My stuff is not fine, but it's definitely ruled by the dogs!!!! Wouldn't have it any other way! He must have his blankie & pillow for his head:)

peppa, I was thinking of adding Maura Endres's IG but I know I've already mentioned her account several times and people might think I'm a stalker lol.

And Joan at for the love of a house doesn't seem to post about her house as often, and doesn't really blog any more. But here are her IG and her blog, which are full of lovely pictures and posts from the past.

I was moved to pull out my copy of Ros Byam Shaw's "Perfect English" — which has chapters on Plain English, English Eccentric, English Rose, English Country House, Classic English — and note this from her introduction:

“Not one [house in this book] has been professionally decorated [with the exception of one hotel]. Sure, there re houses belonging to interior designers, but [they] claim almost in unison that, these being second homes and retreats from all things work-related, their interiors have been ‘thrown’ and ‘cobbled’ together with an emphasis on comfort and practicality.

Perhaps uniquely in a book about interior design, these rooms have not been over-designed. Instead they have tended to grow around their owners, accreting and shedding and being rearranged to suit. If the result is beautiful and stylish, it is because they have been put together by people who have a strong visual sense. This is in refreshing contrast to the current dominance of the label ‘designer,’ which now attaches itself to everything from bathrooms to teapots, and has an almost bullying effect, encouraging a style orthodoxy that has turned too many homes into show houses, their looks imported from pictures in magazines and weekends in luxury hotels [this echoes perfectly april’s comments above about luxury hotels and spa feelings!]. The houses here are the perfect antidote to this bland, copycat homogeneity, being more a form of self-expression than a means to impress, and offering as they do an intimate and often quirky reflection of their owners.

What we see in the arrangement of these rooms is not only the visual taste but also the way of life of the people who inhabit them. Comfort is an essential ingredient. Just as the English prefer to dress for ease rather than glamour — compare the number of high heels clicking down an English sidewalk with those in France or Italy — so there is a prevailing English tendency to organize houses around the way they are lived in instead of allowing their design to become an imposition. …”

Also this bit: “Nancy Lancaster compared furnishing a room to mixing a salad, insisting that sticking to one period of furniture whether modern or antique, was never a success, and suggesting that every room should have in it something ‘warm and ugly’.”

I find this an interesting insight -- "it is because they have been put together by people who have a strong visual sense" -- and I think this is one thing that can't be stressed enough for those who take an interest in furnishing their homes, or want to. If you don't have that strong visual sense, work on it. It's like a muscle : ) . This is one thing I've found so valuable about GardenWeb in general and this forum in particular, especially with the dearth of shelter magazines (both because of the publishing industry and my budget limitations), as an educational vehicle beyond the basic questions and answers. This is the sort of thread I love, so thank you very much for starting it, ingrid!

I'm definitely an IG stalker, Becky!! It's pretty much why I have IG-to look at pretty pictures of homes and increase my exposure to design. I don't come by it naturally, but I know when something isn't right, to me. That's why I come here. I don't really comment a lot, feel I'm not really qualified. Insecurity, ugh.

The dog came back:)

And I meant to say.......YES, yes, yes to that excerpt!!! Growing around and with the owner-not a formula & producing the same result. I will have to look for this book, thanks!

jama7, I have always admired your style. After all the work you did how did you drag yourself away from the beautiful red house?

peppa, I think I found a bunch of her books remaindered at Book Depot online. There's bookdepot.com in the US and bookdepot.ca for Canadians : ) .

Thank you, Becky:)

And Jama, the thread through all of your different styled homes is good taste and editing. I want to see more pics, esp of the red house mentioned above!

peppa, I agree a house is not a home without a warm furry creature in it, be it cat, dog or both. Yours has such a luxurious blanket, and what a nice room.

I completely agree that you can't really pull off English style without the high ceilings and all the architectural beauties that show off everything you put inside so dramatically. I also don't have the money for the antique furniture and killer mirrors, paintings and porcelain. I happen to live in a 1980's ranchburger that has nothing of merit in it, not even simple crown moldings, not to speak of anything else. What to do? I just decided to put what I loved in the house because that was the only way I could be happy. Is the result fabulous? Nooo. I've seen many rooms here that are better, including all the homes posted above by their owners that have more beautiful furniture, more character, more everything. Nevertheless, this is probably as good as it will get because there are so many other things that require money. It's not English country but I think it is traditional.

What a great collection of art you have Ingrid! I also love the dining room walls with the gold leafing. I see a lot of character and beautiful pieces in your home. It has a very collected and evolved look.

