European Farmhouse Charm

It's Official,Our Own Little Barnhouse in the Country!

2013-05-16T22:59:00.000-07:00

We closed escrow a few weeks ago on our country property! While this little barn house is in need of a serious makeover, the 21.5 acres it sits on is in a quaint little valley surrounded by family owned vineyards.

And I'm sharing the first "before" photo
I can't wait to tear down that street light thing :)

This will be our "family compound". A place for our family to hang out on weekends and holidays.
We plan to renovate this little house and eventually build a European style farmhouse on the other
side of the property. We also have young adult children who enjoy wine as much as we do so we plan to plant a small family vineyard and try some wine making of our own. Why not...when in Rome right?

We have our own little country lane that leads to a large vineyard behind our property. Our dogs love it as much as we do!

We are surrounded by beautiful, picturesque vines.

We have huge heritage oaks...

and many manzanita groves.

The majority of the property remains undeveloped, so we have a lot of work to do here.

While we'll have to call in some professionals to trim and cut many of the tall oaks around the property, Tom and our son tackled some of the branches around the house to improve the views.

And while I've been gathering inspiration for the barn house makeover, Tom has been shopping for one of these!

He bought an older tractor like this one- and OMG was this a serious mission!

We hope to have many happy adventures here and look forward to sharing this big project with you.

Take Care and thanks for reading me.

Progress! Our Den Makeover....

2013-04-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

We are nearing completion on our den makeover. Tom installed the beams and coated the walls and ceiling in our favorite limestone plaster...

The photos really don't do the plaster justice..... the variations of color add such texture and depth to the space.

The chandelier and portrait were antique store finds.

I am also making over a pair of danish lounge chairs that I plan to use in the den. I painted the wood in several layers of gray and white and plan to have them reupholstered in an oatmeal colored linen and canvas.

The chairs were a craigslist find I bought a year ago. I'm crazy about the art deco details and
can't wait to see them covered in the linen and canvas.

We're moving on to the bathroom makeover project we started.....will post about the progress soon!
Have a great week!

Barnhouse Envy!

2013-03-16T12:24:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say I'm back after a nice break- but since I've been busy working my tail off, I'll just say-the past several weeks have been very busy around our little house. Beams were installed in our den and Tom is busy plastering, so as of this writing we are surrounded by drywall dust and plaster!!

In bit of a whirlwind trip we found ourselves making a offer to buy some acreage in a small rural community surrounded by vineyards. Fingers crossed it all works out for us! Naturally it has an old little home that needs renovating (yay!) and ever since I have been experiencing such Barnhouse Envy!!

My favorite is from Heritage Barns
I love the mix of stone and old barn wood. It's perfect together.

Photo from Heritage Barns

I think I'm drawn to the simplicity of some of these barn homes. It provides so many possibilities-my little renovating wheels are already turning!
The red barn wood is so vintage country. Very cute.

Photo Matt Wargo Architectual Digest

I sure love the rustic vibe of the salvaged barn wood used on this little beauty! Sigh....

Photo William Waldron Architecual Digest

and I'm even envisioning some interior color schemes for a cute little barn house. I love the use of the gray barn wood in this bedroom. It provides a more modern country look.


Photo from Pinterest

I absolutely love the spread in Country Living magazine on Actors Corbin Bernsen and Amanda Pays home.

I would love to try the painted barn wood cabinets in a kitchen.

Photo: Max Kim-Bee

or even better in a little bathroom. I'm so loving this whole look!

Photo Max Kim- Bee

So keep fingers crossed for us and hopefully we'll have our next renovation project in the hopper! But for now we need to focus on finishing our current projects and cleaning the plaster mess off all my wood floors!

Have a great weekend!

A Sweet Nursery For Mason

2013-01-30T22:33:00.000-08:00

I have had the best and most welcome diversion recently. I just finished decorating a nursery for our very first and very new little grandson. My daughter chose a theme of jungle animals with brown, orange and green tones so to keep the room looking soft, I opted for neutral walls, linen and canvas window coverings, and a crib and dresser with a distressed driftwood type finish. Soft, Simple and Sweet was the goal.

The wall decal was a fun way to add some color without hanging anything too bulky over the crib.

The dresser and changing area

I added a few vintage toys in the play area

and simple unframed canvas art on the wall.

