Dining in Rosedown Plantation, St. Francisville, Louisiana

May 15, 2014 by 73 Comments

Welcome to the 296th Tablescape Thursday! Last week while touring plantation homes across Louisiana and Mississippi, I was happy to discover photography was allowed in almost every home we toured. Today we are venturing inside the beautiful dining room of Rosedown Plantation. As you can see in this picture from Wikipedia below, Oak Alley Plantation isn't the only Louisiana plantation home with a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historic Homes, Home Tours, Tablescape Thursday



Historic Arlington, Home To Raccoons Now

May 13, 2014 by 58 Comments

I've been going through the thousands of photos I took last week while touring 13+ historic, plantation homes in the states of Louisiana and Mississippi.  As I was looking through some of the pictures today, one particular home still haunts me from the trip, Historic Arlington. Arlington is a Federal style home located in Natchez, Mississippi. It was built in 1816 by John Hampton White and his wife, Jane … [Read more...]

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Restoration Of Historic Ski Cabin In Switzerland

March 31, 2014 by 30 Comments

Welcome to the 270th Metamorphosis Monday! Do you have your passport handy? We're heading off to Switzerland this morning to visit our friend, Cornelia! Cornelia has invited us on a tour of her historic 1853 ski cabin located in the Swiss mountains. It's was being restored all last summer and was done in time for this past winter's ski season. You've heard of ski-in and ski-out? This cabin is the … [Read more...]

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In the BNOTP Library: Martha Stewart’s New Old House

March 30, 2014 by 17 Comments

Pssst: I've created a new category at the top of BNOTP called Library so if later you're trying to remember the name of a book I featured from my decor library, you'll be able to click on that category and find it there. I also dropped the rating scale because I realized that I'm only going to be sharing those books that I own and really like.  So if I'm sharing it here, you know it's one I … [Read more...]

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Charming Features of Older Homes

March 21, 2014 by 73 Comments

Happy Friday! Are you looking forward to the weekend? I have some projects to work on so it will be a busy one. I have a little catching up to do around here. I was out of town visiting family (my son and, his family) and I just returned last night. It was a fun trip and the days flew by. My son and DIL purchased a beautiful, older home a while back and this was the first time I've visited since they … [Read more...]

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Tour Thayercrest, a Beautiful Historic Home in New Hampshire

March 7, 2014 by 68 Comments

I love taking you on home tours, especially when I come across a hidden gem and today's home is truly a special home! This historic home known as Thayercrest, is located in Farmington, New Hampshire. It was built in 1915, thus making it almost 100 years old! I was surprised to read that in its 100 year history it has never been on the market! Isn't that amazing?! It's not often one can buy a … [Read more...]

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Tour a Beautiful Historic Home in Savannah Georgia

March 1, 2014 by 31 Comments

One of my favorite places to visit in this big old world is Savannah, Georgia. I love the history, the wonderful old homes and the unbelievably beautiful squares. I've taken you on several home tours in Savannah in the past. I'll link to some of those at the end of this post in case Savannah captures your heart the way it has mine. Today were touring a beautiful Greek Revival home that overlooks one of … [Read more...]

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A Fantasy Second Home, A Place to Escape the World

February 18, 2014 by 37 Comments

Do you have a second home, a home away from home? I don't but I dream sometimes of having one, a place to get away from everyday life  and just sloooow down for a bit. If you had a second home, what would it be? Are you the "cabin in the mountains" type, the "beach cottage" type or the "anywhere-but-here" type? A few years back I purchased this Better Homes and Gardens book on Amazon. It's filled with … [Read more...]

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Gail Claridge’s Country Meadow Equestrian Ranch

February 4, 2014 by 52 Comments

What do you see in this picture below? Just an ordinary old barn, right?   Gail Claridge, an Interior Designer and the owner of Gail Claridge Interiors in Westlake Village, CA envisioned much more for this modest 50+ year old barn. Much more! Talk about a transformation! As amazing as this exterior looks, it doesn't compare to the inside! Let's go inside and take the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Historic Homes, Home Tours



Touring the Beautiful Hill-Huggins Home in Madison, Georgia

February 1, 2014 by 13 Comments

There was one more home we toured in Madison during the Town & Country Holiday Tour back in December: the Hill-Huggins Home built in 1832. It was late evening and just before dark when I took these photos.  This beautiful Greek Revival has a really fascinating history.   While on the tour we were told that the home belonged to Senator Joshua Hill during the time of the Civil War. He … [Read more...]

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Madison Town & Country Holiday Home Tour

January 31, 2014 by 45 Comments

Back in December, I went on a holiday tour of homes in Madison Georgia. I had planned to share these photos before now but I've been unable to download them from my phone. Does anyone have a Samsung Galaxy III? Got an easy method for downloading pics to your computer? In the past, with all the other phones I've ever owned, I just connected them to my computer via a USB cable and my computer automatically … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Home Tours, Historic Homes, Home Tours, The Holiday Home, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,



Tour Oak Hall, Waterfront Country Estate & Greek Revival Manor Home

January 24, 2014 by 39 Comments

What goes through your mind when you pass by a driveway like this? Does your heart yearn to know where it leads, if there's an amazing house at the other end? Well, today you get to find out because we are traveling down this beautiful driveway and what we'll find on the other end does not disappoint!   See what I mean...Oh. My. gosh!   Historic Oak Hall was built in 1918. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historic Homes, Home Tours



Paris Apartment, Another World Frozen in Time

January 8, 2014 by

Imagine walking into an apartment filled with beautiful treasures that no one has seen or touched in 70 years. This lovely Paris apartment was literally frozen in time for seven decades, abandoned by Mrs. De Florian when she fled to the south of France just before the Second World War. Amazingly, she never returned.   It's like something out of a movie. The contents was left undisturbed all … [Read more...]

