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Garden, Home & Party

~ My love of gardening, making home comfortable and entertaining friends and family.

Garden, Home & Party

Category Archives: Collections & Accessories

Living with what you love; age and decorating

04 Wednesday Feb 2015

Posted by Karen B. in Collections & Accessories, Decorating, House and Home

≈ 42 Comments

Tags

accessories

A funny thing happened to me not long ago…I woke up on my birthday last month and realized I’m getting older.  I know, it sounds ridiculous, everyone gets older. But this was different, this was the realization that I’m now at an age where I question things that I wouldn’t have given a second thought to a few years back.  I don’t feel old in any way physically, or even mentally, but I wonder about my style, is it reflecting my age? Has it begun to look like an old lady’s house, or a cat lady’s house?  {That’s really not possible since we have a pair of dogs} 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: age and decorating

{via}

For example, I’ve always felt confident in my ability to decorate my home in a style that works for my tastes, and seems to be acceptable to our family.  And as if validation mattered, I receive compliments along the way from visitors who have stated that our home is pretty.  I don’t say that in any kind of boastful way, but rather to make the point that I never second guessed every little decision where decor was concerned.

Garden, Home and Party: age and decorating

I still love many of the same things I’ve always loved, English country style with a bit of French thrown in, more Ralph Lauren than Matthew Patrick Smyth, and because of the size of our home, it’s more rustic than elegant.  It’s evolved as we’ve aged and I’ve worked hard to keep the tchotchkes edited down.  I have always been open to change and like to rotate certain accessories/accents for the season.  All that said, I’ve begun to wonder…is my house beginning to look dated?  Does this happen to any of you?

Garden, Home and Party: living with what you love

I took heart from a recent Charlotte Moss quote I read in Veranda magazine:

“I’m a collector…You know when you lock eyes with a person?  I’ve been locking eyes with objects my entire life.”

I’ve always been more riveted by a beautiful tabletop than the table itself.  Maybe that’s why I worry about getting carried away with the very treasures I love.

Garden, Home and Party: living with what you love

Garden, Home and Party: living with what you love

{via}

Garden, Home and Party: living with what you love

{GHP}

 Garden, Home and Party: living with what you love{Phoebe Howard via}

A great vignette, with the right accessories, can make me weak in the knees.  My files are filled with rooms that are especially beautiful due to great styling details.  Is this the very thing that has me worried?  Maybe.  I do embrace the minimalists approach which stresses living with what you love, and I do [live with what I love].

Garden, Home and Party: living with what you love

{via}

That said, I think it doesn’t hurt to be mindful of one’s surroundings, not overly sentimental.  So, my dear friends, keep  me honest.  If I share a room that’s beginning to look one knick-knack short of a hoarders den, gently remind me of this post! 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: living with what you love

{via}

Garden, Home and Party: living with what you love

{via}

Garden, Home and Party: living with what you love

Garden, Home and Party: living with what you love

{via}

Garden, Home and Party: living with what you love

Do you ever have doubts about the direction you’re going where home/style is concerned?  Any remedies?  🙂

 

Fireplace mantles and the mantle clock

28 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by Karen B. in Accessories; details, Collections & Accessories, House and Home

≈ 30 Comments

Tags

mantle clocks

Garden, Home and Party: Mantle Clocks

{A SILVER MANTLE CLOCK marked Fabergé with Imperial warrant,Moscow, 1896-1908}

This time of year I’m especially mindful of our mantle, in part because we spend more time indoors due to cooler weather and because most evenings we have a fire in the grate.  Our fireplace is wood burning and I enjoy it.  Mr. B. says I’ve mastered setting a good fire.  It’s the simple rule of 3 logs positioned just so, and some wadded up newspaper under the grate.  It seems to never fail.  

Please note, this is a “keepin’ it real” photo.  Mr. B tried to move out of the picture (note the legs on the right) and I failed to move the log carrier and newspaper before snapping the camera.

