16 Must-See Features Inside This Stunning Connecticut Georgian Colonial
Step inside this magnificent Connecticut Georgian Colonial and discover a world of timeless elegance.
Built with exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail, this historic home showcases the quintessential elements of Georgian architecture while offering modern comfort.
From intricate woodwork to grand spaces designed for both entertaining and family living, each feature tells a story of American architectural heritage.
1. Grand Center Hall Staircase
Your first glimpse of this home’s stunning staircase will leave you breathless. Sweeping gracefully upward from the foyer, it features hand-carved balusters and a mahogany handrail burnished to a warm glow by generations of admiring touches.
The craftsmanship evident in each spindle speaks to an era when artisans took pride in creating functional art. Notice how the staircase makes a dramatic statement while maintaining perfect proportions relative to the entryway.
During holiday seasons, the homeowners traditionally adorn this architectural masterpiece with fresh pine garlands and velvet ribbons, creating a scene straight from a classic New England Christmas card. The landing halfway up offers a perfect spot for family portraits.
2. Ornate Crown Molding
Framing every ceiling with extraordinary detail, the crown molding throughout this colonial masterpiece showcases period-authentic craftsmanship rarely seen in modern homes. Hand-carved egg-and-dart patterns and acanthus leaf motifs create a three-dimensional border that draws the eye upward.
Each room features slightly different molding profiles, with the formal spaces boasting the most elaborate designs. Painters have meticulously highlighted the raised elements with contrasting shades, enhancing the depth and shadow play.
Did you know these moldings were created using the same techniques employed by 18th-century craftsmen? The current owners discovered the original carpenter’s signature hidden behind a section that needed repair during a careful restoration project five years ago.
3. Wide-Plank Hardwood Floors
Walking across these magnificent wide-plank floors feels like stepping back in time. Each board, measuring between 8 and 14 inches wide, was hand-selected from old-growth eastern white pine, creating a warm honey-colored foundation throughout the main level.
If you look closely, you’ll spot the distinctive hand-forged square-head nails that secure these historic planks a detail that authenticates the home’s 18th-century origins. Years of foot traffic have created a natural patina that simply can’t be replicated by modern distressing techniques.
The homeowners have preserved these floors using traditional methods, including occasional treatments with beeswax and linseed oil rather than modern polyurethane. This approach maintains the wood’s ability to “breathe” with seasonal changes while protecting its irreplaceable character.
4. Original Fireplace Mantels
Five working fireplaces grace this historic home, each crowned with an original hand-carved mantel that serves as a focal point for its room. The living room’s Federal-style masterpiece features delicate fluting, rosettes at each corner, and a central tablet adorned with a hand-carved basket of fruit.
My favorite is the library’s more robust Georgian design with dentil molding and substantial proportions that balance perfectly with the room’s built-in bookshelves. Each fireplace retains its original brick surround, with subtle variations in the brick color and mortar joints that reveal their handmade origins.
Winter evenings become magical when fires crackle in these hearths, casting the same warm glow that has illuminated family gatherings for nearly two and a half centuries. The current owners have carefully maintained the chimneys for safe operation.
5. Double-Hung Sash Windows
Light floods into every room through these architectural gems twelve-over-twelve double-hung sash windows with wavy, hand-blown glass panes. When sunlight streams through these historic windows, it creates dancing patterns across the floors that no modern window could replicate.
Though you might notice subtle imperfections in the glass, these “flaws” are actually prized characteristics that authenticate the home’s age. The original pulley-and-weight system has been meticulously restored, allowing the windows to operate smoothly despite their centuries of service.
During summer months, these windows can be opened from both top and bottom, creating natural cross-ventilation that keeps the home comfortable without modern air conditioning. Custom-made wooden storm windows protect these treasures during harsh Connecticut winters while maintaining the home’s authentic appearance.
6. Classic Wainscoting Panels
Wrapping the lower walls throughout the main floor, the raised-panel wainscoting adds architectural interest while protecting walls from the bumps and scrapes of daily life. The dining room features the most elaborate treatment, with panels rising nearly four feet high and topped with a chair rail molding that provides the perfect ledge for displaying seasonal décor.
