In my “Make a Statement When You Open the Front Door” post I promised I would take you to the rooms adjoining the beautiful foyer.
When we purchased this house the Office was already stately appointed with rich brown wainscoting and a lovely fireplace and mantle. It originally had carpet, but we had Brazillian cherry wood floors interwoven with the existing foyer floor. I painted the walls a slate blue and changed the light fixtures.
The existing sconces were too small and mounted too low. I raised the lightbox and had exterior carriage lights installed on a dimmer to control the mood. Placing outdoor fixtures inside was just the elegant look I wanted.
The mantel was easy to decorate. I liked the pheasant statues my college roommate, Diane, displayed in her home so I bought a pair for myself …. and one for my sister …. and one for my mother.
The pheasant feathers came from my husband and son’s hunting trips and the hydrangea blooms from my flower garden.
Two of the pheasant canvases in this collage were discovered in Oshkosh, NE at Campbell Drug, the store my family had owned for 38 years. The other two canvases were found on www.art.com.
The Living and Dining rooms are one long space, separated by a knee wall and half-columns. Beautiful transom windows are situated at both ends. The Living area was originally carpeted before we replaced it with the same cherry wood floor. These rooms had crisp white moldings which played off nicely with the dark wood.
I knew I wanted a formal coffee table the width of the loveseat, but could not find exactly what I envisioned in my mind. Instead, I chose two identical tables with curved legs and a glass top.
I was always attracted to magazine photos that had large airy floral arrangements. I created this one with stems from Hobby Lobby, a vase from Homegoods, and rocks from Home Depot.
We moved the black Ikea wall units from Georgia and contrary to what you would think, they worked well in this formal space. I liked their simple lines, and alternating the four openings made them just interesting enough. Plus, they were fantastic storage. The beautiful mirror with antique glass had a broken candle holder so I got it for $5 at a store liquidation sale. I think they just wanted someone to haul it away as it is extremely heavy. My husband, Daryl, repaired the holder and I now have a mirror that originally retailed for hundreds of dollars.
When I moved to Iowa the gold and green did not work in my modern Elshire home so I painted and distressed it a handsome blue.
The star of the show in the Dining Room is the opulent crystal chandelier hung from an ornate ceiling medallion.
When the sun shines through the window, the light show on the walls and ceiling is simply dazzling.
On the far wall is a European-style mirror with lions on either side. We bought the mirror over 25 years ago at a Texas auction along with the tall plant stands in the two corners.
The three linked figurines were a special find when visiting our good friends, Heather and Mike, in Cabo San Lucas. I have dubbed them the “Three Jesuit Priests – Jose, Miguel, Jesus”. (I do like naming my treasures) Getting them back to the states on the airplane in one piece was quite another story.
The Living, Dining, and Office of our Highover home could all be viewed from the foyer. Once I made my adjustments and added my touches I was quite pleased with these three beautiful rooms.
Where did you find the. Deer. Under the Eurpean mirror?
A decorating store in Excelsior, MN that has since closed. 🙁
I broke off his antler when taking down Christmas this year, but fortunately, Daryl fixed it!