It's always such a treat to see the rooms in your home, ingrid.

I completely agree that you can't really pull off English style without the high ceilings and all the architectural beauties that show off everything you put inside so dramatically.

Pshaw. And balderdash for good measure : ) .

No high ceilings or much in the way of architectural detail in these rooms, some of which belong to the kings and princes of English country style:

Interior designer/architect Ben Pentreath's sitting room, the Old Parsonage, Dorset,

Antique dealer/interior and textile designer Robert Kime's sitting room in the flat over his shop, London,

Kime's spare room in the flat above the shop,

Room by interior designer Kit Kemp using Robert Kime textiles,

Guest bedroom in Debo, Dowager Duchess of Chatsworth's house on the Chatsworth estate,

Sitting room of Molly Mahon, printmaker and textile designer in high demand by leading UK interior designers,

I can't remember whose sitting room this is,

Nancy Lancaster's sitting room in her last house, the Coach House at Haseley,

Nicky Haslam's country house, the Hunting Lodge, which used to belong to John Fowler,

I live in a 1948 house in a subdivision. It has 8 ft ceilings, it does have crown molding but it's stock stuff - nothing special. And my house is very English Country House.

I've accomplished this using fabrics, layering, hanging curtains high. I did replace the standard height double hung windows on the front of the house - 2 in LR, one in library - with larger, taller Georgian wudows - worth every penny.

Back in the 1980's, there was a series of books called "An English Woman's Bedroom/Sitting Room" etc. https://www.amazon.com/Englishwomans-Bedroom-Elizabeth-Dickson/dp/0881620874

These books are wonderful and have both the grand and humble. Great way to train ones eye.

roarah, that's one of the most special things anyone has ever said about my home. I deeply appreciate your words.

Renee, I recently bought the red and blue rug in the front room because I was afraid that my decor was getting a little stodgy, and I wanted to be more adventurous with color. I'm glad I took that leap. Some of the paintings and drawings were done by my husband.

becky, I so appreciate the rooms you posted. They showed me that it is possible to create a certain feeling in even not so grand spaces. I'm going to be studying them for inspiration, especially in how color is used in furniture, which is something I learned too late since my furniture is still in too good a shape to replace. I notice one sofa has a colorful fabric over it, which is something I might try.

Anglophilia, I love your living room which truly does have a genuine English feeling. I very much agree that taller windows make a big difference in how a room is perceived, and that is food for thought in my living room. If I hadn't bought Chinese porcelain I could probably afford to redo the whole house, but on the other hand I can't live without it. When you're not wealthy it's all about making choices, but the challenge of that also makes it more fun. I rarely see rooms of very rich people that I really admire. Everything becomes too precious and the human element is often lost.

Ingrid, your house is absolutely beautiful. It's filled with warmth and charm and is made lively by your outstanding art and porcelain collections. Would you ever consider sharing some of your treasures with us? I would love to learn more about Chinese porcelain. I came across a great IG feed from the head of ceramics and glass at Christie's in NY. It's irresistibly called, Breaking is Bad, Carleigh Queenth, is its author.

https://www.instagram.com/breakingisbad/

Yes, I agree with Rita! Ingrid, will you share your talent and treasures?

I also adore Chinese porcelain and want to purchase some modest pieces for my home, but I really don't know what to look for other than to choose aesthetically what I like. I guess that would be the most important thing, but I would love to also know that I am getting a real vintage item and not a reproduction.

Ingrid, as you well know-I absolutely adore your house..it's one of my favorites. I remember your garden too, very vividly, at least what I saw. It's a very dreamy house, to me.

And yes..my house would probably benefit too, if I bought less art, but say, worked more on windows etc.

Yet I choose art still. Art, I can take it with me..well not everywhere lol. Also, I swear to you-I think it's alive.

So, I'm with you on that. On collecting art or other things. It has a huge force that moves us more than anything. It's simply a bigger wave. Stronger storm. Will draw you in and throw you on the sand. Yet one keeps entering these waters.

Houses, I see them as live creatures too though. The ones I like for sure. Yours is so alive...and gracious..and warm..it'd be very fast if was an animal, it just decides to stay. It's happy.

I know it sounds silly but that's how I feel it.

Becky thank you for posting the pictures, I enjoyed them so so much. I have Kit Kemp's book..I admire her and her work..she decorates hotels they own, but I'd never guess these were hotel rooms, was it not explained in her book..each room is treated as it is one and only and special, she pours her heart into each space, and fabrics used..oh my. And I love how she mentions and gives credit to absolutely everyone she works with.

