Sarah Richardson

How could I possibly forget her as a style mentor?  Maybe because HGTV prefers to show endless reruns of that fake House Hunters.  Or Disney backyards or Design Stars.  Ugh.  Note to HGTV bosses:  just show a dump turned into a beautiful house.  That's what Sarah does, and also Property Brothers.  Here are some of the genius bathrooms and kitchens by Sarah.

Her beautiful farmhouse kitchen.

This kitchen reminds of my own!

 I don't care for modern design--way too harsh and straight-lined for my taste.  But I really like how Sarah incorporates contemporary style into vintage.  I guess that's where I'm at right now with my design sensibility.

 All images from Houzz.

Office Before, During and After

Here's my little office.  It's great that this room has two windows.  Love that the house is so light and bright.  I switched out a tiny, dinky stupid light fixture for this gorgeous antique schoolhouse light.  I think I'll be painting this room Hollingsworth Green to match the (future) Salisbury Green in the adjacent dining room.  I'll paint the closet white.  I still kinda like the Antique Lilac by Devoe, though.

The previous owner had created a desk, which I dismantled after a year.  I also removed the folding door, and had white oak laid over the "sub-floor" in the closet.  The floor previously was stained dark.  The armoire used to hold a television (read the saga here).  Unfortunately, this becomes my junk room--where I stash stuff I don't know what to do with or don't have time to deal with.  I guess that's why this is the only picture I have of this room when I moved in.

You can see the difference in the flooring here.

Check out that 1980's phone!

Other than my bathroom, which awaits the installation of a sash (now curing), this completes the first floor reveal!  The two bedrooms upstairs are most definitely not ready for prime time.

Happy Fourth of July!

We really celebrate in a big way here in our little "village."  There's a parade, fireworks, food and music.  I live close to the center, and here on the hilltop I can hear the festivities.  I can also see the fireworks pretty well from my living room.  I tried so hard to capture it on camera but out of 64 pictures, only a few are worthy of publication.  In the background is a street light, my neighbor's porch and American flag, my wisteria, and tree branches.  By the way, did you know flags need to be illuminated if displayed at night?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's a lot of noise, pedestrians and cars on our little street on this night.  Normally only a few people brave the hill, and only very few cars, so the cats are nervous.

One of my favorite hymns, which I sang with my high school chorus, is the Civil War song, Battle Hymn of the Republic.  I didn't understand the religious imagery ("He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored") until I read it in the Bible in Isaiah and Revelation (far be it from school to teach such things).

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, 

With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me: 

As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, 

While God is marching on.

Many people have died in the cause of freedom, but one Person died to make us all free.