The Record Homescape 12-05-2019 | Page 4

4H ❚ THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019 ❚ THE RECORD P HOMESCAPE / ADVERTISING SECTION Vintage Living: A sentimental journey nuity to our homes and our daily lives,” says decorating style of four of Richter, explaining his three Richter’s close friends. Each C’s of Vintage Living. To that home is an example of what end, his home is far more the designer calls “living his- than family furnishings; it is tory.” Beautifully preserved filled with cherished photos, architectural elements old greeting cards, and hand- like original plank flooring, written notes tucked about pocket doors, and leaded to create that all-important glass windows serve as a sense of place and define rich, authentic backdrop for his home with texture and each homeowner’s unique meaning. collections, including antique Bob Richter’s Vintage “I’m proudly sentimental. books, garden statuary, and Living: Creating a Beautiful In fact, a visit to my home is Home with Treasured Objects a bit of a sentimental journey Quimper china. “All sentimentally valuable from the Past. for my friends and relatives items bring comfort, connection, and conti- as it’s full of art, furniture and objects that have personal history for us,” he explains. “Financial value may have its place, but it’s the emotional value of objects that make a house a home.” Because he has “too many collections to count,” Richter lives by a few basic design principles. “When you have a lot of stuff, symmetry and color can harmonize it. Anything arranged by color is more pleasing to the eye, as is a collection that is assembled in a way that looks PHOTOS COURTESY OF DANIEL YUND AND BLAKE DRUMMOND orderly and unified. I also rec- A vintage Christmas tree nightlight sits atop the stove. ommend considering lighting CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1H A large mirror over the buffet opens up the dining room. Found art objects, colored glass and pottery, a dining table chair and a vintage pedestal table complement the space. to create importance around a collection or to showcase a prized piece.” Among his hard-to-resist collecting categories is “kitchenalia.” “My favorite vintage kitchen pieces are typically from the 1920s to 40s,” says Richter, “and include a mid-century pixie, a Parisian taxi sign, my Nana’s coffee can- ister, and a grilled cheese sign from an old Woolworth’s store.” Although he never misses an opportu- nity to mark a holiday with keepsakes he’s collected over the years (or newfound trea- sures from area flea markets and estate sales), no holiday surpasses Christmas. In addition to 20 uniquely themed Christmas trees, his home is a seasonal stage for family heirlooms like his grand- mother’s choirboy candles. “My Nana bought them at Woolworth’s one year, the only decorations she could afford then, and they sat on her buffet every Christmas for decades. Now they’re on a table in my living room.” Even if your own vintage ornaments or other decorations have been lost or broken over the years, Richter is quick to point out that yard sales, flea markets, and antiques stores are a can’t-miss source for vintage collectibles. “You’ll likely find decorations that are virtually identical to ones you knew and loved.” Whether you start this holiday season or resolve to make 2020 your year of vintage, there’s no better place to find ideas and inspiration than Vintage Living: Creating a Beautiful Home with Treasured Objects from the Past. Home Inspection: Fix-its! CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2H But any signs of buckling or bulging is a red flag that there is a structural issue. Concrete block foundations are sensi- tive to pressure. “Step cracks, where there is deflection from one course to another indicate a problem,” said Lesh. “Horizontal bulging of blocks is another serious sign.” To correct foundation problems a struc- tural engineer may recommend buttressing the walls or pouring additional footings. The source of the problem also needs to be cor- rected. In most cases, the source is water affecting the foundation. “Sometimes some- thing as simple as redirecting downspouts or re-grading the area around the foundation can correct the problem,” said DiClerico. The average cost to correct foundation damage is $4,000 to $10,000. Other potential big-ticket repairs include: n Buried fuel oil tanks. They should be removed, even ones that were decommis- sioned and filled with gravel. “Insurance companies will not insure a house that has a buried tank on the property,” said Barthold. n Termite damage. 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