If it's January - it's Undecorate Time

One of my favorite decorating projects all year has to be Christmas.   When talk of turkey and Thanksgiving begins, I also dream of all the treasured decorations just waiting to come out of hiding.   This year our son and his wife who live in Chicago were with us for Thanksgiving, so that's the only excuse I needed to decorate early!   

I blogged about the first holiday season in our new house below.

Anyhow, I guess my second favorite decorating time is when the holiday decor comes down, and thoughts turn to warm fires and old movies and generally uncluttering the rooms.   It's a lot of work to put it up, but why does it always seem harder to take things down?    Down they are and here's how things look today.

Here's the view of our pond from the breakfast room table.   Each morning we get to watch the sun come up, ducks wake up and get their morning swimming done, and generally enjoy the beautiful sunrise reflections off the water.    It is the most peaceful home we've ever had and we LOVE it.

We knew it would be nice to live on a small pond.   We had no idea how much entertainment the blue herons, ducks, geese, turtles and fish would be.   Our biggest challenge is keeping Miss Bella from barking at them!

 It was nice to have the Christmas village, Santas and snowmen in the Welch cupboard all season, but having the cupboard a little more bare, so that it can show off the patina of the beautiful wood, is nice too.    I am still very happy that we elected to leave wall hung cabinets out of the kitchen, opting instead for shelving made from antique  barn timbers.   A combination of granite and zinc colored silestone is just perfect.   Often when it's time to fill plates and fill glasses with drinks, we feel like restaurant cooks just taking oft used items off open shelves.    Sure is efficient



Although the lighting could be better, this is another view of the kitchen island, antique French chandelier and view from the breakfast room.  

Here's an interesting gift I received as a housewarming.    It's the box I'm using as a pedestal.    Do you have any idea what it is?    Would you believe an antique Chinese "rice box".   They used these boxes to measure and apportion rice.    It's wonderfully chippy --  Brooke would LOVE the patina on this treasure.   I decided to display some sparkly pinecones in a beautiful Simon Pearce bowl.    The color of the glass in that bowl is amazing.

Here's another shot of the rice box and our late 1800's mantle decked out with olive tree topiaries, apples and a couple of angels that our younger son gave me the first Christmas he had a job!   They are treasures that move around all year.

Pardon the glare, but this photo shows our front door and entry with the French vineyard table that now hold a vintage cheese box which is filled with shells. The pretty wide plank floor shows up nicely (as does the fur from our precious Peke).

Here's a shot of the zinc cheese box that holds shells collected from the area. You might also notice our french door is open - yep it's January 12th in Delaware, but it's 60 degrees on the porch

We finally finished papering the mud room, and here's a little fisherman who stands guard for us:

You can see the french ticking stripe paper which is so perfect in this high-use room.   We used the same silestone countertop in the mudroom as in the kitchen since they're close together.


Well, that's all for today.   Happy undecorating!

Christmas in Breakwater

This is our first holiday season in the new house.    It has been so much fun deciding where to put all our decorations and collected treasures.    The tree that looked just fine in a past home looks a little Charley Brown in this one - but since we had a lot going on this year, the tree had to suffice.   Next year we'll be looking for a 10+ footer!

Frosty lighted courtyard, as seen from the front door





We used some existing lighted Christmas trees to fill the courtyard.    The lights come on about 4:30 and they fill the courtyard and adjoining rooms with gentle light.    This will no doubt be an annual decoration.   I intend to leave them up through January.

Three polar bears greet visitors - they are enjoying their "ice rink" on the vintage vineyard table.   These came from Beadboard UPCountry in Brenham, TX and are a treasured part of the holidays at our house.

The living room with our too-little tree in the corner.   Look out next year!

I got this wonderful reindeer at a store in Chadds Ford, PA called la Maison Home.    He's beautiful in his snowy pen

The dining room has had lots of good use this season.   Notice the reindeer on top of the armoire - he came all the way from a Paris flea market and John has a story to tell about transporting him on the metro.

Here's the Santa John forgot to give me one Christmas.    We had seen him at an antiques store and John stomped his foot and said "too expensive" and off we went.    He snuck back up, paid "too much" for Santa - hid him away and forgot he was in the basement til New Years Day!!   Santa had a small part in the decorations that year, but each year after has a special place of honor.