Garden, Home and Party: Mantle Clock

But I digress, the subject of this post is the mantle clock.  It seems to be less popular than in the day where most homes with fireplaces had a good clock, usually centered on the mantle.  My mantle clock was a gift from a group of friends and purchased in Prescott, Arizona.  My grandmother lived in Prescott during her retirement years and in town there are a few blocks of antique stores.  I love the clock, in part because it always reminds me of those visits with my grandma.

Here we were this past Christmas, dressed for the holiday, the mantle clock is always there.

Garden, Home and Party: mantle clock

In this stately, more formal room [below], you’d expect a slightly larger mantle clock.  I imagine the small clock is some kind of wonderful antique, and up close is beautifully detailed.

Garden, Home and Party: Mantle Clocks

This might be an example of a noteworthy, but small, clock to place in a position of prominence on the mantle. Don’t you love the detailing on this clock?

Garden, Home and Party: Mantle clocks

{Farcot Figural Cockerel Alarm Mantle Clock}

An outstanding room designed by the talented Albert Hadley.  I love this room.  I imagine the clock was chosen for its size so that the portrait would be the focus.

Garden, Home and Party: Mantle clock

{via}

Mirrors are popular and often found where the mantle clock used to be.  I do love the clean lines of this display.

Garden, Home and Party: Mantle Clocks

{via}

I have always loved the gentleman’s English library and the mantle clock seems fitting in this setting.

Garden, Home and Party: Mantle clocks

{unknown}

Surprise!  This is actually a shelf, made to look like its a mantle over a fireplace.  It think it’s a great idea.

Garden, Home and Party: Mantle clocks

 {via}

Another lovely mantle with a pleasing mixture of items, including the clock arranged off-center.  Very pretty.

Garden, Home and Party: Mantle clock

This room and mantle is a little formal for my taste, but beautiful nonetheless.  Leave it to Marie Antoinette to have an opulent room such as this!

Garden, Home and Party: Mantle clocks

{Marie Antoinette Fontainbleau}

This is a favorite, not just because of the live greens, dressed for Christmas, but I love the clock and the old mirror it sits in front of.  The wall sconces are simple and the black framed clock stands out.

Garden, Home and Party: mantle clocks

{via}

Not to stray off topic again, but seriously, the reason you can barely see this mantle clock is because clearly, they are featuring this fabulous under mantle and side pillars.  I would love to have this piece…and probably the rest of the house that goes with it. 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: Mantle clocks

{unknown}

Garden, Home and Party: mantle clocks

Do you have a fireplace mantle in your home?  If so, do you have a clock adorning it?

I love hearing from  you, I hope you are having a great week so far. ♥ Karen

Acorns, a sign of autumn

08 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Collections & Accessories, Fall Entertaining and Decorations

≈ 38 Comments

Tags

acorns

Hi Everyone.  Are you as energized once the weather cools as I am?  The season, when behaving as it should i.e. cooler temps outdoors, gives me the same boost of energy I feel in the spring. Maybe even more so.  So who do I write to to request a few days of fall?  We’re still in the mid-eighties, not exactly sweater weather, she whined.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

On of the less showy symbols of the season are acorns.  It’s always been a source of beauty to me, whether a collection of the little nuts are displayed in a bowl or embossed on a serving piece.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

{These little cuties are from Pottery Barn}

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

Today I thought I’d share some of the prettiest examples of acorn-adorned bits and pieces I’ve found.

This pottery is wonderful, subtle yet stylish enough to use no matter what the season.  I love white dishes, don’t you?

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

{via}

There are 600 species of oak trees world wide.  As a result there are a lot of different shapes and sizes of acorns.  There is a grove of oak trees in one of our local parks, unfortunately, the acorns that fall are not the rounded kind, the seed pod is elongated and pointy.  I prefer the chubby little acorns you see depicted most often. Like the ones in this door embellishment. It looks like it might have been a pediment on a piece of furniture at one time.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

{via}

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

The wine coaster above and napkin ring below are favorites, I don’t own them, and I don’t remember where I found these images.  If you have information leading me to the source, please drop me a line.  Wouldn’t this be a pretty addition to the Thanksgiving table this year?

