If I had to choose one original feature to our home that was my favorite, it would probably be the built-in hutch in our dining room. I love the huge cabinet doors and the original wavy glass. Half the time it doesn't shut properly, but I never mind.
The only change I've made was giving it a fresh coat of white paint when we did our dining room remodel. I did paint the interior planks a soft blue to give a little contrast... the color reminded me of the southern tradition of painting a porch ceiling "haint blue".
While we have two hutches in our dining room, I tend to keep our vintage dishes in this one, including my favorite set by Homer Laughlin. This pattern is called Shakespeare Country and may have been my best find ever. I went into a local antique shop one day with some friends of ours mentioning that I was "only looking", only to discover this eight-piece set plus serving pieces buried under a table in a cardboard box with the price tag of $40 for everything. I grabbed the box as fast as I could!
I love the charming scenes depicted on each dish. I'm really not sure how old they are, but periodically I see a piece sold here and there (although always at a much higher price than I paid!).
I use the dishes often when we have guests over for a meal... they're special enough to me to save for a fun occasion, and yet not too valuable to use.
Beside the hutch is a little telephone nook. I've never really known what to display there, but vintage Ball jars have found a home there for some time now.
As with anything old, I love to think of its history and imagine what it would have looked like one day. Maybe that's why the hutch is my favorite... I can almost picture these doors opening and closing and holding another family's dishes long ago... I'm glad it's still here for us to use today.
Thank you, friends, for reading. It means so much to me! Hope you have a great week.
As with anything old, I love to think of its history and imagine what it would have looked like one day. Maybe that's why the hutch is my favorite... I can almost picture these doors opening and closing and holding another family's dishes long ago... I'm glad it's still here for us to use today.
Thank you, friends, for reading. It means so much to me! Hope you have a great week.
We live in a 1928 Tudor cottage and I so wish we had a built in hutch. We assume our house (one day I will research it) was built as a summer beach house for an inland ranching family so they would not have had any of their special china on display.
ReplyDeleteYour blue and white dishes are lovely. I am organizing my linens, china, vases, etc. today and I have come to the opinion that things are meant to be used. When my mother died, there were boxes of things she had received as gifts over the years. She never used them and was saving them for something special. I have decided that every day is special.
You are so right! Thank you for the reminder.
DeleteHello Andrea,
ReplyDeleteWonderful job! The result is great! I love it
Marina
I think that your hutch is beautiful too. I love how living in a historic home connects us to generations of the past as well as those of the future God willing the structure stands through time. We live in a house built in the 1950's. It's not any where near as old as your home but it has had several families live here. I have met most of those families and enjoy that we are now the caretakers of our home and will be a part of it's history. The beautiful "haint" blue you painted the back of your cabinet has inspired me. I always enjoy visiting your blog. It is such a restful and peaceful place to come visit.
ReplyDeleteYour built-in cabinet is one of the things that makes your old farmhouse special, so I can see why it's your favorite feature. The soft blue interior paint you chose and floral curtains are a nice accent color in the room. You can't go wrong with blue & white transferware, especially at that price! Lovely photos. :)
ReplyDeleteI love that too. It looks so lovely. I love built ins especially if they have a history. You know when you mentioned the southern tradition of painting the porch ceiling light blue, I laughed, I had my porch ceiling painted like that for ten years because of the southern tradition and remodeled my porch like a southern plantation style porch in mind, but we just painted it white a few weeks ago. I must say I love it white now. It 's a nice change. But I had the blue for many years.
ReplyDeleteI love your dishes. What a find indeed! Lovely.
How precious are simple things that have meaning in our lives. May God bless your lovely things that bring you joy.
xoxo
Lisa
Leeshideaway
A hutch is so handy. I'd be lost without mine.
ReplyDeleteLove the dinnerware. My niece has the same pattern and is hoping to find a few more dinner plates.
Great find! So pretty!
ReplyDeleteI love a built-in hutch. We have one in our dining room too, and it's one of the features that sold us on our house. We desperately need to refinish and repaint it though. We've only been in our house 15 years (wince).
ReplyDeleteYour aqua-colored Ball jars look great in the nook and pick up the color in the curtains nicely. Your natural wood ceilings are so unique. Great post!
Claudia
That is a pretty built in and you have displayed the pieces so nicely. I love blue and white transferware and canning jars too. They look lovely with all the white woodwork.
