Welcome to the last day of 2016’s Spring Home Tours, hosted by the adorable Marty at A Stroll Thru Life! I’m so excited to be part of the tour this year. If you are coming over from Refresh Restyle, you have already enjoyed Debra’s beautifully elegant style.
I’m excited to welcome you to our home, which has taken on more of an eclectic Bohemian vibe in the last year or so.
First, though, a little background on our home.
We live in a newer house on property that has been in my family for five generations in the mountains of western North Carolina. It was my great grandfather’s summer home away from the heat of Hypoluxo, Florida. Some of the original structures are still here and house lots of treasures from the past. When the original victorian farmhouse was torn down, my grandfather painstakingly bundled and stored all the doors, windows, trim, stair treads, tongue and groove boards, and more, which we have been slowly restoring and adding to our house. Now when I refer to the “old house” you’ll know what I’m talking about:-) Most of my furniture, art and accessories have also been passed down and I have added to that with items from antique and thrift stores as well as our travels around the world. Every single thing means something, and that’s what makes it *home* for me.
Let’s start in the entry, which serves double duty as a music space.
This antique Harden settle was in the old house, then sold at some point. A sweet neighbor gifted it back to me on my birthday a couple years ago, and I couldn’t be happier to have it back home. It’s my first piece of Mission furniture, but it seems to blend nicely with everything else.
We’ll come back to the music space later, so for now let’s head to the living area.
Our living area is where we hang out and watch TV, which is more often than not a DVD of The Andy Griffith Show or I Love Lucy. Seriously. I would be perfectly happy living down the street from Andy or next door to Lucy and Ethel:-)
I am fearless when it comes to color and pattern, but I like them with a somewhat neutral background so things pop.
Obviously, I love pink these days. I also *love* my Turkish rugs, so I have layered a fuchsia overdyed Turkish rug, from the Unique Rug Store, over a jute rug so the size is big enough for the space. I love the look of layered rugs, and they really add texture and depth to the space.
My dad made the wagon wheel table years ago after a trip we took together to Montana to visit his relatives, and it will always be special and unique.
Windows from the old house are lined with sheet music, and not only fill up the corner, but make a great neutral backdrop. My grandmother painted the statue, which was originally a white mid-century lamp.
I have collected Native art for years, including the woven Nisqually basket from Washington, the Cherokee basket and a sculpture from a trip to Bolivia.
I also love Turkish kilim pillows and have layered these with some I made from antique Chinese silk and burlap.
The McCoy planters are favorite finds around the property.
The French couch was a steal for $50 and the chair was a $40 craigslist find.
One of my favorite pieces is my great grandmother’s chaise lounge. I *always* find a place for it, and have “modernized” it a bit with kilim pillows and a Native Thunderbird pattern throw. I love furniture on the diagonal, and this arrangement works well with my grandmother’s mid-century modern guitar pick table and a new modern chair. The radio is from the 1940s and the one my dad remembers listening to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s funeral on as a child. The swag lamp is a recent recycle from the 1970s.
This is my grandmother’s Forsythia, and she always called it “yellow bells.” This particular variety really does look like it has little yellow bells hanging down, and that reminds me of her.
The dining area has seen a lot of changes over time. The mid-century painting by my late Montana uncle, was the foundation for this room, and more Native pottery, cacti and a kilim rug used as a runner, add texture.
The door is an extra, left over from the upstairs bedrooms in the old house, and came with the number 2. Sometimes I hang art or plates there, but liked it plain.
One of my favorite kilim pillows is this pink one from the Kilim Pillow Store. They are so affordable, I can’t get enough. Plus, I love getting several made from the same kilim.
I made the dining table from wormy chestnut boards off one of the old houses here, and designed the base, which a local craftsman built.
The Berber Moroccan wool rug came fromRugsUSA and is another favorite of mine.
Next is our music space. My husband and I are musicians, and we have lots of gear and music, so this is really just a place for the baby grand to go, since all of our kids also play.
He built the corner cabinet out of a walnut tree my dad cut, then used wormy chestnut trim from the old house to finish it out.
I layered Turkish overdyed rugs in this room to help give the seriously formal aspects of the furniture a more laid-back Bohemian vibe. A 1970s record player from my childhood sits on the 1880s pump organ and gets lots of use.
Now let’s head on into the kitchen.
Our kitchen has also seen a lot of changes over the years, but mostly cosmetic ones as I have had to work with what I have.
We made the counters several years ago from antique wormy chestnut, and I could not be happier with how they have held up. I chose to use a floor grade Varathane instead of tung oil, or Waterlox like everyone else was using, and these look as good, or better than when we installed them. There are *no* water marks, stains, etc., that other finishes seem to get, and I still have the old store counter look I wanted.
I installed this piece of old trim on the front of my cabinetry to give the impression of a farmhouse sink. I also love my large stainless steel zero radius sink and am happy to have made that choice.