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Restoration of Historic Powell House, Part II

January 7, 2014 by 24 Comments

Yesterday for Met Monday, we toured the lower level of the historic Powell House in Villa Rica Georgia.   Today we're heading upstairs...can't wait to show you all the bedrooms and take you out on the balcony. Let's go!   Once you reach the top of the front staircase, as you look back toward the front of the home this is your view.   I made a beeline for the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historic Homes, Home Tours



Restoration of Historic Powell House, Part I

January 6, 2014 by 38 Comments

Welcome to the 258th Metamorphosis Monday! A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to tour The Powell House, an historic home built in 1928 in Villa Rica, Georgia.This home is currently going through a renovation/restoration so I thought you might enjoy touring it for Met Monday. The Powell House was built by Villa Rica's first doctor, Dr. Bruna Columbus Powell who passed away in 1961 at the age of 92. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historic Homes, Home Tours



Tour A Historic Home in Madison Georgia

November 22, 2013 by 15 Comments

Recently, I came across this beautiful historic home for sale in Madison, Georgia. Madison is just an hour or so outside of Atlanta. I've been there several times in the past for home tours. It was a Christmas home tour in Madison is where I first spied a table set with Lenox, Winter Greetings and fell in love with that pattern. See what trouble these tours can cause! ;) This historic home is great for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historic Homes, Home Tours



Tour an Historic Equestrian Estate in Virginia

October 2, 2013 by 58 Comments

Autumn, the air is crisp and invigorating, let's saddle up the horses and go for a ride! Okay, I don't have a horse, but I can dream! Imagine riding your horse on this beautiful estate! The trees are just beginning to change their summer clothes for brighter garments. The manor house pictured below is The Maples and it was built in 1853. In addition to the main house, there's a guest house with 2 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historic Homes, Home Tours



The Big Chill

September 27, 2013 by 42 Comments

Did you ever see the movie, The Big Chill? I had not until recently. When I've posted movie house tours here at BNOTP in the past, The Big Chill was one y'all recommended I check out. Well, HELLO!  Would you just look at this house! Oh. My. Gosh! The movie started off a bit slow and then THIS came into view on the screen. After I picked myself up off the floor, I thought, no wonder you guys suggested … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historic Homes, Home Tours, Movie House Tours, Movie Houses



Beautiful Front Porch Addition and Garden Oasis

September 16, 2013 by 74 Comments

Welcome to the 242nd Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! How was your weekend? It was beautiful weather here and you can definitely tell fall is on its way. The temps were really mild, even kind of cool at times. It was perfect weather for getting some outdoor projects done. I'll be sharing those before too long. In the meantime I have a fabulous porch addition to share!   Between Naps on the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Porches Tagged With: , , ,



A Brick Walkway Redesign

September 3, 2013 by 63 Comments

In my front yard, there lives a Southern Magnolia, Grandiflora. And grand she is! I didn't place her here. Even with my limited knowledge of gardening, I know better than to plant a Southern Magnolia 10 feet out from a house. (Remember when the yard looked like this?)   Let's take a little ride in my time machine. The year is 1989 and we are house hunting or "trying out houses" as Chip who … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks



The Big Wedding

August 31, 2013 by 68 Comments

Last August I posted about the movie, The Big Wedding that was scheduled to come out in October 2012. Not sure why but the movie was delayed and ended up being released in April 2013, instead. Do you think they did that to have it better coincide with all the wedding stuff that goes on in the spring and summer? I had high hopes for the movie since it had an amazing cast: Robert DeNiro, Katherine Heigl, … [Read more...]

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Dining in an English Country House: A Visit to Chatsworth House

August 15, 2013 by 52 Comments

Welcome to the 257th Tablescape Thursday! Have you ever visited Chatsworth House? Unfortunately, I've never been to England but I'm determined to get there one of these days. Chatsworth House is a large country house located in the county of Derbyshire in the East Midlands region of England. It was built beginning around 1553 but went through a rebuilding process beginning in 1696. Chatsworth is home to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historic Homes, Home Tours, Tablescape Thursday, Travel



Screened-In Porch Addition: Patio Becomes Screened-In Porch

June 24, 2013 by 56 Comments

Welcome to the 230th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently, I received an email from author, Amy Gamet. She shared some exciting news.  Amy's husband had just completed work on their new screened in porch.  In the picture below you can see how the back of their home looked before work had begun. Before: Construction was just getting underway in the picture below.  The brick wall surrounding the patio … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Porches Tagged With: , , , , , , ,



Historic 1852 Ski Cabin, Restored & Updated

June 10, 2013 by 37 Comments

  Welcome to the 228th Metamorphosis Monday! Thank you so much for the loving comments you left on my weekend post and on Facebook. I've read each one and appreciate them more than you know. Metamorphosis Monday: Last September Cornelia shared pics of the restoration and renovation process they had started on their historic ski cabin located in the Swiss Alps in the Canton of Grison.  The … [Read more...]

