chartreuse & co

Posts Tagged ‘chartreuse & co’

Mid-century Modern Farmhouse

Posted in Inspiration, Tag Sale Updates, tagged antique, apartment style, barn sale, before & after, buckeystown, chairs, chartreuse, chartreuse & co, chartreuse and co, decor, decorating, decorating ideas, farrow & ball, farrow and ball, home, home decor, home furnishings, mid-century, occasional sale, paint color, renovation, tag sale, vintage, vintage furniture on February 16, 2015| 3 Comments »

The Farmhouse is getting a facelift!

Yes, that adorable little (heated) house has new residents: Barefoot Dwelling. These girls had a vision immediately. And what has inspired me so about this is that their vision was totally different from what mine had been.

I don’t know about you, but someone with a fabulous vision, totally outside my usual style, inspires me like little else can. It’s what invigorates me every time I travel, and to have such a vision unfold right here in front of me is exciting!

So here’s a little BEFORE & AFTER fun for you:

BEFORE, Room 1: Let’s start in the first room, which was the kitchen. You may recall how it looked when we first took possession of it in July 2012:

After removing the contact paper ‘wallpaper’ and vinyl ‘parquet’ floors:

Two and a half years ago, after applying Farrow & Ball’s Pavilion Grey :

Now, with a fresh vision comes fresh color! Using Farrow & Ball’s fabulous paint, Lisa and Mary, owners of Barefoot Dwelling, chose pure white, with contrast, feature walls.

AFTER, Room 1: In this first room, the color grabs you right away, it’s Farrow & Ball’s Charlotte’s Locks. Such a great punch with the fabulous mid-century pallet they’ve collected.

BEFORE, Room 2: Then on to the second room, as we found it 2 1/2 years ago:

After removing the rest of the contact paper covering the wanescoating, and more of the vinyl ‘parquet’ floor:

Then, after a fresh paint job (Farrow & Ball Pavilion Grey) in 2012:

AFTER, Room 2: Now with a a fresh white facelift, complemented by a contrast wall of Farrow & Ball’s Churlish Green (yes, that’s a paint name, don’t you just love it??!!)

And check out the sleek mid-century aesthetic.

This room has NEVER been so cool!

More great stuff is being added through the week, and you’re all invited to come take a look this weekend, February 20-22, Fri/Sat 9am-4pm, Sun noon-4pm. I hope you’ll find it as fresh, original, and inspiring as I do!

Thanks for reading,

Virginia

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New Windsor, Maryland – an architectural treasure

Posted in Inspiration, tagged 19thcentury architecture, antique, architecture, AtleeHouse, chartreuse, chartreuse & co, chartreuse and co, decorating, exterior paint, home decor, NewWindsor, renovation, vintage on February 13, 2015| 3 Comments »

I have long loved New Windsor, Maryland for its exceptional collection of early 19th century homes. I first discovered it during my college years – my then-boyfriend (now husband), Chip, attended college in Westminster, Maryland, and the best route there from Frederick was Rt. 26 to Liberytown, and then a left onto Rt 31 (which has some beautiful homes. Have someone else drive so you don’t miss any of them!). Rt 31 takes you right into the small, but charming town of New Windsor. Take a look:

And all these houses are just along the first couple of blocks as you come into town.

On this particular occasion, a friend of mine, Mary Ford-Naill, had told me about an extraordinary house she was listing on the market and thought I may enjoy seeing. When she told me it was in New Windsor, I was immediately interested. And when she showed me the pictures of it, I couldn’t resist.

Because I know so many of you are as keen on architecture as I am, I asked Mary and the home-owners, if I could share it with you on my blog. So here’s the Atlee House, New Windsor, Maryland, as I saw it just last week:

The Atlees were the founders of New Windsor. They first New Windsor Atlee was the second son of a prosperous Lancaster, Pennsylvania family. And being a second son, he had to go make his own way. He traveled into Maryland, found the rolling, Carroll County plat listed on the maps as New Windsor, bought it and settled in. The house is dated to 1800. The current owners, who run it as a B&B, have some pictures of it from history:

This one is my favorite! The girl’s name is Bessie Roop, and her dog is Shep. I just love that the dog made the picture, and his name was noted for posterity.

This was from the mid 20th century, when it was painted white.

This view from above, shows the old barn (which burned), and the town of New Windsor rising on the hillside beyond.

At some point during the latter half of the 20th century, it was used as a boarding house, with the boarders fed from the produce of the once-extensive gardens.

I’ll take you inside the house in my next post, where you’ll see the deep windows, the old built-ins, the brick walls, and spectacular attic and basement. (Not to mention the full commercial kitchen – yes, I’m lusting after their stove and huge fridge!). The Atlee House and several others in New Windsor are available for sale. Click here for more information.

