COTE DE TEXAS: At Home With Two Houston Antiquarians

At Home With Two Houston Antiquarians

 

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A few years ago,  I wrote about one of Houston’s oldest and finest antique shops that was closing its doors - HERE.   For years, Brian Stringer Antiques, owned by Stringer and his wife Kathi, was the go-to place for wonderful antiques, and the closing of their doors was a sad day for Houstonians.  If you were looking for something special – you knew that they would have it in their vast inventory.  Searching for tables and chairs in the back warehouse was the most fun, and visiting the darling French house “next door” was just the icing on the cake.  Ah, the good old days!

 

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The closing was a big shock to all, but the Stringers were ready to retire.  They had watched the antique business change so much, due to the economy and the internet, and they felt it was just the right time for a change.  Besides owning a house in Houston, there was their 14th century chateau in France, charmingly called Commanderie de  Sainte Antoine.

 

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And who can blame them?  If this was waiting for me on the other side of the globe, I’d be there too!

 

Recently, Kathi got in touch with me to let me know they were selling their Houston house.   They plan to move on to a high-rise where they are gutting the space to create a dream Versailles in the sky.  To say I have found memories of their house would be an understatement.  It has been published in Southern Accents and locally and for years I have drooled over the pictures showing all their gorgeous antiques.  It really never seemed like a house in Houston, instead it conjured up images of a manor found in the English countryside, filled with antiques collected from years spent there and visiting in France.  

 

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Their light peach stucco house, shown at dusk.  The house is 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bath, and just over 2,500 sq. ft. and it is located in the historical Montrose neighborhood.

 

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Ready to enter?

 

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The front door with its fan lights opens up to the large living room.  Wow!!  Notice the painting on the right atop a gorgeous long console table.  Brian Stringer loves to collect chairs – so expect to see a range of stunning antique ones, like this leather and wood wing chair in the entry area – just under his hat collection.

 

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A view to the left of the front door, showing the wood and leather wing chair with another similar one across from it.   The  family room is seen at the right.

 

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Another close up of the entry.  And on the very right, you can just see into the dining room.

 

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The view of the formal living room – to the right of the entry.  A gate leg table acts as a coffee table in front of the sofa.  Notice the two tortoise shell boxes sitting on the table.   A tall chair covered in tapestry sits next to a wing chair.  And notice the charming fireplace with its blue and white tiles.  You can see the stair hall through the opening on the left.

 

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Another view of the living room shows two architectural engravings over a chest topped with even more tortoise shell boxes.  On the mantel is a collection of horn cups.

 

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The red family room, just past the entry, has floral curtains, a wonderful Kilim rug,+ and a leather chesterfield sofa.  A large pine cabinet is on the right.   Towards the back is the kitchen.

 

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A closer view of the pine bookcase. Just beautiful.  Such a warm and cozy room!!!

 

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The kitchen is one of the original “unfitted” ones that inspired so many others in Houston.  Instead of cabinets on one side, an antique chest was placed under a large working plate rack.   The ironstone is all antique.  Through the door is the stair hall which leads back to the living room. 

 

 

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A closer view of the collection of ironstone.  Love the “Finest Yorkshire Bacon & Hams.”  And I love the Staffordshire figure made into a lamp, resting on the ironstone.

 

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The freestanding range sits under a tile encased hearth.  On one side is an antique butcher’s block with pots hanging above it.  The breakfast room to the left is filled with an assortment of chairs and a sofa in toile.

 

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Another view of the breakfast room which looks out to the back yard.  That sofa with its open back is to die for!

 

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The dining room is off on the left side of the entry, originally a sunporch.  It is dominated by an incredible collection of pewter plates, all the more dramatic while barely contained on the antique shelves.  This collection was on the cover of Southern Accents!   To the left is a collection of Santos.  Through the doors is an outdoor dining area.

 

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And looking at the other direction – towards the front yard.

 

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Off the living room is the stair hall, with its seagrass covered stairs.

 

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The master suite with its adjoining sitting room.  Fabulous antique sofa!!  And the red toile chaise – to die for!!  Love how the flatscreen sits on a wonderful antique gateleg table. 

 

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Notice the crown above the sofa.   It’s so fabulous!!!

