COTE DE TEXAS: A Night in the East End National Historical District

A Night in the East End National Historical District

 

 

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Last Friday in Galveston my sweet sister-in-law  Shannon  (you remember her from HERE) was invited for hor d'oeuvres in the East End by her friends and neighbors Shirley and Kirby.  They live up the road from Shannon in Chappell Hill, Texas in a to-die-for log cabin.  Now, make no mistake - this isn't  the kind of log cabin that once dotted the fruited plains of America - no, this log cabin is quite special, situated on several acres of rolling land overlooking a small lake.  Wanting a second home, several years ago Shirley and Kirby bought a run down, derelict, turn of the century, historic house in Galveston's East End.   After totally refurbishing it, taking it down to the studs and putting it back together as it once was, they now spend about a third of their time at the beach and the rest of their time in Chappell Hill.   If this all sounds vaguely familiar to you, you probably are a follower of Mary Emmerling's or an avid reader of Country Home magazine.    Some years ago, Mary, a friend of Shirley's,  sent  the Country Home crew to Chappell Hill and published a story on the beautiful log cabin.  After the beach house was completed, the magazine went to Galveston and wrote a story about that too.  And when Mary's latest book, Beach Cottages, came out, Shirley's East End house was included in it.

So, although I am quite  familiar with  the  Chappell Hill log house, and have been a visitor there, I have never been inside the Galveston home.  Of course,  knowing Shannon was going there for  drinks and a light dinner, I was determined to finagle a way to get invited too.    Shirley and Kirby graciously did extend the invitation to me, although they did so without realizing they were inviting a fervent member of the press corp!!!    Shirley has a wonderful sense of style - casual and comfortable, all slipcovers and linen, seagrass and antiques, and peeling, painted surfaces -- everything that I absolutely LOVE!     Knowing I was invited,  all I could think of was YOU, the reader, and how I could take pictures of the house without being a compete boor!    Thankfully, Shannon pre-warned Shirley that I would be snapping away for my blog and so on Friday - off we all went, me with my freshly blown-out frizzy beach hair wearing, what else, but white linen and dragging along my fully charged Canon camera. 

When we arrived at the East End home, all the window's outdoor shutters were closed tight to keep out the blazing summer sun, and the house was bathed in a low, dim, candle-lit light.  Perfect for the cocktail hour, but not exactly the kind of light I needed for good pictures!   It's hard to act nonchalant and snap away while you are   switching on ceiling lights and lamps.   But as embarrassing as it sounds, that's exactly what I did.  As the evening worn on and the sun was on the verge of setting, I grew more desperate for light and gave up any pretense or sense of decency as I turned up dimmers right in front of poor Shirley.   Shirley is a typical Southern Belle, born and raised in the deep south, her drawl and softly spoken words give her heritage away.   She's too much of a lady to let on her true thoughts, but  I'm sure she regretted ever inviting me and I'm surprised I didn't get kicked out on my ample fat behind, clinging to my  camera! 

All in all it was a wonderful evening with great wine and delicious food (not that I can actually remember any of it as I was far too preoccupied worrying about my next shot).    Shirley and Kirby are gracious hosts and enjoy giving tours of their house  and I eagerly ate it all up.    After all the anticipation, the house did not disappoint, in fact, it was more wonderful in person than I had presumed.  Shirley updated the house and designed its interiors totally on her own, and it's hard to imagine that any professional would have done a better  job.  For more (and far superior!!!!) professional photographs and great descriptions of the rooms, be sure to pick up Mary Emmerling's Beach Cottage.   For now, enjoy my ill-gotten pictures, slightly out of focus and with all the poor lighting:

 

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The East End National Historical District home, two stories, raised above ground level.  The double porches wrap around one side of the home.

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To the right of the front door, you can plainly see the bottom level.  As Shirley and Kirby are both tall, the ground floor is used only for storage - there isn't enough clearance inside for their height. 

