ttodd how old is your home? Your hall is gorgeous and I love that black ceiling. Gosh I would love to do something like that in my kitchen. But tell me, did you have to use scaffolding?

Another question, have you moved from the house you lived in...say...a year ago?

....Jane

ttodd, the BM Porcelain Ivory is very neutral and looks nice. I just wish you had a bright white paper to hold against the wall to see the shade of white it is. But in your picture, it is elegant and goes nicely with the trim and black ceiling. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Newdawn! It's 101yrs old. No scaffolding - just up and down and up and down on the ladder w/ a paintbrush. Funny you mention a black ceiling in a kitchen because I have an inspiration pic that I've always thought of you when I look at it. I tried looking for it in my photobucket acct. but must have deleted it by accident. It's somewhere on these boards in some thread though. I'd love to take the tips of various sized artists paintbrush handles, dip them in glow in the dark paint and put little dots on the ceilign so that it glows like nighttime stars when the lights are out!

To answer your question - nope - haven't moved yet. We're doing some unexpected work on this house before we can sell it.

That is HOT, Ttodd!! Love it!

Smiles:)

Nice ceiling!

I love it! Very nice. You're making wish I would've bought an older home!

Aren't you the one with those awesome antique candelabras on your buffet? I remember someone on here that did and they were beautiful. I've been meaning to ask if it was you.

I have seen the picture that makes you think of me. And I think I saved it on my computer, but can't find it either.

Up and down the ladder would kill me, I think. But you and your husband are young and can do it.

At any rate, it looks fabulous.

I love it, too. Does it feel like it lifts the ceiling? I'm curious on the effect. The glowing paint would be so unexpected! Very cool! I've thought of doing that in my ds's room, but that idea hasn't made it far enough up the to-do-list yet. I bet your legs are sort from climbing up and down that ladder.

Here's a wider view where you can catch a glimpse of the 2 rooms opening up into the hall. The wall colors are all off of the same strip.

This is the office (the lighter of the 2 rms):

And how the hall snakes around to the back of the staircase and the kitchen:

Pre-black ceiling & new paint:

These are the Vestibule doors (I was standing inside the vestibule when I took the pics showing the hallway):

{{!gwi}}

And the vestibule of which I am considering some type of taupe and black striped wallpaper above the wood panels. I have a crazy temporary idea so that I can take it down very quickly if the realtor says no way for resale.

{{!gwi}}

The DR is going to be a taupey gray color: On my short list are:
BM Edgecomb Gray
BM Revere Pewter
P&L Silver Blonde

And yes Shee those are my candelabras bu tthey're not antiques - I got them at Bombay Co. when I first started working there.

I absolutely love viewing pictures of your home. It is a style that I must have had in a previous life or something as it is so far from my own, but I think it is absolutely lovely. The black ceiling looks great! wig

Oh my gosh ttodd, how can you think of leaving this gorgeous home after doing all this awesome work! Your home is so very beautiful. I was thrilled when I saw you added more pictures because I was going to ask for me. You entry hall alone is absolutely gorgeous!
I've been in love with Victorian homes since I was a little girl. You may know that we are living in and doing the finishing touches on Queen Anne Victorian Revival. It will be beautiful, but just not the same as your lovely "original".
What kind of home will you be moving into?
~Becky

Sorry Lafonda - I didn't answer your question: I don't know that it 'lifts' the ceiling. The ceiling height doesn't seem any taller. It's just 'not there'. I know that I don't feel closed in or that it's weighing me down. I don't know if it's because the walls are much lighter or maybe because it's such a tall, long narrow space to begin w/. DH still isn't sure if he likes it.

Now this is going to be a crazy out there kind of analogy but here it goes:

I almost feel as though I'm getting a hug or support from someone so I feel safe and at the same time open and free to try something new. So 'warm, open and grounded' I guess is how I'd describe it.