The existing closet doors were unattractive so we popped them off and hung canvas curtains. It also makes the space very functional.

Shelving was added to make the most of all of the storage space-an absolute necessity for all those baby things!

But the best part is the sweet little boy who now occupies this room! Welcome little Mason! XO!

A few Antique finds and we're in "Demo" mode again!

2013-01-13T20:13:00.000-08:00

Now that the holidays and family gatherings are behind us, it was time to get into that all too familiar "demolition mode" and start renovating our guest bathroom and our den. I'll share photos as we progress on both rooms, but first-I wanted to share a few finds I scored recently while antiquing.

I found the perfect piece to anchor my bathroom remodel. This sweet little pine cabinet with marble top will
serve as the base for a vessel sink.

I'm a sucker for aged pine and the intricate detail, marble top and large storage in the base make it perfect for a sink base.

I found this pair of oil paintings- not certain where I will use yet, but I couldn't resist them.

They reminded me of some of the charming older homes that dot our Pebble Beach coastline.

I snagged a small chandelier to hang in our den. I will likely remove the crystal droplets when we hang it-I just prefer chandeliers without them

and last but not least, this small dresser for our guest studio. It initially had some chippy yellow paint that I sanded down, white washed and finished with a few coats of wax. It will be perfect when we have guests staying with us!

So I'll leave you now with a photo of a before shot of our guest bath remodel. When I dashed out of the house yesterday with a to do list a mile long- I asked Tom to snap a few before pics once he removed all the "stuff" but before he started the actual demo. This is what I found on the camera when I got home....

yes, I'm still laughing! There are a few other pics I think I can salvage and I snapped a few more. I look forward to sharing them as we progress on these projects. Thanks for reading and happy new year!!

Christmas At Our Home!

2012-12-15T21:58:00.000-08:00

Sending out some Christmas cheer, European Farmhouse Style! I hope you enjoy our holiday decor!

Our courtyard maintains it's natural elements with just a pop of red.

One of my favorite natural elements is driftwood. Since we are walking distance to the beach we have plenty of it available. I use it year round. These muscle baskets hold driftwood all year long, but at Christmas, I add a tiny tree with a few lights.

My wisteria vines have only a few leaves left so we wrap the arbor with some fresh green garland.

Come on in.....our use of natural elements is carried through the inside of our home as well

I chose the Silver Tip tree for it's airy look and it's muted "silvery" green tones. It was perfect in this old olive bucket.

I used natural wood elements, clear bulbs and chandelier droplets as ornaments. I went shopping for some vintage toys this year and could not resist the Tonka fire truck and teddy bear. They will make a great gift
for a special little one.

I LOVE the little Scandinavian ornaments from Splendid Willow Avenue. They add just the right amount of red to my natural decor!

I also added a tiny counter top tree in the kitchen

and found some cool vintage ornaments for decoration. The deer are actually made of paper mache and wax. I found them at a local antique mall.

I hung a few small wreaths on the old iron windows, and added lots of greenery

pine cones

and more driftwood!! It"s so beautiful with the green garland

Even the doors get a few sprays of green

The table centerpiece also gets a bit of lavender-my personal favorite!

I added some greenery to my hutch this year. It looks so pretty against the silver and china.

A view from the kitchen.....

My little shadow...Macy. She thinks it's time for dinner :)!

I incorporate natural and garden elements into my decor all year round for a calm and comfortable feel.

Thank you for reading and our sincerest wishes to all for a happy holiday season!

We always appreciate your comments too!

Our Pantry & Laundry Room Makeover

2012-11-25T22:36:00.000-08:00

We spent the long Thanksgiving weekend putting the final touches on our pantry and laundry room area.

This room has been half way finished for many months and now it was finally time to finish it off.

Our pantry and laundry area is located right off the kitchen.....just beyond the arch.

Just to the left, is an old french shop cabinet I keep linens and things in. I refinished it by scraping at least three coats of paint off of it,before freshening it up with a neutral color.

We recently inherited many pieces that belonged to Tom's Mother, Grandmother and Auntie who were of Swedish heritage. I mixed a few of the favorites with some of the rustic wooden pieces we found in France.

The blue and white clock belonged to his grandparents. His Aunt and Uncle (now in their 80's) remember this clock hanging above their kitchen table when they were kids. Far too many pretty pieces to keep stored in a box!

and to the right is the laundry area.

