My Maine Picks

While in Maine I thought I would look for some inspiration for the guest bedroom.   Now that the outside of the house is done, I have an idea in my mind what I want the interior to look like and it's always fun to find things that match that idea.  And there's no better way to kick off Christmas shopping by buying some things for myself!

As you saw in my earlier post about redoing the guest bedroom I was considering glazing over the wallpaper and coveting some of the bedding from Restoration Hardware.  As you can tell from that post, I'm aiming for a very neutral gray/brown color scheme.  And, if you've been following me for a while, you've also seen that I look unique vintage items.

Here are the things I found that fit all of those criteria:

This is a press of some kind.  I don't know what it's supposed to press but I thought it would be fun to put different things in it to fit my mood or the season.  Maybe a holiday ornament...an Easter egg...a stack of old photos...you get the idea.

I love the legs on the press.  It looks like it could get up and walk away.

This is a little Kosta Boda head I already had to put into the press today.  I think we've all had days we feel like this.

I LOVE this globe!  A black cast iron stand and a silver earth.

It's even got Boston on it.

Some vintage candlepin bowling balls that say "Lovie."  These have my name all over them!

Two vintage wooden disks from industrial wood molds.  I thought these would make great bases for cloches or just a stand for just about anything...

...kind of like this.  These wooden disks and "Lovie" balls came from the gallery and studio of a local Wells artist.  It was one of the most amazing places I've ever visited.  I'll have to tell you about it later.

I like these lamps because they look and feel like old silver trophies.  These were made by Smith-Zukas Antiques that I showed you back in the summer.  They're made out of old vases and the bases are black marble.

I think with a black shade, they'll look really handsome.  I know this shade isn't right.  If anyone can tell me the rules for lampshades, I would be appreciative.  I want a drum shade so it doesn't compete with the  shape of the base, but I'm not sure how big it should be.  I'm not convinced the finials are perfect either.

This old architect's drafting table would make a great bedside or accent table.  It's cast iron and the base is telescoping so the height is adjustable.  Smith-Zukas is making a top for me out of reclaimed pine.

I also thought I'd visit my country home away from home: Snug Harbor Farm.  If you missed last summer's post about Snug Harbor Farm, you can read it here.  They say they're open year round so I decided to see what was going on this time of year.

I was able to walk through the greenhouses and pick a few topiaries to bring home and enjoy for the winter months and then I headed up to the shop.

Check out this little work area off to the side of the shop.  It didn't photograph well but it's just enchanting in here.  The lit balls seemed to be floating in air.

Inside the shop, these wonderful little terrariums welcome you inside the front door.

Preparations for holiday visitors are well under way.

And the shop is packed with holiday decorations and gifts for the garden lover on your holiday list.

If you're in the Wells-Kennebunkport area next weekend, Snug Harbor Farm is having an open house from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.  You can find more details here.

Thank you, Michilyn, for being such a great host!

Back at home, my new topiaries have found a regular home in my sunny kitchen window.  When visitors are coming, I'll move them from here so everyone can enjoy them.

I deposited my new picks from Maine in the living room so I can enjoy them and get a feel for them before I make more decisions on the guest bedroom.   Here they are so you can get a look at how it looks right now and see how these new things fit in with my other things.   I think I'm happy how this room feels as you walk in from the new front porch.

This is the back corner of the living room.  It's what you see when you walk in the front door.  I've also got the gray and brown color scheme in here.  The painting on the wall is something I recently bought at auction.  Auctions are a wonderful place to get wonderful original art at reasonable prices.  It desperately need a new frame but it's not high on the list right now.  I might take it apart and paint it for now.  I think a weathered gray frame would look great.  I think I also need to put the drapes back up.

I love this photo.  It makes the house look really light and airy.  I'm editing out the TV and its stand from the left of the photo.  I'm still looking for a solution for the TV.  I'll show you another day.

This is the front corner of the living room.

And, finally, this is the front wall of the living room showing the new windows that go to the baseboards.  It's so bright in here.  You can almost see me in the convex mirror above the chair.  I'm sitting in one of the Louis XVI chairs that I showed you a while back.  I've not done anything to transform them as of yet because they turned out to be too small for the living room.  I think they may work as a side chair in the bedrooms or as a formal arm chair for the dining room.  So that's project on hold.

Are you getting an idea of how the guest bedroom will look by the ideas I've discussed?  Is this a place you'd be comfortable visiting?