Welcome

…to the street where I live.













…and to my home.




Please, come inside.












What does my entryway tell you about me?

I am energized by color. In photos I like the tone-on-tone white rooms, but this raspberry makes me happy every time I open the front door.

I am warmed by antiques. My husband’s grandmother introduced me to antique shows, encyclopedias of antiques, and Lancaster County auctions. I’m hooked. Well-loved pieces have a rich patina that can not be replicated in a furniture showroom. Do you agree?

I am a romantic. The large mirror in the entry is probably a turn-of-the-century piece purchased at Stevens Antiques on Lancaster Avenue in Frazer, PA. I bought it before my eldest daughter got married, because I thought every album needed a photo of the bride in a mirror!Is that silly?

I prefer balance. Some people are drawn to asymmetry. I’m mostly a mirror image girl. My entryway actually has some of both—one chair, one majolica umbrella stand...but two matching lamps! What about you?



I love a bargain. The J.Gould hummingbird botanicals are the best bargain I ever snatched! I found them at a favorite local haunt, the Black Angus, an antique mall open on Sundays and located about 15 miles north of Lancaster in Adamstown. At one of the 400 booths, I spied a folder of six hand-colored lithographs priced below the value of a single print. Although they are probably 1940’s reproductions, they were a steal!(http://www.princetonaudubon.com/john_gould_originals.htm).

I treasure family pieces. The carved chair resting in the entry belonged to my husband’s family back three or four generations, arriving in Lancaster County from Ireland. We have one chair, while my sisters-in-law have other of the parlor pieces. Sometimes a family piece might not appeal initially, but don't turn it down. Usually, they grow on you; after all, your family history is your story.


I notice one-of-a-kind accessories. The umbrella stand is an antique green majolica.

I like wallpaper. Somehow wallpaper is softer than paint, adding texture and tone. I found this wallpaper at Interior Alternative/Schumacher Fabric Outlet, 1325 Cooches Bridge Road, Newark, Delaware 19713. Although I got it at an outlet price, it is heavy paper, not waxed or shiny like so many wall coverings today.

When friends come through the front door, I want them to feel welcome, happy, and intrigued. Did you?

Speaking of intrigue, this Bible verse has always piqued my curiosity and prompted me to be hospitable: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it” (Heb.13:2).