DIY is definitely trending right now. A quick Google search will show you how to turn your empty soda bottles into a chandelier, your sweaters into throw pillows, or your old sneakers into a bridal gown. But can you DIY your whole house AND furniture….out of old newspapers? Sure, apparently.
Let’s be clear: this place isn’t going to be an adrenaline junkie’s next hit. But if you need a fascinating place to bring your out-of-town aunt or just a fun way to spend your Sunday afternoon, the Rockport Paper House will satisfy your needs
The Paper House's story begins in 1922. A Mr. Elis F. Stenman was in the midst of building a summer home for his family. Construction started out pretty normally. Normal roof, normal floor, normal timber frame. But creative fancy got the best of Mr. Stenman. He chose a rather unlikely material for the walls of his new getaway: newspaper.
Mr. Stenman was a pretty cool cat. He made his living as a mechanical engineer and was actually the guy who designed the machines that make paper clips. His engineering know-how gave him a hunch that newspaper would make for great insulation. And he was right.
Stenman lived in the summer house from 1924 to 1930. After his wife's death in 1942, the family opened the house up as a museum and began charging 10 cents admission.
The walls are composed of over 100,000 newspapers and are 215 layers thick. The papers are glued together with a homemade paste of flour, water....and apple peels. Sounds more like dessert than fixative.
Stenman's grandniece, Edna Beaudoin, is the current caretaker of the Paper House. She recalls her great uncle deciding to leave the varnished newspaper exterior exposed to the elements, rather than covering it with clapboard, just to see what would happen. The house has withstood the harsh New England climate for over 80 years.
The furniture is also completely made of newspaper. All except the piano and the fireplace. As mechanical engineer, Mr. Stenman could appreciate the prudence of not building a fireplace out of kindling material.
The newspapers are varnished to protect them from degrading. The varnish gives the walls and furniture a woody color and gloss. New varnish has been applied over the years, but many of the headlines can still be read. You can spot plenty of familiar names and historical events if you look closely.
The Paper House located at 52 Pidgeon Hill Street in Rockport. It is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. every day, spring to fall. Admission is $2 per adult and $1 per child (it’s on the honors system). What do you think? Worth a visit? If you’ve already stopped by the Paper House, what did you think? Share with your friends and let us know in the comments!
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