We salvaged the handmade tiles from the old kitchen in this house before we renovated. They were so unique I wanted to use them again somewhere.

We decided to use salvaged barn wood for the countertop and the shelves in this area. Tom found another great resource for salvaged barn wood.

We took a short trip to visit American Barn and Wood to check out their inventory.

They had a great selection of barn wood complete with the age, photos and history of the old barns.

The countertop in our laundry area is made from oak floor planks from this old barn..."The Hudsonville Barn" an 1870's beauty from Hudsonville, Michigan.

We also bought wood for a few other projects from this old barn out of Indiana. It's so cool to actually see photos of the barns and to learn about how they were used.

A great resource for anyone looking for authentic old beams or barnwood!

Tom securing our handpicked timbers for the ride home!

Hope you enjoyed the tour and thank you for following along!!

Our Guest Studio Renovation!!

2012-10-21T22:50:00.002-07:00

The last several weeks have been crazy busy at work and with as many projects going on at home, We simply don't have enough hours in the day to do all we need to do! Despite the craziness, we have managed to put most of the finishing touches on our guest studio renovation.

This is the kitchenette decorated with many of the items we bought while brocante hunting in France. We love using the Travertine mini slabs rather than a full slab. It gives the look of a chunky antique stone and is a very inexpensive alternative.

Rather than tear out the existing lower cabinet, Tom took the doors off and re-framed it with Hardy backer board so he could plaster over it. The walls and the cabinet get a coat of pink primer to prep before applying the limestone plaster.

Tom made the shelves from the same recycled oak barnwood as the closet. They are beautiful, but why didn't I remember to dust them off before taking this photo:)??

The super comfortable new bed

and the beautiful gray board timbers in the ceiling......Exquisite!

This Pediment is inset into the limestone plaster above the bed. The wood and this plaster are perfect together! I had not seen many of these until I came upon a stack of while shopping the gardens of Atelier de Campagne. I instantly knew this is how I would use it!

The cozy little eating nook...

and the completely renovated bathroom.

The bathroom countertop is made from antique terra cotta pavers. I love the way it turned out!

Tom did the same on this original cabinet...took the doors off, reframed and plastered it.

I still have a bit of accessorizing in the bathroom and we are waiting for the shower enclosure and some plumbing fixtures to come in. Tom tiled the shower in beige travertine.

And just for fun, here is a before photo of the studio....that wallpaper was really awful!

and the after!

Another project almost done!! I'll share the patio and garden shots in another post.

Take Care,

Sarah

Container Sale Sunday With The Boys from Atelier de Campagne

2012-09-23T18:20:00.000-07:00

If there was ever a doubt that making a trip to container sale weekend at Atelier de Campagne was worthy, please take my word for it.....YES, YES, YES!!

Lucky for me the boys from Atelier and their beautifully arranged and staged garden is a short drive from my home. Within about an hour, I can completely immerse myself in their fabulous french garden finds.

I especially enjoy wandering the grounds taking in every vignette. There is so much to see that I can make several rounds and spot something new each time.

Like this little beauty above! This might have gone home with me, but I don't have a tree branch low enough in my courtyard to hang it.

Urns and ferns....the perfect combination.

The greenery of the garden is the perfect backdrop for all the statuary.

A new showroom in the garden was beautifully staged with tables, case goods and beautiful mirrors.

I loved this spanish table. The natural wood finish was perfection!

More hanging beauties.....

and a large selection of wicker baskets.

Very cool industrial metal pieces and signage.

I'm convinced they can make anything look spectacular!

If you ever want to shop between their bi-annual container sales, you can contact them directly to schedule an appointment to shop in their garden mid-week. I've done this many times, even under Trino's umbrella in the rain...and I promise you, it's just as much fun:)!!

It's always a pleasure to visit and chat with this talented trio...I'm only sorry I wasn't able to hang around for some of Martin's famous mexican cuisine. All I can say is "rain check" please?!

aka the boys from Atelier, Trino, Martin & Johan

Thanks as always for the hospitality boys and congratulations on another successful container sale weekend!
We'll see you again soon:).

Our stay at a Beautiful Chateau in Normandy

2012-09-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

During our four fabulous days brocante hunting with Sharon Santoni of My French Country Home, our group stayed at her friends Chateau nearby.