Hand-planed by colonial craftsmen, each panel reveals subtle tool marks that modern reproductions lack. The current owners discovered several panels with children’s heights and dates penciled on their backs during a careful restoration the earliest marking dating to 1802!
Though painted now in a historically accurate cream color, careful investigation revealed that these panels were originally finished in a deep indigo blue, a costly color in colonial times that demonstrated the original owner’s prosperity. Small inspection holes allow visitors to glimpse this original finish.
7. Formal Dining Room
Hosting twenty guests comfortably, this grand dining room embodies Georgian symmetry and proportion. Centered beneath a magnificent crystal chandelier sits an antique mahogany table that has witnessed countless holiday feasts and family celebrations over generations.
What makes this space truly special is how the architectural elements work in harmony two perfectly balanced built-in corner cabinets display the homeowner’s collection of 18th-century blue and white porcelain. The room’s proportions follow the golden ratio, creating a sense of perfect balance that feels immediately right to anyone who enters.
During evening gatherings, candles in the silver sconces flanking the fireplace create a warm glow that enhances the room’s intimacy despite its generous size. The current owners discovered the original paint color beneath layers of more modern finishes and have restored the space to its historic robin’s egg blue.
8. Antique Brass Hardware
Every door in this magnificent home opens with a satisfying click thanks to original brass box locks and hand-forged strap hinges. The front door’s impressive brass hardware includes an eagle knocker and an oversized keyhole escutcheon that accommodates the massive original key still in working condition after nearly 250 years!
Looking closer at the cabinet latches reveals the craftsman’s touch—each piece slightly different from the next, with visible hammer marks and patina that only centuries of use can create. The homeowners have wisely resisted polishing these treasures to a modern shine, instead maintaining the warm, mellow tone that develops naturally over generations.
When I asked about maintenance, they shared their simple technique: occasional gentle cleaning with lemon juice and baking soda, followed by a light coating of paste wax. This preserves both the patina and the hardware’s functionality for future generations.
9. Elegant Chandeliers
Suspended from ornate ceiling medallions, the home’s collection of period chandeliers creates a warm ambiance throughout. The entry hall features a magnificent brass and crystal fixture with twelve arms, each holding a candle-shaped bulb that mimics the flickering light that would have illuminated this space centuries ago.
Most impressive is the dining room’s Georgian-style chandelier with its central crystal ball and cascading tiers of prisms that scatter rainbows across the walls when sunlight strikes. The homeowners discovered this piece at a historic estate auction in Newport and spent months restoring each delicate crystal drop.
Though now electrified for modern convenience, these fixtures retain their original charm with silk-wrapped wiring and antique-style bulbs. A hidden pulley system allows the larger chandeliers to be lowered for cleaning—a clever feature that has remained functional since the home’s construction.
10. Paneled Library or Study
Hidden behind pocket doors off the main hall, this handsome retreat features floor-to-ceiling walnut paneling that has developed a rich patina over centuries. Built-in bookshelves line two walls, their edges softened by generations of hands selecting volumes from the current owner’s impressive collection of leather-bound classics and first editions.
The room’s focal point is undoubtedly the massive partner’s desk positioned to capture natural light from the south-facing windows. Above the fireplace hangs an original oil portrait of the home’s first owner, a prominent Connecticut merchant whose shipping ventures helped fund this architectural treasure.
During winter evenings, this room becomes especially inviting the fireplace crackling, leather club chairs drawn close, and the scent of aged books creating an atmosphere that encourages lingering conversations. A hidden panel in the wainscoting reveals a small cupboard where, according to family lore, important documents were concealed during the Revolutionary War.
11. Spacious Keeping Room
Just off the kitchen lies the heart of this historic home a spacious keeping room where colonial families would have gathered for warmth and daily activities. Dominated by a massive cooking fireplace with its original crane and bake oven still intact, this room instantly transports visitors to an earlier era.
The wide-board floors here show the most character in the house, with centuries of foot traffic creating a gentle depression near the hearth. Exposed hand-hewn beams cross the ceiling, their adze marks still clearly visible, while a built-in settle provides cozy seating along one wall.
Though historically accurate, the current owners have thoughtfully incorporated modern comforts discreet radiant floor heating supplements the fireplace, and carefully placed lighting enhances the room’s warm ambiance. This perfect blend of past and present makes the keeping room everyone’s favorite gathering space during the cold Connecticut winters.
