New England style has long been popular in both the design and decor of homes throughout America. No matter where you live, one room where this classic design can often be found is in bathrooms. Typically, a New England Bathroom will have a wainscot of white painted bead board, wide pine floors, pedestal sinks and claw foot tubs and my home is no exception. Since bathrooms are one of the most frequently remodeled rooms in a house, I thought you might enjoy seeing what our guest and master baths look like after we restored our historic country farmhouse in New Hampshire.
When I tell people that our house was originally built in the 1730’s, I’m sure their first thoughts are of an interior with creaky floors, cracked plaster walls and old-fashioned plumbing. That would pretty much describe our house when we first bought it but after a five year restoration, guests visiting our home are pleasantly surprised to see that our historic house retains its classic country charm but has been adapted to modern use.
There is a common thread in all the bathrooms in our home and that is chinoiserie. The Chinese artistic decoration was popular in the middle of the 18th and 19th century in New England. Clipper ships would leave the ports and travel to Europe, the East Indies and China and return with their ships laden with exotic goods. In homes throughout New England, you would find Asian inspired fabrics, wallpapers, rugs and blue willow ceramics. You will see that I have used many of these elements in our bathrooms.
The guest bathroom has been divided into two rooms with a connecting door that can be locked. This is very convenient when we have several guests staying with us and they are all trying to get ready at the same time in the morning. One room contains the toilet and a pedestal sink. The other room contains a shower and a large marble topped vanity. All the cabinetry and woodwork in our home was made on site by a craftsman that specializes in restoring 17th and 18th century homes. The vanity was built like a piece of furniture from hand planed wood, mortise and tenon joints and wood pegs. It has hand forged “H” hinges and antique porcelain knobs. The rooms have bead board wainscoting that is painted a creamy white and the walls have coordinated Asian inspired wallpaper.
I designed our master bath in much the same way as the guest bathroom in that it is divided into two rooms. My husband’s side has the toilet and a large walk in shower. There is a tall marble topped vanity built in the style of a Chinese Chippendale piece of furniture. It is painted in a bold red color, decorated with gold leaf and glazed. A window looks out onto the orchard and gives lots of natural day light. Just below, a window seat was built to hide necessary plumbing.
My side of the master bath is through a connecting door and has a claw foot tub with a chrome and porcelain handheld “British” telephone shower. I think the bathroom has a feminine feel with its marble topped dressing table, collections of crystal jars, perfume bottles and a pretty Victorian chair. Oriental carpets lay on top of pine floors in both of the rooms and give added warmth to the master bath in the winter.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve had many requests to see more of our historic New Hampshire home. I hope you have enjoyed seeing a couple of our home’s bathrooms. They probably weren’t what you were expecting to see in an old country farmhouse. Our home was remodeled to include all the modern conveniences that everyone wants in a home today but we tried to be respectful to its long history. Perhaps you will take away an idea from our New England bathrooms to use in your own bathroom.
Back Road Journal 
Your bathrooms are so pretty. I love the claw bath! And the cabinetry is outstanding. Your home is really beautiful xx
Thank you Charlie, for your nice compliment. I was very pleased with the way the cabinetry turned out…I’m glad you like it. My claw foot tub is great for soaking after a day of working in the orchard.
Splendid! I love the yellow tones and white wood together…and those blue details! Oh, the placement of the bathtub…Great work, Karen.
Hi Ela, As you can see, yellow is one of my favorite colors and I find blue to be a nice accent color. I have to say I enjoyed the design work on our home and I appreciate your lovely compliment, thank you.
Really beautiful Karen. What a lovely home you have. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thank you for your nice compliment, Kay. I’m happy to know that you enjoyed the post.
Seriously gorgeous bathrooms Karen. You’re right, your bathrooms were definitely not what I was expecting in a New England farmhouse. They have all of the modern conveniences yet retain the look and feel of the antique farmhouse. I am particularly impressed with the Chinese chinoiserie and its history now explains why my MIL loved it since she collected early American antiques. You’ve done a splendid job and thank you so much for letting us take a peek inside your gorgeous house. I look forward to more in future posts.
Sam
Thank you for your kind words, Sam. I’m happy that you enjoyed seeing a little more of our home and appreciate your lovely compliment. Yes, Chinese chinoiserie was very much in vogue in the 18th and 19th century in New England. Some of the historic homes that you can tour here in New Hampshire and Massachusetts have whole rooms beautifully decorated in that style.
The wallpaper is lovely, especially the one with the birds on it, and you have a real creative flair for interior design. Did you plan all the design yourselves?
