2013 January – Country Design Home

Jan 30, 2013

Sleigh Rides In The Snow

It’s Wanderlust Wednesday, and since we are enjoying unseasonably balmy weather here in the Boston area today, I thought I would share some snow-covered photos taken just a couple of weeks ago in Jackson, New Hampshire. Jackson is the quintessential New England town with its covered bridges,

white steepled church and the quaint town library,

with the ice-capped Ellis river running through it.

Over the New Year’s weekend, we were so fortunate to spend quality time with some dear friends, eating and drinking, doing puzzles and shopping, generally just relaxing by the roaring fire in their log cabin in the woods (literally!). We ventured out one evening to Nestlenook Farms for a horse-drawn sleigh ride. So fun!!

If Jackson is the perfect NE town, then Nestlenook is the picture perfect postcard place.

Gingerbread-style victorian pink cottages and gazebos-even a chapel-

the paddock with horses and burros,

and the bed and breakfast inn (presently under renovation), are scattered throughout the perfectly manicured grounds that, at night, transform into a magical winter wonderland.

Under thousands of twinkling lights, the horse-drawn sleighs go dashing through the snow (well, not exactly dashing, more like strolling) past the victorian skating pond,

the paddocks and stables

and arbors and gazebos,

all dressed in their sparkling winter whites- so country pretty!!!

Add a cup of hot chocolate, a group of lifelong friends and a roaring fire, and you have the perfect winter evening! Here’s to our January thaw-enjoy the weather today! Susan

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: covered bridge in New Hampshire, Ellis River, Jackson New Hampshire, log cabin, Nestlenook Farms, sleigh ride in New Hampshire, Wanderlust Wednesday

Jan 25, 2013

Excited About Electrolux!

By countrydesignhome · Leave a Comment

I know, excited about a vacuum- seriously!?!?! But, it’s arrived!! My brand new sparkling, shiny, super sexy and sleek black Electrolux Jet Maxx Green Canister Vacuum– this week’s High Five For Friday! We immediately got off to a good start when I noticed a little tag line on the box-“thinking of you”-awwww, so nice!

A few weeks ago I published a blog about finding the perfect vacuum cleaner: Living In A Vacuum. From that blog post, I received multiple suggestions regarding styles and brands to try. The one name that kept popping up was Electrolux. Comments like: “my grandmother/mother/aunt had one for years and it sucked up everything in sight -heck it would have sucked up the dog!” (note that not one person said “my grandfather/dad/uncle- just saying…) made me take a serious look at this brand that has been around since 1918. I did a lot of online reseach, and headed out to my local stores to do some hands-on brand demos from other manufacturers, but this Electrolux Jet Maxx was the clean winner. Where to buy? Online, of course. The MSRP is $499.00, a hefty price for a small appliance! But, on Kohls.com, it was on sale, and then I had the magic 30% off coupon code from Retail Me Not– AND free shipping!!! Plus, I received $60 in Kohls Cash (if you are unaware of this deal, for every $50 you spend you get $10 in Kohls dollars to spend-sweet!) So, with the sale + tax and the coupon and the Kohls Cash, my final price was $274.68- almost half off! (Coach, just ignore that part-OK?)

But nothing is a good deal if it doesn’t work- right? Right off the bat, I was pretty impressed by the overall appearance-looks quite space-aged, kind of Darth Vader-ish, don’t you think?! Very heavy components, and the plastic, which is made from 55% recycled materials, was hefty and strong, unlike some of the other brands’ I had sampled.

Good thing they marked this package in the box. Had I tossed this, I would have spent most of my vacuuming time on my hands and knees!

Love the shape of the handle-looks like a gas pump nozzle! But it contours to your hand, and has the on-board tools that you can switch easily.

Loving the retractable cord feature. You just touch the button with your toe and the cord gets sucked back up inside- brilliant!

