Step Inside A Massive 230-Year-Old Maine Home With Gorgeous Historic Murals
Ever read an incredible book and wished you could live inside? Well, a new homeowner will soon get to feel like they're living in a pastoral — this incredible 230-year-old mansion that's currently on the market in Limerick, Maine is filled with nature scenes and other beautiful murals.
According to Realtor, the murals were commissioned by Moses McDonald (1815-1869), the son of the original owner. Moses was evidently struck by Maine's beauty, as the murals depict the nearby Casco Bay, the town of Limerick, and local scenery. His commitment to the area, both in terms of his home's unconventional decoration and his later career as Maine's representative in the Senate and House of Representatives, is truly impressive and makes the murals seem all the more heartfelt.
With that being said, the current buyer will certainly have their hands full. The eight-bedroom, three bathroom, one powder room mansion requires a lot of cosmetic work — though the end result is sure to be stunning.
An unassuming exterior
Although the historic mansion is undoubtedly huge, it looks relatively plain from the outside. Don't get us wrong — a three-story home is always impressive, but there aren't any features that look particularly eclectic. Instead, the 5,574-square-foot home is coated with chipped white paneling — another cosmetic fix for the new owners to work on.
Given its age, the property has a few tricks up its sleeve. The most surprising? The greenish-grey section of the home on the left side is actually a barn. It has been relatively well preserved, so new owners can turn it into an eclectic space to host company — or a massive garage.
Despite the house's incredible size, there is relatively little green space. The lot itself is only 0.47 acres, per Realtor, and after accounting for the mansion and barn, there's just enough room for a quaint front lawn and a relatively small backyard. But once you open the front door, the appeal of the home becomes evident.
Not all of the rooms are covered in murals
Inside the mansion, many of the walls are coated with the same Maine-inspired mural that was visible in the previous picture (including the room visible here through the doorframe on the left side), according to Realtor. However, a surprising amount of walls are blank — perhaps they were never painted, perhaps the murals were covered up at some point. Unfortunately, this is where the house shows its age most. While the painted designs can hide cracks and faults (at least from a distance), the plain walls show all flaws.
Although the cracks are frustrating and the house undoubtedly needs work, the plain space offers new buyers a great deal of creative freedom. After fixing the walls, the new owners can decide to leave the home as-is or extend the mural onto blank spaces, providing the historic space with a creative yet respectful update that honors its roots.
Get ready for the ball
Alright, so maybe the barn wasn't the most surprising feature on the property. The historic mansion features its own private ballroom, complete with murals detailing the local landscape that line the walls, as noted by Realtor.
Although you'd expect the ballroom to have heavy wear and tear (surely there were plenty of dances and other events hosted over the years), it's in surprisingly good condition. That's not to say that it won't require work to restore (or that renovating the room won't pose unique challenges — namely preserving the design on the floor), but overall it looks to be in better shape than the rest of the home.
While it might not be the most practical room in the house, owning your own ballroom certainly comes with its own perks. Just imagine hosting a dinner party in the historic space — or dancing with a loved one from the comfort of your own home. The historic mansion will surely require a lot of repairs, but it's sure to be worth it in the end.