Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Scrap Paper: Good for the Soul


The Papered House_Natirar Park


The month of October was good for the soul. 

First there was a family party to celebrate my husband's birthday. Then my youngest brother flew in from California, and he and his girlfriend stayed with us for a night on their way to an NYC getaway. Then we had a quick vacation in Vermont with my husband's family, to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday (you can read about it in this post). And then my parents visited from California for a weekend. While they were here, we explored Natirar, a 404-acre estate formerly owned by the King of Morocco and now open to the public. At first, I couldn't figure out why a Moroccan king would want to own property in central New Jersey (I mean, I love this state. But it's not exactly known for being...regal). And then I saw the property and understood. It's stunning. The 40-room mansion is, unfortunately, not open to the public. But even so, we enjoyed the walking trails and impressive views. That same weekend, we went apple picking with my parents and sampled some of the best Cuban food around. 

The Papered House_Natirar Park
This is what a 40-room mansion looks like.


Did I mention that the leaves were incredible? If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen this already. But I couldn't resist re-posting. I mean, those leaves! It doesn't get much better than this. It's hard to grumble about going to work when the view from your office looks like this. 

The Papered House_Fall Leaves


And if all that hadn't been enough, then there was Halloween. Halloween! This was our first Halloween in TPH. Our neighbors had warned us that it is quite an extravaganza, but we were still surprised by how lively our town became. Our block was all decked out in Halloween decorations -- some spooky, some kitschy, some clever, and some classy -- but all contributing to the festive atmosphere in our community. We gave out approximately 1,000 pieces of candy in less than 2 hours. To say that there were a lot of trick-or-treaters would be a massive understatement. It was one of the many times when I felt proud to be a resident of this small town. 

Here are a few picture of the interior of our house, all dressed up for Halloween. 

The Papered House_Halloween Decor


The Papered House_Halloween Decor


This piano in our dining room was left by TPH's former owner. We're not musically inclined, and even if we were, the piano isn't really play-able in its current condition (hopelessly out of tune, missing foot pedals, etc). But it's a beautiful piece. Right now, it serves as our "bar". Plus it's great for displaying seasonal decor. 

The Papered House_Halloween Decor
I swear, that mirror is making it look like we have more alcohol than we actually do...


The Papered House_Halloween Decor



The Papered House_Halloween Decor

When we moved into TPH, we didn't have any living room furniture (this house is much bigger than the apartment we lived in previously). Just before my parents visited, we stumbled across this Victorian living room set at a local antique store. I was so determined to buy it that I stood outside the store for twenty minutes in just-above freezing temperatures, waiting for the doors to open, wearing nothing more than a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. This set was such a great deal that I went to the antique store straight from yoga, afraid that someone else would buy the furniture if I didn't get there quickly enough. One of these days, I'll come to grips with the fact that not many folks are in the market for the style of furniture that we like. But how could someone NOT want to buy this? It's mahogany. And it's intricately carved. And it's over 100 years old. I would have been devastated if we had missed out. For the price of an Ikea loveseat, we were able to purchase two chairs and this settee. The upholstery is a lovely ivory damask, which will work with whatever color scheme we eventually choose for this room. Even though we won't be completing the living room decor for some time, it's nice to finally have some seating. 


The Papered House_Halloween Decor
Don't mind the dishtowel on the floor. It's reminding us not to sit on this couch until we repair the left rear leg. 
 All that to say, October was pretty spectacular. Here's hoping that November is just as great. We had some chimney/roofing work completed this week, which is likely to be the last professional work we have done this calendar year. I'll be back soon with details on that project. Thanks for reading!



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2 comments:

  1. Your house looks great! I love your fancy furniture too. :)

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    1. Thanks so much, Stacy! Halloween is such a fun holiday to decorate for! And I'm so glad we stumbled on this furniture. It's a great fit for this house!

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