The three wise men on the coffee table are from our first Christmas in La Porte, TX in 1968...

The Welch Cupboard with Santa collection.   This piece of furnture takes on lots of purposes - but none prettier than the holidays



The Byers Carolers sing away all day long!

We wish you and yours the happiest holiday ever, and a prosperous healthy new year!!

The house that Brooke and Joni helped decorate and they didn't even know it

About 18 months ago my husband and I decided to move from a condo on the harbor in Lewes "to the country".   We were able to custom build a new French Country style house - in a "France meets the Beach" style!   Although it would be wonderful to replicate all the fine materials of a French villa, our budget and the environmental demands of a seaside location didn't permit us to do so.

 Throughout the 18 months I religiously read and collected ideas from many blogs - none more than Joni Webb's "Cote de Texas" and Brooke Giannetti's "Velvet and Linen".   The influence of these talented women was great -- and it helped guide all of our design decisions.    We already owned a nice collection of French antiques and accessories, so the rest just involved lots of restraint in colors, but no-holds-barred when it came to texture.   Joni taught me the impact of linen, slipcovers and seagrass and Brooke taught me the importance of introducing patina and texture to the pristine new finishes.

Our home includes a 'proper studio' for painting.    It will be featured in a future blog -- not ready for prime time (but I am finally back to painting and have a couple of commissions finished)

So at long last welcome to Overfalls Drive, Lewes, Delaware!

The courtyard is probably our favorite architectural feature.    Although we have a beautiful stone wall complete with copper spigot, a fountain is still in the project stage.   It's ETA is early fall.  My husband is hand making the fountain, and used the two planter boxes on top of the stone wall as prototypes.   Everyone loves them and can't wait to see the fountain which will be fashioned after a watering trough - very simple.

The front door is French Blue (of course) and Restoration Hardware zinc planters hold fragrant heirloom Darwin yellow roses.   The house is cream with black trim, so the zinc and yellow colors are just right.

Just inside the front door, a French lantern greets.   Brooke convinced me to use this lantern because it is beautiful, albeit it not the finest French antique I could find.    Its grand scale fits nicely with the 12 foot foyer ceiling



The painting is by local artist Steve Rogers.   My husband is a sailor and this is the inlet into which he sails.

The 'gallery' that leads to my painting studio (more details to follow)

The door at the end of the hall was boring so we hung a picture on it!
Not sure yet how to treat the south facing windows.



I use a vintage French vineyard table as a foyer table - something I've always wanted.   Right now it's displaying an antique bird cage filled with a sparkly 4th of July decoration.   We hope to easily transport the vineyard table into the courtyard for impromptu dining once the temperatures cool down.   

Maybe the fountain debut will call for dinner al fresco?

I found this little French chair at a thrift store, and once painted and reupholstered with linen (of course) it is just perfect near the front door.   The etched glass panel above the chair is from England - and it shows a sailing ship similar to our city's Kalmar Nichol replica tall masted ship.    The round picture frames hold vintage country French peasant paintings.    I've had them many years looking for the perfect location - I found it!

The open living room is bright and beautiful.    Note the vintage pine fireplace mantle - a talented designer friend of mine acquired it from the Chadds Ford Inn main dining room when the Inn was (sadly) remodeled.  

There is a date of '1810' on the back of the mantle.   Brooke - more patina!   I am a watercolor artist and I painted the poppies just for this location.   The French chairs were restored and upholstered in a black/white check.   They are sturdy enough to serve as extra seating.    Joni, do you notice the fabric on the two upholstered benches?   Yep, I loved what you did for one of your clients and used the same Windsor Smith fabric.   That's our screened porch beyond the benches --



The above antique botanical prints were purchased in the early 1980's in London - and framed over the course of years - the mats are hand colored specifically for each print by a Parisian artist!   The pumpkin pine chest is from Pennsylvania.   Here's another glimpse of the Windsor Smith Riad fabric.   Pillows from the fabric are on the project board, but not complete.

Aidan Gray lamps with vintage weight scale.

Our breakfast room is bright and cheery.   The Welch Cupboard is from the mid 1800's and has blessed several of our homes.   I have fun decorating the shelves seasonally.   The bistro table and chairs are originally from France - but were acquired from a Craig's List posting.   What a deal!