 

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Looking the other direction – a tall French armoire and trumeau sit in the corner.   I love this room!  Seriously – is this Houston, Texas????  Hard to believe this isn’t England.

 

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The bedroom is located over the dining room/sun porch – so it has all these wonderful windows!

 

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The bathroom vanity is skirted.  Love the pine cabinet instead of a standard built-in.

 

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The pink bedroom is my favorite with its toile bedding and armoire.  And notice the darling tiny trumeau at the right of the window.  I want that!!!!!   OMG – this is just too darling!

 

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This bedroom has a floating French bed and silk curtains.  Such a pretty bed and that chandelier!!  Love.

 

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The bathroom has a peeled stucco wall effect with a marbleized baseboard.  Granite vanity on steel legs.  Notice the cute lamp made out of an apothecary jar.

 

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Outside is a pool, of course.  And behind the pool is a two story trellis dining pavilion, covered in vines. 

 

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Outdoors eating area.  The drive and yard are graveled, French style. 

 

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And the back yard at dusk with all its French pots and old shutters.  So romantic!

The Stringer’s house is so warm and cozy – and  inviting with all its antiques and collections.  Rather than a quickly obtained decorated look, it’s a look that can only be achieved by a lifetime of collecting and antiquing, which the Stringers certainly have had!  I can’t wait to see what they do in their new highrise.   Will it look like their house – with vibrant colored walls, or will they go for a more neutral color scheme?  It will be interesting to see how they use all their beautiful antiques in the new space.   Maybe when they are all settled, we’ll be able to get a sneak peek at their new place!

Finallly, a huge thank you to the Stringers for inviting us in!

 

If you are interested in this classic house, located in a historic neighborhood, please contact the realtor, Mike Bloom, HERE or HERE 

 

Don’t forget to enter the two contests – Vero Linens and Aidan Gray house search!  Time is running out!!!  But, I will say this – if you need more time to get pictures of your house in for the Aidan Gray contest, just let me know. 

102 comments :

  1. This is a nice post in an interesting line of content, great way of bring this topic to discussion.

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    1. Nice spam line: "This is a nice post in an interesting line of content, great way of bring this topic to discussion."

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  2. I love the Cuzco painting and the 17th c. English refrectory table in the entry. Maybe I should just move right now! Thanks. Mary

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  3. Joni, what an amazing way to begin the week. I have a small treasure from the Stringer's store closing and it's wonderful to see how they've lived in Houston. Each room was perfect. Each so lived in and personal. The kitchen, the floors, the furniture, the collections, the crown above the sofa in the bedroom sitting area, the custom lamps, the toiles, the paint colors... Time for another cup of coffee & then to savour this again & again!

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  4. Joni a home that invites you in to stay. The Stringer's have such an eye for not only superb antiques; unique and unusual pieces are the stars in their collection.

    I would love to see more of their home in France as well, especially the three story staircase.

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  5. A lovely, authentic, lived-in home. So many pieces to love!

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  7. Beautiful! I couldn't help thinking that the antique pieces the Stringers chose to keep in their home over the years, rather than sell, are pieces that they loved so much, they just couldn't part with them. That is what make their home looks so well lived in and loved!

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  8. What a great tour Joni! I so remember that cover with the welsh dresser and the pewter- I was absolutely smitten with the age and patina of the welsh dresser. I thought the sway in the shelves was pure perfection! It will be so interesting to see their new home when that is completed.

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  9. Charming, charming, charming!!! The "best" to them in their upcoming (not new!) adventure. franki

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  10. Thanks for a great tour! There's so many pieces to love. All the antique pine is to die for. I do hope we can see their other home.

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  11. Unfortunately, the clutter doesn't help present the antiques in a favorable light nor the dated wall colors. This is definitely a case where less would be more despite the paint colors.

    I have no idea if photographs magnify the shortfalls or not, but the kitchen is in serious need of cleaning. You can see the dirty grout in the pictures and the floor looks like it hasn't been cleaned in years. None of this is likely to help sell the house. This house would be better shown empty.

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    1. kinda agree...the price of this house also seems low compared to others you've showcased here...