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A Waterside Home with Great Beach House Style

June 5, 2013 by 54 Comments

  I've been obsessing a little about beach homes lately.  I've always wanted to decorate one but since I don't actually own one, that could be a bit tricky. ;)  Did you catch that whole series of HGTV shows on designer, Sarah Richardson's beach cottage recently?  Just google "Sarah Richardson HGTV episodes" and you'll find them.  I didn't get to watch the whole series but I loved how her cottage was … [Read more...]

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A Tabletop Greenhouse for Growing Herbs

June 3, 2013 by 80 Comments

Welcome to the 227th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope your weekend was wonderful! Today for Met Monday, I'm sharing a small update out on the porch.  I don't often change things out here since I'm pretty happy with it, as is.  If I make a change something else usually has to leave. A while back I made an update to the small oval table under the Summer Breeze sign.  You may remember, it got … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, My Nest, Nature, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , , , , ,



Two Story Porches: Build a Porch Way Up High

May 31, 2013 by 33 Comments

  My love for a two-story porch started the day I was on a home tour in Grant Park (Atlanta) and I walked out onto the top porch of this home.  I know the trees kind of look like they are obstructing the view but it didn't feel or look that way on the porch.  Instead, it felt as if we were in this magical place, high above the world.  We could see all the way down the street both ways, as well as … [Read more...]

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HGTV Smart Home, 2013: Take the Tour!

May 17, 2013 by 43 Comments

Have you seen the HGTV 2013 Smart Home?  It's located in Jacksonville, Florida and it's pretty amazing!  Wish I lived close enough to see it in person.  I love techy stuff and this house is loaded with the latest technology to keep things running smoothly, as well as lots of neat safety features.  I'm not sure how I feel about those teeny, tiny windows on the front of the house downstairs, think I would … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beach & Lake Homes



Beautiful Porch & Deck Additions: Amazing Transformation

May 13, 2013 by 63 Comments

Welcome to the 225th Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings!  Hope your weekend was fabulous!  Mine was relaxing, spent with good friends. Unfortunately, my son lives too far away for us to spend Mother's Day together but at least we were able to talk on the phone. I really should check into skyping, that would be better than just the phone.  Do you Skype and if so, do you like it? HGTV Magazine and a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Porches Tagged With:



Sabrina: Thomas Fairchild’s Cozy Garage Apartment

April 26, 2013 by 15 Comments

This week I shared two of the three homes in the 1995 remake of the 1954 classic movie, Sabrina.  We toured Salutation House, a grand mansion located in Glen Cove on Long Island in this post: Sabrina: Tour the Beautiful Glen Cove Estate in the Movie   We also visited an adorable Menemsha Cottage on Martha's Vineyard in this post: Sabrina: Tour the Waterfront Cottage on Martha's … [Read more...]

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Sabrina: Waterfront Cottage on Martha’s Vineyard

April 24, 2013 by 34 Comments

Yesterday we toured the beautiful Long Island estate located in Glen Cove that was used in the filming of the 1995 version of the movie, Sabrina.  During the movie, Linus Larrabee does everything he can to keep his brother David away from Sabrina who has just returned from living in Paris for an extended period.  Sabrina left for Paris an awkward young girl, but she returned a beautiful, sophisticated … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beach & Lake Homes, Movie House Tours, Movie Houses Tagged With: , , , , , ,



Sabrina: Beautiful Glen Cove

April 23, 2013 by 52 Comments

I'm a  total sucker for romantic comedies. Life may not always turn out the way it does in the movies, but it sure is fun to "escape" to a fantasy world where the guy always gets the girl and the girl always gets her Prince Charming, even if he is slightly flawed in the beginning. Sabrina, a 1995 remake of the Billy Wilder 1954 original with Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn and William Holden, is a rom … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Home Tours, Movie House Tours, Movie Houses, Valentine's Day Holiday Home, Valentine's Day Movies Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,



Barbara Eberlein: Beautiful Rooms!

April 9, 2013 by 24 Comments

Recently I came across a designer with whom I was unfamiliar.  Her name is Barbara Eberlein and I love her work.  Her portfolio includes a variety of work in the areas of Preservation, Classic, Contemporary and Second Homes. Here are a few of the spaces she has designed.  You'll find many more at her website which I'll link to at the end of this post. I love this blue and white bedroom.  Notice the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY, DIY Decorating, Historic Homes, Home Tours, New Old Homes



Bedrooms, Baths and Back Porch of Historic 1833 Home

April 3, 2013 by 14 Comments

Sandi's been sharing pics of her historic 1833 home with me this week .  Today I'm taking you into two bedrooms and their accompanying baths.  I'm also sharing a photo showing the back of the home and a special screened door Sandi designed and had built for her back door that's not a standard opening. I added a fun little fact to yesterday's post later in the day.  I thought I'd mention it again in case … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historic Homes, Home Tours



