We’re recovering from yesterday’s terrible weather. It rained all day long, which quickly turned to ice, black ice for those drivers who were unaware that the innocent looking rain was becoming dangerous. The result was terrible for many people: multiple car accidents, cars spinning out on roads and freeways, the eventual closure of the Thruway. Don had a gig north of us which he had to cancel. It was just too, too dangerous to drive. So we were stuck in the house all day while we tried to make Scoutie’s little corral safe by salting everything in sight. It was simply horrible. Today will be all about salting the driveway so we can get to the grocery store. I’m sick of this icy winter.
Nesting Mode continues, so I hope you don’t mind if I indulge in some more Scenes from the Cottage? Today we’re checking out the living room. I didn’t capture every detail, but there are plenty of photos elsewhere on the blog if you want to see more.
The living room and the kitchen are essentially one big room. There are lots of windows, so sunlight floods each room.
As Is, remember, so we have dark corners, rumpled sofas, and a dog.
I threw in an older photo of the parakeet lamp because I forgot to take a picture of it the day I shot these photos.
I’ve had the loveseat since I lived in Boston, so that would make it about 23 years old. Like the sofa in the den, it’s had several slipcovers. The yellow chair was purchased new several years ago, as were the rugs. The red chair was a $50 purchase from a San Diego antique shop. The wood chair was purchased at a local vintage shop right after we moved in here. It’s surprisingly comfortable.
The large white cabinet was found for $100 at auction. I love it, love it, love it.
The piano was my grandmother’s. The coffee table was refinished by our friend Rob when we lived in San Diego and we got it for a song.
You know all about the dollhouse.
The desk was free; found on the street and ‘reimagined.’
Once again, there’s lots of McCoy pottery scattered around the room, on tables, on the piano, under the dollhouse, on top of the white cabinet, on the sideboard. In fact, many of the colors I use in the living room and kitchen were inspired by the sherbet colors of McCoy.
The wooden ship was given to my dad by my mom.
The quilt on the floor was found at auction. It’s on the floor entirely for Scoutie’s comfort.
The lithograph of the Aquitania was a big find last year – a bit of a splurge for two normally frugal people. We bought it from a local antique shop. Words cannot express how much we love it.
The parakeet lamp was a birthday gift from Don.
The pillow on the red chair was a gift from Judy.
Monty the Cow was purchased right after we moved East. We love him. We’ve been known to move him from room to room so that he can see everything going on in the house.
I had a canvas print made of the Lamb With The Party Hat (this blog’s logo) and Don insisted, much to my delight, that we hang it in the living room.
The small print in the green frame is a postcard of a print that Don saw in a local gallery. The original print below it is a Norman Rockwell. We found it several years ago in the Berkshires.
The clock was found across the river in an antique shop (the same one where we recently found the Maxfield Parrish). We fell in love with it and put it on layaway. It was an anniversary present to each other.
The Hymns board was found in a local antique shop several years ago. I had to have it.
The fringed lampshade was found in California at Christie Repasy’s shop.
The dog comes with the house. She’s priceless.
You know that feeling when you walk in the door and you can’t help smiling? That’s what happens with this room. The living room makes me happy.
If you have questions about anything else, feel free to ask in the comments section.
Happy Monday.
I love the small print in the green frame; I never noticed it before! I hope the weather’s better for your pack today! Happy Monday!
Don really loved that print, so after he brought home the postcard version, we framed it. It’s right where he can see it from his chair.
Love seeing your pottery and the canvas print made of the Lamb With The Party Hat is one of my favorites. Good for Don! Your home is so warm and cozy.
Thank you, Snap. Don continually surprises me, which is a good thing!
I really like how everything has a story in your home. It truly makes it a home, not a house. That parraket lamp is cute! You have the best luck with lamps!
Be careful going out. Thankfully we don’t have the ice, just the cold winds.
Hugs to all,
Deb
I have good luck with little lamps, but big lamps are another story!
Love your blog, Claudia, and look forward each day to what you have written. It just makes me happy!
Thank you so much, Sarah!
Love seeing your pretty home. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
You are most welcome, Lucy.
I so love that you are so real! Yes, Scoutie is priceless…hugs…
Thanks for sharing your collections with us. I love your eclectic look.
I’m still drooling over that HYMNS board! And now the cow..and the splurge boat print..and..and…and…well, I just love your cool stuff!
xxo
PS: do stay home. Just saw the news of all of the pile ups on the roads. One guy survived when his SUV was smashed and pinned between TWO big rigs. God was watching over him!
I consider that a great compliment, Becky, as I LOVE your home and all the wonderful things you’ve collected!
That accident was terrible and it’s a miracle that the driver came out of it with just a couple of bandaids! Don’s had to salt the entire driveway twice and we’re still not out of here. Terrible, thick layer of ice.
Love your little cottage, Claudia. It’s so cozy and wonderful that everything has a special meaning.
Thank you so much, Mary!
Everything looks so bright and cheerful, you’d never know it’s winter outside.
