Turrets and dormers
Jeff relaxes at the Petite Auberge in San Francisco, January 2004
“I hereby proclaim that I love turrets and dormers, and massive wooden staircases and fireplace mantels, and curvy old antiques and Oriental carpets and crystal chandeliers and even velvet curtains. And yes, I love tchotchkes. I have a house full of them.” — Zofia Smardz
One of the things I most enjoy about the blogosphere, or the online site Pinterest, is finding out how many others share my enthusiasm for many things that aren’t favorites of my all-male-but-me household. I’ve written a good bit here about simplicity, and the calming effects of quiet, uncluttered environments. But I have to come clean about my love for romantic French country, “shabby chic” or Victorian decorating, especially when I’m not the one who has to do the housekeeping.
That’s why I love bed and breakfast inns. My husband, who would much prefer a good large-screen television with ESPN to an antique four poster bed, is nonetheless occasionally willing to indulge my love of discovering quaint lodgings when we travel. He usually enjoys the breakfasts enough to make it an agreeable option for him, provided I don’t overdo it.
But thanks to the wonders of the internet, I don’t have to wait for a vacation to get my frilly fix. Hundreds (maybe thousands) of talented ladies who visit Pinterest have compiled an abundance of engaging and delightful visual treats for anyone who admires art applied to everyday life. Fair warning: visiting Pinterest is like following Alice down the rabbit hole or through the looking glass. It’s a wonderland out there, and you might not get back to reality as quickly as you think you will!
Feel free to post links to, or photos of, your favorite B & B, fun online shop or Pinterest site in the comments below. Even for those of us who keep decidedly plainer homes, it’s always fun to make a virtual visit to more florid abodes. Today I invite everyone to savor a cup of tea or coffee while making a quick imaginary trip to a lovely, equally imaginary online parlor where we can chat about our next craft project. In moderation, daydreams are sometimes almost as good as reality, and infinitely more practical as a quick getaway.
This post was originally published seven years ago today. The original post, comments and photo are linked, along with two other related posts, below. These links to related posts, and their thumbnail photos, do not appear in the blog feed; they are only visible when viewing the individual posts by clicking on each one. I have no idea why, nor do I know how they choose the related posts. That’s just the way WordPress does things.
- Posted in: Uncategorized
- Tagged: antiques, bed and breakfast inns, crafts, flowers, nostalgia, romantic decor, shabby chic, Victorian houses, vintage decor
Defeat Despair 
Well, I must say; the B&B’s are ok, and a nice change up occasionally. Most of the time, though, I’m with Jeff on this one! 😀
Have a great day!
Yes, I think B&Bs are mostly a female fascination. The lack of a television in many of them is a deal-breaker for a lot of men.
Oh, Julia, I love these things too! I love to visit Vermont and over the years have stayed in 18 B&Bs and Inns there. Hoping to get back there this fall, if our strange circumstances permit. I’ve booked three places to return to and one new one. One room was in a turret! So delightful.
You and Jeff had such a wonderful way of enjoying life and adventures in the years you had. I’m so sorry there weren’t many more. But I love reading and see about all your interesting travels. That’s a great picture of him, not posed, looking like he’s enjoying the comfortable room and the fire. And oh, how I would love to have one of those beautiful couches in my house 🙂 .
Susan, I have spent relatively little time in Vermont, and would love to visit there more often in the future. I’ll have to get some ideas from you about places to stay and things to see. Thanks so much for your kind words about the blog. I’m so happy you are here with us!