Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Welcome to my House

Welcome to my new blog! I have been faithfully reading a few blogs and decided it was time to join in the fun. I love Victorian houses and Victorian antiques and I love joining in with others who love the same things I do. I have many friends but I only have about 5 "Victorian" friends, so from this blog hopefully I will make many new "Victorian" friends. Me and my house, well, we are "Victorian Wanna Be's" and that is what this blog will be about, our journey to becoming and looking like a Victorian house. So let's get started!


Pictured below is my house, it was built in 1989 (I wish it was 1889). The first photo is how it looked when we bought it and then the next photo is what it looks like now. I love before and after photos, it's always so exciting to be able to see how much better something looks after you are done with it. (Or at least we hope it looks better). Click on to the photos to enlarge them.



So as you can tell we removed the ugly overgrown bush thing in the front, painted the shutters and door dark red, got a screen door and to "Victorianize" the front porch we added a galley rail/gingerbread trim. I also got rid of the green plastic chairs and replaced them with antique wicker chairs. The Victorians liked to think of their front porches as another room, an extension to their home, it should give visitors a little glimpse of what they might find on the inside. My house actually looks more like a Victorian Farmhouse, but oh well.  I would actually like to paint the house a color someday but not sure if my hubby will go for that!
Now that you've seen the outside, let's move on inside to my foyer/front hall. BUT, first...you need to meet who lives here. After all, it is the people who make a house a home. And as we all know, there's no place like home. ;-) So here is a photo of me and my family, even though we're not actually at home in the photo. Left to right, my daughter Lydia, my son Josh, myself and my husband Nathan. Let me tell you a little bit about my family. They ARE NOT Victorian Wanna Be's and they do not share my Victorian vision! Phooey!



And now, what you have all been waiting for...the other member of our family!!! Drum roll please.



This is our Victorian pooch, Olivia!! We call her Liv or Livy Dog. She is a Yorkshire Terrier and she is just so precious to us, God knew we needed her in our lives. We adopted her from the local Humane Society about 4 years ago, and they had rescued her from a shut down Puppy Mill. Who know's how many litter's of puppies she had during her time there. So sad...

Okay, so once you are inside you'll see the stairs. Pictured, again, are the before and after photos. My husband removed the dirty old worn carpet and replaced the wood and added a carpet runner and the side boards, or whatever you call those things. Even though he doesn't share my vision he usually does what I ask! ;-)



On the right side wall of the foyer is where I have my hall stand. I bought it at an antique shop in Quincy, IL. a couple of years ago and fit that thing right into the back of my Ford Fusion (with the back seat down) all the way back to Mid Missouri. Needless to say, hubby did not share in my joy! oops...
On the little marble shelf sits a silver plated calling card holder. (I'll show some of those things up close in another post another time). In the mirror you'll see the portiere, which is the entrance to my family room/parlor (that room will be my next posting). To the left of the hallstand is the hall leading to the kitchen/dining room.


And last, my hanging cranberry glass foyer/hall lamp. I got it at an auction in Mexico, Mo.  My hubby does not think it looks appropriate, he says it gives off a red light. I tell him it is a soft pink light and it gives my cheeks a nice pink glow! (And everyone else's that walks in the door!) Well that didn't work, he still feels the same way! On the wall, by the sidelight is an antique beaded frame with a photo of my hubby's great grandfather, circa 1910 age 90 or so. He was part African American and part Cherokee Indian. And because of that I thought he looked good in that beaded frame because it looks Indianish. Sorry about the green line in the photo-the scanner didn't do so well for some reason.



Okay, that is it for today. I hope you enjoyed your photo tour and I hope you will join me again for my next tour.
So, until then...


7 comments:

  1. Hi Gina!
    let me start by saying beautiful family and darling dog!
    I love the changes you've made to your home and I would've dragged that hall tree home also..It's a beauty!.. And happy wife happy life so your husband is a smart man to do what you want *winks* I'm your newest follower and would love if you followed me too. I can't wait to see more. Welcome to the blogesphere! Vanna

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    1. Hi Vanna! You are the one to leave the FIRST comment for me! I'm so excited! Now I know I'm hooked. Thankyou! Yes, I do follow your Blog-it is wonderful!Wait until you see my french china cabinet in my dining room. ;-) Gina

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  2. my dear friend, so good to hear from you. I love cranberry glass and I especially love your hanging lamp. I have one in my shop and no one will buy it. What is wrong with the world. I am glad you have a doll house, you need to get at it. I saw the Staffordshire dogs on the computer, but have not broken down to get them yet. Things add up so fast. I did order a Sissy Dog statue for the front porch. A little at a time. Richard from My Old Historic House.

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  3. Hi Gina, me again!
    I see you know Richard -- he is just the most delightful person; I love his posts, his sense of humor, AND his sense of style. Plus I love his Sissy Dog!

    I LOVE YOUR RED GLASS LANTERN, too.
    Your house looks wonderful with the exterior changes; it really does transform a "plain Jane" outside to something with that Victorian pizzazz. Lovely!

    And now, it's after midnight, and I need to get to sleep!
    Talk soon -- Cass

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  4. Gina,
    I love the outside of your home! I would kill for a front porch like that!! And I love all the Victorian accents that you added to the outside. I am unable to do that with the front of my townhouse.
    And your hall tree is to die for!! LOVE it!!

    Hugs,
    Deb

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  5. The change in the staircase is really quite awesome. It makes SUCH a difference and I think the Victorians would thoroughly approve and applaud you!

    If I ever get a house again (we are currently in an apartment) I will remember what you did with your stairs. For now I just might imitate it in miniature.

    Cassandra
    http://clmts-miniatureworld.blogspot.com/

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  6. Gina: This was so fun to see and now these 2 kids are both in college - wow! Time flies doesn't it!

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