~Studying in Black & White~

Tuesday morning, bright and early; the truck is loaded with tables, chairs, baskets, bits and pieces, for the trip home. 

The table and chairs are on their way to our daughter. 

Other things will go to “Mom’s Basement Boutique”, at home, for further consideration.

J, fishing in Minnesota 2002.  The two of us at Cape Hatteras, during our road trip down the Outer Banks, in 2005. 

It’s time to update the larger of two guest rooms, at the condo.

Snapshot memories will be used. 

Perhaps I’ll use the bedding from the master bedroom redo; a blue and white quilt and shams. 

While we are home, I’ll continue to study, in black and white and color, the possibilities for the redo.

A rustic lakeside retreat, is what I have in mind.

 

Some things will stay…

…some things will go.

The TV armoire is definitely staying.

New paint for this shelf.

Bye Bye Birdie…

…faux oars too.

I painted the Gull and oars, several years ago…time for change.

So there you have it; another makeover in the making.

Doctor appointments, this week.  Hoping for good news about  J’s pro time numbers, among other things.

If all goes well, we’ll make a stop at Trader Joe’s while in the outskirts of the big city.  I enjoy our trips to Trader Joe’s after our medical appointments.  Like sugar, it always “makes the medicine go down in a most delightful way”.

Family gathering for a good cause, this coming weekend.  More about that in an upcoming post.

Edit

Tuesday Evening

Had a call, a little while ago, from youngest daughter.  She’s felt under the weather a couple days. 

She’s been advised to go to ER; possible Appendicitis. Will let you all know how things are, when I know more.

Thoughts and prayers much appreciated.

Thanks!

Update

Tuesday Night

Thank you for your continued good thoughts and prayers. 

M is home.  The test for Appendicitis was okay. She has been given something for pain.  They say it may be a virus. If she isn’t feeling better by Thursday or Friday, she will have a CT Scan.

She has had some troublesome health issues, over the years. 

I am optimistic this will turn out okay.

As mother’s we never stop worrying about our children, even when they are grown up, with children of their own.

~The Rest of the Story~

We commissioned Jake to make a cabinet for the breakfast room at home, when he made the table for the condo, seen HERE.

 

 

 

As with the farmhouse table, Jake used boards from the 100 year old Missouri barn. He also used antique beadboard.

We arrived back home, Saturday afternoon.  I filled the cabinet with the Mikasa French Countryside and other white dishes, I’ve collected since 1983.

I’ll change the arrangement on the base top, from time to time. The white dishes will remain on the shelves with a bit of a change, now and then.

~Something to Talk About~

…on the back porch

In this case,  something to talk about at The Front Porch. 

After we did the shutter/window wall, at the condo, I thought a harvest table would look wonderful, in place of the round table and four chairs.  I’ve looked for a table of about 6 feet, with benches.  The plan is to put one end of the table against the “window wall”, with benches on either side.

Youngest daughter has first dibs on the round table and chairs.

 

I looked at vintage and new tables, never finding just the right one…until Tuesday morning, on our way home from the lake.

We stopped at The Front Porch Antiques, along Hwy 54, on Penny Hollow Lane.  Don’t you love the name of the road!

J and I spent some time wandering around, like we usually do in antiques shops.  Then we happened upon the table, in the photo above.  It was just what I had in mind, but at 4 feet, it was about 2 feet smaller than we need.  We were talking about how we wished it was just a tad bit larger.  That’s when the shop owner’s daughter told us the table was handmade, from reclaimed wood, by an Ozark craftsman, who does custom orders. That’s when we decided to have a table and benches made for the condo.  Ours will be 6 feet by about 3 feet.  The top has three 12 inch boards.  We ordered a blue and cream finish.  We should be able to pick it up in a couple of weeks.

As long as we were shopping, we ordered one other piece.  It’s in one of these photos and is for the breakfast room/hearth room, here at home. 

Can you guess which piece and the colors we ordered?

The new piece will replace this cabinet.

As pretty as the cabinet is, the top shelves are not sturdy.  I kept expecting to hear a loud crash and broken crockery.  Just such a catastrophe happened in our neighbor’s dining room, a few years ago. 

As fragile as the top section is, the base is pretty good.  This cabinet has been in the breakfast room for a few months.  The double bonnet secretary sits, in the hearth room, where the cabinet was, last Christmas, when the photo was taken.

We were set to donate the cabinet, when I had one of those lightbulb moments.  Why not use the base in the living room, behind the sofa.

Furniture moving commenced bright and early this morning.

I put a few things together, for a vignette, before taking photos.  If you are a regular reader, you know the arrangements, on this piece of furniture, will be changed often.

There you have it…..something to talk about, at The Front Porch.

~Lake Home Living Room Update~

I found the wicker rocker at our neighborhood garage sale and decided it was perfect for the condo living room.  I bought two new cushions for the rocker and another wicker chair, in the living room.