Thank you for your lovely compliment, Grace. Yes, I did all the design work for our home. I’m glad you like the wallpaper with the birds, it is my favorite. 🙂
long story, short: I love New England and its European style, where I’ve been twice… 🙂 have a sunny Monday and a positive week! cheers, Mélanie
Hi Mélanie, I agree with you about New England, I love it too. So many of the styles of our area were brought over from Europe. Thank you for your wish, I hope you have a great week as well.
Very nice. I know people love the tubs, but I’m digging the showers.
Hi Greg, I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I agree that a steamy shower is great and I use ours most of the time. I do think a long soak in a tub after a day of working outside is very nice…I guess it is probably a girly thing. 😀
How beautiful! I love the shower seat in your Master Bath – I have one just like it in mine! My bathroom (and much of my house) is decorated in hues of blue so it matches that way instead of the Asian influence your bathrooms have. Love it!
Thank you Kelli, for your nice compliment. Having the window seat next to the shower turned out to be very convenient besides having a way to hide the plumbing. I bet your home decorated in blue is quite lovely.
Lovely yellow bird wallpaper and beautiful hardwood floors! Makes me think of a bed & breakfast but the ones I’ve been to never had such nice bathrooms.
Hi Kiki, I’m happy you like the wallpaper, it is my favorite out of all the wallpapers I used in our home. I think the wide pine floors in our home are beautiful, I’m glad you like them. Thank you for your nice compliment. 🙂
I wondering when can I move in? Oh my goodness… absolutely beautiful. We will be starting our house (after living there for 20 years, and a brand new cabin took precedence …not by my choice, and a lot of resentment on my part…but I announced on January 1st that this is the year of the house….) this year, with the kitchen starting in June. My bedroom is almost complete, with the new furniture delivered about a month ago, and now I’m trying to find a duvet that is dog friendly, but in keeping with my taste and color scheme. Problem is, I’m all about a pure white duvet…and a 100 pound black lab does not fit within that category!! 🙂
Karen, your bathrooms are gorgeous. My master bathroom has wainscoting, and I have been thinking about painting it all charcoal grey…but you’ve just made up my mind. I think I’ll go with white wainscoting and maybe charcoal grey above it. Or maybe a cape cod blue… Hmmm….
Or…you can just let me move in with you, and then I don’t have to worry about what colors to paint that bathroom!! I’ll cook and clean. I’ll be your Alice from the Brady Bunch!! 🙂 xx
Hi Prudy, I’m happy that you enjoyed the post and appreciate your lovely compliment. I think doing your master bath in white and a charcoal gray would be very striking…Cape Cod blue and white would be lovely as well, very restful and spa like. You will have to let me know what you end up doing. You gave me a real chuckle, having you as an “Alice” is hard to resist especially with your good cooking. 😀
I had no idea Chinese artistic decoration was popular in the middle of the 18th and 19th century in New England, learned something new, thanks. Love your porcelain pieces.
Both the guest bathroom and the master bathroom are huge. Dividing each into 2 is such a clever and practical idea. Your are missing a TV in the master bathroom.
Hi Norma, Chinese artistic decoration was indeed popular in New England. If your tour any of the historic homes here, you are likely to see at least one room where it was prominently displayed. I’m glad you like how I separated the bathrooms, it has worked out very well. No TV…what was I thinking. 😀
Went on a tour of the Huguenot houses in New Paltz, NY today, and there were quite a number of Chinese porcelain pieces prominently displayed.
Yes, that sounds like what I see in the historic homes here in New Hampshire. 😀
Lovely! Certainly not what I expected. I’m just back from my visit to Providence, Newport and a few other destinations. I had a lovely time and was able to see plants and trees blossom out while there.
Best,
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie, I thought everyone would be surprised with the bathrooms in our home. I’m glad you like them, thank you. I’m glad you had a nice time on your visit. Rhode Island is always a couple of weeks ahead of us in relation to gardens as is it usually warmer this time of the year. The only thing that is blooming here is the daffodils and forsythia.
Very clever and elegant Karen. How do you keep those glass shower doors so spotless? Love the Kohler Memoirs collection…I have them in my master bath.
Thank you for your nice compliment, Diane. I thought the Kohler Memoirs collection was perfect for the bathrooms as the design is similar to some of the crown moldings in our home. I have a squeegee hanging in each of the showers to use after finishing a shower…they work pretty good for keeping the glass clean.
You have a beautiful home, Karen. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Annie, for your nice compliment. I happy to know that you enjoyed seeing a portion of our historic home.
Thanks for sharing your intimate spaces with us. They are just breathtakingly beautiful.
Hi Karen, I think we all have thought of renovating rooms in our homes, especially kitchens and bathrooms. I’m glad you enjoyed the post and appreciate your lovely compliment.
love that wallpaper
Thank you Julie, I think the wallpaper gave the bathroom a little pizzazz. 🙂
a soft elegance to be sure!!! I might not want to leave such a lovely haven 🙂
I appreciate that…thanks. 🙂
Very, very snazzy bathrooms you have Karen. Pretty as a picture are your New England bathrooms.
