Week two: the kitchen

I went away for the weekend, and when I came home, I walked in the door to discover my boyfriend had painted the kitchen… and didn’t even tell me!! BOYFRIEND OF THE YEAR!!! Yes.  I actually am the luckiest girl in the world.  It’s true. I love a 1950s-style kitchen.  As much as I would love to rip my kitchen apart and start over (who wouldn’t?!), the checkered floor and white cabinets — the whole “’50s-ness” of it — was a huge reason I fell in love with this house.  The walls were even originally painted the exact same shade… Read More

By Kerry | Filed under Old House | Tags: , ,

Week One: the bedroom

Right away we set out to paint the master bedroom.  It started the most boring possible (non)color — a flat beige.  That had to change immediately.  I decided on a really soft, warm grey.  Since I plan on painting the first floor with bright, rich colors, I want to keep the second floor spaces light and airy.  The paint is “Gravity” from Valspar, and I love it. Later I added some curtains from West Elm, and due to space limitations settled on some nightstands that actually are supposed to be bathroom cabinets (I left off the doors and the legs).… Read More

By Kerry | Filed under Old House | Tags: , ,

The first month

Is there anything more overwhelming and terrifying than buying your first house?  What about when that house is a 120-year-old 5-bedroom historic site that I bought all by myself?   EEEEEEEEK! Those first few days all I could think was, What have I gotten myself into?!  How do I make this place feel like me?  How do I combine my modern furniture with the antique pieces I’ve inherited from the last three generations of my family?  How do I turn a house into a home?  How many rooms can I paint pink without making my boyfriend run away?   Looking… Read More

By Kerry | Filed under Old House | Tags: