Carmen Blohm and Elias Olmeta bought their home on Hunt Road in Peterborough in 2012. Since then, the space has housed Blohm and Olmeta with their children, Blohm’s parents for a time, and after a large renovation, her sister’s family now lives in the big barn on the property.
“The house evolved with us and in part we evolved with the house,” Blohm said. Blohm and her family have moved around a lot, and she said they were searching for a “center of gravity” when they bought their Peterborough home. Originally from Venezuela, Blohm studied in the United States, where much of her family now lives. She explained that Venezuela has experienced a tremendous amount of political turmoil over the last two decades, leading many Venezuelans to emigrate out of the country. One of her goals has been to make her home a gathering place with her nuclear and extended family nearby.
Built in the 1790s, the house is a piece of Peterborough history. The property has acted as a social spot, venue for parties, host of artist showcases and displays, home for various creative residents and was a kindergarten at one point as well. “The house is connected to the community through its artistic history,” Blohm said.
Converting the big barn into a home for her sister and family was a huge project. The barn’s structure was suffering, so to keep it standing required major renovations. But Blohm said it was also “our first Nidu project.” Nidu is Blohm and her sister Nane Blohm’s interior design business. According to their website, “Nidu” is “derived from the Latin word ‘nest’ meaning a person’s snug or secluded retreat.” The website adds, “The ‘nidu’ method, a holistic approach to design developed by interior designer and therapist, Nane Blohm, looks to weave the space, the context, and the individual into a unique interior. It brings aesthetics and purpose into harmony to honor your story and help you connect with what is essential to your wellbeing.”
The updated barn has a modern flair with tall ceilings and bright, light spaces. Blohm said the “furniture is generally neutral, but there’s always a few exceptions.” Wallpaper hangs in the master bedroom with abstract sketched trees. Based on drawings by designer Emily von Wachter, this design was “translated and hand-painted on Japanese handmade paper by Porter Teleo.” And there is some wallpaper in the main house, as well.
Displayed in the dining room in the house is a textile piece that Blohm explained is “based on the different facades of 110 Hunt throughout its history,” created by textile artist Sanya Sharma. It hangs adjacent to a century-old plot plan and series of old photos of the house. “It’s a room that incorporates the thread of the home’s history through art,” Blohm said.
Nestled between the two homes on the property and connected by paths is a small barn. This functions as a meeting spot for the families with an open space and big fireplace. It has wood floors and an old barn interior.
Blohm emphasized that it’s important to “preserve what’s possible” when renovating a historic home. The main house is currently decorated with some antiques and some more modern pieces and these “work together as long as they speak to each other,” Blohm said. She also said the designing process is never final. Furniture moves around and the space changes with life changes.
Outside, Blohm’s husband has taken to gardening and landscaping. He has planted trees and flowers all over the property. Blohm said he is from New York City, and the property has allowed him to create a relationship with plants and the outdoors that he had never had before. She said it’s a “reclaimed relationship with spaces.”
The sisters hosted Nidu Gather at the houses this past summer, a weekend event meant to build the local creative community and showcase a few artists’ work. The Boston String Academy, a nonprofit that teaches children in underserved communities to play string instruments, played, and the event raised funds for MATS, Monadnock Area Transitional Shelter, a local nonprofit that provides housing for those experiencing homelessness. There was food catered by Mayfair Farm and Blohm said the event went “beyond our expectations.” Blohm and her sister hope to make this a yearly happening, inviting new artists to their home and growing the weekend over time.