Happy Saturday! It has been a whirlwind lately~~so many meetings and pending projects. I keep reprimanding myself that I want to post a new blog once a week, but I blink and time has slipped away.

There is a distinct weather change here, finally! This morning it was 68 degrees. Though that may sound warm to you, it is a cool relief from our sweltering summer.

Fall gardening is happening now and though my vegetable garden is non-existent, I did start working on my newly designated bulb garden. Several years ago I planted many bearded irises and have never taken the time to divide them properly.

In doing so, I realized the watering system was rather inefficient, so we replaced the drips with spray heads. The rhizomes needed to be dug up, divided, checked for infestation, soaked in water, trimmed and replanted. The end result was 108 rhizomes planted in one afternoon. I also planted some salmon-colored iris given to me by my new gardening friend, Denise!! Thank goodness for soaking tubs and Epsom salts.

In early October, I am expecting a bulb shipment from Longfield Gardens with 100 each of alliums, tulips and hyacinths. The bed is ready to go and I’m hoping my back will hold up after setting the 300 bulbs in the ground. Photos below are from Longfield Gardens.

House projects~~this is the time of year that I start looking at the house with a critical eye. It’s time to touch up all the paint chips/cracks, wash the windows, fix anything that is broken all in time for the holidays.

My son’s room is on the agenda to remodel. My first inspiration was a scarf I received from the May installment of My Stylish French Box. This Létol scarf is 100% cotton Jacquard weave. I absolutely LOVE it!

My next inspiration is this fabric designed by Sarah Nicholas Williams from Radish Moon Textiles. It is a heavy Oyster 100% linen and the indigo color is spectacular. My friend, Janie, thinks it looks more like a kitchen fabric, but my son loves food. I’ve yet to find a fabric that thrills me like this one and for some reason it just makes me happy 🙂

The Dash & Albert rug sample is from Annie Selke and again, it captures this sense of blue that I think will work wonderfully in his very white room. Just ordered it so when it comes in, then the work begins!

Over the summer I subscribed to an online artist series by Kelli Folsom. She typically does still life paintings in oil. Since I have little to no experience in oil paints, it has been a bit of a stretch for me to try this. This is my first attempt of learning how to paint online~~hydrangeas in a silver pot. Maybe it will work in the bedroom remodel?

I hope you are enjoying the beginnings of fall weather. One of my favorite bloggers, Karianne at Thistlewood Farms, shared this on her post recently and I thought it made me happy. I thought I would share it with you! Click here for the download image. The colors are much more vibrant than the photo below.

Hope to do more fall decorating this weekend! I hope yours is a relaxing one.

Having a back staircase is such a blessing. Located off the mudroom, this leads to the 2nd landing on the main staircase. Hundreds of trips have been made up and down this staircase by many feet. Suffice to say, the back staircase is used much more than the main entry staircase.

Both staircases have the same type of carpeting-a sisal natural fiber runner.

Initially I selected sisal because I thought it would keep the children, as toddlers from playing on the stairs~~their soft little feet weren’t attracted to the feel of it. I also really like the look of sisal and find it softer than jute or other natural fibers .

But, with heavy foot traffic, the back staircase sisal now looks like this on each of the treads. Since 2001, this will be the 3rd time I need to replace it.

To make matters worse, Cooper, in the last year or so, has found pleasure in scratching at it (on the top step), rolling it up and then laying on it. As a result it now looks like this! (sorry for the bad photo!)

I am really not sure what to do. Do I replace the sisal for a 3rd time, knowing that we have less feet in the house and therefore it won’t break down as quickly?

We have started removing the carpet. The sisal was put down by professionals with boatloads of glue. I was even considering painting the stairs but tackling old glue removal will be a considerable effort. What a mess! The carpet covered up many plaster wall problems too.

This project will take quite some time to finish. But in the meantime, I’d like your help in determining what I should do next. I’d love to paint the stairs and put in a runner, but I’m not sure I can fix or hide all the plaster issues.

Here are some inspiration pictures. Do you have a favorite? Remember that the stairs are angled and not a straight shot like some of these photos.

