Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Little Things


I'm feeling a little scattered with a few different little projects in progress.  I'm not sure why I can't focus on one thing at a time.  I really opened up a can of worms with the middle bedroom.  Breaking down the desk meant dealing with two file cabinets of stuff.  I hate getting rid of things but it's the perfect time to purge.  

I scrubbed the dirt off the bed.  Three hours later, it looked worse.  It was better dirty and it definitely needs painting.  

I painted the window in there which means I only have one window left to paint.  The window in the landing at the top of the stairs.


While we're here, I've had a lot of people ask what happened to the green chest that was in the dining room.  Here's proof that it's safe.  This piece is a Mexican antique.  One of my neighbors used to travel around Mexico quite a bit and she bought up painted pieces she loved and shipped them back here for her store.  This piece and the green console in my kitchen are from her last shipment.  It's tough to import things nowadays and travelling around Mexico isn't as safe as it once was.   

This last window would have been painted but the garden center was having a 50 percent off sale on hydrangeas. 


So I picked up a few Limelights...



...and a couple called Quickfire.


I've been pulling gathering fabrics for the daybed.


These will all be used.


In the meantime, I just learned about Spoonflower.com.  Do you know about it?  I guess I'm the last one to learn that you can upload designs and have your own fabric printed. 



I acquired some 1940s-1950s textile designs from a Provincetown artist and I've been trying to figure out a way to integrate them into my house.  This is one of the designs above.  I just need to figure out the repeat.  Meanwhile I'm addicted to uploading images to see what they look like on fabric.



My own Victorian chair print.




And remember this window from Salem?



This needs some tweaking but I think it would make a pretty cool fabric.


Last week I e-mailed Sam to tell him that the sliding doors on the bathroom and pantry were falling apart (they're about 30 years old) and asked would he thought about taking those out and replacing them with two salvaged four-panel doors I bought for the new bathrooms.

I came home from work yesterday and found this.  I don't even know what it's going to cost.

I've never really shown this bathroom.  Nothing good to show.  It's directly below the master bath with the clawfoot tub.  This was would have been the same but was made handicapped accessible sometime in the early '80s.  It has a curtain that closes over the door and it's actually a fantastic shower.  The problem is once you've taken a shower, you have to walk back and forth over the wet floor.  So the bathroom will eventually be moved to the new space I created at the top of the basement steps and this bathroom and the pantry will be demoed to expand the kitchen.

The doors will eventually go on my bedroom closet and upstairs bath no nothing goes to waste.  I'll be happy to have them here until that day comes.

It's supposed to be a cool, rainy weekend so I hope to get a lot accomplished.




35 comments:

  1. I'm so in the same boat as you, taking on too many projects then unable to focus properly, feeling very scattered!! I decided last night, one project at a time and no more taking on more than I can chew!! (let's see how long THAT one lasts - lol)

    ps I love your green chest by the window above the stairs. Gorgeous!!

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  2. "Get a lot accomplished" - Steve, you never stop!

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  3. I guess you have to be careful about what you say to Sam. We had the opposite problem when we did some of the work on our house. He would say he'd be at the house at 8am Saturday...he just failed to tell us what Saturday in what month he'd be showing up on! I love the landing, the chest looks very happy there. What color are you thinking for the bed?
    am

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  4. Long time lurker- first time to comment.I love your blog.

    Please tell me/us about the wonderful three circle piece on the wall above that awesome green cabinet of yours. It is fantastic!

    WooHoo on the 'only one more window frame to paint'! Am I th eonly one who has been keeping track?

    Karla-CA

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  5. Wow I am tired reading this. I think if you make a list and know you are going to get to your things to do it might not be so overwhelming...but argh, the doors, that must have been a shocker. make a curtain for it??

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  6. Karla,
    Thanks for commenting! I recently bought that at Corey Daniels' Gallery up in Maine. It's three interlocked pieces of mahogany. I was raised a Lutheran and I recall that being a symbol for the triune God. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Other than that, I have no idea what it is or where it came from. I just liked it.

    In the center, I also see an animal head with horns. I think the scrolls in the lamp also look like curly antlers. So I added some antlers on the chest as well. In my mind, those three things all work together.

    If anyone has any other ideas what it might be, please chime in.

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  7. You have been a busy boy. My husband would love to have one of those 'wet' bathrooms like the one you want to get rid of. I would be shocked to come home and see my kitchen look like that too. It's only money, right???

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  8. Wow! so much to say: I'll start at the bottom. I LOVE that shower. a whole room for a shower!
    I love stripes and florals together.
    Love the lush Limelights. And, apparently you live near Deb ! (not of the above comment, however).
    I love your posts.

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  9. I love your blog and look forward to each post. Where did you get that gorgeous floral, beautiful!

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  10. Daisey Jane,
    It's Ralph Lauren "Lake House." I wish I could say it was $5 per yard. Those are Euro shams and they were 50% at Bloomingdale's but still a splurge.

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  11. It never ends.
    Thank goodness because life would get boring! You are doing such an awesome job. I love to check in. Your home is beautiful.

