A New Old House...

I just recently re-activated my subscription to House Beautiful magazine (I really have to stop moving so much...I lose track of these things and had really been missing getting this magazine every month)....

My new issue arrived and let's just say, there is a kitchen in it (an no, it's not the Kitchen of the Year..though it is fantastic too) that had me absolutely drooling (if you have the new issue...keep an eye out for the copper pots).

I also follow House Beautiful on my Rustic Retrievals Facebook Page and noticed HB had posted the photo of the amazing soapstone sink in the room with the stable door (see below) and I just had to have a look at the rest of the house!

I'm sure glad I did!

The home, in Nashville Tennessee, is amazingly beautiful, airy and bright.....a fluid mix of rustic charm and southern beauty.

The following are a few of my favorite rooms and needless to say, I absolutely love this home!

Whether is was the amazing fixture/s in the staircase, the numerous soapstone sinks (LOVE how they have one double as a bar cooler), the gorgeous outdoor spaces, the immense walk-in closet, the modern stone fireplace or the kitchen that just begs you to entertain in it....every photo provides wonderful inspiration and perfectly illustrates the allure of this lovely home.

RR

My Motto...

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RR

Around the house....my house...

I'm sitting on the deck this morning, having a latte and planning my day of couch hunting (Urban Barn, Cornerstone etc) and a little part of me actually feels like I'm at the cottage.

There's something about the light at this time of day and how it streams through my front window, the breeze as I sit here on the deck....it even smells a wee bit like being at the lake this morning.

As much as I continue to move towards my goal of one day having my cottage by the lake....I am lucky to have my own little cottage in the city..and even more, a cottage that is reminiscent of me and who I am.

Below are photos of vignettes around my home, some art, a few rooms....just a wee peak into how I've made my house into my home!

The buffet...one of my favorite pieces in my home..I collect crystal candlesticks and I love mixing them with my green glass but also some apothecary jars filled with rustic pieces of drift wood.

These are scattered around the house on my coffee table, side tables...again a mix of pieces I love...green glass, stone, wood, photos...

I also collect black and white photos/pictures of tree scapes and water scenes. Family means everything to me as well so I have put all of these together (again with some green glass) on a glass top console table.

This photo shows the light in the dining room in the morning....and also illustrates that due to size constraints of my cottage (800sq ft), how I use my space in various and multifunctional ways,.... ie. my dining room table turns into a showcase for my Etsy products while I'm organizing them.

This was a birthday gift from my parents last year from a favorite store of mine in Port Elgin called August Skies. Every time I look at that picture, I am reminded of my goal to one day have that cottage with the muskoka chair and all the rustic, yet refined, character I could ask for.

This is the shelf beside my desk in my office...full of fun, whimsy and brightness....I think you need all of those things to ensure ongoing inspiration and motivation....I especially love the card by A Paper Buffet that for me, really sums up life in general...I'm still looking for just the perfect frame to put it in!

Then there's NYC....yes, I grew up on 50 acres and I am a country gal through and through...but if I had the chance, I would move to NYC in a heartbeat...and I can't wait to go back to visit. These are on my refrigerator (yes, I use my fridge as an inspiration board with quotes, photos and memories)...McQueen, Macys (photo by Stephanie Buchy - A Paper Buffet), Central Park (photo by yours truly)....just thinking about it brings a smile to my face...

So.....welcome to my home...at least a few bits and pieces of it. I hope this has maybe given you some inspiration to go around your house, rearrange some pieces, put together some new vignettes....we're always re-creating ourselves which in turn, means re-creating the place in which we dwell...our home!

RR

Happy Canada Day Long Weekend - Almost Home!

Happy Long Weekend! It has been quite the week, so it is a breath of fresh air (literally) to get out of the city to visit my parents and see how their house is progressing.

I hadn't been to visit in a few weeks and I am BLOWN AWAY by how far it has come along...it is practically finished!!

I will save most pictures until it is completely finished, but here's a sneak peek...

We had a wonderful tour guide to show us around the house and show us his favorite spaces (so far, it looks like the bathroom and basement are his top picks...may have something to do with the nice, cool concrete/tile floors).....

After all his hard work, it was time for our tour guide to have a swim in the pond....After successfully soaking me as he came out and decided to shake off right beside me, we headed back to the house....here's the view towards the house from the pond.

It was great to be back at the 'homestead'....that piece of property is where I grew up and what I have known as, 'home' for my entire life. For many, many reasons I am sooo happy they decided to re-build here.....

I love this time of year and all the wild flowers...Daisies, Queen Anne's Lace, Black Eyed Susans etc...these are all found on the walk to/from the pond.

These are some more pictures of the landscape around the house......

After the full tour, we headed back to the farm house my parents are renting while the house is being built. It was such a gorgeous evening and this is the view out the front door....I can't think of a better way to spend the long weekend but with the fam, in the country...

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!

RR