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Sunday, March 22, 2009

Metamorphosis Monday -- A Peek at the Parlor, and I Get A New Book!


It is Metamorphosis Monday, hosted by Susan at Between Naps On The Porch.
Click
here for more stories! Thanks to Susan for hosting.

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I have just a minor morph this Monday at That Old House ... curtains in the Parlor.

We begin with a blank slate. . . .



Over the course of 10 months, we add furniture, bits and bobs, and ... not much else!

But, finally, last weekend, just before our House Blessing party, we add curtains.


And as usual, I am not done with them; I sewed them and put them up
in a tearing hurry and so they aren't as carefully "swagged" as they should be.

The folds and swags are not perfectly even, and I am a whackadoodle about these things.
I mean, it won't keep me up at night but -- well, it might.

I also need tiebacks for them, and am not sure if I'm going to use tassels or something else. Right now it's just some very narrow red satin ribbon holding them back. I keep waiting for a BOINNNG!!! as one of the ribbons snaps under the weight of the swag; it's heavy!


I don't need any privacy curtains or shades in this room. No too-near neighbors, and the house is raised up off the street so passersby can't look in. Plus, it's the parlor. Mostly we keep our clothes on in there. Mostly. Well, I can't speak for Howard. . . .

But no need for heavy curtains or cover-ups.


I love this woodwork, and didn't want to hide it or the wavy old glass in the panes, so I chose the type of one-sided tied-back curtain swag that was in style in the 1830s when this parlor was brand new. I am trying for a period, old-fashioned, simple look in this room.


The furniture is of an older style, but I figure we all have old stuff in our houses nowadays, so why wouldn't people in the 1830s also have had stuff from 35 years ago in their houses?


That's it for a metamorphosis today at That Old House.
Someday we will actually find the right furniture placement for the Parlor, and get a rug, and put something up on the walls other than mirrors. . . someday. Not yet.

As for other transformations around here, I got some painting done today in the hall bath, between church and bringing Annie back to her college after her break. But the paint needs a second coat before it's ready for its debut and closeup.

But -- speaking of changes, I got a book on Saturday. Take a look at the title;
I thought it most appropriate for Metamorphosis Monday:



Interior Transformations!

It is by Ann Grafton, and among the many hats she wears is that of creative director for G.P. & J. Baker fabrics,
makers of the toile drapery fabric in our master bedroom (here).
How could I not get her book? She's almost a member of the family. :-)

It's got some lovely rooms, and


lots of advice and instruction on how


to achieve the looks pictured.


I rather like the drapery, below. It is a fringed plaid woolen blanket, folded over and clipped to a curtain rod. Neat!


Sorry for the sub-par quality of the shots of the book.

Have a lovely Monday, enjoy all the Metamorphoses at Susan's blog!
.... Cass

29 comments:

  1. what a great room! I love the queen anne sofa. I have been looking for a camelback...and they are hard to find!

    Susan

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  2. I have a camel back sofa and love seat in my attic and cannot bring myself to part with them--yours looks great. Loved your comment about the birthday cake. You are a woman after my own heart! :)

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  3. I love the new drapes. The color is gorgeous and it is so nice that you left all the wonderful woodwork showing, itis just beautiful. Great book also. Hugs, Marty

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  4. Love the room and love all the trim and moulding in the room! You did so well to not cover up all the window trim. Hugs from Conroe TX!

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  5. Cass,
    I love the new curtains that you made. They really add some zest and the color is very pretty. Cindy

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  6. I love the woodwork under the windows, I wouldn't want to cover up something that beautiful either, what a great room!

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  7. I love the room. I looked around your blog last night, even told hubby about your wood floor post. I going to save it today to show him. You are really getting your home made over. We are in the middle of one. The sofa is great, I got one, but got to be recovered soon. You have done a lot.

