For any recent visitors to this page;....this (below) is where I live.
The fireplace is always the focal point of every home, so I'm showing you ours. It'll give you an idea of what a 300 year old French peasant cottage looks like.
The fireplace was, of course, originally the cooking section of the kitchen; the washing section was performed in the stone sink which you might just see centre-left.
At first we had an open fire with metre long lengths of Oak burning on ancient fire dogs, which I loved. These days we have installed a wood burner which means we can close up and go away without any risk of the carpet catching fire. The wood burner also doubles as baked potato cooker, and simmerer of stews casseroles etc on the top; whilst belting out heat.
Generally we only light the stove in the evening; we're hardy folk. Only if we're forced to be indoors during the daytime (snow, rain, locusts, etc) do we light-up earlier; otherwise it's reasonably economical.
I know what you're thinking; it looks old, dusty, cobwebby, spider-ridden, full of mice, draughty, cold, etc, etc. Well you'd be right on most counts, but that's what bucolic life is all about; not forgetting dog hair all over the place. The only things guaranteed to be sparkly clean in this house are things to do with food or it's preparation; on that there is no compromise.
I'm not keen on modern homes. I find them characterless, and unwelcoming. I want my home to have history as well as future, but mostly I want it to feel 'cosy'; which our does.
58 comments:
As you say, it looks lovely and cosy. Much better than the new sterile homes.
And personal - which is something hard to acieve in mass produced modern (vanilla) homes
I agree. Some modern homes can be interesting and comfortable, but they always seem to lack an essential element.
Oooh, I remember baking potatoes under the grate of our fire in Cornwall. Best jackets ever. Even the Aga can't match it.
I think it looks fabulous , safe , warm , cosy
Just what a home should be .
Yes, ours go in the ash can, usually wrapped in foil so they don't burn. They are delicious. Our Aga was pretty good too!
I couldn't be happier. It's without doubt the friendliest home I've ever owned.
That looks inviting, I could happily sink into your sofa.
That is one magnificent fireplace Cro ....the focal point of a room is the fireplace. We lived in a 17Century cottage before the house we now live in and had a similar fireplace.... and, the history that goes with these houses is amazing. Our house now is late Victorian with a fireplace in pretty much every room. We have always lived in old houses but, I can appreciate modern and the thought of all that light flowing in is very appealing ..... our house is pretty dark ! But, I love the character of an old house, even the dust and the draughts ! XXXX
It looks lovely, though I would spend all my time watching for spiders coming out of the woodpile !!
Over the years I have seen here some pictures of your home. It always seems like a "real" home that has a lot of warmth and a good life.
I hope you have clean lavvy too luvvy.I wouldn't mind staring into your fire.
I can live with dust but must have a clean kitchen, bathroom and bed!
It looks so welcoming Cro. Moving from an old farmhouse to my modern bungalow on David's death was hard - I miss most (apart from him of course) my Aga and my wood burner.
You can't beat a log fire, we love ours. Luckily when we purchased our home it came wuth a small bit of woodland so now we don't have to pay for logs. Free heat, wonderful.
It looks lovely Cro, much better than all these modern glass and stainless steel places with crunchy laminate flooring and shiny cupboard doors. Much prefer old fashioned...which is just as well, as ours is totally old fashioned Georgian.
Very inviting, Cro! Properly rustic and characterful. And I like your little picture of the hound; such an old-fashioned-looking dog.
This house is quite dark, but in the height of Summer it's so refreshing.
That's Lady M's sofa.... she took the one nearest the fire!
Lady M screams for me to put them outside (the bigger ones). They don't worry me so it's not a problem.
It might be a bit messy, but it's not a 'show home'. We love it.
Yes, that's the other thing that's always clean.
Snap! Some things are imperative.
It's a totally different style of living. More work, of course, but it's worth it.
That's the one thing we miss. I tried to buy a small patch of woodland, but the owner didn't really want to sell. She's now just recently cut down all the trees so it's no longer worth buying anyway.
I couldn't live in a modern house, although the one we might move back to is a faux-regency mews-style house.
The pictures are all a bit hotchpotch.
Looks very cosy and welcoming. I miss a real log fire.
