What a Home Reveals
The old saying goes, “If only these walls could talk,” but I think they can.
WHEN IMAGINING AN EDITOR, a few stereotypes tend to surface, such as a red-pen-wielding grammar obsessive, or perhaps Meryl Streep as the imperious Miranda Priestly in “The Devil Wears Prada.” Before the pandemic turned such gatherings virtual, I attended a career day, where I asked twenty or so children to tell me what they think a magazine editor does. Answers were of varying degrees of accuracy: “helping people write better,” “giving people things to write,” “getting paid to read books” (I wish), “telling people what to do,” “fixing spelling,” “making things look nice” and, my favorite, “being the boss.”
What I eventually tell everyone, and what I told the kids when no more raised hands appeared, is this: I tell true stories. That’s the heart of the job, and why I love it. When people assume my days are filled with proofreading and hounding writers to turn in copy on time, they’re not wrong; they’re just identifying the nuts and bolts, not the mission. And, in case you’re wondering, I have neither a red pen nor a desire to crush the spirit of a personal assistant, should I ever get one.
For the past thirteen years or so, I’ve told the stories of the Granite State in New Hampshire Home’s sister publication New Hampshire Magazine, covering everything about what makes our state special (and, sometimes, the special challenges it faces). In those pages it is our pleasure to celebrate the people and attractions that make it such a wonderful place to live.
At New Hampshire Home, I now have the chance to explore and reveal the stories of a whole new community—the talented architects, builders, interior designers, landscape designers and more— whose talents combine to create the spaces that tell the stories of us.
I also welcome the privilege of exploring the countless stories of homeowners around the state.
After all, a house is a structure, yes, but it’s also an extension of our personalities, family traditions, tastes, and especially values. The places where we cook, sleep, relax, entertain, find refuge and raise children reveal something about us, and should you look closely enough, you can learn much about the people who call them home.
For instance, in this issue, a couple wanted to downsize where they could comfortably age, but they didn’t want to relinquish their 1700s-era home and the deep sense of place it represented (page 78). Their inspired solution was to turn the adjacent barn into a unique space firmly rooted in the past but fitting for the next stage of life. In the second feature, stunning décor melds antiques and subtle nods to a city’s history with bold style to create a modern home with clear connections to the area’s heritage (page 70). Here, I think, are two families that value honoring and preserving the past while looking to the future.
Finally, in our cover story, a canoe trip on Lake Sunapee stirred Stephen and Nicole St. Mary’s childhood memories, prompting them to build an elegant home in the rustic Adirondack style, with enough room for their relatives to gather (page 58). Constructing a dream home specifically designed to accommodate up to twenty-four members of their extended family couldn’t be a clearer signal of what the couple values.
All of the houses featured in this issue are more than just places to live—they tell stories of the people who built them. These are perhaps less straightforward narratives, but they are no less intriguing and illuminating. I am pleased to share these three revealing stories with you here—and many more in the months ahead.
