Stone House Beautiful: Winter Wonders. The Adornment Of A Farmhouse.

The farmhouse kitchen. The original house was the middle section. It likely had a very small log cabin over the original hearth based kitchen. The original family lived here as the stone house was being built in 1811. When the stone house was completed the stick based structure, what we call the "servants quarters" was built in the late 1800's.

The log cabin was found in York County in 2007. It was tagged and disassembled log by log to be moved to this property. It became the kitchen and guest quarters so the original home could maintain its small rooms and original internal integrity.

I keep the kitchen in a country store motif. It allows me to use old furniture for storage, or display, and keep the area free from appliances and cupboards. (What I call the death of an old kitchen).

My kitchen table is an early country store table. Original ox blood paint, 16 feet long.

Stools are Arhaus. Lights from Restoration Hardware. Tin ceiling, (a project for only the bravest) was hand painted in 6 layers to faux "age" it.

Circa 1940's Frigidaire fridge. A compressor hum keeps the house alive in its rhythmic chilling.

Early 1900's grain bin holds pet food.

My kitchen built in cabinet was found at a country auction for $75. We had to trim the top and bottom a few inches, but building it into the wall so it is recessed adds a character that says it belongs to the room.

The integrity of the building has two front doors. To keep this key feature we added a center wall to separate the two spaces of the first floor. It also allows for much needed kitchen essentials, stove, fridge, cabinet, sink.

The old French butchers block is my counter top. It also houses my pots and pans.

Two things were imperative to my kitchen lay out. A coffee counter, and a candy bar. The rest of the furniture I had to make work.

My double side board sink is cast iron. It came missing its original feet, but thankfully, these are widely available as either salvage pieces or replicas. Daily use plates and cups are within reach on the marble shelf above.

The kitchen doubles as our work area. And, where we are the dogs are. This is Fripp and Storm. Both rescued as very sick puppies. Both, the light of my day, and in perfect health now. (I am a strong advocate for rescue. All of the excuses just don't hold up. If you are kind and dedicated every pet will make a remarkable recovery and they don't foster or hold hard feelings based on a broken childhood).

The stove took some digging. I wanted an old (of course) original stove. Six burners, grill, double oven, and so much character. It is propane, so the coffee mugs stay warm year around, and, it has cover, which the cats keep company all winter long. 1939 Westinghouse, found in California. Rebuilt, new wiring and insulation.

The candy bar. Contents are changed seasonally, pilfered daily. This was the Easter display, with Jekyll modeling below.

The Christmas display for 2018.

The antique Christmas tree stand, circa late 1800's.

The candy bar every Christmas must have old toys, lights, and whimsy. I also covet ribbon candy, which is unpalatable, but pretty and festive.

Often available for a few dollars, these old Christmas light bulbs look great individually or in groups.

Need a safe place to display your fragile ornaments? How about an old country store container?

I use the old milk glass dishes, with animal themed lids, to keep the chocolates and caramels hidden. Some of the candies are too special to share.

The most beautiful garage around.. so charming with finished the inside to hold parties!

The parlor stove took almost a decade to find.. well worth the wait.

The grande dam of the kitchen is the 1880 Wehrle stove No 18. Nickel sides, nautilaus, lions, and mics panes so the beast glows when burning. I saw this stove in an old ad twenty years ago (when I was a teenager) in the Maine Antique Digest. I never forgot it. I also built and designed the kitchen around it.. she is just that gorgeous!

The holiday display is always a mix of seasonal woodland finds and blushed colors of holiday jewel tones.

The dining room table is part display, part showstopper and always full of details.

The best inspiration and jump off place for my floral displays is usually the Lancaster Central Market flower vendors. I spend about $10 and build a forest around it.