In addition to replacing the carpet, there must be a way to improve the lighting. The ceiling height obviously varies depending on what step you are on, but at the greatest point, I’d say it’s approximately 18-20 feet to the ceiling. It might be time for a chandelier?

Please send me your thoughts or ideas~~as I am not sure I need to match the front staircase runner with the back. There is a door separating the two.

Thank you in advance for your help!

First of all, thank you SO much for all the well wishes and prayers for a quick recovery to my eye injuries. Yes, I am feeling much better and my vision is almost back to normal. Prayers answered.

Our sweet little cabin in Pinetop, Arizona was in dire need of a master bedroom re-do. The original cabin has lots of knotty pine and charm. We use this small cabin as a vacation rental from Memorial Day to October.

Prior to purchasing it over 25 years ago, someone had built a rather odd master bedroom addition. With popcorn ceilings, faux beams, inadequate lighting and too much drywall, the old master bedroom looked like this.

We didn’t help the look by using Scott’s bachelor furniture and leftover pieces. Though a rather large room with 3 big windows, I never gave much thought to the furniture placement. Though unattractive, it was functional.

The first weekend, Tony (the BEST electrician/contractor) took down the faux beams, scrape off the popcorn ceiling, added lighting and ripped up the carpet.

The natural wood wainscoting chopped up the room so we painted it the same color as the walls- Sherwin Williams Cottage White. Since the room is so big and now so white, I chose a vinyl flooring that looks like wood planks to anchor the space.

Here is the finished product. It took a few weekends and many hands, but it is nearly complete for our first guests in May.

I was able to retain a few pieces of furniture~~the Drexel blue checked chairs, the antique trunk and the blue leather sofa (not my favorite but my husband put his foot down on getting rid of it!)

The side table and red desk are new purchases. The pulls on this bedside table were a brushed silver (which was a strange choice) so I spray painted them anodized bronze.

I love how the flooring turned out. It looks like real wood and will be warmer during the winter months.

I was going to have the curtains made but it would have been cost prohibitive. These red/cream checked drapes are from The Vermont Country Store. I was so disappointed when Country Curtains closed their store. However, they now sell their products through The Vermont Country Store.

The round primitive table, desk chair and elk lamp were recently purchased from a local vintage store.

The 8′ x 10′ rug came from Home Depot. The metal etagere was purchased from Ballard Designs long ago as a staging piece in one of my previous remodels. I took these pictures before I pushed the can lights up to the ceiling!

I spent several weeks researching metal beds. I didn’t want one that was cheap and wobbly. I am so pleased with this selection from Wayfair. The quilt and shams were a 70% off purchase from Ballard Designs.

There are a few things left to do but all in all, I am very pleased with the change. Though the master bedroom will never look like the rest of the cabin, this room has a pleasant, mountain feel.

Before and After:

Here is a list of resources:

Rug Persia Almond Buff 8′ x 10′ ~~ Home Depot. $225.00

Cavaillon Panel Metal Bed- queen from Wayfair ~~$275.00 (keep on eye on their sales)

Red Writing Desk~~Birch Lane $174.99

Chelmsford Antique Taupe Nightstand from Hayneedle ~~ $244.25

Vinyl Flooring from Home Depot ~~$1,108.70

Red Checked Curtains from the Vermont Country Store~ $59.95 for 2 panels. I doubled up on the windows so total cost was $359.70

Curtain Rods: Lowes

Annabel Patchwork Quilt/Shams from Ballard Design-discontinued but I know it was significantly discounted.

Art by the Bed: Local Goodwill $4.00

Also if you are ever in the White Mountains of Arizona and would like to stay at our cabin, please contact www.vrbo.com, property # 314250!

The time between Christmas and the New Year is an interesting one.  I love having less cars on the road, a fluid schedule, and more time with my family. The house is a bit messy but I don’t really care. As this year closes and a new one is ready to begin, it is a good time to reflect on the last 12 months. I am guilty of sometimes thinking ahead, and not spending that necessary time to ponder on what has been.