She lately had a small collection done(or carried) for Anthropologie. Too expensive for me, but.

(as for a furry creature..I used to have a rat)) Hope it counts. He was a very kind and smart rat...a boy,,boys are easier to make friends with. Well at least among rats, I mean lol)

I got off my backside and just ordered Furlow Gatewood's One Man's Folly. It's the second time that someone has suggested I take a look at his work. Thanks.

Ingrid....your home does have a warmth, interest and vitality that so many homes ( more professionally "designed"!) do not have. If I visited, I'd be spending a bit of time visiting your art! You have wonderful windows, doors everywhere....I'm seeing some pretty nice features there actually.

I was looking through that GlamPad site a little while ago and many British designers rooms I spotted would be picked apart and shredded by this forum...if they were done by Jane Doe that is! Tiny lamps, too small rugs, cluttered.....:)

Although my passion for designing, antiquing and such started in my teens, I've reached the point (to be exact March, 2011) where I just don't care very much. I kinda want to play but I lose interest in about 5 mins. This obsession over a homes appearance, HGTV, the THOUSANDS of design blogs that exist now all competing for $$ has ramped up over last 10 yrs to where I really have lost most of my enthusiasm for it. Remember how generations before were happy with their furniture for life usually? Now it's gone the opposite direction. Guess I just get tired of it everywhere....all the time. And I certainly understand how it can be discouraging seeing these seemingly perfect homes all the time. But I've seen photo shoots. There's a lot of make believe happening here. They come in with accessories, re-arrange things, get the perfect lighting, ....you name it.

My criteria for a well designed home is that WE and our family are pretty happy with it. If we are, then we've accomplished our mission and can move onto the real business of life. It might appear to be a dump to others...you like it? Great. If not, then maybe take a second look and see what you can do to improve it or get input. Or forgetaboutit and again.....just move on to the real business of life....:)

And thank you for your very sweet words Ingrid.

Oh, peppadoodle and bonnie ann.....bonnie I met from Lex? Been awhile! Thanks for your nice words too. Yes, Redhouse (can't believe you remember that!) was tough to leave. It wasn't because we tired of it....for sev reasons we moved back to CO. Didnt' work out...back again. If I miss a house, it's prob that one but it was also a large property and at this stage of the game, I'm not sure I'd want all the ext maintenance of gardens etc. I also love our very walkable location....redhouse was not at all.

This is a delightful thread. Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and pictures. It’s reassuring to see that this style is still alive and well. I love to scroll through Pinterest, but sometimes weary of the homogenous decor that comes in my feed.

I suppose our spaces could be considered English country. It was important to me for our home to be very comfortable and easy to live in, as we are homebodies, and that guests would feel relaxed and at ease while visiting. Some of our furniture is passed down from my grandparents (secretary desks), some is higher end furniture that we found second hand (couches, armoire), dishes and decor from thrift shops, and the least expensive shelving we could put together quickly (local hardware store.)

And pets definitely make for a happy home! Seeing them totally relaxed helps us to slow down and be at rest, too. : )

My mom was one of those people who liked a lot of display tchotchkes around. She would go through collecting phases. I went through three phases of feelings about that. One was when I was a kid, I loved the pretty things. Two, as an adult who moved a lot and then one who was very busy and wanted to minimize time spent cleaning, I started to want to get rid of it all, particularly if it didn't have a regular use. Being transient doesn't allow for the use of a lot of pretty things. A busy working person often barely has time to eat, let alone set the table with china, even for one person, or sit for afternoon tea. And packing and unpacking it all . . . often it just doesn't even get done. Now, I have inherited all my mom's stuff, and I'm having a very hard time getting rid of some of it. So I am in the middle of the road. I'm constantly striving to either use the old things or figure out what I can jettison. But then I get rid of something and later on wish I had it . . . Eventually I will get to a point when I will be too old to keep up with maintaining it and cleaning it, and then you'd like to pass it on to someone. That will be the most difficult stage for me as I have no children to pass on mom's beloved things to. That's what I most miss, people who want old things because they love and respect the past and don't easily discard things and people, because they are of high quality. Not everything, but some things. I'll probably be one of those little old ladies who lives in a house full of lace and decay. The younger generation doesn't seem to want the old stuff, and yet if they did, seems like they could live like kings and queens. But they are too busy to maintain it now, just like I once was . . .