There they are! Our buffets look very similar. Uh let me know if you ever want to get rid of them. :) I could've sworn you said before they were antquie, you have wealthy relatives and nobody else in the family wanted them?

I really enjoy looking at pictures of your home. Can't wait to see what you do with your next place.

Fantastic!!! Really really wonderful choices! Modern -- and yet each of your choices really works with your home!

Well done! :)

Jan

Shee - wealthy in money - probably not - wealthy in a rich history of hand-me-downs? DEFINATELY! DH's aunt and uncle drastically downsized to a condo in Philly and cleared out their 4 story twin of pretty much everything. Their kids didn't want any of it so they turned to us knowing our love of furniture w/ a family story. The mirror above the buffet is from them. The buffet was a wedding gift from my parents.

I don't think I could pull off as a dramatic a look in the other house but oh what plans! Colorwise I think we are going to stay in the same color range or maybe a hint greyer. Overall the stone house has an airier feeling inside. There's not much woodwork in this place but there is a huge stone fireplace. We are going to add on to the back. I was going through William Poole designs and we found a few that could be adapted and keeps a fair amt. of the footprint the same.:

Hopefully my curtains will be coming tomorrow and I can take pics of the LR and then it's off to the DR and lastly the kitchen downstairs.

Shee - I have a confession to make: I really don't know if I'll be able to use the candelabras in the stone house due to a much lower ceiling height! I know I won't have the space for the buffet so I need to consider ways to repurpose it down the line.

Justgotabeme: How are you coming along w/ your home? Have you gotten anything painted out yet?

Jan - that really means alot coming from you! I think I'm finally getting the hang of mixing old and new. I think I needed to find a more neutral palette to make it all begin to mesh.

Here is a link that might be useful: William Poole plan that might be adaptable

The stone house above is the one you'll be moving into? Looks very nice and also pretty private. When are you moving again? A year? The stone fireplace sounds beautiful.
Love that mirror too btw. How tall are your current ceilings? Those candelabras look huge! How tall are they if you don't mind me asking yet another question? I do hope you're able to find spots for your stuff!

Shee - yes that's the stone house we will be moving to. Hopefully we can be in a position to put this house on the market Spring 2010 or Fall at the latest.

The ceilings in our current house are app. 9' and all of the windows are 7' tall from top to bottom. The candelabras are probably about 4' tall.

Honestly I can't imagine where I could possible put them in the stone house because I know they will set the ceiling on fire!

OMG! That ceiling is amazing. How fun are you. I just love your style.

Just gorgeous!
Are the spindle work transoms original to the home? They're cool! Do you know if anyone still makes them?

Thanks for sharing.

I am in love with your house. I can't wait to see what magic you have in store for us in the stone house.

ttodd - I'm pretty sure I saw that picture at Target the other day. It wasn't on canvas though, but it had a big massive frame around. Both me and my teenage son thought it was so pretty, but I needed it to be more of a sepia tone to work with my stuff.

Laure

Gorgeous! Can't wait to see what you end up doing in your new place (even if we have to wait a little while :-)

ttodd, you'll be moving to quite a different home, though by what I see of the outside it will still have plenty of charm.
I'm still plugging away on our homes decor. It's not photo ready yet, though a couple rooms are close. We have the color picked out for the Gentlemen's Parlor. The Ladie's Parlor decor has been changed more often then I want to think about.

Catkin - yes the spandrals are original to the home. There are quite a few companies that still make them. I've been carrying around the broken pieces in my pocketbooks for almost 10yrs. now because I know that all I have to do is pick up a few dowls and beads at a craft store. Unfortunately when I'm at the craft store I always forget!

Msrose - I just thought that would be the perfect picture to place on that hallway. That way when you walk in the 1st thing you'll see is a picture of a long winding tree lined road on a misty day - almost as if you could keep on walking. I've been collecting black and white photo's both old an new for 20yrs now. Many are sepia toned since they date back to the 1800's. I have a nice big mix now.

Thanks for that!