Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Now it's Fall in the Smokies!!

Happy Wednesday!! I wanted to share the beautiful color we are finally getting here after rain, rain, rain. This is my favorite time when the leaves have turned their most brilliant hues of red and orange.  These are photos of our front and side yards. Enjoy!! I am participating in my first "Outdoor Wednesday" so take a peek at the wonderful fall decor there!











Sunday, October 25, 2009

Southern Charm...

I wanted to show not a "before and after" of my living area. I tend to change things around a lot. We moved into this house new and started with plain white walls. We added one set of french doors and hardwood floors. We based everything on neutral furnishings that we can accessorize with many different styles. We have traveled a lot, and I think I've gotten something in every country I've been! We love Spanish/Mediterranean, Cuban Colonial and Southern traditional. Really! How do we put that all together? We just keep changing things until it works:-)
Here are the same basic furnishings with different accessories, which make for a little different style with each change.


(ABOVE) This is the living room now. I really wanted to add some "southern" style as I had inherited some wonderful furniture and art from a dear relative who was a true southern belle from South Carolina. She also traveled extensively and brought many treasures from China.  I love these prints above the piano. They are from China in the mid 1940s.  The rug I bought in Turkey and find that it goes with everything!


(ABOVE) This is kind of the midpoint of this room. We were using more of our Spanish accessories.


(ABOVE) Here is where we started from after moving in...our "before."

(BELOW) Looking the other direction...before.


(BELOW) How it is now...


(BELOW) This fabulous buffet is an inherited piece which I have fallen in love with. We first accessorized it with this Belgian tapestry, antique Chinese brass bowl, and wrought iron candle holder from Turkey.  I bought two of those on different trips to the same store in Adana, and they were a whopping $25!!


(BELOW) And now with vintage print, photos of family members and one of my favorite things--my grandfather's "Shakespeare's Complete Works" from 1911.


(BELOW) The print on the far wall was hanging in my grandmother's basement! It is called "Child of the Campagna" by Guido Bach.


(BELOW) I love blue and white, so on a trip to Japan, I brought back as much as I could carry! This blue willow plate is one of my favorite because it's just a little different from the others I have.


(BELOW) Before I got the sideboard, I had this china cabinet on that wall filled with more blue and white, Mexican Talavera, hand-painted plates from Turkey, espresso set from Italy, pottery from Germany. What I love is that it all goes together. But, I loved the sideboard so much this went into the hallway for now. This cabinet was $140 at a thrift shop. I had mirror cut for the back and changed the shelves to glass.


(BELOW) Looking the other direction before...


(BELOW) and after...


See the little brass table by the chair? That was also inherited. No one wanted it so
I cleaned it up and found the perfect spot!


(BELOW) Here is a closer look at the Chinese art. It just worked so well in this corner...


Finally...my dad and I made this table from a North Carolina wagon wheel and a rim from Montana.  Always adding something old that has meaning, I placed a copy of my grandfather's french study book, "Sand's La Mare Au Diable" from 1916.


I hope you have enjoyed the metamorphosis of our living room! We love to use old with new and blend newfound things with family treasures. It's all about creating a space that we can enjoy and feel at home!

I'll be joining:
Metamorphosis Monday 

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

"Maple Leaf Dining"


I  am so excited to be participating in Tablescape Thursday once again! Susan has once again outdone herself. I would also like to say how wonderful this experience has been for me because I have met so many incredible people here! I so enjoy seeing all your ideas, but most of all I am so impressed with how nice everyone is. It is so nice to share ideas and inspiration in an environment of support and encouragement. That said...off to my newest experiment!



I used some of the same pieces again to see what I could do differently...

Recognize the Walmart chargers?  "Italian Countryside" dinnerware, Oneida "Golden Julliard" stainless flatware, napkins from Walmart. 



I love these vintage "Whitehall" amber glasses from Indiana Glass...