Here are some of the highlights of 2018:

Entertaining

Most of what we do for entertaining is simple, spontaneous, come on over for drinks and nibbles.  But having scheduled, more formal events forces us to clean a bit deeper, tackle the projects we’ve postponed, and step things up a notch.

It is always such an honor to host a charitable event, where people have a wonderful time for a good cause.  In March, we had our second Afternoon Tea with New York Times Bestselling Author Rhys Bowen. We get to play dress up with our hats and nibble on civilized food, gather with friends all while helping others.

In the spring, our property is at its best.  Flowers are blooming, the trees have their spring buds and the weather is generally perfect.  Hosting Junior Prom for my daughter and her 20 friends, was as much fun for me as it was for them.

Perhaps one of my most favorite events is Valentine’s Day.  We are at an age where we don’t do much as a couple, but having a small group of good friends for a lovely sit-down dinner is just perfect. I tried something different with the table setting and the effect was magical.

Recipes

I tried some new recipes this year ~~ Key Lime Pie, Lemon Pots de Creme, Madeleines and a gingerbread house.

Before and After

As some of you requested, I posted more Before and After pictures of Bella Terra, including the master bedroom, wine cellar, kitchen, library, mudroom, my girls’ bedrooms and the exterior renovation.

Organization Projects

Each year I try and reorganize some cluttered area of the house (there are MANY), and was able to improve both the Butler’s Pantry, the kitchen pantry, and the mud/laundry room.

Personal Achievements

Yes, there were a few milestones this year~~our son’s graduation from college and the beginning of his professional career.

However, I do not miss assembling Ikea furniture at his apartment in Washington, D.C.!

My Willetta house restoration finally sold and the family kindly invited us to their holiday open house. It is such a gift to know this family loves all the hardwork and attention to detail we put into restoring this grand old dame.

All in all, 2018 was a good one for us.  Some years aren’t so gentle, but we are basking in the glow of this one.

Personally, I couldn’t have continued writing this blog without you, my subscribers.  Just when I am feeling discouraged, someone has a generous compliment or comments about a recent post.  I know in this busy world it is difficult to find time to sit down and read about life around here, but I so dearly appreciate it when you do.

As always, I look forward to your comments and criticisms.  With feedback I can only get better. As the year comes to a close, I send you my biggest hugs and lots of quiet, loving moments for your and your family. Thank you for your continuing support and friendship!

P.S. I didn’t provide links to the various blog posts mentioned above, but if you are interested in any topic you can enter it in the search bar.

Our bedroom is one of my favorite spaces in our home and I want to give you a peek into this very serene space. It is located upstairs at one end of the house~~away from everything.

The Foyer

The official entrance into the bedroom starts with a set of French door. These open into a small foyer where my “quote” door floats on the wall.  The door is illuminated from behind and it makes the best night light.  If you turn left you head toward our office, but to the right is the master bedroom. To see more about the story behind this quote door, click here.

The Bedroom

This is the view when you first enter the bedroom from the foyer.

The bedroom is rather large for a historical home. We reworked the original footprint to allow for a more up to date bathroom and closet.

On the bed, I added small picture lights to the top of our headboard, for nighttime reading. The fabric on the bed is a bit more sage green than the photo shows.  I am not sure what it is, but it’s very soft, perhaps a short cut velvet. The curves in the footboard and headboard add softness to the bed angles.

For the summer months, I added this sweet duvet cover for a more romantic look. The duvet cover is made by Taylor Linens, called Shore Rose.

Opposite the end of the bed, is a television, hidden behind the a piece of framed art.  The canvas rolls up inside the frame by remote control. It is an oil painting depicting San Gimignano in Sienna, Italy, a place we once visited.

To the left of the television, is a skirted kidney-shaped table and mirror. I have always wanted a make-up table.  The irony is that I hardly wear any makeup these days, but occasionally I will sit here and feel like a character on Downton Abbey! A mirrored tray holds bottles of perfume and cologne.

The vintage hand mirror is my mother’s and the silver topped jar is a gift from a friend.

