Appreciating antiques and old houses started as being synonymous with family history. My grandparents bought and restored the former Bancroft-Curtisville Hotel in Interlaken, MA and artfully filled it with curated tables, sofas, rugs, glass paperweights, clocks, books, and statues. It was like exploring a different world with your cousins, and learning that sliding bump bump bump down three flights of stairs on antique runner rugs was not acceptable. In the parlor rooms, stories of family history intertwined with laughter and gingerbread cookies. Grandmother had painstakingly researched our ancestry to the 1630’s and Samuel Allen by writing to Mr. Suggers in England. I’ll never forget his name, or the bucolic and formative experiences from The Inn. Subsequently, my father fell under the allure of such beauty and became a collector late in life; it brought him so much joy. Walking through his craftsman house was like going to a haphazard museum; everything had intrinsic quality, artistry, a story, and value to someone. For me, as an artist, following the antique treasure hunt came naturally. I was unaware how captivated I became until it started influencing how my husband and I invested in our property, a house built in 1785. Every project has exceeded our expectations and has been so fun!