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

What would fall be without a smiling squirrel sitting on an acorn the size of a baseball?

The beautifully detailed creamer/sugar bowl and tray are favorites and if I weren’t trying to pare down I’d add it to my Christmas list.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

{via}

Detailed hardware such as the drawer pull below sometimes makes an ordinary piece of furniture shine.  This one looks old, all the better.  Try finding more than one of these beauties.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

{via}

I like this finial, if I had a staircase, I would consider it.  I’d like it stained a dark walnut with some distressing, please.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

{via}

The simple acorn and the oak branch are favorites at the table this time of year.  Homemade napkin rings, like this rustic twine piece with the faux acorns is such a great accent…it appears the seed is painted a burnished gold.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

Each autumn I use Redfern, my pheasant {thank you, Sarah}  and scented candles with a surround of leaves, berries and acorns.  My friend Linda W. finds these Cinnamon candles each year, this was a gift that was appreciated for each hour of delicious fragrance it provided us.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

Since acorns come from oak trees, this is probably one of my favorite ways to display acorns.  This arrangement looks like its been cut fresh from trees, not preserved.  So pretty.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

{via}

This little Etsy frame is so cute, I’m tempted, except it doesn’t appear to have glass or a stand.

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

{via}

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns {via}

Here is a step by step tutorial on how to grow an oak tree from an acorn.  If you are willing to do this, it’s clear to me you have way more autumn energy than me!  (I’d love to hear your secret if this is the case) 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: Acorns

Do you use nature’s seasonal bounty for your home?  I mostly use natural things over the little ghosts, spiders and goblin decorations from the days when the kids were small.  There are some really great looking pumpkins available and I even found bittersweet at one of the markets the other day.  Happy October, I hope you’re enjoying seasonal weather where you live.

Karen

{Home} Accent pillows?

24 Wednesday Sep 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Accessories; details, Collections & Accessories, Decorating, House and Home

≈ 37 Comments

Tags

accent pillows

I grew up with throw accent pillows on the sofa in our family room so I followed my mom’s lead and have had my share of pillows adorning chairs and sofas.  Most of the time I love the added pop of color and the cozy feel they impart in a room, but I have noticed that guests often seem uncomfortable with too many.  They’ll carefully place them aside.  The fabulous styles and fabrics available today have me rethinking some of my existing pillows.

I have collected some examples of rooms that benefit from pillows.  Share with me your thoughts on the topic.

First I’ll share my pillows…the room below is our reading room.  This picture is older as we’ve changed out the rug.  The window seat seems a natural for pillows since very few people sit in the window.  The ladder back chair has a kidney pillow that I usually remove before sitting with my feet up.

Garden, Home and Party: Throw pillows

Our love seat in that room has a couple of pillows and then Madison, who is convinced that this is her sofa.  This room receives little use, except by me when I want to read in relative quiet.

Garden, Home and Party: Throw pillows

Lastly, this is our family room sofa, the pillows are a chennile fabric and down filled, so they are comfortable but most guests place them aside.  I confess, after a long day, this is where I relax in front of the television, head on pillow, prone position. 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: Throw pillows

Pillows are definitely eye candy that add to a room, but maybe they do less for a comfortable sit than we like to think?

I love the symmetry of this room from the twin lanterns over the kitchen table to the matching pillows on the wonderful sofa.

Garden, Home and Party: Throw pillows

I really like the pillow with a bit of vintage silk on it.  In fact the pillows that are made with vintage/antique tapestry and other fabrics always catch my eye.
Garden, Home and Party: Throw pillows

I love the room below, wall gallery, side table accents and the day bed made useful by pillows.  We’re shopping for a day bed for Olivia [granddaughter] visits.  I will probably do something similar so that when she’s not visiting the day bed can look a little more like a sofa.  Does anyone truly sit on a day bed?  Without plenty of pillows the seating is usually too deep for me.  I end up looking like Lily Tomlin’s Edith Ann (does anyone out there remember her character on Laugh In—did I just date myself?)

