Marcia's House

Marcia's living room.

My friend Marcia should have been an interior decorator----well actually she is when it comes to her own house.  She has such an eye for color and for interesting artwork (her daughter is an artist and much of the artwork is that of her daughter.) And there's absolutely no clutter--a place for everything and everything in its place.

I was over there the other day when we were planning a morning out and while she finished getting ready I asked her if I could take photos and do a blog on their house.  Here's the result.

The living room is open and full of natural light.  The focal point is a lovely fireplace with a mantle anchoring the antique mirror from her grandmother.  The mantle is adorned with Marcia's ram (She graduated from UNC.) spray painted gold by Marcia and decorated by daughter Vanessa. 

Lovely fireplace. 

Marcia's grandmother's mirror.

Marcia's Ram with decorations by daughter Vanessa.

I love the bold blues and reds in the color scheme of the living room.  Notice how the accent pieces display these colors, from the blues in the glassware to the red cushions and red and blue throw.

A pop of color from the pretty blue glassware.

Accent pillows and throw.

Gold bowl (a Christmas gift from Vanessa) on the coffee table.

This pretty gold bowl (A Christmas gift this year from Vanessa) on the coffee table complements the colors in the area carpet. 

Marcia enjoying her living room.

Perhaps my favorite room though is the dining room.  I especially like the bright blue walls that provide a perfect background for the sofa and for the dining room table.  The sofa is from her grandmother, and she covered it and the dining room chair seats in a lovely multi-colored pattern with a pale yellow background.

This beautiful dining room sofa  is my favorite piece of Marcia's..  Notice too how the drapes blend in with the sofa fabric. 

The painting by Vanessa at the end of the dining table provides a colorful contrast with the walls. 

Finally in the warm and welcoming breakfast nook and kitchen there are lots of yellows. And on the fridge among the requisite family photos is a picture of daughter Vanessa and granddaughter Chloe.

Cabinet in the breakfast nook.

Open storage in the kitchen.  I especially like the little row of yellow bowls.  What a nice accent.

Photo of daughter Vanessa and granddaughter Chloe among the photos on the fridge. 

Doesn't Marcia's house look like something out of House Beautiful? 

Corner Table Out, Counter In

Small table in corner of our kitchen. 

When we renovated our kitchen a few years ago, we saved a corner for a small table at which we could eat if we didn't want to eat in the dining room.  And for a while it served us quite well.  However, I found myself short on counter space.  When my knee surgery was approaching I thought it would be easier to have the option of eating at a counter top height than the small table ( I wouldn't have to bend my knee so much in the early days of recuperating from the knee replacement.)

We arranged for our friend Steve to build in a corner counter in early January so it would be ready when I was recovering from my knee surgery.  In late December I purchased two counter height stools that I liked and that would work with the new counter. 

I found these counter height stools at Pier One Imports.  They are quite comfortable.

Steve built the "foundation' for the counter, and we located a company, Countercraft in Youngsville, NC, that could match our Gibraltar counter tops in the rest of the kitchen.  They did a beautiful job. 

Our new corner counter.

I can use this counter as my baking corner.  I plan to store the mixer, which is quite heavy, on  the counter.  It's difficult for me to carry it back and forth from the shelf in the pantry where it usually "lives".  I've ordered a pretty cover for it, and the mixer will be there when I need it.  As one ages, it is necessary to make adjustments of how things are done.

Mixer stored in corner of counter.

I've ordered this cover for the mixer.

I will use this counter as a baking center.

When not using it as a baking center, it makes a great place to have breakfast, or any meal for that matter.  To get into the dining room, there is one step down.  When I was first recovering it was hard to make that step, so I could just eat in the kitchen.

Counter set for breakfast.

The little table has for now found a new place at the end of the dining room/sunroom.  Eventually we may end up giving it to one of the grands when they move into a place of their own.

Table moved to end of dining room.

Yes, I  believe we are going to enjoy our new corner counter.