Autumn in New England

Here's a photo of our house taken today. You can see the Copper Beech above back of the house. I have to admit, I won the battle this year and the heat was turned on about a week ago. You can see winter is on its way.

Happy Halloween!

In over your head, Part 2

We met with the realtor to view the house down the street.

First Floor bathroom had a burst pipe recently and it was patched. We had to do the same thing in our house.Gross old bathrooms in desperate need of updating

Nice tall ceilings, pumpkin pine flooring, large moldings:
Reading nook with arched windows
Large windows with lots of light.

What I didn't get photos of: Extensive water damage, termite damage, leaking pipes with rust and corrosion, and the icing on the cake: a bulging leaning foundation.

So. I guess that's that. We'd be in over our heads.

How to tell when you'd be in over your head?

There is a house for sale a few doors down. We've had our eye on the house because 1) we're suckers for houses that look like they need love and 2)It has lot that's double the size of ours.

This house has a lovely double tombstone door and it looks inviting enough from across the street.


But when you notice plants growing up and out the side

The sagging porches

with the bees flying from a hole in the siding


The snow fence left over from the garage/barn that imploded last winter during a heavy snowstorm

It makes you think twice.

The yard, currently overgrown and not level, has potential. I hate to say the house is a knock-down but I highly doubt there would be much worth saving, since I know there is at least 1 window that's been busted for over 3 years and its been a rental for more than 5 years.

I am waiting for a return call from the realtor, hoping a tour will push me off the fence. I'm just not sure which side of the fence I'll be happy to land on!

Come to the light...

I have been searching for the perfect set of wall sconces to flank the bed in the guest room and the search was over when I saw these from 1st dibs posted on Maison21.

I wonder how you turn them on?

Be our guest, be our guest

The Smallest-Guest-Room-In-The-World needs a makeover. This room has gorgeous pumpkin pine floors, which only appear in 1 other room in the house, but the room is so small I feel pangs of guilt every time I make someone stay in there. If it had a new coat of paint and some atmosphere, I wouldn't feel so badly about treating my house guests like sardines.

I looked through old Domino Magazines for inspiration.



Do you think its true that a bold color would make it feel larger? I think a dark blue like this would make people sleep better, but I'm not sure it would really feel any larger.


I love the gray upholstered headboard and the nail-head trim that is everywhere now. This blue on the wall seems cheerful too.
I love these twin beds in gray with the matching curtain, but I don't know about the Bone White paint on the walls. It just looks dingy to me.

I'll post a "before" picture as soon as I find one that isn't too hideous.