She Shed Dreams

 I so intended to create my She Shed this Summer. I envision a bright space created using recycled materials. I have been collecting antique doors and windows for the exterior for my oasis.

Creating a place fit for a queen for the day! Fresh fruit, croissants and freshly squeezed juice served on an old vintage silver tray  sounds divine.  

Mostly creams and white accented with wood tones (worn and aged, of course) will give the inside a vintage hideaway retreat. Will keep collecting antique furniture and architectural pieces and shoot for next year!

thanks for visiting!

A Beautiful & Exciting 2014!

WHAT A FANTASTIC YEAR!!

2014 brought great family time, national recognition of my interior design work, 

my clothing in a fashion show and a class reunion 

Of course I must start out with the most important things, the ones I love. 

Here, my handsome and loving son Doyle with our yorkie, Krumpet. 

This year also brought a significant other to my life, more love! 

The recycled clothing, mostly skirts that I design , make and sell on on my online store, BRAYTON COTTAGE,  were part of a fashion show with 2 other designers. I presented the show with a revolutionary era  look inspired from my recent trips to Williamsburg; also the theme for Christmas decorating this year.

                                                               Yes, a wonderful year!
                                                Thank you for visiting the Homestead,
                                                                          Karen

Country Living Fair finds adorn my Guest Bathroom

I have posted pictures of my guest bathroom before but I wanted to share two items that I purchased at the Country Living Fair and added to the room. This small bathroom was originally the bourning room when the house, the Brayton Homestead, was built in 1796. 

The fair was so fantastic!  I have not stopped thinking about all the lovely antiques, jewelry and crafts I bought and all the incredible things I did not. A black lidded mason jar soap dispenser completed a long search for just the right vessel for my favorite ginger hand soap and there it was at the fair.   

Behind the doors on the right are a washer and dryer with shelves above; so easy to get laundry done. Another shutter door hides a shower. The bathroom project came out better than I expected and offers so many uses. 

Has been a few months since the CL Fair and getting things placed. The black and white hide was the other new addition to the room from the fair.

Louver shutters are repeated on the windows, top and bottom. They offer many configurations for season and light changes. I like to use shutters  on client work for that same reason. Will share more finds from the Country Living Fair. Enjoy and thanks for visiting!

Karen

Thank you for visiting the Homestead,

Karen

Bedroom mantle for summer

These hot days are perfect for relaxing. My chaise lounge calls me 

when I want to read but do not want to unmake my bed.

The bedroom is visible from the parlor so I try to keep it made up. 

clearly I am not using the bedroom fireplace in this weather

 but is always nice to look at.

A vintage hat I bought on Etsy for a wedding I attended a

and  was also the wedding planner, accompanies 

a handmade deer box and vintage candlesticks and candle followers.

An etching I created of my son, pillows I made of leftover fabrics

and a huge tapestry pillow fill the corner...

thanks for visiting the homestead,

always appreciate the visit.

I am so grateful and flattered to have my last post featured at the beautiful

blog

IVY AND ELEPHANTS

thank you Paula!

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

Dance away the weekend

Looking forward to the weekend to kick up my heels, put on my newish tuille dancing skirt and dance away!

Hoping that this truck will come to pick me up at the Homestead and wisk me away to the ball- no wait,

 that is Cinderella and it is not a van with a spectacular chandelier but mice and a pumpkin...!

A great week was spent on my Interior Decorating client work and

many sales of scarves on my shop! A blast!

even was included in a Facebook group named

SCARF ADDICTED

you have to check it out

- one member evenmentioned my grey lace scarf!

One more day, Krumpet, and we will walk and DANCE!!

Linking with:

FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE

Karen

A client's Master Bedroom Addition

A master Bedroom suite addition that I was so fortunate to design, from scratch!

I actually was the architect for the project, drew the plans, every detail 

and selected everything in the suite- everything- windows, doors, lighting beams  to furniture and all the rest.

Here is the view walking in from the rest of the house. 

Had those windows custom made. My inspiration was Manhattan loft windows.

Do you like it?

a bench for dressing...

and viewing the 50' long k oi pond, that I helped design a few years ago and choose all the landscaping material and plants. The  addition I positioned for optimal view!

The outside of the addition. Selected round French doors, old brick in a herringbone pattern and huge lead lights.Some of you may remember the wedding I planned for a client this May. Here is where my clients daughter walked out down the stairs with her father to be wed.

Hope you enjoyed- love to hear your thoughts...

Karen

BIG NEWS: MY INTERIOR DESIGN WEBSITE IS NOW ON THE WEB!

Please share my joy

http://braytonhomesteadinteriors.com/,

My Interior design website, is now on the web. It took longer than I thought to complete to achieve the look I was going for. I am very pleased, what do you think? Reflecting my style of "Comfortable Traditional" turned out to be a more challenging effort that I predicted. My work is traditional yet a bit eclectic, vintage but not stuffy, elegant but always comfortable.

How did I do? Love your comments...

Thanks,

Karen

WELCOME: MY INTERIOR DESIGN WEBSITE IS LAUNCHED!

Welcome to

BRAYTON HOMESTEAD INTERIORS

Blog

I am so glad you visited.

Here on my blog I journal about my Interior Design business,

the ongoing restoration of the Brayton Homestead, family, friends and my yorkie Krumpet.

My Interior Decorating website

http://www.braytonhomesteadinteriors.com/

has just been launched!

it is also named

Brayton Homestead Interiors

the website.

the website is just for my decorating business.

Here can see examples of my interior design work.

Hope that you come to visit and would love to hear your thoughts!

Thank You,

Karen

Images: all Brayton Hometead Interiors

My Little Sitting Area

Welcome to one of my favorite seating areas in my home, the Brayton Homestead, circa 1796. This spot is located in the center front of the house; with some stretching you can view the Taunton River.

A small space, the top hall landing to be accurate.

My attempt was to create a space to linger or to look out at the water. I think it has

a bit of a French flair, do you?

So I am linking with the beautiful

French Cupboard's

Vintage Inspiration post

here vintage needlepoint on my walls and pillows,

and a bench I created from

salvage pieces..

even the door to a bedroom is adorned with vintage needlepoint, my favorite textile,

and a set of old suitcases just waiting to be needed...

Original shutters from the cellar make a wonderful folding screen

while hooks from my kitchen's pot and pans rack

allow me to rearrange pictures easily, such as my watercolor painting a of a stone cupid statue and of course vintage needlepoint!

and linking with these great blogs:

Between Naps on the Porch - Met Monday

House House in the Roses - Show off your Cottage Monday

Smiling Sally- Happy Blue Monday

Savy Southern Style- Wow Us Wednesday

and French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday

Hope you enjoyed and thanks for coming.

Images: all Brayton Homestead Interiors

Blog Giveway

How many reasons to thank Mom for all she taught me?

LET ME COUNT THE WAYS...

1.

Mom's talent and love of decorating was infectious. Her taste was classic meets artistic, a woman way ahead of her time.

Consequently, I was moving furniture around in my bedroom at an early age, painting things, covering everything in different colored and patterned paper and accessorizing to go with it; then changing it. Now I take her Classic yet Artistic style into my Interior Design business. Thanks Mom...

Do not forget to leave a comment and follow to enter my blog giveaway! You can enter on this post too.

Image: google images