Houzz Tours
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My Houzz: A Transformed Farmhouse Full of Vintage and One-off Pieces
Local market finds, DIY pieces and travel mementos have turned this old farmhouse into a quirky family home
Amanda Crames considers finding her home ‘a real Miracle on 34th Street moment’. She drove by when visiting the area and fell in love with the old house and beautiful property, which has views of Vermont’s Green Mountains. ‘I turned around, looked in the front and called the owners. We began a conversation that resulted in a private house sale.’
On moving in, she made a few adjustments to the 1849 home and, inspired by the Greek Revival movement and a love of patina, filled it with her collections of antiques and flea market finds, mixing the old with modern touches.
On moving in, she made a few adjustments to the 1849 home and, inspired by the Greek Revival movement and a love of patina, filled it with her collections of antiques and flea market finds, mixing the old with modern touches.
The bright blue china cabinet opposite the TV came from an old barn. The blue colour is original, but it was covered with dirt when Crames bought it. After a thorough cleaning, it now brightens up the space. ‘Inside is my collection of blue treasures – vintage jardinieres, jugs, cups and plates, most of which have the colour blue in their embellishments,’ she says.
Next to the sofa sits a blue icebox that was a garage sale find, as was the large gold mirror above it. The butter churn came from a local farm; the pink lamp base and vintage toy trumpet are from a flea market. The mosaic glass vase is from Ercole, and the beautiful orchid, which ties in with the colour scheme, is from local florist Black Iris.
Off the living room is a space that used to be an office. ‘My desk, which was off to the right, has been replaced by a vintage ‘dry sink’ cabinet where I now change my son,’ Crames says. ‘The antique mantel was my grandmother’s, the sofa was a $5 roadside find I covered in gorgeous fabric from The Silk Trading Co at ABC Carpet.’ The old wood chest, a flea market find, displays figurines, which Crames recently started collecting.
Chandelier, Ercole. Pillars, vintage. Screen door frame, flea market. Horse figurine purchased in Paris.
Chandelier, Ercole. Pillars, vintage. Screen door frame, flea market. Horse figurine purchased in Paris.
Off the front hallway, a grand sitting room filled with antique pieces holds a bright Victorian sofa that Crames purchased at an auction and reupholstered in pink velvet. On the sofa is a lush cushion made from a piece of old fabric found at The Round Lake Antiques Festival.
‘The round-arm bench was from an antique dealer and completely deconstructed. I love it bare, showing its inherent craftsmanship,’ Crames says. The little brown chair was only £2 at a garage sale, re-covered in a fun fabric. The book side table came from a Florida shop, and the light is from Gracious Home.
Rug, Bloomingdale’s. Display cabinet and baker’s bench, vintage. Toy chaise on the cabinet to the left re-covered in old red velvet.
‘The round-arm bench was from an antique dealer and completely deconstructed. I love it bare, showing its inherent craftsmanship,’ Crames says. The little brown chair was only £2 at a garage sale, re-covered in a fun fabric. The book side table came from a Florida shop, and the light is from Gracious Home.
Rug, Bloomingdale’s. Display cabinet and baker’s bench, vintage. Toy chaise on the cabinet to the left re-covered in old red velvet.
‘This cabinet was my mother’s and is a lovely space for my collections of cups and a great working vintage clock,’ Crames says.
Across the room, a large sign reading ‘Western Horses, Western Riding Lessons’ fills the wall space. ‘It’s fun, oversized and in great condition,’ Crames says. ‘Perfect for me, since I am a horse lover.’ On the coffee table, made from an old factory mould, sits a planter that was a Victorian lamp base. Around it are carnival glass teacups. ‘I love the colour and lustre,’ she says.
When Crames moved in, she didn’t change the basic structure or room layout, but still made a lot of improvements. She had to create a foundation for the kitchen, as it was built on the dirt. She put new beams down for the floor in the front of the house, added new windows and air conditioning, reworked the hallway, did a lot of tree cutting and trimming, and even moved some trees away.
The dining room opens into the kitchen and has the home’s original wood-burning stove that still keeps the space warm and welcoming. The large antique farmhouse table is surrounded by chairs covered in a floral print that brightens up the room.
An original built-in Welsh dresser that sits at the head of the table is filled with some of Crames’s collected pieces. ‘It has that original, somewhat crooked appeal that only something very old can have,’ she says.
