Although this room is called the “Butler’s Room” it probably originally served another purpose.

◼ We recently discovered the power for the chandelier comes directly from the attic!
◼ This room has the only restroom on the first floor.
◼ There is a unique inscription above the fireplace that had resisted translation for decades! In March of 2020 the mystery was finally solved by George Macridis, who noted that it is, in fact, Arabic, just not modern Arabic. The script is a form of Arabic calligraphy, possibly written by a Persian. The Persian language, Farsi, and Arabic are different but share a (mostly) common alphabet, and it appears whomever designed the inscription took some artistic license in combining writing styles. George credits his nephew, who was born in Jordan, for figuring it out.

The right side means "God bless this house," and the left side means "There is only one God" - the first half of the Shahada, one of the five pillars of Sunni Islam: "There is only one god and Muhammad is his prophet."

So why did John Wells Paine choose to include an Arabic inscription with an Islamic statement of faith in the powder room of his home? We may never know. It appears we have solved one mystery only to find another.

This room has seen renovations in 2020, having the raised oval wall designs meticulously copied and replaced where some had been broken. Lori, the restoration artist at Wilson Decorative Solutions, restored the detail painting on the ceiling. The wood detail has been waxed and polished. The attached bathroom is original to the home but the tile on the upper walls has been replaced since it was severely damaged. If you look under the sink, you will see some of the original tile still in place.

◼ Restoring the room’s chandelier is a top priority.
◼ Restore the damaged floor and polish with period-correct materials.
◼ Restore the light fixtures with period-correct finishes and glass globes.
◼ Renovate the windows with energy efficient seals, counterweights and functional storm windows.