The kitchen was designed by Rebecca Fluharty, an award winning professional with our builder, Schell Brothers.   The shelving is vintage barn beam which was planed just the right size.   The chandelier over the island is from France - purchased at a wonderful Chicago store called Paris to the Moon.    A number of fixtures were acquired there - including matching sconces in the breakfast room.

The dining room is graced with my all-time favorite antique - an armoire purchased from the talented and feisty Mary Anne Flaherty at Beadboard UpCountry in Brenham, Texas.    It made the move back to the East Coast with not a scratch and now houses many treasures.   The chandelier and sconces are Aidan Gray and the beautiful painting is by Delaware artist Marjorie Egee.    The sailboat is a nod to the beach.   Restoration Hardware slipcovered chairs are comfortable and just the right scale.  A pair of armchairs make a wonderful reading spot until they are needed for dining around the table.

In our 1800 square foot condo, my husband's study had been reduced to a Ballard Designs desk-in-an-armoire.    He is loving his own space and I loved making my first set of French pinch pleat drapes!

My first pinch pleat draperies!!

Our bedroom suite is so soft and inviting.   We used a Pottery Barn linen upholstered headboard.  The chandelier is Aidan Gray and linens from France.   The watercolor painting above the bed will be supplemented with more art (I know it's too small) but this is an especially meaningful painting to us.   I am planning a Sea Glass themed watercolor painting collection and some sea glass will supplement the Texas Bluebonnet painting.   What a reatreat our bedroom is! 

The drapes look like a ballgown.   Candace Olsen linen fabric stenciled with silver.

Console and mirror are from a local thrift store!   These are in a small foyer which separates our bedroom from the master bath.





Be sure and note the teddy bear in the chair. I don't know about you, but I wrestled years with what to do with my wedding gown. A wonderful person took the dress apart and made this precious bear for me to enjoy every day. She carefully packaged the extra fabric for what may some day be christening gowns (hint, hint). I went from feeling guilty about hauling the dress from one place to another, to enjoying holding my bear any time I want. I can still see my grandmother hand sewing the beads on the dress -- the same beads on the bear (awwww).

Incidentally, this chair is also from Beadboard UpCountry!
 
The back screened porch is our daily retreat.  
 

Warning - this wicker sofa will hold you down and make you nap!

 
 
 
 
We overlook a beautiful pond and have so enjoyed learning about the ecology of the pond's plant and animal life.   We're eagerly anticipating the arrival of some ducklings.    The pond is professionally maintained and planted, so the colors and textures are beautiful.
 
 





Our morning coffee spot



I hope you've enjoyed visiting our home.   We love it, and I love you, Joni and Brooke.   You didn't even know it but you were hard at work in Delaware on one of the most appreciated projects you'll ever complete.   Thank you both, and thanks to all you bloggers who fill my life with beauty and inspiration.

Nothing finer than the seashore in the fall!!

I've been busy all summer with art projects.

My friend Janet Davis and I co-hosted a fundraiser for the Fund for Women - a Delaware fund set up to assist women and girls. Read more about it at http://www.delcf.org/ffw.htm I donated a silent-auction painting, 100% of the proceeds of which went to FFW. It's entitled "Girls Just Wanna Have Funds" (above). It honors the special bond girlfriends share. If you'd like a limited edition giclee copy of the painting (only 50!) check in with me at ldickey@4sightgroup.com $40, $10 of which goes to the FFW.



I also donated a painting of our Lightship Overfalls http://www.overfalls.org/ to the Overfalls Foundation.    The painting was awarded to the wonderful woman who started the restoration project on the ship, Merrell Kaegi.  The first 10 Giclee prints of the painting were also donated to the Foundation -- and are almost gone.

Another summer long project was a painting of the Lewes area -- what do you think.   It depicts some of my favorite places and things to do.   Don't miss the Lewes/Cape May ferry about to take out the Breakwater Lighthouse!!

Here's another fun painting I did for our new "nephew" (actually my daughter in law Meg's sister Jolene's new son, Evan - say that 10 times fast).   I thought it would cheer his new nursery in their new home.

We're enjoying a breezy cool day here in Lewes, DE. The visitors have left for the season - and our little village goes from a bustling busy place to the lazy, quaint town we all fell in love with.


Well, since I've found my blog once again, I'll try and update it more.