It is almost a year since we moved, and I’m happy to say we are just about finished with the interior of the house. The last several months have been filled with endless shopping and diy projects, and I’m not gonna lie…I’m a little sad that it’s almost over. Those of you who are like minded know where I’m coming from, right? (And the rest of you are wondering if I’ve gone off the deep end?!)
I may have exercised some poetic license when I titled this post. These pieces weren’t really easy. Whether they were simply a LOT of work, or it was a challenge to find just the right place for them, most of them presented me with unique challenges, so without further adieu…
Let’s start with the dining room
I was most excited about this space because we’ve never had a separate dining area. I know it’s not the norm these days as almost everyone seems to want open floor plans, and admittedly I knew it wasn’t going to be the most used room in the house, but those facts didn’t deter me. I wanted to add some french country style to the house, but not too much, and this was the perfect space for just that.
The only thing I was sure about was the table. I knew I wanted cabriole legs and I knew I wanted it to seat six comfortably. Like most things, I also knew what I didn’t want, which was a leaf.
To quote Meatloaf, two out of three ain’t bad. I searched to find someone to build one but I wasn’t successful, then I saw an unfinished table made out of solid acadia wood on Wayfair that was very reasonably priced, so even though it had a leaf I went for it. But it sat untouched for at least two months because I just couldn’t figure out what kind of finish I wanted. Then I found these host chairs that I fell in love with and that helped clarify the direction I should go in.
The only problem was there are several different paint colors and finishes on the wood trim of the chairs, and it was extremely tricky to correctly match them to the table. It took some finagling (ok, a LOT) but I’m happy with how it turned out.
Next up, our Piano Bar
You read that right. We have another piano bar! You may remember we had a piano bar in our cabin and it was not only a fun and useful project for us, but a great conversation piece. Truth is, another piano bar was most definitely NOT on my radar.
I actually prefer symmetry and had my heart set on finding two identical pieces to flank the fireplace. I looked for months, but everything was either too big, too small, too boring, not the right style or several thousand for just one, bringing the total to way more than we were willing to spend. We actually did order two consoles but as soon as they arrived I knew they weren’t right, so off they went to Facebook Marketplace!
It was then that we realized maybe symmetry wasn’t in our future, and so we began the search for a piano. We ended up finding one for free, but we had to pay to have it moved and buy the mirror, glass, etc. to finish it, but we still came in way under budget and it’s the perfect size for the space.
Now for our breakfast nook
This was one of the first spaces that we finished. This is where we eat dinner, and early on I found this solid wood oak table at Habitat Restore for $70 and snapped it up. The only problem was it was bright lime green! I think I went through 50 sheets of sandpaper and nearly blew the motor on my sander removing that hideous color. The nooks and crannies proved to be a huge PITA and between sanding and refinishing it took almost two weeks. I left the top natural and for the bottom I used Farmhouse Creamy Linen paint, which is the same paint I used on the piano and the next piece I’m going to show you.
Now for my favorite piece in the house
Simply put, this piece is perfection. I ♥ corner pieces and I had been looking for one for longer than any sane person should, but nothing really grabbed me until I stumbled upon this one at one of my favorite local retailers. The beveled glass, the closed and visible storage, the overall size and the color were exactly what I had been looking for but didn’t even know it. We keep liquor and wine on the bottom and for now what’s mostly behind the glass are some not-so-great pieces I’ve been making in pottery. So I guess this piece qualifies as truly ‘easy’.
Last but not least
For however easy the corner piece was, these stained glass panels made up for it, and then some.
One of the highlights of our community is a wonderful cultural arts center just up the road. They offer all sorts of classes, one of which is stained glass. I got it into my head that I wanted to switch out the panels on our kitchen cabinets, so we had a carpenter remove them and I got to work designing and making these. It was an unbelievable amount of work, and for certain I couldn’t have managed it without the help of a local business owner who runs a stained glass shop downtown. The instructor at the arts center was great, but this project was too intense and labor intensive for me to be able to get the amount of help I needed in that setting. Everything had to be measured exactly right so that they would fit perfectly, and that’s just not my forte! But seriously folks, were they not worth it??!
Bonus piece!
I bought this piece without Fisherman knowing about it and he will be the first to tell you he wasn’t thrilled. Yes, we did have some problems figuring out where to put it because it’s HUGE, but in the end he had the good idea to place it in the sitting room adjacent to the bedroom, and I think it’s right at home in this space, which has a ‘parisian apartment’ feel.
You may or may not recall last year I put together some mood boards, and a few of you commented you felt I would end up with a combination of styles. You were spot on. The furnishings are a mix of French country (the dining room), cottage style (the bedroom and breakfast nook), parisian glam (sitting room) and even a bit of a Restoration Hardware vibe thrown in for good measure (the living room), and they all flow together seamlessly.