Did I catch a glimpse of exciting things happening in the rooftop garden? I like the look of some of the weathered, painted pieces I keep seeing in magazines, so I spent some time this weekend working on some mini versions. I think I used an entire package of emery boards on just one piece!
Oooh! What a good idea to use emery boards, Barbara. I usually end up using a bit of sandpaper, but an emery board is a much better idea!
Not much happening in the rooftop garden at this moment. I’m thinking. I’m thinking.
It’s lovely – very homely.
Thank you, Gillian.
Love, love, love your living room! If I came to visit I would sit in that room for hours, soaking in every single wonderful thing about it, and every single thing in it. I hope your melts soon!
Don was hacking away at the ice and salting like a crazy man. It was unbelievably thick!
Anytime you want to stop by, you could grab a chair and have a cup of coffee. If you don’t mind white dog hairs!
So sorry to hear about the ice…I saw on the news too…so many accidents. Hope it’s better today! One of my favorite glimpses is the first pic looking into the den…the white cabinet, pottery, table with exquisite ship, that burlap banner…and of course, the chair…love that! ;)
I’ve never seen the ice this bad, Donnamae. Truly horrible out there. Thank goodness it’s above freezing today.
The banner, though it looks like burlap because I shot it from a distance, is linen. It’s a vintage linen laundry bag and it’s really lovely.
Thanks! Linen makes more sense. Have fun salting…don’t slip! ;)
So perfect in every way. Are we going to get a peek at your kitchen?
Yes. Though it’s hard to shoot cause of the many windows!
Love when the suns shines in our homes. You already know that I love your cottage. Every picture is like a new look. I like how everything has a little history to it.
Yes, you got hit with the ice. Oh my, all those accidents. That one guy that was pinned between the two semi trucks. How did he ever survive.
I love winter but not ice. I must say that the last couple of years we have had lots of sunny days even if it is cold out.
We went to see Paddington this week-end. There were a couple of scenes that showed his new family in a doll house. Oh my, I wanted to freeze those frames. I think you would like the movie.
Hugs
It’s a miracle he lived, that’s for sure!
Would love to see the dollhouse in the movie!
Everytime you post new pictures, I notice something else I haven’t noticed before. Love the parakeet lamp. I have a couple of McCoy pieces that were my Grandmother’s. Makes me want to come and sit in the sunshine and just talk with you. And of course, pet and love Miss Scout. Be careful with the ice. We are supposed to hit 60 degrees today and tomorrow and then hit a high of 37 on Wednesday. Oh well, I guess I had better enjoy the warmth while I can. Take care, and thanks for sharing.
Don managed to hack his way through and is on his way to buy even more salt. I swear we keep that salt company in business! 60 degrees sounds like heaven to me, Dottie – enjoy it!
One of my first questions, I was going to ask about Monty the cow . I love that cow…and I know I would take her with me every time I moved for sure, just as you have. I also LOVE the black and white dog ,door stop at the bottom of your stairs too. Adorable! And, I really like how every item in your home has such great stories attached to them. If they could talk, the stories they could tell, one day. I remember when you had the print made of the lamb with the birthday hat. Now I have a little lamb that sits out with a birthday hat also, all because of you. Sweetness…on a shelf.
Love and Hugs…bonnie in WI
Monty has the most soulful expression on his face – that’s why we fell in love with him, Bonnie. The black and white dog doorstop is a Border Collie, in honor of Dame Scout. So glad you have a lamp with a birthday hat! Love that.
Glad you were smart enough to stay home..Why people have to go out in that is beyond me..There have been at least 4 major pile ups this year caused by weather..Yesterday it was 60+ cars on the Schuylkill Expressway near Phila..
Stay safe!! I think the dog goes with her owners..:)
I think the problem was that the rain came a couple hours earlier than predicted, at least according to our ace local weather guys, and because it was early, the ground wasn’t warm enough and suddenly everything was icy.
There was a terrible pileup in Michigan a week or so ago, too. I saw film of the one on the Schuykill (an expressway I used to drive rather frequently when I lived there.) Terrible!
I’m enjoying the in depth looks at each room in your home. I love how your pottery is incorporated into the decor. That Scout is of course your best accessory and yes…priceless! I am really in love with all your unique lamps and will start a search for a perfect one to add to my home I think.
hugs,
Linda
PS pretty sure the new baby will have Scout as a middle name!!
I love finding little lamps that are fun! I have about 5 or 6 of them now.
Yay for Scout as a middle name! I assume your daughter wants my dog there for the christening??
Yikes! Stay safe, please, out there in the icy weather! We could do with rain here in Nor Cal; I’m fed up with the drought and the drought impositions.
I’m enjoying the peeks into your cottage! You have such an eye for placing the objects you love and such restraint to stay within your design philosophy. I love the idea of a quilt dedicated to Scout’s use. My daughter and I knit tiny afghans from left-over yarn exclusively for our cat.
Oh, good for you, Wendy. I bet your cat loves them!
As Scout has aged and arthritis has taken its toll, I’ve added a quilt in front of that loveseat and one in front of my blogging chair. Better than the hardwood floor!
Even after following you for quite a while, I still see new things ~ of maybe it is just noticing things I may have missed. Always so fun!