Chateau d'Emalleville is a beautiful 15th century manor that was rebuilt in 1720 and located in the Normandy region. It has guest rooms available for use, is close to brocante shops and charming little villages and proved to be a wonderful base for our brocante tour.

This was our view each and every morning!

The rooms were charming and each was filled with a variety of beautiful french furnishings. We stayed in this wing. I can't believe I didn't take any shots of the interior rooms to share!

And each morning, we could walk out and catch beautiful vistas from any direction.

The Pigeonniere was darling and located next to the private salon and dining area where we had breakfast each morning.

The gardens were lovely and the weather was so warm it encouraged you to explore the grounds

and stroll down every path

You simply could not take a bad photo here. The vines were so beautiful and covered many of the brick structures on the grounds.

The rose gardens were in full bloom

The orchards were lovely

The pear espaliers were spectacular and my personal favorite.

and the pears were delicious too!

It also includes a private tennis court

and a swimming pool in the middle of the orchard, which is covered when it is not in use as you see in the photo here.

And a very cool 19th century renovated greenhouse.

The chateau is open all year, the guest rooms were reasonably priced and it was an amazing experience all the way around. It is a short train ride from Paris (about 1 hour), so very easy to navigate. We were very pleased with the accommodations and would absolutely stay here again. To be quite honest, we could have stayed longer and explored more villages and the beaches of Normandy...but we already had plans to spend several days in Paris, so I guess we'll have to come back and pick up where we left off!

For contact and more detailed information on Chateau d'Emalleville click here.

We truly enjoyed our time here and are even more inspired and enchanted with the French countryside!

I always enjoy reading your comments and would love to know what you think of the chateau. Thanks for reading me!

Take Care,

Brocante Hunting in The French Countryside

2012-09-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

It has been an absolute whirlwind of a vacation, but in the best possible way! We just spent 4 glorious days brocante hunting in Normandy with Sharon Santoni of the blog, My French Country Home and are heading to Paris for a few days of relaxation and sleeping in!

We went in search of unique treasures to fill our European Farmhouse and were delighted with the weather, the scenery, the beautiful chateau where we stayed (chateau detail to follow in future post) and all the loot we managed to find throughout the village fairs and brocante shops.

Garden inspiration was everywhere

We were thrilled with our pile of goods and can't wait to get them back home. If only the packing was as much fun as the shopping!

Tom even managed to find himself a new project! Those beautiful pieces of iron are bench legs and at some point he plans to fashion old pieces of wood to re-create the bench seat. They are exquisite!

Beautiful scenery was at every turn.

And the trip concluded with a fantastic dinner hosted by Sharon at her beautiful french country home. In case any of you are wondering if the home is as beautiful in person as it is on her blog....I can honestly say, YES, it is all that and more!

Gibson posing for me before dinner:)

and Ghetto was the sweetest little character:)

The weather was perfect for dining outside

But first we took a tour of her guest cottage....

It was filled with french country charm!

Sharon was the most gracious hostess and dinner at her home was the perfect way to end our time in Normandy. She has a beautiful and generous spirit and it was an absolute pleasure to spend time with her. We enjoyed every minute of our adventure! Merci Sharon! xo

And to the colorful cast of characters that we were lucky enough to meet up with in the van pool each day....thank you for the comedic relief:)!! It should last a good long while, but we hope to stay in touch and rendevous again somewhere down the road!! Till then happy hunting!

Take Care,

A Sneak Peak at our Guest Studio Renovation

2012-08-15T21:24:00.000-07:00

We're making great progress inside our cozy little guest studio so I thought I would give you a sneak peak of a few of the highlights

Even Coachie is excited to sneak a peak!

When we visited Vintage Timberworks to buy wood for our garage door makeover, we also

picked out some barnwood for a few other projects.

Tom loves working with wood, so when I decided to go with a french country design in the guest studio, he wanted to add a few extra special touches.

This is one....

He made a closet door from the timbers. The barnwood timbers are oak and after a light sanding with my orbital sander (the only power tool I know how to use!) the beauty of the oak really came through.

I applied a light coat of wax after sanding to help restore lustre and shine. I love the richness of the oak grain.

Another special touch....

Gray board ceiling timbers and limestone plaster walls

And some beautiful French Brocante!

