Home

[Oznell]

Limelight hydrangeas are among the homeowner's favorites--

Dana Dore is a remarkable do-it-yourselfer, who wanted an old house, but for practical reasons, had to purchase a house built in 2010 in Farmingdale, New Jersey.

The entry is small, but the old newell post and mirror give it character.

First, let me apologize for how dim some of the following images are.  All the dim ones were from the Homeworthy video-- don't know why they are.  The bright ones were ones I could grab from her blog, or elsewhere, where the photography is clearly superior.

She personally installed ALL the board-and-batten trim in the entry, continuing through the dining room, and beyond, to give the walls that "old house" look.  --

The old cupboard is English pine.   I also love the distinctive vintage/ industrial wire-strung light fixture ( and am sure I'm in the minority here, ha) and also the vintage old biology lab-looking metal chairs...

The woven shades give a soft filtered light to the rooms.  The aforementioned light fixture has the vintage "industrial/ science" look she likes.  It's why she's also drawn to old botanical charts, like the ones hanging beside the cupboard.

This room below was an empty pass-through room of no distinction.  Dana has made it an intimate gathering spot.  The awkward assymetry of the room always bothered her, so she personally built the short wall on the right, (where there was none prior ) to balance the original wall on the left!

Here below you can see how each short wall now balances the other, something that would have been done in an old house.  Symmetry can be so calming.  She also created the transom over the opening, and installed the glass panes herself--

She papered above the wainscoting with a pretty striped wallpaper, and made the sprightly curtains--

The living room before, had one forlorn window, in the middle of the wall--

It really bugged her, so they ditched the single window, and had two windows installed, flanking a new fireplace, which she physically built herself!  ( Her husband is a professional chef, so apparently he must handle the cooking, while she does the designing and building, ha.).  What a great job she did on that fireplace.  She painted the ceiling pale blue.

The room is so cozy, with its English roll arm sofa, layered rugs, and select artwork.

The coffee table is an old ship's-hatch door--

Notice the beadboard walls?   They're not.  She took regular ol' plywood, and painstakingly grouted out each groove herself with some sort of power tool, to look like beadboard!!!  She said she'll never do that again, but it was worth it...

She's been collecting original paintings and prints of old clipper ships, for over 15 years.  She was inspired originally by a New York armoury show of  legendary John Derian's ship paintings.

 

Side note:  Got really excited about this-- I love old clipper ships too. I have a small print of my Dad's, that he used to have in his office, of "The Windsor Castle" ship.  Here's an image of it I found online.  But my Dad's has a really neat old frame around it.  Wherever I stick it in the house, it looks good.  There's something about those old seascapes.

  

This is what I like about her house-- it's personal to her, reflecting her interests in seascapes, a little touch of industrial lighting, old science charts, etc.  NOT cookie cutter...

She began to replace the pedestrian hardware in the house, with old-looking doorknobs, etc.  We've done that too:

In her hallway, above her board and batten, she installed a wallpaper with ethereal clouds...

The master bedroom looks so comfortable, with her vintage four poster...

...and beautiful linens....

They've done such a nice job on their garden and yard too.

Love a welcoming arbor like this.  The yard is charming, with a swing slung from a tree for their kids, and places to relax.

Such a homey, welcoming place.  While building walls and fireplaces is WA-AY beyond anything I could attempt, I really respect her can-do spirit.

[jannabelle1]

Such a beautiful home! She's quite talented when it comes to carpentry! Definitely more than what I'd ever try to do. Wonderful pictures - enjoyed them all!

[BlueFinch]

This home is filled with charm and a personality of its own. It's beautiful inside and out.

I particularly like the way Dana has mixed the old with the new in her decorating treasures. It reads of elevated, but comfortable country chic.

Dana is an impressive do-it-yourselfer. It's a lovely home.

[Citrine1]

Just beautiful.  I love all of the artwork as well.  

[cheriere]

@Oznell 

What a beautiful home!  I love ❤️ everything about this one.  It's just my style.

I enjoy your pictures and descriptions so much.  Thanks for taking the time to do this for us.😃❤️

[DSD2]

@Oznell thank you for another marvelous post!

I love the yard. I'd be inclined to pitch a tent and spend every minute there that I could. Such magnificent trees and the garden is lovely.

The wall that she built to balance out the room was well done; I like the glass panes and the yellow and white striped wallpaper and hanging light.

The hallway with the cloud wallpaper and red and pink rug is so pretty.

[JudyL]

I love everything about this house.  Well, except for those "lab" chairs that look incredibly uncomfortable and that light fixture.  HAHA  The yard looks specatacular.  It all looks so nice and able to be lived in by kids and adults.

[on the bay]

I like that bedroom which does look so comfortable and soothingly simple.

The garden is so nice too.

I have always loved those old clipper ships and other ship paintings.

[happilyretiredgirl]

I love it and I want a mirror like the one in the second picture.  

[stevieb]

She's clearly a self-starter, has worked had and done some remarkable things. That said, I like what she's done with the yard better than many of the furniture and decorative choices inside.