Painting by Charles Amable Lenoir, French 1860-1926
Lately I have been busy cleaning up the laundry room, but I will have no before-and-after pictures because the "after" does not impress me much. It has been an intense job in a small space, so I needed to take some time to do something a little more cheerful. Today I have covered my couch with the fabric called Minky. In case you think it was a big job, I assure you it was a matter of wrapping the fabric around the foam seating area. It clings just right on the foam padding so no sewing or fastening was required.
This room is usually quite dark, and that is why I had the paneling painted a light color and am using such light colors in general. It was early in the morning when I took this picture so it still turned out a bit dark.
A long narrow strip of the Minky fabric was enough to cover the top of the piano.
Adding cushions of different colors will be fun, as white is like a blank canvas that shows off other things. In case you think white is difficult to care fore these days, the micro fibers are very easy to wipe clean. In the country area where I live, no color stays clean and so I just choose what I like. You can see more colors in Minky here http://www.joann.com/search?q=Minky
The use of dollar store wired ribbon for this inoperative fake fireplace has really been interesting. Every time I walk past this hearth it looks so much like a real fire, it feels warm! And it is a safe flame.
Wired ribbon was very useful when I lost the hardware to this cabinet while I was preparing to paint it. I had to find something to use to pull the drawers open. The ends are knotted so the drawer pull is strong enough to use til I locate the hardware.
This table setting is created in order to get ready for a couple of ladies who are coming to an autumn tea on Friday, so I can get an idea of what it will look like. I will show you a drawing of what I want the table to look, later.
I wanted to use some of the maple leaves for place mats. In summer when they are a vivid green, they look stunning with rose motif tea cups. In autumn, these gold edged cups go great.
Those are scones with the all-fruit apricot jam, and whipped cream. The tea is real lemon with honey,
And the birdcage and bird are ornaments that I rarely use, and like the other things I was thinking of getting rid of, I made the mistake of getting it out of the box just to see what it would look like.
I have been on my walk outside and taken a picture. The fog comes in first thing in the morning and then the day gets sunny and bright. I think fog would be a favorite thing these days with all the shabby chic whites that people promote in magazines and the web. It has the perfect puffy softness for this well-loved look.
I think one of the dearest desires of a woman, whether she is married or not or has children or not, is to have her own home to care for without interference; a place she put her heart into and make suitable and lovely. I have known many women who took a bleak house and made it into a type of heaven where you could forget where you were and dwell on what was good and sweet. I think of Margaret in Elizabeth Gaskells 18th century novel, North and South, when I think of making a home anywhere you have to live. In the industrial town full of smoke and darkness, she made tea time a bright spot for her company.
A new addition to my house is this outdoor mat, which works very well. It says carry on :-) On sale at Walmart, so there are probably none left by the time you read this post.
Since I have a few more things to do around here, and some errands to do, I hope to write more on the love of the home and add my thoughts to this post. In the meantime, your thoughts are very welcome.
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14 comments:
I always enjoy your beautifully creative ideas. Thank you for taking the time to share them.
Just lovely! I actually used the ribbon drawer pull trick on some furniture for my daughter's room. Her room has the furniture from my childhood bedroom, and there is a lovely vintage dresser. However, the drawer pulls were very elaborate and had some sharp edges. When she started to pull up and walk to switched them all to pretty pink ribbon so she wouldn't hit her head against one. I like the look so much that now she's 2 and I left them there.
The Minky fabric goes well on your sofa and cushions. I think it is effective when teamed with the bright cushions too. I am planning to buy some 'Minky' when I get the chance, it is very versatile. Thank you for this cheerful and inspiring post.
I quietly read your blog now and then as time allows and I have a question that I ask with all politeness: You are obviously quite feminine in your decor, how does your husband like it? To be honest, it looks like only a woman lives in your home, and my husband would not like all the frills and fluff if I decorated so. I'm wondering how you incorporate things so your husband isn't lost in a sea of pink and lace. I thought you posted on that once but I searched and couldn't find it. Fall nesting has set in for me and I'm always on the lookout for new ideas.
Our tastes our worlds apart, but I do appreciate your encouragement in making a house a home. Have a lovely Thursday!
B.
Thank-you so much for answering my question! It was so neat to read how you came to have your treasures (And you mentioned 2 of my absolute favorite movies : ), and the whys and wherefores of what's displayed and what isn't. Thank-you again!
Bonnie, by watching indoor scenes of some of the older movies I can find out what some of the common things were that were in the houses of the era. And, even though 7 brides for 7 brothers shows a log cabin interior, Milly added her things which gave the place grace and homey ness, such as quilts and knitted things, dishes, rugs, curtains. A series of booklets published in the 1920,s addressed the subject of homemaking and stressed the importance of the womanly influence in the home such as vases of flowers, a china plate on the wall, a bowl of fruit on the table, candlesticks to add brightness. Bachelors did not revel in their bachelor pads wanting only bearskin rugs and hard beds. They usually longed for the comforts a woman could add to the home, and did t seem to complain if a soft quilt or a tablecloth was added. These are symbols of refinement that elevate us in a sense from primitive to civilized. However, with today's furnishings, even the style called primitive has a lot of beautiful features in it, such as an old rag doll, braided placemats, crochet rag baskets, wooden toys, cute lanterns. My own home shows what I have to use right now and how I am dealing with it. I am hoping one day to have new furniture and redecorate in a different style. I love the black wood furniture that is so prevalent today, so in the future I am going for a new sleek look. For now, what I have will suffice and I enjoy playing with it, as a relief from cleaning bookshelves and sorting books, cleaning the laundry room, the bathroom, etc. it's my artists canvas where I can putter around.
By the way Minky comes in black and brown
Look at the movie with John Wayne and Maurine Ohara
Called McClintock
The interior had a woman's touch
A man built the house, the woman made it into a home
Lovely room photos. I sometimes think I would like a white room, but since I have HUGE dogs who shed and love to get on my furniture (they believe they are chihuahuas), it's not practical.
I love the film 7 Brides for 7 Brothers. I was in my teens when I first saw it, and I fell madly in love with Howard Keel's voice. Now I will have to go find it to watch again...
Hello Dear Lady Lydia, I must say I have never heard of this fabric.
Now this looks very smart on the couch. I guess I had better check it out the next time I go to the fabric store.
I hope you have a lovely visit with your Lady friends.
It has been almost 30 years since I have seen fog!
I just wanted to mention something, as I was ready this post, all I could think of was royalty... You have that in your words and heart.
Blessings, Roxy
Your Minky-covered couch looks really good! What a clever idea!
Dear Lady Lydia, thank you so much for addressing Bonnie's question concerning husbands and decor. I had the same question and you have given perfect answers, thank you.
I always wonder if anyone writes to other bloggers when they decorate a certain way. The question that was asked was very kind and polite, but over the years some of the comments about my house have been rather rudely demanding that I give an account for why I have antiques and doilies, demanding to know if my husband approves. I dare say Grandpa sat in the living room with Grandma, surrounded by crochet cushions Nd hand braided rugs, along with vases of pink roses from their garden, and drank tea from a tea cup with a saucer and doilies and never ever said a complaining word. If you are aware of the way people lived in the past and can refer to old photographs and paintings, you can understand the original reasons for using the particular things they used.
Everything looks great. Great ideas.
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