I Love This Minimalist House!

I’m back, house hunting in the Berkshires on realtor.com.

This house is so plain Jane, but it couldn’t appeal to me more!

I do love a white house, yes,

but it’s the details of this one that drew me in,

especially this modern trellis hung over a wall of windows:

Love it!  Look at the wire cables!  How “NOW”!

And please.

A standing seam metal roof outside has to mean more awesomeness inside.

Let’s check it out to see if my theory is true

re: the exterior + interiors being equally groovy.

There’s that beautiful wall of windows we saw earlier:

My gosh.  What a beautiful space.

I would never leave!

While all-white’s not for me, it really works great in this house, don’t you think?

In the kitchen + dining area, they’ve exposed the original, rustic rafters + beams.

The texture they add, even after being painted white,

keeps things from being too sterile . . .

. . . as do the natural wood dining table + brown leather chairs . . .

. . . + all those books!

I love the black floors + black cabinet handles + light fixture hardware.

Okay.  Now we’re headed to sterile town (below), but still.

I’m a huge fan of the small exposed rafter, that day bed + the rolling table.

If it was my house, I’d add a colorful rug + artwork,

some pillows + window treatments.

I am digging more nautical-style wire cables on the exterior staircase,

+ the deck is well-designed + very beautiful.

But wait. Here’s a question.

Why am I drawn to such minimalist houses

when ours is anything but?

This might prompt me to ask myself “is less more?” once again.

 

New Year, New Dresser

My last blog post featured my Christmas-is-over edit of our living room.

I removed about half of what had been on our art ledges:

Much bettah!

There was yet another living room change that I did’t share.

 G.O. hung our vintage outdoor trellis on the wall behind our TV:

After a few days, I had the idea of hanging one of my quilts on the trellis.

Back story on the quilt: I bought the antique squares + made a wall quilt

with some complementary new fabric sashes + border.

Next, I hand-quilted it, which is what I used to do.  A lot.

In another lifetime.

While I love both the trellis + the quilt,

after a few days, I concluded that they don’t look that great as a team.

And furthermore, the trellis + dresser/TV combination wasn’t working, either.

That petite dresser looked overwhelmed by the TV,

+ the larger trellis made the whole thing appear top heavy.

OH, WHAT TO DO!?

 I rushed to Pinterest, trying to find dressers that did work as TV cabinets:

I shan’t lie — by this time, I was working myself into somewhat of a frazzle.

Then, miraculously, I had a much-needed light bulb moment.

Why don’t we switch out our small dresser for the larger one in our bedroom?

It’s not like THAT’S not gonna make G.O. cross or anything!

I’ll spare the ensuing unpleasantries, but here is said dresser, in place:

Much bettah!

That charming dresser could pass for an English antique, don’t you think?

It’s not, though — it’s from Broyhill + is only about 15 years old:

I love the fact that it’s a bow front!

I don’t know what those boo boo’s on the bottom 2 drawers are,

but fingers crossed that we can eradicate them, sooner than later.

Since the dresser + the dining room’s farmhouse table are both pine,

they create a nice flow between the 2 rooms:

Well, my quilt’s been relocated to the wall of my sewing studio.

BYE BYE!

This means that, for now, the trellis remains unadorned.

Of course, I’m still toying with the idea of hanging something on it —

I just don’t know what.

Possibilities include a large clock or a grid of artwork in matching frames.

Also, does that wall to the left of the dresser/TV need art?

I kind of think so but want to be sure!

Stay tuned!

Time For Outdoor Happiness

Spring’s finally arrived in northern Illinois,

+ we’ve been sprucing up our yard a bit, as one does.

Our front porch awaits its makeover,

meaning just pots of flowers but no landscaping yet.

I think it’s cool that we hung bunting on our in-progress porch!

Meanwhile, nothing growing out front means 1 thing:

it’s time to head to our backyard . . .

. . . where we planted 10 Autumn ferns behind the garage:

Our baby ferns may not look like much right now,

but soon enough, we’ll have these beauties!

In other news — there’s nothing like moving from house A to house B

to make a gal realize she’s got way too much garden stuff!

How many pairs of pots + urns did I think I needed?

Anyway, I did what I had to do + ruthlessly purged.

We now have a large pile of gardening goodies

that I’ll take to my next market + sell.

So what made the cut, Kay? — you’re no doubt asking.

This stuff:

I have had that old trellis for a long time.

It’s never looked better than here, on the garage wall!

I love the combination of chippy white paint + silvery galvanized metal!

That wonderful stand + bucket await their resident plant.

I am thinking something of the topiary persuasion.

Exhibit A:

The larger bucket to the right will soon be a fountain,

+ that sandwich board sign at left?  I love it!

I made it for my biz — several years + 2 booth spaces ago.

Earlier today, I drug it from its basement hide-a-way

+ plopped it here, next to our trellis + plant stand.

I’m not sure where it will land.  Stay tuned.

Just a few short yards from my plant stand + old sandwich board,

the garage sports this window box with 3 very rustic pots:

This year I’ve filled those pots with pretty, leafy Caladium plants,

under planted with Gin Begonias.

They are both shade tolerant, which is a must in most of our yard.

Next up, our pair of semi-modern Adirondack chairs

have moved from their previous place on our lawn to this patio space.

Somewhere there’s a pair of pale blue outdoor cushions,

+ I need to ask G.O. if he knows where they are.

Stay tuned!