My Breakfast Room and Family Room Reveal

When I bought my house I knew we would need to enlarge the kitchen and family room area. The previous owners were empty nesters and although the layout worked for them, it was not appropriate for our growing family.

This before picture was taken during our home inspection. At this point the previous owners had removed much of their family room furniture - all that remained was their small kitchen table and some odd chairs. You can see that the wall of windows was about 3 feet beyond the solid wall. A larger table would have ended up looming into the Family room space. So, when we were ready to renovate we pushed back the wall and added an additional nine feet to create a dedicated breakfast room. Here is the breakfast room after!

We recessed the ceiling and added beadboard and crown moulding to match the treatment we added in the kitchen.

I vacillated for months over the light fixture, but finally decided on the Niermann Weeks Italian Chandelier with an antiqued silvered finish. (Actually I vacillated over spending the money or not spending the money - I always knew it was just perfect) In the end, it was my husband's sage advice that made me order it - "You will look at this everyday, all day, for years - buy what you love!" I am so glad I listened to him (He says its one of the only times!)

Here you can see that we added three windows on each side to keep the original feeling.

I found a wonderful Belgian wrought iron table with old wood top that fit the space perfectly. Wisteria had a bench that was just the right size and I topped it with a grainsack! The linen curtains were a steal, only $20. a panel, a close-out from Country Curtains; all they needed was a little doctoring.

You might remember that at this time I also took out the over head cabinets between the Family Room and Kitchen area and removed four lower cabinets to create more of a center island.

Here you can see how much better the space feels. Removing the upper cabinets also allowed you to see the recessed ceiling area in the kitchen. We spiffed that up a bit by adding the beadboard and crown moulding details.
Here is the Family Room before. This is directly across from the center island. The size is deceiving as the back wall is over 13 feet wide.
Here is the Family Room after. We added the window on the right to match the rest of the back. It was a great addition as it brings in so much light to what used to be a shadowy area. The mantel above the couch I found in the trash on the side of a road many years ago. It has an original workman's label from 1881. What a find!! I just love the feeling it brings to the space. Lamps are from Aidan Gray and the mirror is from Wisteria - It came in gold so I silver leafed it one afternoon.
Here is the before looking from the Kitchen area out toward the Family Room area. Notice the wonderful ceiling detail that was hidden from view before we removed the upper bank of cabinets.
And here is another photo of the after. Notice the addition of the crown moulding. The chairs are my old yellow club chairs, slipcovered in the same close-out linen from Country Curtains- a steal at $6 yard. I think they are bit oversized, but until I find what I am looking for they were an inexpensive fix. Here is the TV cabinet - notice the size of the TV that fit in it.

We added a gas fireplace, mantel and surrounded the area with crown moulding. We also placed a much larger TV above. Winter is long here so the fireplace makes the space so much more cozy.

This is the full view of the new space if you are standing in front of the fireplace.

From this...

To this...

(click to enlarge)

A final thought - I have received some email recently about rooms done by decorators that are considered "high-end" and not accessible to the average person. I just want to share with you that not all things that look expensive actually are expensive. Beauty does not have a price tag. Do not be afraid to mix $20 curtains and mantels you find in the trash with expensive chandeliers, or reproductions from mail order catalogs with real antiques. Trust what you love and it will all come together. It's not about the price, it's about surrounding yourself with things you enjoy.

We really enjoy our new space - I hope you do too!!

To see more of my house click here.

(all photos Willow Decor please do not copy without permission)

Belgian Factory Restored

Some of my favorite magazines are from France and Belgium. I recently saw this wonderful Brussels home that was originally a mirror factory and wanted to share it with you.

The owner, an artist, has lovingly restored and refurbished the factory over the course of several years. The dining room above features a naturally worn farm table and a collection of antique cream chairs with a wonderful patina. The cupboard is made from several old pieces of wood and houses only part of the owners extensive glass collection. The large entry is painted a beautiful buttery cream while the ceilings and upper mouldings are painted a contrasting white. The doors and built in mirrors add to the already light filled space. An antique woodworker's table is a beautiful place to display the owners collection of vintage hats. The light fixture is from IKEA. The kitchen is so wonderfully rustic. Old library shelving is painted white and used to display the huge collection of dishes and serving pieces. An antique library ladder is used to retrieve those items too high to reach. Notice the thickness of the shelves; thicker shelves were created to handle the weight of the different types of crockery. I love the interesting contrast of the industrial style faucet. The owners extensive glass collection is housed in an antique museum case that was painted a soft white to match the walls and highlight the glass. A collection of old unmatched chairs were also painted in soft pastels which unify them. The soft colors and leaning antique mirror add to airiness of the room. Interestingly the light fixture, which matches the entry fixture is also from IKEA.

