November 25, 2010

The house.


In our new house, the 'parlor' is like this. Flamboyant details. The house was built in 1889 and the time period shines through. We like some of it, but there is going to be a stopping point. One can appreciate only so many bows and froofy gas chandeliers (I never imagined I would have such problems).











Other rooms are more like this. Toned-down and pretty amazing, down to the wood floors (froofy chandelier-theme persists, however):


And then there are rooms like this:


Xavier loves these rooms because they = bricolage. (Bricolage is handyman work - the verb, bricoler, in French is so much more amusing than its English equivalents, especially when Xavier is enthusiastically employing it, while sporting the leather bricoleur belt and holding a drill).

There is a bathroom I love:




And so many other crazy details:










There is even a dumb waiter. I think we have Thomas Jefferson to thank for this contraption. With a little bricolage à la Xavier to the suspended pulley, I will be popping out of this thing for dinner parties before you know it. You will have to come, although now I've ruined the surprise.


And Chris looks great in the window seat.



There are projects enough in this house to last the rest of our lives. You start one teeny tiny thing and you discover ten other projects that need doing in that same 2-foot space.


The little garden is another matter entirely.

13 comments:

Jill said...

Wow! Lots of bows and froof, but oh, the potential! That place is amazing! I love all the light and all the touches of old world charm. I can't wait to see it in person someday. Keep Xavier doing that bricolage. Keep the project coming.

Brad said...

Looks like an amazing place. Thanks for sharing these photos. We can't wait to see it in person. I loved the photo of X in full bricolage action.

Emilie said...

We can't wait to have you guys come. Jill, start planning a NY trip. Dad, you guys will have to be here pretty quickly. Xavier needs some bricolage help.

Thomas said...

We moved to this town about 10 years ago and I tried to talk my wife into buying one of the older houses which were for sale at the time. I imagined they would need some bricolage also.

Congratulations to you both. Him for being so persuasive and you for recognizing wonderful possibilities.

Marnie said...

What a great house! It'll be home in no time, I'm sure. In the meantime, may I invoke an old Irish blessing on your new abode?

"May your troubles be less and your blessings be more,
and nothing but happiness come through your door" ;)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! It's going to be such fun watching it transform. Take lots of before and afters of all your projects. Congrats!
-Melissa (miller) Dredge

Gaby Munoz said...

I envy your dumbwaiter and love, love, love the character that this house has! Simply merveilleuse.

Mary Elizabeth Liberty said...

Don't remove a single bow! I love it~

Rebekah V. said...

wow

Rosie said...

Let me know when X has my bedroom ready! The big windows remind me of our Maine house. The bows and froof make for less to hang on the walls! Looks like an exciting project.

MATTHEW ROSE said...

Wowza, wowza... it's been so long since I heard from you Emilie... I thought you were still in Paris. What a gorgeous place to live and work and think...and in New York. Wonderful.

All the best,

MR

D1Warbler said...

Love, love, love the house. What fun you will have bricolaging together!

Anonymous said...

Such a wonderful home. Hope to see it soon myself. Missing you Em. Hope you and your family are well.

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