I’m dreaming of…
A sweet vintage beach cottage… with weathered gray shingles.
white paned windows and a deep porch
lined in creamy hydrangeas.
Peeking just inside the front door,
a large foyer with painted wood walls and grand old
glistening crystal chandelier
welcomes you.
Worn, weathered statuary and treasures from sun filled days from long ago days
fill the cottage with warmth
and character.
~
In the bathroom that we remodeled that I shared with you
–here –
there was an old grungy, crusty built in cupboard
that we dismantled and stored so that it could be re-built into a freestanding piece.
These doors came off that cupboard
and have been patiently waiting for me to find a spot to use them until they
back together as a cupboard.
I have been thinking about using them on a wall behind a desk as a backdrop
or behind a bed as a headboard.
I decided on the sides of a large mirror for now
to create a vignette that made me think of an
old waterside cottage in the south.
Chipping painted perfection
Dried hydrangeas,
with a faded stack of old books
and a favorite old vintage statue that was my grandmothers
sit atop a reading table in the corner.
A large abandoned blue jays nest was found inside one of our
patio umbrellas in the spring last year.
It holds three dainty blue eggs.
The old doors draped with sweet white berry wreaths
bring a sense of old…
A sense of romance
and nostalgia…
A sweet summers cottage
Wistfully waiting
in the warm sun for family to come and fill it’s halls
with laughter,
with sand covered bare feet
&
with love.
Lazy, warm summer days by the water, collecting seashells and
relaxing to sounds of the ocean…
I’m ready.
(especially after 1.5′ of snow and power outages over the weekend…)
How about you?
sharing with
Lovely Courntey, absolutely beautiful. Would love to spend some time in your summer cottage!
Kim:)
I'm ready for those barefoot kinda days! Your summer cottage look is very pretty! Great idea to frame the mirror with the old doors! I have a healthy love for that chandelier, too, 🙂
xo,
Michelle
Everything is just beautiful! So elegant. I would love to know about your berry wreaths. Did you make them?
It looks so pretty Courtney. I love those old doors! They look great next to the mirror. Sorry about your blast of cold this weekend. I fear it might head our way.
It looks absolutely beautiful Courtney! Light and airy and definitely ready to welcome in summer…or at the very least Spring! 🙂
Vanessa
Courtney, that is so pretty. Love those doors and the vignette.
Courtney, what a lovely post. Your summer cottage is gorgeous. Forget spring…bring on summer! 😀
xoxoxo,
Ricki Jill
SO GORGEOUS!!!!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! IT IS SO DREAMY AND JUST GORGEOUS!!!!
ADIN B
These are adorable pictures, if you want a little sun check out my blog today as I'm vacationing in Hawaii and I hate to say it but so humid and the heat is almost too much to take, the Hubs and I talked about climbing in the freezer for a moment!
How sweet…I love it. So sophisticated but with a touch of romance….this is what I aiming for. I was then next one to you on the list and I am glad I visited. Blessings, Dianntha
This is so pretty, and the birds nest and you grandmothers vintage statue are lovely touches. Checked out your bathroom – amazing transformation,
Cheers,
Lisa x
Oh wow I do love how you used the doors!! This is a wonderful comfy place!! Such a great job!!!
bee blessed
mary
ps sitting by the fire- it's getting cold here in CO again- Spring a still a ways away I am afraid!
Courtney-What a blissfully beautiful post. I am warmed by a fire that is crackling here and dreaming of Summer cottages too! Hugs- Diana
Just gorgeous, I love the touches of nature mixed with the elegant. really pretty, Courtney!
xo,
Debra
so pretty! love how you used the shutters around the mirror- I had to really look before I read the caption to see if it was around a doorway!
Congrats on your Anthropologie win!
Courtney this is tooooooooo tempting! Sounds like my kinda place! And that little bird's nest, how divine, such a surprise! Mine is "fake" but I still love it, can't imagine such a pretty nest.
Love the doors too! xoxo tami
Oh…..I am SOOOO with you, Courtney. This has been a brutal winter, and just the thought of a summer cottage (just saying those 2 words!) brings a flutter to my heart! ♥ Lovely lovely photos!!!!
xoxo laurie
It is all so beautiful! Love the chandelier! In fact, I have the same one hanging in my bedroom! 🙂
Oh yes…. I'm ready for some summer too…. I'm so tired of freezing…..
Great photos…. So very pretty.
Warm blessings,
Spencer
Very elegant and beautiful. I am way past ready for spring.
Everything is so lovely and elegant, Courtney. The chandelier is fabulous and perfect mixed with the rustic and natural elements. I have to catch my breath every time I see you posts.
I would love to live here, it's pure heaven!
Amazing photos.
Bee happy x
Ohhh I am soo ready for summer ~ Your photos are absolutely amazing ~ so tranquil and beautiful 😉
Oh, your photo's have me longing for spring. They are beautiful.
Blissful and beautiful. Love dried hydrangeas & the real ones, too.
