The Somerset Farmhouse

  Old farmhouses contain an interesting array of treasures - something that newer homes just can't boast about.  I've always had a fondness for finding old things, as that little peek into the past feels strangely sentimental.  Tools, desks, items buried and forgotten, this farm has all that and more!  This post will be a break from the usual fixing-up stuff I talk about.  We are still working on the house, but sometimes blogging about something different is nice.  The Schoolhouse Mysteries A schoolhouse resides on the property - it was brought over on horse and buggy and plunked right in front of the house.  Naturally, we were excited to see what was in there, so here's a glimpse of some of the relics we found (and I use that term relic loosely, haha)! Tell me what exactly beats the thrill of finding old desks! I plan to refinish it, and probably use it to display some flowers Two more desks were sitting in the back room of the schoolhouse, the left o...

The thing about renovating a farmhouse is I love doing things to preserve the character.  But that goes for any old house really.  And in the guest room, we have been tag-teaming to bring to life a cozy farm style.  There are a lot of pictures, so this may be a multiple post update - not back-to-back since there's more to share, but certainly consistent!  Here's how that's going: One of the first areas we tackled was the floor.  I've probably mentioned this in a previous blog post, but it's worth mentioning again: the wood is red oak! It's durable and has certainly withstood the test of time.  However, the floor was looking a bit worn from being covered with carpet and vinyl.  So, we went to town giving it a proper sanding.   Getting rid of the varnish took quite a bit.  You can see where vinyl had been at one point.    My sister did most of the sanding - days upon days of it! To speed up the process, I started going full force...

Working hard We've been hustling away here at the Somerset Farmhouse! The place has been coming together like a puzzle - slow progress, but that's better than none at all. Updating an old farmhouse can certainly keep one on their toes.  The nice part about it is, you can tailor it to your personal style.  What could be more rewarding? I don't have too much to share on my room as I'm still in the process of decorating and still have to get beadboard up on my ceiling - that in itself is a 3-person project.  Once it's picture-ready, then I can post some good photos to the blog here.   On that train of thought, we finally got my parents' room finished and are now tackling the guest room.  More Wallpaper!! As with my room and basically every other space in the house, the walls and ceiling were completely lined with wallpaper.  Bear in mind, it's never just one layer - it's 3, maybe 4.  Old time home renovations were nothing like today.  If you did...