Collected European House Tour

It's almost spring and time for the PTO's Hospitality Committee to get together to plan the annual Staff Appreciation Luncheon.  Our early morning meeting was held at the co-chair's lovely home.  J spent a dozen years in Italy and only recently moved back to the States.  Her home reflects both her innate sense of style and the many years she spent in Europe.  Her home is a wonderful mix of high, low, new, and old.  Here's a peek into a couple of the public areas of her home.

Her foyer showcases a gorgeous oversized mirror purchased in England over a console table acquired in Belgium.  The fresh floral arrangement is displayed in an Italian urn, and the box that hides her keys was a gift from a dear friend for her 30th birthday over 2 decades ago.  (I was in awe when I heard that, because she has the skin of a 35 yr old.)

There is an adorable little chair in the corner of the foyer for putting on and taking off your shoes.  A set of vintage wooden skis is displayed behind it for the winter.  I wish I had taken pics of the exterior, she has some fantastic vintage double runner sleds near the doorway.

J has some beautiful collections of silver, blue transferware, and books all displayed beautifully.  She uses books as levels to add height to vignettes, and sprinkles her beautiful silver throughout her home.  This large french armoire holds so many beautiful pieces, I wish I had taken some closeups.

Her slipped Pottery Barn chairs surround this table she found at a woodworker's shop in Germany.  It was a low table that she fell in love with. 

She had the barrel detailing added to it to raise it up to dinner height, and had it stained to coordinate with the french armoire.

She had set out coffee, tea, and a scrumptious coffee cake for the committee.  The cake was so moist and tasty, I really must get her recipe.  Not one to serve on paper plates, she had pulled out transferware dishes, majolica cups, and some silver for the meeting.

If you look past the goodies, you'll see some gorgeous mercury glass acorns below the candlesticks.

My mediocre photography skills didn't capture their true beauty, but they were breathtaking in person.  The neat thing is that they weren't all purchased together.  The largest one she found at Pottery Barn, and snagged it, because it was exactly like the medium sized ones she found in a little Italian Gift Shop, and the little ones she found in an out of the way hole-in-the-wall in Switzerland.

Underneath the window in the dining room is this settee found at a flea just outside of Metz in the north of France near the German border.

There is a reproduction of an antique map hung on a gallery wall in her living room.  She made both the valances in the living room as well as the dining room.

Between the slipped side chairs, is this unique piece of furniture known as a chocolate box.  The top lifts off to be used as a tray.  The chocolate box is french, but J purchased it on a trip to England.

On the other side of the living room, J has a gorgeous secretary showcasing more of her blue transferware on top.  Excuse the blurry pic, I was chatting away about my love for transferware as I was taking it.

I love this piece underneath the secretary.

A corner of her living room houses this lovely tea cart set up as a dry bar.

She purchased these adorable silver birds at auction.  When I asked her to tell me about the birds, she had what I consider the perfect response, "I saw them at auction, and just liked them."  No reason - I just liked them.  Is there ever a better reason to bring something into your home?

Thanks for popping in and joining me on a tour of J's home.  I'm linking this up to Between Naps on the Porch's Tablescape Thursday.