We used to call this the great room.

Previously there were two rooms where we could watch tv and entertain guests.  Just steps from each other, one room was the den and the other was this larger room with lots of windows, a fireplace and an exit door to the back deck, so we called it the great room which was fitting at the time.  We didn't use this room often because most of our leisure time was spent in the den.

A couple of years ago we began remodeling and combined our former den and tiny kitchen to make our new kitchen and keeping room. The great room was updated too.  We had already removed the popcorn ceiling and during the renovation we removed the old carpet and replaced it with hardwood flooring and the dark paneling was painted.  We now spend most of our leisure time in this room since our old den is now part of the new kitchen.

Colonial Farmhouse Style in the Great Room

We are just home from touring southern plantations and I am appreciating simplicity.

The historic homes on the tour had so much character and charm.

They were not museums, people still live in most of them.
Many are descendants of the original owners.

The homes were full of antiques and pieces that make a statement, some of great value and some not.
Each piece as though it was carefully chosen and thoughtfully placed, having a purpose.

Simplicity, stately but restrained.
Nice furnishings but not cluttered.
Useful pieces with a purpose.
Utilitarian pieces made by local craftsman.

Endearing.
Each home, though different, captured a bit of my heart.
I found myself wishing the walls could talk.  How I would love to know more of the "life" lived there and the history of the furnishings, who crafted it and how did it came to be in this home?

These homes were inspiring, and the good news is...
you don't have to live on a southern plantation,
in France,
or on a farm,
to add any style you like to your home!

As we renovate our southern colonial, more historic touches and farmhouse style are added,  it takes a while but we keep plugging along.

I've been doing some spring cleaning and made some simple changes in the great room.

Spring Mantel in the Keeping Room

There is something to be said for all the seasons,

each beautiful in its own way,

but there is something extra special about SPRING!

Awakening,

new life,

bright and beautiful,

sweet smells,

beauty for the eyes to behold,

anticipation.

Not only do I love this season, but it's the first spring for decorating in the keeping room!

Decorating the Fireplace Mantel & Hearth

The fireplace is even more of a focal point this time of year
as we light the fire for added warmth on these cold days of winter.

I've been wanting to do something different on the fireplace in the great room
and found it easier to begin with a clean slate,
so I cleared everything off.

Great Room Mantel Sprinkled in Rainbow Colors & Feature in Blogger's Spotlight

It was late in the day and cold outside when Mr. Heart and I grabbed a couple of throws so we could snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie.  We are really enjoying the new great room.  It is comfortable, and both of us are surprised that we aren't missing our old den like we thought we would.  Of course Mr. Heart is enjoying the wide screen television which is really all it takes for him...lol!

Anyway, we were nice and warm,
and enjoying the movie,
when all of a sudden we noticed the fireplace mantlel was being painted with colors; every color of the rainbow.

I was surprised at first, and then began glancing over to the windows to see where the color was coming from, and just as soon I remembered about the dining room chandelier.

This is the great room fireplace mantel as it normally looks...

At first the colors were on the white areas of the mantel,

by the time I realized where the colors were coming from,

and grabbed my camera,

the colors were moving up onto the base of the swan.

It's amazing how fast these colors appeared on the mantle and how quickly they were gone...

The colors were so bright and vivid..

The dining room is in the very front of the house,

the great room is in the very back of the house,

and they are separated by the kitchen.

These prism colors were traveling from the front of the house all the way to the back...

Bright and vivid colors dancing on the dining room walls...

I've shared before how the dining room looks when sprinkled with rainbow colors here.

There is something so captivating and enchanting,

watching the sunlight stream into the window,

dancing through the cut crystal,

creating every color of the rainbow...

Before you go...

Kris has asked me to be a part of her "Life Behind the Blogger" series at Junk Chic Cottage,

so I hope you'll hop over and visit me there!

Thanks so much Kris!

Hop back over for AMAZE ME MONDAY!

Sharing with: Seasonal Sundays, Tweak It Tuesday, Met Monday, Wow Us Wednesdays, Treasure Hunt Thursday

NUTCRACKER CHRISTMAS!

DwellingsChristmas
Nutcrackers

NUTCRACKERS
are Mr. Heart's favorite Christmas decoration.

These nutcrackers have a home
on the den fireplace mantel this year.

Along with a touch of garland,
laced with lights, pine cones and berries...

Glitter trees for some added sparkle!

This antique fireplace mantel was found in an antique shop
here in town and has moved with us from house to house.

Does your hubby have a favorite Christmas decoration?

More nutcrackers, wreaths and berries can be found here on the Great Room Mantel!

Linking with:
WOW US WEDNESDAYS
TABLE TOP TUESDAY
MET MONDAY
MET MONDAY
SHOW OFF YOUR COTTAGE MONDAY
AMAZE ME MONDAY
MET MONDAY
SEASONAL SUNDAYS

CHRISTMAS MANTEL

Dwellings
Mr. Heart loves nutcrackers and our den mantel is full of them at Christmas time.  Here in the great room we have two large nutcrackers and a vintage mirror on the mantel.

The wreath is bittersweet berries tied to the mirror with raffia.

The stockings are handmade from homespun fabric and vintage lace.

It's cold outside so I am heading to the kitchen to make us some hot chocolate and will then curl up in front of the fire.

Hope your decorating is coming along well.

Linking with:
SUNDAY FAVORITES
LAURIE ANNAS VINTAGE HOME CHRISTMAS MANTLE PARTY
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY MANTLE PARTY
WOW US WEDNESDAYS
DIY BY DESIGN BLOCK PARTY

BLOCK PARTY - MANTLES
MY UNCOMMON SLICE OF SUBURBIA MANTLE BLOCK PARTY

FALL GREAT ROOM MANTEL

The great room mantel is now ready for the Fall season.

We are in the planning stage of making updates to the great room, but there was something I just had to do right away.  During a thrifting jaunt many years ago, I found this old window and fell in love with it.
In my previous home it hung in an opening between my den and kitchen...it was the perfect place for it!   When we moved in this house the old window found a new home over the great room mantel.  The mantel is a very old piece and was here when we moved in.  I didn't realize until a few months after placing the window above the mantel that they actually had the same decorative diamond design.  That was a nice discovery!



The old window had a few rusty colors on it that I didn't much care for, a bit dingy don't you think...

So out came the AS in Old White to brighten up the old window and fireplace mantel... 

 Here are some close ups of the mantel so you can see how the new paint looks.  Because it is such an old mantel the finish isn't smooth, but I think the dimension from the Old White paint and dark wax really turned out nice.
(It looks darker than it really is in these two pictures, it is lighter as in the picture above.)

The mantel has been decorated for Fall by using pumpkins, gourds, feathers, leaves and berries...

 These little acorns and pumpkins are in the pots at the base of the topiary's, I really like the sparkly ones!

Thank you so much for coming to see me, please leave a comment so I'll know you did!!!

Blessings,

Cindy

 I'M HAVING A GIVEAWAY...ENTER HERE to win Charles Faudree's new design book "Details"!!! 

Linking with:
FUNKY JUNK FALL MANTLES
NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY
FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY
OPEN HOUSE PARTY
TREASURE HUNT THURSDAY
FALL INTO FALL PARTY
WOW US WEDNESDAYS
ANNIE SLOAN CHALK PAINT LINKY PARTY