I’ve been asked whether the condo is our home or a home away from home.  Our home is in NE Missouri, near St Louis.  Our condo (a weekend home) is at Lake of the Ozarks, in central Missouri.

J and I want the condo to have the feel of a lake cottage, even though it is one unit in a large building.

  

I was tempted to use creamy slipcovers and a lighter palette.

However, we like brighter colors and they are more practical for this weekend place. 

Because we want to relax here and not worry about wear and tear and cleaning, we’ve chosen inexpensive and easy care furnishings.

Black and white photos of our grandchildren are seen on the small white cabinet, next to the sofa.

The photos were taken a couple of years ago. I suppose they should be updated. I love these and will keep them here.

 

The ottoman is from the neighborhood sale, also.  I bought the basket at Marshall’s and filled it with books, binoculars and a bowl, with anchor motif, filled with rocks.

The grid of boat photos, above the sofa, is made of calendar pages, in frames from Michael’s.  I’ve thought about replacing the pictures a few times, but always decide to keep them, because they fit our lake home, so well.

A sign and old fly rod and reel hang above the door to the deck.

The condo is 1250 square feet.  There are three bedrooms and two bathrooms. A laundry alcove is in the hallway.

The kitchen is u-shaped, with plenty of space for preparing meals; small but efficient.  We added hardware to the cabinets, after this photo was taken. The walls in the kitchen and one wall in the entry are Sherwin Williams Mink.

 

Condo Entry

The framed prints are my black and white photos, taken in various Lake of the Ozarks locations.

Light fixture before…

Light fixture after…

I was thinking about changing the light fixture, for awhile, when I found this one at the garage sale.  It is the exact style I had in mind.

I’m looking for a small farmhouse style table to replace the round drop leaf table.

A Hint

By the end of July, I should be able to post something about the condo master bedroom makeover. 

I picked up a gallon of Valspar paint, in Ariel View, from the Seaside Retreat collection, at Lowe’s.  While I was at Lowe’s, buying the paint, I bought a pair of louvered doors. More about those in upcoming posts. 

I found a comforter and shams, that look as though they will work well with the ideas I have for this room.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Linking to Debbie’s New Linky Party.

 

~The Fireplace Project~

 

Faux fireplace, that is…..

 

 

Hearth Room Fireplace

The hearth room fireplace is gas, as is the stone fireplace in J’s “lodge”, in the lower level of our home.  The back porch fireplace is wood burning.

I have thought about using a mantel to create a faux fireplace, but never ventured any farther than thinking about it, until recently. 

I try to remember to check JC Penney Wednesday Deals.  One particular Wednesday, a few weeks ago, while looking at the Wednesday Deals, I clicked on clearance and found a fireplace surround, marked $179.99 from $499.99, with free shipping.  I didn’t see how I could pass up an offer like that.  I ordered it before I could talk myself out of it.  It arrived within two days.

With the garage sale and a few other little interruptions, the faux fireplace project was delayed until this past weekend.

 Faux fireplace elements include the surround, paintable wallpaper from Lowe’s, and leftover ceramic tile, from the master bathroom.

The surround is not attached permanently, but rather hangs by keyhole mounts on two anchors.  The wallpaper can be easily removed.  Instead of  installing the tiles, they sit on a strip of non slip drawer liner, to keep them stable and protect the hardwood floor.  The surround can be taken apart, should we want to use it in another home.

We began the project, early Saturday morning, by hanging a tin ceiling look paintable wallpaper.

It has been said I am a “bubble off plumb”, in more ways than one.  I hope you keep that in mind and not examine the seams too closely.

As you can see, the Pampered Chef pastry roller is a handy tool for pressing wallpaper seams.  I have also used this little gadget when pressing peel and stick tile.  It is great for rolling pastry, too.

The wallpaper will, hopefully, give the appearance of old tile.  I set the surround legs up to sort of test the idea.  The “fireplace” sits next to the master bedroom door to the hallway.

The idea is to give the appearance of a fireplace that has been plastered over; often seen in older homes.

Sunday afternoon, we finished the install. We still need to cut trim to fit on either side.  I’m also looking for a piece of tile or trim to put on either side of the tiles, to finish out the look. 

Because it is close to completion, I decided to feature the “new fireplace” in this post.

The screen is one we used on the back porch. It’s a tad crooked, but will do until we find something else or add an electric fireplace.

I found a few things, around the house, for a vignette.  I am sure the mantel will be changed often.

 

The print is from a water color of Haldimand Bay, Mackinac Island, Michigan.

This fireplace is at our 2nd home, a condo at Lake of the Ozarks.  The TV niche was painted Sherwin Williams Mink to de-emphasize the opening.  A lake neighbor made the mantel.  We rarely use this fireplace, which is gas.

 Have a wonderful week. 

We are on our way to the lake, for a few days, with a couple of g’kiddos.

Linking to Marty’s Table Top Tuesday.

Because I got such a bargain, with the mantel, I am adding this project to Rhoda’s Thrifty Treasures.