I’m glad you like our New England bathrooms, Teresa. Thank you for your nice compliment.
Karen, let me begin by saying that I felt as if I was browsing through a fine home magazine. Your home is so very, very lovely. Your eye for detail is amazing. How very marvelous. Put me on the list of those who would love to visit your most beautiful, luxurious home. What an an elegant, warm and inviting environment you have created.
What a lovely thing to say Tin Man, I certainly do appreciate your compliment. I’m happy that you think that I’ve created a warm and inviting home. I always want my guests to feel comfortable when they visit and I’m glad that you think I have accomplished that.
Wow!!
The bathrooms are gorgeous! Wish I had a bathroom like this. I know, I would never leave it.
Thank you for your nice compliment Asmita, I’m glad you like the bathrooms. I hope someday you get the bathroom of your dreams. Mine was having an antique dressing table that would hold all my makeup. 🙂
Too true!
You have a really beautiful home, Karen. That pedestal sink looks so lovely.
Thank you Angie, I’m glad that you enjoyed the post and photos. Thank you for your nice compliment about our home.
Ok, Karen, I want to come and live in your bathroom. So absolutely gorgeous!!! Love everything about it but I especially like the blue touches in the guest bathroom and your bath tub!
Hi Nazneen, The bathrooms each have their own personality and I’m glad you like the way they turned out. I appreciate your lovely compliment, thank you!
Karen, I love how you have incorporated modern convenience and preserved the history of your home. I love the color in the guest bathroom and it is very similar in color to our master bath. I have been thinking of replacing the rugs in our bathroom and you gave me a great idea of using oriental carpets in our bath. I absolutely love blue willow with yellow. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hi Southern, I’m glad that you enjoyed the post. I did try to be true to the history of our house but you need to have all the modern conveniences to make a house into a home you can enjoy living in. I’m happy to know that I have given you some inspiration. I have oriental carpets throughout my home and find them almost indestructible because of their dense weave.
What a lovely job you’ve done!
Thank you Plumdirt, I’m glad to know that you like what I’ve done with our bathrooms…you can’t believe what the spaces looked like when we bought our home.
You are obviously a master renovator and decorator Karen. Were you living there through the 5 year renovation?
I appreciate you nice compliment, Larry. I didn’t do any of the renovating myself. I had a craftsman that I worked with. I just laid out the rooms exactly how I wanted them and drew up drawings for the cabinetry and he did the construction. Now the decorating I did do and loved it. We were living in a small townhouse in another town nearby when we bought our home. At different times the floors were taken up, walls opened and the roof was off so we could not live in the house.
Wow Karen – right out of a home decor magazine for sure. Absolutely lovely!
Thank you Linda, for your kind words, I appreciate your nice compliment.
Restoring a house the age of your is truly a labor of love. You have done a wonderful job, and I know how proud you must be of your accomplishment.
So true Darryl, it was a labor of love and we are proud of what we accomplished. I think the house will be around for many years to come because of the restoration. An old home may not be to everyone’s taste but we really enjoy living in our home.
Just gorgeous Karen! I love the detailed touches you manage throughout. And that claw foot tub is just perfect. It’s definitely on my wish list for someday. 🙂 I’m amazed at the size of the master bath too – that is glorious. Love all the natural light too. It looks very peaceful.
Hi Kristy, I’m glad that you enjoyed seeing a little more of our home and appreciate your nice compliment. The master bath was created out of a long skinny room that ran front to back in the house and was too narrow for anything other than closets and a bathroom. The natural light in my bathroom is wonderful…that is where I start my tomato seeds each year. 😀
Simply beautiful, Karen. How do you find the wood floors in the wet areas? Any special treatment to the wood required?
Hi Sheila, I’m glad you enjoyed the post and appreciate your nice compliment. We used a product called Waterlox on all the wood floors in our home. We also used it on the wood floors at our cottage on the lake in Maine. I guess you could say we are cautious with the floors in the wet areas; I put a small cotton floor towel outside the shower doors and tub to catch drips when drying off but other than that no special treatment is needed.
Simply beautiful, what a fabulous remodel you have done!
Thank you Camilla, for your nice compliment. I’m glad you enjoyed seeing how we remodeled the bathrooms in our home.
Wow – what a beautiful home you have – even down to the bathrooms.
Hi Ladyfi, I’m glad that you enjoyed seeing a little more of our home and appreciate your nice compliment.
Beautiful work. We did this once – restored an 1899 home – so I know how much work is involved. Worth all the effort, though. The guest vanity is stunning.
