Rock Manor Avenue, Wilmington, Delaware
Rule number one when you put a house on the market: neutralize everything to make it appealing to a wide range of buyers. Actually, rule number one is you must disclose any known defects or problems, but that's not as entertaining for a blog post. While this stately 1913 house looks neutral from the outside, the inside is anything but. I'm glad it's not, though. We get a lot more re-decorating cues from the colorful tiles and tidbits that are still there. It begins in the vestibule with tile and tile-like murals and leaded glass panels: The painting above the door is a copy of a circa 1889 chromolithograph titled "Old Cronies." It may seem an unusual decor choice, but for many years the home belonged to a prominent Delaware judge and Attorney General. It probably held some significance for him. { source } The home is full of personal details like that, including these living room murals of horseback riders -- most likely the judge and his wife. Those murals give u...
