Screened Porch Before and After

With the warmer weather finally here, I thought I'd revisit my screened porch. 

 If you've been following my blog you've seen this porch before,
 but in this post I'm also going to share the horrible mess it was before I began.

This is the original porch.
 When we bought the house the roof leaked, there was moss growing on the sides,
and the steps just weren't safe.

We stripped it down to pretty much the footprint of the space.
 Here's the outside of the structure after renovation and landscaping.  

AFTER WITH NEW LANDSCAPING

The original floor was warped and peeling plywood.
  I tried to cover the flaws on the floor by painting a checkerboard pattern.

We ended up removing the floor.
 Can you tell that the screening is actually many screened doors butted against each other?  Clever or bad idea??????
We tore them out too and added a new floor and Chinese Chippendale railing and screening
and a new roof.  We reused the beams and added beadboard between them.

My Attempt to Cover the Plywood Floor

NEW FLOOR AND RAILING

The last flaw was that the windows on the interior wall were two different sizes.

INTERIOR WALL WITH TWO DIFFERENT WINDOWS

I solved that by covering them both with floor to ceiling draperies.

Of course the inside styling was what I couldn't wait to do.
 I found the day bed at an estate sale.  The mirror is from Home Goods,
 the columns are from an antiques store.
A very chippy medical cabinet is on one side of the day bed.

CHIPPY MEDICAL CABINET SIDE TABLE

FACTORY CART TURNED COFFEE TABLE

On the opposite side of the room is a very weathered garden table and chairs.

GARDEN TABLE AND CHAIRS

I suspended a garden orb above the table.

SUSPENDED GARDEN ORB AND CLOCHE AND IRON CANDLESTICKS

PEEK INSIDE CLOCHE

Yes, I've crammed even more in the other corner.

THE LAST CORNER---PROMISE

No candles in this lantern.  It's filled with books, a bird and some fan coral.

LANTERN

Under the table are my woven suitcases.

STACK OF VINTAGE SUITCASES

I placed a framed ceiling tile above a console table covered in giraffe fabric.

CONSOLE TABLE, CEILING TILE, SANTOS, METAL FERNS AND DEMIJOHNS

MY DEMIJOHNS

Whew, we are so happy with the result.
Have you transformed an ugly duckling?  I'd love to see your project.

Designing Woman at Sweet Clover Cottage

Have I shared that next to the Sweet Clover Barn is a building we call the Cottage?
 This charming structure was actually the original milk barn,
and yes our barn is the original dairy barn,
 and yes our spaces in the barn were once home to dairy cows.  

We really do sell our vintage wares in our perfectly styled stalls.

 Traer Loves' transformation of her space for this weekend's sale is a perfect example. 

Traer Loves is sooo ready for our April Sale

Each month, one of the vendors has an opportunity to put his/her design stamp onto the cottage.   This month is no exception.  My talented fellow vendor, Eddie of Óxido, is adding her unique look to the space.
 She's been shopping with the cottage in mind and has some real finds for the space.
 In addition to her treasures, she'll be incorporating furniture and accessories from the Sweet Clover vendors.
It will be a lovely mix from us all.

THE BEFORE

Since Eddie and I decided that we both are a little boho, a little frenchy, and a lot funky,
 she asked me join her and add some accessories to her design. 

 I am the bottomless pit of accessories you know.

Here's a sneaky peek at Eddie's styled cottage.

Just so you know, not only is Eddie styling the cottage, but she's also:
 a guest designer at the Design House,
setting a second location at The Cottage in Leesburg,
a vendor at The Old Lucketts Store Spring Market,
AND she's a professional photographer/owner of Jalapeño Photography.

Whew!!!!! Did I say she's doing all of this in less than a month?
Besides being talented, she's totally unflappable and will do it all in her fabulous unique style.



Please join us for our monthly sale:
(You really need to see our shop in person.)

April 25,26,27  10-5
4051 Stanford Ct
Frederick, MD


Sweet Clover's April Sale Album with 100 photos here.


To see what I'll have in my "stall" go here.



Kathy

Happy Spring

Recently I received a footed planter imprinted with dragonflies
and tucked inside the container were some soil-filled pots. 

 The lovely gift came with a promise of Spring flowers. 

This past week the bulbs surprised me each day as they took turns blooming.

Promise kept.

I don't think I've ever been more ready for warm weather and the blooms it brings.

Kathy

A super big thank you to my book club friends for such a beautiful gift.

I'll be taking a blog break during Spring Break to spend some time with family,
 friends, and the warm weather.

Happy Spring

Updating a Ballard Design Writing Desk

How do you feel about painting natural wood furniture?  I know that for some of you it's a no no, but I felt this natural wood desk from Ballard Design could benefit from a coat of paint.  

Updated Writing Desk

There were some curvy carved details that I accentuated with some Annie Sloan gilding wax. 

 I've been experimenting with the wax and was happy with my first project so 

I decided to give it try on the desk.

Gilding Wax in Carved Detail on the Side of  the Desk

More accented details on the front of the desk.

More Gilding Wax Details

I'd never tried the gilding wax on metal before so I decided to try it on the dark brown hardware.  

I love the result. 

Hardware with Gilding Wax

When I first saw dipped legs on furniture I have to say that I was not a fan.  I guess the repeated exposure has changed my opinion.  The Queen Anne legs on this piece were a perfect candidate for dipping. 

 I just taped off at the top and rubbed the wax below.

Dipped Legs

I had a fabulous Italian caned back chair to pair with the desk.  I decided to leave it natural.

Check out the lovely rosette carving.

Carved and Caned Back Italian Chair

What do you think about pairing a natural wood chair with a painted piece?

Painted Desk and Natural Chair

I added some books with plays by Shakespeare.  I think the vintage bookends nicely pick up the brown in the chair.  The off white chair seat ties in with the desk color.

Collection of  Shakespeare's Plays on the Desk

So, to paint or not to paint, that is the question.
Sorry, couldn't help myself.

Kathy

Here's the desk before painting.

To see another piece I updated with paint and gilding wax go here.