I just wanted to share with you some photos of the amazing architecture I saw last week in Salem, MA. Enjoy.
Salem Architecture
Honeoye Falls Carriage Factory
We know you love barn wood as much as we do so we recently salvaged quite a large amount from a former Honeoye Falls Carriage Factory. Although this isn’t officially from a barn, it has aged just as beautifully.
One customer, Glenn came in and purchased several armloads of this wood and used it to make part of a bar and matching shelving. He sent us some great photos to share with you as inspiration for your own “barn” wood projects. You can see the wood on the front face of the bar, the floating shelves behind, and around the shelf opening on the back of the bar.
What projects are you planning with this reclaimed wood?
Rest in Peace at West Webster Cemetery
Last year ReHouse was asked to salvage the 100+ year old wrought iron fence and gates from the West Webster Cemetery. The fence was being replaced bot because of damage or any issue with its functionality, but because of a demand by the insurance company. So, we salvaged it. And now we have over 100 pieces available for your home project.
From the Cemetery’s website “In 1790, shortly after Oliver Phelps opened a land office in Canandaigua, New York, the Phelps and Gorham Purchase set aside one-half acre of land specifically for burials. Located at the corner of what are now Ridge Road and Maple Drive, this parcel eventually would be known as the West Webster Cemetery and the earliest cemetery in what would become the town of Webster, New York.
“On April 12, 1878, the cemetery was incorporated under the name of West Webster Cemetery Association. In 1908 an iron fence, which remains today, was erected along Ridge Road and north on, what was then, Cemetery Road. The vault was constructed in 1912. Through the years, parcels of land were acquired from adjoining property owners enlarging the cemetery to its present size of 5.10 acres.
“Throughout its history, West Webster Cemetery has become a final resting place for many men and women in uniform who proudly served their community and country.”
One Front Door from Salvage to Spectacular
Have you visited our Instagram feed @rehousearchitecturalsalvage? We try to regularly post some of the more interesting treasures we have in the store and share posts from others that showcase great reuse projects labeled with #reusewithrehouse. We also follow a great selection of like-minded and local feeds including the one I would like to share today, @vintagewalnut.
Lisa’s feed @vintagewalnut features her family’s restoration of a 1850s farmhouse. One series of recent posts really intrigued me because it focused on her home’s “new” front door which she mentioned was purchased right here at ReHouse. I am excited to share with you Lisa’s photos and process info for her front door restoration. I hope you find her projects encouraging and inspiring too.
Here is the completely boring front door that was on the house when Lisa bought it 10 years ago. I think you agree with her that it is not quite right for a 1850s anything.
“Very excited to be giving my old house a proper exterior door (previous owners removed the original 🤔). Finally found what I was looking for @rehousearchitecturalsalvage. Now if spring would get here already 🏡🙏 … Just basking in the good find glory before the work starts” – March 28, 2018
Once spring had sprung and turned into summer Lisa and her husband Ben were finally able to begin work on their front door. “To strip the finish we used a combination of Citrastrip and sanding and scraping (using cabinet scraper).”
“Taking 60+ years of finish off this beautiful salvaged door. Can’t wait for the finished result! Its only taken me 10 years to find this gem (it basically looks exactly like the door that was here before the previous owner removed it) 😆 Shout out to the simple cabinet scraper- perfect thing for getting those tough angles.” – July 1, 2018
“We used a tinted wood filler (water based that hardens to protect wood from water penetration) to fill in the gouges, cracks and any old nail holes in the door. Then we applied three coats of tongue oil cut with turpentine and tinted with a dark oak stain. Then Behlen rock hard urethane varnish to the inside. To the outside we applied several coats of the tongue oil stain mixture. That will need to get reapplied for maintenance as needed going forward (doesn’t require stripping).”
“Almost done refinishing 🙌 I think deciding on a privacy solution for the window has been the hardest part.😆” – July 24, 2018
“We used the original brass hardware and found additional unlaquered brass hardware to match including lock set, hand pull, and hydraulic door closer. We had to have a carpenter build a new frame door and then my husband Ben custom built the exterior moldings.”
“Installed ✔️ Our new old door was salvaged from the College at Brockport, from this awesome building 👉 It only took me 10 years to find it 😄 Now it’s time to start on the moldings! .” – August 5, 2018
The Visual Studies Workshop building that Lisa’s door was salvaged from in 2013. At ReHouse we try to retain the provenance of items to share with the next owners. Obviously, Lisa found this info interesting as well.
