Thursday, May 10, 2012

Now it's time to say good bye to allll the family.....

Well, folks, I'm back up in Massachusetts, but 
I'm not done with Florida.....
I have a few more stories to share.....

So lets finish with my house once and for all!!!!!
As I showed you on Tuesday, this is my home in the subtropics!

I've done everything I could to it to make it as cottagey and cute as possible.
Living in a community that has a home owner's association, I was somewhat constrained by what was allowed.
I changed the landscaping.....

My neighbor hood was only 2 years old when I moved in, and all of the plants were
really really really really really small!!!!!


This was right after my new plants were installed.
Since then, the bushes in the front and back have been replaced twice.....

and they are still this big 8 years later!
This is one of the bitchin' things about living in a place with a 12 month growing season.

There was a problem with the architectural detail over the windows.....
Only my model had this mistake.....
I think someone using a CAD (computer assisted design) program, plugged in the wrong size header, and then no one caught it until the @#$ things were actually being built, and then 
probably
NO ONE WANTED TO ADMIT A MISTAKE!!!!!
So the houses were built like this,
and I'm the only one who noticed!!!!!
AND I HAD TO FIX IT!!!!!


See how the molding above the windows runs along the top of the shutters?????
IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT!!!!!

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!
See how it is on my porch?????

That's how it's supposed to be.....
And while we're at it.....
check out the cheapo light by the door!!!!!

So, a couple of years ago, when all the houses in my neighborhood were being repainted, 
I felt it would be a good time to remedy the situation!!!!!

I had a carpenter pop off the header, pop off the keystone (in the middle), it just fitted on top of the horizontal piece.....
cut the headers down in size by cutting them in the middle, and hiding the cut with the keystone being reattached!!!!!

SO....
Now it looks like this.....

Much gooder!!!!

And I added a house number and changed the light to this....
from this

And the screen door helps make it look a little more cottagey and traditional, with the look of divided lights.
So let me show you the full front again, so you can be amazed by my brilliance.....

Now, come on in, and I'll show you my entry....
or my exit, it depends upon which way you're going.....

You may remember this from when my guest host, Chloe wrote about my house.....
I think her picture might have been better.....
Of course, she was focused on the toys in the bowl.....

The console is once again my favorite....
split reed!!!!!
I had fun with the table top arrangement....

the carved driftwood birds I found in an antique store in West Palm Beach on antique row. 
I had no idea where I was going to put it, but I knew it had to come home with me.
I DIDN'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO HAVE IT!!!!
I am a petty and small mined person.....

And of course.....
if you have a bowl, and don't know what to do with it.....
FILL IT WITH SHELLS!!!!

I found this doorstop, and thought it was too cute not to buy....
It's probably from the 30's or 40's and is cast iron....

While I was scouring the antique stores, I came across this painting by a local artist.
I don't usually go for monkeys...
(I find their images a little creepy)
But for some reason, I fell in love with the vibrancy of this painting.

Across from the console is my umbrella holder.
I had a very specific look I wanted, it had to be small,
I wanted it to have a bamboo vibe,
and it had to be old.....
so I trolled ebay for weeks, and finally found this one.
I paid way too much for it, but time is money, ya know, and who knows when I would find another one for any less?????

Across and to the right of the front door is practicality central!!!
It's where I hang my hats, and sit to put on my sneaks when I go for my
LOOOOOONNNNGGGGG walks.

I found this great hat rack in Massachusetts, and shipped it down to Flerida.
Then I added the tropical tambourine to its middle, to spice it up with some funky flavor!!!!!

I hang some of my best hats here.....

On that note, I think that Mickey would like to say goodbye to my house for the summer.....
(don't worry, though, next up is Lissettes living room across the street,
then it will be the stuff in Massachusetts!!!!)

Later Gator
Photobucket

14 comments:

Robin said...

The front of your house is very cute and cottagey now. We had 3 coach lights on our house and they were made of plastic!!! Who does that? And we had to get permission to replace them. Took down my plastic house numbers to and got a plaque thing instead. I will miss reading about your FL style decorating!

Robin
Robin Flies South

Shannon@Cozy Home Scenes said...

Betsy, I have been so entertained by reading about your adventures and misadventures in your Florida cottage. I have even picked up a decorating tip or two. The interior of your home is gorgeous and I love the cottage look of the exterior. The details that you added or changed made it adorable. I look forward to reading about your adventures in Mass. Have fun! ---------Shannon

Shirley@Housepitality Designs said...

Well, you have worked very hard on the Florida house and it shows...It is absolute perfection...with the Florida climate, all of the plants and trees grow so quickly...they are happy in the sun "and fun"....

Have a wonderful summer in Massachusetts...and send my regards to Amy...so happy for her and her new journey...well deserved...!

Unknown said...

Betsy, look! The monkeys are looking at the driftwood birds and admiring your good taste!

Anne Boykin said...

Thanks for sharing your lovely Florida home! It's so sweet and it reflects the fun you had decorating it. I can't wait to hear about your Massachusetts home.

Amy Chalmers said...

YOur house is so cute and cottagey and has loads of details to admire~and then inside its even more cute!! In a cool tropical way of course!! Welcome back, glad you are home. Gonna be a gorgeous weekend~

Shingle Cottage said...

I love how the molding above the windows looks after,oh yes you are brilliant! i am going to show Steve and see if he can make something similar for over our windows once we have the exterior shingled.
Your house is super pretty and i especially like the planting and the creamy yellow colour of the walls.
x

Babs said...

Betsy, Love the split reed console and, even though I'm not particularly a fan of monkey paintings either,yours is the perfect piece above the console. LOVE the umbrella stand and your hat rack. Have a great trip back to Massachusetts.

Alison @ The Polohouse said...

Love reading your blog, Betsy!

Your sense of humor, along with your fabulous style is such a breath of fresh air to me. You crack me up.

I cannot believe they allowed those window pediments to run across the tops of the shutters! Thank goodness you had them fixed! So much better.

Your southern home is lovely.
A slice of heaven!

xox
Alison

Kathleen said...

This is a far cry from what homes in Florida USED to look like. What a gem. Most people don't have a clue when it comes to exterior details. Years ago we were having our Greek Revival home painted and I heard the one guy complain "don't you think these people could afford vinyl shutters? - then He NAILED the old wooden shutters upside down onto the house!!!! Ya can't make this stuff up.

I think monkeys are creepy too. They're kind of in the same category as clowns to me.

I love your cottage!

Debra@CommonGround said...

Love the style of your home, Betsy. not sure if it would be easier to have a 12 month growing season or a 8 month like we have. there's so much clean up Fall and Spring, yuk. Great monkey painting, really fits your tropical vibe!

Kathleen said...

I just went back to study the front of your home again. I did take note of that cute lantern..I beleive it's called Onion lantern... by the front door reading your last post. I really want to put two on the front of my place too. We have rules here too, well sort of. I mean they don't seem to have a problem with those blasted dishes for tv. Why do they have to be planted on the front of the houses? I think it's because the guys that slap them up just want quick and easy then the guy that lives in the place comes home and throws himself on to a chair called a lazyboy need I say more? Sorry for the rant.

Pinky at Designs by Pinky said...

YOUu CRACK ME UP so I LOVE every post. Just wish I had found you sooner. I wish we had 2 places. Would LOVE to spend the winters in Flerida:):) Thank goodness you fixed the pediments over the shutters!!! Everything you have done looks terrific. Have a wonderful summer in Massachusets. XO, pinky

Meyers Family said...

Where did you get your screen door? I love it!
Thanks!
normalmeyers5@gmail.com

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