Originally a farmhouse built around 1840, the Osborne Homestead Museum is now one of fifteen distinctive historic sites in Connecticut. Frances Eliza Osborne (1876-1956) was the last of the Osborne family children and deeded the 350-acre property to Connecticut to preserve it as a state park for future generations.
A decorated sconce at the Osborne Homestead Museum.
Every December for more than 30 years, local garden clubs have prepared lavish holiday decorations following an annually chosen theme. The 2016 theme, “A Sparkling Holiday,” showcases each room in the sparkling, rich colors of gemstones. The Olde Ripton Garden Club (ORGC) decorated the Osborne parents’ bedroom in emerald.
On Thursday, November 30, the Osborne Homestead Museum honored the garden club volunteers for their talent and hard work at the Annual Winter Holiday Volunteer Appreciation Party. Our Osborne Homestead Museum Decorating Committee (Linda Hooper, Linda Tura, Fran Hope, and Maggie Howell) were all in attendance to accept their certificate of appreciation.
The ORGC Osborne Homestead Museum Decorating Committee and attending officers. From L-R, President Renee Protomastro, decorating committee members Linda Tura, Linda Hooper, Maggie Howell, and Fran Hope, and 1st Vice President Joyce Donnelly
The Osborne Homestead Museum is open to the public, and the decorated rooms offer inspiration for specific holiday color schemes. The Emerald Room, decorated by ORGC, pairs traditional greens with the salmon pink and cream in the wallpaper and trim.
-
- The 2016 Emerald Room, decorated by ORGC.
-
- The Emerald Room fireplace and mantle, featuring pink and green garland.
-
- The tabletop tree in the 2016 Emerald Room.
-
- The 2016 Emerald Room’s mantle wreath.
-
- A dresser tree and deep green candles in the 2016 Emerald Room.
-
- The 2016 Emerald Room’s bed tray, featuring holiday delicacies complementing the dark green theme.
Rooms decorated by other area garden clubs offer similarly inspiring designs. The office’s sapphire scheme pairs deep blue with bright white, and the living room’s pearl palette offsets ivory with robin’s egg blue and cobalt.
-
- 2016 Sapphire Room mantle, featuring blue glass balls and lit white twig trees.
-
- 2016 Sapphire Room tree.
-
- Window sill of 2016 Sapphire Room, with a base of cotton batting snow and glass trees.
-
- 2016 Pearl Room mantle.
-
- 2016 pinecone trees, featuring blue bows and beads.
The kitchen’s amethyst-themed accents feature bold purples and lavenders against pine boughs, and visitors can spot creative placements of rock candy.
-
- The 2016 Amethyst Room (kitchen) sideboard, featuring a pine bough and purple accent runner.
-
- The 2016 Amethyst Room sideboard interior shelves detail.
-
- Mason jars of lavender M&Ms and rock candy sticks accent the 2016 Amethyst Room’s amethyst gemstone decor.
The historic house’s Milk Room (so named as the receiving room for local dairy farmers) features opal-colored decorations, while adjacent rooms showcase traditional reds and golds.
-
- The Osborne Homestead Museum Milk Room (Opal Room).
-
- A mantle featuring traditional golds and reds.
-
- Simple and elegant, paper ornaments adorn windows.
-
- The porch of the Osborne Homestead Museum.
Through mid-December, the Osborne Homestead Museum features special holiday twilight tours in additional to its regular daytime hours. For more information on the “A Sparkling Holiday” program, museum hours, and guided tours, please visit the Osborne Homestead Museum Holiday Tours and Programs webpage.
We hope you get to visit the museum this holiday season and enjoy the decorations!