Our pleasure in staying in Bed and Breakfast inns while traveling and our enjoyment in meeting new people were the deciding factors that led us to purchase and operate a B&B. We discussed the possibility many times when we would return from a wonderful getaway where the stay at the B&B was one of the trip highlights. We enjoyed visiting Cape May so much that it was the only location we considered when discussing what we would do in our "next life."

Prior to purchasing the Inn we lived on a small farm in Hunterdon County, NJ where we raised sheep for their wool. Carrie would, clean, card and spin the wool and a lucky family member would get a new sweater or scarf that she knitted from the wool. Andy is a retired architect and engineer and ran his practice in a restored barn on the property. One of the day's highlights would be the opportunity to take a break from the office, slip into a pair of coveralls, jump on the John Deere tractor and do some chore on the property for an hour or so. It was really riding around on the tractor (not the work) that was fun.

In 1992 we renovated a house across from the Bantry Cottage, located on the Victorian Lace Inn property. We stayed in the cottage (then called Tiny Tim's cottage) on weekends over the winter so we could meet with the contractors and plan the week's work. Just as we were completing construction, the Victorian Lace Inn became available and we made the decision to purchase it that day, and so started our journey on our "new life." Our second reason to operate an inn was the opportunity to meet people, and that has been more than fulfilled. We have met so many wonderful people, and by having them as guests, we've been happy witnesses to some of their most important celebrations. We look forward to receiving the many friends who return as guests every year, and enjoy learning what is happening in their lives and in many cases seeing their families grow up into young adults.

In addition to our longtime and new employees, a big fluffy Golden Doodle named Seabee has recently joined the staff.

History of the Inn

Prior to 1869, the property belonged to the estate of Israel Hughes. In 1869 the property was purchased by John C. Bullock of Philadelphia, PA. We believe from previous research by Harry and Margaret Himes, who purchased the property in 1983, that the house was built in 1869. Research has revealed that by 1876, the property was in the name of Charlotte E. McIlvaine, wife of George, and the building appears on a map of Cape May in 1887. The property remained in Charlotte's name until April of 1902 when it was willed to her grandson, George Knox McIlvaine.

John and Ethel Milroy purchased the home in 1978 and converted it into four apartments. They rented three apartments and the cottage and named the Inn "The Binnacle."

Then, in 1983, Mr. & Mrs. Himes purchased the property and renamed it the Victorian Lace Inn. They stated in their brochure that Cape May was "America's premiere seashore resort." Cape May was indeed the country's favorite vacation spot long before Atlantic City built its first boardwalk in 1870. Over the years, gamblers, silent movie stars, even presidents and royalty have walked the Cape, revitalized by its salt air and as noted in the Himes' brochure, "charmed by its gaslight nighttime beauty." Cape May celebrated the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson discovery the Cape in 2009.

Architecture

In the Spring 1986 issue of Victorian Homes, John Crosby Freeman, former professor of architectural history and the decorative arts referred to the Inn as "a split personality sea-side Victorian." Freeman goes on to describe the building, "The original Queen Anne house is best seen in the top photo (in the article) with its uninterrupted belt course between first and second stories, central brick chimney and an ornamentalized cap, hipped-roof dormer with Queen Anne sash, tense side elevation with gable and second floor windows pasted to the broad entablature. The front bears the stigmata of a personality change: shed-roofed, Arts and Crafts dormer with tudorized" sash; broken entablature and "Dutch colonial" gambrel gable. Perhaps at this time, the "colonial" porch with its Adamesque pairings of columns was added. The only thing that points to Queen Anne in the front is the over-scaled dormer that disrupts the cornice. Oddly enough, the "colonial" verandah captures the essence of the original builder's Victorian Italianate and Mansardic and the new-fashioned picturesqueness of the Queen Anne. Here, in 1869, old Victorian classicism won out with the central chimney, symmetrical T-plan and broad entablature. The later porch iced this cake, even though the contemporary gable made it more picturesque."

Some of the interesting things you may look for when visiting the Inn are:

The Leitrim Suite comprises what was the original master suite plus a second bedroom, which is situated over the foyer. The latter was Charlotte McIlvaine's dressing room. Look for the narrow door at the second-floor landing where her maid would enter and exit the suite. The built-in wardrobe is original.

The door at the stair landing between the first and second floor was once an entry into a back stair to the second floor used by the domestic help. That was a very convenient space where we could install mechanical and electrical equipment since the stair no longer existed. The domestic help used the chimney staircase to access their space on the third floor. Note in the photo at left, that while very nice, the stair balusters are not "turned" but square with a nice edge detail. Turned millwork was very expensive, and was used only where guests or family circulated.

The chimney staircase is the only one of its kind in Cape May, getting its name from its original design purpose to ventilate the home. Note that the stair landings all have windows (now stained glass) and that the doors off the stairwell have a louver door as well as a solid door. By opening the windows on the first floor porch and in the upper floor rooms, closing the louvered doors for privacy, but opening the solid doors during the day, this design allowed the heat to rise up the stairwell and escape through the windows on the landings, creating a draft effect similar to a chimney in a fireplace.

Click here for more information about the architectural details, furnishings and fixtures.

Renovations

When we purchased the Inn in October of 1992, we knew that we would have to upgrade the electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems for the Inn. We were not sure prior to purchasing the Inn if the foyer entry and chimney staircase was not an addition added at some later time. A review of the framing of the home confirmed that indeed the home was built all at one time and it did not have an addition.

In January of 1993, we closed the Inn and started the task of installing central heat and air conditioning, new electrical service and wiring for the power distribution and some of the lighting, and new bathroom fixtures and piping. Our goal of course was to avoid negatively impacting the interior or exterior architecture of this fine building. We did add some partitions for the added comfort of our guests within the existing suites, mainly for privacy in the two bedroom units.

The main challenge was to remove and replace wall and ceiling finishes and create soffits and chases to run the necessary mechanical and electrical lines and ducts. We were able to accomplish this in a manner that did not impact the interior of the Inn. The real adventure of this process was to find out about the original home and how it was used.

Click here for the complete detail of the 2002 renovation and addition

The Inn Today

The Victorian Lace Inn is unique in its atmosphere and our guests concur that when they're here, they feel they're able to really relax. Maybe it's because we really do love welcoming guests to the inn all year 'round. Families love the convenience and economy of the kitchenettes in each suite. They bring the kids back year after year for summer Cape May beach vacations, and we love to see our young guests grow up before our very eyes!

In the winter, the cozy parlor welcomes you. Couples head to Cape May for romantic fall, winter and spring getaways, when our little hamlet is a bit quieter. They take strolls on the beach, then light a fire in their suite's fireplace. Honeymooning couples particularly love the Bantry Cottage in all seasons of the year with its private balcony off the master suite.

Click here for articles about the inn and our events & happenings!

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