Just had to throw in a couple pictures of the Red Bud tree in full splendor.  These pictures were obviously taken several years later as the tree has matured considerably.

Forsythia and barberry bushes helped to distract the eye from the tacky wall.  However, the wall started to rot and even though a few sections were replaced it was obvious that was not going to extend the life of the wall by much.

Finally it was just time to call it quits.  The wall was removed and the area was prepared for a stone wall.

A new wall opened up the possibilites for fresh landscaping.

                                      The landscaping took some time to plan and orchestrate.

An illusion of a fence defines the corner of the yard and keeps the lilac bush from branching over the sidewalk.

This area is about due for a makeover with the plantings.  Although there are tulips in the Spring and a butterfly bush with lovely purple blooms, I would like more vibrant color.  (No fair checking for weeds.  It's tough to stay on top of that job.)

This was taken before the gorgeous red bud tree died so things are a little different today.  The bench and hostas remain, the bench more worn and the hostas much larger.

About that other Fireplace

As I mentioned in an earlier post, there were four fireplaces that had been covered over before I took ownership.  There was some debate about how many to restore.  After discussing pros and cons with my brother, I settled on restoring two of them.

The second one was in the dining room.  The original mantel and tile had been removed.  The opening had been bricked shut as well.   I was able to find a mantel that fit the flue wall perfectly.  It just required some elbow grease to strip, sand, and stain it to match the trim work in the dining room.

The firebox was rebuilt and the hearth area was prepared for tile.

I found tile in a teal/blue that worked well with the wallpaper I had chosen. I was satisfied with this look...well let's say for awhile.

You guessed it.  It was time for a change!  Rather than remove the existing tile, I cut a mirror into small pieces and used tile adhesive to stick it to the existing tiles in a mosaic fashion.  Next came the grout and, Voila!  Anyone reading this knows it was not that easy or quick.  I lost a few ounces of blood in the process but I persevered.

The story of the foyer.

This is the room I saw when I entered this house for the first time.  Paneling in a faux stone pattern covered the walls.  It was hideous and one of the first things to go.  I thought nothing could look worse, but I was wrong.  Under the paneling I found red flocked wallpaper!  (I have removed a lot of wallpaper since that day and never have I come across anything harder to remove than that paper.) It came off in the tinest of pieces over a very long period of time.  Once some layers were removed it was apparent that a fireplace had been a part of this room. 

This is another example of reversing the decision of the previous owner.  The original mantel had been removed and the firebox covered over. 

Obviously I chose to restore the fireplace. You can see a couple rows of new tile laid out on the floor in anticipation.  The firebox had to be rebuilt and a base poured for the tile.

A mantel with a few coats of paint was purchased, stripped and returned to it's full glory.  The floor in this room sloped slightly and had to be leveled by jacking it up from below before everything could be put into place.

Here it is nice and level.  A new decorating project was off and running.

Then came the stenciling project in blue and a rusty red.  I was shopping one day with my Mom when we found the mirror for $40. The ceiling medallion was a garage sale find and the window treatment I constructed myself. The logs were strictly for effect as this is a gas burning fireplace.

                                 
Same fireplace...different time....different mood.  I inherited the chairs from Grandma Riibe.  They needed a makeover so I attempted the reupholstery myself but burned out after doing one. So I enlisted a neighbor to do the second one.  Slight miscommunication resulted in the fabric running horizontally on one and vertically on the other.  It took me awhile to come to terms with that one.  I found the lovely swans and painted them pink.  The light fixture was gift from a neighbor who found it in her basement when she bought the house katty korner from mine.  With a little help on the frame, I constructed the lambriquin for the window.  All the painstaking stenciling disappeared under a new coat of paint.

Not to give up completely on stencilling, I took it to the ceiling instead.  The rope border that surrounds the room is actually wallpaper.

One day I stopped by a little antique/junk shop on Gravois owned by Tammy Turnipseed.  When I arrived she was inspecting a load in the back of a pickup truck as she prepared to buy items she thought she could resell.  This piece never made it inside her shop.  I bought it right off the sidewalk.

With a few adjustments I managed to make the new mantel look like it belonged.  Then began the job of making the rest of the room coordinate.

I have always been fond of red and finally got daring enough to put it on the walls. Named salsa, this color added warmth to the room which, I suppose, is what salsa is supposed to do.  It was a great background color for the large tapestry I discovered at Decorator;s Outlet.  I painted a console table I found in Kentucky in stripes and little by little the room took on a new look.  In December that year I threw a release party for Sheila's CD, " In A Moment Noticed."

