In contrast to the basement's muted black and white pallette, the upstairs of our cottage has a colorful French Country look. The black cabinet just inside the front door is from STD and the lamp made from a porch post is from The Seedbox in Ozark. I bought the rabbit picture when Ryan and I first got married and it has found a place of importance in each of the 4 houses we've lived in over the last 9 years. I can't see ever getting rid of it even if my style changed completely.
The walls are textured, a golden Venetian plaster, and the ceilings are really high in our great room. I really like the big beams and the open feeling. We haven't done any painting to our house since we moved in 3 years ago, just living with what's there. Most people who visit love the walls, but if I built my own house it's not what I'd be drawn to myself. But if fits this house and our neighborhood. You can barely see the barstools around the island in our small kitchen, which is not in the picture but is there to the right. 
You can also kind of see the stairway down to the basement. Also on this level are our bedroom and Macauley's room, with a huge master bathroom between our room and the small hallway to his room and the laundry room.
The fireplace is a rustic/messy stone with a little brick and I added one of my all time favorite chippy mirrors and some great chippy green corbels, both from The Seedbox. I got the picture of the little girl out of a great booth at STD and the rusty iron piece from Riverview.
I gathered a bunch of this rabbit Majolica from TJ Maxx and Marshall's. I do really like it, but I have enough! And I've kind of moved on from this look elsewhere in my house, so I usually resist buying more when I see a piece here or there.
The green mirror is from The Seedbox, too. I have a dream powder room in my head centered completely around it for someday! I piled a bunch of old silver and other cute stuff in and around the awesome metal urn I scored for $7 at STD. The cabinet beneath hides a small TV, and although we have much better TVs in other rooms, it seems like we usually end up piled on the comfy red couch watching the littlest one we have. I guess it's closest to the kitchen and that's the way it goes.
I just planted some real ivy in the white tureen I bought at The Rose in Rogers, Arkansas for $3. There is no drainage hole and I just threw some dirt in before our party last weekend, so it's not properly done, but it's done for now and we'll see how long it survives. I have lots of tarnished silver that I just stash around. My husband is often baffled by my flea market purchases but the "silverware that we don't even use" is one that makes him shake his head the most. I inherited my mother's love for dishes and Ryan has come to terms with that, I think. He's such a good man.
I gathered a bunch of this rabbit Majolica from TJ Maxx and Marshall's. I do really like it, but I have enough! And I've kind of moved on from this look elsewhere in my house, so I usually resist buying more when I see a piece here or there.
The green mirror is from The Seedbox, too. I have a dream powder room in my head centered completely around it for someday! I piled a bunch of old silver and other cute stuff in and around the awesome metal urn I scored for $7 at STD. The cabinet beneath hides a small TV, and although we have much better TVs in other rooms, it seems like we usually end up piled on the comfy red couch watching the littlest one we have. I guess it's closest to the kitchen and that's the way it goes.
I just planted some real ivy in the white tureen I bought at The Rose in Rogers, Arkansas for $3. There is no drainage hole and I just threw some dirt in before our party last weekend, so it's not properly done, but it's done for now and we'll see how long it survives. I have lots of tarnished silver that I just stash around. My husband is often baffled by my flea market purchases but the "silverware that we don't even use" is one that makes him shake his head the most. I inherited my mother's love for dishes and Ryan has come to terms with that, I think. He's such a good man.
I guess I'm fortunate that my house has so many different areas where I can kind of feed my love for a variety of styles. I don't shop for French Country stuff much anymore, but there are a number of pieces I have in this area of my house that I have loved for a long time. I'd like my next house (yes, I dream of a next house) to have more of a farmhouse feel, but I can see why many people are drawn to the French Country look. It is very cozy and inviting and I always want my house to feel like that no matter where I live.
3 comments:
Looks like a shot from an issue of "Traditional Home" magazine...I like the chair fabric too!
R
Hayley...Welcome to the World of Blogging.
Your posts and pictures reflect such an interesting and talented person I'm glad I stopped by. Your eye for detail in your decor and flea market finds are fantastic. Your quest for bargains and making them work are wonderful.
As a Decorative artist, I found your textured walls with exposed beams to be pideal in that setting
...did you do this treatment yourself? If so, give yourself a big pat on the back. They look great.
Will keep checking in.
Your new friend from Texas...Denise
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