In other news…
Let me detour from decorating for a moment and fill you in on what life has been like since we’ve moved here. If I had to pick one word to describe it, it would have to be ‘convenient’. As you may know, we moved directly from an area where we lived for three years that was lovely but quite isolated for full time living, and prior to that, we were in NY about 25 minutes north of Manhattan for many, many years. Yet even with the proximity to the city, I have to say everything that we want to do at this stage in our lives is even more accessible than it was when we were there.
Of course, our needs have changed. We are far more interested in amenities such as bike and hiking trails, fishing opportunities (well, one of us is anyway), pickle ball facilities, fitness and enrichment classes, accessibility of beaches, etc., now than when we were working and running a business. So for us, at this point in our lives, we are where we want to be. We choose well, and thank goodness for that because moving is not for the faint of heart.
On the travel front, since you’ve last heard from me we’ve been to Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Outer Banks, Maryland and Northwest North Carolina (more on that in a sec). Nothing planned for the summer but come September we’re headed to Copenhagen and Germany, then Tahiti in November, which I’m VERY excited about. It’s always been a dream of mine, and I can’t believe we now have the opportunity to go. Next year, Greece is on the short list and for some U.S. travel I’d like to go to western Michigan (tips are welcome).
Since most of our travel will be focused on outside the U.S., we sold the RV a few months ago to a nice young couple with a small child. They did a wonderful job of renovating it by getting rid of the nasty carpet, a complete bathroom overhaul and a nice backsplash in the kitchen area. They also painted all the dated oak cabinets a nice grey color, which must have been a TON of work but boy, did it need it!
The trip we took to the western part of the state was back in April and it was a retreat given by the wellness coach in our community. The focus was a two week detox and to sum it up it completely changed the way I eat. Rarely do I buy red meat and I don’t miss it one bit. If you peaked in our fridge on any given day you would find quinoa, lots of veggies, fruit salad, lentils, coconut water, tofu, miso…you get the idea. It’s a veritable Whole Foods in there :).
But not all is sunshine and roses I’m afraid.
This post has been in the making for a while, but since I’ve last posted there have been significant WordPress updates and the new editor isn’t playing nice with my theme. Either that or I have a plug-in that is causing a conflict, but I haven’t been able to find it. I don’t typically shy away from challenges, but it is a learning curve I’m not sure I’m willing to tackle at this point. Basically it’s showing my photos as tiny thumbnails, and the only way I could get them to show up at a decent size is by enabling a plug-in that reverts everything back to the old editor. Thank goodness that’s a possibility but the new editor has some cool features I really want to utilize but it’s not to be. At least not until I figure it out, which could take a few decades.
Many of you have asked for updates, and I hope you’re not too disappointed that I haven’t shown detailed shots of the house. I have decided that the best way for me to show you everything is in a video format, so I’ll be working on that for next time. It will most likely be a lengthy video so rather than delay this post even more than I already have, I figured I’d get something out there now.
Till next time!
Penny at Enjoying The Simple Things says
Yeah! I am so glad you are sharing your new home. I love all of the choices you have made.
Cindy says
Hi Doreen so happy to read this post. I use WordPress if you remember? I can help a bit.
I’m working hard at getting back in the blog world. I’m trying to figure out Instagram. Met a few new blogs from there and are the sweetest. I don’t like being attached to my phone so I won’t post a photo daily.
I’ll drop you an email to update you about going on with me. Reeses and Peanut say hi
Happy you and Fisherman are loving life.
Cindy
Doreen says
Thanks Cindy, but if I recall I don’t think you’re using self hosted WordPress, which is what I have. I’ll look for your email :).
xxx
Cynthia Keeley says
HaHa. Finally, Dear! I’ve missed you and have to say I love all the new pieces and the way you’ve handled this new home! Great job!!
Catherine Dunne says
I absolutely LOVE your color choices Dor! So indicative of the sweet Southern Land you’ve arrived it!! Baby teals and off-white and light gold and such. Just gorgeous!!!!!!!!! love, Cat
Dewena says
Eeeks! I just lost my long comment, Doreen! And it was a masterpiece! And now all I can manage to write is to say I love, love love it! You know I do. I’ve been lucky to see your journey on bringing this jewel of a house to fruition and know what determination you had to find the special pieces that make this such a special home for you and the Fisherman. As beautiful as the pictures you showed are I kept thinking “but there’s so much more.” I mean, that wall in the dining room that you created is worth a whole post, as are the stained glass cabinets in the kitchen.
So a video, yes, please! And more posts between your times of travel. And don’t be sad, you know a house is never truly finished!
