Antique Show Find - Antique Mirror

A few weeks ago I attended several antique shows, Hillsborough  - Bay Area, Expo - Portland, Or.

I've written in the past about my love of antique mirrors.  This mirror caught my eye because of the pale robin's egg blue in the reverse painting of swagged roses--and the swagged roses.   The frame is in good shape, the mirror may have been replaced at the turn of the century or later, but it does show signs of age to be an authentic tabernacle mirror from the early 1800's

I did find a few pieces of french monogrammed linen for a song.  (I so periodically sell on Ebay, but am on hiatus until this whole move thing gets settled).

I will share my other finds as I have time to write.  Enjoy!

To Move or Not...That is the Question

I used to say we are debating about giving up our beautiful home overlooking the Columbia River in order to move closer to family.   Given that we've listed our house, the debate must be over.   I've been silent on the blog because we've been so busy.  In the past 10 days we've put on 6000 miles in many multiple trips moving most of our treasures out of the house.  Why so many trips?  I like to move stuff in a minivan, careful packing, and loads not too big--less damage that way.  I'm sorry, I just wouldn't trust our treasures to anyone.   I don't know why I am blogging tonight--can't sleep, have to go to a funeral for a friend of a son tomorrow...
 
Staging the house makes me realize---I am very sad to close this 25 year chapter in this home.

Our home has been a peaceful refuge in a very hectic world.  We raised our daughter here,  with 2 professional  careers, our lives have been enriched by the environment we created here for ourselves. 

(I was planning on painting the front door black, what do you think?)

 The house looks modest enough from the front.   We've always enjoyed that.  In the world of ostentatious living, a McMansion doesn't really fit our personality.  Doesn't it look like a little 1200 SF cottage?  Just the image I love.  It's really somewhere from 4600-5300 sf. (waiting for the appraisal measurement)

The living room/dining room has a nice expansive feel.  There are lots of windows, important in this climate.  Lots of natural light.

We emptied out a ton of furniture so you would notice the house, not the furnishings.  We had a collection of over 240 pieces of American Brilliant Cut Glass.  Last year the realtors about fainted when they walked into the house.  The antiques were so overwhelming one realtor said she couldn't recall a think about the house, she was so amazed at the collections.  I thought it was an interesting and important lesson on staging. I was concerned about the amount of antiques, that I should make it look more "Pottery Barn", but then again, the antiques fit the style of the house, so WYSIWYG.

The house was built in 1940. I love the curved ceilings with the picture rail moulding.  If I told you I painted the living room 4 times in one week trying to get the color right, would you think I was insane?  Well, sometimes  color looks different in sun, clouds, and evening.   The NW only has 60 sunny days/year, so the correct shade is important.   I love the balloon shades in the bay window.  I do like to fluff the shades in order to get the right "pouf".  I also like the washed damask wrinkly look. 

 Here's the awesome view of Portland, Or airport.  Houses on this street don't go on the market too often, and I've seen people spend $1 million and do a teardown.  I happen to think we have the best view of the river/city on the street.  West of us, you wind up with a more industrial view, the river is farther away, and east of us, you drop in elevation, so you don't have quite the dramatic view.

My husband travelled ALOT, and I'd tell my daughter we could pretend we were camping in the clouds while he was gone.  We'd scramble on Thursday night, cleaning up the house as he was coming home on Friday. (He might tell a different story,. he'd come home and invariably I'd find him in his suit, at the sink, putting breakfast bowls in the dishwasher....)

 Here's a peek at the kitchen, natural cherry cabinets.  My dad, a stone mason from Germany, made these wonderful cabinets -his first try - from an inspiration picture of a Smallbone kitchen.   The granite is called White Tiger, although I've seen it called something else at another showroom.  Gagganeau stove, amazingly quiet Miele dishwasher, Thermador oven/micro, Subzero Fridge (love it, will miss it)

If you purchase this house, the appliances are basically new--as I don't cook. 

 

I restaged the great room--brought in a french settee, tv.  I'll post that later.

You get the picture--sweeping view dominates the house.  The house was built in 1940, and has a wonderful feel to it.

This is either a bedroom or study.  It's the first door to the right off the entry--I like to use it as a study, as there's another door you can walk through to go to the kitchen/staircase downstairs.  We have so many rooms, we named this one the cat's bedroom, as she used to take naps in here when I had a bed in it.  Note the Mario Buatta chintz fabric for the drapes.  I'm taking those with me, I still love it!

 Oh yes, and here's the entryway.  Lots of mahogany doors, love the wood floors.

