Today I'm linking up not just with Vintage Thingies Thursday over at Colorado Lady, Suzanne's place but also with Gina @The Shabby Chic Cottage for her Transformation Thursday get together and thought I'd tell you a little about the doors that hang between our dining room and kitchen in the 18thc part of the house.Original to the house they were in a terrible state when we inherited them 13 years ago.
By the way, in case you were wondering, these are the "after" pictures.
The look is not to everyone's taste I know, but for me they are the epitome of shabby French chic.
In an effort to make them " keepable" I stripped off many layers of old paint, treated for wood worm and replaced two of the panes of glass with some I found in the outbuildings but two others remain unfilled!!
Since I still haven't found door knobs that I like. the empty space facilitates opening and closing the doors!
I had a carpenter re -hang them, so that they "swing" to & fro, rather like saloon doors in the Old Wild West.
The sides facing the dining room have carved panels on the lower half, the kitchen sides are not as fancy and you can see where they have been reinforced, at the corners, over the years.
How old do you think these doors are?
This is the date that I uncovered under all those paint layers: 1840.
That's right they are 169 years old, I love them as they are and will never repaint them, but would you?
Don't forget to visit ColoradyLady and The Shabby Chic Cottage
à bien tôt
Maggie
Maggie
Hi, They look great doors and I am sure in your Presbytere they look just right, in my bungalow here...No. 13 years hard work I should think but it is your home and hopefully it is how you both love it!! I must go further back in your blog to see if there are more photographs of your home, I like to be nosey!! Love Jackie.
ReplyDeleteWOW i love them and i would never ever paint them..they are PERFECT :)
ReplyDeleteOh Maggie,
ReplyDeleteThose doors...I'm speechless! How blessed you are to have these in your home. I'm like Jackie...you've given me a taste to see more.
Thanks for sharing!
Living it up at Lakewood,
Cindy
Maggie,
ReplyDeleteThe doors are wonderful -wouldn't change a thing. I love that look and have some English pine that still has remnants of paint in the cracks!
I am putting together my walking tour and I think you will recognize a lot. I am trying to stay away from the dish store today!
Carol
I would not change a thing. Those are beautiful and what a find in your home. I am sure it was a lot of work, but oh, so worth it in the end.
ReplyDeleteHave a great VTT and a wonderful weekend.
What beautiful doors. You did a great job stripping them and exposing the natural wood...I love the Shabby French chic look. The best part is the date carved in the door...how cool to have such a reminder of the long history of the service of those doors!
ReplyDeleteThe doors are amazing - I thought it was an address number before I read your post! Very old indeed! I like the look in other people's homes, but when we bought our cabin in the woods, the previous owners had it decorated in shabby french country - it didn't go well with the house at all in my opinion, so we are working it back into 'rustic', with wood flooring instead of pink ceramic tiles and pearls!
ReplyDeleteThose doora are absolutely FABULOUS! Love them! Linda
ReplyDeleteOh my, what incredible doors!! I love the way you have left them. Great idea to have them swinging.
ReplyDeleteJocelyn
http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/
I love those doors, and it would be a crime to paint them! They are perfect as they are, and what a thrill you must get when you look at them. Just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHappy VTT!
I like your doors and the rough state they are in. I would have thought the "1840" was an address.
ReplyDeleteMaggie, if only 'doors could talk'. Wouldn't you like to know what they've witnessed over the years? I think they are fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI am with you, never part with those doors. I cannot imagine them in being good enough for you to redo like this. That is an old door. I think you have done a great job and have a real treasure.
ReplyDeleteThese are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, they are gorgeous!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Maggie,
ReplyDeleteThe doors are wonderful! It was clever to have them installed "saloon door" style. That must really facilitate serving and clearing the table at mealtime!
How great that you uncovered the date! Very few buildings in my corner of the world date from that far back. Seems that you've created an "old world" look in the perfect setting!
Bye for now,
Bill
Your doors are simply incredible! I wouldn't change a thing - how wonderful that you undcovered a date as well!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
The doors are fabulous, Jackie. You did wonderful!! How industrious of you to find the glass in the barn...I never would have thought to use it. I need a lot of inspiration, perhaps a barn!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent post!
xoxo
Jane
Those are great doors!
ReplyDeleteWOW...those are a fabulous treasure!! I am still curious as to just what a Presbytere is, is it a church??????
ReplyDeleteI would love to see pics of the entire house. I guess they are in your archives and I will just take a few minutes to have a peek.
Maggie, I also have your Pay it Forward gifts ready and need you to email me at jacquelinwells@bellsouth.net with your full address.
Thanks!
Officially the coolest doors ever!
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely in love with your doors!! And from 1840 - WOW!! I don't think that I would do another thing to them - they are truly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteW-O-W!!! love them!
ReplyDeleteSMiles!
MIchelle
I'd definitely love them as they are. I like the look that is evidence of generations of use - even the repairs/reinforcements have their beauty. Weren't you lucky to find those original doors?
ReplyDeleteI think they look a little "thirsty" - - - like they want a nice long drink of a good wood oil.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE all the details they have.
Maggie, the doors are beautiful as they are. I wouldn't do a thing to change that. And the swinging doors is the best arrangement for passing to and fro dining room to kitchen. I think you did a marvelous job! Obviously everyone else agrees! ~ Sarah
ReplyDeleteWow! What a find! I would never paint them since that is something so special! Besides every now and then you need some wood warmth to a home!
ReplyDeleteFabulous old doors! I wouldn't paint them -- those traces of the old paint are badges of honor!
ReplyDeleteI love the old angle irons at the bottoms; probably done as a "temporary" fix to keep the frames from wiggling apart, and left in place because -- they work!
I love finding remnants of old fixes and practical measures from past householders; it makes me feel connected to them.
Lovely blog!
Cass
Your doors are stunning! What stories they could tell. Hard workers who still have lots of elegant life left for many more generations to come...I like the wood as it is.
ReplyDelete