Lovely words Susie, thank you. The "plaque" is beautiful, a wonderful sentiment.
My favourite view is from my seat at the kitchen table looking at the dresser. It's stuffed full of "memories"; pieces of china I've had since I was a child; a glass engraved with my initial that my father gave me when I was a teenager ; silver spoons he brought back from India in the 50's; the list goes on.....
The whole house is very shabby and needs a major overhaul. All four parents had Dementia, my poor Mum at 94 has had Alzheimer's for 15 years and is still with us. Caring and travelling long distances to do so, takes it's toll on your time.
Yes I would love a beautifully decorated home and a tidy garden but you have to make the best of what life throws at you and sometimes circumstances have positive outcomes in different ways.
My daughter was born when I was nearly 41, an amazing surpise, 6 months later my Dad was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia, the first parent to be diagnosed, followed by my mother, father in law and mother in law. My daughter has grown up in difficult circumstances , when she was 8 she had what she described as her "funeral" dress. However she has become the most compassionate, caring and kind person and is wonderful with "older" people.
What lovely words from you too, Ruth. I'm delighted you enjoyed my piece and thank you for your long response - I love your rambling as it tells me so much about you! Dressers are great for displaying those all important collections of china and, as you say, they often hold great memories and have stories attached to each piece. It sounds like you've had a pretty tough time, to put it mildly, and have had to have many priorities over and above your home for quite a few years. How wonderful to have a daughter when it sounds like you had a long wait, I had my girls at 41 too - somehow makes them seem all the more precious. So dad your daughter had to have a "funeral" dress, but lovely that she has grown up to be great around older people. Isn't it so lovely when we can be proud of our children?
Where do I start? I love the interior of our sitting room , soon to be the snug ( small extension about to start ). We have kept the colours neutral to let the dark furniture contrast . From my parent’s 1930s semi and my great grandparent’s country estate came a succession of family pieces throughout our married life culminating in clearing the final pieces instructed by my father from his nursing home bed some two years ago.
Mum had to quietly contend with family pieces all her life and you can imagine just how eclectic that would looking in a 3 bed semi.
Before she died she asked us to look for something larger and older . Shortly after her death we moved to a part 1650 cottage overlooking Dartmoor. 26 years later we now are custodians of 6 family portraits dating from 1700.
Cautious not to overload our home, we’ve kept things simple - ammonite Farrow and Ball or Skimming stone. Daringly this spring I experimented with Lick Blue 2 as a statement wall with pale grey in the study ( about to be incorporated into the garden room) and love how the gilt frames sing against it.
Why keep? Memories - stories of those who have gone before and shaped us or allowed us the lifestyle we have. I’m forever grateful. X
Lovely to hear about your home Ruth. Your cottage and its position sound wonderful .How special to be looking after such old paintings - no doubt Beth has been warned that she will need to become their guardian at some point? Oh yes, we must keep these things because of their memories. and make sure we pass on their stories to our children.
I kinow what you mean, Susy, about replicating the same colours when redecorating. After 10 years I have just had redecorated my kitchen and back sitting room – the one I call the Red Room because it has a red woodburner, red sofa and accessories – but no one would notice the difference because I have chosen almost identical colours – albeit paint even more expensive than Farrow and Ball, by Ty- Mawr Lime. The sitting room that was Dimity and Slipper Satin is now Ivory and White Linen and looks exactly the same – but I know that everything is fresh and clean, after all he paintigs etc were taken down, cobwebs swept away, and walls washed. The kitchen cupboards were Fired Earth something light blue and are now Ty-Mawr Lime Chalkhill Blue, which goes well with the terracotta tiled floor. I did think I should have been more adventurous, but now having read your essay I feel justified in sticking with what I liked, and what took a lot of decision-making, 10 years ago.
Glad to hear I'm not alone in this, Kitty. You've reminded me how I fretted over what colours to choose for my home in the first place and, when it was finished how much I liked it. So you are absolutely right, why change them now when I still find them so pleasing? Hadn't heard of Ty-Mawr Lime paints - I'm assuming they're Welsh?
What a fantastic newsletter. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I have a few favorite views in my 1965 modern house in the USA. It has interior brick walls on the long sides of the house and a corner elevated fireplace for starters. My current favorite view is out the window of a second floor bedroom that looks straight into the tree branches. It is like being in a tree house when the leaves are fully out. It also overlooks the never used stone patio of my neighbors who are dear friends. It's a scene of peace.
Fascinating to hear about your home in the US, Lynne. Thanks for getting in touch. I am always interested in other people's homes and how they decorate them. And I know exactly what you mean about your view into the tree branches. We have the same kind of view into a huge cherry tree at the back of the house. When its laden with blossom and I look out the window, it feels like I'm sitting on one of the branches or in a tree house - magical. Yes, feeling peace at home, is so important.
You're right. Ty-Mawr Lime is a Welsh business in Brecon, mainly producing eco-friendly building materials such as hemp plaster and limewash. They also a good range of paints and I was persuaded to try them by my new neighbour who has transformed the house next door in the greenest of the green. Useful info from him in what does and doesn't work in an old Victorian property.
Lovely words Susie, thank you. The "plaque" is beautiful, a wonderful sentiment.