I just LOVE the way Lisa and Ben transformed this commercial door with its brass kick plate and chicken wire safety glass into an inviting front door to their historic home. Great job you 2, and keep on sharing your projects!
Create-A-Bench Auction, A Closer Look Part 4
Today we will be enjoying some nature themed benches that are available in our Create-A-Bench Auction. If you see one you can’t live without, you can place your bid HERE before 3pm on October 20. If you can somehow live without one of these beauties but want to share your opinion on which deserves Best in Show you can vote HERE.
Nature
by 8th Grade Art Students from Greece Olympia
What a great opportunity for these middle schoolers to learn about working together, helping others, and of course, art. Students from Greece Olympia collaborated on this bench titled, Nature.
Using acrylic paint they worked together to depict classic symbols of our natural world. The seat back shows a broad blue sky with a glowing sun and peaceful cumulus clouds floating by. The seat itself is painted a bright spring green that almost seems to smell of freshly mown grass when you sit down. Don’t sit on the carefully painted flowers, butterflies, or bugs though!
Each side, also painted green, sows a variety of flowers in more springtime colors and you may spot a ladybug or 2. The sky blue continues over the top to the back side of the bench and is sprinkled with spots and swirls that might make you think a breeze is blowing through. Lastly, the front edge of the seat is patterned in coordinating spots that bring all the colors together and finish the seat off nicely.
What a perfect bench for a covered porch even in the fall and winter to remind you that spring will come again. Maybe you would like it in you child’s bedroom or family play room as extra seating. It would be just right for storybook reading with little ones.
Time Flies
by Colleen Krawskic from Fabulous Flowers
Flowers are what Colleen does, and her bench was made to match her daily life. Bright red and yellow dominate her bench, Time Flies. The seat back is custom cut and extended to create 3 giant sunflowers in full autumn bloom with their stems and leaves spreading across the seat. The black at the center of each flower is mirrored along the edges of the arms tying it together.
Instead of simply continuing one color around to the back, Colleen has created bold red and yellow vertical stripes that make her bench a statement from any side. Being a florist, no job is complete with out live flowers. Both ends feature glass vases with lovely bouquets from Fabulous Flowers in autumn colors also found in the painted ones.
When you bring this bench home you can swap out the bouquets when they begin to fade. Maybe you have a garden of your own and enjoy bringing your blooms indoors throughout the year. Then this bench is perfect for you as it will be a constant reminder to “take time to enjoy the flowers.”
She Believed
by Peterson and Clark Soccer Team Friends
You would recognize one of the soccer team friends from the bench she did on her own, Photo Inspiration which we visited on day 1. Rhana encouraged her team to do a bench together as a donation but also as a memorial for a lost companion.
They gave the bench a wonderfully rich painted finish using at least three colors and a dry brush technique. The combination gives the finish a textured stone look but it is still quite smooth. The cream and greys are so universal this bench will match almost anyone’s decor. Even yours. They choose to fill most of the seat back with the phrase “She believed she could so she did” a powerful encouragement for all women.
The outlined butterflies that adorn the seat back as well as both ends were handpainted in black bringing a softer feel to the stone look. The butterflies seem to be drawn to the 2 larger silk sunflowers growing on one side of the seat back or perhaps to the flowers in the vase on the other. The glass jar vase is securely attached to one end and currently has a bouquet of silk daisies, but the new owner can swap out for real flowers and fill the vase with water.
The finishing touch to the team’s bench brings all their hands together on the back to form a larger butterfly in grey. What a powerful reminder of what friends and women can do if they believe in themselves and each other.
Fall Leaves
by Roseanne Zinni and Jennifer Morris from 2 Designers
Keeping with the nature theme today lets move from flowers and spring to Fall Leaves by a team of 2 friends. When Roseanne and Jennifer are not giving a much need makeover to benches for charity they are floral designers in the area. Maybe those flowers your husband had sent to your office were arranged by one of them. You never know.
The 2 Designers decided to keep the original pale yellow of the bench for their base coat and it complements the rest of their work wonderfully. They collected real leaves from their own yards to use as masks for the first layer. Arranging the leaves they used gold, burgundy, and toasty brown spray paint to imitate the brush of wind across the bench.
