I dream of owning a home with old, built-in character…But with one exception, we have always bought new/fairly-new houses, and then we’ve done our best to add character and charm. Sometimes, however, you just have to work with what you have, as adding character and charm can take a lot of moolah.
My ideas of charm and character will come in future posts as I reveal some projects that we will be starting—and finishing! But for now, I walk around looking for little things that I can do now to cozy up the place.
If there’s one thing newer houses don’t usually have, it’s character. Even when the builders try, they often miss the mark. For example, in our master bedroom, there is a small, cave-like, REALLY high nook. It doesn’t have any real purpose, and it’s too high to truly enjoy any small treasures placed there. But it IS there, so I needed to do something with it.
Ta-da! Our master bedroom’s ceiling-hugging nook was my mini-project for the day. Because we are already working on the room. (See future post.) And because I have the stuff to do something already. Therefore, I will not spend any money to do it. BINGO!
I picked big objects to fill the space (since it’s so high up) and tried to pick colors which would stand out against my Pine Needle green paint. A few years ago, I bought two suitcases at a flea market. I fell in love with their leathery cover (although they’re probably vinyl) and their size and shape. They truly are perfect, and I knew I would use them forever. I think I paid $40 for the suitcase and little make-up case. They were a sure thing. Next, I scrounged around and found an old pewter candlestick. It was slightly bent and has a big dent in it (I’ll bet there’s a story there), and I think it came from a garage sale. I like it. I like pewter, and I like to make up stories. So, it was picked. I threw in a basket, a big green plate (I’m pretty sure I’ll change that out), and some pretty, decorative boxes that I had. Also, some fake greenery. I’m not a big fan of the fake greenery, but I needed something life-like (although I’m not sure this plastic fits that description), and I didn’t have any dried flowers. I just started playing around with the stuff and settled on an arrangement that I like. (I would normally put books there, but I couldn’t face putting a book in a place that would be really hard to get to if I happened to need that book. I must keep books close. It’s a sickness I inherited from my father.)
So, here’s the “after” shot. It may look a bit full, but I like the stuff that’s there, and it does fill a sort of awkward space. I think it’s interesting, at least.
Hi Jamie, I work for John and he sent me your website – I think it is great! My father was an auctioneer before he passed and my mom use to have a second hand shop in Lynchburg where the auction was. She use to go to yard sales every week and buy house hold items (just like the ones you talk about in your webiste) and then re-sell them in her shop. She had to give up the shop when Dad died, but she still loves to go to yard sales and she is always buy cheap items for me like candle sticks and mirrors (one of my favorite things to decorate with) Anyway I just had a little time to browse your site and I think it is a great idea for sharing – love the after shot above with the shelf and odds and ends, looks great. Also thought the idea (even though it wasn’t yours) for the French door is a good one, the fact that it would let in more light to an area that may be a bit dark is an interesting one.
Thanks and keep up the good work, I enjoy the site.
Thanks for checking it out, Donna, and for the encouragement!