ReplyDeleteYour built in cabinet is gorgeous I can only dream...<3 .What a great find those dishes are beautiful!I never knew homer lauglin had this pattern.There are so many out there waiting to be found.
ReplyDeletexx
Anne
Your builtin is so lovely! Wish I had something like this and you've decorated it so well too. Oh, your Shakespeare Country dishes almost made me cry. These were a favorite of my mothers. She's in a nursing home now and I have them, taking care of them for her. I haven't had the heart to take them out and set up a tablescape. They're by Homer Laughlin whom I believe started the Fiesta dishes.
ReplyDeleteBe a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
Your built in hutch is to die for - so lovely. I love old houses and like to think about all the wonderful things that happened in the house. What a terrific find on your beautiful blue dishes and they look so good in your hutch.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week.
Mary
I've always love the built-in china cabinets found in older homes. They add so much charm, as well as lots of storage.
ReplyDeleteMary Alice
I love your post today. We have two built - in cabinets. I love using ours too. Such a true statement, to think of the past as we use our cabinets. :-) Great post and as always AMAZING photos.
ReplyDeleteA built in hutch is just the charm of older homes, isn't it? A sweet story (and I dishes are a weakness of mine!)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that first picture where you can see the reflection of the curtains in the glass. That is so awesome! And that built in cabinet is definitely one of the favorite things of mine in your house. xoxo Love, Mom!
ReplyDeleteThe hutch is lovely. The blue paint interior is wonderful. I would have snatched up that box of vintage china, too! I missed the built bookcases we had in our previous home that was built in the twenties, so we had them built in our newer home. We love them. They have added much to our home. I truly enjoy your blog.
ReplyDeleteI so love the character that an older home brings such as that wonderful hutch...I can see why it is your favorite..and great score on those dishes..they are so beautiful!...
ReplyDeleteI pretty much adore every single thing about this post. The way you painted the hutch, the wonderful dishes, it's perfection!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty! I love all the calm colors and how everything looks so fresh, elegant and simple at the same time. I love your curtains! Where did you get them?
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Marlana
Thank you so much, Marlana! I sewed the curtains; the fabric is by Waverly.
DeleteI love that hutch! What I would give to have something like that. Your dishes were a steal at that price! They are absolutely gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteBeth
No idea what I would do with another set of dishes but I would have snatched those up too! Of course I love the blue and white. It's not vintage but I have a tiny little cabinet wall in my kitchen. I enjoy looking at my dishes sitting in it and am thankful for the storage. Funny about that telephone cubby. The house my husband grew up in had one right in the entry. Stay cool down there and enjoy the rest of your week!
ReplyDeleteI just love built-in cabinets in old homes- they are the best! Your dining hutch is lovely- what a steal for those beautiful dishes! I collect brown transferware and I feel the same way about them- I like to use them often for guests and special meals but it's not like they are my expensive china so no need to worry about breaking a piece!
ReplyDeleteAlways enjoy the pictures of your beautiful home. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI love your hutch and the dishes--wow, what a fantastic find! I love dishes that tell a story. Love your beautiful home--so clean and clutter-free.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Sharon D.
I really enjoy reading you blog. I just love your house and everything you do to it. My dream someday is to get an old house and fix it up. I am into antiques and old vintage things. I enjoy your recipes and your children are just darling. Thank you for doing what you do.
ReplyDeleteMary Ann
I always enjoy your blog so much! Blue and white dishes are some of my favorites. Everything in your home is simple, yet elegant and so "family friendly". I love the clean uncluttered look. Thanks for sharing with us!
ReplyDeleteEsther
I like that hutch too!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that built in piece. What a great piece to have in your home. I love the blue and white- is that Currier and Ives, by any chance? It's gorgeous- xo Diana
ReplyDeleteThank you, Diana! The dishes are by Homer Laughlin and the pattern is Shakespeare Country.
DeleteLove those dishes and what a great find that you grabbed up! Your built-in is so beautiful and the inside with blue is a great contrast!!
ReplyDeleteCynthia
This is so pretty! I also wish we had something beautiful and built in in our home. Built ins bring so much character to the space! Love your blog!
ReplyDeleteWe will be remodeling our kitchen soon and I plan on several built-in hutches...need storage! Yours is so pretty, love the dishes and the ball jars are charming in the nook!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Cindy