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The front porch with it's old peeling wicker, is a perfect place for morning coffee and the newspaper.  This corner of the street was once a social gathering spot, according to the book, Galveston Architecture Guidebook.   Here, you can get a good view of the working shutters which in the summer, most homes keep tightly shut  against the oppressive heat.  All the original shutters were missing when the house was purchased, so Shirley and Kirby have spent considerable time and effort replacing them pair by pair with antiques.  Only a few windows are still missing their replacements.

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This plaque is from the Galveston Historical Foundation marking the house's stint on the annual Galveston Historic Homes Tour.  Because this house was built shortly after the Great Storm, it does not have the "Survivor" plaque that so many other homes in the neighborhood do.

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Upon entering the front door,  you are greeted by a large, wide center hall that runs the length of the house.   A seagrass runner covers the hall's floor.  You can just barely see the stairwell to the right in the middle of the hall.  On the left, is the small reception area, while the front parlor is on the immediate right.  Transoms are over each doorway.

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When you enter the front door, immediately to your left is the open area reception room.  A small love seat is upholstered in linen, as is most of the furniture in the house.  A large wicker trunk doubles as a coffee table.  The light is low and diffused caused by the closed shutters.

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To the right of the love seat, is a painted, peeling, antique cabinet with an antique mirror above it.  Seagrass covers the floor.

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The Front Parlor, directly on the right when entering the front door.  A small loveseat is slipcovered in linen, as is a larger tuxedo styled sofa.  Skirted tables in linen  flank each side of the sofa.  The only pattern in the room comes from the pillows and the throws.  The walls are painted a rich color (Flax by Sherwin Williams) which adds to the small room's cozy feeling.  The lamps here and throughout most of the home have bases made of mercury glass.   The small, charming, beachy coffee table is a tray filled with sand and shells, topped with a piece of glass.   Fresh peach colored roses  and prints of shells complete the vignette around the skirted table.

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Next to the slipcovered sofa, a slipper chair, slipcovered in linen,  with a small footstool tufted with rosettes.  Houstonian Hien Lam did all the upholstering in the house and Washington County's Michelle Fritts made all the wonderful slipcovers.   A paisley shawl rests on the back of the slipper chair.

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Behind the slipper chair, there is a large print of a dog and a bamboo shelf which holds antique books and knick knacks.

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Across from the sofa, a large, painted bookshelf holds transferware, coral, and books.  Originally a bright yellow, Shirley painted the piece to fit in with the house's decor.  Two diminutive slipper chairs, slipcovered in linen, flank the bookshelf.

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The small slipper chair and a painted demilune table behind it finish the room's decor.  The wheat colored shades here and throughout the house were purchased at Pier One.

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A close up of the slipcovered love seat shows off Shirley's sense of style.  Rather than toss the shawl across the back, she chose to place it under the cushion - a look I plan to emulate (a fancy word for copy, an even fancier word for steal!)

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Further down the center hall, across from the stair hall, is the large dining room.  A round wood table easily seats six chairs, each wearing linen slips.  The chandelier, just out of view, is still festively decorated with Mardi Gras beads and Christmas balls. With its many windows, you can see how the closed  shutters cast a romantic, Southern atmosphere over the dining room.  The shutters let in just enough light so that the room is not gloomy in the least bit.   The walls are painted a soft gray-blue-green, Silver Sage, from  Restoration Hardware.

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The buffet table is skirted in linen, with an antique mirror above.  The lamps have  mercury glass bases.

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In one corner of the room is an original storage closet.  All the doors are original to the home, stripped of their stain to match the mood of the decor. 

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A pine armoire holds an assortment of decorative dishes, some of which were called into duty for dinner.

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At the end of the hall on the right, is the totally new kitchen.  All the appliances are stainless, and the walls are bead board up to the ceiling.

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Functional antiques are everywhere in the kitchen - here a store's scale hangs in the corner.

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The breakfast table is two small demilunes pushed together.  The wicker chairs are upholstered in linen and tufted with rosettes.  Behind the chair is the walk-in pantry with a linen curtain for its door.  The back door leads downstairs to the outside courtyard.