Although gotta be careful- awhile ago I had an old dust buggy with a retractable cord- touched the button with my foot and the cord end-with a plug adapter attached-came flying up and hit me across the bridge of my nose and almost knocked me out! (Still haven’t regained my sense of smell from that trauma) OK, so the true test is in the suction and the Jet Maxx passed with flying colors. My beloved dining room area rug, that hasn’t had a good cleaning in months, took on a new life once the nap was raised with the powerful Jet Maxx suction.

With little pushing or pulling effort on my part, the vacuum powers its way across the rugs and, on the low nap ones, it actually took off on me! The canister follows me around like a puppy on a leash, and the floor adapter with a swivel head makes it simple to get around and under the furniture on the hard wood floors. The stairs. The toughest area for any vacuum. Apparently there is a separate rotating brush you can get for the stairs, but it didn’t come with my vacuum. So, I used the crevice tool for the corners and edges, and the power head for the treads. Perfect.

Lightweight, easy to maneuver, got all of the dog fur and raised the nap so it looks somewhat presentable (part of the Hall of Shame project, it’s threadbare, and oh, it’s maroon! and needs replacing, so not even this vac can save it). So, there you have it- my unbiased, non-sponsored, personal opinion and a well-deserved High Five for this canister vac. I will let you know in six months if this is the vac of my dreams, but for now- this one’s a keeper!! It’s Friday everyone-have fun!! Susan

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: Electrolux Jet Maxx Canister Vacuum, Elextrolux, High Five For Friday, Kohls, Retail Me Not, Vacuum Reviews

Jan 24, 2013

Setting the Mood

By countrydesignhome · Leave a Comment

Although I adore Pinterest, and have spent many a cold winter afternoon “pinning” photos of amazing interiors, I find that the best way to design my own cohesive space is with a “mood board” or presentation board.

Although photographs and Ipad apps are great for overall visual, nothing comes close to actually feeling the fabric textures and metallic finishes and seeing the colors with your own eyes. A large foam core board is the perfect backdrop for taping and glueing bits of photos, fabrics and trims.

First, of course, you need measurements and a room layout- this Online Room Planner from Urban Barn is fantastic! You plug in your room dimensions, then add in your pieces of furniture and accessories, lighting, structural points and just like that- you have a printable plan!

If you are starting with a clean slate, then you will need to begin with an inspiration- whether its a paint chip, a fabric swatch or photograph of a piece of furniture. In this case, its a gold antique velvet settee that will become the focal point of a victorian parlor.

That will become your “jumping off” point from which you can then design the rest of the space. For wall and trim colors, I head to my local bigbox hardware store, where they literally have thousands of paint chips to choose from. As you can see, I have accumulated quite a pile of chips- but I never toss them once a project is done- they could just be the very color I need for my next board!

There I can create a palette that is going to work in the room- and those are free for the taking! One of my favorite tasks is choosing fabrics-walking through my local Joann’s or Zimmans is for most people, I assume, akin to walking into a Godiva chocolatier-yummy!!

I could spend hours (and sometimes I do) wandering the aisles, poking through the clearance section, searching for the perfect look and feel of the fabulous fabrics I will be using to create drapes or bedcoverings or toss pillows. And they will happily provide you with swatches of your chosen fabrics that you can take home and add to your board, prior to purchasing an entire bolt. Once you have your pieces, you literally just start glueing in place, and it will soon become clear if everything will work in harmony,

or if you will need to edit, either by addition or subtraction. It’s fun, it’s so functional, and it will help you clearly define your new space before you put it in place! Hope your mood is a good one today-after all, it’s almost the weekend! Susan

Filed Under: Color Class, Inspiration · Tagged: choosing fabric, choosing paint chips, creating a mood board, creating a presentation board, Ipad, Joanns, Mood board, The Make Room, Urban Barn, Zimmans

Jan 16, 2013

What’s Old Is New in Newburyport

By countrydesignhome · Leave a Comment

It’s Wanderlust Wednesday, and this week we are off to Newburyport, Massachusetts! This charming historic seaport town north of Boston that was settled in 1634,

boasts some of the grandest 17th century colonial homes of seafaring entrepreneurs who owned and worked in the shipyards. Lining the main streets and back roads, many of these stately homes feature widow’s walks, structures on the roof where the women could watch for the return of their loved ones on sailing vessels that had been out to sea for months, sometimes years.