Once this dried they repeated the process to darken the first layer giving the bench the pattern of leaves in a variety of subtle crispy autumn shades. They then used some hand cut leaf stencils to paint more solid leaf shadows in deep green, burgundy, and dry leaf brown.
Lastly, using a gold paint pen they added the shining details tracing some leaf edges or spines in tiny gold dots. Don’t forget to peek at the back of Fall Leaves before moving on. Carefully hand lettered in gold is a thoughtful saying. “While cares will drop away from you like the leaves of autumn.”
Create-A-Bench Auction, A Closer Look Part 3
Welcome to day 3 in a series designed to take a closer look at some of the beautiful benches we received for our Create-A-Bench Auction to benefit the Open Door Mission’s Coldwater House. Bidding on all benches takes place HERE until 3pm Saturday, October, 20, 2018. You can also vote for Best in Show HERE.
100 Years
By Lynn Miller
Lynn Miller is a local artist and quilter living in Pittsford. She has been inspired by Rochester’s connections to women’s rights and suffrage movement. Knowing that 2019 will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th amendment allowing women the right to vote, Lynn chose this as the theme for her bench.
100 Years is painted in stately grey and navy that will fit almost any décor. She painted a banner across the top that says “19th Amendment” and stenciled the years 1919 and 2019 on either side. Elegant yet simple stenciling completes the design along the bottom of the seat back.
With so much pressure to freehand lettering today, it may be surprising to find an artist interested in using stencils, but Lynn has a history with them. When I was a child Lynn (aka my mom) stenciled borders around the tops of the walls in my sister’s and my bedrooms. They were not simple patterns either. Lynn cut her own stencils and used multiple colors in each room. This was a time consuming but rewarding task. I loved my stenciled trim.
Thanks Mom, for stenciling my room so patiently and for using your talents to benefit others.
Dream Big!
By Jackie Gasbarre
Jackie Gasbarre has three simple phrases hand lettered on her bench, Fly High, Touch the Sky, and Dream Big! These 3 encouraging phrases could be written for every person on earth to read, but are they speaking directly to you today?
Jackie’s bench is full of movement and texture and it’s not just in the almost dozen hot air balloons soaring through the cloudy blue sky. Each balloon is full of hot air and rising steadily toward high hopes and dreams. It is these balloons that capture the attention right away with their detailed adornments. Take a closer look at the rest of the bench though.
The seat and seat back are painted with detailed shading in creamy grey making it look like folded fabric from a distance. The back of the bench is done in stripes of the same cream and darker grey adding whimsy to the back that compliments the detailing on the front seat edge. Here Jackie has painted some wonderfully fun black and white checkers with a bit of gold pulled through mimicking a pattern we will not name similar to a style we also will not name. Just below the checks is a row of elegant goldish fringe that is about an inch and a half wide.
So much time and though went into all the little details and shading of this bench, it is sure to be a high earner for Coldwater House. Imagine entering someone’s house and being greeted with a seat like this to sit on and take off your shoes. You would be sure to have a delightful visit.
Beatles Come to Rochester
by Paul Button from Salvage Monkeys
The first thing I learned about Paul Button is that he has a great sense of humor. For one, his business is called the Salvage Monkeys, and two: the motto is, “We rescue the discarded and make cool stuff.” This is so true. Everything Paul makes starts with another man’s “trash,” and every one of his “treasures” takes on a double meaning or requires another way of looking.
Paul’s bench, the Beatles Come to Rochester, is no exception. All the lettering and locally recognizable but outdated sponsors’ logos were cut out of adhesive black vinyl. The caricatures of the 4 Beatles themselves are also digital images.
Disclaimer: there is no Beatles concert at Midtown Plaza on October 11 from 2-5 this year or any other upcoming year. Please don’t be disappointed. Instead, bid on Paul’s bench as a souvenir for the concert that wasn’t to be.
Flower Garden
by Julie Wasson from tidbits & scraps
This is the easiest one for me to write about, because I don’t have to interview anyone. I made it. I will try to pretend I am not biased and it is not my favorite, but it is. At least I can tell you more about my process. I hope you find it interesting.