My husband contributed the napkin rings:-)




My mother bought this fabulous brass candelabra  in Lebanon in 1973. The other two are family heirlooms.

But my favorite thing this week...





The beautiful maple leaves!! I searched through the woods for only the yellow ones. I just love these, although they won't last for long!


















These little brass bowls were brought from China in the 1940s from a dear relative...







I hope you enjoyed my "Maple Leaf" dining! I love the fall colors so much, and because they are not here very long, they are all the more special!! 


Be sure to go see Susan's beautiful fall table!! 


Sunday, October 18, 2009

Vintage Caribbean-inspired bedroom

Welcome to my "Vintage Caribbean-inspired" bedroom where I have mixed mostly old things with new style. There are several vignettes here, so I hope you enjoy! 

When we moved into the house this was a very plain bedroom. We added the oak hardwood floors and baseboards. I had recently inherited some antique furniture and needed to find a way for it all to work. I was inspired by the painting. I chose the wall color from that and ended up with a retreat reminiscent of a Caribbean hotel or villa. I wanted to combine the feel of old Florida with the style of the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, where my husband is from. Almost everything in this room, down to the vintage linens, is passed down from someone, which makes it really special to me. So...take a peek!



Vintage cigar box for jewelry, vase from the $1 store in the 70s


The bed is an 1860s spool bed in beautiful condition passed down through my family. The chairs are both 100 years old. Side tables were handcrafted to go with the bed. Lamps are also from the 70s.



This is the original watercolor that inspired the colors. It came from Florida, but I don't know anything about the artist.


This chest is also antique and handcarved. The workmanship is exquisite.




This is a victorian mahogany dresser without the mirror.  Vintage hatbox my grandmother covered. The candle holders are 70s. The bottom box I brought back from Bosnia, and the top one came from Egypt.




These photographs were the inspiration for the style of the room. My great grandfather was one of several men who founded Palm Beach County in the early 1900s. The top, left photo is of his house there. Top right, James. W. Porter in Hypoluxo, Fla. Bottom photos are of my grandmother and great grandmother.  Why is this important to me? Our house now is on his land. He bought this place in North Carolina for a summer residence, and several of the furniture pieces in this house were his.




Vintage pillowcases...




The chandelier came from Lowes...





My grandmother brought this shelf from Florida. The top plate is made from orange tree wood and is displayed with an antique pewter hairpin box.

Below is more art from Florida. These prints came from Florida in the 70s. The drop leaf table was my great grandfather's. Vintage handbag, and boxes.




I hope you enjoyed my tropical-styled retreat! I love taking old things and reusing them in a new way. Family heirlooms mean a lot to me and I always try to find a way to make them look new and fresh. I am always looking in my parent's basement for something no one else wants that I can restore. So before you run to a furniture store, look in the basement or the garage or the attic...who knows what treasure you might find!!

I'll be participating in "Vignette Friday" over at "Color Outside the Lines" so go by there and be inspired!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Vintage Brown Drip Autumn...

Thank you to Susan for hosting Tablescape Thursday again. Please check out her fun, Halloween  tablescape after leaving here!



I fell in love with "Brown Drip" pottery several years ago and started collecting pieces.  I have a variety of Hull and McCoy, and lucked into a whole box of around thirty pieces for $20 from an antiques dealer. I decided to use it since the brown is so nice for Fall. Enjoy!!




Hull plates, Walmart napkins and chargers, napkin rings from Bed, Bath and Beyond. The sterling flatware is by Wallace, "Louvre" from 1893.




The candle holders from Big Lots, filled with potpourri...



Imperial Glass amber goblet, "Old Williamsburg." Amber tumbler is by Hazel-Atlas, "Dots." Below, goblet from Wal-mart with Imperial Glass goblet.



I made the table runner out of this lovely paisley from a local fabric store...






Hull pitcher with real fall foliage from outside...



A view at night...



Thank you all for visiting and for the wonderful ideas I get when I visit your blogs! Please come back Friday for Apple Crisp...