QUIRKY BLOGGER DECORATES HER FRONT HALL IN 1901 CH... - Page 3

haddon9 · ‎03-09-2010

What a lovely home! Loved her front hall & staircase. She did a wonderful job with it!

Last weekend I went on my town's holiday house tour. There were a couple of public buildings but most were private homes that were dated from the 1700 & 1800's. They all had been renovated with lovely front porches, many foyers, stairways, front parlours & dining rooms. The backs of the homes had been modernized (with a vintage vibe) having large kitchens with big islands and open concept family rooms yet a few of the kitchens had original fireplaces! Most also had amazing mud rooms too!

It was fun to see how the modern was integrated with the old and everything was so beautifully decorated for the holidays!

haddon9 · ‎03-09-2010

@stevieb wrote:
I'm afraid, as maybe is getting to be too often the case, that I'm going to be the lone naysayer. Her enthusiasm is wonderful but, for me, that's as far as this one goes.

The house is potentially pleasing, but needs a lot of work to be appealing. That said, I'd hate to expend all the effort crafting those decorations and end up with them looking, again, to me, no more appealing than they did. I'd also note, a few days after hanging them, all that ragged greenery is going to start looking like a hot mess. Sorry. I can see that this effort has many supporters, but I'm just not one of them.

As for the stair rail, I'd paint it, ditto the house's exterior... And for heaven's sake, do some landscaping...

For me, the video was too long to end up with the result it did... Still, the post, as always, is appreciated...

Shocking, yes I know...

@stevieb I'm sure it smelled wonderful in there, and you're probably right in saying that it will only take a few days or so for everything to start looking sad. Personally I wouldn't have bothered making the little extras for the garland but would have just pruchased items to give it more of a wow look.

Renovating an old home is a daunting task ....that's why after having a fixer early in our marriage we opted for a new house when we moved to a new location!

Her house has LOTS of great potential but unless they have BIG bucks to renovate it now, it will take forever and there may be a lot of compromises done long the way. One also needs a lot of patience to do it well unless you have the money to get it done quickly!

stevieb · ‎03-10-2010

@haddon9 wrote:
@stevieb wrote:
I'm afraid, as maybe is getting to be too often the case, that I'm going to be the lone naysayer. Her enthusiasm is wonderful but, for me, that's as far as this one goes.

The house is potentially pleasing, but needs a lot of work to be appealing. That said, I'd hate to expend all the effort crafting those decorations and end up with them looking, again, to me, no more appealing than they did. I'd also note, a few days after hanging them, all that ragged greenery is going to start looking like a hot mess. Sorry. I can see that this effort has many supporters, but I'm just not one of them.

As for the stair rail, I'd paint it, ditto the house's exterior... And for heaven's sake, do some landscaping...

For me, the video was too long to end up with the result it did... Still, the post, as always, is appreciated...

Shocking, yes I know...

@stevieb I'm sure it smelled wonderful in there, and you're probably right in saying that it will only take a few days or so for everything to start looking sad. Personally I wouldn't have bothered making the little extras for the garland but would have just pruchased items to give it more of a wow look.

Renovating an old home is a daunting task ....that's why after having a fixer early in our marriage we opted for a new house when we moved to a new location!

Her house has LOTS of great potential but unless they have BIG bucks to renovate it now, it will take forever and there may be a lot of compromises done long the way. One also needs a lot of patience to do it well unless you have the money to get it done quickly!

All true @haddon9... And the outcome of all that Christmas decorating effort is but one reason I'm not much of a purist... A lot of time and effort and the end result, well, not much bang for the buck... I'd love to have a lovely old home, but one that's already been renovated and all I have to do is decorate it and put my stamp on it...

In my pantry with my cupcakes...

sktchy · ‎03-10-2010

Thanks so much for taking the time to post. I thoroughly enjoyed the video!

I had large Foyer that was decorated every Christmas and it really set the mood for the Holiday.

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

@Oznell I really enjoyed the video. When we were first here, I collected juniper branches with the blue berries, and variegated holly sprigs from the property for vases, the juniper went on the long mantle, such a simpler decor time, and what an enormous difference in what I do today. Now, I use faux branches, leaves, and florals.

My Mother, after I left home, stopped getting a tree, and just bought huge long and full bunches of greens to hang on either side of her mantle, with enormous red bows, she actually ironed the bows, and had Christmas cards along the mantle.

Oznell · ‎11-08-2014

Nice-- I always think greens on the mantel, with ribbons like your Mother had, are such a graceful, stately look at Christmas time, @mousiegirl.. Classic.