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    2. I agree. I noticed that the dishwasher cannot be opened due to furniture placement. While the furnishings are lovely and it would be very difficult to accomplish, the furniture/accessories need to be edited....desperately so. I tend to clutter as well. My husband is not a lover of antiques and he keeps the house from being overstuffed. With both husband wife having the same love of antiques, I can see that it would be hard to not over decorate.

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    3. The grout and caulk behind the sink is black with mold or dirt. The entire house needs cleaning. Whoever buys this house has a lot of work to do outside as well. I would start with getting rid of the flamingo pink stucco and go with a more neutral color. This is one house I hope Joni goes back to if and when new owners address some of these glaring issues. It would be great to see again. While I realize the house is older and perhaps the owners did not want to invest their money at this point into any renovation, including paint, it would not have cost much to hire someone to at least clean it. Obviously, the owners wanted no staging advice or were never given any.

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    4. But even if the grout and caulk were immaculate, most people would get rid of those counters anyway. Have you ever tried to prepare food on tiles? A bad innovation in kitchen design.

      It's true the house is not staged. Anyone who has elderly parents will recognize a certain look this house has. Even Jacqueline Kennedy's apartment was said to be dowdy and faded at the end of her life. If you're an experienced homebuyer--and you'd pretty much have to be to consider this one; it's not a starter home--then you should be smart enough to look past these kinds of weaknesses, and budget for remediating them. Because most elderly sellers are not motivated to make their homes look ReMax-perfect.

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    5. Good points. With reference to Jackie, some of her friends in fact who did not want to be quoted said her kitchen was horrible. Even the photos we have of her Martha's Vineyard kitchen was practically dated at the time she built her home. Yes, the appliances were huge and state of the art, but the cabinets and countertops were formica with ceramic knobs. Hardly cutting edge for a person of her wealth.

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    6. It doesn't matter whether a buyer would gut a dirty kitchen, bath, bedroom, etc. First impressions matter to a buyer. Cleanliness speaks to other issues including the integrity of the HVAC system, the roof, the appliances, all of the things a new buyer is inheriting, but may want to postpone purchasing after moving in. Chances are this house will have a very long list of particulars on an inspection sheet.

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    7. I wonder, too, about all those splotches on the exterior. Are they stucco patches?

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    8. Stucco (if this is real hard coat stucco and not synthetic) dries at different times during the building process depending upon the humidity and the weather when it is applied. It is porous so when it rains, parts of it takes on water and dries at different rates. The only way to amend the problems is to apply a sealer and paint it the color you want to keep it uniform. It looks like this stucco was either painted or the sand was colored. If painted, a sealer was not likely used to make the application more uniform. Remember that batches of stucco are made daily and the formula has to be perfect as well as the conditions in order to get a perfect and uniform application.

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  12. what a gem of a home and a couple, joni.

    a highrise in the sky sounds like an incredible new adventure!

    michele

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  13. Have been in their antique shop many times over the years, sorry they are closing. Good luck on selling the home + will look forward to seeing what they do to the High Rise. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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  14. What a lovely home. While the decor is not what is being done "right now" , it is a style that many many people love and will stay with or go back to in the future. I love seeing collections and groupings of wonderful objects in houses. It is such a nice break from the light and pared down look we are seeing in magazines (and blogs) right now. Thank you Joni for taking us on this tour. It was a real treat.

    Things I especially liked: kitchen, breakfast area, upholstered headboard on bed, hutch with pewter, dining room, antique sofa, lovely colors on the walls. I could go on...

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  15. Despite the low ceilings and the lack of a foyer, the living room is so charming!

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  16. Very interesting. When I saw the floating french bed in the red fabric, I thought how we all have been through the experience of making a perfect room and then cross our fingers and hope it ages well over the next decade--or two. (I had the exact fabric on the bed in wallpaper in my office for 20+ years, and just painted it last Wednesday.)

    I love the color of the trim in the dining sun porch, and the grey-blues painted throughout the house, but mostly I enjoyed all the wonderful things collected over a lifetime. That's what makes the article so interesting!

    It's a beautiful house and property, great price, and great project for someone to take on. I see the comments above about cleaning grout, etc...(did you know you can have carpet steam cleaners in to clean your grout?) But I understand, who wants anyone in around all those fabulous antiques....

    In addition to that little trumeau, I'll take the garden with all the pots!

