Restoring Charm

       Remodelista:  A Bewitching Old Stone House                                                            Old House Dreams

                                  In the Fields                                                                  Madeline Stuart

I was talking with someone about renovating an old house a few months ago and I came to

the conclusion that my goal isn't always "renovation" as much as it is "restoring charm."  One 

of the things I love about old houses are the details, sometime quirks, that they have.

Darryl Carter's Living Room

Darryl Carter, same room, different view

Some of my favorite details are shutters and moldings.

(While Darryl's shutters seem more decoration than original details, I like how he's paired

the shutters with roman blinds of the same color as a window treatment.  I also notice he

typically uses shutters that cover about 2/3 of the window.  I need to add, I love this room!)

Shutters, in particular, are really common on old New England houses.

I wish I could find the photographs of my old condo; it had shutters that

folded back into the wall.  I'll show you if I can find them.

This is one the charming old houses in Marblehead, Massachusetts that

looks still has its original shutters.

Shutters are also great for privacy if your house is right on the street.

I believe my house was originally built for laborers so there aren't a lot 

of fancy details; in fact, in typical Yankee style, the detailed mouldings

were installed only in the living room where guests would see them.

Now that I've replaced all of the windows downstairs, I thought adding shutters 

to all the windows would be a way to add charm and provide a privacy solution 

since my house is so close to the street.  So last summer I took down my drapes 

and rods so I could try living with the windows open and uncovered during 

the day.  I found that when it's light outside, you really can't see in at all.

I had just a few months earlier, seen Loi install shutters in his Maine house

so I contacted his source, Shutterworks in Lewiston, Maine, to see if they'd (A)

provide me an estimate and (B) be willing to work with me long-distance.

The price seemed really good and yes, if I measured carefully, they would

make the shutters and I would drive up to pick them up so save shipping costs.

Fred at Shutterworks does almost every style of shutter imaginable 

so my task was to choose something that "fit" the house.  I decided to

base the shutter panels for the windows on the panels in my tiny basement 

door which I believe to be original to the house.

Just to make sure I liked it, I asked Fred to make

me up a sample so I could see what it looked like.

And the "Urban Cottage" shutter was born.

I carefully measured each of the windows--three times each--and

sent the measurements off to Fred.  I think it took about two months

for building and painting the shutters and I drove up to Lewiston the

week before Christmas to pick them up.

And here they are!

Fred works with a painter so I was able to get them spray painted before the pairs

were assembled.  I used Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray.

So my first project of the year is getting these installed.

I'm looking forward to the old New England charm these 

will bring to my downstairs.  

A Little Red for Valentine's Day

I'm not making very much progress on anything.  This happens to me every winter at this time of year.  It's (self-diagnosed) Seasonal Affective Disorder.  I always feel better when the days get longer and the weather starts to warm.   One thing in particular that's holding me up is making a decision on fabric for the Louis chairs.  I've been looking for ways to bring some more color into my house and finding an accent color that works has been a really tough.

If you remember, my living room is all neutrals.  It's a look I'm drawn to in photographs online and in magazines but I always end up longing for more color.  I typically gravitate toward blue and green--my favorite colors--but when I've tried adding them into this room, they always seem out of place. 

This morning as I was doing my Sunday chores, I pulled the rug from the foyer into the living room so I could wash the floor and it all suddenly seemed "right."  So I pulled together a few more accessories with reds to see how they looked.  A wool throw in a plaid of browns, tans and reds, a paisley fabric wrapped around a pillow and a wooden bowl filled with pomegranates quickly came together to create an entirely new look.  I like it.  I really like it.  I think it's a great look for winter at least.  You'll also notice I hung some new drapes (Pottery Barn Peyton drapes in oatmeal).  They're a little out of control having just come out of the package but I thought I would hang them for a little while before I press them and train them. 

This makes me feel a little more comfortable bringing some of the same colors to the dining room.  So the search goes on for the right fabrics.