Beautiful Blue and White Bedroom and Bath

April 2, 2013 by 42 Comments

Today we're are continuing our tour of Sandi's beautiful 1833 home.  Sandi shared a fascinating fact about her home with me yesterday.  She said the home was originally built about 15 miles down the road.  In 1895 it was taken apart, all the pieces/parts numbered and then rebuilt on it's current location.  Sandi said, "The reason it was because Mr. Willis asked for his lady’s hand in marriage and she said … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blue & White Design & Decor, Historic Homes, Home Tours Tagged With: , ,



Master Bedroom and Bath in Historic 1833 Home

April 1, 2013 by 42 Comments

Welcome to the 219th Metamorphosis Monday! A while back I shared a wonderful Mardi Gras table setting in the dining room of Sandi's beautiful historic home.  You'll find that tablescape here: Mardi Gras Table Setting and Decoration.) Sandi's home was built in 1833 and she's been restoring it since 1991.  For this Met Monday, I'm sharing some of the ways she transformed her historic … [Read more...]

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Houmas House Plantation and Gardens: Take the Tour

March 19, 2013 by 46 Comments

One of my most favorite things about blogging is meeting dear-hearts who share similar interests, like an interest in beautiful old homes.  Recently, I was chatting (via email) with Linda.  Linda has visited Louisiana bunches of times to tour the beautiful plantation homes along the Mississippi River.  She shared some photos she's taken of several of the homes, including Houmas House Plantation and Gardens. … [Read more...]

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Tour Two Beautiful Historic Homes, One in New York and One in Georgia

March 8, 2013 by 53 Comments

I love historic homes.  Before I ever landed on my first blog site back in 2008, I used to get my house fix by "touring" houses online via real estate listings.  Of course, it's much easier now to tour all the gorgeous homes and interiors you're little heart could desire, but I still have to stop by some of my fave historic home sites periodically to check out what beauties have recently come on the market. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historic Homes, Home Tours



My Dream Home

February 20, 2013 by 137 Comments

At some point during the day, nearly every single day, I catch myself dreaming about living in an adorable cottage in a small town or rural area. I've never been a city girl so living 20 minutes outside Atlanta is definitely not my cup of tea. The city I live in is super congested and traffic is always bad unless it's 10:00 AM on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday or 10:00 at night.  I do all my grocery … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Inspire, New Old Homes, Storybook Cottages Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,



Porch Decorated for Valentine’s Day

January 22, 2013 by 52 Comments

Today I played hooky and it was soooo much fun.  I highly recommend it!  ;)  I guess it wasn't really hooky since I snapped some fun pics and garnered some great Valentine's Day decorating ideas to bring back and share with you. Such a great way to spend a cold January day.  I had lunch with my friend, Marie, followed by a fun day of shopping.  We visited all our favorite shopping haunts around town and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Home Tours, The Holiday Home, Valentine's Day Decor, Valentine's Day Holiday Home Tagged With: , ,



The Proposal

January 15, 2013 by 87 Comments

Have you ever wondered where the house in the movie, The Proposal, is located?  Or, have you ever wondered if it's a real home, a movie set or a "fake" house built just for the movie? The House in the Movie, The Proposal Imagine one day there's a knock at your door.  You answer and a smiling movie-location-scout is asking to use your home for the upcoming movie, The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock and … [Read more...]

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Pillow Talk

October 20, 2012 by 61 Comments

It's the weekend!  Have you anything special planned this beautiful fall day? I'm looking forward to a very special evening.  A friend of mine had a kidney transplant a year ago and he's throwing a party to celebrate that he's had no problems, no rejection and has been able to enjoy a full year off dialysis.  The guest of honor for the party will be his donor, a dear friend of his, who in an unbelievably … [Read more...]

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Historic Swiss Ski Cabin Renovation & Restoration

September 24, 2012 by 59 Comments

Welcome to the 192nd Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend?   Do anything fun?  Are you enjoying these beautiful fall days or do you live in an area where spring is just getting underway?  It's been really pretty here in Atlanta.  I spent the weekend going out to eat and to the movies with a friend.   Then I worked on a little project, a project I hope to share soon. For this Metamorphosis … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Historic Homes, Home Tours, Travel Tagged With: , ,



The Big Wedding: A Peek Inside This Beautiful Lake House

August 3, 2012 by 62 Comments

Update: The post below was created in April 2012 prior to the release of the movie so it shows pictures from the trailer for The Big Wedding. You'll find a much more detailed tour with lots more pictures in this more recent post: Tour the Beautiful Lake House in the Movie, The Big Wedding   Yesterday I was playing around on my iPad and I found an app I had downloaded so long ago I had completely … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beach & Lake Homes, Movie Houses Tagged With: , , ,



A New Lamp for the Porch

July 13, 2012 by 57 Comments

I love lamp lighting.  Actually, I'm pretty obsessed over lighting in general.    I never use overhead lighting, unless I'm just turning it on for a few seconds to find something I've dropped.  One exception is a chandelier on a dimmer switch...those can really create a nice mood in a room. Pretty early on in the process of decorating/furnishing the rooms in my home,  I discovered how lamp lighting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , , , , ,



The Charming Town of Cape May

June 24, 2012 by 37 Comments

I love it when readers email pictures of projects they've made, before and afters and wonderful home tours!  Michele visits the wonderful town of Cape May, NJ each summer and she recently shared a few pics with me from a recent trip.   Oh, how I'd love to see this town in person and go inside these cute shops!  My bucket list gets longer and longer. Beautiful gardens and charming … [Read more...]

