Decorating the New England Home (China, Newport: fit in, houses, living)

[Elcarim]

Our home here is very decidedly Old World Italian style, which is very common down here. It just won't do in our new New England home. So, how do YOU do it?

What colors are common/preferred and does everyone use the cottage style furnishings? We may even have to replace our LR furniture to make it all come together. My colors here are deep earth tones, but I'm not sure that will work either.

I keep seeing in my mind our tan furniture on a smokey blue wall....

[genmomto5]

LOL Did I post the Virtual tour of the house we bought? My living room is bright orange, the kitchens are a greenish yellow that looks all variations of those tow colors depending on the time of day. We have a hallway with a dark blue wall, a magenta wall, a yellow wall and a whole orange section. One kids room is purple, another blue, and another is yellow. We have a green bathroom and a blue bathroom (I'm not talking pale green and blue either). Our outer doors are bright blue. The master bedroom is a textured greenish brown and my brothers room is a persimmony orange. (Have I scared you yet? LOL) Our furniture works great but it is an eclectic mess so it figures it would work. I am waiting for a replacement charger for my camera then I'll take pics of the house with our stuff inside for you. I probably never would have been bold enough to go all out with color on my own and DH would have stopped me but it is great. Even the orange living room. Stop by when you come through house hunting and I'll give you a tour of our "fun house".

Anyway, if you want new furniture then by all means get new stuff but if you have something you already love I bet you can make it fit.

[tlb71]

We own an 1850's Greek Revival style with your typical white siding/black shutters/red door. I kept my colors pretty neutral using the historic preservation colors from Lowes. Sage w/cream trim in LR, yellow kitchen, light blue for one bath, aloe for the other. I would say the downstairs is definitely cottage, the upstairs is more modern where the TV room is.
The wonderful thing about Maine vs Texas(my sister lives there) is you don't have to worry about the "right clothes, car, furniture,etc." Just decorate your home the way YOU want with what YOU like.

[Elcarim]

I'm so glad you said that about Texas! I know people here probably think I'm exagerating half the time about how bad things are here, but it really is all about who you know and what your appearance is - not necessarily in that order! That and who is going to rob you, stab you or molest your kids!

And to stay on topic......it will be nice to have a totally different sort of life there, and I want our home to reflect the true N.E. style. We just don't have houses like that here, so it will be very nice to get to decorate one! I'm sick to death of the rambling ranch and Spanish/Italian styles that are the norm here.

[tlb71]

We have lived in a couple of states with areas like that, VA for one. Lots of super spoiled kids to go with the "must have that" attitude. Maine is very refreshing in that respect. If you feel like "dressing up" great, if not then just slap on the "Pats" or Sox hat and some jeans and you are good to go. Don't worry about looking like a tourist when you are bundled up either, we wear soft shell jackets, no hats, no gloves, etc. which is way less than the average Mainer wears in winter. Hmm, maybe that's why they stare-probably thinking were are nummer than a hake for going out without a propah coat!
Anyway, I have family in AL as well and it is just like TX in Mobile as far as the big bleached hair, bright clothes, and tons of jewelry and "what country club do ya'll belong to?"

[msina]

My style runs towards "Early American Poverty"

[Elcarim]

Originally Posted by tlb71

We have lived in a couple of states with areas like that, VA for one. Lots of super spoiled kids to go with the "must have that" attitude. Maine is very refreshing in that respect. If you feel like "dressing up" great, if not then just slap on the "Pats" or Sox hat and some jeans and you are good to go. Don't worry about looking like a tourist when you are bundled up either, we wear soft shell jackets, no hats, no gloves, etc. which is way less than the average Mainer wears in winter. Hmm, maybe that's why they stare-probably thinking were are nummer than a hake for going out without a propah coat!
Anyway, I have family in AL as well and it is just like TX in Mobile as far as the big bleached hair, bright clothes, and tons of jewelry and "what country club do ya'll belong to?"

Ah! You HAVE been here!!! I saw a lady in Target the other day in a full length leather coat and I swear about 12 silver necklaces on. I guess that's the new style. I'm VERY out of style, if so! Guess that's what I get for staying at home with my kids for 7 years now!!

I should fit right in in Maine!

So when you guys see me out decorating my yard in jeans and a sweatshirt, I may just be wearing the same outfit YOU'RE wearing.........

[tlb71]

Elarim- did you go to a Christmas Tree Shop while you were here?
I bought a white bead board armoire for $129(very cottage). It isn't fancy, but does the trick. You can find a ton of affordable decorating stuff, most probably made in China, but if you are on a budget it's a good place to start.

[tlb71]

Not only will you fit in, but you will be in style. I am currently wearing my husbands Tulane sweatshirt and a pair of workout pants...I won't be making any best dressed list, but I am comfy and can keep the thermostat at 68!

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by msina

My style runs towards "Early American Poverty"

LOL

A couple days ago, we drove down to Newport to pickup a treasure listed on Freecycle. This lady lives in an old 'cape style' farm house built in the 1830s. Stone walls, rough cut ceiling beams, a low ceiling small rooms, a really big iron grate in the living room floor allowing heated air to free flow up from the basement [where one wood stove is located]. The living room had a six-burner wood cook stove that she uses for her winter cooking. The front porch has another wood cook stove for summer cooking. She raised four children in that house, then she was a foster parent licensed for eight children. She raised foster-children, eight at a time for thirty years in that small house. on a dirt road.