I gave my entire bench a base coat of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite, two coats actually. Then I covered the seat back and the inside of the arms with ephemera, old papers, book pages, sheet music, tickets, etc. Then I did a wash of the whole thing using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Coco and Provence (or Duck Egg, I don’t remember). A wash is when you water down the paint. I wiped off excess liquid as I was working.
Next was the most time consuming part. I cut or tore all the flower parts and leaves and stems using papers that I had previously mono-printed using mostly acrylic paints (that’s a whole other story). I adhiered all the pieces with Mod Podge both under and over the papers. After all my flowers and butterflies were in place and dry I went in with charcoal and Stabilo pencil to add shading around everything. This is the point when I stepped back and discovered I was seriously thrilled with the outcome.
I decided to seal the whole thing with a clear glossy spray by Krylon that dries super fast. I had to do many layers before it becomes truly glossy. There you have it. The entire week long process in a nut shell. And yes, I do custom orders!
Create-A-Bench Auction, A Closer Look Part 2
Today is day 2 in a series designed to take a closer look at some of the beautiful benches we received for our Create-A-Bench Auction to benefit the Open Door Mission’s Coldwater House. Today we will be learning about the brightest of the benches with base coats in red, orange, and yellow.
Nostalgia
by Sally Kamprath from ReHouse
This vibrant red bench was created by ReHouse’s very own Sally Kamprath, owner. The bench auction was her brain child but she didn’t stop at the planning stage. She wanted to create a bench too (actually she did 2). It can be assumed that the owner of ReHouse has a fondness for items from the past and this includes vintage advertising.
Sally handpicked several colorful and often witty ads from some 1940s era issues of The Saturday Evening Post. Some are from brands that have passed on into the obsoleteness like Servel, Norge, and Wonsover. Others are from brands we still see every day like Ford, 8 O’clock Coffee, and Kodak.
She found some pretty clever slogans like the Kodak one that claims, “your camera becomes a ‘color camera’ when you load it with Kodak color film.” Did you know that the Whitman’s chocolate sampler is, “fresh as autumn air – smooth and rich and rare”? I love the one for the General Electric radio that says, “See? This little wife knows radio value!” Isn’t her husband lucky? It seems The Saturday Evening Post was just full of good ideas for the “budget-minded belle.”
Stop in to the store this week to read the other chuckle worthy ads from the 1940s. You will also save 20% if reading outdated ads turns to buying cool stuff.
Hippie Daze
By Tracy and Jackie Tambe
Another bright and fun bench is Hippie Daze created by team Tambe. I have a suspicion that the base color is called “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Whatever it’s called it sure makes me smile. Tracy and Jackie used some of the most popular icons of the hippie era in the US including the peace sign, flowers, smiley faces, and the VW bus.
They did some custom cutting and routing on the seat back to give the 2 peace signs some real dimension and then lined the openings with tie dye fabric, another classic from the 60s and 70s. The tie dye also appears on one end of the bench but rather than use fabric there they incorporated a current popular art trend called acrylic pouring. The process can be very messy but as you can see the results are quite remarkable.
The other side of the bench features some bold and beautiful flowers as a reminder of free spiritedness and the importance of our natural surroundings. The largest even has a smiley face. The center of the seat back has my favorite part, the VW bus. A popular mode of hippie transportation, the vintage VW bus has an unmistakable portrait. Restored buses are coming back and I regularly see 3 in particular around the area. This one is hand painted in turquoise and white with rainbow shaded windows and a smiley on the front.
No hippie would be complete without bell bottom jeans. The Tambes decided to incorporate denim by adding a cushion and upholstering the seat in old jeans shorts. This really completes the fun vibrant aura of their bench and makes it extra comfy to sit on. Great job you two! Peace out.
The Planets
By Sally Kamprath from ReHouse
I told you Sally did two benches, and here is her second. She had so much fun with Nostalgia that she had to keep going. This one shows a more creative and artistic side to the boss at ReHouse. While in San Francisco a few years ago she saw a street artist creating space scenes with spray paint and bowls and some other everyday materials. Since she couldn’t remember all the details she went to YouTube and found a few videos similar to what she had seen.
The base coat is another in this series of bright and fun colors: orange. It might not be a typical outer space color but is really makes the planets pop off the star speckled black sky. You may be wondering where the bowls come in to play with this technique. The artist used any size bowls or other circular objects as masks when spraying the black background. Alternately, stencils are used to spray just the colors for the planets. The planetary textures are often made with scrunched up paper or plastic wrap pressed on the wet paint to lift it and show the color underneath.