We are taking a few days off from renovating, but this project is really coming along!

The Beautiful Patina of 80 year old Grape Stake Fencing

2012-08-11T19:18:00.000-07:00

A cottage or European farmhouse look would not be complete without some type of rustic fencing.
When thinking about fencing for our home, we loved the thought of using old recycled grape stakes to add instant patina and charm.

We loved the looks below....

The bench built into this fence was quite clever!

Most grape stakes today are made of cedar and will gray over time as in many of the photos above, but we really loved the slightly darker patina of the old redwood grape stake for our home. Redwood grape stakes are no longer made but are often recycled and resold.

Tom went searching and found a raisin farmer that was changing out his 80 year old grape stakes for a more popular metal stake to use in his vineyards.

Two truck and trailer loads later.....we had stacks of them!

We love the color and texture. Many of the old stakes are in 4 or 5 foot lengths only, so in areas where we wanted a taller fence or gate, Tom had to get a little creative with his design.

He cut, stacked and nailed them together to create taller fencing.....

and a few gates.

The design is so unique!

The patina of the garden elements add just the right pop of color against brown/gray of the grape stakes. Both copper elements are original to our home and used to grace the prior owners garden gates in our back garden.

Our courtyard fencing was made using the 4 foot lengths.

We also used the stakes to create an arbor at the front entry. Our wisteria vines have lots of nooks and crannies to grow around.

We are very happy with the look. A combination of sustainable and beautiful!

By the way, we have made great progress in our guest studio renovation and are almost ready to reveal, so stay tuned!

Take care,

Casanova Style...A Little Slice of European Heaven

2012-07-31T21:52:00.001-07:00

I was introduced to the "Casanova Style" 25 years ago when a friend of mine suggested we get together and meet for lunch. It left a lasting impression. Casanova simply encompasses all the things I find beautiful and charming and it's European ambiance has been a constant source of inspiration.

Casanova is a restaurant and local landmark in Carmel by The Sea and I'm delighted to show you around one of my favorite places on the Monterey peninsula.

The design is a blend of the founders family farm house in Belgium and the original character of the old residence that it once was.

Its European charm beckons anyone strolling by to go inside for a closer look

The intoxicating scent of locally grown lavender on the path to the front door. It smells as beautiful as it looks.

And whether you dine on the porch

the outside garden

the fountain courtyard

or one of their charming dining rooms, its sure to make a lasting impression.

Great attention was given to every detail. Even their serving stations are beautiful!

The garden elements add to the overall ambiance

This wrought iron gate sent me searching for something similar for our guest studio's private patio. I found an iron screen from France that will add the perfect European touch.

Two of my favorite things to order....

a latte.... I love that they serve it in a latte bowl. So European isn't it?

and a dessert called "Chocolate Nougatine". Chocolate lovers.... this is divine!!

They even have "Van Gogh's Table", the table at which Vincent Van Gogh ate his daily meals while boarding at the Auberge Ravoux in Auvers Sur-Oise, France on display in it's own little nook.

Casanova is the perfect place for lunching with girlfriends or a romantic dinner. If you are ever visiting our beautiful area, you simply must go and experience it's charm.


More restaurant information here

I hope you enjoyed my introduction to Casanova, our little slice of European heaven here on the Monterey peninsula.

Take care,

Tom's Rustic Fireplace Surround

2012-07-26T06:43:00.000-07:00

I love beautiful fireplace surrounds and am particularly fond of antique limestone. While seeking inspiration for our living room fireplace, I found many reproduction limestone surrounds that I would have been happy with.....unfortunately most were not within the budget.

So I gathered photos of the ones I liked and reviewed it with Tom to see if we could create or substitute something with a similar look but stay within budget. I love a good challenge but I really had to ~~convince~~ beg Tom to give this one a try.

This is what I really wanted!!

From the book The French Touch by Jan de Luz, Photography by Tom O'Neal
Jan de Luz has a wonderful store in Carmel Valley, CA and a linen shop in Carmel by the Sea
www.jandeluz.com

And this is what I was working with!

This is a photo of our original living room wall with existing fireplace. It doesn't require much creativity to get beyond this! We first built the surround, then framed in a new wall to cover the existing white brick. And when I say "we", I really mean Tom!

