The small town of Newton, Massachusetts, most known for its eponymously named Fig Newton cookie, is home to some astonishing architectural wonders – a testament to the days of cheap labor, cheaper lumber, and architects and homeowners with aspirations of grandeur and permanence. This project, the Bayley House, has a storied history spanning eight owners and multiple uses – private home, junior college and religious order priory. Fortunately the integrity of the original structure is largely intact.

We spent almost 1600 hours protecting, prepping, sanding, priming and painting this wonderful home - time well spent and money well invested. Our work should last the current owners 15-30 years with occasional touch ups to higher wear surfaces like window sills, deck and handrails. The original fabric of the house is remarkably tight and sound - old growth lumber milled from Maine and Quebec forests easily stand the test of time - we made sure to use the highest grade shingles and wood-specific epoxies as we made our own repairs. It’s a privilege and a pleasure to work on homes as proud and well built as these - we feel like curators or stewards more than painters. And luckily for us, Greater Boston is home to many of these stunning houses - we’ll be busy tending them for decades to come.