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At the end of the hall is the powder room, its floors were painted by Shirley in a diamond pattern.  The walls are original bead board. 

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At the stair hall, a bamboo shelf holds books and accessories.

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Upstairs, the entire floor is wall to wall seagrass!  My favorite!  The master bedroom continues the same color scheme as downstairs with lots of pine furniture and linen fabrics.    Curtains made of burlap cover the windows.

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The upholstered headboard in burlap.  Notice the trim on the lampshade matches the trim on the shams.

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A linen slipcovered vanity table with a wicker chair.  The lamp has a mercury glass base. 

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A close up of the master bedroom's pine armoire with its French laundry basket on top.

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The red painted guest room with twin iron beds, dressed in linen.   The nightstand is an antique chest.

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The second guest room has a pair of newly installed closets, lined in linen. 

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A close up of the vanity table with its linen slip and antique mirror, along with its modern day mirror!

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The bathroom upstairs has an antique tub with a wrap around shower curtain.  The walls are beadboard that is original to the house.

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An upstairs TV room with its painted hardwood floor. 

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I've only read about these, never actually seen one, but the TV room boasts a window that doubles as a door to the front porch!   The window is original to the house and Shirley and Kirby lower their heads each time to pass through the window to the outside.

 

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Looking down on the front yard with its blooming hot pink crepe myrtles and birds of paradise plants.  My handsome nephew, Wills Webb, waves to us.  He is wearing his camouflage outfit, newly bought at Galveston's famous Col. Bubbie's    While Wills thought he looked ready for war in his new outfit, we actually thought he looked ready do some maintenance work.    Ssshhh - don't tell him!

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My so, so, sweet, adorable mother in law on the left and Shirley, the pretty and talented homeowner on the right - hanging out on the second floor porch.

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The terrier Lilly, knows how to maneuver through the window/door quite easily. 

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This house is right across the street and is visible from the upstairs porch.  It's a Texas Historical Landmark, as seen by it's plaque outside the house and next to the front door.  It's also a survivor of the Great Storm, built in 1887.   The shape of the house plays up the corner lot, with the large, third story angled window.  The original house on this lot burned down in the fire of 1885.

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The back courtyard is made of bricks taken from the house's charcoal fireplace chimneys which were dismantled.  Gravel paths outline the brick patio.   The house to the right was built by the owner of Shirley and Kirby's house in 1906, according to the Galveston Architecture Guidebook.   Interestingly, the owners of this house are the children of Shirley's life long friend, something they didn't realize when they bought the house.  Since they are now all good friends, Shirley and Kirby have elected not to build a fence between the properties.

I hope you've enjoyed a tour inside a Victorian house in the  East End!!!  Be sure to read more about it in Mary Emmerling's new book Beach Cottages here.

74 comments :

  1. Good afternoon, Dear One. Well, again I have truly enjoyed the tour of this wonderful old Galveston home! I love the fact that is decorated in a more relaxed kind of way. Oh, by the way, the red brick house across the street has been on the Spring Home Tour before and I have graced the inside of it!! Woo Hoo!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  2. Oh my gosh Joni, you have done it again. This house is wonderful. I am in linen heaven! Every room is better than the last. Thank you so much to the home owners for sharing it. I think Galveston needs to put you on their tourist board. You have certainly shown us this city is a treasure. I will read this post many times!!

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  3. Joni, loved every minute of this tour. I never realized how much I adore linen. So many great touches in this house my favorite has to be the Christmas balls on the chandelier. I am going to go get some and put them on mine right now. Please thank Shirley for letting us all peek inside her lovely home. Hope you are drying out down there. It seems like you are having a great visit. By the way, how do you have so many friends of friends with friends (with great houses) every where you go?!? xoxo MB

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  4. Love this home! So beautiful and relaxed. What a talented lady. I'm so happy to see the use of burlap. I recently had burlap, down filled pillows made for my family room to soften a brown leather sofa and I love the way they came out. So many great ideals. I can't wait to buy this book. Again, thanks for the tour. Another great job!

