The First Floor Central Hallway
As you enter the hallway, you will see ahead of you a statue of Venus de Milo. You will learn more about this niche and statue when you visit our stairway section.
Drapery fabric was used to elegantly accent the archway and frame the view of the niche from the entrance.
Like the foyer, there were seven layers of wallpaper and paint over several layers that had to be removed. The walls were replastered and a fleur de lis wallpaper was hung that extends thoughout the hallways and up the stairway.
Fleur de lis wallpaper
The ceiling was replastered and painted. The old ceiling light fixture was replaced with an ornate chandelier purchased in New Orleans. It is offset between the parlor and living room rather than in the center of the hallway, with the ceiling fresco gracefully trailing the ceiling length of the hallway.
Along both sides of the hallways is the original Honduran mahogany woodwork that frames the hallway entrances and extends throughout the main level.
Interior doors
West wall of Foyer
Interior of lead glass.
Antiques sweetly adorn the hallway. The chairs are a favorite of mine. If you ever saw the movie �Evita� with Madonna, these chairs are featured in one of the scenes. The table is a hunter�s table that was used for equestrians to register for fox hunts in the 1800�s. Our Tiarabella Guest Registry lays there, providing memories of friends who have visited us over the years. Above the table is a mirror that was moved from the Parlor that covered a surprise window. Visit Parlor for more information.
On the opposite wall hangs an oil painting that was exhibited in the 1933 Chicago World�s Fair of George�s maternal grandfather over a burl cabinet constructed to look like stacked books.
I discovered an old newspaper article on microfilm that was written about this house and discovered the �mystery� of the metal rimmed hole in the baseboard. The hallway proudly displays one that you can see. The home was built with a central vacuum system, years before hand vacuum cleaners were the standard part of normal households. The mysterious piping still remains along the basement ceiling, but the unit itself is long gone.
Tiarabella's Parlor
Come read the unique purpose of this room!