Favorite guest suite to the left of the entryway.  Wallpaper is from the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller collection by Schumacher.  I still love it. (circa 1988).  The Karastan is not moving, going on Craig's list.   I was planning on stenciling some gold on the custom twin beds, copying a Bunny Williams bed, it's still on my list....

Check out the guest bath.  Hubby, Mr. Type A, would never settle for someone else's tile job.  He laid the perfect tile. AND I got sick of marble fabrication guys being 1/8" off, so I made the template to cut the marble for the sink cabinet.  (Mrs. Type A).   I had one weekend to find a bath cabinet, the antique one I had didn't work, so I had to settle for this one.   It wasn't quite the look I was going for, but it had to do.  Most of the tile is from Ann Sacks, hubby laid it with only 1" of waste on the trim.    The tile on the floor is statuary white marble.  I like it alot better than carerra marble, although my next choice would have been Calcutta.

Isn't this a cute room!  Mario Buatta wallpaper.  Everyone loves the feel of this room.

The adjacent bath that my daughter used growing up...  Pretty nervy to use pine floors around a 2 year old with a hand-held sprayer.  Little Miss Type A never sprayed the floor, in 20 years!   I'm planning on updating the bath by painting the walls and doing something with the french cabinet.  I don't want everyone to say, Oh, she sponged the walls in 1985.  The leaves on the cabinet have to go.   However my realtor says talk to her first before I do anything major.

Ok, so my dust ruffle is all screwed up.  Oh, yes, and I had to take down the photo of my daughter.  But I still live here!  Unfortunately, I'm noticing a few things, like I moved the highboy out--my stager said to take out tall furniture, it takes up too much space in a room.  So hence the mirror next to the window is not placed properly on the wall.  The master was a later addition over the garage.  There's no way you'd get a bedroom this size in a house built in 1940.  It's probably bigger than the living room!

I'm working on staging my bathroom.  I love the Rojo marble, with the french vanilla marble.  This marble design was stolen from a Nina Campbell decorating book.   I was tickled with the Pottery Barn print towels.  I can't recall the last time I've seen print towels that I liked.   It reminds me of Hubby's 80 year old aunt who gave us one print towel for a wedding present.  I don't think I've ever purchased one after that!!   Restoration Hardware mirrors, nice polished nickel fixtures, I want to take them with me....  ok I know I can't.

Downstairs, I have a couple of rooms photographed:

Would you believe I recovered the Henredon sofa myself?  The print seemed like a good idea at the time.  It did double duty in my daughter's apartment in Seattle while she was going to UW.  She ditched it for a sofa from the Baker outlet when she "moved on".  Her new sofa is big enough and comfortable enough to sleep on when you visit her.

My dad was visiting around 1990, and  he decided he wanted to put a full bath in our daylight basement.   He said "in case he ever moved in".  So I came home from work and he'd dug a trench in the basement to get to the plumbing!

So our we had fun trying to come up with an age-appropriate bathroom for the house.  We couldn't afford alot of fancy stuff back then, but I feel the room has withstood the test of time.  What year did we remodel?  Not being able to answer the question is a good thing in my book.  I love toile, so the wallpaper was a delight to use.  I've purchased wallpaper from Eades over the decades.

So now you know why I've gone underground.  This is a progress report--we are still trying to stage the house, and have some chores to do before we go MLS.    So it's a private listing for now.  Mistake or not, but we will likely not list for a couple months as we are so busy.

The house has been shown twice.  The first couple had 3  children, and wanted 4 bedrooms on the same floor.     They'll wish they had this house when the oldest is about 12.   The wonderful thing about 3 floors is you can have lots of activity and areas of peace and quiet too.


So now that I'm working on getting the house ready, and don't have a new place to go to, I'm thinking why should I sell?  I don't have to.  We can stay here, it's only a 10 hour drive to the other house once a month, we can do it....

I'm working on view enhancement.  Friday I'm pulling weeds in the garden.  My favorite gardener is too busy to work on my yard.  (What happened to the poor economy?)

So are we crazy to move?  Any suggestions on staging?

Staffordshire Lion

Here's an antique gem to brighten your day.

There's nothing like the internet to do some "shopping".   I love using staffordshire because it is so whimsical.  I've done the decorating with the expensive antique porcelain, but pottery is what appeals to me the most.

Making staffordshire figures was a cottage industry in England in the 1800's.  The idea that some family was running a kiln at home to feed the family, and kids helping mom and dad paint the figures gives the pieces such a feeling of history.....love it!  Meissen is lovely, but I'm in a staffordshire phase.

from
http://madelena.com

Wouldn't he look great on a stack of books?  or anywhere!