Thanks for reading!

Virginia

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The Doors of Paris

Posted in Inspiration, Musings, tagged architecture, art academy, chartreuse & co, exterior paint, france, french, Paris, style, walled acres on February 4, 2015| 4 Comments »

I have always had a love of architecture, and doors in particular. They are the life-line to the space within, and as such have far more impact than we often give them credit for. As I strolled through the extraordinarily beautiful streets of Paris, it was the seemingly infinite variety of portals – size, shape, color, embellishment – one right after the other. Take a look:

This beauty is along the boulevard St. Germaine on the Rive Gauche. Extraordinary as it looks to us, this is a typical door along the beautiful Paris boulevards.

Okay, so the red is a bit over-the-top. But the almost Asian look of this one made it a stand out along the square in front of St. Sulpice.

Along the Rue du Cherche-Midi, a quiet street of elegant shops.

Just down the Rue Napoleon Bonaparte from Laudauré. I just LOVED to be able to peak into the courtyards when the portals stood open.

Classic Parisian door. Note the Nuit et Jour sign. I LOVE those!! Some of them even lit up. I can think of sooo many times I could have used one!

Looking into the courtyard of the Art Academy (yes, the one that wouldn’t accept Claude Monet and his friends).

A peak through the doors into the Grand Salon of the Art Academy. In a time before electricity, this glass ceiling was a critical innovation for clearly seeing art.

That’s just a taste of the delightful doors, and some of what’s behind them! Hope you enjoy this little peak at Paris.

Thanks for reading,

Virginia

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Heading to Paris!

Posted in Inspiration, Musings, tagged antique, architecture, chartreuse, chartreuse & co, chartreuse and co, Ciney Puces, flea market, food market, france, French market, Paris, Raspail on September 28, 2014| 5 Comments »

I’m heading to Paris this week, and just can’t wait!! I’ll be staying with my dearest friend, who is currently living in the 6th Arrondissement, just steps from the Luxembourg Gardens, The Cluny Museum, and La Seine.

It’s a beautiful neighborhood, but then is there a Paris neighborhood that isn’t? Not only am I obsessed with home decor, I also love to cook. And, yes, I’m a huge Julia Child fan. Just outside our door is the famous Raspail food market. And I can’t wait to explore it!

If I can get them to understand what I want, I’m hoping to gather produce, flowers, bread, and meat, and bring them all home for a fabulous dinner! Oh, and a bottle of wine, of course.

And then there’s the Montemarte neighborhood, where we are going in search of a fabulous, 5-story fabric store (in anticipation of which I’m bringing at least one empty suitcase with me!) And everywhere we go, we’ll be seeing sites like this:

And of course, this:

And we’ll be heading to Belgium (she has a Suburban – yes in Europe, she’s got a Chevy Suburban!) to fill it up at the Ciney Puces:

Have you been to Paris recently? Any suggestions on some not-to-be-missed markets, sites, or events? I’d love to hear about it!

Thanks for reading,

Virginia

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Traveling Light

Posted in Inspiration, tagged barn sale, buckeystown, camper, camper remodel, camper renovation, camping, chartreuse, chartreuse & co, chartreuse and co, galavantin gal, market days, mid-century, renovation, vintage on September 9, 2014| 1 Comment »

If you were to hit the road, and really travel throughout this great country, how would you do it?

Lisa Kamin, The Galavantin’ Gal, participated in this past weekend’s Chartreuse & co Market Days. It was such fun when she arrived, and saw that she has created the most inviting nest-on-wheels ever. Come take a tour with me . . .

It’s an adorable mid-century, pull-behind camper in the most delightful shade of aqua blue.

Notice the funky, sphere exterior door lamp. And, of course, so much of her cool merchandise is from this same era and speaks to the 1950s/60s camp feel.

But, before we go inside, I want you to see these pictures of what Lisa’s spectacular camper was when she found it. She completely gutted the interior and lovingly restored the exterior.

So, now we go inside:

From the wood floors and bamboo rug, to the vintage dresser with its myriad knob details, this interior calls out the vintage girl.

Space is at a premium in this tiny traveling home, so this dresser is her sink, and all those little cubbies in the vintage cabinet above hold her essentials. Love the metal backsplash and the clever toothbrush holder.

The sink is vintage enamelware, and she just hooks it up to an outdoor hose! Such a great pink, too!

A few modern conveniences and some vintage touches round out her kitchen.

Just to the left of the sink is Lisa’s only full-sized storage – a vintage metal locker painted a soothing celery green. And, of course, enhanced with a graphic design.

I also love the vintage chenille bedspread and the delightfully feminine skirt which hides some more essential storage.

Don’t you just want to curl up here?! It’s every vintage girl’s dream!