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  17. Finally, a REAL house. Not another "Ramada Inn lobby pretending to be a Swedish farmhouse."

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    1. It's real for sure. Perhaps a bit too much so.

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    2. Oh, I know. I'm not looking at it as a "For Sale" listing. I'm enjoying it sort of the way you do a novel--just as a portrait of how people live.

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  18. Joni, this is a lovely home. However, I prefer the updated look you've shown us lately over this classic, but somewhat outdated design. As someone who rid herself of red walls, I' m on that opposite side with neutral walls now.

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  19. Beautiful furnishings! It is a brave thing indeed to show your home for all of the world to see. What we would do without this type of inspiration? Everyone lives differently and that's what makes this blog so wonderful. We have the opportunity to see a variety of homes. While this home is different and a little older than many that are featured, it is nice to see what furnishings can do to a room and in a home that might be more consistent with the types of homes most of us own. Thanks to Joni for featuring this one.

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  20. The house feels really warm and welcoming. It's interesting that, even with such exquisite antiques, it feels quite down-to-earth and unpretentious. I really enjoyed seeing the loved & lived-in look of it.

    Keri

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  21. Bunny Williams remarked,"...,but the ones I remember the most are the homes in which the owners lived not only with great style but also with a real sense of what a home is all about." The Stringer's home is welcoming, accessible, lovely and settled. I am always striving for that in my home, for that is not my childhood home of the "Spanish style" living room just for sitting visitors, and the nagahide (sp?) couches my mom waxed, ok polished, which made great launching pads to run and slide off onto a bean bag. I never even saw a home like the Springer's until I was 17 and worked for a lovely, warm and very talented lady who own a beautiful shop which I worked at after school, and cleaned her home on weekends. It was wonderful! The Springer's meet the formality of the "Philadelphia Story" home. Every Saturday, I would clean, hold, polishes these beautiful items, and began the life long love of a welcoming home. Thanks for the memory!

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  22. Wow! What a perfect home. Best of luck to them, as they make this life changing move!
    Barbara

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  23. Awesome post and home! I had to do a double take and make certain that I was not viewing their European home. The area has many beautful homes and right in the heart of the city. Can't I have a home filled with wonderful antiques such as these and have a sleek and modern kitchen? Beautiful!
    But Joni I think some of your blogging friends/readers would love to take some chalk paint to some of these fines examples of antiques.

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  24. I love fine linens! makes for a pleasant nights sleep. I like that the sheets have deep pockets in king that is what we require. I like the Diamante style but both are excellent.

    Joni you were my first blog and still my favorite. Just want you to know I realize the work that goes into your blogs. I have learned so much from reading your blog. thanks so much and look forward to many more like todays
    best regards, mary ann

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  25. I think the house is charming. I also think it's going to be a tough sell because there is so much stuff. I hate to call it clutter because the antique lover in me is drooling over their rooms, but the problem is that the amount of items in each room makes the rooms look smaller and draws attention away from the product they want to sell, their house, and onto the beautiful furniture and objects in each room. If it were me--and while my rooms aren't quite so full of fabulous finds, I do love collecting antiques, so I have given this a bit of thought--I would have an estate/tag sale, sell everything I wasn't planning on using in the next place, and pack away most everything else. I think to sell a house successfully you have to display only the barest minimum of furniture/accessories so people can see the spacious room and picture themselves there instead of focusing on your collections.

    Thank you so much for this post, Joni. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

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    1. Good points. May I add, you also need to get rid of the grit and grime. Sorry, but this place reeks of dirt.

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    2. It seems for too many commenters their sense of style was developed by watching non stop HGTV House Hunters marathons. "Eewww, it doesn't have grrranit" or "the walls are a funny colour". Good grief, no wonder every other house is renovated and staged to the point it has no soul what so ever. Yes, it's cluttered. This is how you get around that - you IMAGINE it with their stuff gone and you PAINT the walls. And then you do a bit of RENOVATING. Good grief, entitled little HGTV watching pricks. Now I know it's not just those couples on tv who think like that. Shudder.

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    3. Sorry to disappoint. I have never watched an HGTV program. If my information is correct they are done on the cheap, diy specials and very gimmicky. Try shooting from another barrel.

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    4. "Try shooting from another barrel."