  I've purchased from Madelena before--although I prefer my scavenge-bargain hunting prices.   Sometimes you have to jump in and get the rare stuff.  They were great to deal with, packed well and overnighted the piece to me!    

I'd love to buy the piece, but my mind is on other things right now--sometimes I can't make an 'expensive' decision. It drives my husband crazy!

If you don't want to spend $1500 on a piece, here's a few cheaper options.  bbjoylove on Ebay are reputable, check out this cute auction.  Only $325 for darling sheep?  (make an offer for 10% less)

 http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-STAFFORDSHIRE-PAIR-ROYAL-CHILDREN-SHEEP-/400158381672?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d2b4c5668

 I think these figures are in a bit better shape, the paint is not so chippy.  Auction starting at $275,   

http://cgi.ebay.com/PR-VICTORIAN-STAFFORDSHIRE-SHEEP-HIGHLANDER-SHEPHERDS-/300473421516?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45f59c8ecc

Be sure to always look at the paint jobs for chipped paint, and for reglued limbs, ears, etc.   Although when I'm decorating, I've been known to buy a $25 piece of chipped staffordshire because it "looks right".

Have a great Wednesday!

Versailles Pattern Travertine Porch

 Porch Project Background

We purchased our house in the country last fall.  The soil is clay, and gets tracked everywhere.  So to minimize the dirt coming into the house, and make the outdoors wheelchair accessible, we had concrete sidewalks put in.  Because of the clay soil staining the concrete, we went with stained concrete.  A problem with the concrete color had us wind up with stamped concrete.

It would have cost us about $4/foot to have the porch concrete ripped out and replaced.  Instead, my husband and I decided to spent $4.80/foot to install antiqued travertine tile.  There are 4 different sizes of tiles:   8x8, 8x16, 16x16, 16x24.   It is laid in a random pattern called Versailles.   Of course, this is a do-it-yourself project for us.  We are two accountants, we are not professional.  So don't laugh at our methods.  My dad was a stone mason and always built his own houses so I am not afraid to try anything; and my dear husband is a sport for any adventure we dream up.

Why didn't we leave the white concrete alone?  Well, because sometimes you just do things without thinking it through.  It's supposed to be "outdoor living" and after 30 years in the Portland, OR. rain, we thought porches sounded great.  We also found out white concrete gets badly stained with the rust colored clay soil.

Before Photo

"Before" any work was done.   This photo was one of the few before purchase.

This is after the concrete got poured, before any plants were put in.  Click on the photo to see the enlargement.

I went crazy with sidewalks.  My mom is in a walker, and I wanted her to be able to "explore" the yard if she moves here.

Prep Work
A close-up below shows the lip that we will use to butt up the new tile.  Unfortunately, it was poured a bit high which we discovered as we were laying the tile, causing us to have to "float" the tile in lots of mortar.  This isn't good because the tiles can sink and become uneven as it dries.

This is the lip of the stamped concrete walk coming up to the porch

 We had to cut the rock pillars to be able to lay the tile underneath the rock.  The rock was so uneven, we didn't feel that cutting the tile around the rock would look very good, it varied as much as 2 inches.  I know, rock should look like it went in first, but hey, this is lick & stick, who are we fooling?  Oh yea, this involved a tool purchase for the hubby, a grinder or something...

The "lick & stick" rock pillars posed a problem.

Snapped lines & crack cover

They make a sticky product that you put down over cracks in concrete--to prevent your tile from cracking.  The photo above shows this, along with snapped lines.  We ran 2 lines to find the center and then laid the tile off the line.  This is VERY important, the 2 lines must be square to each other.  We did play with the pattern for a few hours, trying to figure out how to maximize the pattern---you don't want to have to cut 24" tiles.  They are very fragile in that large size.

Travertine is a crumbly rock and is not easy to work with.  It goes down easy enough, but it is more fragile than marble or any other material we've cut on the tile saw.  It can blow apart when the saw hits it--at least this unfilled antiqued tile.


 DAY 1 

Our first day doesn't look like we made much progress.   Note another prep step:  we laid down kraft paper to the driveway, where the tile saw is parked. That way we can run the wheel barrow loaded with mortar to the job without dripping anything on the stained concrete.  It makes for an easy cleanup job.  Pieces of tile hold down the paper--very sophisticated.

1/4" board , plus Day 1 tile laid....

We only laid about 4 square feet the first day.  We ran to Lowes and got some board to put down.  We were floating so much mud and this helps with the thinner layer of mortar.   As we move up the porch there is enough slope so we won't have to continue to use the board. We use a level as we lay--to make sure that the water will run off, and not puddle on the porch.