Hi Jovina, Seeing how you have done an old home restoration, you do know that it is worth all the effort when it is finished. I’m glad you enjoyed seeing the bathrooms. I love the white marble on the guest vanity with its beautiful veining. Thank you for your nice compliment.
How utterly beautiful! And the colors too. My taste to a T. Enjoy your bathrooms.
Thank you Flippen, I’m happy to know that our tastes are similar and that you like how I did our bathrooms. I appreciate it compliment. 🙂
I’m suffering from bathroom envy. They’re all beautiful.
Hi Boleyn, That happens to me sometimes when I’m looking at home decor magazines…everything looks so pretty and different from what we have. I’m glad you like the bathrooms…thank you for your nice compliment.
That claw tub is wonderful! As if the whole bathroom, frankly — outstanding decorating job. True to its roots, yet modern and convenient — the best of both worlds.
Hi John, I’m glad you like my little claw foot tub…how could I live in a historic home and not have one in a bathroom. 🙂 I appreciate your lovely compliment, thank you!
I’m impressed by the sheer amount of detail that went into each bathroom in your home. It’s fun and challenging to think of creative ways to add modern features to bathrooms while still sticking true to the original architecture and style. Great job!
Hi Samantha, Thank you for stopping by for a visit. I tried to create bathrooms that would fit in with the history of our home but still have all the comforts you would find in a modern home. I’m happy to know that you like how I designed them and appreciate your lovely compliment.
When I read one of your previous post I thought your house looked like something out of This Old House only better. Now I am convinced. Your home is lovely.
That is so kind of you Madonna. I’m happy that you have enjoyed the posts about our old house and how we have remodeled it. I appreciate your lovely compliment, thank you. 🙂
Yellow has always been my favorite color—I love your use of it. Gorgeous bathrooms and oh, the floors. I just love them. Karen, you have a very beautiful home!
Hi Sue, I have had two homes that were yellow on the outside and I have used various shades of yellow on the interior of many of them. It is such a happy color, I’m glad to know that you like it as well. I think the wide pine floors are beautiful, some are about two feet wide. I appreciate you lovely compliment, as usual. I was going to show a photo of my tomato seedlings growing in my bathroom since you wanted to see how they were doing. but the post was getting long. They will be heading out to the potting shed next week and I’ll get a photo up for you soon. 🙂
Hello Karen, your bathrooms are really lovely. I am looking forward to hearing more about the house and seeing images of it when you next write about it on the blog. 😉
Thank you for your nice compliment, B. I appreciate that so many of my readers have asked to see more of our home and I’ll try to do another post in the near future.
Beautiful upscale New England baths! Gorgeous…
Hi Marigene, I’m glad that you enjoyed the post. Thank you for your nice compliment, it is very much appreciated.
Simply beautiful!
Thank you Heather, I’m happy to know that you like the way I designed the bathrooms.
I love your house as much as your recipes, Karen.
How nice David, I appreciate that. I know I have a lot of foodies out there that enjoy my recipes but my journal wouldn’t feel complete unless I wrote about our life here in New England. Thank you for your lovely compliment. 🙂
Beautiful! I love wainscot 🙂
Hi Helen, I thought our craftsman did a wonderful job making the wainscot, so much of what you see today is made from wood composites. I’m glad you enjoyed the post, thank you!
Your craftsman certainly did do a good job!
We were very lucky to find him.
How lovely to see more of your beautiful home! Just back from Massachusetts, and I have to say, I really miss New England.
Thank you Ksenia, I’m always happy to know that you enjoy the posts about our home and appreciate you lovely comment. New England does have a way of making you love everything about it.
Karen…you did well capturing the essence of your home and it’s history in the way you’ve done these stunning bathrooms! And oh, how I would love to have an area of my own in the master bath as you do! Lovely!!
XO,
Jane
Thank you Jane, I appreciate your kind words. I’m happy to know that you think I have been true to the history of our house in the way I designed the bathrooms. I really am lucky that I have my own space in our master bath, especially when we are both trying to get ready at the same time. 🙂
Your home is just stunning! So much attention to detail and thoughtful planning has gone into the design. It is lovely.
Hi Mary, I’m happy to know that you enjoyed the post and appreciate your nice compliment about our home…thank you. I did do a lot of research on what I thought would be appropriate for our historic home but still comfortable for ourselves and our guests.
Karen, they all beautiful! I’m very interested in the wooden flooring – over here, almost all bathrooms are tiled with drain holes in the floor – does your floor cope ok with all the wet traffic?
Thank you for your compliment, Celia. I’m happy to know that you enjoyed seeing the bathrooms and you like how I designed them. As far as our floors, we don’t have any problems. When using the showers, I put a small cotton floor towel on the floor to catch drips when getting out but other than that there really isn’t any water to deal with as the showers have tall glass enclosures.