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  12. LOTS of little things. Here are my two reactions when I come to visit your blog:

    1) Sigh. So pretty.
    2) Holy $#)@!!! How does he get so much done?!

    Camille

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  13. P.S. Congrats on being almost finished with the windows. I have one more upper cabinet box to do and then I'm done. Want to take bets on who finished first?
    Camille

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  14. So impressed! I love the landing.

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  15. So many pretty and interesting and inspiring little things!

    When I was a child I slept in a white spool bed that was from my father's family's farmhouse in West VIrginia. You can't go wrong with a nice clean white! I have a wonderful one in my store now that has the original yellow paint and mountains scene painted on it.

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  16. I really like the window fabric. I must not have warned you that Spoonflower can be addicting. The first time I was on, playing with designs and changing the colors, I was up 'til 3 am!

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  17. Jesus, you have been busy. I like your house, a lot.

    Love the Mexican chest - interesting colour. I never heard of spoonflower either - but now I have! Thanks.

    Can't wait to see what happens with the spool bed.

    P.S. Our range (oven) just died. Now we are trying to decide on whether to buy a cheap replacement, or switch to gas (extra costs). Also, all my appliances are white - do I go with the stainless trend and then have to update everything? There is always a lot to do i.e. I feel your pain.

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  18. I like seeing these bits of contrast from the old version of your house, Steve. I came on board when the house already looked perfect, and these slices of where you started are very inspirational.

    The walk-in shower looks like a nice idea that wilted under practicality. It's made for a different kind of house--one with a bathroom that opens onto the tiled patio, in California perhaps.

    The green chest is a beauty.

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  19. Oh, and I LOVE your new mahogany art piece. Insanely beautiful. Good choosing.

    xo Terri

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  20. hi steve,

    you know i love the fabrics. perfect combo.

    i've been making pillow covers out of men's jackets i've been getting at the salvation army. i'm loving the look.

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  21. I did know about spoonflower.com!

    I love the bed!

    I did not worry about the green piece, I trust you.

    I love that you are still painting windows.

    I thought I was the only one, still painting windows.

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  22. Oh...love all the hydrangeas. What a good bargain! Love that little green chest too. I have known about Spoonflower for a couple of years and keep thinking I'll design some sort of fabric and just have not. I think it's unbelievably great. It is so hot here that everything is burning up. My gardening is done for the year...but I did do a little indoor gardening yesterday thanks to Kevin in Hollywood. I'll post pics on the blog.

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  23. We have a few hydrangeas, but I have long admired the lime-light variety. I leave seconds from Mahoneys's so I might just take a look this afternoon. The green chest certainly looks lovely in the hallway. The quilt hanging over the railing adds so much charm. I'm just in love with your style.

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  24. Just trying ti squeeze a little comment in here at the bottom of a v. long list.

    I think you house would be on my list of places that make my soul sing if I ever visited.

    Just the glimpses we get set my pulse racing.

    Mexican chest, Si! fabrics, si, si.

    Limelight? The only plant holding down the fort in my garden right now.

    I could continue to rave but I'll save a little space for the next acolyte.

    xo Jane

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  25. Ooooh. I LOVE all of these snippets from your abode! The mexican chest is full of personality...(tell me about the cool intertwined circles...love em)and the hydrangeas...be still my heart!!!

    Happy hot summerin'!

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  26. love the three circles (and your explanation about them) - that whole vignette upstairs is so charming!
    your to-do list sounds like ours!! I'm confused though... all that work ($$) and the doors are only temporary?? see, I'm confused!
    looking for some hydrangeas here and NH is all out;) could you send the name of the shop so I can call them?! pretty please!

    how 'bout this perfect summer weather?!!

    joan

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  27. I love that fabric design thingy you have...very interesting!

    Bathrooms are so tedious but so wonderful when they are all done...good luck Steve...it will be beautiful!

    xo kelley

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  28. Hi Steve! How did I miss this post? Just read all of the comments. You get the greatest discussions from your readers. I am like so many who say "how do you get it all done?". I get tired just reading about what you do, lol! I need an antiquing fix. Let's go sometime soon? Love how the house continues to reveal itself. The middle room will be gorgeous with those fabrics. Love them.

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  29. I'm in love with the green chest vignette in your hall! I especially love the three rings! Where did you find that?

    I'm going to be putting lime-lights in my cottage garden, probably next spring!

    Love your style Steve!

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  30. You know I am waiting eagerly now to see what happens to that bath space...how you transform it into what works for you. Besides that I am swooning over the curtains in the hallway. Dreamy.

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  31. i love the green chest! i was so happy when i saw it in the photo.

    will you share some of your energy with me? wowz.

    tera

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  32. Steve this vignette is stunning. I hope you don't mind that I intend upon flattering you in the highest possible way by copying every square inch! LOL!
    A

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  33. I'm in awe, your home is beautiful.

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  34. It has been a while since I have visited your wonderful blog. I am a follower now so that I don't miss any more posts. Wow! You have come a long way. I love your piece from Mexico and was wondering if you know of a color it is close to. Would love to paint something I have this color. Thanks!

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