Garden, Home and Party: Accent Pillows

{Charles Faudree}

This Nate Berkus room has a variety of pillows and an eclectic look…I really like the doors and giant mirrors.  I digress, the pillows on the sofa are all different, in this room that seems fitting.

Garden, Home and Party: Accent pillows

{Nate Berkus}

This is my kind of comfort, earth tones, rich leather chairs and plenty of light.  Again, there are pillows in all but the wooden chair on the right.

Garden, Home and Party: Accent pillows

{Photo by Roger Davies}

For the room below the accent pillows are the icing on the cake.  Visualize the room without the accent pillows…boring, right?

Garden, Home and Party: accent pillows

{http://billybesonco.com/portfolio/lakeside-living/ via http://www.talkofthehouse.com/for-the-love-of-red/}

I appreciate the simplicity of the blue and white—used in traditional stripes for the pillows.  It fits the location of the home (look through the French doors, a bay or shore line is the view {heaven}).

Garden, Home and Party: accent pillows

{Ferguson & Shamamian Architects}

This lovely living space is in the home of Jill of forever cottage.  If you’ve never visited her blog, prepare to be inspired.  I love her use of accent pillows, and pretty much everything about the room.

Garden, Home and Party: accent pillows

Garden, Home and Party: accent pillows

{Jill Hinson}

So, what do you think?  Are you a fan of accent pillows?  I sure am, even if they might be in the way occasionally.  

Enjoy the rest of your week.

{Home} An honest reflection, mirrors; and a giveaway

22 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by Karen B. in Antiques, Collections & Accessories, Decorating, House and Home

≈ 56 Comments

Tags

mirrors

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors, II

This isn’t my first post about mirrors, I really like the beauty they add to a room, large or small, mirrors and the frames around them are always lovely.  In many instances they do double duty with the size enhancing of a room they offer.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

{unknown}

But it wasn’t until I read my blog friend, Victoria’s {Restoring our 1890 Victorian} post about her “kingdom” mirror that I saw the impressive benefit a really big mirror adds to a room.  This post is for you, Victoria.  Just look at these mirrors, aren’t they fabulous?

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

{Restoring our 1890 Victorian ~ Kingdom Mirror}

A trumeau mirror is the ideal combination of art and reflection…here’s a DIY if you’re crafty and would like to try your hand at making your own.  I would love to find an antique but I hear they are cost prohibitive.  {Maybe Victoria can find one for me on Craigslist}  Since it’s the search that I love I will continue to see if I can stumble upon a steal someplace.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

A shelf with a mirror behind doubles your collections, right?

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

{New England Home}

Is this a great mirror? I love the black paint on the wall, contrasting with a white framed mirror, tub and walls.

Garden Home and Party: Mirrors II

{Roses and Rust}

I am especially drawn to mirrors that have lost some of their reflection by aging.  There’s something almost magical for me in mirrors that have aged this way.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

{via}

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II{via}

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II{via}

Garden Home and Party: Mirrors II

{via}

This room is so light-filled and simple…the mirror adds light and the feeling of space, don’t you think?  The clock is a favorite too.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II{via}

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

Ah, the patina of the mirrors and candle sticks…yes, please.

This vanity mirror is being put to good use…it looks so nice with the mirrored vanity and trash container (under the vanity).  In the reflection of the mirror you can see a diverging mirror.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors II

{tumblr}

The mirror below was once a door…I think this is such a great idea.

Garden Home and Party: Mirrors II

{via}

This looks like something out of Versailles.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirror II

Do you have a favorite mirror?  So on to the fun part, a present to one lucky reader…

My birthday is January 27th and  I want to host my first giveaway.  I’ve thought long and hard about just what I’d like to give to one lucky reader.

I lean toward English country / traditional design, but there’s always been a hint of French country influence in my decorating.  Charles Faudree, who lost his battle with cancer this past November, was master of combining the two seamlessly.