On the opposite side of the room is a unique sofa I picked up at the Brimfield Antique Show. Upholstered in a large houndstooth pattern, it adds character to the space. Click here to see the previous blog post about the sofa makeover. Above the sofa is a collection of framed botanical prints.

The Terraces

The best part of this room is the view outside.  It feels like a tree house. It is completely private, so much so that the French doors and windows are sans window coverings. With the wide overhang on the terrace, the room gets diffused light from its southern and western exposure.

When we bought this house, there were no railings on the outdoor upstairs terrace.  The short walls were a little taller than knee-height with a 2 story drop. Obviously in 1912, there were few safety zoning codes. The railing design was inspired by the multiple arches in the home’s architecture.  This design continues on the wrought iron fences and gates on the property. To see more about the restoration of this area, please click here.

As you may recall, we have this wonderful terrace and fireplace right outside the bedroom (see previous blog post here).  It is a fabulous place to watch the sunset or enjoy a glass of wine on a cool evening.

I hope your bedroom is your oasis.  What do you love most about your bedroom? This is truly the best bedroom I have ever had!

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share on Pinterest

Makeup table and mirror – Horchow

Custom railings by Grizzly Welding in Phoenix

Custom Doors and Windows by Marvin

Our family room is one of the most utilized rooms in the house.  I love the actual room as it feels like a solarium.  It is my least favorite because I am not fond of how it has been decorated. Originally an outdoor porch, it was enclosed in the 1940s.  The room is really large – 31 feet long by 16 feet wide.  The other challenge is that all 4 walls have numerous windows and/or doors.

Below are pictures of the original room.  Notice the fluorescent ceiling lights and the scored concrete floors. The only air conditioning was from the window unit, which died a few hours after we turned it on.

In the first photo, the exterior doors lead to the back porch. The interior doors go to the library and living room.

On the opposite end, the exterior doors lead to the front porch. This room runs the entire width of the southern part of the house.

I have never been able to make this room “right”.  The reason I am sharing this with you is that I am hoping you will weigh in on how I can improve this living space.  Due to its size, I have split the function of this room in half.  This side serves as the tv/family room.

Currently we have a very large, 96″ Mitchell Gold slipcovered sofa.  I would love to replace it, but our dogs and cats seem to use it more than we do.

Even though the sofa has slipcovers, I added an organic cotton Coyuchi blanket that I purchased from Camps and Cottages that can be easily removed and washed weekly.

We weren’t the best at training our dogs when they were puppies, so they have run of this room. Cooper, our huge white dog, takes up most of the sofa as his nightly bed.

And the cats seem to like napping on the back of the sofa near the windows.

When we were restoring Bella Terra, I wanted to keep the original single-paned windows in this room.  I love how the imperfections in the original glass blur the view to the outside. However, since we did not replace the glass with double paned panels, it is not energy efficient.  As a result, this is the warmest room in the summer and coolest in the winter.

The other half of the room is more utilitarian.  There is a large work table that is used for sewing, painting or school projects.

Along the wall under the windows are two desks side by side, with upholstered (using Dash and Albert rugs) ottomans for sitting.  Here the computer and printer are easily accessible. With two out of my three children out of the house, I’m not sure it makes sense to still have these two desks.

I do love the two 9’x12′ natural fiber rugs I purchased from Ballard Design.  They are such a nice quality and are holding up well to the wear and tear of the pets.

We installed remote controlled exterior shades made from Sunbrella fabric.  This really cuts down on the heat during the summer months.  It also reduces the reflection from all the windows on the television screen.

If you have any ideas or suggestions on how I can improve upon this room, I heartily welcome them.  I feel a bit stuck with which design path to take.  Part of me wants to take everything out and start again. Should it look more like an old porch? A greenhouse? But the reality is, this needs to be a comfortable, attractive, pet-friendly room.

Sunbrella shades by Phoenix Tent and Awning Company

Slat chairs were purchased from Relics Consignment and Antiques in Phoenix

Pumpkin pillow- Pottery Barn

Drapes by Country Curtains