12. Period-Style Built-Ins
Throughout this architectural gem, custom built-ins demonstrate the colonial craftsman’s ingenuity and skill. The dining room’s corner cupboards with their shell-carved crowns showcase treasured china, while the keeping room features a dry sink cleverly built into a wall recess.
My favorite built-in element is the butler’s pantry connecting the dining room and kitchen. Its floor-to-ceiling cabinetry includes glass-fronted upper sections for displaying heirloom crystal and silver, while the lower cabinets hide modern conveniences. The original marble countertop shows slight wear from centuries of use—each nick and stain adding to its character.
Most charming are the window seats tucked into deep dormers on the second floor, offering cozy reading nooks with hidden storage beneath hinged seats. The current owners discovered a collection of Civil War-era letters in one such compartment, providing fascinating insights into the home’s history during that tumultuous period.
13. Marble Entry Foyer
First impressions matter, and this home’s entry foyer makes an unforgettable statement with its black and white marble floor laid in a classic checkerboard pattern. Each 16-inch square was hand-cut from Italian Carrara and Belgian Black marble, creating a timeless foundation that has welcomed guests for generations.
The foyer’s generous proportions allow it to function as more than just a passageway it’s a room in its own right. A Chippendale-style console table displays fresh flowers beneath a gilt-framed mirror that reflects light from the fanlight transom above the front door.
During the holiday season, the homeowners continue a tradition started in the 1800s of placing a massive Christmas tree in this space, its star just brushing the second-floor gallery ceiling. The marble’s subtle variations in color and veining reveal its natural origins, while two centuries of gentle wear have polished the surface to a soft luster impossible to replicate artificially.
14. Tall Ceiling Heights
Stepping into this historic home, you’ll immediately notice the generous ceiling heights that create an atmosphere of grandeur throughout. The main floor boasts 12-foot ceilings—an extravagance in colonial times that signaled the original owner’s prosperity and importance in the community.
These soaring heights serve practical purposes beyond mere status. Higher ceilings allowed heat to rise during summer months, keeping living spaces cooler, while the proportions perfectly balance the home’s substantial room dimensions. The extra height also provides ideal space for the elaborate crown moldings and ceiling medallions that adorn formal rooms.
When I asked about challenges, the homeowners mentioned that maintaining comfortable temperatures required some clever adaptations ceiling fans discreetly circulate air, while custom window treatments help manage heat loss in winter. Despite these challenges, they wouldn’t trade the magnificent spatial quality these tall ceilings create for any modern convenience.
15. French Doors to Garden
Connecting indoor elegance with outdoor splendor, a series of French doors along the home’s southern façade open onto a flagstone terrace and formal garden beyond. Each door features 15 panes of wavy, hand-blown glass set into mahogany frames that have weathered to a rich patina over centuries. Though appearing completely original, these doors conceal clever modern adaptations.
The current owners worked with a preservation specialist to install nearly invisible weather stripping and reinforced security features while maintaining historical accuracy. From the sunroom, three sets of these doors create a wall of light that illuminates the space even on cloudy days.
During summer gatherings, all doors stand open to create a seamless flow between indoor and outdoor living spaces—a modern way of enjoying this historic home. The hardware includes the original brass cremone bolts, their surfaces worn smooth by countless hands opening these passages to the garden.
16. Detailed Ceiling Medallions
Looking upward in the formal rooms reveals another layer of craftsmanship elaborate plaster ceiling medallions that anchor each chandelier. The dining room boasts the most impressive example a 36-inch diameter masterpiece featuring intertwined grape vines, acanthus leaves, and egg-and-dart borders all hand-molded by Italian artisans brought specifically for this project.
Though appearing purely decorative, these medallions serve a practical purpose by reinforcing the ceiling structure around heavy light fixtures. The living room medallion includes a hidden access panel that allows the chandelier to be serviced without damaging the plasterwork an ingenious solution from an era before modern electrical systems.
During a careful restoration, conservators discovered that these medallions were originally highlighted with gold leaf accents. The current owners have restored this detail in the music room, where the soft gleam catches light in a way that brings the three-dimensional design to life.
