The college’s octagonal room inside of historic Tyler Hall has been renovated in an attempt to restore it to the original splendor it once enjoyed when it was built in the 1930s.
When the Tyler Estate was in its glory some 70 years ago, the octagonal room had functioned as a game room. The interior of the room, designed by the well-known Boston decorator Henry Davis Sleeper, was bathed in vibrant colors of flaring reds, gold, magentas, and turquoise blues.
The hand-made “Esmeralda” wallpaper, representing the gypsy in Victor Hugo’s novel “Notre Dame,” had originally been imported from France in the 1830s. It became the perfect gothic backdrop to the Norman-French architecture of the room.
The room itself it one of 60 inside of the mansion. It overlooks the Neshaminy Creek where the college’s property ends and Tyler State Park begins.
The entire restoration was done by students of the college’s Historic Preservation Program under the instruction of Jim Rodgers.
A total of five Bucks students were involved in the process of stripping old paint, sanding the woodwork, and applying several coats of fresh paint to all the surfaces.
“It was hard work,” said biology major Justin Doran, 19, “but it was really good to be involved.”
The project was much more complex than it might appear at first glance. The initial microscopic analysis of paint chips taken from the walls and woodwork was done by conservation instructor Ray Tschoepe, who specializes in materials used in historic buildings. The findings showed the types of paint which had been applied in the past as well as the exact color.
The original paint used by the Tylers had been purchased at the Newtown Hardware Store on State Street in Newtown since 1868. Owner Dave Callahan matched the original paint colors and donated his best paint imported from the Netherlands to the project.
“The paint is very expensive and very special,” said store employee Ian Pytko.
The pigments are ground for 3-6 months and the paint is manufactured according to old traditions without any fillers such as chalk or additives.
“This makes the paint, which is also environmentally safe water-based acrylic latex, extremely durable,” explained Pytko.
Prepping the intricate crown molding and the wainscot was a challenge, because none of the detail could be lost in the sanding process.
The “Esmeralda” wallpaper also presented problems. Only three original panels remain in the room because the paper is extremely difficult to maintain due to its age and delicate nature. The rest of the paper was carefully removed from the walls and taken to the Athenaeum in Philadelphia for preservation.
In order to maintain the original character of the room, the wallpaper was photographed and the image digitally enhanced to the original colors. Several large panels of these reproductions are now displayed on the walls.
“It was important to us to restore the entire room to its original beauty,” said Professor Lyle Rosenberger, director of the Historic Preservation Program.
Rosenberger saw a community need for this type of program. After a fruitless search for another two-year program to use as a model, he created his own 13 years ago.
As many as 70-90 students come from Bucks and surrounding counties, as well as New Jersey, to participate in the program each semester. Graduates have become a real asset in the historic preservation of the many historic sites of this region.
The restoration project was funded by the Bucks Foundation, a non-profit educational trust to provide expanded resources for the College’s growth and development. The Foundation’s Tyler Restoration Committee annually raises funds at the Tyler Tasting Party to benefit the historical preservation of Tyler Hall.
New projects are on the horizon for this year. The pewter room needs to be restored to its original beauty. The music room will also be getting crystal chandeliers.