BRAYTON HOMESTEAD INTERIORS: cottage decor

Showing posts with label cottage decor. Show all posts

Friday, January 16, 2015

BLOG DECORATING CHALLENGE

I was asked to take a BLOG CHALLENGE with the great online store, CHAIRISH. The challenge was to create an inspiration board around one of their vintage furniture pieces. To my delight there were many painted/ distressed beauties that I love ! Their vintage painted furniture perfectly reflects my decorating style at my own home, the Brayton Homestead, as well as being a furnishing accent I incorporate into many of my client's home at Brayton Homestead Interiors.

There were so many fantastic painted cupboards to choose from. As I had recently presented my recycled jean skirts in a fashion show at the East Bay Chamber of Commerce in Warren R.I., I was drawn toward furniture with a faded denim patina!

Doesn't this cabinet remind you of your favorite blue jeans?

Here I am at the end of the fashion show wearing one of my plaid skirts with a lace insert and gold tone buttons purchased from my trip to Williamsburg . I walked with a handsome and sweet male model wearing my designs. I made the ascot and cuffs he is wearing and accessorized a vintage jacket with an authentic tricorn hat and reproduction haversack. In the pixture in the top right corner on the inspiration board, a young female model struts her style in another of my one of a kind jean skirt designs with a vintage blue stripe fabric bottom with trim.

Pictures left to right.
row 1: 1. mirror from Chairish, 2. my pic from Williamsburg, 3. flag chest from Chairish, 4. model in Brayton Cottage show,
Bottom row 2 : 1.cabinet from Chairish, 2. Elle Decor and shirt Google.

Not to mention my farmhouse, the Brayton Homestead, circa 1796, has many painted furnishings. It is full with red, white and blue tones, especially checks. .(This picture was of my kitchen in Country Sampler magazine this year.)

Small patina pieces are easy to be found (some in my online shop) but it is harder to find larger pieces. My dream family room (below) would contain many perfectly worn furnishings. Vintage furniture adds a warmth to any space. Here, blues, gold and lots of comfort!

Crazy for this carpet too, also from Chairish; bold in color but still soft in tone and pattern. Both the chair and carpet are now on my wish list.

Red always make me smile, I hope that is the feeling when big red gates welcome visitors

to my homestead ;they never fail to get noticed.

So, what inspires your decorating ?

Family, home, patina, color and texture inspire me.

Distressed pieces take the worry out of a ding or scratch ruining your furniture. They make it more loved and comfortable -like your favorite pair of go-to jeans! Entertain and welcome your family and friends into your homestead, and enjoy!

Thank you CHAIRISH for presenting me with this blog challenge

and

Thank you for visiting the homestead

Karen

Monday, August 12, 2013

Homestead blooms

August is in full swing and I still had not shared my yard's bounty. Especially proud of the

hydrangeas and their beautiful blue tones.

This year the color is particularly nice, a bit darker than past years. Can you believe I saved this

flower that was being thrown out by a neighbor, left out for the trash pickup years ago.

Did not even think it would survive.

Clematis made a good show at the homestead too. Lots of grey washed wood here,

I think the color gives an aged appearance.

This is all in my side entrance area and the back of the ell of the house. The house section to the right is the original portion built in 1796. The left side, with the door, is the modern area, added in 1856, when kitchens became in vogue! The entire addition was just kitchen, still is.

thanks for visiting.

Karen

Friday, April 19, 2013

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

Saturday, April 6, 2013

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

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Ode to School Vacation week

This is my ODE TO SCHOOL VACATION week.

From my years of teaching art I fondly remember how much I loved the vacations! These are items past, present and those to be listed from my Brayton Cottage. To those in the midst of it, enjoy...

Karen