Lovely design! I miss New England.
Hi Lynda, New England does capture your heart…I think it is special. I’m glad that you like how I designed our New England bathrooms and thank you for your compliment.
What fabulous luxurious bathrooms. I love the red basin unit. And your side of the master bath is so feminine without being overly girlie. GG
Hi GG, Thank you for your lovely compliment…I’m happy to know that you like my bathroom designs. My husband loves the red vanity that I designed for him. It is a higher than a normal vanity and has a wonderful deep red granite top that gives it a masculine feel. I totally agree with you about my side, I do think it has a feminine feel to it, especially with the antique dressing table. 🙂
Beautiful bathrooms… must admit that I like your side of the bathroom best! And those floorboards are just fantastic. Are they the original flooring?
Thank you Sarah, for your lovely compliment. I’m glad you like my side of the bathroom, it has everything I wanted. A little claw foot tub to fit my short height and an antique dressing table. The floors in most of the house are all original wide pine pumpkin pine. The two foot floorboards in my portion of the master bathroom are from lumber that was cut from huge pine trees in Maine about 25 years ago when the previous owners started an addition to our home but never finished.
Karen, wow, wow, wow!! Just beautiful. May I come and stay? xox
Hi Lizzy, I’m glad you like my New England bathrooms, thank you! If you cooked me one of your wonderful dishes, your stay would be memorable. 🙂
What a stunning home. Both out and inside. But that bath of yours! I’d be terrified of using it. As water would be flooding everywhere. Unfortunately, I’m the clumsy type!
That aside, I love your floors. Those boards are much wider than they would be over here.
Thank you Johnny, I’m always happy to know how much you enjoy my posts about our home and appreciate your nice compliments. I don’t know about you British and Australians…you are all worried about flooding the wood floors. You must think a tub is like a small swimming pool with all the splashing you all are mentioning. 😀 I can have the water up to my neck and never have it splash out of the tub. Yes, the floorboards are much wider in our home because they came from old growth pine trees.
Charm, elegance and comfort quite ‘hide’ the practical needs of the rooms! Especially like that your clawfoot tub is next to a low window . . . hope you manage a few retreats when it is still light outside. My appurtenances are not of the same size, but we both seem to like a painting or two and a good rug . . . . friends have asked why I keep such in a ‘bathroom’ – well, it is part of my home and who I am to . . . 🙂 !
I appreciate your kind words, Eha. I’m happy to know that you enjoyed seeing our New England bathrooms. Yes, I do like to have paintings and other pretty items in the bathroom…they give the rooms a relaxing feel to help sooth your body and mind as you start or end the day. Thank you for your compliment. 🙂
Absolutely beautiful bathroom!!! Just stunning. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Hi Velva, I’m glad you enjoyed the post about our bathrooms and appreciate your nice compliment, thank you!
How beautiful & extraordinary is your home. I love the detail & thoughtfulness you’ve added in designing your idea home, including the practicality for everyday situations too. It’s such a clever way to use those spaces and (eventually) when we begin renovations for our first home next year (yay!) I’ll be considering some of those clever spacing arrangements.
Love, love the Chippendale basin too. Beautiful cabinetry indeed.
Thank you for your kind words, Alli, I’m glad that someone with your artistic talents enjoyed seeing the bathrooms in our historic home. My husband loves his red Chippendale vanity. I’m be happy if you can take away a few ideas when doing renovations to your home. 🙂
I’m absolutely in love with the idea of separating the shower & amenities with those useful doors. It’s such a useful solution for those spaces:)
Elegant and charming Karen. Such a beautiful home and I remember some of your other posts featuring other rooms in your house, as well as the grounds! I sat here a moment wondering what it would be like to live in a home built in the 1730’s and by looking at your photographs I can see how special it must feel. I’m so impressed by your design and color choices. It doesn’t seem like it would be an easy task with your home, just trying to stay true to it’s history. Very inspiring.
Hi Seana, I”m happy to know that you have enjoyed the posts that I have done about our home in New Hampshire. There have been many times that I have wondered how life was for the families that have lived in our home. I appreciate your lovely compliment about how I’ve designed my home, thank you so much.
An almost three hundred year old house must be something special to live in… to think it was already there when the French Revolution started. The inside is so fresh and with a country feel I love. Great job Karen 🙂
Hi Didi, Our house is considered very old for our country and we do think it is special. I’m glad that you like how we have renovated our home and appreciate your nice compliment.
What gorgeous bathrooms Karen! You are very talented. Love all the details and finishes and now I’m in love with your red Master Bath Vanity. Just heavenly 🙂
Thank you Judit, I’m happy that you enjoyed the post and appreciate your lovely compliment. I’m glad you like the red vanity…my husband loves it.