The mini chandelier over the kitchen sink is by Lisa Nardone of Rosie NYC. She’s a designer who is a self-described creator of jewellery for the home. ‘It seemed a bit too extraordinary for over the sink, but then I knew I’d be spending a bit of time there,’ Crames says.
She also loves the view from her kitchen sink. ‘I look into my screened porch and see an authentic Ferris wheel seat from Coney Island, then out to a patio with gardens on both sides,’ she says. ‘I have a picnic table and oversized Adirondack chairs painted in bronze green and other tables and old chairs in purple or white. So invigorating. From there I can see up to the pool and pool house, featuring the best garden on the property. It really is a vision of sanctuary on a good day, even though I’m doing the dishes.’
Bouchon bar stools, Blue Ocean Traders. Flour and cake tins from flea markets.
She also loves the view from her kitchen sink. ‘I look into my screened porch and see an authentic Ferris wheel seat from Coney Island, then out to a patio with gardens on both sides,’ she says. ‘I have a picnic table and oversized Adirondack chairs painted in bronze green and other tables and old chairs in purple or white. So invigorating. From there I can see up to the pool and pool house, featuring the best garden on the property. It really is a vision of sanctuary on a good day, even though I’m doing the dishes.’
Bouchon bar stools, Blue Ocean Traders. Flour and cake tins from flea markets.
The kitchen island holds the hob, handy for cooking and entertaining. On the worktop is a Jennifer Lanne tile, perfect for holding hot pots just removed from the hob.
Off the kitchen and dining area is the large screened-in porch. ‘One of my favourite parts of this pretty little porch is the screen, making outdoor dining so enjoyable through three seasons,’ Crames says.
In the foreground is an old telephone seat painted purple that makes a perfect place to sit and rest with a drink. On the wall is a Jennifer Lanne painting, and an old grain sack hangs in the window.
Outdoor rugs, Koko Boodakian & Sons. Furniture, vintage.
In the foreground is an old telephone seat painted purple that makes a perfect place to sit and rest with a drink. On the wall is a Jennifer Lanne painting, and an old grain sack hangs in the window.
Outdoor rugs, Koko Boodakian & Sons. Furniture, vintage.
The side entrance gets the most use, because of its convenient location near the dining room and kitchen. ‘I love the windows and the incredible utility of having a boot room in the northeast,’ Crames says. ‘This is a hard-working boot room.’
The wood bench was from a barn sale, the ‘Happy’ sign is from a local flea market, and the rug is from HomeGoods.
The wood bench was from a barn sale, the ‘Happy’ sign is from a local flea market, and the rug is from HomeGoods.
Opposite the boot room doorway is a cabinet for storing shoes, hats and gloves. ‘Prior to being here, this piece was in a chicken house, used for storing feed. I gave it some fresh paint. It’s very handy in any space,’ Crames says.
The cloakroom, on the first floor, holds a painted sink from Kohler, with prose about burning love around its edge. ‘There’s a very old mirror with reverse painting on it and one of my favourite frames, standing on the honed-granite countertop,’ Crames says. ‘That was given to me by my mother, and from it hangs my all-time-favourite vintage Christmas ornaments.’
Above the toilet is a shelf made out of old moulding. Crames has filled the shelf with random pieces that caught her eye, including a Victorian print of a fine lady with a horse, some gilt frames, an older Jennifer Lanne original, a vintage shaving mirror and some wine goblets.
‘I love the upstairs hall with its original floorboards and banister,’ Crames says. ‘Getting the old church pew upstairs was a challenge, but it sits nicely under a beautiful old window with images of angels in each of the lights.’ Opposite is a framed pair of shutters.
Tour a converted church
Tour a converted church
In the guest room, a couple of old suitcases with a blue cast, part of an old blue sign and an older Jennifer Lanne original oil painting set the tone. The blues are serene without being overly feminine, so all guests will feel at home here. There’s also a saddle form, a blue service tray and a patchwork cushion made from patchouli as well as custom-made bedding from Pillow Talk.
The cast iron cot in Kellen’s nursery is on loan from a friend. Crames dressed it in Bella Notte linens. ‘I placed the mantel behind it to serve as a headboard and shelf,’ she says.