To try this technique at home search for “spray paint planets” on YouTube. Good luck and don’t let you self get caught in a black hole!
Bidding on all benches takes place HERE until 3pm Saturday, October, 20, 2018. You can also vote for Best in Show HERE. We were also featured on Spectrum News yesterday. You can see a short video montage on the Spectrum’s Facebook page HERE.
Create-A-Bench Auction, A Closer Look Part 1
Let’s take a closer look at some of the beautiful benches we received for our Create-A-Bench Auction to benefit the Open Door Mission’s Coldwater House. Bidding on all benches takes place HERE until 3pm Saturday, October, 20, 2018. You can also vote for Best in Show HERE.
Garden Bench (item #10)
by Mary Unger and Nicholas Schoenwald from Mary Unger Upholstery
Mary Unger volunteered to be a bench artist to help raise money for the Open Door Mission Coldwater House because “both sides of my family come from the coldwater area, dating back to the mid 1800’s, I’m glad to see this building in its newest incarnation, filling a community need. I was very happy to donate a bench to the cause, I look forward to other fundraisers.”
Mary runs her own upholstery company in Rochester and used her skills to masterfully makeover her bench. She adding cushioning to the seat and seat back for comfort and covered it with Lee Jofa fabric, Stuart. This fabric, with a cream background, depicts birds, trees, and flowers in a folk art style and color scheme. The superior quality of the piece is evidenced in the details; a row of antiqued brass tacks lines the piping on each arm, and the front edge of the seat is adorned with decorative wood trim featuring a row of delicate leaves.
Mary has worked for designers and architects for 35 years, mostly doing wholesale work. Her most public job would be the first and second renovation at the Spa at the Del Monte (designer Jonathan Ragusa). Otherwise she has worked in some of the loveliest homes in Rochester including the Gannett Estate and the Frank Lloyd Wright house.
Her business partner and fellow artist, Nicholas Schoenwald, was able to use his painting expertise to perfectly compliment the colors and style of the fabric and upholstery work by adding a custom cut and hand painted thistle flower to each end of the bench. In fact, says Mary, “his fanciful interpretation of a thistle drove the design.”
Photo Inspiration (item #12)
by Rhana Mufasta
Rhana Mufasta is a local high school student living in Webster, NY and attending school there. She has a particular passion for nature and portrait photography. She has been able to take some classes in school and hopes to further her knowledge and experience by taking college classes as well. Rhana wanted to use her bench to showcase some of her own Best in Show photos from the last few years.
Rhana chose 15 photos for her bench which she painted in an energetic pattern using neutral colors. The bench itself feels like a small art gallery which images of flowers, waterfalls, and vignettes from her families travels.
When Rhana delivered her bench I discovered a poised and delightful young woman with an obvious desire to capture the world around her. She showed me other photos from her portfolio and I loved every one. She recently shadowed a professional portrait photographer doing a senior portrait shoot. I am certain that the photos she showed me were every bit as good as the pros must have been. I hope she is available to do my son’s senior portraits next year.
Turtlewoods (item #4)
by Sue Keating
Sue Keating has found a unique niche in the art world, and it all begins with food. That’s right, among other things Sue eats a lot of avocados and olives and other foods with seeds or pits. Unlike the rest of us who simply discard the annoying little seeds in an orange or stick an avocado pit in a cup of water hoping it will sprout, Sue makes art.
Maybe it started as a project with the kids in her life or maybe it was a Pinterest post she just had to try. Either way it has taken off and now she is surrounded by tiny turtles. It is these turtles that in turn inspired Sue to create a bench for our auction titled, Turtlewoods. She used a base coat of Glidden Paint in Garden Path green to set the stage for a hand painted woodland scene. Trees grow up and over the back and arms surrounding the sitter in a forest. Be careful though!!
Sue’s bench has 8 of her tiny turtles crawling around on it. Each of these has a body made of ½ an avocado pit and head, legs, and tails made of olive pits. These are specially prepared to prevent the turtle from any sort of rot or decay. It fact, if you are careful of the little guys, they might last longer than the bench.
