None of us live in houses linked to the 17th-century Salem witch trials—and really, who would want to? Still, we're somehow drawn to the eerie beauty of the last-standing Salem Witch House, wicked back story be damned. Should you, too, find yourself drawn to the dark, we've sourced the elements to recreate the look:
Above: The Salem Witch House, estimated to have been built between 1620 and 1670. It was the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin, a member of the court that sentenced 19 people to be hanged for witchcraft in 1692. The house was occupied until the 1940s, when a road widening project threatened to force its demolition. The house was moved 35 feet, restored to its 17th-century appearance, and made a historic site for Salem tourism. Photograph via Atlas Obscura.
Above: A Wispy Birch Wreath with buds of Northwestern birch is $35 for an 18-inch wreath from Kate Coury's Farmhouse.
Above: A diamond-paned window at Tretower Court, a 15th-century manor house in Wales. To source antique diamond-paned windows, we suggest contacting a local architectural salvage company. Two of our favorites are Ohmega Salvage in Berkeley, California and Big Daddy's Antiques in LA and San Francisco. Photograph by Helen Hall via Flickr.
Above: Though wood shingles take work to maintain, they're critical for a classic New England look. Here, sawed wood shingles on a house by architects C.F. Møller. Learn more in Hardscaping 101: Wood Shake and Shingle Roofs.
Above: For the exterior of the house, we think Behr's Semi-Transparent Weatherproofing Stain in Slate is a good match. For more on the project shown here, see Palette & Paints: 8 Colorful Exterior Stains.
Above: For the door and anything else in a solid finish (including the gutters), we like Benjamin Moore's Gravel Gray. See this gray and nine others in Shades of Gray: Architects Pick the 10 Best Exterior Gray Paints.
Above: For the natural stone at the base of the house, we like the idea of reusing wall stone from abandoned properties throughout New England. Stone Farm, based in Newtown, Connecticut, sources and sells such stones; contact Stone Farm to purchase.
Above: Stone Farm also produces new slabs from a variety of New England natural stone, which we'd suggest for edging the walkway to the house. Learn more at Stone Farm.
Above: Curtains are necessary if you want to keep people guessing what's going on inside a haunted house. White Lenda curtains are $19.99 per pair from Ikea.
Above: An equally eerie view of the house, in winter. Photograph via Streets of Salem.
Keep channeling fall style in Steal This Look: Style on a Budget, a Picnic on a Bed of Leaves; Steal This Look: Biergarten Table Setting, and Steal This Look: Farmhouse Modern Entry.
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