Hello from new member

[Bungalove]

Hi all. I've just discovered this magazine and its forum. I think C&B is going to be JUST what I've been looking for! Most cottage-style magazines show interiors that are way too cutesy and cluttered and dust-catching for my taste, yet the bungalow magazines I've seen go the other direction -- the homes are rather drab and dark and seem to sacrifice livability for historical accuracy. Overall, though, I really love the Craftsman look.

I'm in Montana and my husband and I own a "Minimal Traditional" style house that was built in 1950 and is very similar to many of the small solid homes built in the post WWII boom. The exterior is what I think is called a three-quarter Cape Cod style, and it's one story with a full finished basement. The main floor has wonderful hardwood floors and there's a fireplace that we had converted to gas since wood-burning is not allowed in town. All the interior wood trim has been painted white which is fine.

I'd love to hear suggestions for getting a Craftsman look on a budget. We can't afford Stickley furniture or $5000 reproduction kitchen appliances. One of my burning questions is, why can't someone make a decent-looking microwave oven?

Something I'm currently working on is to eliminate plastic in our house, at least where you can see it. Nothing says "cheap junk" like plastic! I'm also slowly replacing the cheap-looking doorknobs and light fixtures that look like they're left over from the 1970s. Uuuuugly.

[vintage girl]

Welcome:) I have purchased all of my furniture off Craigslist. You would be amazed how much authentic craftsman furniture is available on there. At least in my area (Southern CA). Might be worth looking into. A lot of it is listed under the antique section.

[RoseMary]

Welcome to the forum, Bungalove~we love getting to know new people!

You ought to be able to find a lot of vintage/thrift pieces for your home that won't break your budget. It just takes a lot of leg work if you have to go look for it. As vintagegirl mentioned, I've seen lots of great deals on Craig's List.

[Bungalove]

Thanks for the replies. Actually, we don't need any furniture and almost have too much. Most of our pieces are good quality (but not fancy) inherited pieces, including a lot of mahogany from post-WWII.

More of what I'm looking for are tips, not things. For example, do you have your microwave out or do you keep it hidden? How about the TV? When it does come time to replace appliances, what looks better -- white, stainless steel, something else? What are some modern trends you think have run their course? And so forth. Thanks again!

[ChapterTwo]

I like to decorate with a "nod" to the past, but to remember we're in 2010, so my microwave is out (although it's red, to match my kitchen), and the TV is in an armoire, so it can be hidden behind the doors.

I just got new Formica countertops and a linoleum floor in the kitchen, and I'm not a fan of stainless or granite...but I respect those who like them. To each, her own! :) It's all about personal choice, and what makes each of us happy.

[CohenCottage]

I really like microwaves that are built into an island or cabinet. Easy to access but you don't have to look at it. We have one of those over stove ones that is also a vent Hood. I hate it! Luckily it is already breaking, so when we replace it we can get a different type and a fancy vent Hood.

Personally, I still prefer stainless appliances. We are house sitting for friends this week, and they have the GE cafe line of appliances. They look great!

[memmey]

If we had lived in the 30's and 40's and had the oportunity to get the new gadget we would have. The ladies in the forties loved the new sleek things. I have a book with the furnishings from the 40's and it is TOO modern-ish for me. I guess I like the little country peoples homes.
I use my microwave daily to warm things up and I got a little white one. It sorta blends. I can't just stage my home I have to live there. I use everything...EVERYTHING. I use the old plates I just acquired extras if I break one.
It's funny but I was thinking about this very thing the other day...you know where was I going with my house. I had been gone 4 days and when I got home it felt so cozy and I was so glad to be back.
So I was thinking about a quote I read in Architectural Digest:"...you conjure a mansion,/The absolute butlers in the spacious hall,/Old silver, lace and privacy, a house/Where nothing has for years been out of place."
That quote just spoke to me for some reason.
I love shiney floors and the smell of furniture polish . Fresh sheets off the clothes line and special things from a long time ago that I have collected....I can't follow the trends it makes me uncomfortable. I long for the days of fresh ironed clothes and they way they took care of their things.They bought things of quality and that is why we can clollect them today they are still here. Is it just pride and integrity I don't know I can figure it out...why do things seem more honest back then.

[Breezy]

Hi Bungalove - welcome to the forums! Like CT said it's all about personal choice so whatever you like will work. My sis was telling me that the stainless craze is supposedly over so who knows what the "in" thing is at the moment. I personally like white appliances. The color never goes out of fashion and it goes with anything. Very traditional but I like it in the kitchen with white trim - looks very fresh.

[Bungalove]

ChapterTwo, may I ask where you got your red microwave? Do you like it and does it work well? I have a funky bright red toaster and other red accents in our kitchen. The walls are yellow-buff with white trim, the painted laminate countertops have a light stone look, and the sink, fridge, oven, and dishwasher are white. Our microwave died recently and we're using the black backup one that DH kept in the garage for popcorn and soup. It's OK but looks out of place. I really don't care what's "in" although it's interesting to read about.