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  5. Yes, please thank Shirley for sharing her house with all of your fans, who are now her fans, too!

    Glad the hurricane passed with very little damage.

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  6. MaryBeth- no I DON"T have friends everywhere!!! hahaha!!!! It just seems that way, maybe? thanks for the comment.

    Moira: I like burlap too - the beach house is really laid back and comfortable and linen just fits the bills.

    Sheila - was it all Victorian furniture inside? I'll bet it was!!!! Not the prettiest house to say the least!!!

    Dianne - thanks as ever, friend.
    JOni

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  7. Lovely home, with many wonderful touches. I'm curious, what was the item in the middle of the buffet table? It looked to be some sort of painted wicker doo-dad? Also, I loved the brown and white diamond painted powder room floor. And that decorated chandelier!

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  8. Oh thank you thank you Joni for going to so much trouble to take us on this magical tour and thank you thank you Shirley for graciously allowing Joni to do so.

    I enjoyed every step of the way. Linen, Seagrass and chippy paint are all in my daily vocabulary. Perfection!

    Anna :)

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  9. Love it! Full of personality.
    Ms. Emmerling sure has a way of picking them!
    Thanks for the tour!

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  10. This is so good!! And you were so good to put all that effort into taking these photos. Thanks for sharing all of this.

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  11. Hi Joni

    I wrote a rather long comment and was unable to post. I'll be less wordy this time!

    I love this home. I've been thinking about linen upholstered pieces, lately! I enjoyed my tour. Always a fan of Mary Emmerling, I'll look for Beach Cottages.

    Pat

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  12. Gorgeous, gorgeous. Before I read the text I had assumed this was one of your projects. The house does have the look of your touch.

    Especially liked the look of the blinds.

    I think you should think of running for the head of the Texas Tourist Board.

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  13. Thank you Joni! Thank you Shirley! A truly beautiful and stylish house- Love it!

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  14. A lovely house. It's clean and neat and 21st century in style, but the house retains its character and also looks comfortable to live in.

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  15. Yes, Please thank Shirley for bringing us along. I know that house and as soon as I saw it, I figured out it was across from the ______________house. And lo and behold you showed that house.

    The color scheme throughout is very relaxing. I love the Flax color! I had been wondering about using it, and now I know. The Ernst Haeckel engravings of marine life all around the house are just great, and look really good against the flax color.

    I see you got your fix of skirted tables of every variety.

    Finally, I have to say how much I love operable exterior shutters. They give a certain charm and help to cut down on the heat. All those tall ceilings whisked the heat right away from you. Great post as always. They have a beautiful home. Oh, and that bathroom is perfect!

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  16. Oh Joni! This was such a glorious tour. I have been away for awhile and catching up with you here. This tour just tickled me! I loved each room and everything about it all!
    Thank you for sharing it and thank Shirley for allowing us all to see this gem!

    Now I off to see what else I have missed!

    Love,
    Sue

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  17. I am just sitting here in awe! Thank you, and thank you to Shirley for allowing us these glimpses into her wonderful, lovely home. I felt like I was there! I got so many ideas and lots of inspiration, but one thing that really wow'ed me was the way the colorful throw was used on the one sofa. What a clever idea, I'm trying to think of how I can do this in my home!

    Thank you again, what a treat!!

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  18. how nice of your friend to let you take us on a tour! love getting to be an internet voyeur!

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  19. Always lovely to see your house tours. Amanda

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  20. Joni, it was great to see these beautiful Galveston homes! And it sure was nice of Shirley and Kirby to share their home with us. I love their loveseats--so cozy.

    BTW, glad Edouard petered out for the most part before he hit Texas :-)

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  21. What a great house! I love the seagrass, and the lovely porch! Thanks for sharing it!

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  22. Thank you for the house tour. It is WONDERFUL! My favorite things are: the shawl trick on the little sofa, the market scales in the kitchen, the chandelier in the dining room draped in balls and beads, and Lily - the Wire Fox Terrier-I have one, too!