Your bathrooms are looking very stylish, chique even! Waw! Thanks for the sneak in!
Thank you Sophie, I’m glad you enjoyed the post about our bathrooms…I’m happy you like them.
🙂 x
Absolutely stunning and by the number of comments here everyone agrees! Now, I’m just off to grab my towel and shower cap so that I can have a long soak in that huge tub of yours 😉
Hi Tanya, I’m happy that you and others enjoy the posts I do about our home. Thank you for your nice compliment. BTW, the tub is much smaller than you think…I picked it out because I am short and most tubs are too long for me to stretch out in. 😀
Such a classy bathroom, the design is exquisite 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you for your nice compliment, Uru. I’m glad you like the way I designed the bathrooms.
Hi Karen, It is not surprising that even your bathrooms are gorgeous! I loved how you were able to respect the historical integrity while giving them a modern touch. Your tradesman is quite gifted, too. Absolutely lovely! Dana
Thank you Dana, I’m happy that you have enjoyed the posts that I have done about our home. I appreciate your nice compliment as always. Yes, the craftsman who worked on our home was wonderful. He shared so much information with me on how homes were built in the 18th century and even used the same tools from the period when he worked on our home.
Oh I just love that Karen! What treasures those people are who put such care into their craft.
Thanks for such a fun peek into your beautiful home Karen. You did a great job of modernizing and yet keeping the feel of warmth and charm. I want to come and soak in that lovely claw foot tub.
Hi Chris, I’m happy that you enjoyed the post about the bathrooms in our historic home. A soak in the little tub with lavender bath salts is a nice relaxing way to end the day. 🙂
Gorgeous!
Hi Jeannee, I’m glad you like the bathrooms…thank you. I hope you are well, I’ve missed your posts.
Thanks for noticing. Hoping to get back to things soon!
I never realized New England had its own style! So beautiful!
Thank you Joanne, for your nice compliment, I’m glad you like the bathrooms. I do think New England has a style. Think of classic colonial homes filled with antiques, grey shingled Cape Cod and Nantucket homes with white walls, canvas slipcovered chairs and old bamboo and wicker accent pieces.
they are beautiful! Absolutely stunning and such a perfect combo of classic and modern take
Hi Jessica, I’m glad you like the bathrooms and I appreciate your lovely compliment about them, thank you so much.
Lovely, truly lovely. You have a particular style that I similarly am drawn to. Thank you for the inspiration!
Hi Jane, I appreciate your visit and lovely compliment. I’m happy to know that you enjoyed the post about how I designed my bathrooms. I am always thrilled if one of my posts inspire a reader in someway. 🙂
How beautiful, Karen! I have incorporated many of my family “heirlooms” and antiques into my home, as well as our bathrooms, although our rooms are considerably smaller. I do have a clawfoot tub in our master bath, and as we get ready to remodel a small back guesthouse I’m thinking of adding another. I am very partial to them. 🙂 I am always inspired by decorating I admire, so any time you choose to share more from your gorgeous home, I’ll be waiting. 🙂
Thank you Debra, I’m happy that you enjoy the posts I do about our home. I’ve had so many requests from readers who are interested in our home and I’ll be happy to do another in the future. I sounds like our homes are similarly decorated even though we are on different coasts of our country. I’m glad that you enjoy a claw foot tub like I do, not only are they cute but they are perfect for a long relaxing soak. 🙂
To be a guest in your house would be just lovely – between the décor and your cooking, it must be hard to get your visitors to leave! Thanks for sharing your incredible remodel!
Thank you David, I appreciate your nice compliment about our home and my cooking, that is very nice. I must say that our guests do seem to have a nice time when they come to visit. 🙂
OMG your house is stunning. I do really love the details that old New England homes have. They’re really some of the most beautiful I’ve seen. Thanks for sharing this. I love how you talk about it, with true passion.
Thank you for your kind words, Amanda. I’m happy that you enjoyed the post. I do agree with you about the wonderful character in New England homes.
Gorgeous! Did you take lots of before photos? No doubt a huge difference. I like the look of wainscoting in bathrooms!
Hi Sandra, I think the wainscoting if one of the features that give that gives the bathrooms character, I’m glad you like it and appreciate your nice compliment. Yes, we have years worth of before photos…it is a huge change. 🙂
Oh how charming, Karen. Definitely not what I was expecting. Many of the old houses here in central PA are in the Victorian style. Although I do love them, they sometimes can be a bit drab. Your bathrooms look fresh and sunny with just the right accents. I can see it took a lot of planning and care on your part.
