The Ghosts of Aunts Past

Confession here...

I have been a little short on project completion lately.  I have a few things started but somehow this long, cold, SNOWY, winter has worn me down and I just don't have anything quite ready to share.

So, I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite pieces from my home.  Most are family pieces or have a story attached, all speak to my decor style - accessorize with vintage, decorate with classic.

First up, this pair of end tables.  These were my great, great Aunt Dean's and spent most of their life in Cranston RI.  Aunt Dean was 99 1/2 when she died...she lived a very full life.  She was married 3 times but didn't have any children so when she passed away my Grandmother inherited her belongings.  

This chair was also Aunt Dean's but it came from her cottage in Maine.  I spent summers with my Great-Grandmother on Sennebec Pond in Union and Aunt Dean's cottage was next to my grandmothers so we spent a lot of time with her.  She had the best attic at the cottage that my brother & I spent most rainy days hiding out exploring all of the goodies in her attic...old furniture, very old golf clubs, games...it was great!

My Great Uncle Scotty sitting in the chair.  This photo is fom the late 1960's/early 1970's

Reupholstered and sitting in my living room...this chair always gets compliments from my guests

The chair was reupholstered & spent close to 20 years in my grandparents guest apartment suite.  I loved sitting in it, having my morning coffee and taking in the view of the coast of Maine...they had such a spectacular view that spanned the coast from Camden to Castine.

This piece I scored at an estate sale a couple of years ago (you can read about it here).  The house was just MAGNIFICENT...and I found this piece hiding in a room on the 3rd floor way in the back.  It was the 2nd day of the sale so much of the furniture had already been sold.  It took some charming to get some help to bring it down the stairs & load it in my car.  It's a Lane cedar chest so I think it's a piece that was really intended for a bedroom but it's just perfect for my dining room.

My Great-Aunt Hilda lived right up the road from Aunt Dean & my Great-Grandmother's cottages.  She had traveled the world and lived in many places over the course of her life.  When I was a kid she had moved back to Appleton Maine and was living in the house she grew up in...a house that was significantly larger & more modern than the cabin she grew up in but it was still the same house in it's core.  She had also been married 3 times and did not have any children so again my grandmother lucked out with some beautiful pieces.  Many many years after Aunt Hilda had passed away I randomly found a picture on the wall of an antique shop of Aunt Hilda and shared that story here.

Behind this lady (who is not my Aunt) a Sheraton Desk is peaking out...to the right is my Grandmother, to the left is my Grandfather.  This was taken in Aunt Hilda's house in the early 1960's

Today it sits in another corner of my living room.  It's so great to have the
extra storage

Looking from my dining room into my living room you can get a better view of my mixing old with more modern
comfortable pieces that make for a livable space

Another one of my favorite pieces from my grandmother was this french influenced mirror.  She had this hanging in her home for so many years & I always loved it but I'm not entirely sure where she got it.  Likely some fun hidden antique store.

And here are 3 of the lovely ladies who lived with some of my favorite things for many many years.  Aunt Hilda is on the left, my Great-Grandmother is in the center and Aunt Dean is on the right.

I love that in so many corners of my home their spirits live on.  Not only do they bring familial comfort to my home but they also bring a uniqueness that speaks to my personal style.

sharing this week on:

Between Naps on the Porch, The Dedicated House, Savvy Southern Style, Coastal Charm, Cozy Little House, The Cottage Market, The Charm of Home, French Country Cottage, Mod Vintage Life, Jennifer Rizzo, Artsy Chicks Rule, Elizabeth & Co, Our Home Away From Home, TheShabbyCreekCottage