Home Dec. Ideas

bluewillow · February 2009

Hi again,

I just found this news link about Meredith Publishing, which does Country Home Magazine and many others. Sad!

http://www.kcci.com/money/18438337/detail.html?treets=des&tml=des_break&ts=T&tmi=des_break_1_11200201082009

abbadoodles · February 2009

NoNo. It's Country HOME that's s--t the bed, not Country Living, unless someone knows something I don't know. I did go to the Country Home website yesterday and didn't see any mention of their closing but if you google them some links pop up with the news.

Sahalie, what a beautiful picture. Does anyone want to take pics of spots in their homes they would like to share, either for ideas or just to show off?

sahalie · February 2009

I am so sorry about Country Home but sooooo relieved to know Country Living is safe and sound. I've been buying that magazine for years and keep them all. I love them.

Tina. Do you have any old barns on your property? We have several with a a couple of them falling down back into the earth and nature but my kids save and stack the redwood and make the most incredible furniture and signs out of the wood and sell the pieces. We are saving as many of the out buildings as possible as they are the heritage of the farms in America. Probably world wide sentiments.

It's amazing how the terrain here looks so similar to Ireland and France. The hills and valleys. Could be why the cyclists flock here. Anyway. If anyone handcrafts things from their place * that would be fun to share too.

Happy Day All.

It's raining and pouring here in the land of Cali ~ Thank goodness. The wind last night was "get up outa bed and look out the window" amazing. So far so good.

bluewillow · February 2009

Good morning!

I just found a website with lots of great photos and neat decorating ideas. I think I got to it from the Cottage Living Magazine website. Lots of great decorating ideas and the photos are great. I just wish I had the budget to match my ideas... Cry

www.myhomeideas.com

Anonymous · February 2009

I don't have any new input at this point, but LOVE this thread! Hope to see some new ideas from our girls...And, now going to check out the myhomeideas site!

sahalie · February 2009

Happy Monday All Home Decorators !

Willow. What a great link. Thank you so much.

One of my most favorite magazine's i didn't mention the other day is Coastal Living.

Okay. Two magazines. Also the wonderful idea filled Southern Living. Even though I'm on the West Coast I still love that magazine with all it's great ideas.

Here are a few links to check out on a rainy day. Hey it's a rainy day here and we are happy about it. Our hills and foliage are singing with bright green.

Okay. The links. Enjoy!

IDEA HOUSE INSPIRATION

Coastal Living: Maine
Cottage Living: California
Southern Living: North Carolina
Southern Accents: Georgia
MyHomeIdeas: Florida
Sunset: California

I hope these links work. If not * google will help. : )

sahalie · February 2009

Tina. How about this one for those carefree days.

It looks easy enough to get sideways up the stairs. Maybe.

sahalie · February 2009

Here it is.

Coastal Living Magazine

Also.

In the words of the Kick in the Pants site in Coastal Living ~

"You can still have a beautiful home, despite the crummy economy.

Our friends at sister site MyHomeIdeas.com share some of their favorite recession-friendly sources in their Budget Shopping Guide and Budget Living Room.

Cheer up and check them out!"

Shore Style :: Coastal Living.com

*

bluewillow · February 2009

Hi Laura, I hope you enjoy the website! One of my goals in life is to visit Oregon, around the towns of Grants Pass, Klamath Falls, and Gold Beach-- are you near any of those?

And thanks for the cheer-up links, Sahalie! Southern Living is wonderful, and I also l like Midwest Living! I bet it's so nice out in your area with everything greening up there. Is that your home with the loft studio?

Help me out here, please: how do you determine if rooms have "cool" or "warm" exposure? And what colors do you use to "warm up" and "cool down" the rooms? I used to be good at figuring this out, but something has happened to those particular brain cells that contained that data (chemo? no, surely not!)

sahalie · February 2009

Hi Willow. I also love Oregon. I have relatives up there and trek on up twice a year.

About the "cool" or "warm" exposure. Here in CA. it's the south facing rooms that stay nice and warm throughout the day. Northern exposure rooms stay cooler. Warm up colors for me are the very light tans and extremely light greens. Cool down for me would be light blues.

I personally don't care for red rooms or extreme dark paint colors. They look beautiful in some homes but just not for me. I love white. I love white or off white walls with dark wood accents. White plantation shutters and large blinds. I prefer the type of blinds that move up and down.

