room which now had it’s own private full bath. Something Minnie would not have had back in her day.
The third floor was probably attic space in 1890, but today, is a fully finished room that is now a fourth bedroom.
From top to bottom, 1262 Fair Ave was a delight to decorate. The home is part of an area near downtown Columbus that is getting a lot of attention. Century old homes that are part of the story of central Ohio are being given new life and a chance to live on for another 100 years.
As an aside, when we were in the area, I found an old door knob in the gutter outside in the street. It was heavily painted and the rest of the hardware was long gone. I decided to pick it up and my inner “rehab addict” took it home and boiled it to remove the old paint. I couldn’t believe what it looked like cleaned up. Its highly ornate detail is beautiful! Did this knob come from 1262? Did Minnie once lay her hands on it to go from room to room? I will never know but it is wonderful to be part of the story.