I love lace and decay

it might be I even love decay. To a degree

I was pretty happy when my ex MIL brought us some china as a present..and I was in my early twenties back then. And very busy.

I think depends on a person..and circumstances..

Our circumstances are such, that meanwhile my Mom, she has hand me downs from me))

Because when we moved first time all the family together-we could take almost nothing with us.

But later when I moved with my own little family-I could at some point choose what to take what to leave, and what to send to her (3 hours drive, truck, movers and all)

Then I moved again at some point and again could take nothing but art and books.

OK it gets too confusing lol since we moved too many times.

Rita, thank you for the IG; there are some real treasures among the more whimsical items. What touched me greatly was the majolica tiger, and he's not even close to being Chinese.

april, thank you for the lovely complements. I agree with you, art is incredibly important. I include porcelain in that category, but the feeling is the same. I also think rats are neat, but with having a cat that would be too much excitement.

jama, I totally agree about being inundated with design blogs, Pinterest, Instragrams; it's really too much and then you either become satiated or unhappy with your own place or both. So much of it is, underneath it all, designed to make you spend money. If you, your family and friends are happy in your home then you've done it right. Many of the people who visit my house (not that many, since we love being home alone) never notice the paintings, porcelain or anything else) so mostly it's for us, but that's the way it should be.

laughable moments, your home is impressive. It has a definite style and resonance, and says who you are. Nothing more is needed.

mom2sulu, your home is another one that I really like and admire. It's simply lovely. You mentioned wanting to acquire some modest pieces of Chinese porcelain and I'm sending you a link to a dealer in England whose items are 100% genuine and very reasonably priced. You will at least know that you're getting the real thing and the description will tell you its approximate age. He has quite a few 18th century pieces which are what I have the most of. If you do buy, please post here and show us what you acquired. If the pieces are damaged somewhat that's par for the course.
Merlin's Cave

Here are some items of Chinese porcelain as requested.

plate (with damage) from circa 1750

Chinese court official clay figurine, about 1500 years old

very finely modeled blanc de chine figurine, early 20th century

early 19th century teapot, a gift from a fellow collector in Italy

circa 1850 famille rose plate

my favorite piece, laughing boy circa 1760

famille rose Chinese export plate, 1860's

Ingrid and everyone else... I love your homes! I would very much enjoy visiting each and every one of them.

RE: Furlow Gatewood, he's amazing. I took out his book from the library when it came out. I know I can't replicate his style because so much of his look depends on the amazing architecture that he has salvaged or has had custom made. I did get an idea for how to hang art in one area of my LR based on one of his rooms.

I admit I was a little sad to learn recently that he changed his walls (or some of them-- can't remember) to gray. Not that there's anything wrong with gray, but I was just surprised since it didn't seem like "him." Though he strikes me as someone who needs a lot of projects and change; maybe he felt like changing paint was a better option than another home on his property at this point!

Oh, Ingrid, those are magnificent pieces. Thank you so much for sharing them with us. Do you have any advice for those of us who would like to learn more about Chinese porcelain? Are there any books that would be good for beginners? Places to begin a collection?

With respect to decorating around your beautiful collection and your husband's pictures, I imagine providing appropriate lighting for these works of art quite a challenge.

Ingrid, you have some VERY special pieces of porcelain. Lucky you! Yes, when one is not wealthy, one makes a lot of choices. People laugh at me for not having a cable TV package that gives me more than the three networks and PBS, but it saves me money. I also rarely eat out, and never just for the sake of not cooking. Again, saves me money. I can then spend that money on what is important to ME.

You've made some very lovely choices.

Ingrid,

Your kind words are such an encouragement. Maybe I will eventually feel like moving on to my master bedroom one day because I have been "decorated" out lately. :)

Also, I am so thrilled to explore the link you sent me. When I finally choose something, I will certainly share! :) Thank you.

Edited to add: How absolutely lovely your collection is! Thank you for sharing!

Thank you for the kind words about the porcelain. Since I have over 100 pieces this is just a small selection, but I thought it would at least give you an idea.

Rita, the place I learned almost everything I know is the discussion section of gotheborg.com. It's an Oriental porcelain forum that was begun by a Swedish collector who is a renowned expert on porcelain, and many of the members are known world-wide in porcelain circles. It costs about $24.00 per year to join, and all their old threads are archived so that you can study all the posts to your heart's content. I burned a lot of midnight oil going through everything. Somewhere along the line you'll discover which period interests you the most, and I encourage you to start with one because even that takes a long time for it all to sink in. At first it seems like a huge and hopeless jumble but clarity does begin to set in after a while. I would suggest that you visit the store I suggested above, Merlin's Cave, buy one or two modestly priced pieces that you love and use them to introduce yourself on the gotheborg forum. You can even mention my name. They love to help "newbies" who have a genuine interest in learning. If you have further questions just contact me on Houzz; I'll be very happy to help.

