I love Fred

 Don't worry my husband is down with Fred too. This  is our  Fred.

I will soon regain my status as Virginia resident.

It excites me.

It thrills me beyond belief to be in the state of my birth and upbringing.

Hannah and Silas Burke lived in what is now the "wilds of Northern Virginia". Silas was my great great something grandfather. I am hating losing that war. This land is $$$$$$ !

This is old Fredericksburg, Virginia.

For the city folks to the North  I can only advise you to ignore the signs that say "Thar be Dragons Beyond".

In Freder icksburg you'll find a real old fashioned pharmacy with a counter serving real vanilla Coke. There are antique and vintage stores at every price point (often low) and every level of collector including the most discerning.

I only hope I can make something of new constuction that is worthy of Spotsylvania's (county) history.

And its looks like I'll be doing it in this house.

 Advice is welcome.

 Pics to follow after closing.

I wish I was in the land of cotton,

Old times there are not forgotten...

 

Look away, look away..

Mrs. Bubble

As I struggle to figure out how I will give new construction a soul, I am thinking about vintage bathrooms. The Necco wafer colored tiles and fixtures remind me of my childhood and houses I've visited.

There is something about the colors and thoughtful patterns that, however tacky, feel homey.

They can be oh-so garish.

Or have crisp black and white tiles that never lie about being clean.

 

 

The library of whimsical pattern is huge.

This one needs a bit of help to sparkle but I love the pink and green. Notice the arch above the tub.

Kitschy, kitschy, cute.

This new bathroom lacks the  personality of the funky vintage ones. Builders build and sell what people will buy and people buy what is affordable. It still leaves me cold and it may turn out to be my bathroom in the near future.





What would make you this happy? Vintage in color or

black and white?

Or do you like the brand new?







To gallery or not

Gallery walls are everywhere.

Including my house.

My grandmother always had a gallery wall or two full of family portraits throughout the generations and I guess I took my cues from her but used a variety of art instead.

Many prefer symetry in arrangement, size, and identical frames.

For some choosing like frames and mat is enough to unify the group.

There is also another school of thought...

Groupnig pieces that allow their dissimilarities to create interest and

letting the visual weight of each contribute to the compostion.

I am a fan of galleries on staircases whether or not they have matching frames and mats.

What sort of gallery do you have/prefer or do you just loathe them?

Tasty dining rooms

This fabulous Belgian look is big right now.  I'm a sucker for silk taffeta like those drapes.

This American colonial look is a classic but hardly 

a hot trend. I really like the classic look. I do think that the blue on the walls is more suited to a room in which you might want to relax, like a TV room or bedroom.

My ideal dining room is on my mind because I do not have a formal table and chairs. Instead I have a French country looking thing that will be my everyday spot once I move.

I'd really like something like this Duncan Phyfe style pedestal table. I love satinwood banding around this one.

The overall look that the room will have is the thing I'm thinking about. Again, I love the classicism here but the walls are hurting me.

Walls hurt, hate the crown molding color. Love the chairs.

I don't really want a creampuff.

I like this but I think it is more casual than I want. The lamps on the sideboard are something I need to keep in mind.

This is lovely. I think the stripe on the chair that goes side to side is clever and of course I must have silk taffeta drapes. Pink? I just think the boys in my house would protest.

This is the breakfast room ( as opposed to the very formal and very green dining room)at George Washington's Mount Vernon. It is getting to closer to the look for me. The huntboard is a must-have.

Close too. Love the blue and white yet I equate that with something more casual.

This Miles Redd room has the drama I'm looking for, just not in green.

Totally '80s window treatment!

More '80s. The rug is too small in this room.

Love the RED!!!! Add my fox hunt prints and I think this is it, but no fringe please.

Check out this post on Willowbrook Park about red dining rooms. The dining room at Althorp really captures the English country house look that I want to emulate.















Other homes I can't afford (but love)

This 635 acre Farm in Alblemarle County (pronounced alb-marl), Virginia, near Charlottesville, is listed for a mere $17 million.

If you enjoy wine and...

and bucolic drives this might be your next home.

This cozy eating area is far from ostentatious as is...

this multipurpose room with a view.

If a smaller budget is in your picture, Crozet, just west of Charlottesville holds this...

magnificent retreat.

This four bedroom home on 121 acres is listed at 2.7 million and looks perfect to me.

Of course, I would prefer something in my original hometown Alexandria , Virginia.

This is the poolside view of the Potomac River near George Washington's Mount Vernon.

If you prefer city dwelling in Alexandria this would be a great pick and a favorite of mine since I used to live in historic Old Town.

 

The tree lined, bricked streets along the Potomac River are just south of Washington D.C.

This house has all the Southern charm one could ask for. Note the potrait of Robert E. Lee, an Alexandria native and one of my ancestors.