Shutters Make the Difference Between Rustic Colonial and Victorian

 Buying an old home always brings decorating challenges. . .Families have moved in and out and each time the house was changed to suit their needs and lifestyles. . .which is one reason I love them. . .and one reason there is always decorating challenges for me. . .

And so it was with Heil House. . .While the front of the house was probably built around 1850, it has had three additions and many "updates". . .one of which changed the paneled doors of a traditional Colonial home to Victorian half glass ones. . .front and back. . .not at all with the style of the house, especially inside where I have a mix of prim and rustic pieces more in line with the 19th century. . .I've been bumfuzzled for three years as to what I should do about it without any major door replacements. . .

But. . .it dawned on me one day that a simple "shutter" or 19th century "bars" would change the whole feel of the room and add to the current decorating style. . .Of course I turned to John. . .my master carpenter. . .and you can see the result above. . .

Now, you might be thinking "That's not much!'. . .but look at this:

That's our pantry door in the back. . .complete with curtain that reminds me of the "new" colonial style more popular in the late 1950s and carried over into the 1990s. . .I enjoyed it for years. . .but let's face it. . .in 1850 there would have been no window and no curtain. . .but there could have been shutters at the top of a half door to let the air circulate. . .get my drift?. . .(grin)

By the way. . .the front door in the first photo also had the curtain. . .I'm sorry I didn't get a snapshot of it because it did nothing for the room. . .Now. . .I think the shuttered, barred door is great. . .and love the brightness and simplicity it brings to the living room. . .

To answer your next question. . .Yes!. . .the pantry door has one now, too. . .

And it only took me three years to figure it out. . .(another grin). . .

New Thoughts On Decor For Heil House

A couple of months ago. . .(has it been that long?). . .I was working on a photo shoot for a magazine article on Make-Do Chairs. . .I had purchased two of these specifically for the shoot. . .but I fell in love with them for our living room at Heil House. . .They are small and fit right in with the other furniture as accent pieces. . .

The more photos I took, the more I liked this arrangement. . .but there was something I wanted to change. . .although I wasn't sure what it was at the time. . .Now that I have lived with this 'look' for a while. . .I know exactly what I want now. . .Not just for the living room, but for the entire house. . .

I want 'PLAIN AND SIMPLE'. . .much like our COUNTRY FARM HOME . . .lots of light-color neutrals against the rich woods. . .a little  real color here and there. . .but not too much! 

So. . .I'm starting over. . .I do that a lot. . .Seems as if every house we buy it takes me a couple of years of living in it to know just what it needs. . .I know now. . .and I'll be sharing the changes little by little as the months go on. . .Don't miss it!

Shelter In Place: Noah Did

It wasn't raining when Noah began building the ark. . .

In fact, Noah didn't know rain at all.

But. . .God told him to build an ark. . .

and Noah did. . .

When the time came. . .and all the animals and family were inside. . .

GOD sealed the door and SHELTERED THEM IN PLACE. . .

where they remained SAFE throughout the storm. . .

Then GOD kept His promise. . .

The day came when the rain ceased and the land became dry.

Noah and his family and all the animals

left the shelter in good health and with much thanks. . .

and they realized how BLESSED they were

 to have a LOVING FATHER who brought them through the worst storm of their lives. . .

So, too, in the present-day viral storm we face. . .

I'm certain old Noah would advise. . .

KEEP THE FAITH. . .

TRUST IN GOD to see you through. . .

STAY SAFE in HIS loving hands.

 

For this, too, will pass one day. . .

When the rains of an invisible enemy will cease. . .

and its power will run dry. . .

When we, like Noah, can give THANKS for God's shelter

through an awful storm. . .

Living Room UpDate

It's been a while since I've taken any photos inside the Heil House. . .partly because we are still working on it. . .little by little. . .and things will change with time. . .But, then I thought it might be good to continue to share as we go along, so that you can see the process. . .at least some of it. . .if I can remember to grab my camera. . .

What I do know for sure is that these 18th century repo tea boxes will definitely remain. . .They hide magazines, books, BJs toys, and other items. . .and I love them. . .In fact, the living room is full of hiding places. . .I like the look of a colonial store, with lots of barrels, wooden boxes and baskets. . .and they can be utilized as extra storage. . .

Barrel Purchased at St. Mary's Antique Mall

I like shelves of crocks and jugs. . .burlap bags filled with supplies. . .

Crock Shelves & Bag from Our Farm, Chair Purchased at Goodwill

Sofa Purchased on Ebay

Nothing will change much in the future that you see in the above photo. . .but the rest of the room has a special surprise coming in the next few months. . .Whitehouse Creations in Bernie, MO will be custom building a whole wall of primitive cabinets opposite the sitting area. . .If you've never seen their work and you love primitives, you need to grab a cup of tea and follow the link above. . .to view lots of photos of their unique style. . .

Tea Boxes Purchased at Sassafras Creek Originals

Our living room style is pretty much a simplified version of colonial and primitive. . .without too much fuss and clutter. . .

Woven Wool Rug Purchased at Overstock.com

And. . .the most important thing is. . .BJ has given us his two paws up approval. . .He thinks we bought the rug for him. . .We like to make him happy. . .