Guesthouse Tour #1

I had the pleasure of staying at this country guesthouse not long ago and enjoyed it so much that this post is dedicated to the "Barnhouse". The structure was originally a barn and was converted to a guesthouse. There was a breezeway that went through the barn. This space was enclosed and is now the living area of the house.

The ceiling is reclaimed tin from the structure's roof. The walls are covered in reclaimed siding from an old house that was demolished.

These wood walls are original to the barn. The doors leading to the bedroom are also original.

The ladder leads to the old hay loft upstairs that is now a playroom. There is a wooden grid that lifts for access. Kids love this feature. The owner collects Navajo blankets. I love the idea of draping them over the ladder rungs.

The old family piano is covered in family photos.

Vintage cowboy boots make great accessories on a table or on your feet!

A piece of stained glass hangs in the corn crib passage between the living area and the bathroom.

The wood stove makes it warm and cozy in the winter, a nice place to curl up and read.

There is even a kitchenette filled with drinks and snacks for guests to enjoy.
I like that even everyday items are stored in a creative fashion.

More creative storage...

We played dominoes at the old table one night. Check out the trash can behind the table. It is an old mailbox turned on its end!

The bedroom was spacious and quiet. All of the linens are antique.

Another Navajo blanket hangs on the wall above a bench in the bedroom.

Outside stairs access the playroom in the old hay loft. The guesthouse overlooks the owner's surrounding horse farm. Coyotes could be heard early in the morning yapping in the trees beyond the pasture.
The old GULF gas station sign is a classic.

I love this old birdhouse. It looks like the Alamo.

There are three twin beds in the playroom, perfect for young guests.

Vintage dollhouses like this one are very hot right now.

There are all kinds of vintage toys in the playroom as well as a tent and a place for coloring. Again, the ceiling is covered in reclaimed tin.

A gourd high-rise is just outside the BARNHOUSE.

The BARNHOUSE is a perfect guesthouse. I had good times and restful sleep!

Old Made New Again

My brother and sister-in-law recently moved in to my grandparent's old home in East Texas. The home was built by my grandparents in 1960 and it is where my mother and uncle were raised. They did some renovating, with my uncle's help, and really freshened up the place. These photos were taken just after moving in. I will do an update when they are completely settled.



Originally, the kitchen cabinets were stained and did not have the glass inserts. They kept the original hardware which is neat because it is back in style again. The area to the right was not part of the original kitchen, but held a wood burning stove and a couple of small pantries. It is now a useful area with a dishwasher and a second sink. The brick floors and the Dutch doors are original to the home.

I love the black and white wallpaper that my sister-in-law chose for this area.


A tiny fridge was once in the recess on the left. Now it houses a pantry and a microwave.


I like the glass fronted cabinet doors. The original doors were re-fitted with the glass inserts instead of buying new doors. All of the cabinets are solid wood so it would have been a shame to throw them out for new plywood or particle board cabinets.

I thought this was a cute way to display old photographs, postcards, or Christmas cards during the holidays.

My grandmother never had a dishwasher. The newly installed dishwasher really updated the kitchen. I love the open shelves in this area.

Through the Dutch doors is an entry area for the back door. My sister-in-law painted the walls black to show off her B & W photos. This also ties into the black and white wallpaper in the kitchen.

She hung this old dollhouse on the wall above the washer and dryer in the laundry room to use as storage. I can't wait to see how she accessorizes this piece!

I will update this post as they progress with the decorating. So far they are off to a great start!