The charming Americana she’s displayed on the shelf above the bed is a collection of favorite items.

Lisa’s even got a spot for you, should you drop in to visit for a while. Check out the distressed, pink board used to create yet another little nook for storage. And the derby-hat chandelier is adorable.

So that’s it. Should you get the traveling bug, you now have the inspiration you need to do it right!

Thanks for reading,

Virginia

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And the winner is . . .

Posted in Inspiration, Tag Sale Updates, tagged architecture, barn, before & after, chartreuse & co, chartreuse and co, cornforth white, decorating ideas, exterior paint, farrow & ball, farrow and ball, home decor, paint color, railings, renovation on August 12, 2014| 2 Comments »

Yes, I’ve finally committed to a paint color for the Chartreuse & co barns! The winner is: Railings for the window and door frames, Cornforth White for the mullions – both from Farrow & Ball.

And here’s the really cool thing: As I stood there, staring at the face of the barn, trying desperately to envision it painted grey, charcoal, anything, Rosanna (owner of Bella Villa shop in Aldie) approached me and asked what I was doing. I explained my agony:

“See those silos and how they’ve weathered? I love those colors and want that pallet for the barn . . . but how ?”

Rosanna, gifted stylist that she is, offered this suggestion: “Why not just sand it and seal it. Keep the weathered look you love, and just freshen the paint on the trim?”

I could have kissed her!

So where you see the dark green paint now, we’ll have the Farrow & Ball Railings. The mullions (the inside dividers of the windows) will be Farrow & Ball Cornforth White, plus, because it’s an awesome part of the barn structure, the upper barn door (partially open in this picture), as well as it’s hardware and track, will be painting the Railings, too. All the rest will be simply power washed, lightly sanded, and sealed to preserve that beautiful, natural aged, gray and white wooden appearance. Can’t wait to see it complete!

So we lined up the paint, the painter, and a block of sunny days. But, of course, nothing goes as planned. As work began we realized that all the old wood framing around the windows was completely gone. And by gone, I mean you could push your hand into it and pull out wood pulp! I couldn’t believe it! But as luck would have it, Rob, who was doing the painting, is also a gifted carpenter. He is actually recreating the window frames exactly, to match the circa 1920s pieces. Some of the painting is complete, but the whole project will be ongoing into fall.

NEWS FLASH!!!

Beginning with our August event (August 15-17), Farrow & Ball paint is available at Chartreuse & co! Yes, that fabulous, best-in-the-world paint that I’ve been gushing over for years (Bedroom Redux, Color Happy, Before & After, Laundry Room Blues) We’re working with Patrick Street Interiors, the local stockist for the paint. You’ll find a seasonally edited selection of the 750ml cans (approximately a quart) to try on your furniture, or, as I have done, all over your walls! Be forewarned: Farrow & Ball paint spoils you for all other paints.

Thanks for reading!
Virginia

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In a Garden State of Mind

Posted in Inspiration, Tag Sale Updates, tagged buckeystown, chartreuse & co, decor, garden, home decor, patio, renovation, vintage on May 17, 2013| 2 Comments »

I’m totally in a garden state of mind. Our new landscaping is coming into full bloom, and it’s just been decorated with some great vintage treasures. Here’s few of my favorite images of it:

These sweet little chairs take on an sculptural appeal in the garden. The green chest adds just the right punch of color.

In the little spring house, which the new landscaping surrounds, has a fresh look, too. This pie chest and its topiaries are just the right balance for the weathered door and walls of this beautiful space.

Vintage trellis growing out of our boxwoods – which we planted in an old, concrete water trough.

I love how this vintage bottle reflects the soft light of the stone house

This exceptional, hybrid wisteria was just planted in March. It’s been trained to grow along the ‘new’ stone and brick wall – created as a ruin from salvaged, vintage materials.

These ‘ruins’ are brand new – just constructed in March. They comprise the main structure of our new patio area. This wall continues to the left to our outdoor fireplace.

Looking back at the stone house from the fireplace area, these vintage furnishings invite you to linger a while.

And yes, I just had to share this image one my time. I just love the magnolia playing off the rough, old silo.

Hope you enjoyed this look into our garden. What part is your favorite?

Thanks for reading,
Virginia

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Getting Ready for May’s Opening!

Posted in Tag Sale Updates, tagged antique, barn sale, buckeystown, chairs, charteruse, chartreuse & co, chartreuse and co, decor, home decor, home furnishings, mid-century, occasional sale, shopping, tag sale, vintage, vintage furniture on May 11, 2013| 4 Comments »

At last it’s warming up and flowers are blooming. Our new landscaping is showing us something different every day – our latest: wisteria will be in full bloom for our opening next week.