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A Beautiful Mosaic Planter for the Front Porch

June 8, 2012 by 38 Comments

Moving a blog is a lot like moving in real life.  Do you remember the last time you moved?  You know it's going to be a big job but you really don't know how big until you are in the thick of it.  And while in the midst of it, you probably think to yourself, "I'll never do this again."  Once you're all settled in your new home, you're happy you did it.  I'm not quite to the happy stage, but I'm getting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: ,



A Secret Garden Tablescape

May 28, 2012 by 42 Comments

Welcome to the 195th Tablescape Thursday! Wow, what a week!  This is turning out to be one of the busiest and most exciting weeks I've had in a while.  My son and his sweetheart were here last night.  We're all in wedding mode since the big day is just 4 days away.  After dinner out we came back home and stayed up late into the night talking.  I miss them terribly and love it when they are here … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, Seasonal Tablescapes, Spring & Summer Tablescapes, Tablescape Thursday Tagged With: , ,



City Life to Country Life in a Victorian Farmhouse

May 28, 2012 by 75 Comments

Welcome to the 175th Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings!  Hope you had a wonderful weekend!  I'm excited today to introduce you to Karianne who blogs at the beautiful blog, Thistlewood Farms.  A while back KariAnne and her family went through a big metamorphosis and her story is inspiring, as well as beautiful.  Enjoy! Hello, Between Naps On the Porch readers!  I am so excited to be visiting here … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours Tagged With: ,



Historic Tyson-Stedham Home Restoration

May 14, 2012 by 35 Comments

Welcome to the 173rd Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings!   Hope you had a wonderful weekend! Several folks have been asking over the past few months for an update on the restoration process of the historic Tyson-Stedham home in Adel, Georgia.   If you've been reading BNOTP for a while, you may remember this old home was in pretty bad shape when Dustin, of Van de Fleet Designs and Restoration, first began … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Historic Homes, Home Tours Tagged With: ,



Office Updates & Shell Charger Progress

April 30, 2012 by 58 Comments

Welcome to the 171st Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings!  How was your weekend?  What did you work on this weekend?  Do anything fun? I have a couple of small little updates to share this week for Metamorphosis Monday.  I decided to remove the TV from the office since I found I only turned it on a couple of times a month.   You can see it in this older photo to the right of the wallpaper organizer, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Organization and Storage, Home Tours, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , ,



Historic Home Tour: An 1880 Victorian Mansion, Beautiful & Bright

April 28, 2012 by 31 Comments

I subscribe to several "old house" websites featuring information about historic homes available for purchase.  Though I doubt I'll ever own an historic home, I do love to tour them pretty much every chance I get.  I drool over their large windows, deep moldings, high ceilings and rich history.  If there's a ghost story attached, it's all the better. But this post isn't about ghosts, instead it's a tour … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historic Homes, Home Tours Tagged With: , , ,



A Beautiful Front Porch Renovation

April 16, 2012 by 42 Comments

Welcome to the 169th Metamorphosis Monday! Michael blogs at the wonderful blog, Rattlebridge Farm, and recently she bought a new home.  She's currently in the middle of several renovations, both inside and out.  For this Metamorphosis Monday I'm excited to share the front porch transformation that's underway. This is how the exterior of Michael's home looked when she first purchased it.  She … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Porches Tagged With: ,



Wake Up the Porch & Decks for Spring

April 9, 2012 by 53 Comments

Welcome to the 168th Metamorphosis Monday! Preparing the Porch and Decks for Spring: Cleaning and Planting At the start of this past winter, I decided to try something new.  Instead of tossing the big geranium that lives all summer on the porch, and the three smaller ones visible behind this summer table setting below, I tucked them all away in my garage for the winter. Amazingly, they lived.  They … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, Home Tours, In the Garden, My Nest, Nature, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: , , , , , , ,



IKEA PJÄS Basket Closet Additions

March 12, 2012 by 50 Comments

Welcome to the 164th Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings!  Hope you had a fabulous weekend!  Last Friday I met a friend for lunch in Atlanta.  We lunched in a restaurant by the name of Osteria del Figo.  I think most folks just call it, Figo Pasta.  After lunch I headed over to IKEA.  You may remember after my last visit to IKEA, the closet went from looking like this... ...to looking like this. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Organization and Storage, Home Tours, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , ,



Porches for Sleeping

February 22, 2012 by 24 Comments

From time to time I visit a section of the Atlanta Journal & Constitution called "Private Quarters."  They highlight homes of all types and give mini tours.  Recently this home was featured.  You can see the full tour HERE.  My favorite "room" shown in the tour was the porch.  I know that comes as no surprise since I have a thing for porches. This little piece of heaven especially caught my eye. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Home Tours, Porches, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: , , , , , ,



