For The Love of a House

I am thrilled to have Joan of For the Love of a House here to guest post today. I can't recall exactly when it was, but I would say it was sometime either last summer or fall that I first ran across her beautiful blog. Immediately I fell in love with it as she lives in a beautiful farmhouse in New Hampshire that she and her husband, Dan, have been renovating. I am from New Hampshire and most of my family still lives there. In fact, when I read her blog I often get horribly homesick.

I already enjoyed her blog, but then in January she did this post on her kitchen and I really have no words to say how much I became smitten. It is hands-down my all time favorite kitchen that I have seen in any magazine or on any blog.

And then last month she did this post revealing her master bathroom. 

I think you can see now why I love her blog and her style.

If you think her home looks like it is straight out of a magazine, well you are right. It is going to be! Right now it they are having a photoshoot and are going to be featured in Renovation Style !

****************************************


I was honored when Jennifer asked me to do a guest-post!  I live in Jennifer's home state of New Hampshire, moving here from Texas three years ago.  My husband, Dan, and I bought an unloved antique farmhouse and have spent the last two and a half years making it our home.   Jennifer grew up in a beautiful part of New Hampshire, about 40 minutes west of me-  in a region that has some of the most gorgeous sunsets you have ever seen!

Jennifer's recent post on her gorgeous porch made me think of porches, and porches make me think of Summer!  So, I thought I would share my porches in honor of Summer!
Our farmhouse has three porches:  a small front porch, a back porch off of the kitchen and an upstairs porch off of the master bedroom!  We use them all on a daily basis for different things.

An afternoon snack of watermelon on the front porch!  Doesn't get too much more Summer than this for me!

This photo shows with back and the upstairs porch, one atop the other.

the steps up the back porch

the french doors open into the kitchen dining area

When I originally bought the iron table at an estate sale years ago it came with four iron chairs.  It was a lot of iron!  After watching one of my favorite movies, "Father of the Bride" (the new version with the dreamy house!) I noticed she had an iron table with wicker chairs in the back yard-  voila!!  I love the combination as it softened the overall look and the chairs are much more comfortable than the iron ones that came with the table.    The pillows are down-filled; being natural they actually weather great outside!   And, at only $25 a pair (from Homegoods)...  I couldn't have handmade them for less. I can't tell you how luxurious it is to have down-pillows outside!

A pair of black rocking chairs let us rest while doing yard work and house projects!

Our always helpful pound-pup Ella!

This table is the ultimate in high-low decorating!

The iron table base we picked up curbside for free while "junking" in Dallas. It was originally an old garbage can holder.... yes, I said garbage can holder!!, and it moved with us to New Hampshire! The antique marble top was found at a wonderful shop in Maine!  Antique copper tub under the table is filled with Japanese fishing floats and copper floats.  A pair of antique Chinese vases sit outside all season! The antique French iron fountain is filled with "conks," aka "tree fungus"!! 

This is the upstairs porch off of the master bedroom.

This porch grants us amazing sky views all day. The evening sky off of this upstairs porch is a thing of beauty! This porch is usually the porch-of-choice for an evening cocktail!

An English rain-barrel (a dolly tub) serves as a table base.

Distant view facing northeast.

View from porch rail.

The floorboards on all the porches are mahogany, and have been left to age naturally to a soft weathered-gray.

Fern in zinc pot.

Iron orb.

The zinc pot was a curbside find in Dallas! Dan made the orb from old, discarded wine barrel rings!

French doors to the master bedroom.

Vintage wire garden basket filled with old Japanese fishing floats.

 The ceilings on all of the porches are painted sky-blue. It is historic to do so, and I've read it was thought to keep bugs away, or that it would keep bad spirits away... both please!.  Throw pillows are burlap, which also weathers extremely well outdoors.

My fingers are crossed that I get to meet Jennifer and the sweet-peas when they come to New Hampshire for a visit this Summer!

So, Cheers to you and here's wishing you a happy, relaxing Summer! 

***********************************

As soon as we can get Lorelei healthy we will be heading to New Hampshire to spend the rest of the summer and I am hoping I will get a chance to stop by Joan's and say hello and see her gorgeous home in person! Be sure to head of over to her blog and check it out. Be prepared to stay a while!