DAY 2
We laid more tile today, but my helper had a conference call, and we quit by 4 PM.   Or, I quit then.  My husband continued to work. 

Day 2 progress has the spacers, Day 1 progress has the spacers removed.

Since we are working so slowly, when we quit, we need to make sure that the tiles don't "wander".  So I pile stacks of tile at the edge of  laid tile so they don't move.  This is a real problem if you are a novice and work slowly. 

Day 2 ended around 4 or 4:30 for me.  Hubby continued to work.  In order to go around the post and head down the porch, we'd have to remove the iron fence.  We didn't think laying tile on top of it would look good--just think about mucking up the tile job going over the nuts holding down the fence.  So, the fence removal involved chipping some rock off to get to the nut in the wall.  Well, the wasps with their nests there weren't happy.  Oh yea, that was another reason I was in the house.  So he finally got it removed.

We were off to In-N-Out where I get a tomato sandwich for dinner.  (crazy cheapskate vegan--it's a hamburger, no burger, no mayo, extra tomato (4 slices), onion slice, and a thick SLAB of lettuce, on a toasted bun)  When you work all day, food becomes important as that is the only other thing you do, eat, work!

Day 3
Today we laid 41 square feet.  Again, we are still "floating" tiles in lots of mud.  This will allow the water to run off the porch to the flowerbeds.   It makes us go very slowly.  Once we get to the sides of the porch we think it will go faster because the base concrete is sloped properly.

Day 3 progress--tiles with spacers

We had a slithery helper today.  I wonder what kind of snake he is.  We left him alone....

We did a quick lunch break for frozen Amy's burritos, and on return, we found a "helper" right next to the front door!  Yikes, that critter could crawl under the door into the house!

Tomorrow we're hoping to finish the area in front of the door.

MAJOR HELPFUL HINT
Mortar is very hard on your hands.  When you're setting the tile it gets all over so you need gloves.  Kitchen gloves and rubber gloves don't work, neither do gardening or rubberized gloves.  It is because they are too big, the rubber ones make your hand sweat, etc. The best gloves in the world are ISOTONERS!!   I pick them up at estate sales for nasty jobs.    When you're scraping mortar out of the wheel barrow, it's really easy to take the skin off the tips of your fingers.  Isotoners have leather strips on your fingers which helps. They also let your fingers be more sensitive in check tile height, we don't want any toe-catchers!  The isotoners are also great for wiping mortar off the tile.  Yea, lots of accidents here.

As an aside, a friend of mine used to pick up old white dress gloves at estate sales and used them for gardening.  Unfortunately my hands are too big to use all of those gloves from the 40's and 50's.

OK, now you know I am nuts.  But it does work!!

Day 4
Today's progress felt slow, but we had to cut tiles around one post, and along the front door against the house.   Notice how we sometimes stack tiles to keep the laid tiles from "drifting" into the unlaid area.  It is really important to keep things squared up.

Day 4 - Tile laid to front door!

 Our goal today was just to do from the sidewalk to the front door.   However, Mrs. "Let's get ahead of schedule" had Mr. Mortar Mixer do one more batch, and we went down the side. 

Day 4 - Laid tile starting down the side

Day 5
We finished off the left side of the porch, put the railings back.  Now we need to put the rock back.  I'm so tired of working all the time, that we took a break and went to our favorite garden store.  I am on the hunt for a long bench, and the only long bench was a Lutyens bench, or should I say a copy of one.  It was designed by Edward Lutyens for Sissinghurst Gardens in England.

Lutyens Bench in Sissinghurst Gardens

I decided to get the bench even though the back is higher than the window--the back is pierced so it really doesn't block the light from the window.   The other reason is that the high back was a lot more comfortable to sit in than the low-backed bench (and it wasn't as cute).

Day 5 tile, with new bench to enjoy the front courtyard.

Tomorrow we plan on finishing laying tile, with only grouting left.  We're really tired of this.   The benches were a nice treat.  As was dinner at Buca di Beppo.

Day 6

Almost done.  A small area left to tile, plus areas around the fence

Day 7
I am tired of the project, it's lasted too long.  However it is nice to get two crates of tile out of the garage.

View across the porch.  I like the travertine with the rocks, the colors go well together.

No more tripping hazard transitioning from the sidewalk to the front porch

  Ok, we have grouting left to do.  There are some rocks that have to be replaced at the bottom.  However we will be gone for a week to rest.

The grout job will make the porch look really nice.  The tile is antiqued tumbled travertine with rough edges.  It looks like this after grouting:

Back porch view of grout.  The tile looks like old-world hand-chiseled edging.

