I have had a lovely summer at Foxcroft, wonderful visits from friends, some travel and a lot of riding my big horse, Daisy. I gave Foxcroft reno a long break. But, towards the end of summer, I woke up one morning, and it was time to get started again!
Most of the main floor of Foxcroft has been refreshed, and we are enjoying entertaining and spending time in this lovely home. But, the sunroom had yet to be reclaimed, so that is where I decided to get restarted!
When we moved to Foxcroft Farm in 2020, this little room was a low priority. With its windows, French doors and tidy brick floor, it had character enough to be put on the back burner.
The room has lovely views of the pool, gardens and barns beyond, so I chose it for an office and put my desk and bookcases in the room. It was okay. I had taken down all the window treatments- I do like my sunshine and light! But the room is an addition to the main house, and was too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer for being used as a proper office.
So, as I stripped the room of things in preparation for the refresh, I thought about how it would be best used.
Without the window treatments, it has such a nice aspect, and on the west side of the house, it is bright in the morning, without being too sunny. With the red brick floor, orange toned woodwork, flat ecru wall paint and ceiling covered in light sucking texture it still felt kind of dark, or dull?
It is the main thoroughfare from the kitchen and keeping room to the back porch and pool, so I knew I wanted it to be a pleasant passageway. But, I wanted it to function as more.
It has wonderful big French doors, stained brown on the inside and painted hunter green on the outside.
You know, when we moved here, there was so much dark green, on the house, the carpeted porches and decks, I couldn't wait to get rid of it all. But, now that it is mostly gone, I am warming to it again.
I knew I wanted to get rid of the ceiling fan. I am not a ceiling fan fan. And although they have their uses and I have retained the concept in many of the rooms here, in a room this small, if it is so hot you need the fan, leave.
There are also 4 eyeball style can lights in the ceiling. I'm unlikely to ever use them, but I kept them anyway, as I can aim them at art, and they have a dimmer.
I love a brick floor.
As with any room, I like to strip it down, and sit with if for a while. Ask it what it wants to be when it grows up? I like to look at it from other rooms, what will you see? How will the traffic pattern flow? what will make it comfortable, and useful. And, what personality does it need?
For this room, it told me it wanted to be cheerful, crisp, a bit preppy and not stuffy. It should look as if it was an open porch in a past incarnation and was enclosed to become a sunroom. And, it wanted to hold on to some of the green.
I know I say this every time, but this is my new favorite hang-out at Foxcroft Farm!
Walk through the keeping room, and come find me in the sweet sunroom.
The French doors got painted white on the keeping room side. The hardware got a good long time in simmering water to remove all the grime and polished up nicely.
I covered the ceiling in beaded pine boards that I painted with SW Upward- a grey/blue with a hint of periwinkle. I previously used Upward on the ceiling in the sleeping porch and the floors of the back porches.
The green doors were repainted with a more cheerful, fresher green, SW Shamrock. Comfortable slipcovered furniture and a rattan bar cart is just right for the cozy far side of the room, with the windows open, the perfume from the garden phlox is divine!
The gold pagoda and faux bamboo chandelier was my splurge piece for this room. It is from Horchow. I wanted green candle shades, and purchased them on Amazon, and then modified them into the green stripe with the Shamrock paint.
I wanted this room to feel like an extension of the outside gardens and pool- bring the outside in. So, I thought a good bit about how to use green. I did not want the room to be green, I did want it to celebrate green.
So, after painting the walls in SW Bravo Blue, I hit upon using the green to make a preppy, trompe l'oeil imitation of formally paneled walls. But I didn't want it to be formal. I liked what was done at the Kate Spade New York store in black and white, so made my own version.
I've started to fill the "panels" with art and mirrors I love. Above is a painting I call "The Big Green" I did 20 years ago. And it fit right in here.
I painted the "Find Your Passion" sign above the French doors for the first Pickaway County, Ohio 4-H Booth I helped create in 2005. I pulled it out because of the green, and was chuffed to realize it was the ideal size.
The heavy iron café table came from local favorite shop, Circa, as did the green lamp with the faux bamboo detailing on the bar cart. The green shade was already here, waiting for the right partner. This little table is a delightful spot for breakfast.
The observant reader will note in the background, the guest cottage, Maresfield, is coming along nicely!
I am, writing this piece as the sun sets, reclined on the porch swing. I can see a slice of the mountains over the roof of the barn. Pearl and Jules are lying flat at my feet and at the mention of their names quietly thump their tails. Living here is a divine pleasure, and I enjoy such satisfaction as Foxcroft reveals its cheerful nature.
There is still much to be done! This autumn I am working on the riding trails, as we purchased some woods behind Foxcroft. The weather is currently much too nice for it, but I have begun stripping wallpaper and ceiling in an upstairs bedroom. Maresfield is just too beautiful, and should be done in about a month! That will be quite the blog.
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