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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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October 11, 2014

A Farmhouse Cottage Home Tour

It seems like FOREVER since we’ve had an At the Picket Fence Parade of Homes Tour! And we are so thrilled to be continuing this series today with the amazingly talented Jennifer from Town and Country Living. Her home is a wonderful blend of farmhouse meets cottage meets just downright gorgeous and we know you will love taking the tour.

So grab your coffee ( or tea!), settle in and enjoy!

farmhouse cottage home tour at atthepicketfence.com

Hello Everyone! I’m Jennifer from Town and Country Living and am so happy to be here sharing my home on At the Picket Fence. I’ve been reading Vanessa and Heather’s blog for a few years now and love what they do! So needless to say, it’s an honor to be here.  I hope you enjoy this tour of my humble home.

Historic Farm House

My house was built circa 1875 and it has a lot of quirks and oddities. But I love it.

Our town is at the far edge of the Chicago suburbs, the last stop on the commuter train to the city.

And that’s why my blog is called Town and Country Living …

… we can enjoy the city to the east, or the country to the west.

Country Style Farmhouse Entryway

Our entry way has this little garage sale desk that I painted and decoupaged.

It’s a perfect spot for holding keys and mail when you enter the house.

Country Style Living Room

Our living room has a lot of doorways in it, so furniture placement is always a challenge.

Rather than area rugs, I’ve used bamboo script mats throughout our home.

They’re really durable and pet-friendly too!

Country Style Family Room

Our family room is comfortable and laid back.

I use slipcovers on furniture … because, you know, the pets.

The little crate on the coffee table holds French lavender, one of my favorite scents.

Summer Family Room

I like simple window treatments so I draped landscape burlap over branches to create swags.

Roman shades can be let down at night for privacy.

Fall Dining Room

In the dining room, I’ve used a lot of white because there’s only one window in this room.

I wanted to make sure the light would bounce around and keep the room from looking dreary.

Cottage Kitchen

My kitchen is my favorite place to be in my house. It’s light and airy.

Plus I love to cook. We’ve added open shelving to display some of my ironstone collection.

Farmhouse Kitchen Dining Nook

On the other side, is our kitchen dining nook. The built-in cabinet is original to the house.

We added the bead board on the wall to match the front of the cabinet doors.

Summer Farmhouse Bedroom

Vintage finds fill one of the bedrooms. All of the bedrooms are under-the-eaves.

The white dresser is from the local antiques store just a few blocks away.

Claw Foot Tub

Both our bathrooms have claw foot tubs. I painted the outside of this one with chalk paint.

I’ve always wanted claw foot tubs. The other claw foot tub has a circular shower rod around it.

To see more of my home, come on over for a visit at Town and Country Living!

15 Comments Filed Under: Good Ideas

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Comments

  1. Melissa @ DaisyMaeBelle says

    October 11, 2014 at 5:59 AM

    Such a beautiful home! I love the soft colors that Jennifer uses! Thanks for sharing! Happy Fall! Melissa

    Reply
  2. Lori Alexander says

    October 11, 2014 at 7:21 AM

    What do you use for slipcovers? It almost looks like sheets or blankets on some. I have a grown son who is so allergic to cats. I think it would be great to have some slip covers to put on my couches while he is here {which isn’t often} so I don’t want to spend a fortune on them. Any ideas?

    Reply
    • Jennifer @ Town and Country Living says

      October 11, 2014 at 10:41 AM

      Hi Lori! Most of the slipcovers are from http://www.surefit.com and I usually only buy them when they’re on sale. On occasion, I also use quilts or coverlets and tuck them in around the cushions so they look a little more fitted.

      Reply
      • Lori Alexander says

        October 11, 2014 at 11:30 AM

        Thank you, Jennifer! I just bought beautiful ones for my couch and love seat that were on clearance and with the sale this weekend, it only cost my $53! Yippee!

        Reply
  3. Darrielle Tennenbaum says

    October 11, 2014 at 7:40 AM

    GREAT FEATURE- I love reading Jennifer’s blog!

    Reply
  4. DAnielle says

    October 11, 2014 at 10:32 AM

    So enjoyed your home tour, Jennifer. Always so inspired to see your home. x

    Reply
  5. Jennifer @ Town and Country Living says

    October 11, 2014 at 10:43 AM

    Thanks so much for sharing my home today, Vanessa and Heather! Truly an honor!

    Reply
  6. FABBY says

    October 11, 2014 at 10:47 AM

    A dorable farm house cottage. Everything is perfect for a cottage style. Love the cute and inviting kitchen.
    FABBY

    Reply
  7. martina says

    October 11, 2014 at 11:09 AM

    What a great feature…I love Jennifer’s beautiful home and style…her home is filled with so many pretty things!!

    Reply
  8. Joanne Boulter says

    October 11, 2014 at 11:10 AM

    Town and Country Living is an amazing blog, and her lovely home is a dream. Thanx for showing it. ((HUGS)) Jo

    Reply
  9. Vicki Haag says

    October 12, 2014 at 9:24 AM

    where did you find the bamboo script rugs? love them!

    Reply
  10. Amy says

    October 12, 2014 at 3:54 PM

    Beautiful, looks very peaceful!

    Reply
  11. Iryna says

    October 13, 2014 at 8:38 AM

    Love that tub!

    Reply
  12. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    October 13, 2014 at 7:01 PM

    Just love Jennifer’s home…each room is so beautifully done with her signature touch…

    Reply

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    October 11, 2014 at 7:31 AM

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What do you do when you want to use a bunch of boo What do you do when you want to use a bunch of books in your decorating but it can cost $50 or more for just ONE brand new book? Head to the secondhand bookstore of course! I’m so excited about this new look in my family room and this easy, inexpensive decorating tip I’m bringing to you for this #tiptuesday
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This morning I was running errands and the weight of hard things that are happening in the world, the culture, my own community and even in our circle of friends just felt so heavy.

But, as I was exiting a store, I passed a couple who were in their late 60’s/early 70’s and holding hands as they walked through the parking lot. I happened to glance over just as the husband lifted his wife’s hand up and planted a kiss right on it. It was a moment that reflected such love and tenderness and it was made sweeter by the fact that they weren’t spring chickens. I felt honored that I had been the one to observe and appreciate that moment.

What an incredible thing it is that as humans we are able to hold so many emotions in our souls all at once. To feel sorrow for the pain a friend is enduring, grieve the decline of a culture drifting further from the Lord, ponder how to navigate a challenging school situation, marvel at and enjoy the beauty of creation right outside my door and feel joy at getting to see a tangible example of lasting love while walking through a parking lot.

I truly believe that as we mature in our lives and in our faith, we learn to embrace the tension that comes with the collision of different emotions and recognize that they can all coexist at the same time without one taking something away from another. Simple joys make the hard stuff a bit easier and hard stuff makes us appreciate those simple joys even more.

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Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka.

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