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  8. What a gorgeous room you have. It must be such a pleasure to decorate a room with such graceful proportions and beautiful architecture.
    Your curtains look very nice. I like the pop of red too.
    Hugs,
    Sue

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  9. The curtains really do make a diference -- and I do like how the woodwork shows and the color is so pretty.

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  10. They are so pretty and add so much to the room.

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  11. I love the curtains. A nice pop of color. And the floors are just beautiful. I've always wanted to live in an old house. You are fortunate. Keep sharing.

    amy@maisonbelle

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  12. Well, they may need tweaking to you, but they look fantastic to me!

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  13. The final shot looks right out of a magazine. Lovely

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  14. This room looks beautiful. Those curtains are just the right touch. Love that they still let in lots of light and show the pretty windows. laurie

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  15. It all looks beautiful. I really can appreciate your style. I have had to gradually change to a more contemporary look, but I still hold on to the Windsor chairs and try to make them work. We have to make do with what we have, and that is the wonderful creativity of it. As to your question Cass..Bromeliads are super easy to care for. Water them at the top into the flower or "cup" They hate sitting in wet soil. No direct sunlight. Cheers!

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  16. Thanks so much for stopping by my Met. Mon post and leaving such kind and generous remarks. I really appreciate it. I do so agree that we can be grateful for what we have and I also love discount fabric. It really makes a difference. Thanks again. Hugs, Marty

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  17. I can't blame you for wanting to keep the trim visible... making your curtains so they sit in the window was a good solution. They look lovely and the colour red pops with the wall colour. Looks lovely!! I have beautiful trim on my windows, too - hubbby did a fab job on them - so you can imagine that he's sad that I'll be mounting rods above and drapes covering all his beautiful work. ;-)

    Thanks so much for dropping in to DesignTies and leaving me such a terrific comment about my bathroom remodel. I do miss the bathroom (the kids do especially) but I KNOW I'll love the bathrooms we recreate in this house, too. You're right about the bright side... our current bathroom isn't so bad... if you don't look at all the horrible stuff!! haha!

    Victoria: EdinDesign Interiors @ DesignTies

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  18. What a pretty room! I love old houses as well! Thanks for stopping by! I love the sofa it is to die for!

    Curtains always add something and you did a great job with them.

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  19. You had me at whackadoodle! I can't wait to try it out on my husband, another good one is knucklehead.
    Your new curtains look spiffy, I love that pop of color. I adore camel back sofas and you have great trim work. This is why I love old homes they have so much character....Cathy

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  20. thanks for your kind words, I vote for tassels for sure, I love red!

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  21. Love this room! I agree, never cover the fantastic woodwork. The curtains are charming. Great job!
    Robin Rane'
    All Things Heart and Home

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  22. thanks for stopping by my blog. I am loving the moulding in that room. I love the character of old homes. It is gorgeous. So are those floors.

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  23. I tried commenting on your kitchen this weekend and couldn't. Must have been a malfuntion!!!!
    Love your new drapes in the parlor. I have the perfect tassels I bought at Bombay Co. outlet going out of business sale but I only have 2. I keep thinking I'll need them someday!!!! How many windows did you have?
    I had to laugh about you keeping your clothes on in the parlor. We sit up on a hill and don't have any near neighbors and I fold our laundry in the parlor. (Hey - if you have to do work, you might as well be somewhere you enjoy being!)
    Anyway, DH was alone in the house and needed some clean clothes and hadn't taken his up the night before. So, being a man, he just bounded down the stairs to get some and peeking in our front door were 2 total strangers!!!! We now have sheers and little roller shades on the glass panes in the front doors!!!!!!!!!! :D Jewel

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  24. Lovely room and that camelback sofa!

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  25. The new drapes really warm up the space. Lovely!

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  26. Cass

    this room looks great, clean simple lines, love when rooms look like this!

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  27. I just love your home. The placement of the sofa seems perfect to me. Keep it up!

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  28. The curtains make all the difference, they really soften the area! I adore that loveseat that you have!! You have a beautiful home!

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