Willow. That "loft" studio isn't mine. It was out of one of our fav magazines we all like here. We do have many barns on our farm and one was just restructured and new roof. We are trying to save as many as we can. They are really old and two have fallen down over the last few years.

Your little Mason and his cheeks are adorable. I didn't know there is a Midwest Living. I'll check that out.

Some fun pillow colors.

abbadoodles · February 2009

Hi, girls. What great links you have provided.

No, I don't have any old barns on my land, just some old barn foundations. We do have a couple of new outbuildings but I'm not taking them apart to use for artful furniture. LOL What a great idea for the old barnboards, though.

Midwest Living is a once-a-year favorite of mine. When I go on vacation, if I'm passing through the midwest, I pick up an issue at the airport. I still have one from about 6 or 7 years ago that I just love going through once in a while. I can never find it here on the stands in NE even though Southern Living is available. I've even considered subscribing but just never got around to it.

Northern exposures and north-eastern exposures are coolest, southern and south-western exposures are warmest for light. I've found that fighting the natural light of a room generally does not work, so go with what you have and make the most of it.

That chaise is gorgeous! but, alas, would never go up my stairs. LOL I can barely fit a slipper chair up there. Sometimes I think the only way to get what I want is to commit to an "on site" build but that would be way too expensive.

I do actually have an old twin bed, even height head and endboards, from an old bunkbed set, which was given to me for my guest room a few years ago. I am considering having the mattress upholstered (I guess I can do that in my "spare" time.) and piling it with pillows to use for a reading refuge. The upholstered mattress wouldn't look as messy as a throw over a sheet set. Only problem is that if I put it where I want it, there will be no back to it. Now I am trying to think up a way to construct a back that wouldn't look really awful. Any ideas?

Here's a vignette from my living room. I collect old pottery and I've filled a red pie safe with some of it. YES, there's more! LOL Too much of a good thing is not enough.

LisaSDCA · February 2009

Tina - you've got some nice pieces there! I especially like the vase second from left on top and the water pitcher directly underneath it. Well, and the squat, two-handled one on the far right, first shelf. What is that glaze called?

I collect early American pewter, especially pitchers. I'm trying to let go of the pieces I don't absolutely LOVE, but it's a slow process. Do you collect textiles, too?

Lisa

abbadoodles · February 2009

Thanks, Lisa. The two vases are Weller, the pitcher is yelloware just marked USA, if I remember correctly. Lots of the old yelloware had this blue-green glaze.

I'm not sure of the name of the glaze on these two Weller pieces, but they are both matte finish. Not all Weller is the same glaze.

I do have some old textiles, not much. I particularly like the old turkey red as shown. Most pieces I come across are damaged, though. Still, I hate to cut them up for pillows or something. I just throw them around for color. Sometimes I drape one or two over a table as a cloth.

Old pewter is great! Tha't one bug I didn't catch, though. LOL God save my soul from another collection.

You should see all the little people that greet me each day in my studio. (Made in Japan and Occupied Japan) I have a glass-front cabinet full of them. My buddies.

Anonymous · February 2009

Hey, again!. Yes, bluewillow, I am just south of Grants Pass, one of the cities I love to visit on a "spare" day to go antiquing! Here is a picture from my kitchen, to give you an idea of my farmhouse style. Actually my furniture is on the contemporary side of traditional, and the farmhouse accents are occasional. Photobucket

sahalie · February 2009

Magical delights Ladies. The pottery is so pretty. By the way. The little I can see of the plump chair next to your pottery looks very comfy Tina.

I say we rip out the staircase and widen that area up so you can get the big chair on page one up stairs for you to fall into anytime you want.

I like to collect Fiesta dishes, bowls, whatever and very old jelly jars to use as glasses and old table cloths that are decorated with farm scenes and cherries. I love those.

One of the barns has a very old hand crank washing machine in it I'll take a picture of and post it here.

Lot's of old milk bottles and farm equipment treasures plus two old wagons that are huge.

My Mom collected anything Milk Glass.

Laura. Do those vintage cheese graters have candles in them?

KAK · February 2009

Burns, what a lovely idea!

Tina, that collection is just beautiful and beautifully displayed.

Sahalie, beautiful piece of furniture, that lounger.

barbe1958 · February 2009

I LOVE it all! The colours just feed my soul....

abbadoodles · February 2009

Laura, I love your grater luminarias!