    Thank you!!!

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  23. Oh what a wonderful house! The decor is so serene and peaceful, but not at all bland. I love the mercury glass lamps, and the bamboo bookshelves, and the wonderful painted floors. So beautiful! Thanks so much for the wonderful tour, Joni!
    xoxo,
    mary

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  24. So lovely, like something out of a magazine! Shirley has great taste.

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  25. This house is on my block and I've always wondered what it looks like inside--very nice post. Thanks!

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  26. Oops, that's my post right above. Forgot to enter my name. I don't want to be confused with other Anons!

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  27. Lovely tour Joni, this home looks so well done I can only imagine what shape it was in before!!

    ~Kate

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  28. What a beautiful home. I really want to go to Galveston now.

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  29. You continue to bring amazing design choices that are so full of heart and soul. Thanks to you, I am finding my 'inner' designer in the halls of east end Galveston coastal elegance and Oklahoma country French. Of all the designer blogs out there, none are as beautifully oriented toward the people who live there as the design that you present. Keep up the terrific work. I for one, am on the journey with you, soaking it all in!

    --Ann

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  30. wow. i had NO IDEA that galveston looked like this. holy smokes. what a gorgeous home. i LOVE that red guest room. thank you for the snoop. i'll be staring at this post for awhile.

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  31. What a beautiful house. I love the use of the natural materials: burlap, seagrass, linen. Thanks for the tour!

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  32. Beautiful home. Please thank your hosts for us. Almost moved to Galveston once. To a 1910 bank building with wonderful old architecture and only 4 semi-secret apartments the rest of the building is law offices I believe. Will never forget that place.

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  33. Joni, love all the burlap and linen, and the painted floors are wonderful. I'd love to try that, but I'm afraid!

    -Lana

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  34. I LOVE that house. It's simplicity and harmony of color and style is very appealing. This looks like a REAL house, not one of those staged jobs for magazines. It is full of interesting details but uncluttered by fake cutesy objects without purpose. I still shiver at chairs and tables covered up. Makes me wonder how ugly they are underneath their silly dresses ;-) but everything else is just right and the owner and her friend obviously fit in perfectly!

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  35. What a most wonderful, gorgeous, totally liveable house! I love it all. She has done a super job with it & it must be a dream house to live in. Love these old homes! Drool......

    rhoda

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  36. Joni,

    You never cease to amaze your readers! I have seen both of her houses in the magazine and they are among my many tear sheets. I particularly like the Galveston house with all the beige, taupe linen, burlap, beadboard, seagrass, painted floors, what's not to love? I almost forget the beautiful details on the slipcovers. I have wanted to recreate that buffet skirt since I saw it in the magazine.

    I'm glad your beach vacation did not get ruined by Edouard!!!!

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  37. Now you are just making me homesick....
    Thank you for sharing such lovely pictures. This house is just my taste- I love the fantastic antiques are quirky accents, the monochromatic upolstery. LOVE IT! I'm officially inspired.

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  38. Just scanned the pictures planning to come back later for details. Suddenly there was the photo of Mary......it brought tears to my eyes - she is just beautiful and still has that sweet smile I used to know!! wow. Your posts have been fabulous lately, as always.

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  39. Joni: Thank you so much for the tour. Lovely. Tell me about the bird prints in the red guest bedroom! I love them!

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  40. Joni,
    Thanks for letting us tag along to your invite.
    You had me rolling with laughter- showing up with your frizzy "beach" hair and worried about being thrown out on your "ample" behind!!It takes a confident, secure person to make fun of themselves, plus, to say it out loud for all to hear!
    Do any of these houses have air conditioning? If not, I'll bet those outside shutters barely put a dent in that summer heat!
    Thanks for sharing, Penny

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  41. Finally--French country that isn't trying too hard.