Reforming My Faux Ways

January 6, 2012 by 117 Comments

I've shared this view of my family room many times.  Many, many, many years ago, when I put this room together, I seriously believed I needed something reallllly big over behind the burgundy wingback to balance the height of the armoire (which houses the TV) on the left.  A nice, tall tree seemed just the answer.  Not only would it provide the height I needed, it would add some much needed "greenery" to the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Living Room (Downstairs), My Nest Tagged With: ,



Brumby Hall: Tour the Upstairs of This Historic Home

January 3, 2012 by 13 Comments

In early December I had the opportunity to tour Brumby Hall while on a Christmas Historic Home Tour in Marietta, Georgia. One of the homes open during the tour was Brumby Hall. I previously shared a tour of the downstairs of this beautiful home HERE and a tour of the two dining rooms HERE. In case you missed those previous tours, here's a brief history of this historic home. In the previous posts, we … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Home Tours, Historic Homes, Home Tours, The Holiday Home Tagged With: ,



Elegant Dining in Brumby Hall

December 29, 2011 by 30 Comments

Welcome to the 175th Tablescape Thursday! Early this morning I posted a tour of the downstairs of beautiful Brumby Hall.  If you missed that tour, you'll find it here: Brumby Hall.  For Tablescape Thursday, I'm taking you into the dining rooms.  Yep, Brumby Hall has two dining rooms, probably due to its function as a special events facility now. This dining area was at the very back of the home. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Home Tours, Christmas Table Settings, Christmas Tablescapes, Historic Homes, Home Tours, Tablescape Thursday, Tablescapes Holiday Tablescapes, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , ,



Beautiful, Historic Brumby Hall: Take the Tour

December 28, 2011 by 22 Comments

This week between Christmas and New Years is such a special time.  In a way, it feels like time is standing still.  For some, life may have returned to normal with normal working hours and schedules.  But if your household is anything like mine, you're still reveling in all things Christmas with New Year's Eve/Day waiting in the wings.  My family is still here visiting and the memories we're making are … [Read more...]

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Tour the Historic Whitlock Inn

December 16, 2011 by 25 Comments

Recently, a friend and I went on a Christmas historic home tour in Marietta, Georgia.  Included in the tour was the beautiful Whitlock Inn.  This Victorian home was built in 1900.  A brief history found online states, "One hundred and ten years ago, the M.G. Whitlock House, the famous 150 room Marietta resort, burned to the ground. Before the Civil War, it was a popular showplace for tourists taking the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Home Tours, Historic Homes, Home Tours, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , ,



Colonial Williamsburg at Christmas

December 14, 2011 by 55 Comments

Recently, my friend, Mary, visited Colonial Williamsburg.  While there she took photos of some of the wonderful outdoor Christmas decorations she saw on Duke of Gloucester Street, which is the main road through Colonial Williamsburg.  I have never been there during the Christmas season, but I do so want to go.  Have you ever been at Christmastime? Mary said, "The arrangements go up right after … [Read more...]

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Christmas Historic Home Tour in Marietta, Georgia

December 9, 2011 by 33 Comments

Last Saturday I went on a Christmas (historic) home tour in Marietta, Georgia with a friend.  We had so much fun! The weather was great...not too cold, just cloudy.  I took a lot of exterior pics and was able to capture bunches of pics inside two beautiful homes included in the tour. I'll share the interior shots soon, but for now, here are the sights we saw along the way.   The … [Read more...]

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Paula Deen "Street of Dreams" Home Tour

December 2, 2011 by 32 Comments

Recently my friend Terry took a Street of Dream's home tour. Have you ever been on one of those tours before? They used to have them in my area frequently, not sure if they still do. I've been on a few and they are a great way to get ideas for your own home.  That's how I found the wallpaper for my son's bath many years ago. This home has the most amazing outdoor room and wait until you see the dog wash! … [Read more...]

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Christmas Dollhouse

November 9, 2011 by 40 Comments

Hello dear friends!  How's your day going so far? I was hard at work yesterday and I'm one tired puppy this evening as I write this.  The leaves are just beginning to fall off the trees in the backyard and every afternoon for an hour or so the sun has been streaming in so brightly, I can't really view the monitor or work at my computer. During the spring and summer months, it's not a problem. So, I … [Read more...]

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Autumn Comes to the Porch

October 18, 2011 by 74 Comments

I've been playing outside today, bringing a little fall to the porch.  During the summer it looks something like this Because the porch is all white (for the most part) it's a blank slate for anything you can dream up.  For the 4th of July, it looked like this. (4th of July porch can be viewed here: Porch Decorated For the 4th of July)   It was time to add a little fall  to the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor, Thanksgiving Decor, Thanksgiving Holiday Home Tagged With: , , ,



Bamboo Rug for the Upstairs Family Room

September 19, 2011 by 59 Comments

Welcome to the 139th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Metamorphosis Monday!  How was your weekend?  I've had a fun one.  A friend and I attended an auction, something I haven't done in ages.  Didn't buy anything but I captured a few pics I'll being sharing later. Metamorphosis Monday: For this Met Monday, I'm sharing a small metamorphosis in my upstairs family room.  This room is often known as a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest Tagged With: , , , , , , ,



Beach House Renovation, Part II

September 12, 2011 by 45 Comments

Welcome to the 138th Metamorphosis Monday! Suzy and her hubby purchased a small beach-front condo and completely renovated it from top to bottom.  I shared the Before and After of the entry hall (with bunk beds) and the living room/sitting/dining area in THIS post.  Today, we're touring the Kitchen, Master Bedroom and Bath.  Prepare to be delighted! Here's how the kitchen looked prior to the … [Read more...]