A few years ago I was introduced to Carolyn Westbrook, “The French Inspired Home” through a blog site that loves all things French.  {This is where I would install a link if I could remember which blog site it was…apologies}.  So when I learned, a little late, of Westbrook’s newest book, Through the French Door:  Romantic Interiors Inspired by Classic French Style,  I thought it would be fun to offer a giveaway to my readers who may not know of her talents and would love to be inspired by her work.

Garden, Home and Party: Mirrors and a giveway

To enter, simply leave a comment.  I will randomly select a winner and announce it in my post on Wednesday, January 29th.

Happy Wednesday.  I hope your week is going well.

{Home} Rooms that enjoy a neutral palette

04 Wednesday Dec 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Antiques, Collections & Accessories, Decorating, Designer

≈ 26 Comments

Tags

Henhurst Interiors, neutral rooms, Tone on Tone Antiques

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

John Saladino ~ Pinterest

Since we’re traveling high speed towards Christmas, where more of everything is the norm, I thought I’d provide some calming images of rooms that are spectacular in their neutral color palette and prove less (color), is more.

I think I’ve mentioned in previous posts that sometimes the beauty that tempts most of us online can cause me us to loose focus on my our personal style preference.  I save images that, in my opinion, have the ‘wow-factor’ and I’ll occasionally go through these files to tidy up a bit.

What struck me during this most recent housekeeping session was the preponderance of rooms that have a neutral color palette.  Small touches of color seem to stand out when you have the calm of neutral walls and upholstered pieces. I clearly adore these rooms, maybe in part because my own home isn’t dressed that way.  I found so many striking examples I decided I needed wanted to do a post on the topic.

There are examples every where you look, simple rooms, often adorned only in natural woods, shades of cream or white paint and perhaps an accessory or two that beautifully completes the room.  No fuss, no muss.

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

South Shore Decorating Blog

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

South Shore Decorating Blog

Garden, Home and Party

South Shore Decorating Blog

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

South Shore Decorating Blog

I regularly visit 2 blogs that have mastered this style of design.  Loi of Tone on Tone shares the most amazing rooms with his readers. Sometimes its his home, sometimes he features rooms he’s designed for clients.  The talented styling doesn’t stop with his residence.  He owns an antiques store that displays the European furniture found on his buying trips.   I love the styling and the furnishings and wish he would sign a book deal so I could enjoy studying the details of each and every space he’s created.  Rizzoli, are you listening?

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

Tone on Tone

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

Tone on Tone

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

Tone on Tone

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

Tone on Tone

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

Tone on Tone

The other blog site I find a generous helping of neutral in is Henhurst Interiors.  As a designer, Phyllis’ blog regularly features homes that exemplify the Swedish style.  She has a talent for streamlining the design aesthetic of a room while still making it so inviting and welcoming.  Her own home is one of my favorites.

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

Henhurst Interiors

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral Rooms

Henhurst Interiors

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

Henhurst Interiors

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

Henhurst Interiors

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

Henhurst Interiors

One of my close friends, Glenys, has recently moved into a beautiful home she and her husband built.  The interior of her spacious home is a wonderful example of the ideal:  Neutral colors and plenty of warmth.  I always marvel at how she manages to provide such inviting rooms without over saturation of any color.  It’s the perfect calm for this busy world.

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

A home featured over at Joni’s fabulous site Cote de Texas also reminded me of the beauty of neutrality.  This home is amazing, if you have time you might want to hit the link and check it out.  Ginger Barber did the interior design work of what  Joni calls, An American Farmhouse.

Garden, Home and Party: neutral rooms

Cote de Texas

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

Cote de Texas

I’ve always admired the living room of Randy Weeks, of Aidan Gray Home.

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

I’m not going to ask you to choose, I love both neutrals and some amount of color, but it is something to think about…could you live with less color/more color?

Garden, Home and Party: Neutral rooms

There’s no right or wrong answer, its your style preference, what feels like home to you personally, but it is fun to find myself drawn to both almost equally.

{GHP} A blue and white infusion

30 Monday Sep 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Collections & Accessories, Misc, Trends

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

blue & white decor

I’m revisiting this post so I can join Pink Pagoda for her blue and white link party (originally published 2/9/12).