      You shoot INTO a barrel, not FROM a barrel. Try getting more control over your cliches.

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    5. Barrel was the only civilized word anon could think of at the time. Actually, shooting out of your ass anon 3:52 may have better described it.

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  26. I loved getting the chance to peek inside this beautiful home. As to some of the comments above, Mama always said some folks don't understand nice things! MD

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    1. Yo mama might have been right depending upon what she was opining on, but she has never seen this place.

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    2. Edited to add: Did yo mama take a look at the condition of the roof of this house - didn't think so.

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  27. While I appreciate the collections and quality of the pieces, the word that keeps coming to mind is "edit". There is just too much stuff; at least for my taste. When there is so much furniture, so many knickknacks, and so much art in a space; nothing stands out, nothing seems special.

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  28. So nice to see a beautiful home that someone REALLY lives in!!

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  29. It's dated and dirty. Some of the antiques are really beautiful but once they are removed the new owners are going to be left with major work. The faucet in the kitchen and the side sprayer, yuk. The whole place is stuck in the late 80's- 90's.

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    1. What's dirty about it "Judy"? There sure are a lot of Judys in the French countryside. I'm sure your home is classic and warm, not at all a restoration hardware tat filled hovel made to look like the latest from the blog world?
      I like this house a lot. For those who have eyes to see, it needs some paint, a little updating in the bathroom and kitchen (perfectly reasonable since the owners have likely lived there for some time and most people - only the most lacking in style - change their rooms to match the latest trend every few years).
      I love the exterior front and back. This is a classic home (and the price is good too - would never get that house for that price where I live!)
      One last thing - Joni I do love your blog but "just 2500 square feet"? Really, not all of us are big-assed Macmansion dwellers. In the rest of the universe (not Texas and not the US), this is a good sized home for a family with children.

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    2. oh, please! i say just under to round it out. sometimes i say just over - if that is the case. it has nothing to do with the size of the house. my own house is about this size and i find it quite adequate - maybe a tad oversized for just 3 people, but i would like more storage and and a laundry room. but = that is only said to round it out. it was JUST under 2500 or just over 2500 cant actually remember. jeez.

      also i am really offendd by the comment. the house is beautiful, cluttered with a lifetime of collecting. but to judge people here- where they are reading is the height of rudeness. i thought we wer over all that. please people, use just a little tact.

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    3. Oops, you're right. I just reread that you'd "just under" and not "just". Apologies - I take back my little rant in the last comment. I do agree, these comments are mean and the house is a classic and based on the market where I live, an absolute steal.

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    4. Anon 802, try to edit before hitting publish. Your observation ("There sure are a lot of Judys in the French countryside") doesn't make sense. If you've not met anyone French named Judith, so be it, but the name has been given in France for more than a millennium.

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    5. "The faucet in the kitchen and the side sprayer, yuk."

      The faucet AND the side sprayer are yuk?! You must run--as quick as you can--away from this horror, Country French Judi!! If the side sprayer is yuk, the entire house is ruined. It is probably about to cave in and crush you within the next 90 seconds. Maybe 30 seconds even. Run, you Country French thing, run!

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  30. Other than the wall colors, this look is timeless! To be honest, it is good to see something other than the white linen and neutral colors that will eventually date this period of time. This home looks collected, lived in, cozy, and most of all....not the typical white/ivory/slipcovered/staged look, that we are seeing on some blogs and magazines, today. I especially love seeing the colorful rugs....they are the staple in timeless decorating.The beautiful wood, the antiques....wonderful! This house refects the interests and the personality of the owners and really, that is what good decor is all about.

    Margaret, Virginia

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  31. Hi, I love looking at homes and I like the Stinger's home - it is comfortable, lived in and the furniture and collections/accessories are so interesting. I just hope when they design their new place they don't fall in with that tired, washed out "french" look we have seen over and over. Each to their own but I hope they do a clean English look (maybe a little color!) - still comfortable and livable - and incorporate some of their fine things.

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  32. Oh, another thing. In the countries England, France,Italy - there is a different sensibility about family homes - if the dog chews the arm of the wing chair they just cover it with a throw and carry on. They don't replace a counter top/cabinets every 7 years - or get new appliances every whip stitch. We are very spoiled in American and very materialistic. My home is very clean - but I don't need to do surgery in the kitchen for heaven's sake - so this home is a lived in REAL home - thank God - I wish we could see more of these! And yes, I am sure the new owner will redo some things and put their own mark on it - that is the fun, too! Who really wants to move into the "perfect" place where someone else chose everything! I would love to remodel this house!

