H is for House Hunting...

...and Half-Timbers.   Well, the closing on our old house went as scheduled, so we are house hunting again in our new city.  We've narrowed our neighborhood choices down to two that are within an easy commute to Hubby's job, which has made the search a bit easier.  So, here's what we looked at this week!

This house is a major fixer, being sold "as is".  It's not very clean, there is a suspicious amount of rat poison in the basement, and there are some pretty icky looking piles of debris in the garage.  As you can probably tell from the photos, the landscaping is really overgrown, and some trees need to be removed that are threatening the structure.

But look at this half-timbering detail!  (and try not to notice the peeling paint)

And check out this door knocker....

... and the leaded glass details found all over the house....

 I don't believe I have ever seen a spider web on a window before!  (Okay, not true, but those were real spider webs, not glass ones like this)

Unfortunately, the best veiws are from the potting shed.

But, with twelve foot ceilings, and this dramatic fireplace, well, it's still a pretty cool house!

The kitchen is the size of a postage stamp, with hardly any counter space, but the cabinets are pretty tall.

So, basically, there is room to put most of your kitchen "stuff", but hardly any prep space.

Like many Tudor Revivals, this one has a cool front door.

And how about that original 1927 light fixture?  Love it.

Lucky for us, the bathroom was fully remodeled  -- in 1973!

The house has lots of really nice built-ins.

But it's very small, with only two bedrooms on the main level, and the third bedroom being in the very dark and scary basement (so scary I didn't even take pictures-- it was just too icky)!

Of course, there's plenty of room on the lot to build an addition-- just not so sure there's room in the budget!

This post is being linked to Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday, and Colorado Lady's Vintage Thingie Thursday.

G is for Gingerbread

Don't you just love gingerbread?  No, not the cookie kind.  Well, okay, the cookie kind is pretty great, but I'm talking about gingerbread trim. Like the trim on this Key West cottage.

Made popular during the Victorian era, gingerbread 
trim work includes fancy scroll work, elaborately pierced bargeboards and friezes, fancy brackets and arch braces,
as well as elaborate balusters. 

And check out the trim on this New Orleans shotgun style house.

And on this cottage on Martha's Vineyard.

 

You can find a great article on gingerbread trim at This Old House.  Aren't these beautiful examples?

In recent years, designers and artisans have begun to recognize the value and craftsmanship found in antique gingerbread, and are working to save these architectural pieces from the wrecking ball. You may be able to purchase antique pieces for your own home from sites such as Wood Natural Restoration, found here.

If you can't find antique pieces to fit your project, there are some terrific custom woodshops out there that can help you with your project.  One such place is the Victorian Woodshop. Below are some examples of their work.

Above is a before and after of one of their projects. 

Isn't it amazing how the simple addition of just a little scrollwork can make such a huge difference in the curb appeal of this home?

This post is being linked to Colorado Lady's Vintage Thingie Thursday, and  Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.

Don't Fence Me In!

Fences are some of my favorite things.  They can be beautiful, they can be functional, and they can "set the stage" for what's inside.  They can reinforce a community aesthetic.  They are often used to keep chickens, children, pets, and strangers in or out.  They protect gardens and provide privacy.  

Most fences are pretty ordinary, ranging
from chain link to cedar pickets to concrete block, but every now and then you come come across a really fabulous example of someone's desire  
not to be fenced in!  

Sometimes the "unconventional" fence is actually an old-fashioned hand-crafted fence, such as this wattle fence found in a Mother Earth News article.

 Wattle fences are traditionally woven from fresh willow or hazel branches, but other fresh branches can also work.  This article discusses how to recycle green waste into beautiful, functional fencing.


Another handcrafted fence we don't see a lot of anymore is stacked stone.

Typically, in areas where these fences were once common, stones were "harvested" from farmers' fields each spring, as freeze/ thaw cycles brought new stones to the surface.  The stones were taken to the outside edges of the field and used to build mortarless stone walls.  Held together by gravity, a dry-stacked wall can last for centuries with proper maintenance.


