#1. Lovely, but too somber.
#2. Should have worked. But didn’t (it’s now in the dining room.)
#3. I really liked this. But, it was…too…too…matchy-matchy. The rug was also damaged. I am returning it.
#4. Since last June, I knew the parlor was, well, missing something. I had a vision of what I wanted but just couldn’t seem to quite transfer vision into reality. Damn. But this? I LOVE THIS. Note: This image is real; it is not photo-shopped.
THIS was the photo-shop version. Which is WAY more intense than the actual rug in the room. The photo-shopped rug wasn’t quite right but the actual rug in the actual parlor looks, I think, quite smashing.
So, today.
Funny, too, how the one antique in the room, the wood chair, looks best on rug #4. I had not expected that. The two are such a contrast yet this seems to highlight the chair somehow.
I had expected the marble table, and the white-framed Hillary, to look better. And they do.
Wow! Love it! I’ve been struggling for almost three years to find an area rug for one of my rooms. Perhaps they’ve all been too monochromatic. I am inspired!
I love how the light in the room creates subtleties. The photo-shopped version has the rug’s appearance being that of a rug under a spotlight.
It reminds me of the difference between looking at myself in the mirror in the morning, and unexpectedly see myself in a mirror. I find that they create totally different impressions. When it is my morning, brushing my teeth and shaving, view, I look nothing like my five years older brother. When I catch sight of myself in a mirror unexpectedly, sometimes I think, for an instant, that it is my brother’s reflection.
Well done, Ross. Your design sense is impeccable.
That room really is stunning. Well done!
Is there a plan to replace the blinds as you complete the rooms? The parlour is certainly beautiful. I love everything about the room… but the thickness of the ladders on the blinds is a bit distracting… Kind of the way the hairstyles and make up in Dr Zhivago date it to 1960.
Just curious… sheer balloon Roman blinds would be beautiful…
The actual rug looks far better than the photo-shopped one. The rug picks up the aqua in the frieze and the drapes, but adds another dimension with the gold/tan. I like it.
Perfect!
Perfection indeed—the real version is sublime! BTW the finished walls w borders look so lovely!
Thank you, Sandra! I am thrilled with the new walls.
Yep, #4. 💙 The other carpets were ok but, made the room appear to stop at the floor. This one has movement – the defined shapes carry the eye to other lines of the room.
Wow, Kim! You exactly articulated the problem!
Where were you ten months ago! You could have saved me so much trouble!
In 1894, the parlor had a patterned wallpaper, and would certainly have had a patterned frieze paper and ceiling paper. The floor was wall-to-wall carpeting, and this, too, would have certainly been patterned.
You are so right. The problem all this time was that the rug was not strong enough to be part of the ensemble.
Thank you!
Great choice. I love this rug #4. Very striking
I have to sheepishly concede that I love this too. I was a big fan of #3 but this rug is perfect (more muted and smaller pattern than the photoshopped version). I don’t get your aversion to matchy matchy because I see this rug matches very well. The pattern mimics the wood around the stained glass window. The blues match curtains and windows. I love how the lines of the pattern converges towards the window and afterall, the eye is drawn towards the beautiful artistry of those cross house windows. I am in awe of your design instincts!
I was sad at the departure of #3 but the rug you have now is perfect! Good for you for going until you found the right one.
A gorgeous feast for our eyes! It’s really amazing how the colors and patterns of that rug tie each piece together perfectly now. Great eye, style and tenacity there!
Well it was a cold day in Dec when I discovered your blog! Have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of it and there are a lot of interesting comments to go with it.
Older houses have always intrigued me and yours…WOW. After reading it all I feel as if you’re my neighbor.
The cistern originally caught my attention and I commented on it. Wish I was younger, I would take a holiday and help with something. But I think I will have to just come and snoop sometime on my travel.T hank you for the educational entertainment.
Thank you, Patsy!
I am amazed! So well done and beautiful! But because I’m late to the blog, I wonder if it’s going to change again. Can’t imagine it getting better, but I wouldn’t put it past you. I want to skip ahead and see where things are now, but seeing the process really adds another layer.
UPDATE, Ohlert: The rug stayed!