Oh, and Sahalie, those Fiesta plates on the rag rug or placemat are just wonderful. Forget ripping out the staircase, though. OMG. I will have to take a picture of it to show you just how not really possible that is. And, the comfy chair you see in the picture is actually one of two very, very comfy loveseats I've had since about 1981. They are too comfortable to part with and I've had them reupholstered twice and slipcovered once somewhere in between. I love the idea of slipcovers but in reality they are a pain to keep looking nice. Although I can degenerate into slovenliness, I don't like unkempt slipcovers. More work for me. Bah.

Ooh. I collect 50's to 70's vintage Westmoreland milk glass, too. Mostly the beaded grape, if that's what you call it. Mostly white but some green milk glass. Such a pretty color.

Raye99 · February 2009

Tina - what a beautiful display! Does it require much dusting? LOL. I love home stuff, just love it. Yes, please take a pic of the staircase so we can see what we are dealing with here.

Sahalie - I love those plates you posted and your terrific ideas.

Wish I could write more, but I have to earn my keep around here (work).

abbadoodles · February 2009

Nah. Only before photographing it. LOL yourself. Love that Swiffer. Poke poke, no lift.

Gee, Raye, you sure look different today.

Now I'm off to the mall for makeup. Will report on that thread later. Wheeeeeeee.

Anonymous · February 2009

I've been lurking and loving all of your creative talents... love to be inspired!

Tina - Again... I love your corner. How long did it take you to collect the pottery?

How about this for your "reading bed"? You could make a shabby slip cover for it and like you said - surround it with lots of throw pillows:

http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1234971220/ref=sr_pg_2?ie=UTF8&rs=&keywords=bed%20lounge%20pillow&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Abed%20lounge%20pillow&page=2

Anonymous · February 2009

Hi, guys...no, the luminaria graters are not candles - they are white Christmas lights. I just plug them in (mostly when entertaining) for a "glow" in the kitchen. Much more fun than overhead lights!

On magazInes, I subscribed to Cottage LIving and was notified they are going out of business! Got a subscription to Coastal Living instead, which is good! I used to subscribe to one called Inspired Home, which matched me and my style exactly, and it went out also! (Hope it's not 'cause what I like isn't popular enough!

Has anybody read or heard about the book called The Not So Small House - I love that idea! I prefer smaller, cozier, less "McMansion"; although these days it's not so much a choice but a necessity! LOVE houses with all those little cubby spaces, built in bookshelves, built in window seats, etc...

sahalie · February 2009

Happy Wednesday !

Laura. I haven't heard of that book but I feel the same. Cozy houses are my preference.

I'll have to check it out and see what great things it has in it. Thanks for telling us about it.

Tina. About your twin bed idea upstairs. Great idea! What about some big bolster pillows to cover in your own choice of fabric and toss them against the wall that the bed is on. Then you can use it as a great relaxation setting and have the big cozy pillows to rest against if needed.

A few ideas.

Pillow0city. Easy to make too. : )

abbadoodles · February 2009

Okay, back from the shopping trip. That's a whole, other story.

Now, the twin bed is not going to be up against a wall. It'll be, I'm thinking, about 1.5 feet from the end wall in the small room, just enough to leave room for the radiator plus breathing space so nothing overheats. Right now it's against a wall but looks pretty sorry. This room is very small, long and narrow, with a steeply pitched ceiling as it's under the eaves in my Cape. Perhaps I should leave it that way but I thought it would look better turned at a 90 degree angle, and better feng shui, too. I'll have to think more on that.

I do have a reading pillow similar to the one shown and one of those large bed wedges that I bought for recuperating from my free TRAM. BTW, I never used it. It's the full width of the bed and I was, indeed, going to slipcover it in something cute. Those bolsters are very cute, Sahalie.

I read the Not So Small House a few years ago. Some very good ideas in it. Mostly contemporary style. Susanka wrote a sequel to it, too, but I cannot remembe the name. Just google her name and I'm sure you'll find it.

sahalie · February 2009

Home again for me too. The tree guy is here pruning all the Chinese pistachio trees out back.

No rain today and kinda nice and still mild.

OK Tina. You need one of these * for that skinny room

Where is the rest of this girls body in the chair?

sahalie · March 2009

Summer is around the corner.

Who is using what to clean their redwood decks? Mine needs some TLC.