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    1. "I would love to remodel this house!"

      Does that mean you would actually clean the kitchen?

      You may not do surgery, but you sure as hell cook every day. Is this the kitchen you want to feed your family from?

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    2. um yes. Really, if this kitchen disgusts you, I assume you have not eaten out very much either at friend's homes nor at restaurants and certainly not anywhere but in whichever bleached ravaged bit of the USA you're in. Good grief, some people have a lot of anger in them. Sad.

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    3. Speaking of anger! While I don't live in a bleached ravaged "bit" (quite unusual reference to region/state) or home, it certainly would not have hurt for the agent handling the sale to have suggested a bit of staging and cleaning before showing this home. From the looks of his picture, he is quite young and therefore may not yet understand what a turn off housekeeping issues can be to potential buyers. If bathrooms and kitchens aren't clean, it's not likely that much of the remainder of the house is.

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    4. " Is this the kitchen you want to feed your family from?"

      Oh Lord, you are sheltered. Get out in the world.

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  33. Hi,, amazing post I want to live inside this house. Its so beautiful/ Comforters

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  34. My grandparents had tile like in the Springer's - after a couple of decades, yes, the grout was shabby looking. Grandma and Grandpa wiped it down daily (actually several time a day I'm sure) and they served up food all the time and feed 30 - 40 folks at holidays...for decades. Best times, best food...of course, I would gladly eat a meal at the Springer's! Looks like this kitchen has been well loved.

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    1. uggh. i beg of y'all. please! my white tile looked just like theirs, which i didnt even notice to tell you the truth, but white tile gets dark grout after a while just from cleaning it. im sure the new owners will probably put in new counters, maybe white marble? i would love white marble. the house is classic - a great floorplan - open and warm. if i did live her, i would move the dining room to the family room and make a dining room/library and put the family room in the sunroom. i think that would be what i would do. I would love to liv in a house like this! the walls ar so much more solid feeling than a new house. The older homes are quieter too. Plus I LOVE the mastr suite. But I would want all the furniture in there. the couch = the chaise - all the tables and chairs. dream!!!

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    2. "White tile gets dark grout after a while just from cleaning it". You are talking to school children, Joni.

      Have you ever heard of grout cleaner, bleach, oxygen cleaners. Please, we are not that dumb.

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    3. "The older homes are quieter too."

      Wrong. Older homes are usually not insulated, so sound carries.

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  35. I knew this post would elicit very different points of view. There is, obviously, an international movement afoot to go white/gray/pale. It is a beautiful look, but to me the sameness is giving me hives. When this house is sold, no doubt it will look all of the other houses we've seen so much of and many of the readers of this blog will have a sigh of relief and call this progress. It mades me sad.

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  36. I really love that crown above the sofa.

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  37. This is the type of home that would be featured in World of Interiors....an actual home that reflects the people living there and their interests....as an 'elderly' person with too much accumulated 'stuff', who also has a husband with a hat problem, and loves color...I thoroughly enjoyed visiting. A few of your readers would do well to learn some manners. Thank you taking me inside this wonderful home. I know the next young family will cherish this house.

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    1. ...there are two of us!...wish you lived next door to me...blessings laney

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    2. Exactly but I believe the HGTV loving clean obsessed bitter anon here does not read WOI which is truly the greatest interiors magazine that ever has been. It does remind me of the (much grander) homes featured in WOI.

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    3. This house does not by any stretch of the imagination qualify for WOI. To point out that the house should have been better prepared for showing is not to be bitter. On the contrary, if the owners are reading, perhaps they will take some cues here and edit and clean for a faster and more profitable sale.

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    4. I love WOI. This house is not publishable in WOI. It's livable and warm, and many of the antiques are charming, but the decorating is nothing special or inventive.

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  38. Also great collection looking so pretty nice. Thanks for sharing !!

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  39. Hi, I don't believe I have ever commented before (I am one of those sneaky readers) but I just would like to say that I absolutely love reading your blog! I come to your blog for inspiration and learned how to properly hang my curtains, too!!