Today the room has a calm, tranquil feel with an oriental bent.

The walls went back to white to refect more light.  The tapestry left via Craig's list to be replaced by 30 square mirrors.  Another change in light fixtures and some modifications to the console table helped transform this room one again.  Somewhere over the years the floor received a little transforming with  black paint and lots of painter's tape.

Up to the Top

There are two bedrooms on the third floor and some pretty good closet space.  This turned out to be the perfect place for the kid's rooms. They started out with Jodie in the north room and Scott on the southside.  But over the years they switched back and forth.

A deal on some red carpeting started this room off. The wallpaper (probably compliments of the very first owner) had to be removed.  The tank on the wall is the expansion tank for the radiator system.  By the way, the carpet stayed even after Jodie and Stephanie tipped over a gallon of paint while working on a little painted furniture project.  It was a little stiff in places but until I was ready to refinish the floors, it stayed.

I chose a bold sailboat pattern for Scott's room and even made shades from the left over paper.  I think I had some idea to make the expansion tank a part of the nautical theme but that never happened.

The room on the north side first belonged to Jodie.  She got the "girlie" paper for her room.  Even the color of her record player tied in to the wallpaper.  Not sure we planned it that way but let's say we did.

The previous owner left a roomful of matching bedroom furniture which worked out great for this room.  I painted it white with pink trim.  Wish I had taken a before shot but little did I know at the time that rescuing painted furniture would become an obsession or that someday I would want it for a blog.

The reflection in the mirror shows a headboard that was a garage sale find.  Wish I still had that.

My dad built a raised area in the dormer for a small table and chairs where Jodie could have tea parties or teach her dolls to read.  We carpeted that area with a remnant in green which worked well with the wallpaper.  A little of the wallpaper found it's way onto the side of the bookcase.  We were nothing if not coordinated.

As you might guess, these rooms went through some phases; none of which were picture worthy. Both kids had waterbeds as did I, and as I found out, waterbeds are a decorators worst nightmare.  After the kids left home, these rooms became a guest bedroom and a sewing room.  (That translates to: store whatever you can cram into this room until you figure out why the heck you need it.)

Recently I parted with much of the contents on this floor.  Since the house is now on the market, I no longer had the luxery of a place to "hide" my mess.  The step up was removed from this dormer and a window seat was added.  It is now ready for a new owner with fresh ideas and dreams.

I had the expansion tank removed and replaced it with a much smaller one that attaches to the furnace in the basement.  Hmmm, wonder why I didn't do that sooner?

The window seat in the dormer was added to create a path for the flow of central air-conditioning.

1980,1990,2000

While speaking of the living room, I will give the briefest of scans through the decades.  It by no means documents all the changes but, to be honest, I don't have that many pictures.

A LUCKY DISCOVERY

Another strong focal point in the house is a mirror I snapped up at a yard sale many years ago.

I was stunned when I found this large mirror resting against the side of a garage in a modest city neighborhood.  As yard sale junkies know, you can't judge what you might find by the size or condition of the house.  This item was tucked between the garage and a tall fence where it looked SO out of place and yet so regal.  The price tag of $150 was a little steep for me at the time but I knew it was worth that and more.  It was a must have!

Even though it stood 8' tall, it looked odd not reaching as high as the top of the windows in the room.  So a good friend and neighbor volunteered to construct an oak riser and rounded tread to bring it to a height that seemed more balanced.

But, of course, it could not just stand on it's own.  It needed to be anchored to a wall that was plaster over brick.  So I enlisted my very helpful brothers who are experienced in things of this nature.  Together they determined a safe system to secure my lovely mirror to the wall.

Once in place, it definately took command of the room which is what I had hoped for.  Originally there had been a fireplace in this location but that too was removed by a previous owner.  Although I had restored two of the missing fireplaces on this floor, I felt this room would benefit from something different.

The metallic gold frame lasted through the Victorian phase with the East Lake furniture but when I shifted to a paler color scheme and a more deco look, I felt the frame would blend more easily in another color.

It has managed the transition of many furniture changes while remaining the focal point of the room.

This regal garage sale piece still reigns today from the same throne.

Although the frame has wonderful detailing, I think the simple color allows it to work well with my changing style and decor.