Tina. Any overstuffed cozy to the max sink into with hot chocolate chair up those stairs yet?

abbadoodles · March 2009

Wow, is that your deck, S? or a magazine ad? That is one beautiful deck either way!

My porch and deck are built of cedar; I don't know a thing about redwood. I don't think we have ever done anything to our deck except use a broom and let it age. I know there are products out there that claim to "renew" the wood, but I've not used any of them.

No chair up the stairs. BooHoo. Just have butted my head against that wall once too often and have let is rest for now. I am thinking that I will have to convert that "daybed" into a reading lounge. That's where the project is now. It will have to wait until I finish my taxes, though, before it gets any more attention. Thanks for asking.

sahalie · March 2009

Tina. Sadly. That is not my deck. I fell in love with it too. But mine is redwood like the picture. I stay away from anything chemical so we have used the power washer on it and it brings it back to life for awhile. They turn a gray color which isn't bad but I'm in the mood to perk it up. I had to have a Redwood tree : ( taken down not long ago right next to the deck. I miss it but not the mess it made. Always dropping seed bombs and pokey dealies from the limbs.

Laura.la I feel the same about "cozy houses" They have so much charm and feel good quality. How is life in Oregon? I just returned from the east coast and a family gathering and was happily hauled all over the place to antique and second hand shops. I could take up residence in some of them they are so fun. I know you guys in Oregon have some really good ones too.

Raye99. I hope you find more time to post and chat. It's fun to get each others ideas. Do you have a favorite magazine you recommend?

KaK. Ms. Kathi. I LOVE your shoes. I want them. Please share your ideas too. Love those shoes. ! ! !

Bluewillow. Thank you so much for the great link ! How is that sweet cheeked grandson of yours. He is so adorable.

LisaSanDiego. Please keep sharing. I have two pitchers I love that are from my childhood. One is ceramic painted with bright colored polka dots. My Mom had it in her kitchen. I'm nostalgic that way. The other one is glass with colorful painted lines around it. Love that one too.

Hey anyone see the play "Wicked" yet? I saw it Sunday in San Francisco. It is flabberflippinfantastic. We see a play each year. Kind of a tradition now with my family. So we love each one except Les Mis. It was to dark and depressing. The two women who are the witches in "Wicked" have the most beautiful voices I have heard. Amazing. I highly recommend go see this play if you can. It's a great book too. Whole new spin on Oz. And it makes all the sense in the world. It's a 100% phenomenal.

Sahalie

kmccraw423 · March 2009

I also love small cottages or small victorian homes. And I love to go to garage sales, flea markets and even dumps. I love getting something for free. Sometimes I buy things at garage sales and flea markets just so I can change it! I once bought an early american wall candelabra, painted all the spool work different colors. I paid $1.50 for it and sent it to a consignment store were it sold for $30!

I wouldn't mind a Queen Anne home in New England - a big one with lots and lots of rooms and cubby holes.

I know about those narrow stairs too. I once rented an older tudor home and found that my queen sized bed would not fit up the stairs - had to get a split queen box springs. A neighbor told me that the previous owners had their queen size mattress in a stop down alcove in one of the bedrooms. I thought that was strange until I found you cannot get a box spring upstairs. Its frustrating.

I also had a friend that wanted to move a loveseat from one bedroom to another. She, her husband and friend tried every way they could to get in through the new bedroom's door but no luck. Finally they measured the doors. The previous owner had the home built exactly to the one he had in England. None of the doors were the same size! The way the piping was mazed into the wall, plumbers just laughed and asked her if she had a lot of money to pay for their time trying to figure it out.

Old homes are charming but boy oh boy the problems that come with that charm.

I love this thread too.

sahalie · March 2009

Hi Kathleen. Boy you know it. We have a farm with a cute quaint money hungry adorable cottage on it that we rent out. It's got the 12ft high ceilings. Nooks and crannies. It's built way up off the ground. So far we've redone and replaced the heater. Most of the electrical. Water heater. All the windows except two. All the while trying to keep the flavor and feel of it's unique originality. It's a challenge but so worth it.

Your description of the mazed piping etc. just illuminates big $ signs. Great job on your find and resale! I love finding treasures too. We have a really antiquated hand crank washer in one of the barns and I will keep it forever but have no idea what to do with it.

I need to get the names and serial numbers off all of this stuff and look it up for value and age.

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