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  40. My mom wanted me to look at this house with her and my initial reaction was...yuk! lol She said I will appreciate it when I get old and reminded me that the average age of the people who read this blog is probably mid 60's. Anyway, I do enjoy your style of writing Joni as it reminds me of my favorite Grandma's letters she's sent me over the years. I will treasure them always.

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  41. Do you know the color of Sally Wheat's home and shutters from your April 24, 2008 post?

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    1. "Do you know the color of Sally Wheat's home and shutters from your April 24, 2008 post?"

      Wheat.

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  42. I stopped and viewed ALL of the pictures which I rarely do. Everything is usually WHITE....WHITE.......WHITE. Not a fan! I do appreciate the color and collections used here and would love to have such. Why do you people feel a need to be so disgraceful and mean spirited?

    ReplyDelete
  43. This post makes me both happy and sad. Happy to see the home of a couple who have shared a life and a home filled with the colors of living things. No doubt they could tell you an interesting story about when and where they acquired each hat or each piece of furniture.

    Sad because they are moving to a highrise and leaving such a personal space. Sad because they will no longer have their two story outdoor dining space. We can't stand in the way of progress. However, I am still sad to learn their business has been killed off by the economy and the internet (even though I shop on the internet all the time).

    Hoping that the next inhabitants of this house will enjoy it as much!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "We can't stand in the way of progress." Truer words were never spoken, Dame Des Fleurs sur Mon Tete! You are so gracious to explain things to us. Bon weekend!

      Delete
    2. Such empathy by Charlotte sounds like she is taking this transition very personally. I would suggest some counseling considering she has used the word "sad" at least four times. I think there are some issues our Charlotte is not dealing with.

      Delete
    3. Charlotte are you grieving
      Over Goldengrove unleaving?...

      Delete
  44. I like the touch of the skirted vanity in the bathroom as well as the bedroom with all the windows & fabulous headboard. The pool/patio area is stunning.

    ReplyDelete
  45. very purdy. really.

    Barb

    ReplyDelete
  46. What a beautiful home full of gorgeous antiques. I love the granite vanity on the steel legs and the French bed with the silk curtains is stunning, but oh the outdoor area...wonderful!!

    ReplyDelete
  47. This is a beautiful, warm home with stories and memories. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Oh my god, I just read the other comments! What is wrong with people? This is what happens to grout over time. And yes, maybe they have a cheap faucet, but look at that pine dresser over there! And the table! No expense spared there. Different priorities. I'm irritated just reading some of these obnoxious comments. It is a privilege to be allowed into someone's home-- just move on if you don't like it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. While they may be antiques, none of them are refined. Most are either pine or oak. I don't see any Regency, Georgian or Sheradon here nor any refined woods, but only what might be described as "country English". That's fine, if that's your taste, but I don't see anything here that would break the bank considering these people were dealers.

      Delete
  49. This is a truly lovely home...timeless. If these are dated paint colors, give me this over the ever-present gray/grey tones. To each their own, but this is one of my favorite homes on this blog

    ReplyDelete
  50. I just love the whole setting. It's a great look, but I might adjust the colors to my preferences but overall it looks really classy and relaxing. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  51. I am sad reading this post. I have been in their shop many times and while most of their items were out of my price range, they were impeccable pieces. And I have no doubt that all the pieces in their own home have quite the pedigree as well. Even if this is not someone's personal taste, I don't get why people would be so rude. This is someone's home. These are the things they love. if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing. It could be so hurtful to the homeowners.

    Kim

    ReplyDelete
  52. Family First believes government controls over the lives of its citizens should be wound back and individuals should be encouraged to take more responsibility for their lives.

    Ashley Fenn

    ReplyDelete
  53. nice house if you want to relocations and storage anytime then please just contact with me using http://www.palmersrelocations.com.au/

    ReplyDelete
  54. Ohhhhhhh, Joni! What a treasure trove of antiques and wonderful things. I enjoyed touring this house so much. What a neat place, and I also love their pool. I know I would have loved their store. I always enjoy seeing the homes of antique dealers. This was such a treat. Thanks!

    XO,

    Sheila

    ReplyDelete
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