I sometimes have conflicting thoughts about prairie/farm style. I have trouble reconciling what I remember growing up on the prairies of Colorado in a farmhouse with what we see classified as prairie and/or farm style in our homes today.
This is my family's farm. My parents lived in the tiny 3-room house in the center of the photo when I was born in 1938; and moved to the slightly bigger house across the road when I was 3. (Click on the photo for a bigger view.) Grandma and Grandpa built the large Craftsman Bungalow in the 1910s shown center left in the photo. When Grandma moved to town in the 1960s, my parents lived in the big house for a few years until the farm was sold.
So, because of my background, I devour magazines, blogs, anything on the web that goes by the title, Prairie Style or Farm Style. I love it! But, I don't remember our homes ever looking like so many of today's images.
Our homes were nicely furnished, but not expensively. We had wool carpets on the floors, well-made oak dressers and dining room chairs in a natural finish from the early 1900s, lovely walnut beds and end tables from the 1930s, comfortable overstuffed upholstery. There was no chippy/distressed-painted furniture. Grandma had a couple of painted small chests that had been damaged in a fire; but they were repainted every year for a clean look.
There were no pillows made from feed sacks or burlap, no chipped dishes, no bead board, no utilitarian items in sight - nothing tattered and torn.
Some of what I see today in the style are items that came from the barns, workshops, and sheds of the farm.
I don't love the style any less. After all, our family farm had lots of out buildings with treasures to be discovered.
As young-married kids, we loved scrounging around for those treasures for our new home - especially in what was known as the onion house with its dirt floor and the scale house, plus my Dad's workshop.
I realize that this was my personal experience growing up in a prairie farmhouse - not all were the same.
This past week, I have thoroughly enjoyed perusing this new magazine. It combines the feeling of the farmhouses of my youth with the style prevalent today.
This past week, I have thoroughly enjoyed perusing this new magazine. It combines the feeling of the farmhouses of my youth with the style prevalent today.
Get out your magnifying glass and check it out to find those items that have moved today into the house from the outbuildings to combine with the nicer things of the era.
I'm joining the following:
Confessions of a Plate Addict for The Scoop Tuesday
Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at our Home
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Knick of Time Interiors for Knick of Time Vintage Tuesday
Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesdays
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
I'm joining the following:
Confessions of a Plate Addict for The Scoop Tuesday
Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at our Home
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Knick of Time Interiors for Knick of Time Vintage Tuesday
Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesdays
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
9 comments:
Oh I would love that magazine, but man they have gotten so expensive! I have a couple of subscriptions, but those special ones just are not in my budget anymore! Don't you just love magazines. I read them front to back, back to front. Nothing like a great magazine. Enjoy yours!!
I enjoyed reading this and seeing al the sweet old things. I love this style too. I found you via A Stroll Thru life link up.
I saw Kim at Savvy S mention this magazine so I pre-ordered it. I don't buy too many magazines anymore but this one reminded me of the OLD Country Living magazines. I intended to use it as one of my mom's mother's day gifts because she'd always loved CL in the past.
It was great. Lesson learned, though...no more preorders. I had to pay for mag + shipping and handling and then it was in all the grocery stores a day or two later, lol. For less money.
I like that aerial view of the farm very much! I don't think my mom exclaimed a lot different from you either! But I do love that style, to weather It is true ore just a new gas, it make me happy, too!
Oh I love to look back and see all the familiar things from my youth, great magazine. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me.
I, too, have been amazed at the things used today to decorate in the Farm style. No sir...we didn't decorate with antlers or oil cans or such....it's adorable today...but when I was a kid growing up, those kind of things were in the barn or storeroom.
That looks like a great magazine...
hugs...
It was so interesting to hear about your life growing up in a prairie farmhouse. :) I love decorating in a shabby chic farmhouse/prairie style using upcycled furniture whenever I can. :) Loved seeing that vintage photo!
xoxo laurie
Sally, I loved seeing the photo of where you grew up and how your farm/prairie life was. Being the youngest of 8 kids and dad passing away when I was 9 months old, things changed drastically for my mom. What once was kind of a farm life now changed. With dad gone mom went to work and the farm life was left behind. I like the mixture of the new with the old. Must get that magazine! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
I have been eyeing that magazine at the store. The cover is just beautiful.
Sherry
Post a Comment