The library, which doubles as the owners studio is washed in gray paint. The library shelving was also painted and holds the owners extensive collection of books. A vintage stepladder makes the high shelves accessible. I love the wide pine floors, softened from years of use left natural and waxed. The light in this room is just fabulous.

One of several bedrooms -I included this room because I adore the wall moulding.

Here is the adjacent bath. I like the mix of pieces in this space. The antique painted table looks so interesting with the reproduction tub.
This is the trompe-l'oeil bedroom. A closer look reveals a wall of canvas painted by the owner to look like pillows and headboard. A vintage industrial metal stool serves as night stand.
Finally another bath - I just adore the way the owner painted/washed the wall in a soft green. An antique cupboard holds extra towels and sundries for guests.

For more information about this wonderful factory turned home in Brussels click here.

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(all photos marieclairemaison)

A Peek Inside a Danish Home

One of the wonderful things about having a sister in Denmark is having her share with me some of her favorite shops. She was excited to see this shop featured in Skona Hem and sent it along to me. K & CO is a wonderful antique shop in Copenhagen. The owner's home was recently profiled in the magazine. Their home is a wonderful mix of industrial and Gustavian styles. Let's have a peek.
In the entryway a console table with marble top was given a new coat of Gustavian gray paint. The iron roof decoration is a beautiful focal point and the vintage shelf makes wonderful coat rack.

The living room is an interesting mix of hard industrial lines and soft linen upholstery. The antique pedestals, lamps and desk, add interest and soften the room. The vintage clock and antique shutters above the couch are charming.
Through out the home the couple adds unique accessories that add whimsy, texture and personality to the space. Above are rusty steeple finials that once sat on a church roof.
The kitchen is a wonderful mix of stainless steel appliances, Ikea cabinets and hand worn antiques. I love the Danish hanging cupboard filled with traditional blue willow plates. Also the Tolix chairs add a wonderful feeling to this space. The owners enhanced the chandelier with antique crystals.

Part of an ancient altar screen hangs on the opposite wall of the kitchen.
The dining area also has the Tolix chairs. I love the linen pillows as chair cushions. The chandelier gives the space a bit more formality and sparkle; and the mirrors bring your eye up and open up the room. Vintage candlesticks and fluted cast iron urn add a rustic contrast.

Finally the bedroom is serene in all white. The owners collection of vintage perfume bottles and female bust in Bronze become a uniquely personal vignette.

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With such wonderful items available to them, they certainly have created a gorgeous home.
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(all photos Skona Hem)

Sag Harbor Really Sagg Road - Mystery Solved!!

Thanks to a wonderful reader the mystery of of Sag Harbor is solved!! Actually the true title of this home is Sagg Road and it is the the Hampton's summer home of architects Bernt Heiberg and Bill Cummings of Heiberg Cummings Design. Their home was featured in the July 2007 issue of Home and Garden.

Interestingly, this home really has many of the popular trends we are seeing now but was completed in early 2007. A great testament to the vision and design aesthetic of Heiberg and Cummings.

Here is another view of the dining area, which we had not seen. I love the mix of chairs and the mix of woods and painted pieces.

They also design furniture, and have a collaboration with the famous Hodnebo company in Norway. The corner chair is an example.

If you are interested in seeing more of their very impressive work you can visit their website at Heiberg and Cummings. Also to see the original article as it appeared in Home and Garden click here. Finally, to read another post from WD on Heiberg and Cummings, another Hampton's home and more about Hodnebo click here. Mystery solved!!

The Mystery of Sag Harbor!

I have been doing some cleaning this week and purging unused computer files of saved photos. In my quest, I came across these wonderful photos of Sag Harbor which I saved last April. But, here is the problem, this lovely home has no home, link, photo or decorating credits. I only labeled them Sag Harbor when I saved them. I was so taken with this beautiful home I was sure I would never forget where it came from and of course I did forget. So, if any of you recognize this home please let me know so I can acknowledge the wonderful architect, designer or photographer.

