WHY VICTORIAN DRAB?
IT seems that some of the preservationists in my cliffside village are having a midlife crisis. Finding themselves in a rut, they have chosen to change their colors. As far as I’m concerned, it’s not a moment too soon. During the last 15 or so years, most of the village’s numerous Victorian homes have been bought by people who practice orthodox restoration. They read The Old House Journal and Historic Preservation instead of Bob Villa’s ”This Old House,” and attend Thursday night meetings of the Landmarks Society rather than watch ”L.A. Law.” The old houses demanded time: they were given weekends, summer vacations and sabbaticals. They required money: it was amassed from Christmas bonuses, annual raises and garage-sale profits. They needed a craftsman’s care: master carpenters, masons and plasterers worked overtime.