All Blinged Out (#6)
by Maureen Robbins from Maureen Robbins Art
Everything Maureen Robbins creates gives off a sparkle. Maybe it’s because she uses so much bling in her art. I contacted her on the recommendation of another bench artist and she was thrilled to participate. Her bench showcases enumerable pieces of costume jewelry she has collected from various locations. She collects beads, necklaces, bracelets, not to wear to the ball but to create her art.
Visit her Facebook page and you will soon realize that bling is one of her most used art supplies. A really good glue is probably number 2. For her bench she created an edge to the front and back of the seat, arranged her chosen jewels, and encased it all in clear resin truly making it a showcase to display the whole collection.
Pictures do not capture the vast assortment of bits and baubles in this piece, but I hope you can get a sense of just how sparkly it really is.
Come back tomorrow for a closer look at a few more benches.
Salvage Job in Brighton
The owners of #25 have decided to rebuild, but before they do ReHouse went in to salvage what we could. This is the (mostly visual) story of what we saved from this 1960s Brighton home.
The rosettes in the corners of the front door frame really have roses on them. We were able to get them out beautifully. These are 9.5″ square and $23 each.
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Some great outdoor lights in the front and rear of the home. Right photo: sturdy wrought iron carriage lantern style in 2 sizes. 7x13x8 (quantity 1, $40) or 9x18x12 (quantity 2, $80 each).
Double sliding patio doors with full windows on each side. The frame for this is one very big piece. The 2 doors and 2 windows all fit in the one frame. It is about 16 feet long and about 7 feet high.
Darius and Jacob carry them out to the truck one at a time where David is waiting to help load and stow them carefully.
Throughout the house there is nice top nail hardwoods. We salvaged as much as we had time to remove and load. Soon it will be denailed, measured, bundled, and priced at $2.25 per square foot.
The small mud room had built in cubbies and coat racks for easy storage of coats, boots, gardening supplies, dog leashes, and more. I couldn’t fit in the mud room to take photos of the deconstruction but I could look in through the window opening. This piece has not been put back together yet, but let us know if you are interested in it. It measures approximately 95.75w x 95h. It could be shorter if you did not use the toe kick or the top molding.
Each of the 2 bathrooms had stylish, next-to-new vanities. The first is dark grey with 4 drawers and one center door, all with chrome knobs, Moen faucet, Quartz top with under-mount white ceramic sink, and matching backsplashes on rear and right side. 43x36x22. $395
The second bathroom vanity is dark coffee color, 4 drawers with glass knobs, 1 lower shelf, and tan stone like top with white under-mount sink and brushed nickel faucet. 36x34x21. $355.
The homeowners are saving the beautiful kitchen cabinets and appliances for their new home.
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Here is what was left when we got there. We are so glad that everything in the kitchen will be reused.
A few more interior spaces: cubbies, built-ins, cedar closets, hardware salvaging, and the creepy basement (there was no electricity and it was dark) with a lot of shelves for all your preserves.
Some fun and interesting exterior shots. It was strange to be in a house with no actual windows.
Decorating like a Maine Airbnb
Every summer we take our kids to Maine to visit my parents who spend their summers there. They live in the quintessential Maine town with a general store, a post office, a library, and not a single traffic light. Within 10 minutes you can see a Civil War era coastal defense fort, at least one lighthouse, and a Maine State Park beach. My parents live on one of the small dirt driveways off the main road that are marked “Private Drive” in a house designed by my step-brother. It is just the right size for two so we always spend our nights somewhere else. There are cabins nearby, in the forest or on the beachfront, a great campground on a private island, and even a few well-known chain hotels in the larger town of Bath about 15 minutes north. We have gone the way of cabins and campgrounds in prior years but this time wanted a little more home-comfort.
Emily, a co-worker at ReHouse, suggested Airbnb, a website and app that allows homeowners to rent out space to travelers. This can range from a room with a bed to an entire home, and she has found their prices to be very reasonable. I gave it a try and found just the right place for our family, Historic Greek Revival with a Kick, at the south end of Bath. I knew the space would be great by the number of fantastic reviews and Alice’s Superhost status, but I was unprepared for the actual decor and atmosphere of the place. It reminded me of all the projects that ReHouse customers dream of. That is why I am telling you about it. I know you will love it as much as I do.
