Adding Patina, so to speak

While shopping for a home about 5 years ago, I had a few things in mind that I was looking for. I wanted something in a well-established neighborhood where the trees were big and the homes weren't sitting on top of each other. I wanted character, like warm stone floors and cozy nooks and fireplaces. And of course I wanted something affordable.

What I ended up with, instead, was a brand new "stock home" in a brand new neighborhood. No landscaping. White walls. And a generic, albeit attractive, home model that every other neighbor also had. What can I say? It was a bargain we couldn't pass up in a good neighborhood at an ideal location.

And so I've been plotting ways to add charm to a bland, commercial, cookie-cutter house ever since. Things to give my shiny, new, no frills house the feel that it's been there for awhile. Adding a patina, so to speak.

Here are a few of my ideas, some I've tried and others I want to try:


Plot #1: adding faux stone to an accent wall in my bedroom. There's absolutely nothing like stone to give the feeling of cozy warmth and the sense of age. Though this bedroom above is a little too frilly for me, the wall behind the bed is a great example of what could be done in my room...most likely for a hefty price that I can't afford at this moment. But there's always someday...


Plot #2: adding bookshelves. Under windows. In corners. Along the walls. Anywhere and everywhere. If I could have it my way, books and baskets would be in every room of my house (except maybe the bathroom. Maybe.). Bookshelves remind me of the days when people had parlours and libraries in their homes--back before we built our rooms around televisions. I love the way they make me feel, which is why I've already added one small reading nook to my home, and intend to add more. The more the merrier, in my opinion.


Plot #3: adding molding. Though I appreciate that my walls are smooth and level, they don't have an ounce of architectural character to them. Which is why I'd love to add inexpensive molding to the walls to give them texture and dimension. I would probably paint them to match the wall color, unlike the photo above, but certainly I like the grid pattern. If only I knew how to use my husband's nail gun....

I have other plots, of course, but this is a start. More than enough to keep me busy for the next 5 years. When I'm done, maybe my house will look like the oldest one on the block (in a good way, of course).

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From Cookie Cutter to Custom