The Rural Voice, 2006-05, Page 43Home Decorating
Making over a retirement cottage
Patti
Robertson
operates
Classic
Interiors in
Wingham.
By Patti Robertson
Irene is among my earliest clientele.
Over the past 20 years our friendship
has evolved as we've worked on her
huge. lovely 1800s family home.
So a year and a half ago when she
called to say she was retiring from her
huge home to a small cottage. of course
I was most interested in assisting with
the new project. In the early days of the
project things were a little doubtful and
some days they were downright
dubious... but as walls, floors and
ceilings were repaired, and replaced
and new furnishings selected and
cherished old pieces and accessories
gleaned over. all the elements started to
take on a life and form of what was to
be.
Now. follow me as we tour Irene's
graceful cottage home. We enter the
two-storey white cottage with black
trim through a deep rose -hued door
which opens onto a diminutive
sunroom which welcomes you
immediately with the positioning of a
pair of generously proportioned
wingchairs, featuring textured velvet in
a navy hue. The walls are painted a
Wedgwood blue and Venetian blinds
and French checked. textured semi
sheers provide a soft. filtered. sunny
feel to the room.
To the left we enter the kitchen.
sporting a French vanilla wall shade.
New cabinetry. the table and chairs are
all of medium oak while the table
runner, rocking chair pad and free -form
window dressing are in a "Ralph
Lauren" inspired plaid of royal navy,
Wedgwood blue, honeyed gold with a
small hint of green plaid. The chair
pads feature a softened navy textured
fabric with outer edges featuring a box -
pleated ruffle of our plaid fabric. To the
rear of the kitchen is the pantry -laundry
room all in the same French vanilla hue
while the powder room repeats the
Wedgwood blue of the sunroom.
Down a short hallway and we enter
the double living room of the cottage.
In this area the walls sport a double
tonal value of French vanilla.
intersected with an architectural border
featuring a minimal amount of
Wedgwood blue and our chosen wall
colouration. Window treatments again
repeat the quiet elegance of those at
work in the sunroom. Both areas
incorporate identical sofa beds in a
textured, cut -velvet fabric in a navy
hue. We have incorporated one antique
side chair in a dual -toned navy and
Wedgwood hlue pattern while two
Louis XV -styled chairs in a rich.
golden -hued leather round out the
seating arrangement.
The laminate floors sport
companion velvet tapestry area rugs:
the one being a rich navy ground
featuring an overall floral motif in
Wedgwood blue. gold rose. and green
while its companion features a golden
ground with a grid pattern featuring
floral groupings in large scale. All wall
art and accessories have been
positioned and selected to enhance the
overall effect of this room. The
dominant focal point is a lovely floor -
to -ceiling cherry -wood electric
fireplace. which incorporates a TV
cabinet and bookcase/display case unit.
Up the inner curving staircase. now
carpeted in a mellow golden tone
featuring pin dots of Wedgwood blue
and navy. we pass by an array of family
photos both historical and current. At
the top of the stairs we arrive at the
master bedroom. The walls have been
coated in a very dark Wedgwood hlue
hue. An antique Bonnet chest serves as
a dresser. while the bed is a generously
proportioned antique brass. The duvet
cover. bed skirting, and window valance
are all of a French floral design. again
incorporating our golden, Wedgwood
blue and navy colourations on a ground
of fresh white. Accent cushions and
accessories once again repeat chosen
colourations to heighten the effect. The
window proper once again is dressed in
semi sheer and Venetian blinds in
keeping with our theme.
Down the hall we enter Irene's
office where she is busily engaged as
an amateur genealogist - she finds
great pleasure trom assisting people in
finding the historical roots of their
family. events and occasions. Here the
room is treated to a sunny yellow tune
and the window sports a valance in
pinstriped yellow. gold and
Wedgwood. The room is filled with oak
bookshelves With copious resource
manuals.
Next is the main bath where we'se
utilised a gorgeous wall covering
sporting a French doral motif in rose.
yellow and green. All fixtures in this
tiny room are in white. while the
window sports stylish hand -tied swats
in a Wedgwood hlue textured semi
sheer.
Finally we enter our last room. the
guest bedroom. The antique bed
features a navy duvet cover while the
valance, pillow shams and dresser
runners are in a navy French toile
design on a cream ground. This room is
a sunny locale for sisitors. as the walls
have been treated to the French vanilla
hue and the window proper once again
is dressed in semi ,sheer.
Irene's cottage is a surprising
showstopper. created pnmaoIs through
the repetition of a tightly co•io
ordinated colour scheme and .eluted
furnishings and accessories. The
cottage constantly gets ra%e res sews
much to both Irene's and my delight.
Patti'.s Tip:
Keep colouration selections to 0
minimum and ti,i,,lttlr (u-c,rclinatecl
throughout your home for the moot
professional eticct.0
READY TO LAY
PULLETS
WHITE & BROWN EGG LAYERS
FISHER POULTRY FARM INC.
AYTON ONT NOG CO+
519-665-7711
MAY 2006 3°