Thank you so much for letting us stroll through your lovely house…
Hi Louise, I’m glad that you enjoyed the post and were surprised with the design. I know what you mean about some old houses being drab. I think when designing a room, you can be do it in a way that reflects the history of the home but also in a way that suits your individual taste. I appreciate your nice compliment, thank you.
Simply stunning, Karen! I love to see what people do with their homes. I absolutely love old houses that are treasured. Here in Sacramento, there are plenty of Victorian homes that have been restored to their original beauty. That is a labor of love. But it also a glimpse of history and American heritage. Your attention to detail is sooooooo awesome! Thank you for being so gracious and giving us a tour.
Thank you Arlene, I appreciate your kind words. You are right about it being a labor of love; many people would have just torn it down and built a new home. You do have some splendid Victorian homes on the west coast.
Absolutely gorgeous Karen & such beautiful taste to save the authentic look. Of course you scared me for a minute there because I’m sure you can guess at another “classic” New England bathroom, commonly found on old farm 🙂
I would love a claw foot tub, especially one with a chair beside it – it just seems so cozy & romantic to me. The marble in the guest bath is also gorgeous! I’m also such a huge fan of dropping a sink into a chest as you’ve done with the Chippendale piece. When we remodeled our kitchen it had to include the 1/2 bath downstairs & I looked high & low for a piece to drop a soapstone sink into…alas, size constraints & exhaustion preventing me from doing that but at least I found a nice chest of drawers w/sink at Crate & Barrel that looks like a piece of furniture.
You’ve got exquisite tastes and your home is so welcoming. You must have problems with getting guests to actually leave.
Hi Diane, I’m glad you enjoyed seeing our bathrooms. I know the look you wanted in your bathroom. Our last home in Florida was a Spanish Revival home built in 1904. The women who owned the house before us had taken the top off a beautiful antique dresser, replaced it with pink marble and dropped in a beautiful sink. You could still use all the drawers except one which made for great storage for everything a woman needs to get ready each day. I appreciate your lovely compliment, thank you. Our guests do seem to enjoy themselves when visiting, especially in the fall when they can walk right out the front door and pick apples. 🙂
I really admire your attention to detail – the faucets, sinks, tub and wallpaper are exquisite. Your pictures are beautiful and I’m so glad you provided captions to explain even more. You have a gorgeous home Karen!
Thank you so much for your lovely compliment, Meg. I’m happy to know that you enjoyed the post. I believe the small details are what can your home special to you and your family, I’m glad you like what it did. 🙂
Karen – you have the most amazing taste! Thanks for sharing this with us – the bathrooms are sooo lovely. I esp. liked the yellow wallpaper with the blue birds because I’d seen some very much like it this past fall on a mansion tour in the Berkshires. I was totally enamored with that wallpaper and just kept staring at it. In fact, I think I might’ve even taken a photo of it! (I can’t remember the name of the place I visited…. when I do, I’ll let you know… then you may be able see ‘your wallpaper’ on display there!)
Thank you Cecile, I appreciate your kind words. I’m happy that you enjoyed seeing our New England style bathrooms. I thought the wallpaper was wonderful when I first saw it and it seems to be a favorite with many of my readers. As you can see, it brings color to a room that faces north and only has a small window.
Found it – Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum in Lenox, MA !!! I ‘googled’ photos from there but couldn’t find any of the gorgeous wallpaper. You have the most wonderful decorating sense – and the people from the ‘Gilded Age’ would agree with you!
I haven’t been in that area of the Berkshires for a couple of years. I’ll have to see if I can’t plan a trip sometime in the future as I’ve never been to that mansion. Now I’m going to have to look and see if I can find the name of the wallpaper…then try googling it. 🙂 Thank you again for your lovely compliment, it is much appreciated.
I very much enjoyed my visit there AND they also have an amazing exhibit of ‘dolls’ all dressed in gorgeous Victorian outfits. The dolls and the gorgeous dresses and hats etc. were all made by the same man. This year I am def. planning to visit Edith Wharton’s home in the Berkshires – it closes in the autumn. I was so excited when I recently visited the Biltmore Estate and saw the name of Mrs. Edward Wharton on one of the guest room doors!!
On my last trip to the Berkshires, I visited Edith Wharton’s home…The Mount. There has been a lot of restoration work to the home and gardens since then so I’m sure you will enjoy your visit.
Thanks! I’m looking forward to my visit !!
WOW! I was not expecting anything like this. You’ve done a masterful job of the renovating. I can hardly wrap my mind around such beautiful, yet functional, bathrooms!
I appreciate your lovely compliment, Kathryn. I think a lot of my readers have been surprised by the bathrooms in my old home. I’m happy to know you enjoyed how I have designed and decorated them, thank you.