The décor’s loose theme is baby farm animals, seen in the old prints of kittens, puppies, cows and chicks. The treasures on the mantelpiece follow that theme, including the vintage metal farm trucks, dressed mice from Maileg, vintage dog figurines and finger puppets from Folkmanis. Crames painted the vintage rocking chair a bright green, and the pillow on it is hand stitched.
Rug, Pine Cone Hill.
The décor’s loose theme is baby farm animals, seen in the old prints of kittens, puppies, cows and chicks. The treasures on the mantelpiece follow that theme, including the vintage metal farm trucks, dressed mice from Maileg, vintage dog figurines and finger puppets from Folkmanis. Crames painted the vintage rocking chair a bright green, and the pillow on it is hand stitched.
Rug, Pine Cone Hill.
In the master bedroom the windows are low, framing the maple trees outside. ‘You feel as if you are sleeping in a treehouse,’ she says.
The silk curtains are from Pillow Talk, hung with a minimalist steel bar treatment.
Bedding, Bella Notte. Custom-made pillows, Pillow Talk.
The silk curtains are from Pillow Talk, hung with a minimalist steel bar treatment.
Bedding, Bella Notte. Custom-made pillows, Pillow Talk.
The home’s side garden is a mix of peonies, irises, spiraeas, an ornamental birch, catmint, thyme and veronica. There are also some evergreen yews and boxwood to provide greenery in the winter. The painted furniture pieces include an old carriage seat, a table and random chairs and stools. ‘Bronze green and plum shade have been my go-to outdoor hues for years,’ Crames says. ‘The Flemish blue on the table and birdhouse is a new colour for me this year.’
Tree stumps painted white make great seats and pedestals. ‘My friend Lu suggested it, and I’ve been painting stumps ever since,’ Crames says.
Along with its pool and pool house, the property includes a beautiful pond that offers an infinite amount of fun and exploration for Kellen and is a great attraction for all kinds of wildlife.
See more ways to attract wildlife into your garden
See more ways to attract wildlife into your garden
Nestled between the house and the pool area is a perfect space for lounging, casual dining and serene gardening. ‘It’s totally private and feels truly removed from all the activity on the other side of the house,’ Crames says.
In this outdoor space, Crames loves the oversized wooden Adirondack chairs, originally made from old barn wood and lovingly touched up with paint each year. The green chairs are swapped for orange ones at Thanksgiving and red ones at Christmas.
Although she doesn’t use this front hallway as the main entrance, Crames says, ‘It just makes the house seem so proud, a bit grand and very loved,’ she says.
On moving in, she removed the old, fallen porch foundation and changed the configuration of the front porch and hallway, making it more grand and a fitting focal point, with columns and bluestone. She also changed the roofline of the front living room (above the large window). The previous owners had given it a cathedral ceiling effect, and when Crames moved in she changed it back to a flat roof, giving the exterior a more authentic look.
‘Instead of wreaths, I went with some whimsy this year and painted some old pitchforks turquoise. They hang on the front door in playful contrast to the seriousness of the grand original doors, but still seem to fit just right. Totally fun and refreshing to me,’ Crames says.
TELL US…
What do you think of this highly personalised home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
On moving in, she removed the old, fallen porch foundation and changed the configuration of the front porch and hallway, making it more grand and a fitting focal point, with columns and bluestone. She also changed the roofline of the front living room (above the large window). The previous owners had given it a cathedral ceiling effect, and when Crames moved in she changed it back to a flat roof, giving the exterior a more authentic look.
‘Instead of wreaths, I went with some whimsy this year and painted some old pitchforks turquoise. They hang on the front door in playful contrast to the seriousness of the grand original doors, but still seem to fit just right. Totally fun and refreshing to me,’ Crames says.
TELL US…
What do you think of this highly personalised home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here Amanda Crames and her son, Kellen
Location Saratoga, New York
Size 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
In the living room, at the front of the house, an oversized window has a great view of the farmland and Vermont’s Green Mountains.
The TV sits on an old blue painted cabinet that Crames bought at a garage sale. ‘I cut the legs off a vintage school desk to house the cable box,’ she says. ‘On the walls are beautiful old stained-glass windows that I had framed.’
Slip-covered chair; chaise; sofa, Taylor Scott Collection. Rug, Bloomingdale’s.