restoring the roost

Period Cottages

July 3, 2014 · architectural history

I’m a sucker for beautiful, well-preserved period cottages. If I didn’t have a special place in my heart for farmhouses, a period cottage would definitely be my next choice for a dwelling to call home. Because so many period cottages were built in the 20th century, I like that they were designed with some modern conveniences in mind yet at the same time possessing unique architectural character (as opposed to very early homes with no indoor plumbing or electricity).

Most period cottages date to the twentieth century or the late nineteenth, after the heyday of Victorian architecture in America and well after so many wonderful Romantic era homes. Oh how I love the examples of pattern book houses by Alexander Jackson Davis–but I digress– (this topic deserves a post all unto itself).

Gothic Revival
There is the Gothic Revival, which really is more of a romantic period Victorian style home, but I think it still fits in the category of period cottages somewhat. Many of these were built earlier (mid and late 19th century) than most period homes. The Gothic Revival Style was commonly selected for churches, even in the countryside.

source

Tudor Revival

The Tudor Revival cottage is one of my favorites. I love the use of various materials, the steep gables, and the half-timbering. I especially love the prominent chimneys often located on the facade of homes and the arched entries. Tudor Revival houses for me evoke a sense of a little English garden cottage in the countryside.

Colonial Revival

The Colonial Revival is perhaps the most widespread and common period cottage. Some historians give the Colonial Revival a class all its own because of its popularity. The house below features symmetrical placement of bays, a prominent dormer window, and classical broken pediment entry surround.

Rustic Revival

Many of these buildings are commonly found throughout the National Park System and were even built by the CCC during the 1930s. They used natural elements and materials found in the landscapes they occupied and displayed traditional forms of building technology such as log construction.

Source

Spanish Revival and Mission Revival

This style was popular during the 1920s and 1930s, especially in the south and the southwest. Spanish or Mission Revival houses were usually constructed of stucco, featured terra cotta tile roofs, and often times had metal casement windows. Some Spanish Revival homes take the form of bungalows, while others are more eclectic cottages with courtyards and patios.

Fort Bragg Officer’s Housing in Normandy Heights, courtesy of Fort Bragg CRMP

There are certainly more period cottage styles out there but these are just a few of my favorites. Do you have a favorite one?

Sweet Babies

June 13, 2014 · family

I cannot believe June and Georgia are almost 8 months old!!!

I am so thankful because my sweet girls really are very happy, good babies. They smile all the time at everyone and have never met a stranger. They love it when we tease, and tickle them and their little laughs and squeals of delight just melt my heart 🙂

June “talks” and babbles ALL THE TIME and Georgia makes really sweet little sounds and blows “raspberries” constantly. They are sitting up now but I keep pillows around them because they still take a tumble every now and then.

The girls are eating solid foods now and they couldn’t be more opposite. Georgia doesn’t enjoy eating food very much and actually eats very little–rejecting the spoon, not opening, or spitting it out. June, on the other hand, loves every kind of baby food we give her and scarcely misses a morsel.

We had family pictures made and another photo shoot of the girls a few weeks ago. The lovely April (who just had a sweet baby girl 2 months ago!) from April Cole Photography did a fantastic job with our photo shoot. There are dozens great photos. We are so pleased and it is hard to pick a favorite they are all so good!

Scenes from the Porch

May 29, 2014 · decorating the roost, gardening

….the back screened-in porch that is.

We’ve been having such amazing weather lately and it’s nice to be out here enjoying it with some shade. We especially enjoy eating meals and entertaining out here- it’s the perfect party spot.

This green onion is about to bloom- it was so pretty and sculptural that my husband placed it in some water as a centerpiece.

This half of a KY bourbon barrel is planted with ferns and moss native to our property….

…..and garlic dries and cures on the potting bench.

I hope you are having a wonderful start to your summer. My two little cutie pies sure are keeping me busy. I hope to post with some updated pictures soon 🙂

Spring Greens

May 9, 2014 · gardening, Homesteading

Our garden is brimming with spring greens!!!

kale

romaine lettuce

Greens are usually the first thing we get to harvest and enjoy from the garden at springtime, and currently we are enjoying arugula, romaine lettuce, baby kale and collards, and spinach. Yum!

Most greens you can sow directly into the ground in the early spring, although there are times in the past we have started things like kale and collards and then transplanted.

arugula

the onions (and garlic in another bed) are almost ready

Once all of these greens are harvested or stop growing we will reseed and do some succession planting for multiple harvests during the growing season.

collards

We like to eat greens as salads, or cooked in eggs, soups and stews, on pizzas, or simply sauteed by themselves. In the basket below we have all the fixings for a salad with our pizza for dinner: romaine lettuce, baby kale, and a white radish. All homegrown in our garden!

How do you like your greens best?

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Collecting Brown Transferware

May 1, 2014 · antiques and collectibles, decorating the roost

Even though I’m truly trying to simplify our material lives, my brown transferware collection is one that I cannot part with. I just love brown transferware in all different patterns.

I began collecting it shortly after my husband and I married, around 7.5 years ago. Since then I’ve amassed quite a few pieces, including about eight place settings (dinner plates, bread plates, cups and saucers), a few serving platters, cake plate, coffee pitcher, tea pot, creamer and sugar, bone dishes, gravy boat, and a couple vegetable bowls and serving dishes.

We do have a Lenox formal china set but I love using my brown transferware for entertaining a smaller party or for a less formal meal.

The primary pattern I collect is Johnson Brothers Windsor Ware (made in England), called “Dover” in Brown. I believe this pattern was popular during the 1930s-1950s but I’m not positive. Some of my other pieces are much older, and one or two are actually new reproductions.

I even have some hanging on the wall — I’ve always loved decorating with plates. I found these six little bread plates in the clearance section at Replacements Limited, and I loved how the color finish is hand painted on all of them–each one is a little different.

I’m not exactly sure why I chose brown to collect, perhaps because it was more unique than the usual blue or red colors of transferware. Regardless, I love the brown and the neutral feel yet warmth it brings to the color palette of a room.

Since I have quite a few pieces now I’m not as interested in acquiring much more, but I’m still on the lookout for salad plates or bowls that match my current “Dover” place settings. These dishes will be so much fun to use when the girls get older for tea parties and the like 🙂

Do you have a particular pattern of dishes that makes your heart skip a beat?

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