Seeing some of the British sites that were posted above I realized that I craved more color in the living room and put in an area rug yet once again. Thank you for inspiring me!

I know there shouldn't be a gap between the couches and the rug, but without that the coffee table would have been pushing against a visitor's knee. No perfection in this world!

Ming bowl, 16th century

Tonghzi bowl, circa 1870

Tang dynasty (ca. 600-900 A.D.) female terra cotta polo player

Rather rare 1730's Yongzheng plate

My favorite bowl ca. 1850, with different scenes on all sides

I love this little delicately painted vase

Finally got to play! Home from work today and made straightening the sitting room a priority. We use it for reading, and conversation and to entertain guests, it is just off the front entrance. Also an homage to my mom, displaying her books, Japanese doll collection, lacquerware, etc. Repro of Mary Cassat's "Mother and Child" on the corner wall along with some Japanese ink drawings. Grandma's hand loomed rag rug on the floor.

Do these photos look distorted? How to fix/reformat?

The aren't distorted on my laptop screen but they do look like they have a filter and it's hard to see the details. I know when I open Houzz pics on my phone they usually look terrible.

Too sunny in there today for my phone camera. Good as it gets, its the haze/mists of time and nostalgia.

pink, your home is lovely and certainly has that traditional and perhaps even English vibe. Your rooms are beautiful, comfortable and interesting. You've got it all!

Ingrid, thank you so much for sharing some of your excellent resources with us.

For ingrid and others who like/have Persian/oriental rugs, this article from today's NY Times,

The Rich Have Abandoned Rich-People Rugs: Persians? That’s Paul Manafort money! Now rich people are trying not to spend millions on something that they and their little dogs walk over

Let me know if I need to post the article for anyone who can't access it.

I used to have some very nice oushaks, but my little dogs peed on them.

It's far easier to get dog/cat pee out of an oriental rug than it is out of carpet. An oriental can be washed. I've washed many an oriental in my driveway on a hot summer day. All the odor comes out very easily.

Rugs were meant to be walked on by man and by household pets, but then very few people have rugs that cost millions of dollars. A nice semi-antique oriental can still be had for under $30,000.

Slight threadjack...anyone know of any English decorating/renovating/hgtv type shows?

My mom watches one on youtube but can't remember the name and I really find them more enjoyable than those available here...

Thanks if you know!!

I was reading this piece from Southern Living. It the Bunny Williams decorated Idea House 2105. I was struck by her quotation from her mother that everyone needed an oriental runner in the mudroom in a red shade to hide the red dirt that was tracked in.

I have to comment that this I think this is a good example of American fusion of English country. I'm taking a few notes and getting some stuff out of closets.

Southern Living Idea House 2015

Oriental rugs come in such a large price range and are no more expensive than other good-quality rugs. You can have an antique rug with 500 knots per square inch for 100,00 dollars or a very nice new one for 1,500 dollars with about 120 knots per square inch which is still beautiful and will last for a long time. During that time you'll have something beautiful to look at in your home every day.

Following trends in rugs is the same as following them in anything else. It may be fun for a while, but you're basically copying what everyone else is doing? To have a home that reflects you should be the foremost criterion in decorating, and Oriental rug choices are legion, something for every taste. That's not to say that everyone should have an Oriental rugs. There are endless other beautiful rugs out there which may be more your style. My office has a modern light blue rug which doesn't even really go with the couch but I enjoy the slight dissonance, and I like it not being Oriental. The guest room has a modern indoor/outdoor rug and that's great too. Total uniformity is a total bore and stifling. Quirkiness of some degree is a good thing in decorating and shows that you don't take yourself or "the rules" too seriously.

Wow, what a popular thread! No time to read all of it. I do really like English/traditional décor, but while I have elements of it, I don't actually have this style.

Regards Oriental rugs, Mother gifted me with several good examples that had been in the family since the time of her own mother. I ended up selling the largest (no place for it!) and got well over $1000 from Oriental rug professionals - so I know it was worth a lot more than they paid me. I kept the smaller two, and one now adorns the guest bedroom. The smallest needs to be cleaned, and then it will also appear in the guest bedroom. (The guest bedroom is a pet-free zone - no danger of it becoming a cat scratching playground!)