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Beach Front Condo Renovation, Part I

September 9, 2011 by 21 Comments

Recently, Suzy, who blogs at Worthing Court, shared a wonderful renovation of her beach house. When Suzy and her hubby first purchased their beach front condo, it was in really rough shape.  Suzy looked out at this gorgeous view, closed her eyes and envisioned what this home could become.  The transformation is astounding...truly beautiful. Before This was the view as Suzy entered the … [Read more...]

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IKEA Billy Bookcase & A Library for the Office

August 29, 2011 by 92 Comments

Welcome to the 136th Metamorphosis Monday! If you've been reading BNOTP for a while, you're very familiar with this view of my  Office.   I've shared this side of the room in previous posts, too. But, I've rarely shared this side because...well, there's just nothing to see.  Pretty boring, right?  Well, that's about to change! I've had big plans for this space all along; I just … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Home Tours, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , ,



Painting the Closets and Office Trim

August 24, 2011 by 55 Comments

How's your week going? I've had so much fun reading the comments you left about your past excursions to IKEA. One tip I wanted to share about the best times to visit IKEA to avoid crowds:  try to go on a week day, if possible.  If you do need to go on a Saturday, get there early, as soon as they open, or late in the day like around 5:00 PM.  I noticed it was a lot less crowded come evening/dinner … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, DIY Organization and Storage, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Home Tours, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , , , ,



Beautiful Lake House Kitchen Renovation

August 22, 2011 by 47 Comments

Welcome to the 135th Metamorphosis Monday! Whew!  What a weekend.  It's been a painting marathon around here...but it's done.   How was your weekend?  Do anything fun or was it a weekend for working around the house? Lake House Kitchen Renovation: I'm exited to share a wonderful kitchen renovation for this Metamorphosis Monday.  Wendy, a reader of BNOTP, recently shared some pics of a kitchen … [Read more...]

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Savannah Georgia: A Home Tour

August 13, 2011 by 50 Comments

When I visited Savannah earlier in the Spring, I was with a friend who loves gawking at beautiful homes as much as I do.  We pulled onto a side street and despite the humid, hot temps, we hopped out of our air conditioned car and strolled a few blocks admiring the beautiful old homes.  Now, that's house love! One of the first things we came across was this wonderful gate.   I'm loving those pineapple … [Read more...]

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A Bath Restoration and Renovation

August 1, 2011 by 33 Comments

Welcome to the 132nd Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Metamorphosis Monday! For this Met Monday, I'm excited to share another fabulous update for historic Tyson-Stedham home in Adel, Georgia.  Dustin, owner of Van de Fleet Designs and Restoration has been bringing this 1912 Arts and Crafts bungalow back to life over the past few months. (If you're new to this ongoing restoration, you'll find links to all the … [Read more...]

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Pressure Washing the House and Porch

July 20, 2011 by 20 Comments

On your last visit to the porch, it looked like this... All decorated for the 4th. Today it looks like this... And this.  Stripped down...no cushions. The view out the breakfast window... The view from the office. So, that's what color the pergola really is.  Clean and shiny! … [Read more...]

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Patriotic Porch for the 4th of July

July 4, 2011 by 115 Comments

Welcome to the 128th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Independence Day weekend! Hope your weekend has been going great! I'm having a little cookout tomorrow so I've been busy with preparations. Did you already have your 4th of July celebration or will you be celebrating tomorrow? I'm excited to share big changes I've made out on the porch over the last week. I've been busting to decorate the porch in a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Independence Day Decor, Independence Day Holiday Home, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,



You’re a Grand Old Flag: Touring Main Street America

July 2, 2011 by 35 Comments

In celebration of Independence Day, I thought we would take little tour of "Main Street America." These beautiful, historic homes all have one thing in common...they are all flying the colors! I love seeing an American flag blowing in the breeze from a wonderful old porch. These homes are from various places in the southeast. Some are in Greenwood and Columbia, South Carolina and Asheville, NC but … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Historic Homes, Home Tours, Independence Day Decor, Independence Day Holiday Home, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , ,



Historic Cottage Restoration, Part V

June 27, 2011 by 51 Comments

Welcome to the 127th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Metamorphosis Monday! For this Met Monday, I'm excited to share another update on the historic Tyson-Stedham home in Adel, Georgia. This beautiful Arts and Crafts home will be turning 100 years old next year. Wow! Unfortunately over the past 99 years, previous owners had made renovations that were not in keeping with the original style of the home. Dustin, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Historic Homes, Home Tours, Porches Tagged With: , ,



Something’s Gotta Give

June 18, 2011 by 124 Comments

Recently, I took a little vacation to Savannah, Georgia. It was a wonderful trip and when I returned home that weekend, I couldn't wait to pull out one of my favorite "beach house" movies, Something's Gotta Give.  Do you remember this amazing living room from that movie house?   Come along and let's take a tour of the whole house...it's an amazing movie house! Somethings Gotta Give is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beach & Lake Homes, Movie House Tours, Movie Houses, Valentine's Day Holiday Home, Valentine's Day Movies Tagged With: , , , , , ,