CAS
What a beautiful vignette. I love the chandy reflected in the mirror and the beautiful bird's eggs.
Can you come to my house and decorate my bedroom??? Pretty Pleaseeeeeeeee. = )
Absolutely gorgeous! It's eye candy and balm for the soul! I am so enamored of that chandelier as well….love it!
Lovely photos! Your grandma's statue is STUNNING! And yes, I'm ready for the warmer weather; we too were dumped on with snow this past weekend.
Just beautiful Courtney and thank you for putting such sweet images in my head this cold and wintery day! I am so ready for the warm summer breezes to wisp all my cares away and sandy beaches to sink my toes down into.
Have a wonderful day and stay warm!
Wow, this is just gorgeous. I love it all. Fabulous decor and home. Thanks for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty
Lovely! I'm your newest follower. http://moogieland.blogspot.com/
Yes!! Sign me up for some beach time! And a vignetting class please *winks* As always I love everything you do! I've been doing a little vignetting of my own…which in my case = three things on top of an armoire *sighs* I was thinking that it was missing something…..Didn't know what?…And now that I've seen your post I realize the perfect addition would be dried hydramgeas! I LOVE those hydrangeas in the old galvenized container! Thanks again for the inspiration Courtney! Vanna
Oh, I agree. I cannot wait to go stay in a cottage by the sea. Your vignette takes me there.
Your summer cottage is just stunning. I love those wreaths. And the chandy in the mirror really makes it look stunning.
I love the birds nests..and starfish scattered here and there! Everything is lovely! ♥
Beautiful, Courtney! I love how you used the doors and the reflection of the gorgeous armoire in the mirror. You always create the prettiest vignettes.
Hugs,
Sherry
Your photos are lovely! I can see you love to decorate. I'll have to cruise your blog and look at more inspirational photos.
Happy White Wednesday!
Debbie
Courtney, thanks for joining the party this week.
Wow you have me dreaming now too!! Love your photos. They are stunning!!
Blessings~
Absolutely gorgeous. Just beautiful.
~Heidi
Simply beautiful!
Beautiful post. Love your Grandmothers statue. It always wonderful to have some of our past with us!!! ~~Sherry~~
Beautiful, just simply beautiful with every photo!
xoxo,
Ellen
GAAAAHH! Thank you for the heads up on my linky not working!!!! I got it fixed, but oh mylanta! If I hadn't seen the email, I would have gone about my morning not knowing until later :/
thank you too for your input, I so appreciate it!!
Very beautiful!!
Pamela 🙂
Such magical images; you've touched by beachy heart!
Sue @ Beach Bungalow
xo
Just gorgeous Courtney! I was caught up in your summer cottage 'dream' with these beautiful photos. I kept thinking your mirror was an entry door. The entire look is amazing!
Happy WW, and let's hope for spring/summer SOON.
– Susan
Oh it's so pretty!!!! Every little inch is gorgoeus!!!
XOXO
Kristin
Beautiful pictures and thoughts about the warmer days ahead.
Well you did it! As soon as I'm done typing I have to run into the house and change EVERYTHING AROUND! You have highly stimulated my mind and oh the ideas in my head from just this one post. I dread looking at all your pictures…my hubby may not like all the commotion you have caused! hahahha….I feel the change coming on! Big smile.
Lovely blog…lovely pictures…this usually means a lovely person behind it all.
Blessings,
Debbie
Your photo's are gorgeous and those door by the mirror are perfect. I live in Orlando, so kind of have the cottage thing year round, I know just when the people up north thought spring was right around the corner they got hit again! Hang on , it's coming!
Carol
GREAT photos, love your color and material choices! I couldn't agree more, bring on the springtime! I am in Kansas City and after some warmer days, I moved many of my concrete statues outside again but may have jumped the gun; we had snow furries earlier today!
Cheers!
Kelly Aaron
So beautiful…and yes, bring on spring – enough of the white stuff already!
Jan
Courtney,
Now I'm going to be dreaming of the cottage also 🙂 I love hydrangeas in any form and Rachel Ashwell's style is do die for! I wish we had a shabby chic home but that just doesn't fit our lifestyle.
Thanks for stopping by and visiting my blog earlier and come again!
Courtney, I was trying to decide if this was a virtual or real cottage until you referenced your Grandmother's statue. This is a surreal and magical place. You are so blessed to enjoy it's charm. Is the cottage in the south or near the water? You may truly go there but I am visiting in my imagination. Thanks for this vision of beauty and serenity. Hugs, Ginger
your blog is lovely, I enjoyed my visit so much. Wishing you happiness, Katherine
Very pretty! Love the nest and books with the bust. Mixing the elegant with the rustic.
Sherry
Thank you so much for linking up Courtney! You know I love it- and I'll say it again- Gorgeous! 🙂 Thank you so much for all of your encouragement this week. It has meant the world to me.
Thanks for linking up this too. This vignette was one of my favorites! It is really beautiful!
Sherry
Wow I really love this! You write so eloquently and your pictures are gorgeous. Something to aspire to! 🙂