We’re getting ready, and so many fabulous things are already coming in. We have 2 new dealers to introduce: Squirrel Hill Designs (upstairs in the Main Barn) and The Spring House (in, you guessed it, the Spring House – with the water wheel).

And here’s some pictures of what’s already going on in and around the barns, as we get ready for you May 17-19:

I just loved these darling little 1920s shoes. They’re the perfect shade of sea shell pink.

Set of 4 Danish modern chairs – straight out of one of Leona Helmsley’s hotels. Love the fresh paint job.

Heather Grey Decor has an entire set of these vintage office clocks. This one was custom made for IBM.

The ultimate locker room chair, huh?

The perfect island/table for your beach-house crowd!

LOVE suitcases with their original tags.

Great selection of old metal globes this month.

Oh, that color!

Don’t you just love the contrast of the gilded glasses and the industrial bar cart?

Some great vintage concrete throughout the Chartreuse & co right now

This large cabinet is the perfect size for your mudroom supplies.

A couple of really cool, vintage, toy boats upstairs this month.

Jennifer, owner of Squirrel Hill Designs, just brought this armoir in – still has the hauling rope around it!

This pair of caned chairs is comfortable, and summer-ready.

Perfect softball accessories.

German Favorite Antiques and Bella Villa have moved from the Garden House into the upstairs of the main barn – under THE chandelier.

Love this magnolia against the rough silos.

I’d love to know which picture/item is your favorite so far . . .

Thanks for reading,

Virginia

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Great pictures of temporary dealers here this weekend –

Posted in Tag Sale Updates, tagged antique, barn sale, buckeystown, chartreuse, chartreuse & co, chartreuse and co, decor, flea market, home decor, home furnishings, market days, occasional sale, tag sale, vintage, vintage furniture on April 6, 2013| 2 Comments »

I just love the tent city that crops up here every Spring and Fall. Imagine how much fun you would have if the best vintage dealers you could find, all agreed to come to your house and put on a show? The BEST, right?

I had a blast today chatting with everyone and oohing and aahing over their great stuff. Here are some of my favorites:

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Springing Forward

Posted in Inspiration, tagged antique, architecture, barn sale, before & after, buckeystown, chartreuse, chartreuse & co, chartreuse and co, home, landscape, planting, renovation, spring, walled acres on March 12, 2013| 6 Comments »

Think about Spring and what comes to mind? Warm sunshine on your face. A breeze carrying that kiss of warmth and promise of summer. And gardens bursting into their own.

This Spring is bringing me the most spectacular garden I’ve ever had. And it’s been such a rewarding lesson in being faithful to a vision.

Here’s some befores, some durings, and you’ll just have to wait a little on the full-on afters:

Beginning the Monday after our February sale, Jared Herman and his team arrived and began the earth moving.

Beginning the Monday after our February sale, Jared Herman and his team from Old Towne Historic Landscapes arrived and began the earth moving.

As the footers were poured, I began to see Jared’s 2-dimensional design come to life.

I had tried over the years to create a pretty little shade garden along this wall. The only thing that thrived was poison ivy. Solution? A water feature!

The brick paving throughout is artwork, but what I really can’t wait to see is the water wheel that’s going to be hinged on the iron frame built into the pond’s coping.

The irrepressible crew, who worked through wind, rain, and snow to finish this huge job inside of a month.

The crumbling wall.

From inside the planting beds, accented with ‘windows’.

The crumbling walls on the north side of the entry.

The plants are coming in this week. Can’t wait to see! I’ll be shooting pictures all summer long . . .

This one’s of Jared, the mastermind and creative genius who saw our barns and could see the gardens they needed.

So there you have it. Our work in progress is becoming pretty spectacular. Jared’s planting a beautiful wisteria in that picture of him. He planted it and trained it’s branches over the ‘ruins’ and up the fireplace. The other plant he’s featuring? Hydrangeas. I almost cried when he told me. I absolutely LOVE them. And dogwoods, and magnolias. Historic, timeless plants to complete the vision.

But what do I love most about the whole construction? The stone and brick used in the walls and fireplace is all salvaged from toppling farm buildings right here in Frederick County, Maryland. So in our own little way, we’re preserving something of those other barns that couldn’t be saved.

Happy Spring! Hope you’re inspired to go out and create something wonderful in your yard.

Thanks for reading,

Virginia

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The Chartreuse Life

Musings on life, design, and the inspirations that make both extraordinary

Posts Tagged ‘chartreuse & co’

Mid-century Modern Farmhouse

New Windsor, Maryland – an architectural treasure

The Doors of Paris

Heading to Paris!

Traveling Light

And the winner is . . .

In a Garden State of Mind

Getting Ready for May’s Opening!

Great pictures of temporary dealers here this weekend –

Springing Forward

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