Small Maid’s Room Restoration

RESTORATION HIGHLIGHT – Small Maid’s Room, 2018

Because there are no known photos of Lucknow’s servant bedrooms from the Plant era, restoration of the smaller maid’s room on the second floor relied heavily on physical evidence. During the research phase, the restoration team discovered unaltered, original finishes inside the closet. These revealed that the wood was coated in amber shellac when the house was first built. Removing the modern wallpaper also revealed scraps of the original wallpaper – a neutral, beige paper decorated with clusters of white polka dots. 

In early 2018, a preservation specialist stripped the woodwork and refinished it with amber shellac and brown wax. The interiors of the closet were left unaltered for posterity. Minor repairs to the ceiling plaster were made and a fresh coat of paint was applied to match traces of original paint found on ceilings elsewhere in the home. Finally, the restoration team chose a modern wallpaper to recreate the appearance of the original paper. The restoration team then furnished the room with pieces appropriate for a servant’s room in the 1910s and early 1920s. At this time, we are still seeking a few props – such as linens, a mirror, and a rag rug – to complete the project.