Visitors stay in the front half of the house, and Alice’s family lives in the back half. You enter into a long narrow room with stone floors, unique hooks to hang your hats and coats, a bench covered in animal hide, and the first signs of architectural salvage. A small antique crystal and silver chandelier hangs from the bead-board ceiling, and I wonder if it is original, a reproduction, or whether Alice has made it from a silver candy dish and loose crystals found at a flea market. A salvaged door header painted white tops a frameless mirror which hangs over a small table that could be made from a single kitchen cabinet with a marble counter and found furniture legs. On this sits a simple display of glass bottles in a short wooden crate, perhaps once used for local blueberries.
An antique secretary’s desk is a perfect hiding place for outdoor essentials or to set your keys on as you walk in the door. The interior door still has its original bell which the visitor would “Turn and Release” as instructed on the front.
The small kitchen has everything you need tucked behind a narrow island built of weathered natural barn wood. This is reflected in the grey washed wood accent wall nearby. This wall sports a few wood shelves held by cast iron brackets. Below is a sturdy wood crate painted cream attached to the wall by its base. This creates 2 more shelves to hold your coffee maker and all your coffee making essentials. It feels beachy and transitions perfectly from the browns of the entryway to the greys of the dining room beyond.
The dining room is bright and light. The table seats 4-5 with 2 chairs painted cream and built in benches with storage underneath. The tops of the benches are dark stained wood which is simple but effective. On the left wall storage is created with 4 base cabinets that match the bench bases and topped with grey washed wood. This antique half-circle window is the feature accent with an elegant arrangement of candle holders and glass balls with the look of antique silvered mirrors sitting in a cream ceramic bowl.
How clever is this little display at the bottom of the stairs? It is a narrow piece of weathered wood on some simple brackets. On the shelf is an antique dresser mirror in its original harp. I never thought of putting one of these on anything but a dresser!
At the top of the stairs there is an inviting little space with a leather loveseat and crystal table lamp. The bead board on the walls mirrors the planks on the “barn doors” at the other end of the hall. I started thinking about making over my own ugly sliding closet doors like this. That shouldn’t be too hard. Should it? Alice also incorporated two divided lite windows, one to hide a pipe and the other as a display case for some old area newspaper clippings. The unexpected piece that I just love here is the baby or doll cradle with a cozy blanket and small throw pillow.
Here is an example of the simple yet sophisticated lighting found throughout the house. This ceiling is small and not overpowering. When turned on it sparkles and sends light dancing around the room just like the one in the above photo.
One of the best parts about Alice’s house for us was that is has 3 bedrooms. That means my kids didn’t have to share a room let alone a bed. You can’t go anywhere and get 3 bedrooms for such a great price. You can see photos of the whole rooms on the Airbnb site, but I want to feature some of the vignettes that we could easily make using items in the store. One little side table has an arrangement of bottles and candles on it but check out the dresser scarf; it’s a vintage money bag from a bank. I bet you could use one of these flour sacks for the same type of eclectic feel.
flour sacks for dresser scarves – $10
In another bedroom there is another one of Alice’s signature narrow shelves. This one has a doll tricycle and an antique certificate from the Board of Examiners in Optometry. Again, so simple but intriguing. If you can’t find a certificate like this one we have one from Calvin Coolidge confirming a man to the position of Postmaster in Pittsford.
framed ephemera – $100
Another lovely arrangement with bead board behind it mixes the new with the old. Tall candle holders, an accent lamp and a small cabinet create an appealing trio. On closer inspection the cabinet it is a lot like the vintage wood medicine cabinets that we often have in the store.
wood medicine cabinet – $165
How about this for wall art? This is a piece of antique tin ceiling with its original chipping paint and rough edges. Mounted in front is a small wrought iron display shelf holding dirty old terracotta pots. Can you believe I just used the words chipping, rough, dirty, and old to describe such fantastic decor?
These pieces really made me think about how difficult it must be to fill space when you aren’t using personal photographs or mementos which most of us do in our own homes. The decor we love in magazines and on vacation doesn’t usually have these things. I wonder if it is harder to decorate with those things or without them. What do you think?
Whatever your thoughts, you can decorate like Alice too. Here is your shopping list for you next trip to ReHouse if you want to try her style. These specific items are in stock as of 8.15.18, but we may have similar items at any time. See you soon, and don’t be afraid of old and chipping for your next decorating project.
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