Since it’s raining here and since it’s only 5 days until St. Valentine’s Day when most of us will be thinking shades of pink and red, I thought I’d provide an infusion of blue and white.

Martha Stewart

 

What is it about the combination of blue and white that appeals to so many?  Its classic—I mean it’s never experienced the phrase “So dated!” of say dusty rose and sage green (remember how we all admired that combination even if we didn’t use it?) of the eighties, or chocolate brown and white of the seventies (When I was first married everything had to be chocolate brown and white).  Blue and white clearly knows a popularity that remains timeless.

 French KissedFrench Kissed

I have a few touches of blue and white in my home and a guest room that is blue and white, but I’ve never been able to afford the complete switch.  You know how it is, you get down a path with one color palate and to change would involve some pretty major discarding of items that no longer compliment the blue and white theme, I’ve never been able to convince myself that I want it that bad.  And I don’t mean I have to have everything matchy-matchy, but I do like some cohesion where my color palate is concerned…is this just me?

Color Outside the Lines

Classic Casual Home

 So, for now, I’ll dream in blue and white and delight in the images I find on the various blogs I enjoy reading each week.  I hope you’ll indulge me and maybe get as much pleasure as I do from the clean, crisp look of blue and white in the home.

Lori Tippens Interiors

Tobi Fairley

Joe Minton Designs

Veranda

Ralph Lauren, Jamaica

Belclaire House

Belclaire House

The Enchanted Home

Traditional Home, Joseph Minton

Do you long for a different color palate for your home?

I’m linking to The Pink Pagoda for her blue and white party…take a peek.

{GHP} Vintage essentials, typewriters, cameras…etc.

04 Wednesday Sep 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Antiques, Collections & Accessories

≈ 25 Comments

Tags

vintage essentials

This post is dedicated to our oldest son, Kyle, our daughter-in-law, Jamie and our other daughter-in-law, Sarah…Happy Birthday all!  It’s like Christmas in September for our family {September 1, 2, and 4}. ♥

What is it about old things for some of us?

GHP Old essentials

Is it the history and/or story we conjure up in our imaginations?  As far back as I can remember I have always liked vintage items.  Sometimes the piece is something not made any more and that extra bit of rust feels like well-earned signs of survival to me.

GHP Old essentials

I don’t have one of these (above) anymore, but I hear there is a resurgence of their use and as a result there are shops that service them.  The older ones are popular when used as display, the lovely black keys and upright design is classic.

GHP Old essentials

GHP Old essentials

I confess, I love the ease of using a computer to compose letters or documents, but the appeal of an old typewriter stays with me.

GHP Old essentials

We were given some old binoculars when my father-in-law passed away.  He always maintained all of his essentials.  The black leather binocular case is in excellent shape and the glasses themselves still work well.  Yes, there are cool, high powered, compact and slick versions on the market, but there is something so dear to me about reusing something a family member treasured.

GHP Old essentials

The small opera glasses, a gift from a friend of my mother’s, next to my father-in-laws case, are also treasured for their vintage look and the aging brass and black detailing.

GHP Old essentials

GHP Old essentials

GHP Old essentials

Cameras, don’t get me started, digital is way better.  That said, the 8mm movie camera used to document my childhood vacations and birthdays still conjures up lovely memories. Our oldest son keeps that camera on display in his office.  *At this point, I’d like to point out how fortunate I feel by the fact that both of our sons and both daughters-in-law, have an abiding appreciation for antiques and family treasures.

GHP Old essentials

GHP Old essentials

You have to admit, while way too bulky for today’s streamlined style, some of the old cameras are so fascinating, with their extra dials, cranks and lenses.

GHP Old essentials

So, to wrap up my wanderings down memory lane, I come to music.  An essential to me.  Does anyone remember this?

GHP Old essentials

I loved my Sony Walkman.  Now I use this, in fact this is an all-in-one essential for many of us.

GHP Old essentials

I try to look forward, after all, that is the direction I’m headed, but I confess, sometimes it’s fun to stop and remember some of the past essentials, don’t you agree?