You are all so right that we should buy and use what we love, and that homeowners of the past would and did get new timesaving gadgets and quality objects. I was reading an article in our Sunday paper this morning about WalMart and the general cheapness of so many things nowadays. People shop at WM to save money but then end up with closets and houses full of cheap junk that looks bad and doesn't last anyway. I've seen commercials on TV for redecorating your house with stuff from WM, and you know what, it all looks horrible IMHO. I'm not saying I don't buy some things there occasionally, but I am trying REALLY HARD to get away from plastic doodads.

[ChapterTwo]

Bungalove, I bought my red Emerson microwave at Target...here it is,
http://www.target.com/Emerson-900-Watt-Microwave-Oven-Red/dp/B0014E65YQ
but I see it's out of stock. Maybe you can find it elsewhere. At the time (August) it was originally $69 and I bought it on sale for $59. I am surprised to see it only got two stars, because I'm very happy with it! :)

There is only one TINY thing I would change. On my old microwave, if the buzzer was starting to go off and I opened the door, the buzzer would stop. This one keeps going the four times (or whatever), until it finishes the cycle. This is not a problem, just an observation.

Your kitchen sounds very cheerful! And I agree about all the "stuff", nowadays...especially CHEAP stuff. I get annoyed at the fact that people have to have a separate appliance or gadget for everything...so spoiled! Gosh, our ancestors made do with knives, and that's about all.

[vintage girl]

I personally love the mix of old with new. I have my coffee station on an antique sideboard with a marble top. My microwave is sitting on a shelf that my husband made with old barnwood. I have a vintage 1950's wedgewood stove, but it is across from my very modern black refrigerator with water and ice in the door. I have a modern leather sectional piled with antique quilts and my bigscreen tv is on an antique white dresser. I think that mixing things up makes a space personal, but also functional. :)

[jamesmrosas]

hello everyone!

I'm new at this site and it's great to be here.

Thank you.

[Carrie]

I think you can have a tv and a microwave but still have cottage style. I have some antique furniture pieces that I mixed in with some new piece, though the new pieces are usually old fashioned looking. I don't feel a need to apoligize for having modern convieniences.
Decorate with what you like. I doubt anyone is going to go through your house with a fine tooth comb telling you that your stuff is not cottage style enough for them or is not totally original.
Welcome to the forum! Pull up a rocker, have a glass of lemonade, sit and chat a while.

[memmey]

I try... I reaaaaally try to find all the vintage things I can to put into my house . I have the old West Bend coffee maker with the non-polarized plug. I am scared to death to use those things on a regular basis. I HAVE to have 2 cups of coffee every morning and I think my odds of fire increase when I use the old things daily. Now if you came for the weekend I would probably make you a cup of the best coffee you ever drank with that pretty old percolater but everyday-no way. All the old electrical things are scarey to me. I have rewired the lamps.
I have a tiny old drip pot that makes 2 little cups and it is not electrical but the coffee makes your hands shake...TOO strong.
I don't want to live in a movie set...almost a movie set except with a little white microwave and 4 cup Mr. Coffee...lol oh and a blow dryer ugh and a flat screen tv and central air and heat and my computer and my washer and dryer.....maybe I'll just live in 2010 after all.:rolleyes:

[ChapterTwo]

If you don't have someone to put a new wire on your coffee maker, Mem, why not take it to the local hardware store? They do stuff like that and, for a few dollars, it will set your mind at ease. I am extra careful when it comes to electrical things, and you're making me nervous! I'm glad you rewired the lamps. :)

[canadiyank]

bungalove, I like your username! I, too, feel the same way about the cottagey magazines....too frou-frou and cluttered, whereas the bungalow ones are filled with dark wood. I like wood but not everywhere. And I don't need every single piece of furniture to be a Stickley repro or mission-style, even though I *like* that style! :)

[Bungalove]

Well, canadiyank, I LOVE your user name! Are you a dual citizen? I am, and darn proud of it, too. I live in Montana but my father's family was from Quebec, way back to Les Filles du Roi!

Yes, I like a little bit bungalow and a little bit cottage, but I can't stand clutter. I look at some rooms that are just crammed to the rafters with "stuff," and all I can think is, "Who has to dust it? How can you find anything?" LOL If someone likes that style and finds it comforting, then they should go for it, but I like clean and simple, with a few whimsical touches.

[canadiyank]

Yes, a dually - think you saw the other thread. My mom is always making "How do they dust that??" comments, so it's something I think of, too! LOL!

[jabbrley]

Jamesmrosas... Hi! I'm about a 'week old' member, and just wanted to welcome you to this website. I think it's a wonderful spot to visit...great ideas from these ladies....!

I invite you to go to my profile and visit my photo album. It will be nice to get to know you. Chime in on the boards, we'd love to see your words,ideas and photos! ~Kathleen

[Rory Bremner]

I'm a stickler for tradition, but it is 2011. I feel a home should evolve with our present lifestyles and comfort requirements. It is possible to create modern living environments that are sympathetic to the heritage features of any older home. Hey, I'm sure that if under floor heating was available in 1932, people would have wanted it. :)