In a week or 2 I'll add a photo to this post of the final grouted job.  In the mean time, I think I'll go do something with all that money we saved by doing the tile job ourselves!  A piece of furniture?!!

Casita Design: Restoration Hardware Cabinets

We are working on a casita for my 82 year-old parents.  We walked into Restoration Hardware this weekend, and I found the perfect cabinets which I would like to use in the kitchen and bath.   Unfortunately, they do not make kitchen cabinets.  HELP!  Does anyone know if a company makes anything like this?  One thing the photos don't capture is the finish.  The patina is a wonderful soft wax finish look. (and feel, very soft and buttery to the touch)

 

This is a 55" vanity.  Wouldn't it look great with the mirror below?

They have it paired in Portland:

 The showroom is so dark with the new paint color, it really absorbs the light.  I didn't notice until now that the wood really looks like a different color in the mirror vs. cabinet.

There is a great cabinet to use for towels:

RH does not make kitchen cabinets.  No one has a product like theirs.   I priced some painted and distressed cabinets from Lowes that I liked--until I saw these.  The cabinet below is perfect for a pantry, and priced about the same as the box stores.  I love the hardware because I know my dad would really like it.

 What would you do if you were only going to have 12 feet of kitchen, no stove?   I'm thinking (left to right)

refrigerator, bank of drawers, dishwasher (with microwave above it)  Sink (with plate rack above it), trash pullout, ending with a bank of drawers.  I could do a built in pantry tower at the end which would "balance" the refrigerator, but I'm thinking, how about this cabinet on a wall about 4 feet away.  That way I have a bit more counter space.   No stove, my mom could burn herself on it. 

Drawings are coming soon,

Simone

My Daily Decorating Fix: Chair Fabric Find

The weather is changing.  The weekend had some crisp cold mornings, and today we wound up with rain.  I get my haircut in Portland, so it was going to be a day of chores.  Whole Foods in the Pearl was one of my stops, and as it happened, there was a parking spot on the street (unheard of) in front of Versailles Interiors about a block away. (My husband would say "isn't that a coincidence, how many times did you circle the block waiting for a spot?")
 
Versailles Interiors were having a sidewalk sale--and had a big table piled with fabric samples and leftovers.  I was in a hurry, but there was a fabric on top that caught my eye.  Even though I swear I will never be a packrat, I must confess I have a closet shelf full of fabric.  A quilt someday when I am too old to shop for fabric?  You can say I'm thinking ahead!
 

Fabric border says Toiles de Mayenne.  $80/yard Retail
Sale $2 small scrap, $10 large scrap

 I dropped the fabric on the chair by the front door when I got home.   It looked fabulous with the carpet there, so I think I will recover the two child's chairs with this fabric.  Is that decorating by default?  (I know that's how the painting got hung to the left of the large painting.  I figured I'd keep it up off the floor until I found a "home" for it.)     I had originally planned on finding a gray silk to put on these chairs, but have never looked for it.  A designer walked through and said get rid of the small chairs and the two side paintings.

Chairs with original fabric "before"

The entryway is the most Federal-looking room in the house.  I like the small chairs with the card table--one with an eagle inlay. The symmetry of the two chairs appeals to the very orderly accountant in me (A past career).   I love small chairs and have others that I use for books and magazines stacked next to the sofa.   The "bow" below is out of Chinese sleeve bands done in the forbidden stitch, a wonderful piece waiting to be turned into a project.

Potential upholstery candidate

 My departed kitty also loved sitting on the chair to the right--you will notice the heater vent right at the seat level.  She would wait there so she could keep an eye out for us coming down the stairs in the morning.   We all miss her, she was such a nice kitty!

Our beautiful Kitty- a Russian Blue

  The charm of the fabric with a basket of fruit and the border really appeals to me.  I've been really hesitant to use print fabrics ever since I used too many Waverly prints 20+ years ago, and I just don't want to ever go there again.  The only prints I have used in the past decade is toiles.

The other plan was a pillow for the coral sofa:

The pillow is gone, sold on Ebay.  When you are a dealer, things just "pass through" the house.  The pillow is by Katha Diddel, still available.  The sofa is sentimental as it was owned by my friend Bev who passed away, so I've not wanted to upholster it.

Toiles de Mayenne

So I got my daily decorating fix with an unexpected $2 piece of fabric.  No, I didn't staple it just yet, I want to see it in all kinds of daylight. (tough to do as we say we have 3 kinds of weather in Portland:  July, August, and Rain)  The delight of a beautiful object can feed the soul.  I'm glad it found me.  I can thank the designer who put together such an artistic print.

Happy September, I love the "change" seasons!