An Indian sari is simply draped over a rod to cover the cabinet opening, and a Turkish kilim runner provides the color inspiration for the room.
At the end of the cabinets, an inherited Indian tea table holds my working vintage phone and a few plants.
We also took down a section of cabinetry and replaced it with open shelving, which I love.
One of the first things I did was to replace the laundry/mud room door with a screen door from the old house. I ripped off the screen and attached hardware cloth and burlap, leaving the bottom open for air flow.
I love my colorful linens, and bought several of these striped towels when they were at Walmart last summer. The paisley towel came from World Market, and I made the feedsack towel.
Blue Ridge Pottery is a favorite of mine, and this Stanhome Ivy pattern was in my mom’s attic.
Of course, every now and then someone will sneak a bite of one of the props:-)
There are lots of things I would really like to change in here, but I think it’s important to love the space you have, and I’m happy with the direction this room has gone.
My girls share a room, and it got a French makeover a couple years ago, which you can see HERE.
Cristian’s room is still in progress, so we’ll just skip it:-)
Our master bedroom is last on the tour, and you can see it is a collection of antiques, vintage, and inherited items.
I restored the iron bed, found on the property, and my grandmother’s trunk sits at the foot covered with a Navajo blanket.
The beautifully handcrafted guitar and mandocello were made by local luthier, Bob Gernandt, and on loan to my husband who is making promotional videos for him.
In fact, let’s just be real about the guitar situation:-)
Moving right along…
…after crushing on a hot pink sequined Moroccan wedding blanket I saw online, I found this fabric and made my own.
The bed is always dressed in white linens, and I accessorize with whatever color I’m loving at the time, which is obviously pink:-)
I also love these rag rugs from India as they have just about every color imaginable and really add a global feel.
A piece of an Indian sari is draped across the antique mirror for a pop of bold color.
Most all of my art is inherited from talented family members.
These are the amazing doors from the old house that I restored and hung all through our house a couple years ago. Most were restored with the original rim lock sets, but a few had mortise locks.
I used an extra door to make a mantel for the bedroom with scraps of wood and trim.
The green 1960s sweater belonged to my mom and I love it with the pink kilim pillow on the modern chair.
I wanted something pretty simple for Spring, so I opted to use this Moroccan mirror I bought about 11 years ago at World Market. I wired the amber lantern I bought in Turkey when I could not find the right light for this space. It couldn’t have worked out better.
I added a couple pieces of Navajo pottery and a square white plate on top for height.
I hung a Cherokee corn bead necklace below the mantel.
Corn bead necklaces are made from the seeds of the corn bead plant, also called “Job’s tears.”
The gray color represents the sorrow of the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears in 1838, where a third of the Cherokees forced by the U. S. government to march in winter, died along the way to a reservation in Oklahoma. According to legend, where tears fell on the ground, a corn stalk-like plant sprouted producing seeds in the shape of tears. It’s a reminder of my mother’s heritage and ancestry here in western North Carolina.
That’s the end of the tour. Thanks so much for stopping by here, and a big thanks to Marty for hosting:-)
Now, head on over to Kelly’s gorgeous home at Talk of the House to continue the tour. If you missed anyone, you can catch them all here.
Monday – March 21
A Stroll Thru Life – Marty
Cuckoo4Design – Julia
Life on Virginia Street – Sarah
Thrifty and Chic – Alicia
Snazzy Little Things -Jeanette
Rain On A Tin Roof – Jenna
Tuesday – March 22
Making Home Base -Chelsea
Claire Brody Designs -Claire
Driven By Decor – Kris
Eleven Gables – Emily
Bliss @ Home – Kristin
Hymns & Verses – Doreen
Wednesday – March 23
Style Your Senses -Mallory
Our Southern Home – Christy
Simple Details – Pam
Decor To Adore – Laura
Monica Wants It – Monica
21 Rosemary Lane -Barbara
Thursday – March 24
Decorating Delirium – Jennifer
Simple Stylings – Summer
Remodelando La Casa – Cristina
Life Love Larson – Andrea
Our Fifth House -Carmel
No Minimalist Here – Sherry
Friday – March 25
Dimples & Tangles -Jennifer
Refresh Restyle – Debbie
Far Above Rubies -Anita
Talk Of The House – Kelly
Tidbits & Twine -Kim
It All Started With Paint – Linda
I’ll be joining:
Foodie Friday and Everything Else
beautiful, anita! i just love your use of textiles! can you tell me what kind of photog equipment you use- your photos are SO good!
Cassie, thank you so very much:-) You will laugh, but I still use a Canon Rebel T3, but I have tried to squeeze every ounce from it with work — like never shooting with ISO above 100 to reduce noise. I also use Canon lenses, a 50mm, a 17-40mm and a 20mm and Adobe Lightroom 5.7 for editing.
Wow, I just adore your unique and colorful style. It's refreshing to see something so different.
