As we have been peeling back the layers and remodeling at the Rose House we have found some cool history. We are remodeling the room that was previously the main room for Kristin’s (as far as we know). It had the bar and the “boat” and a main dining room. That space is one level on a slab of concrete. It was clearly originally it’s own separate building. The section with the second floor, kitchen, corner room, back room, and basement were definitely their own space at one time. With describing this I wish I had photographed the evidence of that. It will have to be it’s own blog post in the future.
In remodeling we have found some cool wallpaper that is clearly hidden behind the wood paneling, we aren’t removing the paneling, instead we plan to give it a little love, so we won’t be able to take in the wallpaper in it’s fullest. But in removing the drop ceiling we got a little taste of it and of course took photos for you. We also found evidence of past bathroom spaces, and at one point one area had a higher ceiling which we are excited to bring back.
Sadly I didn’t photograph some different sheets. There was some Aztec looking stuff hidden in the front closet, and a layer of paper that looked like waves underwater, but all that was removed before I brought my camera back. So sorry!
Here’s the taste of most of the wallpaper :-)
The Hot Fish Shop was a part of this community for many many years, this wallpaper has menu’s and fish platters on it as well as wine. It’s hard to imagine this on the walls, but it must have been there sometime before 1956.
This wallpaper would have been in the women’s bathroom, also sometime before 1956.
There is a lot more cool wallpaper I am going to show you, all of this wallpaper is on the second floor. That area is a mystery in itself. Unfortunately you are not permitted to see this wallpaper in person, this area is basically an attic space that is unsafe and off limits. Someday we hope to remodel up there, but that day is a long long day away from now. Sadly this space has endured it’s share of trials. Specifically water damage. It’s dry now, but it still shows. Up until the 1970’s there was a hotel up there, it expanded more than just our building. In it’s final days it was called Hotel St George. It had tiny rooms, each which included a sink and a mirror. The bathrooms were at each end of the hall. The coolest thing about the space is all the vintage wallpaper that graced the rooms.
