Tanagers Before and After Slideshow Below

Kitchen at Laurel Ave W home

Ahhhhhh I wish! Laurel Ave W

There is talk of tearing this beautiful place down b/c of fire in bsmt that caused structural damage. That just wouldn't be right. Kitchen is beautiful too. I'll post that pix next.

Snob

Well I've been spending a bit too much time checking out B&B websites all over the US and it seems that I'm pretty much a B&B website snob. It is perhaps easy to be this way if you are blissfully unaware of the costs of creating and maintaining a website and aren't already thoroughly busy keeping up a B&B. I permit myself the time for these searches with the thought that I am really just doing research with the idea that one day I will have my own website. Some thoughts right off the bat include:

1. Make sure to include the NEXT button; meaning when you click to view a room, you should be able to click on a button to see the next room instead of having to back out.

2. Also, please, more than one picture of each bedroom. I don't understand just showing a picture of the bed. If there is a fireplace or bathroom, show them please.

3. And I don't understand not showing a full picture of at least the front of the house. A few pictures of the main rooms would be wonderful as well.

4. I'm okay with not being able to make the reservations online but you should at least show the rates for the rooms.

5. I love it when websites make mention of antique stores in the area as well as restaurants and gift shops.

6. It is nice to have pix of the innkeepers and their story as well as the inn's history.

7. And what is up with the blurry pictures? If you are going to do a website at least have pictures that are in focus, big enough to see and well lit!

8. And why all the white background floral wallpaper? I'm amazed at how many rooms are so milktoast. There often seems to be no middle ground; either wildly-overdone-sensory-overload wallpaper with tons of visual activity on the walls and in the room and on the floor or it is baren with blah wallpaper and barely anything going on.

9. What is up with the teddy bears and dolls? We are adults now right? If I go to a B&B it is not to be reminded of my childhood.

10. I'm a bit confused by some of the B&B names too. "Dancing Winds" hmmmm or "Somewhere In Time" or "Xanadu" or "Dreams of Yesteryear" and "A Victorian Swan on Water". Ugh. Of course they could be completely wonderful in person but the names are enough to keep me from looking too closely.

Okay well that's enough ranting for now. I'll get back to my usual lists of things I love!

Abandoned Echoes Photography & Design

Check them out on Facebook! WONDERFUL photography! I'd post a pix of theirs but not sure they'd be okay with that.

Stairwells and Entryways I Covet

Some of My Favorite Things

Hollister

This would have to be my daughter's room of course!

Hollister interior 2

Hollister interior

Hollister B&B for Sale in Prescott, WI

Now this would be nice! $497,650.00 for 6 bedrooms and 7 baths and 5064 sq ft

Selby interior

But ouch! Lots of work to fix the makeup on this painted lady!

On the Flip Side

This property is for sale on Selby Ave in St Paul. $139,900.00 with 4 bedrooms and 4 baths and 2440 sq ft. Looks okay from the outside....

Glencoe Castle Up for Sale

This just popped onto the market today. Too bad Glencoe is so far West. Only the one picture so far. This used to be a B&B. 8 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms with 5350 square feet all for only $324,900.00! Would be fun to go out and see it though!

Cool Antique Stove Store

Check out this place: www.goodtimestove.com. They have a picture of a stove that looks identical to mine but for almost $4000.00! I got mine for $400.00. One less zero really helps! LOL.

Metal Brackets

The wall grate is below the counter top in this pix. Found 3 metal brackets to hold up the granite counter top. The brackets came from a antique store in Osceolla, Wisconsin.

Another antique metal piece

Found this in antique store. I believe it was mounted in wall behind old stove pipe. It is quite heavy and so far the hearth seems to be the best spot to hold it. Somehow the Andrew Wyeth piece seemed to go with it.

Antique metal grate installed in wall!

. I found this metal grate on Etsy.com.

B&Bs I'd Like To Visit

Love Antique Door Hardware

Found this wonderful door hardware at Dell's Architectural Antiques in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. What a great place that is!

B&Bs I Have Visited

Beauty in the faded

1924 Gas Stove

Bringing in the antique stove was one of our attempts at adding character to this 1970 split entry home.

Sewing Treadle Bath Vanity

This was a relatively easy project that was rewarding, fun and quick. I picked up the sewing machine cabinet for $40, the vessel sink and faucet off ebay for $95 including shipping. I don't recall the cost of the tile but it was nominal. I got the idea out of a tiling book at Menards that took the project a step farther by making their own tiles.... another project I hope to get to one day soon!