As much as I hate the cold and snow, the ice is just plain deadly. It is so deceptive, and just one second can change a life due to either falling or being part of an accident or even losing parts of trees onto our houses or vehicles. I guess I simply cannot think of one single thing that I couldn’t cancel or do without if there was an ice event. I never ever understand the amount of people who venture out into it. I’m glad you didn’t lose electricity. That can be the hardest thing because it can last for quite a while.
Be safe and glad it is above freezing. That surely helps!! 60 days til Spring…..
You’re right. There’s nothing so important that it would make me venture out into that stuff. The ice this time was very thick. We have one pair of Yak Traks (that you attach to your boots) between us, so whoever is going out to salt, gets to wear them. (I think we need to order another pair!)
We’ve had so much slush and ice and freezing rain this year, it’s just ridiculous. And now it’s windy. I’m over it.
As a new visitor to your cottage, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the room tours this week. I have been poring over the archives and I love your style! Your home looks warm and gentle and I would never have guessed at the cold outdoors (it’s summer here in New Zealand), except that on the news last night we saw the ice and the motorway pileups in your part of the world. So scary. Does Scout wear booties for the salt? Stay warm and safe in your lovely nest.
No, she doesn’t. We normally don’t salt her corral, but this year we’ve had to. So I wipe her feet off with a wet paper towel after she comes inside.
Thanks for your kind words, Sally. Gosh, how wonderful to live in gorgeous New Zealand!
I just love your décor Claudia, wish I could find a lamp as cute as the one with the parakeets. I love the wooden chair with the red checked cushion, it just looks like a reading chair to me. You may have mentioned this before but I don’t remember. I see there is a chimney in your house but there’s no fireplace. Was there a fireplace at one time or was the chimney put in for a wood burning heater or stove? Once again I must say your home is so inviting and welcoming. If I were to stop by and you invited me in I think I’d feel comfortable right away. I am about to shampoo our living & dining room carpet. It’s beige and has a lot of stains so I’m going to try my best to get it to looking a little better today. I’m not babysitting today so it’s the perfect time to get it done.
No fireplace, Janie, but you can see at the top of the chimney where the vent for a wood burning stove must have been.
I love your cottage. The painted white bricks on the wall are my favorite. I love the hard wood floor and the desk under the stairway. I don’t collect pottery but McCoy is my favorite. Love all your pieces.
Thank you so much, Bonnie. I love those painted bricks, too.
Lovely Claudia. Simply lovely. I so enjoy these peeks into your cottage life. It all looks so cozy and inviting. Did you happen to see the latest issue of Country Living? It’s all about small (really tiny) spaces…and also a quick blurb on dollhouses!!
Yes, I did. Interestingly the square footage of all the homes (except for the Tiny House) is more than ours!
I love hearing people’s stories behind all the different objects that make up their homes – and you are great at it because you remember everything. And that has GOT to be the best definition of a home I’ve ever run across – the minute you walk in the door, you smile. Love that Windsor chair in the first photo [I’m a suck for Early American/Colonial].
PS – we were lucky yesterday. Very little rain and 40 degrees – which meant no ice, lots of melting. My courtyard is bare pavement again after two weeks of snow and ice. And aren’t Yaktrax the best? I discovered them about 10 years ago and now have my sisters wearing them too – never have a moment’s uncertainty outside in the winter. Though I have skidded a bit on bare floors inside if I don’t take them off right away – LOL.
We had a guy come from our cable company to fix something and when he came in the kitchen door he said “This is a happy place. I can tell. I go in a lot of houses. This is a happy place.” That made us smile.
Yes, I’ve learned that Yak Trax are slippery indoors!
Love your cozy home! Really like that desk tucked under the stairway.
Judy
It’s a nice place to sit down and do some paperwork, Judy.
xoxo
Claudia, love love your house! It is a happy house for sure. Doris
Thank you, Doris!
What a warm, bright, welcoming room! Lovely X
Thank you, Penny!
Claudia,
The love you have for your home and each and every item and quirky little detail is very refreshing. My home too is full of stories behind every item. My kids laugh at me for that, but they love it and remember all the stories. Thank you for sharing and for loving your home so much. I also like the quilts you have for Scout. My little pug can’t walk on slippery floors at all. She has to drag her back legs even on the carpet now. I bought beautiful little baby blankets at garage sales for her bed and kennel. Since she can’t sleep with me anymore (she wets the bed now), I wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. I think I’d like to get a canvas picture of her with a happy party hat. Good idea!
Sandra
We’ll do anything for our babies, won’t we? Their comfort is the most important thing.
Your “as is” is delightful. So much character. Have a great week. Tammy
Thank you, Tammy. You, too!
Thanks for the tour! I love your style and the history of all the pretties in your love nest. Your house is so much more interesting than showroom decor and furniture! And prettier! I also like that your style is so you, unique to you and not copycat style.
Oh, and I also think it’s great how much you and Don agree on decorating and that you allow his input, taste and style, too!
I would love to have one of those huge cupboards..I think $100.00 was a great price!