Some of you have requested photos of my house.
Disclaimers first:
1. I love to decorate.
It may not be everyone's taste, but it is mine.
I prefer old over new any day.
I am a junker and collector at heart.
2. This is not a photography blog.
My pictures are rudimentary at best.
I'll bring you in the way
everyone who visits enters.
Come on in through the garage.
It comes into the kitchen.
We built this portion of the house on in 2000.
We needed a new chimney
and it was the easiest way
to accomplish that goal.
We added the garage, kitchen downstairs
and upstairs, a master bedroom and bath,
with a basement under the kitchen.
There is a cellar under part of the original house.
On the left hand side is the working area.
This cabinet I "married" out of two
cabinets I collected.
I had an antique shop
for several years and
did 3rd Sunday Market in Bloomington IL
for many of those years.
I pretty much specialized in primitives.
I call my style grandma-funk.
Then the corner near the door to the yard
and side porch.
The sink wall is my favorite.
The sink was my late grandma's
Stuart made the cabinet for it and I distressed it.
The big glass door cabinet is
"married" to the bottom one.
I found the top through my picker
at the time and the base
I got at the 3rd Sunday show
with the hopes someday I
would get to build my dream kitchen.
The yellow cabinet in the corner I use as a pantry.
I got it as a surprise in April for my birthday.
I got it as a surprise in April for my birthday.
The small door was the window
in my original kitchen. It is now the laundry room.
On the left side of the room
is a sitting area.
I started with a couch here,
I started with a couch here,
then later the table in front of the fireplace
and an old counter for an island
where the table is,
But my family likes having the sofa
and chairs better.
It suits our lifestyle.
My desk is beside the fridge.
It transitions into the sitting room side.
I LOVE old linoleum.
I have several pieces with it on their tops.
and the label is one of the drawers.
I love how people made things do.
They made repairs instead of getting new.
I also collect little cubby cabinets,
see the 2 on the top.
Most of the drawers are empty.
The one on the right
is made out of old crates.
Someone took lots of time
to make this.
LOVE it.
Stu took one of my old doors
and made a daybed
for me and the littles to lay in.
They read with me, nap and watch tv here.
I love this spot.
Our nephew has a concrete and masonry business.
He built the fireplace.
The green cabinet Stuart surprised me
a year ago at Christmas.
He is a great Christmas shopper!
I collect ironstone (the white dishes)
and little chairs.
They are scattered around the house.
So that is the kitchen tour.
I like color.
I am a neat freak,
but I do like my collections out.
I can't live sparsely.
I have tried.
I have to be true to me.
I change things around
pretty often and with the seasons.
I think that comes from
having a shop.
And a decorate-y mom.
Stop in and see it in person,
I'll fix you a cup
of that home-roasted coffee.
Next up, my original kitchen,
now, the laundry room.
Guess I'd better
get out that camera!