Friday, September 21, 2012

Fall Decor for the Cottage

The new decor has actually been up for about three weeks now, but I was waiting until the official start of fall to show you. Are you ready for fall? Scarf? Hot Apple Cider? Riding Boots? Yes, ok good. I love fall. I'm ready to go sweater shopping. And also, because I'm a bit nuts, I'm already planning my holiday decor. We're going to go with a natural theme, lots of raw wood, fresh herbs, paperwhites, and light green. I'm getting ahead of myself tough. So here's the fall decor. As you may recall, I went with a vintage school house theme. This is, without question, the most color I've ever had in my house all at once. I like it. Very bright and cheerful, and it's been a big hit with the piano students. Did I ever mention that my husband is a piano teacher, and we have a steady stream of about 50 students coming through our little cottage every week? It's really really nice to have a captive audience for my decor changes :)
I should also preface this by saying, I'm no photographer, and I can't figure out for the life of me how the gals on other blogs get their pictures to look so darn pretty. You'll just have to  take my word for it that it's better in person.
Happy Friday!
KITCHEN

The two bar stools pictured have already been replaced with a different pair painted a cream color.

I've had this big clock four years now, got it at a TJMAXX sample sale. I picked up the antique sign at the New Hampshire Antique Dealers Show in Manchester this summer for $40.

The enchanted consignments sign was a gift from my parents last Christmas. The antique UConn pennant was also a gift. I picked up the antique group marching band portrait at the flea market last summer for $5.


This giant "Antiques' sign was my birthday gift to myself this year. I picked it up from a huge antique store on the Cape. 

I love my cabinets. They're the only set the house has ever had, probably date to the late 1930s or early 1940s. Before that, the house didn't have cabinets, just a pantry, and probably a hosier.


My husband and I installed the pine floors two winters ago. It took one day and cost way under $1000. I love them.
 DINING ROOM

My dining room table with the assorted collection of school house chairs. I've added one more to the collection since I took this picture. I haven't yet painted the armchair cream like the others, not sure if I'm going to or not.

My parents found the Ivers and Pond piano sign over the summer. Ivers and Pond was one of the best know piano brands until about 1930. This sign likely hung in a large piano store, not outdoors. I'd wager it dates to the 1920s-30s.



FAMILY ROOM

we have the ugliest ceilings in our house. They're horrible acoustical tile made of some sort of foam. I'll just have to live with them though, it would be such a nightmare to replace them.

The antique ladder is from Brimfield a couple years ago. The farmed prints are from the Mansfield flea market. The crate holding magazines is from Brimfield in July. I've got a huge collection of pillows covered in vintage grain sacks.

Vintage (Swiss?) shield sign from the Mansfield flea market. I want to say it was around $10. The little box was also from the flea market and was $4 or so.


The mantel arrangement is still a work in progress.

FRONT PORCH

left side of the front porch.




right side of the front porch.

I got two sets of these great folding chairs from an old old abandoned Masonic meeting house last fall.  And there are a few more of my feed sack pillows. The chalkboard is an authentic antique.

Antique oak desk chair that I got at a tag sale this summer for $5. The rag rug hanging on it is also vintage.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Barn Board Love

Barn board is my very very favorite building material, and I try to integrate it into most of the pieces that I work on. I love the historic aspect of it, paying homage a bit to my love of Connecticut farmhouses. I love the depth and texture of it. Every single piece of barn board is different, takes the stain differently, has knots and old nail holes. It's so organic and tactile. I love how smooth it comes out. There's a softness to barn board that it earns over those many years out in the weather, a patina that you don't really lose even with sanding and staining. Barn board gives pieces a presence, a satisfying chunky rustic appeal that you can't cheat, fake, or mimic. So there you have it. I'm going out on Monday to buy another load of barn board. So we can all sleep soundly at night, knowing that there will be a steady stream of barn board furniture coming out of the Heir and Space shop. Next big barn board project? I want to create a coffee table and two side table set with barn board tops. I might try building them from scratch.
Here are some beautiful uses for barn board, and some pieces I've done as well. Hope you're enjoying this beautiful fall weather - I'm definitely going to get myself a hot apple cider this afternoon!
Barn board night stands. Gorgeous!

A wonderful barn board coffee table. It's so rustic.

Lovely vanity top.


You don't have to be a cabinet maker to enjoy barn board. Two barrels and some boards equals instant bar!

Wonderful barn board dining table of impressive proportions

The color and surface on these coffee tables is just delicious

Another really nice board vanity top.

Barn board dining table, this is going to its new home next week!


Barn board topped desk I did a while back.

Barn board topped sideboard, one of my favorites.

Barn board topped kitchen island.

Another barn board topped sideboard.

Barn board sideboard with a beachy feel. I love the raw unstained board here. Such a pretty color.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Kitchen Island Before and After

I haven't done an antique sideboard to kitchen island conversion since July, so it was time to get cracking! I picked up this beautiful solid oak sideboard at a tag sale a few weeks ago. I added a barn board top with a generous overhang (for barstools!) and painted the base a fresh antique white. I was able to keep the gorgeous antique Chippendale style brass pulls. I think they work really well for the piece, grounding it a bit. I also added two matching solid oak barstools. The barn board top was sanded, stained English Chestnut, and then sealed so you can leave cold drinks, cocktails, hot cups of coffee etc on it worry free. The wrought iron brackets supporting the overhang are antique, found at the flea market. It's a nice rustic, one of a kind piece, perfect for the antique home kitchen, or the antique wannabe kitchen. This one's available on craigslist, so feel free to shoot me an email (kateaverydesign@yahoo.com or kathleenrounds27@yahoo.com) if you're interested!
Before and after pics below - and sorry about the before pics not having any drawers (I was already painting them). Hope you're all enjoying a wonderful Fall day. I have today off, so I'm getting lots and lots of furniture done!