In a previous home renovation, we had fireplace surrounds made from a cement based product so I asked Tom to try and make a mold similar to the style I liked and distress the finish to make it look a bit ruddy.....like old stone.

It took some convincing but he was willing to give it a try.
He first measured and built a wood mold for each piece of the surround. After cement was poured and had cured, he would assemble the pieces, attach and grout in place. All the cement pieces were also reinforced with rebar to maintain strength and prevent cracking.

This photo is of the mold for the very top piece of the fireplace. Cement is smoothed into place in the mold and after a few days when cured, the mold is removed around the piece.

He made a few practice pours to get the texture right. Rock salt mixed with a little sand was sprinkled into the molds first (this created the ruddy texture on the face of the pieces), then cement was poured over it. Once cement cured, he released from mold. All the individual pieces were then ready to assemble and build the surround.

Assembling and attaching pieces to existing wall....

and grouting....

A close up of the texture the rock salt and sand left in the cement. The cement also has varied colors throughout. I think that gives it more of an aged look don't you think?

We originally thought we might use some of the limestone plaster we were using on the wall to do a light finish over the cement as in the Jan de Luz photo, but the more we looked at it, the more we liked the the original gray.

Here's an after shot

and another....

By the way, this was very inexpensive to make. All supplies plus cement cost around $300.00 (yes that's three hundred) vs. the least expensive reproduction limestone I found at $4500.00.

But the fact that he made it because I really really wanted it........Priceless!!

Take care,

The Story Of Our House

2012-07-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

In 2009 Tom and I sold our family home that we had previously renovated and downsized to a smaller home. We were suddenly empty-nesters and were excited about starting a new project. We scoured several areas looking for the right project and found it less than a mile from our previous home here in Pebble Beach.

To say this little house lacked curb appeal was an absolute understatement. The exterior was hidden under a coat of dark brown paint and the old iron windows were painted with bright turquoise trim. Yikes!!

But with years of home remodeling under our belt, we learned long ago to look past the cosmetic things we knew we could change. Once inside, it was love at first sight! This house had a soul and character, and as we would later learn, a charming story. All of that and a short walk to the beach....perfect!!

We purchased from the original owners who designed and built it as their retirement home back in 1968. They were now both deceased and the family was selling the home. They even gave us all the original house plans. I display a few in our dining area inside a turquoise pot left behind in the backyard. I love the whole connection to this home's past!

The design was very unique, it looked much older and resembled a small cottage or farmhouse complete with steep roof and tall iron windows. We loved meeting some of the family and learning more about the prior owners (Mr. and Mrs. G). We believe Mr. G's French Canadian heritage might explain some of the unique features in the architecture, but many of the decorative elements were all Mrs. G. Together they created the soul and the story of this little house and provided the inspiration for our design, European Farmhouse. And now.....we continue the story. You can see more before and after photos here

We are remodeling every inch of this house inside and out, and are about halfway done. We do the work ourselves so while it can take a bit more time to complete these projects, it's definitely a labor of love. While searching for design inspiration online, I got hooked on design and home decor blogs. We have been remodeling homes for over 30 years and unless you were a family member, friends or our local Realtor, you wouldn't necessarily know of all our creative pursuits. Well not anymore! This blog was created to share our projects and adventures while renovating and highlight the beautiful Monterey peninsula communities we call home. We hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading!

Take care,

My Recycled Front Door Makeover

2012-07-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

I liken a front door on a home to a great piece of jewelry and an outfit...it can add the perfect finishing touch. The original front door to our home was quite dated and had a stained glass insert. While I love old doors, this one didn't have any interesting lines that would give me the european look I wanted. So I saved the stained glass insert for possible use in a garden shed and went shopping for a recycled door.

Here's a photo of our original door. This was taken right before we moved in

I found a recycled door at a contractors supply store. I thought it looked a bit french with it's large arched shape window. The only problem was the outside glass was a textured plexiglass...think 1970's, Ugh!

We had the plexiglass replaced with clear glass and I got out my Annie Sloan paint!!

With the door hung, I went about mixing a few colors to try out on the door pediment. The pediment is actually original to the home and was one of the few things I liked about the entrance area. I planned to paint the door and the pediment the same color for a nice unified look

I used a two-colored distressed method I learned at an Annie Sloan paint workshop and was pleased with the color. I used Paris Grey and Duck Egg Blue and it turned into a beautiful distressed shade of turquoise

The exterior of our home is a color coat stucco, called "Pebblestone", and this turquoise color complemented it beautifully.

