My Thoughts – February 2010

Sustainability is a vital — but hackneyed —word these days.  It has nearly become synonymous with all modern “green” technologies.  However, there are many present-day structures that have been around far longer than we have been alive, such as the century-old architecture that can be found in and around Bucks County.  To me, that architecture epitomizes sustainability, and we can add a fourth “r-word” to our recycle motto – reduce, reuse, recycle and restore.
I recently had the pleasure of touring some local gems that are being restored, remodeled and repurposed.  The first was the Elkins Estate, a magnificent mansion with marble floors and frescos on the ceilings, built on 42 acres just outside of Bucks County.  The home is breathtaking and now open for everyone to enjoy.
Next, I saw some of the most incredible transformations of old barns into modern masterpieces.  The barns were carefully moved from farms that were no longer functional, and then these buildings were turned into homes.  Bucks County Timbercraft uses every possible piece of salvaged wood—as well as other sustainable materials—creating doors, floors, and kitchen cabinets, nothing goes to waste.
Finally, I was invited into Julia Thomas’ home, a stone farmhouse built in 1772.  Even with an addition and a few renovations, the home maintains its charm; it is warmed with the help of an AGA stove, the center of inspiration for Julia’s kitchen design and a reminder of her childhood in England.  Just above the stove are beautiful hand-painted tiles that Julia created herself.  She has always had a passion for home design, art and tile-making, and she recently made it the next chapter in her book. 
Julia had been traveling as a chef and tour manager for high-profile musicians most of her adult life and has now given her passport a rest to raise her children and grow her business in Bucks County.  She has an adventurous spirit and a fearless attitude when it comes to her careers.  She loves a challenge and doesn’t seem to let anything get in her way when living her dreams.
Julia has traveled the world, and although she lives in a very old home by American standards, her travels have allowed her to see some of the most historic places in existence.  You can tell by her design and by her love of old architecture, as well as new, that she knows the meaning of sustainability and integrates it naturally and seamlessly in her life as well as her work.  
Restoring homes and utilizing sustainable products in new construction can preserve the past as well as create beautiful homes that will one day have a history of their own.  Again, reduce, reuse, recycle, restore.