French Country Tweaks-- One Thing Leads to Another

It all started with an elegant old coffee table that was a bit more French than Country.

(More on that in an upcoming post. Please stay tuned.)

But for now, let me tell you how one thing leads to another.

Doesn't it always?

You see, I had this wonderful chippy green cabinet in back of my couch 

but it didn't have that chic French flavor that I thought would complement the 

1940s leather-topped coffee table that I'd just scored at an estate sale. 

So I decided to try it in the sunroom where the mood was more 

French Country Farmhouse than Chic Paris Apartment. 

After moving it here to there and back again in the sunroom,

I found the perfect spot for it against the original outside wall of the house. 

The rough texture of this wall was the ideal backdrop for the chippy cabinet.
So far, so good.

Of course, that meant I had to move the crusty farm table from the rustic wall . . .

. . . to the window wall in the corner. 

It reminded me of a romantic banquette in a quaint mountain cafe
I'd visited once so I loved it there.

But it wouldn't fit there unless I also moved the wicker chair from that corner . . . 

. . . to a space next to the green cabinet on the rustic wall. Still with me?

I wondered if I should also remove the frenchy ottoman to make the room feel less crowded. 

But I do love to put my feet up so comfort won out over aesthetics on this one
as I believe it almost always should.

The chairs at the table wouldn't fit unless I scooted them completely under the table.
And, since we don't sit at this table all of the time, we decided we could live with that.

Besides, it's easy to slide the bin over a few inches when we want to sit at the table.

Accessories are usually easy to incorporate since they don't take up a lot of room.

My metal stool with the scuffed white paint looked like it absolutely belonged in this room 

so I was determined to find a spot for it.

I placed it in the corner by the cabinet and fiddled with this and that on top but it just didn't work.

Then, I remembered my three chicken bowls that I'd had to move  

when I put a crock on the kitchen counter to hold my utensils. 

The chicken bowls were temporarily roosting in the pantry waiting for a new home.

I stacked them on top of the stool and it looked cute. 

But then I had the idea of putting an ironstone plate on each rung of the stool 

and placing a chicken bowl on each one. 

Now it looks like some kind of custom-made stand to display dishes. Love!!!

Then I moved some lighted branches to the top of the green cabinet 

where they show up much better than they did on the floor where they'd previously lived.

And don't they look magical at night?

Finally, I added a bird's nest inside a cloche to this rustic vignette.

I read that it's good luck to have a bird's nest in your house. Hmm, couldn't hurt. 

This cabinet holds tons of stuff -- candles, vases, tea towels, place mats and vintage tablecloths --
and is a real workhorse. 

Long story short. 

The French Farmhouse cabinet has found a new home in the sunroom 

and the old/new coffee table looks tres chic in the living room. 

At least, for now.

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French Country: Comfy Corner for Early Fall

On these cool rainy last days of summer in Colorado, 

I find myself migrating to a corner in the sunroom of my old house.

I pull on a pair of thick socks onto summer-bare feet and curl up in the big comfy chair 

waiting for me. Deep, plush, warm. It surrounds me like a hug. 

I tuck a fluffy wrap around my legs and sip my chamomile tea, happy to have my chair back.

I rest my head against the back of the chair and remember when I loaned this chair and ottoman 

to a friend a few years ago. When she downsized, the chair came back home.

The velvety olive green fabric is luscious but I decide to put a flowery shabby chic linen slipcover, unearthed at a thrift store, over the chair and I love the change it makes.

Its muted colors seem to blur the lines between inside-outside.

I already had a floral lumbar pillow that fit in the chair perfectly. 

The checks and stripes work well in this farmhouse-style room.

I move a vintage floor lamp that had been in my guest room 

next to the chair for a good reading light. 

The latest magazines are hitting the newstands now 

and I stack several on the ottoman, eager to scour the pages for Fall design ideas.

The chair snugs into a comfy corner and faces a little gas stove. 

Still a little early to light it but it won't be long. (I hear it's snowing in the mountains!) 

