My Favorite Space

Photo by Ben Goff Rick Parker poses for a photo on March 10 in his office in Gentry. Parker restored the circa 1890s property and circa 1870s desk and chair.
Photo by Ben Goff Rick Parker poses for a photo on March 10 in his office in Gentry. Parker restored the circa 1890s property and circa 1870s desk and chair.

Rick Parker

Where I live: Old Quarter district in Gentry

Occupation: Fine and decorative art conservation

My favorite space is: My office

Why? My office is located in a circa 1890s National Register property that I renovated myself. Here, I find peace and a chance to slow down, reflect and ponder. The property has no Internet, no phone line and no television. I enjoy having research material physically available, rather than on a screen, and I think it's important not to be connected every minute of every day.

All of the furniture is from the late 1800s and very early 1900s, to fit the house and the time period in which it was built. The wallpaper and ceiling paper have been re-created to match the original paper of the house. The lighting in most of the small cottage is comparable to what would have been here in 1900. My desk and chair are both from the 1870s and still function wonderfully. Just the act of sitting in a chair is different here.

If I could make one change to improve this space, I would: I want this property to be as historically accurate as possible and still be a modern, functioning office space. I recently discovered the exterior corner trim and gable trim were originally darker shades of green than I first thought. Those changes will be made this spring and I expect these minor little changes to really alter the visual appearance of the house.

General News on 03/30/2016