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  42. thanks for all your comments!!!!! I really SO wish you all would register with your email address so I could answer you personally - it gets too confusing and hard to answer the questions on the blog!!! Think about it - its so easy to register your email address. OK???? thanks~!!! in the meantime - thank you all SOOOOOOOO much!!!

    Shirley called me today and she had read the piece and likes it (I hope she was being truthful!!HA!) - so that made me feel really great.

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  43. I enjoyed the visit tremendously.
    The details are wonderful.

    One thing I would consider improving on is the fence and gate, which lacks the style and refinement the rest of the house house. The courtyard also could do with better landscaping/more plants ?

    But the inside of the house is a dream come true. Stylish and quaint and calm... just perfect!

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  44. You always speak so lovingly of your family - it's so sweet and they are lucky to have you.

    PS All that linen! I could learn a thing or two about becoming more refined for sure. sigh.

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  45. i really enjoyed it. what a nice blog with the tour of glorious home.
    Custom Seat Covers

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  46. What a TREAT! I've only been to TX once, a great weekend in Houston 20 years ago. So it's wonderful to tour it through your photos and commentary.

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  47. Wow, what a beautiful home! Thanks so much for being our *spy* and sharing these pictures and comments.

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  48. Hi Joni:
    Thanks for the lovely tour! I will indeed check out Mary's Beach Cottages - I've always been fan of hers!

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  49. Joni, I love your blog!!! This is the first time I am commenting but have been faithfully reading your posts for a few months.
    This house is just gorgeous! When looking at some of your photos, I realized that I must have seen this house in some of the magazine you mentioned because I have a few pages torn out from magazine of some of the rooms!
    I think that I might also be stealing their idea of painting the bathroom floor in the diamond pattern. Just love it!

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  50. Great tour. Some of these will go into my "virtual room file" for sure!

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  51. THANK YOU for your hard work! I think it would be very difficult to be a polite guest in that house-- I'd have to keep getting up from the meal, leaving the conversation so I could go peek around corners, open a door, stare at a vignette, contemplate a color... So I appreciate your sharing your visit with us. What a gorgeous place! It looks so effortless and comfortable, yet the details are so great-- love the rosettes on the cushions-- I've never seen that before. And the covered button closures on the slipcovered buffet. Wow-- how does that woman have a social life? I'd be an absolute hermit if I lived in that house! LOVED your post! THese are my favorites-- when you take pictures of people's houses (especially your own).
    Katie

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  52. THANK YOU for your hard work! I think it would be very difficult to be a polite guest in that house-- I'd have to keep getting up from the meal, leaving the conversation so I could go peek around corners, open a door, stare at a vignette, contemplate a color... So I appreciate your sharing your visit with us. What a gorgeous place! It looks so effortless and comfortable, yet the details are so great-- love the rosettes on the cushions-- I've never seen that before. And the covered button closures on the slipcovered buffet. Wow-- how does that woman have a social life? I'd be an absolute hermit if I lived in that house! LOVED your post! THese are my favorites-- when you take pictures of people's houses (especially your own).
    Katie

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  53. Shirley Fortenberry used to work for Herb Wells and has always had a great eye.She had a house in New Ulm ,Texas that was equally as impressive.
    She is a real talent. And I might add a really great person.

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  54. Oh - I didn't use her last name - oh well - it's in Mary's book. I knew she worked for a designer, but didn't know it was Wells - how wonderful - I'll have to ask her about that. She is such a great person - you are right!!! And what an eye - again, so right. She told me that night that she is really more of a foodie than a houseie - which I didn't realize. Shannon is a foodie too.

    Thanks so much!!
    JOni

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  55. Thank you for this lovely tour. All the linen, seagrass, burlap, soft cozy seating!! I just love it!! LOVE the mercury glass lamp bases! We don't have any good resources around here..I would love one for my front entry hall table/cabinet... Thanks again for another great post!!

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  56. Thank you for this lovely tour. All the linen, seagrass, burlap, soft cozy seating!! I just love it!! LOVE the mercury glass lamp bases! We don't have any good resources around here..I would love one for my front entry hall table/cabinet... Thanks again for another great post!!