Rich in history, dating back to the slave trades prior to the Revolutionary War, this city is charming in stature, and provides residents and tourists alike with plenty of fabulous dining and shopping options. The hub of the waterfront shopping district is Merchant Square and State Street,

where shoppers are tempted with an array of offered goods, ranging from gourmet eats at Stonewall Kitchen to gourmet doggie treats @ Just Dogs Gourmet! Some of my favorite shops, including Flukes and Finds and Friends, a co-op shop where vendors always greet you with a smile (and possibly a witch’s hat and a cup of brew, if you happen to visit during Halloween : )

Such a fun place to shop, warm and welcoming, full of hidden gems around every corner.

Both Ivy Lane and Vintage Chic Boutique offer a bit of everything old that’s new again-from vintage broaches to refurbished furnishings, many of which may have come from those historic homes. I first stumbled upon the Vintage Chic Boutique

last spring at the Vintage Bazaar @ Pettingill Farm. Although there were many vendors selling re-painted furniture featuring chalk paint finishes (presently quite the rage for the DIY fan), their pieces were outstanding in their choice of color and finishes. Their refurbished vintage pieces were done in rich, muted tones with a gorgeous waxy patina finish, my first introduction to Annie Sloan paints and waxes. I have since tried it myself (see Coffee, Tea or Free for details) and have to say I love the finish!

At the fall fair, I discovered the newly-opened Ivy Lane, a shop with a similar design sense: taking something old and making it new and beautiful again.

The owners, along with their in-house interior designer Holly Gagne (who drives a fabulous tricked-out vintage aqua VW to showcase her wares) create a warm and inviting shop featuring antiques, collectibles and upcycled furniture using eco-friendly CeCe Caldwell paints and finishes.

I could go on for another ten blog posts, but there are just so many great shops and restaurants in Newburyport-way too many to mention here. But definitely worth the trip to spend a day strolling cobblestone streets, dining at one of the many pubs and shopping for your new favorite collectible. Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone! Susan

Filed Under: Uncategorized · Tagged: Annie Sloane Paints, antique shopping, CeCe Caldwell paints, Flukes and Finds and Friends, Holly Gagne, Ivy Lane, Merchant Square, Newburyport, seaport town, Vintage Chic Boutique

Jan 6, 2013

Living in a Vacuum…

By countrydesignhome · 6 Comments

..less home. Over the years, I have purchased more than a dozen vacuum cleaners of various shapes and sizes, spending hundreds of $$$$.

I do all my research, check the consumer surveys, read all the real consumer online reviews. So when I purchase said vacuums, I am hoping they will work as advertised. Pretty simple, actually. Suck up dirt, get rid of the dog fur, deep clean the few area rugs we have in our home as well as the stairs. Alas, I have yet to find a vacuum that can do it all. And some can’t do much of anything! These are our (I use that term with some amusement, as Coach does not have enough of a vacuum use track record to weigh in on this particular subject. Awhile ago, I sent him to the vacuum repair shop to retrieve the Bissell that had malfunctioned almost immediately after I had purchased it. The voicemail he left? “Hi, I am at the vacuum store and they are trying to give me a maroon vacuum cleaner. Is our vacuum maroon? I thought it was blue.” Just saying…) current units we have at Casa Mathison. Presently we have FOUR vacuums stuffed in our closets, two hand-helds, two uprights. (not counting the shop vac in the basement- which is fine- at the moment).

Number 1: A Black and Decker Cyclonic Dustbuster.

