Friendly Friday's Are Back for Summer!

Welcome to the first Friendly Friday of 2011!  It's a summer tradition at Jewel Box® to tour a 'real life' smaller house or space every weekend through Labor Day. 

Our first stop this summer is a gorgeous little Cape Cod on Martha's Vineyard. There are so many things to like about this home, the dormer windows, the gray blue shingles and my favorite, the weather vane topped by a whale!

This is my boss Sarah's family home from her blog Unshoveling the Past. Through letters and photos found after her mother's death, Sarah's blog chronicles the story of her mother's life, which includes making a home in Botswana. Anyone who has lost a mother, as I did over 20 years ago, will appreciate the journey, both physical and emotional, so beautifully told in Unshoveling the Past.

Now back to our tour.  All photos are from Unshoveling the Past.

Here is the back of the house with pink hydrangeas blooming under the windows.

The house sits on a cul-de-sac with native landscaping that beautifully suits the property.  The view of the back garden was taken in the spring when trees and shrubs were flowering. 

I love the flower garden outside the back porch with color spilling onto the path.  In the summer, climbing vines fill the trellis.

The front entryway is perfectly proportioned for the house.  And just look at the harp table next to the door.  Classic!

Sunlight fills the home streaming through large wooden paned windows.  Fully functioning shutters make the use of curtains optional.  The dining room below shows off the oak flooring found throughout the house.  Traditional decor and cream walls compliment the architecture.  And don't miss the ladder back chairs, dry sink and area rug with colorful birds woven into the design.

Simple elegant decor continues upstairs.  The seafoam fringed throw and flowered accent pillow add a touch of color.

Antique black twin beds paired with a vintage black wooden rocker are a terrific combination against cream walls in this dormer bedroom.

The screened in sun porch is a perfect summer spot for lounging with a good book.

 

And Sarah tells me the house is now for sale.  Even a smaller home on Martha's Vineyard can't be cheap.  Still, if I had the money, I'd prefer this little beauty over the larger sprawling so-called 'cottages' on the island I've seen in magazines.

Cheers!

Genevieve