That NYT piece was great. It is endlessly fascinating for me to learn how trends come about.

Even a worn or slightly damaged Persian rug (not shredded but worn) is beautiful and can help make a room special IMO. I have one large Persian with a 'pedigree', a small prayer rug that is very old and somewhat special and a newer but still vintage one that isn't valuable at all but I still like it. When you think about it, if they can withstand camels bedding down on them, these rugs can take pretty much anything a normal family can dish out!!

Another New York Times article about the things we love,

How Low Will Market for Antiques Actually Go?

Just part of the article,

Compared with the heyday of antiques collecting, prices for average pieces are now “80 percent off,” said Colin Stair, the owner of Stair Galleries auction house in Hudson, N.Y. “Your typical Georgian 18th century furniture, chests of drawers, tripod tables, Pembroke tables,” he noted, can all be had for a fraction of what they cost 15 to 20 years ago.

In 2002, Mr. Stair sold a set of eight George III-style carved mahogany chairs for $8,000; in 2016, he sold a similar set of eight chairs for $350.

In 2003, he dispatched a Regency breakfront bookcase for $9,500; in 2016, the sales price of an equivalent piece had plummeted to $1,300. ...

Dealers, auctioneers and designers point to a number of reasons for the declining interest in antiques and rapid rise of contemporary design. More homes have open-concept, casual living spaces rather than formal dining rooms and studies, which reduces the need for stately mahogany dining tables, chairs and cabinets.

“In these big rooms, a contemporary piece becomes a piece of sculpture,” said Christine Van Deusen, a New York designer who recently commissioned numerous custom creations from Maison Gerard, Cristina Grajales Gallery and Iliad for a client’s duplex penthouse on the Upper East Side. “Vintage and antiques are finite, but creativity is infinite, so I can do things that I could not do if I were only looking for things that were in existence.”

Midpriced retailers like Restoration Hardware, West Elm and CB2 make it easy to buy tasteful furniture on the cheap, with little hunting required.

And a new generation of homeowners may be rebelling against the preferences of their elders.

“The 40-something crowd isn’t looking to put a highboy in their house,” said Ethan Merrill, the third-generation president of Merrill’s auctioneers and appraisers near Burlington, Vt. (and Todd Merrill’s brother). “They relate more to pop culture, fashion-oriented materials and rock ‘n’ roll.” ...

Will other 18th and 19th century furniture pieces ever return to fashion? Many designers say that antiques will rise again but, after nearly two decades of decline, few are willing to predict when.

“The pendulum is going to swing just like it does in politics,” said Mr. Hayes. “It always does. But I don’t see it coming anytime soon.”

Jamie Drake, the New York interior designer, also views the current dismissal of antiques as a trend, “just as color trends have moved from neutrals to vibrants, back to neutrals, back to vibrants,” he said.

In his own home, most of the furniture and art is contemporary and modern, “but I do still have some antiques,” he said.

A home without them, he added, “would be like a sentence without punctuation.”

No interiors here, but I spent 4 years in the early 60s in East Anglia (Grundisburgh for 1-1/2 years then RAF Woodbridge housing)This is the house we lived in in Grundisburgh. It was called "The Mill House" and was the first time it had plumbing and electricity. NO central heat, insulation, screens, etc. I was so glad to find this old picture recently online. The leanto at the left of the house has since been removed. There was a root cellar and a shed where coal was stored for use in the hot water heater/stove and the 2 fireplaces. To the right is the old mill, which had since been turned into an apartment. Behind the house is a neighborhood of single family homes. Behind the old mill is a development of what we call duplexes. I was so young then, with a 2 year-old and a baby born during our time there. Would love to go back for a visit......

Has anyone ever heard from Aunt Jen from Texas? She later had a different GW name, which escapes me. She was totally taken by her visit to UK and redid her house interior to reflect that. I have even saved some of the pictures she posted of where she stayed.

wantoretire, great story and postcard!

Aunt Jen aka IdaClaire, yes? It always helped me to remember IdaClaire and her Cornishware : ) .

I miss Aunt Gen - remember her neat old house and her next iteration as IdaClaire with her lovely new place. I still don't know what happened, but hope she is ok and will return.....

Thanks beckysharp and others or the links above. Interesting reads. For me though, regarding low value to antiques these days, whenever I see something antique I would like it's still always $$$$. I guess that helps me stick to my goal of shedding rather than accumulating.