Am I ready for this? No, no I'm not.

The old door I found in the alley and refinished claims the space next to the chair. Perfect. I love
the feel of salvaged pieces and how they transform a room with character and a timeless quality.

This room is cozy anytime of the day.

A warm wrap takes the chill off early mornings as Fall begins to touch Colorado.

My neighbor's aspen tree has a few golden leaves on it already
and red leaves of someone's maple tree float silently down to nestle among my plumbago.

I love the bank of windows in this room, welcoming the soft afternoon light.  I like to keep these windowsills bare so the focus is on the outdoors. It's a great spot for watching the birds in the feeder. Sometimes the chickadees will land on the window screen and peer inside the room.

Underneath these windows, I slide my recently painted bin and top it with clear mason jars. 

The western sun bounces around the room when it shines through these jars.

To soften the sunroom's French door, I hang a lacy curtain panel on it.

Securing it with thumb tacks makes it a snap to hang. 

The window sill above the stove holds a wire chicken feeder filled with vanilla candles,
making this room comfy and cozy as evening falls.

My little dog, Roxy, pads into the room on her mini-polar-bear paws and hops up into the chair. 

Turning around in endless circles, she finally approves her nest 

and settles down for a much-needed nap, snagging the warm spot where I'd been sitting. 

I think she's happy the chair has come home too.

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Changes in the French Farmhouse Sunroom

French Farmhouse style looks as if it's evolved over time 

with exposed wood beams, worn area rugs, soft textures and gently used furniture.

I'm incorporating these ideas into my sunroom/breakfast room as I continue to refine that look.

Please come in and get comfortable.

A few years ago I loaned this green velvet chair and ottoman to a friend. 

She's moving to a smaller place now and returned it to me. 

I had to sell my wicker sofa and shuffle things around to make room for it

but I had always imagined this comfy chair facing the little gas stove. Cozy. 

Of course, you know how one thing leads to another.

To make room for the chair and ottoman,
I moved my red farm table from the window wall to the stone wall .

I actually like it better there as I can see out the bank of windows better from across the room.

Here's where it had been . . . 

 and here it is now, nestled against the opposite wall.

I had been using a dining room chair at this table 

but I recently found this great little farm chair for $4 at a yard sale. 

At first I thought I'd paint it white but its mottled finish has grown on me 

and I think I'll just leave it as is.

This vintage tea towel was the perfect size and color for my fresh new look. 

Once I started moving furniture around, of course I wanted to change the accessories too. 

This embroidered table runner folded over an expansion rod softens the window 

and complements the farmhouse style with its simplicity.

A few pieces of ironstone always add a sense of age to a room.

And a deer antler hugging a vintage salt cellar lends a bit of natural whimsy to the room.

The thing I love about this style is its casual charm 

where comfort and vintage decor invite you to put your feet up.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Love at First Sight

This is a love story. But don't worry. It has a happy ending.

Ron and I drove up to Loveland on Saturday to go to the Vintage Whites Market. 

Why didn't anyone tell me about this big market before?
I hear it's been around for five years in three states 

and no one ever told me. I actually found out about it by reading someone's blog. 

Marked it on my calendar and prayed it wouldn't snow.

Loveland, by the way, is America's Sweetheart City where thousands of people 

send their valentines to be re-stamped "With Love from Loveland." So romantic.

And if you're wondering about all the photos of this wonderful old table, well,

I'll tell you my love story in just a moment. 

Yesterday, it snowed about five inches in Denver. 

This morning dawned crisp and very cold but no snow so we headed north. 

And it was absolutely beautiful. 

There's a good bit of open land north of Denver (I hope it doesn't all get developed) 

and yesterday's fluffy snowfall blanketed fields, hugged pine trees, 

and settled on rustic wooden fences. 

How perfectly perfect for a White Market.

The market was actually much bigger and much more crowded than we expected, 

making it a little difficult to see everything or to take pictures.