Here is the finished product!

I plan to have a curtain made to hang on the inside window to complete the look.

Now that I'm happy with the front door......my focus is on that ugly door just to the right. It happens to be a closet for the furnace and why it's there is beyond me.... but I am already planning to make it over with some of the beautiful gray board we used to reface our garage door. You can see the post on my garage makeover here.

Another project down.....many more still to go :) Thanks for reading!

Take care,

A few Before & After photos of our house

2012-07-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

Our House Before

Tom loves to remind me that this photo almost prevented me from scheduling an appointment to see the house. Zero curb appeal!

But this is what we envisioned when we saw the house in person :)

Our House After

Our detached guest studio and garage Before

Our detached guest studio and garage After

A few of our kitchen and dining area Before

Our kitchen and dining area After

Our Living Room Before

Our Living Room After

We're renovating the inside of our guest studio now and will post more before and after shots when it's done:).

Our Garage Door Makeover & A Trip To Vintage Timberworks

2012-07-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

When planning the renovation of the exterior of our home, we always intended on using some type of recycled timbers to re-face the garage door. So when the exterior was finally finished, we walked around Carmel by the Sea for a little inspiration. Here are a few of our favorite garage door styles:


Aren't these climbing roses gorgeous!

With inspiration in mind, Tom did some sleuthing and found a resource for recycled barn wood and gray board. We took a road trip to Vintage Timberworks in Temecula, CA. They supply old timbers for many different uses, but we focused only on the gray board we would need for the garage makeover and barn wood for a few other projects.

Their showroom looked like it belonged in Carmel by the Sea. No wonder we liked this place!

Beautiful beams, doors and floors are made from the vintage timbers.

The showroom was really beautiful, but it was time for us to catch a ride to the yard to pick out our timber. Someone actually picks you up in a golf cart and takes you out to the timber piles. I was so busy hanging on I couldn't take a photo!

They also have their own mill on site and can cut and customize timber and apply specific finishes to your liking. There are so many choices available. Tom was in heaven here!

These close up shots show the rustic detail of the gray board and the barn wood we were interested in. All of these old timbers are recycled from old barns and structures, many from the mid west and along the east coast, so they are very distressed and have such a beautiful rustic look.

Gray Board

Barn Wood

There are stacks of wood timbers available to choose from. We plan to use the barn wood on a few other projects and will use gray board only on the garage door.

Tom picking out some of our timbers.

and my favorite....the gray board! It was all so beautiful. We kept digging to find the most distressed pieces. These are some of the timbers we brought home. They are the most perfect shade of gray...really beautiful. I can think of several other projects where I will be using gray board.

Before we left, we had them cut these 2 inch gray boards in half, so they would be the perfect size to re-face the existing plywood on our original garage door.

and here is the finished project!

and our 19 year old cat "Raja"

Tom did a beautiful job. I wanted the door to look like it was two old doors, and I think he nailed it! No pun intended:)

a close up so you can see the rustic detail

A couple of wrought iron pulls complete the look

Just for fun... here are the before & after photos


Before


After

About Us!

2012-07-07T19:28:00.000-07:00

Tom and I have been buying homes to renovate, live in and eventually sell. We are true "do it yourselfers". I work on the designs and my seriously skilled husband does most of the work himself. We create what we love, which for the most part are spaces that are casual and rustic with a touch of European charm. We love the entire creative process associated with design, DIY projects and especially enjoy the salvage and antique excursions to find just the right pieces that can add character and soul to a home. Our current project is our home on the Monterey Peninsula in California. This little house inspired our design style- European Farmhouse, and this blog, where I share its story, along with our projects and adventures while renovating and creating our home.

We've been married for 32 years and have four grown children. Three daughters: Amy, identical twins Briana & Caitlin, and a son, Daniel. We live with two adorable yellow labs and one very old tabby cat.

We both have full time careers. I work as a 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange Specialist assisting Real Estate Investors, and Tom works in the legal field. On nights and weekends, we continue to renovate our home in our current design style-European Farmhouse.

Tom...(aka, the seriously skilled husband)


our sweet girl!

our very mischievous boy

and our very senior citizen, Raja