I had to delete the old Fox Den Rd from my blogroll as it was still showing four months old and then tried to add it all over again so it would show up at the top of the lists but it didn’t work. Any Blogger pals out there who know what to do, please advise. Meanwhile I resubscribed just to be sure I don’t miss any new post.
So good to see you back, Doreen. It’s such a beautiful home!
Dewena
Cecilia says
Love the update and I’m quite smitten with your kitchen cabinets/stained glass. They turned out great! It sounds like y’all are settling into your new home and town nicely. Thanks for sharing!
Poppy says
So, I was scrolling down my Instagram feed, and I suddenly see a pic of the white basin and pitcher and I think, ‘Hmm. Can’t believe somebody bought the same white basin and pitcher as Doreen!’, until I read your caption and learn that you have a blog post up about the house!! Obviously, I ran over here right away, and even though it’s quite a distance from IG headquarters, insanely hot and humid, I didn’t even stop for a swig of water – THAT’s how eager I was to get here!
But, now I’m really breathless, since having seen your beautiful pics and recall the many stories about the process that led to these stunning results, so many rooms still to come, and in video format (yay!), where we can really get a feel for the space, its many details, and your always entertaining commentary.
Your gorgeous, glam abode is definitely magazine/insta/pinterest worthy, so thanks for sharing it here in blog land, too. Now, go get some footage of the front door that leads to that dreamy entry!
Poppy
Kim says
Well, everything looks fabulous and I’m so glad that you are loving where you live…because you are so right, moving is hard. It sounds as if you have carved out a wonderful life for yourselves full of beautiful furnishings, a diverse social life and great travel plans. I am thrilled for you both!
Tammy James says
Doreen the Queen of Fabulousness Living!
my favorite is the one that you said Fisherman didn’t like at first.
surely he does now… because that stand alone mirror is outstanding! very Coco Chanel-ish.
and I can’t believe you didn’t show the Carole Lombard sofa in this post! but there’s time.
and many more wonderful posts to come. you really should get a creamy satin nightgown for Autumn
one very slinky and with spaghetti straps. after all… you ARE Italian!
the Fisherman might just change his mind about fish. LOLOL! there’s no wicked chuckle on this keyboard.
so LOL will have to do. XOXOXO
Kris @ Junk Chic Cottage says
Hello sweet friend sooooo excited to see your post. Ok that mirror ok to die for. Your kitchen oh my beautiful. Love that corner piece too. That should be in my house yep should be!!!! Love your eating nook and how wonderful you have dining area now too. It is all looking so great. I want to see more. Looks like the peeps that bought your home on wheels is loving it nicely. Greece is on my bucket list. My friend just went last year and said it was heaven. Make sure you allow lots of time to enjoy all the beautiful area’s. So glad to see you posting. Missed you.
Hugs,
Kris
Amy says
So excited to finally have a post from you, and a peek into your beautiful new home! Mostly, I’m so glad to hear that you and the Fisherman are happy with your decision to move. Sounds like a wonderful lifestyle! Everything you showed is just lovely – I am SO impressed by those stained-glass doors – WOW! The breakfast nook is so inviting! Can’t wait for the big video reveal! Hugs! Amy xoxox
Rita C at Panoply says
OH.MY.GOODNESS!! Doreen, those stained glass panels are to die for! The piano bar is truly swank, and that floor mirror has such a beautiful reflection in it. Truly, you have been doing some great work in making your house your home!
As for the travel, Tahiti is on our radar too, a lifelong dream of Mr. P’s. Do spill if you have the chance as to whether you’re doing a tour – big or small group – and any other tips. Traveling USA is also fun. We hope to return to Utah for some of the national parks we didn’t take in while there in 2016.
Very happy for you in your new community, new home!
Pat M. says
The stained glass cabinet fronts are amazing – and so is that Parisian stand alone mirror. Oh my – that mirror just took my breath away and my decor isn’t even French.
Happy to see you back posting again, and looking forward to your video and more pictures. Your new home is certainly a big departure from the last one.
AnnMarie Irace says
I am so thrilled to see you in my inbox again! I love all your decorating choices, especially that Parisian mirror! Wow, those stained glass doors are gorgeous….you did a wonderful job. So happy to hear that you are in the right place at the right time doing what you love. How fun to have all the travel plans ahead of you. I am completely discouraged with blogging mostly because of Blogger so you won’t see a post from me, but I will look for your video post.
Sharene wassell says
Glad to see your blog again, Doreen! Your home looks lovely and your time and patience with your selections have paid off. Time now to enjoy it!
Benita says
Everything looks so beautiful! The glass on the cabinet doors is absolutely exquisite. I know that was a labor of love but yes totally worth it! I am so glad that you guys are enjoying your new home and your new area. Moving is very difficult and it sounds as it you have made more changes than just with a move. Can’t wait to see more photos and hope the problems with WordPress are resolved! Love and hugs!!
