Finding the Perfect Lighting Fixture

I have been searching for new lighting for a few rooms at the homestead. Something fun and fanciful would be perfect.   

Then, I thought to look at my Pinterest board: see here: https://www.pinterest.com/braytonhome/

 Do you have a favorite?

Tan & Black warms my country kitchen

The colors of tan and black are always present in my homestead kitchen but never more than during the wintertime. The golden browns add a  warmth to a New England weather, especially in this 216 year old house!

A favorite egg basket sums up the tan/ black love affair I have... 

Kitchen drawers that have been replaced with baskets add extra texture and contrast against my fridge I painted with chalkboard paint...

A chicken egg plate and little white faux eggs fill the bottom shelf basket.

I took off the wallpaper on my kitchen walls to expose the original plaster walls, a bit rough but I love it...

A barn board ceiling hides a far too gone ceiling and makes the kitchen very cozy. The old game board, in my winter combination of tan and black pull it all together . I hope you enjoyed and thanks for visiting...

Karen

Linked with the lovely marketplace at COMMON GROUND- do not miss it every Monday.

and

My Uncommonslice of Suburbia

 & 

Savvy Southern Style 

& How Sweet The Sound

Wedding Bells

Soon I will be a Mother in Law! yes, a very lucky one indeed! 

My son, my only child,  Doyle

 asked his lovely girlfriend  Ivy

for her hand in marriage last year and the wedding is 8 months soon!

everyone says how fast it goes by, how quickly they grow,

it is so very true

loved every moment and now even more wonderful times...

such blessings to treasure...

wishing you all your dreams come true

and always

MAKE MEMORIES...

 Doyle and Ivy

Linking with:

KNICK OF TIME

and

FADED CHARM

Karen

Blog giveaway ends Saturday!

Alice in Wonderland

was the inspiration for the necklace in my blog giveaway 

by Shabby Apple

so much wonder and cheer

especially this time of year!

you can win this great necklace to wear on the New Year!

TO ENTER:

1st chance- become a follower of Brayton Homestead Interiors and leave a comment to say you have

or  leave a comment to let me know you are already a follower- thanks!

2nd chance- blog about it and leave a comment here

3rd- post about it on FACEBOOK and leave a comment here.

Thanks and enjoy,

linking with the tea party at Silken Purse

Karen

Santa in his sleigh

Santa is coming to the Brayton Homestead. Some last minute touches in the mudroom. An old carriage seat I picked up this summer along with some suitcases. Can you ever have enough suitcases?

Yes, this is how long I have had my wind up singing Santa

from my dear Dad.

linking with Faded Charm

enjoy,

Karen

PAINT YOUR OWN SKATES: easy tips to paint YOUR HOME portrait

It is very cold here in Massachusetts! Only had a sprinkling of snow last week, but enough to make me reminisce and want to grab my ice skates and go to the Somerset marsh and skate.

Here are the basic steps I use to create the skate.

These are my handpainted ice skates., painting of the Brayton Homestead, of course.  I painted them in a primitive style- aka- giant snowman the size of a house. 

 First I painted the skates entirely with white paint, including blades and lace openings. I sketched the house on one piece of paper, the snowman on another, cut around the edges of 

each and kept moving the shapes around until I liked it. Then traced the shapes.

I made a straight line with a little curve for the snow, painted a deep blue around the house and snowman, even the lace openings, the painted in details. Remember in this naive primitive style, you are not looking for perfection! I glazed over the snow and the snowman with a thinned out gold paint and completed the skates with a gingham check fabric scrap for laces and a hand painted bells as snowmen.

Try painting your house! 

You can always take a photograph and trace it-

 Let me know if you have any questions.

stay dry and warm and thanks coming by the homestead.

Karen

IMAGES: all Brayton Homestead Interiors

THE NEW FACE FOR THE COTTAGE

Have you seen the new face of Chanel?

No, I really mean, Have you seen the new face of The Brayton Cottage Shop?

The BRAYTON COTTAGE is one of my two shops on Etsy.

I thought it needed a new face to coordinate with my shop’s header design.

It all started with this wonderful old photo from 1924 that I purchased.

I do hope you can come and visit

Thank you,

Karen

BRAYTON COTTAGE

Linking with these beautiful blogs:

FADED CHARM
KNICK OF TIME TUESDAY
NO MINIMALIST HERE
COMMON GROUND
FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE

IMAGES: BRAYTON HOMESTEAD INTERIORS

VICTORIANA: at THE BRAYTON COTTAGE

WHITE ANGORA KITTENS

frolic amid Victorian treasures.

A glance into a celluloid hand mirror to admire her pretty pink bow.

Why not roll atop the antique vanity,  smell the French powder and hide behind the cabbage roses?

Available at 

BRAYTON COTTAGE SHOP

Linking with: A HOUSE IN THE ROSES, A STROLL THRU LIFE 

COASTAL CHARM , MY UNCOMMON SLICE OF SUBERBIA

SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE, FADED CHARM  and  SILKEN PURSE

thank you,

Karen

IMAGE: Brayton Homestead Interiors

MY OFFICE ORGANIZING: PRETTY AND PRACTICAL

How do you organize your home office? 

Is it possible to create a space that looks good and is practical?

Here is how I try to keep my things together...

In a primitive black painted cabinet in my study/ home office, I house things that are for sale on my shops and magazine photos I save for future inspiration.

this is just one storage solution I use,

always looking for other inventive ideas...

do you have any ideas to share?

LINKING WITH:

A Stroll Through Life

A Bowl Full of Lemons

 Knick of Time

Faded Charm

Savvy Southern Style

No Minimalist Here

Coloradolady

IMAGES: Brayton Homestead Interiors

A CORNER OF A BEDROOM: my dressing area

A corner of my bedroom serves as a dressing area 

to select an accessory that is right on hand is a pleasure.

a new purchase, a dancing skirt,

looks like here in Massachusetts it will be singing and dancing

in the rain! 

a lovely portrait I bought that reminds me of my

banana curl years.

So glad you could visit!

thank you,

Karen

Linking with Pink Saturday

Funky Junk Interiors

Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Images: Brayton Homestead Interiors

TAKE A WHIRL: A PARIS CAROUSEL!

Have you ever had a single experience that stays with you forever. Walking around the corner in Paris to this unexpected site is one of those lovely moments to me.

majestic, regal and fun all at once.

Have a lovely weekend.

Karen

please be safe all that are in arms way of the storm.

Linking with these beautiful blogs:

French Country Cottage

The Charm of Home

Laurie Anna's Vintage Home

Common Ground

Images: Brayton Homestead Interiors