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  57. Thank you for this lovely tour. All the linen, seagrass, burlap, soft cozy seating!! I just love it!! LOVE the mercury glass lamp bases! We don't have any good resources around here..I would love one for my front entry hall table/cabinet... Thanks again for another great post!!

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  58. Thank you for this lovely tour. All the linen, seagrass, burlap, soft cozy seating!! I just love it!! LOVE the mercury glass lamp bases! We don't have any good resources around here..I would love one for my front entry hall table/cabinet... Thanks again for another great post!!

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  59. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  60. What a beautiful blog you have! I just discovered it from a friend's blog. Thanks for sharing with us!
    If you want to check out a mother of two small children trying to live it up in southern Italy, check mine out at:
    http://carolineallensmith.blogspot.com/

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  61. Wonderful tour Joni...thank you. Loved the neutrals and texture of the fabrics. Of course I was eyeballing the pine and faux bamboo rather hard - soft spot for those and the dog picture too. The high ceilings are something I miss here in New England...they give homes great scale and character.

    Beautiful markings on Lilly - a Fox wire terrier, I presume? Spunky and tons of energy!

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  62. Hi Joni - I think it's amazing that this house looks so good without the professional styling that we see in shelter mags. And besides taking great photos in less than ideal conditions, you definitely have a way with words.
    Just add me to the chorus of happy blog browsers!

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  63. WOW! That is just the most luscious house. Such easy style but with such thought. Thank you for sharing and thank the hostess. How kind to give us all something to lust after. Burlap and linen, two of my favorites. Thanks, many times. Just love your blog!!

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  64. What a treat to have a tour of this beautiful old home. They have done a tremendous job of taking what could be a heavy, dark space and making it seem fresh and light and warm all at the same time. Thanks, Joni!

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  65. Joni, that is the most perfect house, I hadn't seen it beforeI don't think! I'm so jealous you go to attend a party there!! I especially love that guest bedroom -those glass fronted doors are charming!!

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  66. What a wonderful tour. I love all the pine antiques and linen upholstery and slipcovers.

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  67. car covers and car seat covers doesn't prevent your car when hit by other other vehicles but it really protects from common sources of damage like pollution, mud, dust etc.

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  68. Joni, what a beautiful tour. It's so personal with all of the photos. The house is so soothing and serene. You can tell a lot of heart was put into selecting each and every piece. Just gorgeous.

    Karen

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  69. Do they need a caretaker?? A maid?? I know how to clean really well, and for that house - I'd do windows! ;-)

    I loved the tour! LOL...I could imagine you sneaking around, turning on lamps, snapping photos here and there, all while sipping on your cocktail! But it's a lovely lovely house, and I'm glad you did that for us, in the name of blogging. It has given me some ideas for my own house, and reaffirmed some things floating around in my head. I love that Silver Sage color, and have used it in my apartments, condos, houses over the last 11 years. And I was thinking that might be a good color answer to my dark-like-a-cave living room with the dark green leather recliner. Seeing it on the walls has kind of cemented that for me. I'm going to buy a test pot and paint a swatch on the wall (Boy, I can already see Chris' look and hear the questions!)

    Anyways - sorry for the long comment. I love visiting your blog - you always have the prettiest pictures and most interesting articles! And don't hesitate to go on more house tours with your Cannon.... I love the results (bad lighting and all!).

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  70. Your blog is great! I've learned so many things from your posts. I'm actually going to Shabby Slips tomorrow on Magazine Street to pick out the material for my sofa slipcover (I'll post before and after pics on my new blog when its complete).

    I have a French Country home in the New Orleans area that has the same front room at the entryway as yours. We're going to install some bookshelves to have a fancy study room.

    Thanks for the inspiration.

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  71. Another beautiful home you've photographed so well. I am definitely borrowing the idea of the store scale for my kitchen. What a great item for kitchen decor! And if it's functional even better - but in my case it will be for looks alone. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this very inspiring post! Artie

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