Designing and Creating a Home Office: The Journey

June 6, 2011 by 125 Comments

Welcome to the  124th Metamorphosis Monday! This was my office, if you could call it an office. It was really just a dressing room off my master bedroom with a built in dressing table that I was using as a desk. After several months working in this space, I began to have neck pain and tingling pain down my arms. It turned out my makeshift desk was about 4 inches shorter than a real desk. I decided it was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Son's), Before & After, Home Tours, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: ,



Historic Home Restoration, Part IV

May 30, 2011 by 32 Comments

Wecome to the 123rd Metamorphosis Monday! Hope your Memorial Day weekend has been relaxing. I've been busy scrubbing labels off colorful bottles...ummm, what might that be about? :) I'll share this little project soon but today I want to bring you a fabulous update on the Tyson-Stedham house. When we last left this historic home, Dustin of Van der Fleet Designs and Restoration, along with his crew, … [Read more...]

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Isle of Hope Home Tour, Part II

May 25, 2011 by 39 Comments

As promised, here are the rest of the beautiful homes facing the marina and Skidaway River in Isle of Hope in Savannah, Georgia. (Click on any picture to further enlarge it.)   The green door was really pretty on this house.   This one was my favorite...it just felt like a storybook home.   Even the tree on the left felt like it belonged in a storybook. Doesn't … [Read more...]

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Isle of Hope Home Tour, Part I

May 24, 2011 by 33 Comments

Recently, I visited Wormsloe featuring the unbelievably beautiful mile-long avenue of Live Oaks. During that trip to Wormsloe, I stumbled across a lovely community located along the Skidaway River called Isle of Hope. According to Wikipedia, "Early maps refer to Isle of Hope in French as Isle Desperance (modern French:'Espérance). Legends abound of pirates using the island to hide their treasure, and … [Read more...]

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Pottery Barn Bedford Office Update

May 16, 2011 by 106 Comments

Welcome to the 121st Metamorphosis Monday! Hi Everyone! Hope you've had a wonderful weekend! I'm excited to share some significant additions/improvements I've recently made to the office. You may remember in a past post I mentioned I had decided to move my craft/wrapping center from behind the shutter. I had originally placed it there so I could wrap gifts on that end of the desk, within easy reach of … [Read more...]

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Historic Restoration, Part III

May 2, 2011 by 43 Comments

Welcome to the 119th Metamorphosis Monday! For this Met Monday, I'm excited to share an update on the historic Tyson-Stedham home in Adel, Georgia. This Arts and Crafts home, built in 1912, had been "renovated" over the years by previous owners and had lost its original personality and beauty. Dustin, owner of Van der Fleet Designs and Restoration, along with his hardworking crew, have made some … [Read more...]

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A New Market Umbrella for the Deck

April 19, 2011 by 60 Comments

It's that time of year--the time when we go outside, look around and take stock. Mother Nature has a way of taking her toll on our outdoor furniture and my green market umbrella had definitely seen better days. When I first bought this huge, 9-ft umbrella for my patio furniture, I was so proud of it I never left it outside. Back then the deck wasn't a very fun place to entertain or to spend any time. The … [Read more...]

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Historic Home Restoration, Part II

April 11, 2011 by 38 Comments

Welcome to the 116th Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings! Hope your weekend has been a fabulous one! I'm excited to share an update this week on historic Tyson-Stedham House, a wonderful Arts and Crafts home that's undergoing a complete restoration by Van der Fleet Designs and Restoration. Dustin (owner of of Van der Fleet Designs and Restoration) along with his dedicated crew, have been hard at work these … [Read more...]

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Tour an Historic Home Furnished with Gorgeous Antiques

April 5, 2011 by 29 Comments

While we continue enjoying all the great links for yesterday's Met Monday, I thought I'd take you inside of the beautiful historic home where our garden club meets each month. But first, a little update on two small changes I made recently at BNOTP. Each month my garden club meets in this wonderful, two-story Victorian home. It majestically sits on over 3 acres of land, surrounded by beautiful gardens. … [Read more...]

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Historic Home Restoration

March 28, 2011 by 69 Comments

Welcome to the 114th Metamorphosis Monday! Hi Everyone! Hope your weekend has been a fun one. Today I have a metamorphosis I'm super excited to share. Well actually, it's the beginning of a huge metamorphosis. If you've been reading BNOTPfor very long, you know I have a passion for historic homes. Recently, I met Dustin with Van der Fleet Designs and Restoration. He not only has a passion for old homes, … [Read more...]

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Candlelier Silhouetted Against a Blue Hour Sky

March 22, 2011 by 25 Comments

From time to time I've shared this deck that's located to the left of the screened-in porch. This deck area is underneath a pergola and has a large candlelier hanging above. I really love this outdoor fixture. I bought it right after I added the porch and decks HERE a few years ago. It came from a store (Smith & Hawken) that has unfortunately gone out of business. You can still buy some of their … [Read more...]

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