GHP Old essentials

GHP Old essentials

Do you have an essential you wish they still manufactured?

Perfect timing for my topic…Leslie over at Around the Table is offering a giveaway of a special candle made by a company called Glassybaby.  (Candles are so classic and even though I wouldn’t give up electricity, there is a special light given off by candles)  Drop by Around the Table and enter to win.  You’ll love Leslie’s site, it always inspires me and she takes us on some of the best tours of Washington state.

I’m joining RJ over at Art@Home for her Happy Party and Savvy Southern Style for her Wow us Wednesdays with this post.  Stop by for a visit.

Image sources: 1. tumblr 2/9,10. tumblr 3-5; 11, 12. tumblr 6. Bethany House/foyer 7. Beach Chic via Design Chic 8. tumblr 13. tumblr 14. tumblr 15. Patrick Ahearn Architect

As most of you know, summer isn’t my favorite season, it’s not even my second favorite.  I’ve been fortunate this summer to experience cooler than usual summer weather for the most part and for that I am thankful.  Typically, by the end of August I’m over sleeveless blouses and capri pants, and ready for a light weight sweater, jeans and even boots!  So to avoid whining through most of September, when a hot, windy Santa Ana is blowing through, I’m taking a vacation.  I’ll see you September 25 with my focus on AUTUMN…one of my favorite seasons. Back-to-school, the occasional crisp day, a casserole in the oven and maybe a fire in the fireplace, if I’m lucky.

Karen

{Home} Mother Hubbard and her cupboard

17 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Collections & Accessories, House and Home

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

china cupboard

During a recent email exchange I have with my dear friend Linda, (who lives on Bainbridge Island), she mentioned she had completely revamped her hutch that anchors her dining room.  The hutch is a beautiful pine cupboard that they purchased for this room and it’s stunning.

She removed the Villory & Boch, Petite Fleur dishes she has had displayed for some time (to be stored elsewhere) and replaced them with a variety of items she rarely used due to less accessible storage.  This got me to thinking about my own china cupboard and the creative ideas started flowing {Thanks for the inspiration, Linda}.

Before:

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I really like the use of decorative serving pieces coupled with the practicality of items that are now super accessible and can be used more often as a result.

Linda’s style has evolved over time but she has, in the past decade or more, leaned towards a country-French influenced design style.  Her hutch redo really captures that feel and look.

After:

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My own china cupboard has gone through some rearranging.  I used to store my crystal stemware in the upper half of my cupboard, but I use my crystal so seldom when we entertain (I now use some glassware I happen to love) so I purchased a couple quilted stemware storage boxes and boxed it up.  This allows  me to display some of the antique items I enjoy along with some practical serving pieces that are, like in Linda’s case, now accessible.

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It wasn’t even a month later after Linda’s hutch redo when the talented Greet of Belgian Pearls did a post titled Cabinets of Curiosities and voila, a post idea was born borrowed. [Note:  If you’ve never visited Greet’s site you’re in for a treat.]  Greet’s post on cabinets talks a bit about the history of cabinets with display space.

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{Belgian Pearls}

I especially like the collection of apothecary jars and botanic prints on the cabinet below.

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{Belgian Pearls}

Another favorite blogger, Joan of For the Love of a House, has always inspired me with her creative display talents.  Her reading room is probably one of my favorite rooms ever.  Her talent for display always delights and inspires me.

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{for the love of a house}

Joan also has a collection of hotel silver.  She has some of it on display in this cupboard in their dining room…

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I found Darryl Carter Design thanks to one of the blogs I visit.  I find his style to be fresh but still traditional, something very appealing.  The kitchen cupboard in the back is styled more than stacked with plates.  They look like they are probably blue and white.

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{Darryl Carter via Architectural Digest}

The built-in cupboard in the dining room has a similar display to the kitchen.

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{Darryl Carter}

I realize the cupboard (below) is dressed for Christmas but it’s display is one of my favorites of all time…the ironstone and glass are fabulous, right?