Take a look at this living room! It has so many wonderful features. First, the over all feel of the room is so comfortable. I think the mix of antiques, accessories and small tables are very interesting - clearly the people who own this home are well traveled as the mix of found objects seem to come from all over. I adore the linen couches - they have a marked Belgian feel. Also note the French antique chairs and the Swedish style daybed. I like the use of black in what feels like a very neutral decor. The black tables and iron candlesticks are obvious,but also look at the french doors which are boldly painted black. Further inspection and we find iron curtain rods, fireplace screen and a pie rack used as a room divider.

I can't really make out what material the window shades are - is it an antique canvas? or an antique stenciled linen? In any case they are very unusual. I also find the mix of upholstery out of ordinary, but I like how it all works together.
One of my favorite items in this room is the Trumeau mirror but mixed with Chinese lanterns is very unexpected and a bit edgy. Again black curtain rods and hooks hold linen drapes and lanterns.

Moving into the kitchen we see black cabinets and slate flooring. Upon closer inspection we see the upper cabinets nearly disappear because they have been painted white. The marble adds a richness and we see the french door in this room has also been painted black. Clearly this not a historic home - could this have been a renovation?

Here is a bedroom - I really like the black beds - do we see a trend here? Also notice the grain sack pillows and what looks like postal sack or flour sack pillows.
Another bedroom- could this be the Master Bedroom? Headboard is ticking and really like how they did NOT do ticking on the bedskirt or pillows. I love ticking but a little goes a long way. Grain sack pillows look great and Swedish bench and table are sweet.

It looks like this is the view out from the living room. A lovely pool - I adore the cast iron planters.

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Hopefully we can solve the mystery of Sag Harbor. If anyone recognizes this house or knows its story please do let us know; for now we will just enjoy a job well done!

A Renovated Farmhouse in Belgium

Outside of the busy city of Antwerp, Belgian antiques dealer and designer, Henri Charles Hermans and his wife Natasha Hermans, also a designer, decided to relocate their business and their home to this wonderful 19th century Farm. Henri Charles Hermans, who once worked and studied under the famous Axel Vervoordt, found this property to be the perfect canvas to showcase the couples wonderful minimalist Belgian design style.

Formerly a fruit farm in the Belgian countryside, it took several years to restore the home. Above the outdoor pool is filtered naturally by aquatic plants.

The living room has wonderful bleached, then waxed herringbone floors. I love the mix of the hand plastered walls, and antique floors and doors, with the straight lines of the furniture by Jules Wabbes, and contemporary art over the fireplace by Jacques Denef.

The kitchen also continues this look by combining a thick oak antique farm table and waxed bluestone floors with contemporary light fixtures. The back wall of the kitchen is painted ebony to highlight the couples antique stoneware collection.

The main hall showcases a wonderful limed oak cabinet which houses collections of glassware and Khmer vases.

This is a lovely perspective of entry, kitchen, and living room from the main hall. The French doors bring wonderful light into the space.
The stark simplicity of the stairway is just beautiful. Notice the first step and is carved stone and the rusted iron railing. The furnishings echo the simplicity of the space.
An attic bedroom is the epitome of minimalism, with a Belgian twist. The antique bench at the foot of bed is covered in antique linen.

The bathroom with all white walls is the perfect backdrop for the gorgeous, antique zinc bath tub.

Here is a close up the of the Empire style zinc bathtub- notice the spectacular patina set off by the rustic milking stool.
In another hallway is a wonderful compilation of antique wood: oak table holds a walnut bowl filled with burl wood balls.
Hanging in the family room above the antique mantel is an artwork piece of ink writings from an ancient Hindu prayer book. The art work hides the television. Low trestle coffee table and linen slip covered sofas round out the Belgian style.
Antique marble topped bistro table and linen covered sofa look lovely. Waxed concrete floors and french doors open to the the outdoor terrace.

The beautiful facade of the house with pruned boxwood in planters and traditional boxwood hedge.

A pair of limestone dodecahedron (12 sided) pediments are believed to ward off bad luck.

What a lovely garden terrace. Fabulous antique table and twig style chairs make for perfect outdoor dining.

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I think the Hermans' minimalist Belgian style is just beautiful- what do you think?