Sunday, May 12, 2013

Open House Sunday

Whimsical Cottage in Atlanta
built 1920
This house has so many charming details that even though it is not staged and barely furnished, 
I just had to show it.
It had me at the front porch.
So many things about this home that are so pretty and quirky!
First the mixture of shingles and stone.
The deep overhang on the porch and unusual porch posts. 
It's painted a lovely gray color that looks so nice with the white trim and the stone.
And the gardens are straight out of a fairytale.
Look at the sweet flower box under the diamond pane window on the second story.
I love it that there are french doors leading out on to the front porch.
Love that big blue pot too. Copper gutters add to the charm.
Someone with artistic flair  lived here.
I love the way the stone walkway is edged in smaller white stones.
Through the stone archway and through an unusual front door.
Notice the fireplace to the left is covered in either rocks or shells.
I think it's shells.
I wish there was a better photo of it.
Nice built ins. I'd paint those white super fast.
charming little fireplace in this room
dining room is pretty straight forward
This kitchen is not so great but it wouldn't take much to make it gorgeous.
Tone down the color of the walls first of all.
New appliances would make a world of difference.
I do love the copper stove hood.
That is very strange tile. It has hot air balloons on it!
Slap some subway tile up there and paint the cabinets and it would be so much better.
Very vintage bathroom.
Another very vintage bathroom. 
Not sure what this room is.
This I am guessing is a large room size closet.
It's very over the top.
I don't care for the way the cabinetry is painted but imagine it all painted white.
It would be pretty!
Love that armoire!
I imagine this room as a craft room...potting shed room.
Can't you just see that built in with sink on the left filled with pots and flowers?
Those curtains would have to go immediately and I'd change the color on the  walls.
Upper deck..I'm guessing is on the back of the home.
Guest cottage out back and a glimpse at the wonderful garden.
Inside the cottage.....looks all set to be an artist's studio to me. Or at least that is how I imagine it.
Wonderful old gate on the side. Notice the large potted boxwoods.
Amazing angel statues accent the stone walls of the garden.
Here is a view of the garden.
Isn't it lovely?
I can just imagine giving this place some love..can't you?

See full listing here.

I'm giving away two copies of this book....go to my post about it here to enter.


Today - 
Mom and I are going tree shopping.
It's our tradition to shop for trees on Mother's Day.
We started this tradition because my Mom says my Dad always chose Mother's Day
to trim all the trees and bushes at their house. This always upset her to see him hacking away at them
or rather chainsawing them.
One year he ripped up her favorite tree without asking because he was sick of the acorns
that got in the way when he mowed.

She was traumatized by this. My Dad always took care of the yard.
Mom never did. It never occurred to him to tell her he was planning on ripping out that tree.
He just thought the yard was his deal and he was going to do whatever he thought best.

That tree that he ripped out? It was a Bur Oak.
She planted one back in her yard in the spot where he chopped down the first one
the second year after he died.

There is also one in my front yard...planted by Mom in honor of the one she lost.
My Dad killed her tree over 30 years ago and she is still mad about it.

Did she ever tell him she was mad about it?
No.
But now even ten years after he is gone...she still is taking her revenge.

Her revenge was making sure she had another and I had one too.

And you know what?
That crazy tree drops huge acorns everywhere that have to be picked up when mowing.

Dad knew what he was doing.
We should have chosen another type of tree.

I never tell Mom that, though.

Today we'll shop for a tree to replace my maple that bit the dust last year.
Our Mother and Daughter tradition.

Happy Mother's Day!

7 comments:

  1. Wow, this house is stunning. I don't know why people would ever buy a new build house when these old ones hold so much character - beautiful!
    I love those hot air balloon tiles.....and your right about the bookshelves being painted white.....
    love Emma
    x

    dearthirty.blogspot.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  2. If I lived in Atlanta I'd be lining up to buy that house. Such a house in Victoria would be close to $1 million - and our dollars are withing a cent of one another right now.
    The story of your mother and father and the oak tree - priceless!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ya know, I REALLY thought I would NOT like this house but each photo made me love it more. It's so unique.
    I actually like that kitchen with the old appliances. I'd pull out the black dishwasher and replace it with white and repaint the room white but I adore the copper hood and those balloons made me laugh. I think I'd keep them for the smiles.
    I saw a dog room and art studio that I love. The only thing I'd change is all the bushes in the backyard. I'd want a flat green lawn back there. Otherwise, I like this SO MUCH more than the big fancy over-decorated ones.

    Yeah, I get the tree thing. After my Mom passed, my Dad cut down everything. My and my sister were devastated. Especially over the Crab Apple. :(
    I just had my Weeping Willow cut down. Wow! I now have tons of sunlight. I planted that thing 20 years ago and what a mistake.
    Oh well, lesson learned.
    Happy Dachsie Mom's Day!
    XOXO

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a wonderful Mother's Day tradition, and such a funny story!
    Last winter, I saw Mr. 24 about to tear out our white hydrangea because he thought he'd 'hacked' it too much and it wasn't going to come back. I insisted on leaving it and seeing if it would re-visit us after such horrible treatment, and it did, it was gorgeous, but he had thought, like your dad, that since he was the one out there doing all the work, he could just do whatever he wanted, so silly.
    Lucky for me, hydrangea's don't drop huge acorns so there have been no ill effects from keeping it. ;)

    Loved this house (and last weeks too)...it would be so great to give it some TLC, such character deserves a loving owner.

    Happy Mommy Day to you Nita...hope your Doxie babies served you breakfast in bed and gave 'you' lots of treats & kisses!
    xo J~

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, I'd love to get my hands on that place! (And I'd like a half million too). when I visited a friend in Atlanta a couple of years ago, we drove that neighborhood looking at all the houses for sale.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'd like to buy that beyouteafull cottage! Wow, what a looker!

    ReplyDelete
  7. That is a really gorgeous house, what we couldn't do with it, eh Nita? I love the kitchen copper range hood and the vintage tiled bathrooms. The gardens are fabulous!

    ReplyDelete

Leave a comment and make my day!