Apparently cyclonic means that there is a bit of a tornado going on inside, so as the bits are retrieved off the floor, they swirl around away from the filter so it doesn’t get clogged or slow down. Makes sense. Great for picking up small bits in the kitchen, like when the dog knocks all the unwanted food out of her bowl, or when I drop oatmeal on the floor while making cookies. But not flour. It won’t pick up flour. And clearly not for vacuuming an entire house, especially carpeting!

Number 2: Shark hand held vacuum with the beater bar.

This one is for the stairs, where the dog fur collects in the corners and risers. The main part works fine for a short time, but the hose attachment gets clogged up with the fur while I am trying to do the corners, and there is no way to detach it to clear it out, except to use a knitting needle-yikes! Once it’s clogged, it’s done.

Number 3: Eureka! I found it! Or at least I thought I had found a great little machine for doing the floors with this Eureka stick vacuum.

I am not sure what the “four-in-one” is, as it pretty much just stands up and picks up small bits on the floors. No beater bar. Not enough suction to clean a carpet. Can’t do stairs, whether you keep the handle long or short. And then there is this bad boy, Number 4: the Bissell PRO-LITE with 12 amps of power! (This is where Tim Allen is supposed to make that “more power, ar, ar ar nosie”)

Did my research, purchased it for the best price, assembled it. Best vacuum I ever had. Not too noisy, lots of suction. Then the switch broke and needed repair. And then pieces started falling off of it! It seemed like every time I took it out of the closet, more parts fell off the bottom- the entire base is now being held on with one bolt. Then the suction lessened, so it doesn’t really clean the rugs deeply any more. Tough with the dog, and the winter sand and salt presently making its way into the house.So here I am, once again searching again for the one vacuum that will do it all-floors, stairs, area rugs, dog fur. This time I would like a cannister vac-but one with some serious power to get the rugs clean and do the stairs! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I just don’t want to purchase yet another unit that will quickly kick the bucket and join the growing heap of parts in the vacuum graveyard. Here’s hoping your Sunday doesn’t suck-or maybe hoping it does-literally!! Susan

Filed Under: My Little Red House · Tagged: Bissell, Black and Decker Dustbuster, canister vacuum, Eureka, Shark, upright vacuum, vacuum cleaner reviews

Jan 1, 2013

The Year of Fun!!

By countrydesignhome · 2 Comments

New Year’s, to me, is always a time to cleanse the palette, wipe the slate clean, start anew. A few moments of reflection of years’ past is typically followed by a resolve (like millions of other repentants) to 1.eat better 2.exercise more, blah, blah, blah. Well, this year is different! I am personally declaring 2013 to be The Year of Fun!! If there is an opportunity to learn, create, travel, design, teach, cook, dine, soar,

entertain or be entertained, count me in! Time for a fresh start and a new perspective, time for some fun! (disclaimer: this does not include any activities where I am strapped to a harness and soaring above the clouds- I do like to keep my feet firmly planted on our planet. Oh, and also, not kayaking, not a huge fan, although a little water rafting in Alaska might fit the bill nicely : )

And so it begins by clearing out the dining room cupboard. Out went all of the colorful Christmas holiday plates and decorations.

In their place? White. Loads of white.

Plates, stacks of bowls, crocks and tureens-all white-that I have collected over the years.

The color white makes everything clearer, cleaner and purer. White becomes the perfect backdrop for the millions of other beautiful colors in our spectrum and makes them pop. There are so many shades of white, so you can mix and match them to create a fabulously layered look.

White can be classically elegant:

or elegantly classic

Photo via My Shabby Streamside Studio

White can be whimsical

Photo via Better Homes and Gardens

fanciful

Photo via ComeUpToMyRoom.com

funky & fun

Photo via Biskops Garden Blogspot

tastefully simple

Photo via Citified.blogspot.com

or simply extraordinary

White room from Capri Palace Hotel, Anacapri - Italy

Photo via Fabrizia Frezza Architecture Interiors

So if you are looking for a way to start fresh and new for 2013, forget those resolutions that only last a day or two and get your exercise by grabbing a can of white paint and giving your space a whole new look!! Happy Fun Year everyone!!! Susan