Wyeth Influence

Andrew Wyeth paintings have always captivated me.  Seeing them online, in art books, or as prints is one thing but seeing them in the Brandywine River Museum takes your breath away.  If you've never visited this museum, you will love it.  Here is just a small sampling of his work.

It seems that what Wyeth paintings do not portray is as important as what they do.  What has happened to the house in the first image?  Who lived there?  What is Helga thinking in the second image, and what house is that fence a part of?  I love his choice of subject matter and, as an amateur painter, am in awe of his talent.

Then, "what to my wondering eyes did appear" in the February 1975 issue of American Home?!  This:

Now, this changes my whole design aesthetic.  Nothing can be busy, everything must be antique and all antiques must be period ones.  My husband used to say, "Billie, everything old is not gold."  But look at this next picture.  It is gold.

The corner cupboard is wonderful, and his artwork over the camelback sofa so something only Wyeth could execute.  The hooked rug is a treasure.

Notice the fireplaces in these bedrooms, the corner chair in the top picture, the great, old bowl in the bottom picture, the Wyeth originals hanging everywhere and the hooked rugs in both.  God, I love these Wyeth rooms.  (The only thing missing from this article was pictures of the Andrew and Betsy Wyeth's kitchen.)  No matter how much my decorating aesthetic has changed, my love for this home never will.  It inspired my family's visiting the Brandywine area often, and it inspired my search for more (which will follow).

Since this blog is also about cooking, I thought it might be time insert a recipe and, since this posting is about Andrew Wyeth, I included a Wyeth painting.   Both are from For the Pot, Recipes from Brandywine River Museum.  I make this rhubarb pie recipe every spring.

Sorry for the smudges.  I have used this recipe lots.  Beautiful images from Mrs. John McCoy's home (Andrew Wyeth's sister and Brandywine resident) to come.

Back to the Present    

The kitchen above is not from the past, but one found on the internet pretty recently.  (Unfortunately, I have saved photos but not the source of them.  I will rectify this in the future.  I apologize if I have failed to give credit where credit is due.)  Love this kitchen for the bread and onions and olive oil.

Again, not an old kitchen but one reminiscent of the past.  This is the Garnier kitchen in Belgium, and it is a beautiful addition to their home.  The floor, the rough edged counter tops with wine and cookbooks atop all give such a warm feeling to the kitchen.

The faucet here, the mantel over the stove, the countertop and the fresh vegetables make this perfection.

The stone sink and countertops, the brass faucet, stoneware casserole, basil, strawberries and flowers somehow speak to me.

I have a collection of copper pots and pans, but nothing like these molds.  They do not look used frequently but are certainly beautiful to look at.

Next blog will be back to the past to the next inspiring kitchen in my journey.  Check back please.

Our Merry Christmas House

This house is the same one from the previous post, only now it is full of Christmas decor.  Still beautiful, but now replete with snow, wreaths, red table settings, and - well, you will see.

The front door just lures us in with its open door and candlelit staircase.  Looks so warm and inviting.

The table setting makes me wish I knew what the holiday menu included.

I always loved the primitive painting on the wall.  Since I dabble in painting myself, I one time wrote to the owner and asked her its provenance.  She was nice enough to respond to my letter, but unfortunately I cannot remember what she said about it.  The kuchens and fruit salad are very tempting since I am posting this blog at 9:45 AM.

Several sweet vignettes of the season.

Another view of the fireplace I love with its hearth now full of antique toys and holiday treats.

The text above this photo says it all.

Love the old grandfather clock on the staircase and the candles.  (I always used to put garland on my banister and have discontinued doing it in favor of a more zen holiday decor, but this image makes me want to rethink things.  Maybe zen is just not for Christmas.)  Also, much as I love this warm decor, I would worry about those candles under the garland.  With my luck, my staircase would have a real holiday glow.

The homeowner even decorates her bedrooms.  (Actually, I always liked the bedrooms without Christmas cheer.  They were a bit of a respite from holiday overkill.)

This ends my posts from my earliest inspiration, and I'm rather sad to leave this particular house.  Always loved it.  I will tuck the pages away in my files again because we have "miles to go before" I'm done with my design journey.

One Early Inspiration

These pictures from a 1974 issue of American Home, a magazine no longer in
publication, served as some inspiration for the house my husband and I built in
the early 1980's.  Though I wanted an old house, George said, "You never finish
with an old house.  I'll build you a new house that looks old," and he did. I loved
this house the moment I saw it, and seeing it again brings back lots of memories.
My husband grumbled that he was building a  house from pictures - an exaggeration
considering we had architect plans in our hot little hands.  But, much of the interior
design of this house inspired the interior design in our own.  Looking at it now,
warm feelings flood back - the Maine location, the beautiful antiques, the coziness,
and of course the food images.  How much do you love that fireplace!!

OK, I hate the avocado green appliances and red counters, but love the hooked rug in front of the sink, the tea caddies on the shelf, cups of tea and rose geranium on the table, and antique basket on the floor.  We must take the good with the bad, and it does look like cooking occurs in this kitchen.

In the images of this home's living room and dining area, I've always loved the large window in front of the table, the comfortable sofa and, again, the antique accessories on the tables.

Moving to the upstairs (where no cooking occurs, but charm abounds), the fireplace in the master bedroom is a treat, the highboy is to die for, and the canopied bed and its linens are so appropriate.  Also love the oriental rugs, but I now would also love a large seagrass rug under the orientals.  Am so conflicted sometimes in how to integrate my old taste with the new.  Originally, we had the same trim color in this bedroom in our living and dining room.  Now, the trim is all white.  The attic access door looks just like ours, but, of course, ours is white.  About the guest room - I am so over quilts.

Is this not a great house!  And in Maine which makes it even better.  Next time I will show you the same home all decked out for the holidays.  I know the season has passed, but I want you to see how lovely this house is all seasons, and there will be more food in the next posting.  (Why can I not keep the printing over to the left?  And why is one image hanging off the page??  Bear with me as I discover the intricacies of blogging.)