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{unknown}

Another Christmas decorated cupboard/hutch but I love the silver pieces mixed with white.

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{Confessions of a Plate Addict}

…more blue and white in the cupboard on the wall at the end of the dining table.

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{via Cote de Texas}

I absolutely love this cupboard, it would hold so much.

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{Country Living}

no words necessary on the following image…

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{Design Chic}

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{Lonny Magazine ~ Jan/Feb 2013 :: Jessica Gorenson}

Do you have a favorite piece to store and display some of your treasures?

I’m linking to:

Savvy Southern Style ~ Wow us Wednesday

{Home} Wall Art

01 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Collections & Accessories, House and Home, Personal Information

≈ 24 Comments

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wall art

When it comes to art in our home I tend to buy what I like at that moment, over saving my money and buying that signed piece or original art hanging in the gallery.  The reason for this is that I learned early in marriage that I have a tendency to tire of some of the art trends that come and go.

An example of this, and there are many (I just don’t recall the names of the artists that have flitted across my decorating radar over the years), is in 1982 when we moved home to California from Texas (where we were transferred 2 years earlier), “French Country” was a huge design trend.  Not the kind of authentic, French country rooms we see today, but the kind I would call trend-of-the-decade, which various retailers then create accessories, art and furnishings for the consumer.

Garden, Home and PartyIn the early 80’s this was the look!  I had a version of this look in my home, maybe you did too.  I loved it for a decade or more.  (Maybe you still LOVE this style—I am not out to bash anyone’s personal taste, honest).  The artist, living at the time in  Orange County, that captured this French country look/style with his paintings was John Botz.  I loved his work, still do, but for a signed and numbered print back then, the price tag was too steep for our budget.  His work is wonderful in the right setting, but typical of my evolving style at the time, I would have since tired of his art for my home in  it’s current English country, old world, traditional incarnation, and then been compelled to sell it at a consignment store, at a loss.

John Botz, artistJohn Botz

About that time I began scouring antique shops and consignment stores for art I could afford.  I’ve lived with most of what I purchased back then for a very long time and love all of it.  As you will see, several pieces are old graphics I’ve framed.  Mostly, the framing is the most important thing, it can be costly, but it can make even a simple newspaper page look really nice.

Those that have been reading my posts know I’m a confessed Anglophile…

GHP Bethany House Art1Garden, Home and PartyI ordered this architectural print (below) from a frame shop and then the framer tea stained it to look old.  I apologize for the glare on the glass, it really does look old when you see it in person.

Garden, Home and PartyGarden, Home and PartyThe above painting is a favorite for a couple of reasons…it is a print on cardboard of The Skating Minister, originally painted by Sir Henry Raeburn, but it was a gift from my friend and long-time business partner, Wendy.  She had an artist friend that could touch up a print with paint and create the illusion of an actual oil painting.  Wendy “commissioned” her friend to paint this for me and I love it.

The print below was a gift from my Grandma.  It’s titled “Steady Johnny, Steady” and depicts a grandfather and his grandson walking with their fishing rods.  It always reminds me of the close relationship I enjoyed with my Grandma.

Garden, Home and PartyGarden, Home and PartyMy readers have seen this (above)…the historic sailing vessel painting is from a frame store that sells art students art.  It’s original, not signed, but a lovely painting and the best part, it’s very affordable!  {Thank you, Gretchen—I still want you to paint an Union Jack on the mast for me!}

The pair of riders is probably the most expensive painting I own.  I found it in an antique store in San Juan Capistrano.  The only reason I was able to buy it is that they accepted layaway.  It took a few more months of saving to have it framed, I think it was painted by a French painter and I never tire of looking at it {surprise}.

Garden, Home and Party

Garden, Home and PartyThe above picture was in storage at the office where I work.  They were thinking of pitching it…I rescued it and love it.  It’s some kind of art poster but it almost looks like a glass painting in person.

Alison, over at The Polohouse always comes up with such fun topics for her Favorites on the First, and this was no different.  Thanks, Alison.

June's Linky Party 6/1,2,3

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