Oh thank you Julia very much!! I try to think outside a bit, and the things I have to work with here definitely keep things different:-)
You do such a great job mixing all your family's pieces in with new for a fresh look. Your pink is just perfect for spring! And I want your piano….what a beauty! I cannot believe you were at RAFB. We live just a few miles from there. We could have crossed paths! And I bet you performed for my father when he worked with the generals there. Such a small world!
Thanks Kelly!! Oh my goodness, we definitely could have crossed paths! I was there first from 92-94, then back at HQ AFRC 2003-2004, but I did the Warner Robins 4th of July several times and was TDY there a lot in between. My brother still lives there and we still have friends at Southside Baptist, where we went to church. Who is your Dad? Yes, small world for sure:-)
Your home is just beautiful! So many gorgeous details & history! 🙂 Linda
Thank you, Linda very much:-)
Anita I just love your vibrant use of color. The story of your great grandfathers house is so sweet and dear.
As a fellow spring tour participant I wanted to invite you to our linky party, Thoughts of Home on Thursday. Your tour is so fantastic that I would love for you to share it. We offer a giveaway chance very week for each participant. This week is a subscription to Southern Living. I hope you join in on our gathering.
Happy Easter to you and yours!
Thanks so much Laura, and thanks for the invite!
Love your style and use of color and pattern – you have a great eye and a gorgeous home! Have a wonderful Easter weekend. 🙂 Kim
Anita I absolutley adore your home and the history behind everything. Your love of family treasures is wonderful and the way you display them is so beautiful. I love, love, love your tour and thanks so much for joing us. This is a real treat.
Your home is just extraordinarily lovely. It is even more special to know that so much of it are family pieces. I had a great-aunt who never married and spent her life working with the Cherokee Indians in North Carolina. She was the one that marketed their baskets and wood carvings (among other things) that are now sold around the world. When she died, she was given a special burial by the tribe. Because of her life there, I have many pieces that are similar to your Native pieces. Ironically, we live in Oklahoma (where my great-aunt was originally from) and we have the pieces throughout our home to. I always tell people about them, and feel they represent the Cherokees from both North Carolina and now Oklahoma. Your home is a treat! Thanks for sharing.
Wow. I really love the rug and that nice rich color. It really is beautiful.
The beautiful saturated colors warms up the woods in your home. The collection of family and international furnishings is timeless aND stunning. But I think the stories are my favorite reading your blog. Have a Blessed Easter, Kathleen in Az
Gosh, I love your style…and all of the pink! So glad I found you via the Spring Home Tour 🙂
Your home is beautiful and your talent for mixing pieces and using color make me keep trying. Thank you for sharing your home. I have a love for western North Carolina in particular (attended WCU) and mountains in general.
I just loved being invited to tour your home. (Coming from the spring tour). I'm actually a bit teary, there's so much history here. My home is almost completely furnished from my own grandparents and dad. I sometimes refer to it as the museum, but it's really homey. Like yours, which has so much history, all in harmony and so lovely. I'm so impressed with your grandfather, and not a little jealous. 😉 what forethought!
Thank you again.
Your home tours never, ever disappoint! I love all the color, but how it's still cozy as well. I'm so jealous of your living room finds-I would love to find a couch & chair that look like that for less than $100!
xoxo, SS
The Southern Stylista
Wow, what a beautiful and eclectic home, I love it!
Tania
I love your home! The living area is a favorite of mine. I love how collected it is with all those pieces that really tell a story! Beautiful!
Just love how you have decorated your home into the chicest of Bohemian style!…..I love each and every room and has your personal style filled with family treasures. Loved the tour Anita!
Did you make your own countertop I'm the kitchen? If so, how did you go about it? I've been researching diy wood counters and need lots of direction.
Yes, BJ, there is a link above in the post with some detail, but I'll share it again here: anitafaraboverubies.com/2013/08/choosing-right-finish-and-going-for-it.html. There are also links within that post to the process. We did not do what most DIYers were doing with basic 2 x 4s, wood filler, etc., but really put thought into doing it right,and I am really pleased with how they have held up. Hope that helps:-)
Anita, your home is beautiful! You always do such an amazing job with your decor. Talented and gifted you are my friend. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Your house looks awesome Anita! I love the colors you use with the real wood!
Anita, your home is gorgeous! I just love reading about all the family pieces you have. . .so wonderful to see beloved heirlooms being handed down with a story to tell. The instruments caught my attention right away; one of our boys (who is no longer with us) played the mandolin, guitar, fiddle, banjo. . .just about anything stringed, and he performed for several years in Montana. We caught his enthusiasm for Bluegrass music, which is something we cherish. The mandocello is something he would have really loved to get his hands on! I'll have to check out your friend's website.
What a treat to see your special house in all its beauty at one time. I kind of knew the story about it but thank you for repeating it. The original old house was something, what a treasure to have even parts of it.
Love your home, with all the family furnishings and collections. I can see your own style oozing into the collection. The brilliant colors and textures you so love. Very eclectic and totally livable home. Wonderful tour Angie, Thanks, Sandi