We wandered around, oohing and ahhing but not buying. 

I think we've become spoiled by estate sales and thrift stores where bargains abound.

So, entering the second building, yes, a whole other building, 

we're strolling and excusing ourselves through the crowd when I saw it. 

And, oh, it was love at first sight. My heart thumped. My breath quickened.
I think my pupils got bigger like they say happens when you are attracted to someone.
I smiled and moved closer.

It was the primitive kitchen table I'd been lusting after. 

The kind of table you'd find in a charming little vacation cottage on the lake. 

But, if  you've been following my blog, you know I have a very tiny kitchen. 

Where was I going to put this gotta-have-it table? 

No idea. So like Scarlett in Gone with the Wind, I told myself I'd worry about that tomorrow.

I took a closer look. 

It looked as if it had had, shall we say, several relationships. 

Red chippy paint on the fold-out side panels, green and cream crackles on the legs, 

and mostly bare weathered wood on top.

And then the price tag tied to the leg:  $90. A bit more than I wanted to pay. So we moved on. 

My heart broke a little bit. I sniffled. I felt like we'd broken up before we ever had a chance.

But as we wrapped up building number two, I found myself drifting back to see 

if the table was still there. Yep, and it looked even better than the first time. 

Absence had indeed made the heart grow fonder.

 I sat down in a chair to check the height. Perfect. 

I could see myself having a morning cup of coffee at this table. 

Gave it a few twists to check construction. Strong and stable. 

I could even bring my laptop here to work in the afternoon.
And that chippy paint. 

A perfect match.

Love. At second sight.

Finding the booth owner, I asked if that was her best price. 

But before she gave me the standard 10% off, I asked if she'd take $75 and she said yes!

Then, of course, I wondered if I should have offered $65. But, it was definitely worth the price, especially when I saw similar tables on Ebay when I got home for around $450!!

The best part -- now I had a table that would accommodate all my vintage tablecloths. 

Now, where to put it? I've said it before:  if you truly want something, you WILL find room for it. Even if that means getting rid of something else. 

So, my friends, I have a lovely vintage 1920s green wicker sofa for sale if anyone is interested. 

It's destined for Craigslist this spring 

and will make room for my primitive kitchen table in the sunroom.

Just in time to put my little table next to the windows and watch for crocus blooms 

struggling to push their way through the frozen ground and layers of dead leaves. 

They know. In their little bulb hearts. 

 If you truly want something, you will find a way.
Love. 

Only 65 days til Spring!!!



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Attack of the Carpenter Ants - Before & After

It started with a leaky roof. 

The ceiling seam connecting the original back porch to a 1970s addition 

leaked every time it rained. And the windows all had a permanent foggy look.

The house was built in 1907 and the front looks pretty.
But wait til you see the back!

Like most renovations, the leaky roof turned into a major project.

When Rob, our contractor, tore into the ceiling, he found a huge mess. 

Carpenter ants, who apparently prefer wet wood to make their nests in, 

had attacked the ceiling, the wall, and the framing around the windows.
It was more than an ant farm. It was an ant estate!

The more Rob removed, the worse it looked.

 The insulation was sopping wet and the wood crumbled to the touch. 

Who knew tiny little ants could do this much damage. 

 He finally recommended we just replace the entire wall and put on a new roof. 

Of course, that lead to a discussion about the old plate-glass windows. 

They did let in a lot of light as well as cold air and moisture. 

We couldn't open them in the summer and couldn't use this room in the winter.

I decided I'd prefer windows that matched the rest of the windows in the house 

instead of the 70s look. Might as well get good energy-efficient ones while we're at it. 

The insulation then got new lap siding, the kind carpenter ants don't like! 

Inside, we got fresh new wood and a smooth dry ceiling. 

A little paint made it look like it had always been part of the house.

Indoors I painted the trim around the windows a crisp white
and stained the new raw wood to match the old walls.
Now, the room is warm, dry and cozy year-round.

Everyone enjoys this room now . . . except the ants!

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