Emily McGriff says
So excited to see your email pop up in my mailbox Doreen. All your hard work of shopping for just the right pieces for your new home, sol worth your time. Everything is gorgeous! The dining room, an amazing job. The chairs and table are so right together and what a great job with the color. The dining nook is equally stylish and lovely and I love the light you must enjoy from the windows. Great kitchen and wow, love the backsplash Well Done! Now, time to enjoy.. I’m going back for another run, don’t want to miss anything.
Marilyn McLeod says
I was SO happy to see your post in my inbox today! Has been way too long! I haven’t been on IG much at all.. just can’t seem to get “into it” as is too impersonal for my tastes.. so have probably missed other photos of your beautiful new abode. I love what you’ve done already and do hope for MORE pictures! The video will be great! I’m happy that you like where you’ve planted yourselves! It all sounds wonderfully convenient and easy and close.. and your travels sound delicious and fun. I’m not much of a traveler anymore.. no desire to go anywhere. Hubby and I are both becoming avid homebodies! Sounds like you have your travels all lined up and something to look forward to. I’m anxious to see pictures of your home from front, back, sides, etc. and yard! Want to see it all. Not sure I understand why WordPress is giving you so much heartache.. that’s such a shame. I still love Blogger and use it (although I’m long overdo for a post!). I can’t even imagine the time you must have put into those stained glass windows for your cabinets! I love all the colors you are using for your home… the blues and aquas.. and whites and creams…. and your breakfast nook table looks just exactly like one my mom and dad had when I was growing up.. and it had been my mom’s mother’s table and it too was painted a bright lime green! How funny! That must have been a popular color back in the 40’s and 50’s. My dad stripped it all down to the oak and it was the natural oak color for many many years. I bet I even have a photo in my old pictures! Anyway… so glad to hear from you and I so hope you do more posts! Hugs… Marilyn
Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie says
I was so happy to see your post, Doreen, and all the wonderful pics of your beautiful home! Love the soft, beachy colors and the beautiful furniture pieces you have found. Great job on all the refinishing, too. It must be so gratifying to see it all come together finally, after dreaming about it for so long. Love those stained glass cupboard doors in your pretty kitchen, and that piano bar is so creative and unique! Sounds like a great place to live, with lots of fun activities. In contrast – our town is having its annual ‘Logger’s Rodeo’ this week (hehe) Can’t wait to see the video. x Karen
Marsha says
So good to see a post, Doreen. I can certainly understand the need to stay focused on your new residence. It is so gorgeous!!! I love all of your choices! I didn’t know you were such a pro in furniture refinishing. I love your round table. Your piano bar is so darling and it is perfect for your space. You are absolutely right….the stained glass might not be easy, but such beauty! Oh my! I am sure it is so satisfying to have done such beautiful work that you can enjoy each day you are in the kitchen. (That is….if you are not at the beach or traveling!) I hope you have a wonderful time at all of your destinations!. Tahiti and Bora Bora were always on my bucket list. You must share your pictures and stories. So happy you are posting. Have a great summer, my friend. And thank you for visiting and commenting on my blog too.
Mary says
Doreen it is so nice to see a post from the real you. I am thrilled to hear you will be traveling to Greece next year. At this stage in your life, you are lucky to be able to travel the world and enjoy your life. I am really looking forward to seeing that video too.
Debbie - MountainMama says
I’m so happy to finally have a peek into your house, Doreen, and you sound very happy – I’m delighted for you!! May I just say I am DROOLING over your kitchen with those stained glass panels…..absolutely heavenly, kudos to you!
Jemma says
Doreen,
Hello, hello!
I have been keeping an eye on you!
I absolutely adore your new and beautiful home. The choice of color palette you are using is stunning and your kitchen… gorgeous, gorgeous! (Backsplash, and cabinet doors:) I am a stickler for kitchens and this is a swoon worthy one. This is a kitchen where we say ” let’s stay home and dine in.” I am so happy for you and I love seeing you on IG enjoying life. Your enthusiasm and joy for life are contagious. Sooooo excited for your trip to Greece.
Thank you for stopping by and visiting me too, you are correct I am still wondering if I want to be a full time Broker or Flower Farmer!
Hugs!
Jemma
Emily McGriff says
I didn’t get your feed in my email so I’m late here. So good to hear from you and catch up with how your world is going. I’m please everything is going well for you, except your blog problems. I’m sure you will figure that out too! Loving the new home, you’ve don’e a great job Doreen from the color to the design. Great furniture selections as well. I think you were wise to grab the bonus piece, it’s beautiful Your travel plans sound exciting. You have been one busy girl! Look forward to your video and seeing more of your home.