* * * * *

And speaking of accessories, Janet (everyone's favorite stylish vegan) from The Gardener's Cottage asked for photos of people's favorite accessories so she could post them; in fact, she sent me a personal plea.  Good Do-Bee that I am, I sent Janet a photo of my favorite accessory which, it should come as no surprise, is a piece that has a history.

This vintage Hamilton automatic watch was given to my grandfather as an anniversary gift from my grandmother in 1962.  It's a very humble piece of jewelry but it's one of my most prized possessions.   (I think the band is one of the most handsome watchbands I've ever seen.  It still seems modern.)  This was my grandmother's second husband and they married in 1960 so this was their second anniversary.  At the time of this gift, I'm certain they were sweethearts.

I hope you enjoy your day with your sweetheart.

Happy Valentine's Day!

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?

Renovation Update 9.25.10

I came home from work one day this week and found they had started the siding on the front of the house.  This would be exciting if it weren't the wrong siding.

This is a closeup of it.  Remember when I was talking about my conceptual sculpture class and how forms (shapes) and materials have the ability to communicate nonverbally?  Well, this siding says Adirondack cabin or maybe country cottage to me.  It's all about the bevel between each piece.  The difference is really subtle but it communicates very differently.

You might use it here it you were trying to create this look.

Or you might remember the horizontal paneling from the bedroom of HGTV's Sarah's House. 

It's perfectly lovely in these rooms, but it's not the look I'm going for.

This is what it should look like...

...or this.

I put in an emergency call to the contractor.   The architect didn't specify what it should be and he made an assumption because this is the only kind of tongue-and-groove cedar that's available.   

The problem:  the material I want isn't available; $1000 of the wrong material was already primed, cut and partially installed.

The solution:   take down what was already done, cut the bevels off both sides and then route new tongues and grooves on both sides.

This is the end result.  It's a little difficult to see with the natural grain but if you go back up to the first photo, you'll see the difference.

This shows it a little better.

(You can't imagine how great all this freshly cut cedar smells!)

And here's a close up.  Once it's painted, I think it will perfectly replicate the original siding found on many of the local Greek Revivals.  

I'm pleased with how gracefully the contractor dealt with this little misstep.  Sam admitted that they thought the choice was a little odd and that he should have asked.  In the end, they wanted it to be correct and getting to the solution was pretty easy.  And we're both really pleased with the outcome.

Meanwhile inside...

I pretty much cleaned the living room out so avoid plaster dust getting on everything and, as I mentioned, the new windows give a whole new classical, elegant feeling to the room.  In fact, now that I'm getting a feeling for what the outside is going to look and feel like, I'm not so sure my vintage cottage look is going to work at all.  

So I started to pull a few things from around the house that sort of "fit" the vibe I was getting from the windows.

This is what I started with.  The charcoal gray sofa stays.  I pulled this table from the bedroom upstairs.  I recently bought a pair of large cast iron pineapple finials on eBay and I put one of them on the table.  (I love architectural salvage!)

I added a mid-Century abstract drawing on the wall and threw a little cubist drawing in a gold frame into the mix.  The placement might change but I'm just looking for things that fit my vision.  I think a few Snug Harbor Farm topiaries would be great too.

I also love the combination of gray and brown and I think a little wood would warm up the gray and cream.

I'm really loving these Louis chairs...

...maybe with something modern and graphic like this Kelly Wearstler print.

The backs of the chairs would face the wall and would almost never be seen so I'd be tempted to do something totally unexpected on the back of the chair like this print from Wendy Lewis' Textile Trunk.

...or maybe I could cut the front off of some Paul Smith shirts and have the buttons go straight down the back.  That would be unexpected!

I can also envision the walls paneled out with mouldings...

...and a pale grisaille mural inside the panels...

...with rusty industrial pieces hung right over it.

That's what I'm thinking today.  Tomorrow it could be this...

I think I need a designer to reign me in.