There are pros and cons to living in an old cottage home.
This place was not original to the waterfront property.
The house was moved here, and added on to a little at a time....a room here, an addition there.
I'm not sure how many previous owners there were. but they each had their own individual way of decorating.
Because we don't have the funds to gut the place, we have gradually worked with what we have.
There once was a "thing" called "Z-brick" that people used to cover walls. It came in a variety of colors, and these walls were covered in the grey and black version of the brick.
Instead of ripping the walls out, I painted the "bricks" white.
Sadly, there wasn't any mortar between the bricks....just some caulk material that they used to adhere the bricks to the walls with.
Recently, (FINALLY) I mixed up some mortar and added it to the bricks.
What a messy job!!!!
You can see in the corner that the house either settled a GREAT deal, or someone didn't measure correctly.....hmmmm.
Anyway....I like the way it turned out, even if it looks a bit 80ish.
My husband thought it would be (in his words) "sharp" to have black and stainless appliances and black counters, and a black sink.
It didn't matter that I wanted everything WHITE!!!!
...anyway....I ended up painting the counters with white paint specially made for counters.
UGH!!! a thick and sticky process!!!
The black sink hubby put in was acrylic, and ended up being a scratched up MESS!!
I finally got this HUGE gorgeous,white sink a few months ago, and am as happy as a lark.
It's not a perfect kitchen, but I like it all the same.
It really doesn't bother me the way the house is put together (much), as long as the bones are good.
That way, I don't feel bad about adding pieces that I find at antique markets, and junque shops. Like old doors, and vintage window sashes, shutters, and iron brackets all over the place. It's all a part of who I am.
This old cottage might not be your "cup of tea"......but I like it just fine.
Debbie
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Sweet Debbie it is your layering of décor and textiles that add charming personality to your home and make us all sigh in its warmth and beauty. Love your kitchens changes and updates, looking perfectly enhanced to grace you at home.
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Vera
its adorable ...... I think I would change the cabinet handles to a more older look...
ReplyDeletebut overall lovely and its a cottage !
It is comfortably pretty. I prefer older, smaller, aged homes, because of their character. Your home is beautiful and charming. xoxo Su
ReplyDeleteI love your cottage style, Debbie! And, if you are happy and comfortable in YOUR home, what does it matter about other's opinions! I wish I had the Guts to paint my cabinets! They are 27 year old light oak, dated and boring! So happy to see your kitchen! Blessings, Cindy xo
ReplyDeleteYour kitchen is beautiful, Debbie! My dream is to some day have a (creamy) white kitchen! My next big project is painting our cupboards. Right now everything is way too oaky for me, hahaha! Love the cabinet in your first photo! And all of your lovely treasures are just perfect!!
ReplyDeleteHi Debbie, l've loved reading about your kitchen, l can totally relate to your story. (Black appliances, brown cupboards here). Who knew painting your benchtops could turn out so perfectly, do you have to repaint them every now and again l wonder?? And what an ingenious idea to put mortar in your brickwork, did you have to remove the caulking?? Anyway l LOVE what you've done, it looks fabulous and funky.
ReplyDeleteI love your little bricks and don't think they look 80's style at all! They're darling, cozy and cottage-y. In one of RA's books she talks about how frustrated some of her contractors get with her because she doesn't want everything ripped out, she likes to leave the original charm of a house. I so agree with that and I can't watch many of the decorating shows these days because it pains me when I see them smashing down perfectly good cabinets or darling little built ins...I shudder inside!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea you could paint countertops but they look amazing!!! Your little kitchen is darling and looks like a perfect dream kitchen to me:)
oh I love it just fine too! You do such a beautiful job, I could stare at these pics for hours. soooo cozy.
ReplyDeleteI prefer older homes as they seem to have much more character to the newer ones. Newer homes all seem so much alike. I don't have a cottage by the lake but my home is close to 100 years old and I love it. There have been few updates made but like you say the bones of the house is good.
ReplyDeleteYour kitchen looks great! Amazing job on the counter tops. I am glad you did not sell it and move, because I love seeing the Lakehouse.
ReplyDeleteDebbie I love your cottage. When we move to our last house I would love to have a small cottage by the lake. I guess it depends on how much the cost of living is where ever we move too.
ReplyDeleteI fell in love with your bricks and i adore how your displayed them. Your kitchen is very awesome and very cozy. Your home is fairy, i' d like very much to live in your romantic and shabby chic cottage!!!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Alessandra
Hello Debbie,
ReplyDeleteI think that living in a cottage is a dream for most of us that love the antique, vintage, cottage look. I love the way that you've decorated your home and it says "love" in every room! I can't believe what a wonderful job you did on the mortar. Looks like real brick now. Great job on the counter tops too.
hugs,
Sissie
Looks great Debbie. Love your sweet cottage kitchen.
ReplyDeleteKris
Hi Debbie, I have to be honest with you! .... When you say you love your cottage and its flaws I truly believe you mean it and you are not making any excuses here for it lack of perfection.
ReplyDeleteThis is me, this is who I am, I have lived in small and oh so grand homes, the last one way to grand form my blood, and I have designs some homes that hit the market as the home of the year written up in the news paper naming me designer of the year, with this being said I always say why can I not find that junky cool lots of old worn out charm. I say I don't care if I own my next home if it can be the worst one on the good block so I can do what ever I want to it as you said here.
This way a landlord would love any improvements to it.
I don't see your brick as an eighties thing at all with the comeback of brick making its way on the market trends. In fact I have thought of using some brick in this home, mainly on the front room floor in nuetral tones seal them up so I can be as rough with them as I want. A little abuse doesn't hurt right. This home has misaligned walls, bumps, and crooked cabinets, and I just go with it and it's a newer home. So as strange as it is I choose your old settled and mis measured home anyway for your very reasons of doing what you want.
My friend used a Formica paint for also tile it was a messy strong Oder job! But the outcome was her being able to get rid of outdated 80's Wedgewood Blue counters, and when she was done it was amazing charm on a budget.
I know you grouted your tile faux bricks, and your feel ones may feel it's the 80's here's my thought, and something I would do myself, if you purchased a block wall stucco paint in white and painted over the brick and cement grout with your white stucco block wall paint you could take your feeling you are after to another level of old ranch home, or a cottage look that makes the brick feel that much more older and fooling the eye as to being an older treatment to the home.
It would not draw your eye to the backsplash but to the complete look of a cottage kitchen.
I love the niche on the wall at the end of the counter and cabinets, it breaks up the look of all the hung cabinets and adds old charm. Yes my dear you think like I do, the older the better because it can only get better with all the layering right :) the sink? Yes, my next job is to change out the sink here, love your open sink, it's a real asset to your look you are after.
Loved seeing a bit more of your cottage, keep up the work of adding and taking away, it's what makes life beautiful.
Xoxo
Dore
I also live in a small 100 year old cottage that is less than perfect! Anyone can hire someone to tear out the old and put in the new perfect kitchen (or bathroom etc) but to jump in and fix it up to the best of you ability (and money will allow) gives the cottage a soul. I believe that when we love an old home and we put our blood (ouch) sweat and tears into it the home becomes a part of us in a way that a already perfect one cannot. Your kitchen is wonderful and needs no apologizing.
ReplyDeleteHello Sheryl...I tried to reply to your comment via email, and even on a blog site...but could not. I really love your comment. It is so spot on with the way I feel about our old cottage! Thank you for stopping by Lakehouse. I would love to visit with you. Do you have an email address?
DeleteDebbie
xo
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