Dogs in my living room

I took some photos of the opposite wall to my living room mantle showed on my last blog post. Thank you for your kind words on my mantle of mementos. 

My circa 1796 home still has many of it's original architectural features.

    

You can get a peak of the lovely raised panel wainscoting that I really love. It is painted a brown color, my fav go to color. Creamy white wallpaper and tapestry old Victorian couch

keep things light.

An old preschool table is my coffee table; it holds a huge silver tray and porcelain dogs. 

A side view highlights wood beams, a sculpture form Rome and family photos. I prefer the contrast of dark deep tones like brown, navy blue and burgundy against creams and tans; kind of my decorating signature personally and professionally..

A big tapestry bow holds a reproduction painting and is flanked by wall shelves.

The houndstooth hat that the dog figurine is sporting is actually

 Krumpets!

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!

Karen

Living room mantle : fav items

Thanks for your emails asking for a larger picture of the living room fireplace! I was especially touched by your desire to see more of my Mom's burlap painting. When I took these pics it was a bit dark in the room, sorry for the blurriness...

Above my living room mantle piece hung an old watercolor painted in the 1920's of my home, Brayton Homestead . I moved the watercolor to the kitchen fireplace that was restored last year to it's 1796 original Federal architecture.

Looking for a piece of art to replace the watercolor in the living room I came across this painting on burlap that mom painted years ago, boy was she ahead of her time, a Burlap country cottage...

 Staffordshire dogs that I purchase at the Portobello Road Flea Market in London, England years ago have graced the mantle since they were unwrapped on my arrival home! Doyle's violin fills the middle and great memories of when he used to play it. He stopped playing when he went to college yet I constantly ask for a tune...

hope you enjoyed a few of my favorite things from my homestead to yours!

Karen

New bedroom furniture arrangement!

A new furniture arrangement for my bedroom! For years I have angled my bed in the left corner, thought it gave a more open look and it was sound Feng Sui . I  moved this around for a change and find it more open . When I photographed the room there was a good amount of sunlight streaming which is often not my thing; but it was nice. Not a vampiress but not a sun lover either!

Krumpet's little bed lays near the canopy bed, although he does share both. My big old trunk holds so much clothing, do I dare admit 15 pairs of jeans?

It took getting used to the new look, but now I love it and is more authentic to the 1796 homestead than the later design. 

Do you like it?

Karen

My Spring Homestead Table

My Spring brunch table, tea with a nest? My Mom and Dad's 25th anniversary coffee pot, now an antique is one of my favorite possession.

Bead springs make perfect egg holders, no the eggs are decorative only, but I guess your could polyurethane them. Um, my next project! Piled up vintage linens and burlap jumbled  are nest like too...

Raffia and lace everywhere!

Rustic and elegant materials just belong together!

Enjoy,

Karen