My favourite view is from my seat at the kitchen table looking at the dresser. It's stuffed full of "memories"; pieces of china I've had since I was a child; a glass engraved with my initial that my father gave me when I was a teenager ; silver spoons he brought back from India in the 50's; the list goes on.....
The whole house is very shabby and needs a major overhaul. All four parents had Dementia, my poor Mum at 94 has had Alzheimer's for 15 years and is still with us. Caring and travelling long distances to do so, takes it's toll on your time.
Yes I would love a beautifully decorated home and a tidy garden but you have to make the best of what life throws at you and sometimes circumstances have positive outcomes in different ways.
My daughter was born when I was nearly 41, an amazing surpise, 6 months later my Dad was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia, the first parent to be diagnosed, followed by my mother, father in law and mother in law. My daughter has grown up in difficult circumstances , when she was 8 she had what she described as her "funeral" dress. However she has become the most compassionate, caring and kind person and is wonderful with "older" people.
The decorating can wait.
Sorry for the rambling.
You're a role model for us all.
What lovely words from you too, Ruth. I'm delighted you enjoyed my piece and thank you for your long response - I love your rambling as it tells me so much about you! Dressers are great for displaying those all important collections of china and, as you say, they often hold great memories and have stories attached to each piece. It sounds like you've had a pretty tough time, to put it mildly, and have had to have many priorities over and above your home for quite a few years. How wonderful to have a daughter when it sounds like you had a long wait, I had my girls at 41 too - somehow makes them seem all the more precious. So dad your daughter had to have a "funeral" dress, but lovely that she has grown up to be great around older people. Isn't it so lovely when we can be proud of our children?
Beautiful Susie .
Where do I start? I love the interior of our sitting room , soon to be the snug ( small extension about to start ). We have kept the colours neutral to let the dark furniture contrast . From my parent’s 1930s semi and my great grandparent’s country estate came a succession of family pieces throughout our married life culminating in clearing the final pieces instructed by my father from his nursing home bed some two years ago.
Mum had to quietly contend with family pieces all her life and you can imagine just how eclectic that would looking in a 3 bed semi.
Before she died she asked us to look for something larger and older . Shortly after her death we moved to a part 1650 cottage overlooking Dartmoor. 26 years later we now are custodians of 6 family portraits dating from 1700.
Cautious not to overload our home, we’ve kept things simple - ammonite Farrow and Ball or Skimming stone. Daringly this spring I experimented with Lick Blue 2 as a statement wall with pale grey in the study ( about to be incorporated into the garden room) and love how the gilt frames sing against it.
Why keep? Memories - stories of those who have gone before and shaped us or allowed us the lifestyle we have. I’m forever grateful. X
Lovely to hear about your home Ruth. Your cottage and its position sound wonderful .How special to be looking after such old paintings - no doubt Beth has been warned that she will need to become their guardian at some point? Oh yes, we must keep these things because of their memories. and make sure we pass on their stories to our children.
I kinow what you mean, Susy, about replicating the same colours when redecorating. After 10 years I have just had redecorated my kitchen and back sitting room – the one I call the Red Room because it has a red woodburner, red sofa and accessories – but no one would notice the difference because I have chosen almost identical colours – albeit paint even more expensive than Farrow and Ball, by Ty- Mawr Lime. The sitting room that was Dimity and Slipper Satin is now Ivory and White Linen and looks exactly the same – but I know that everything is fresh and clean, after all he paintigs etc were taken down, cobwebs swept away, and walls washed. The kitchen cupboards were Fired Earth something light blue and are now Ty-Mawr Lime Chalkhill Blue, which goes well with the terracotta tiled floor. I did think I should have been more adventurous, but now having read your essay I feel justified in sticking with what I liked, and what took a lot of decision-making, 10 years ago.
Glad to hear I'm not alone in this, Kitty. You've reminded me how I fretted over what colours to choose for my home in the first place and, when it was finished how much I liked it. So you are absolutely right, why change them now when I still find them so pleasing? Hadn't heard of Ty-Mawr Lime paints - I'm assuming they're Welsh?
What a fantastic newsletter. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I have a few favorite views in my 1965 modern house in the USA. It has interior brick walls on the long sides of the house and a corner elevated fireplace for starters. My current favorite view is out the window of a second floor bedroom that looks straight into the tree branches. It is like being in a tree house when the leaves are fully out. It also overlooks the never used stone patio of my neighbors who are dear friends. It's a scene of peace.
Fascinating to hear about your home in the US, Lynne. Thanks for getting in touch. I am always interested in other people's homes and how they decorate them. And I know exactly what you mean about your view into the tree branches. We have the same kind of view into a huge cherry tree at the back of the house. When its laden with blossom and I look out the window, it feels like I'm sitting on one of the branches or in a tree house - magical. Yes, feeling peace at home, is so important.
You're right. Ty-Mawr Lime is a Welsh business in Brecon, mainly producing eco-friendly building materials such as hemp plaster and limewash. They also a good range of paints and I was persuaded to try them by my new neighbour who has transformed the house next door in the greenest of the green. Useful info from him in what does and doesn't work in an old Victorian property.