Oh. How lovely. It IS cozy! 300 years! In my young country, it is hard to imagine! In inclement weather, I'd be curled up on that sofa watching the fire and imagining all the fires before it. Lovely.
Here here! I love old houses, and have lived in 'em all my life. When I used to go out to repair grandfather clocks, I was always struck by the 'magazine page' look and feel of most of the homes they were in. Sterile! No story, lifeless, unhappy - but pretty.... Give me old and comfy any time.
Nothing like it really. It may be messy and dusty, but what the hell.
It's that sense of history that I like. This originally was a one room house with a loft above and a barn at the side. Unfortunately the barn had collapsed before I bought it.
I find it very sad seeing the homes of 'Stars' with no history whatsoever of their past. As you say, totally sterile.
It looks just right, Cro. I would be comfortable there just like you!
I am with you Cro and will take old any day. Parts of our house date back to C14th, if you believe the Historic England listing. Oh for the stories it could tell.
I tell my friends it is not for those who like clean, dust free, spider free, drought free houses. Luckily my partner and I go for old and character.
I also can’t understand homes with no art, or one small picture on a wall. Walls are for art and Going Gently has demonstrated so well.
Jacket potatoes in the ash pan. Never even though of that! We do heat up on top of the stove though and it is prefect for chestnuts
It's a house made for living in, rather than showing-off.
I'm always amazed when I see houses with nothing on the walls, no old photos, or nothing to suggest the owners have had any past life. Bizarre.
Your cosy looks wonderful.
A lovely portrait of your main living area. Old homes do have a lot of character lacking in newer ones. I've lived in both old and new all across the U.S. Each has its benefits. What matters is where you're happy.
I've just lit the fire, and I can assure you that 'cosy' is the right word.
This house has the most friendly atmosphere of any house I've owned. It's a real pleasure to live here.
Love the picture, Cro. And I too go for cozy and comfortable... not show. I want my house to be clean, but look lived in.. with toys and projects strewn about. We also have a fireplace and an Aga (which we dearly love). Baked potatoes in the Aga much preferred over any done in a microwave.
Agree Cro, or one small picture on a huge wall!
I have art in the kitchen, bathroom, small loo etc. The one issue I do have with an old house is vertical beams making art hanging more problematic.
We have a lamb and aubergine rogan josh defrosting on the wood burner in the dining room. Nice smells coming though the house n
I love it, very comfortable looking.
I love the brick fireplace surround with the wood stove in your main living area. Homes built 300 years ago were built to last and appeal. You've have made a very inviting home with history galore. If walls could speak?
Looks delightfully warm and comfortable. We’re unable to consistently use our fireplaces here in the Los Angeles area of Southern California since the smoke pollutes the air.
Yes, very comfortable. Just let me sit down on the comfy couch with the blanket over me.
-Snoring now- G'nite.
I'm afraid this house does tend to be a bit cobwebby. I would like to employ a cleaner, but I don't think they'd come. Our Aga was destroyed by Scargill & Co; we couldn't get English coal, and the alternative (which I believe came from Poland) was filled with tar, which totally blocked the internal workings.
Lovely on these cold evenings.
The house is actually all stone; no brick. Yes, there's something about old houses that can never be replicated by new.
Our home in the UK is the same, but people do light fires after dark!
You sound like Lady M.... that's exactly what she does.
Exactly!
I always wanted an old historic home (I live in a US historic area where there are plenty) but 20 years ago when we were looking for a new abode, we realized their was great upkeep and money tied to owning one. After great consideration and giving up a dream, we bought a newer home. Now this is getting old and upkeep and money is also needed. Thankfully, my daughter married a contractor.
We have a cozy Norwegian Jotul, ivory colored and it's the one thing that makes life in the Colorado Rockies Mountains actually bearable. Aside from a really wonderful husband, that it. Yes, old houses are the best, new ones have no soul. Too perfect.
Our Aga runs on gas, so even if the electricity is cut off, we always have the Aga. We sit on the floor around it (grandkids and me) in the winter... it's warmth is comforting... and the cats always loved it.
Gorgeous. Looks really cosy.
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