Occasionally, you see a fence that just makes you smile...

...like this fence made from old skis in a Colorado mountain town.


You have to admire the resourcefulness of the person who used old bed frames to build this fence.

And this fence made from re-purposed pressed and corrugated tin is a work of art!

This privacy fence was created using driftwood.

You don't necessarily have to use re-purposed material to create a fence that won't fence you in!  An article in This Old House explains how to restore salvaged wrought iron fencing to create, well, fencing!

There are lots of ways to build a good fence.  Maybe you will feel inspired by these ideas to think "outside the fence" when you are ready to plan your own project.  You might think about incorporating unexpected, salvaged, or re-purposed materials to create a truly one-of-a-kind work of art!

This post is being linked to Alphabe-Thursday, over at Jenny Matlock's blog.

*photo of wrought iron fencing: Erik Johnson; first wattle fence photo: Lynn Karlin; Bed frame fence: Erik Rasmussen; driftwood fence: Nikolas Koenig

Enchanting Designers

I'm a believer in doing for others.  I believe we are to encourage one another, and give people a hand up if they need it.  We all have different gifts, and we can use those gives to serve.  That's why I admire the women behind Enchanted Makeovers so much.  From the founder, Terry Grahl, to her wonderfully supportive entourage of speakers, motivators, and workers, this organization is making a difference.

For Terry, it all started when her interior design business was asked to give a space in a women's shelter a makeover.  She had a personal epiphany while preparing for that project-- realizing the importance of transforming environments to help women transform their lives.

"The mission of Enchanted Makeovers is to transform shelters for women and children into heartwarming havens, it's the catalyst to help everyone’s dream come true."

Ultimately, Terry realized she had found her life's vocation.  She took a leap of faith and closed her client-based design studio.  She then founded Enchanted Makeovers, a non-profit company dedicated to serving homeless women and children by providing beautiful, comforting, and inspiring environments.

Learn more about this wonderful organization, and how you can help, here.

This post is being linked to Alphabe-Thursday at Jenny Matlock's blog.


*All photos courtesy of Enchanted Makeovers.



    

doors and drawers revisited

Well, it's time for another confession.  I absolutely love vintage doors and drawers.  I like them used for their original purpose, but I also like when someone "shakes things up" a little.  One of my favorite adaptations is this one....

... it's pretty cool how the designer adapted these drawers from, well, drawers!  I love the mix of styles and colors, and the juxtaposition of clean modern lines with traditional drawer styles.

Here's another example from the same source (furfin.com).

It's great how the designer left the original character of the drawers intact.


Staples Cabinet Makers are masters of adaptive reuse, as we see here, with this repurposed locker door.

And with this file drawer chest repurposed as a coffee table.

It's especially nice how the artisans at Staples Cabinet Makers respect the history of a piece, allowing it to tell the story of it's previous life...

... as shown by this scarred up outbuilding door re-purposed as a cabinet door.

You just can't fake this kind of distressing!

This sign from Casual Cottage Chic, made from a kitchen cabinet door, has a built in frame!

And how about a folding table made from an old door?  Schools and offices are constantly throwing folding table frames away, as the contact paper like surface peels away, leaving the particle board exposed to damage.  This article explains how to transform cast-offs into this cool table.

 What a great way to up-cycle!

And, of course, we can't forget the old stand-by, the door headboard!  Here is an example from Country Living Magazine.

And here is an example from Sunset Magazine.

I love how the designer used a pair of doors oriented vertically.  The crown molding and the sweet little sconces give a nice finishing touch.

It's amazing how a little creativity can save a piece from the landfill, and bring beauty, function, and history into our lives!

This post is being linked to Colorado Lady's Vintage Thingie Thursday, and Jennie Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday. Link over and join the party!