How utterly beautiful, Karen! You are so talented at planning and decorating. 🙂 That tub is to die for. 🙂
Hi Krista, I’m happy you like my bathrooms and appreciate your kind words, thank you. It was fun designing and decorating this home as it is very different from the homes we had in Florida where we used to live. I love my little tub, it is a great place to relax after a day of working in the orchard. 🙂
Very beautiful bathrooms, like coming out of a magazine!
I appreciate your lovely compliment, Katerina. I’m glad you enjoyed seeing my bathrooms and like their design, thank you!
That looks so cozy specially that tub, I’ve seen a lot of those styles here in NZ as there are still lots of colonial houses standing here
Hi Raymund, I’m glad you enjoyed the post, thank you. One thing I enjoy about having blogging friends all over the world is finding all the things we have in common. Thinking about your country’s history, I would imagine that New Zealand would have similar colonial homes from when the British first started settling there. I’m happy that a lot of them are still standing. 🙂
I think you should be a designer and have a design blog. Love everything about this post. You are so very very talented!
Hi Lindy, You gave me a big smile with your nice compliment. I really appreciate your kind words and I’m happy you enjoyed the post. 😀
I read your post some time ago and just had the opportunity to comment now. Your renovation is exquisite! Did you use a designer or is that all you? I cannot imagine going through reno’s for five years, and you’re still married ;-)! Our kitchen reno (we added 100 square feet) was only 6 months from beginning to end, it was difficult. We probably should not have stayed in the house but we did, live and learn.
It’s absolutely wonderful that you have been able to renovate your home so tastefully and in the style it was originally.
Thank you for your nice compliment, Eva. I did all the design, layout and decorating work on our home myself and was on site throughout the restoration. It was a labor of love that I truly enjoyed. We couldn’t live in the house because the entire first floor was taken up so that rotten beams could be replace through the basement, walls jacked back into place and the entire roof was removed at one point…it was a ground up restoration.
This is an absolutely gorgeous space, Karen! I love the charm of old New England homes, but even better when they’re spiffed up a bit (with character kept in tact). You’ve truly done wonders to your beautiful home with these improvements!
Thank you Georgia, I appreciate your lovely compliment. The old homes here in New England do have a lot of charm and I’m happy that you like what I’ve done with our home. 🙂
I have to admit, I never seen two separate bathrooms like that before, it’s an awesome idea! I’m with everyone here, everything is so beautiful, I especially like the bathroom with a seat and shower 🙂
Hi Andy, I’m glad you like my design that divides the bathrooms into separate rooms. It lets two people get ready at the same time without being in each other’s way. I appreciate your lovely compliment, thank you. 🙂
It’s awesome 🙂 I hope you are having a great week so far 🙂
Karen, you are incredibly talented in so many ways. Your cooking always impresses me and now your decorating sends me to the moon and back. You didn’t miss a thing.
In Australia, most bathrooms have a separate room for the toilet. It was weird at first but now I’m used to it.
I appreciate your lovely compliment, Maureen. It is so nice to know that you enjoyed the post about our home as well as the ones I do on cooking, thank you so much. A toilet is often separated in the hotel rooms we have stay at in Europe and it does make sense.
I love that you kept the feel of the original house. We have a separate toilet in our bathroom, handmade wood tops but an open shower and bath arrangement 🙂
Thank you for your nice compliment, Tandy. I believe that if you buy an historic home that you do need to try and appreciate what its past has to offer and work with that. I can just imagine how nice your home is…the wood tops in your bathroom must be lovely.
It must be a real challenge to redo an old house and maintain its character and integrity. Your decor is stunning, Karen. I love the white woodwork and your use of soft colors and patterns. Just gorgeous!
Thank you Cathy, for your lovely compliment…I’m happy that you enjoyed the post. Actually it wasn’t as hard as you think as many old styles are as popular today as they were many years ago.
Karen, I love your decorating style. Gorgeous and romantic baths. It is like being on a holiday at a beautiful bed and breakfast every day. Take Care, BAM
Hi Bam, I’m happy to know that you like my decorating style, as you can see…it is very traditional. I appreciate your lovely compliment, thank you.
Wow Karen, both bathrooms look awesome…you sure did a great job. I love the how you decorated them…so cosy.
Thanks for let us take a peek of your home…hope you are enjoying your week : D
Hi Juliana, I’m glad that you enjoyed taking another peak into our home and liked the bathrooms. Thank you for your nice compliment and wish, I hope you are having a nice week as well.
I love it. This bathroom is so elegant and classic. You are truly talented.
Hi Amy, I’m happy to know that you enjoyed the post and like the way I designed the bathrooms. Thank you for your lovely compliment, it is much appreciated.
The Chinoiserie is so pretty, Karen 🙂 What an elegant home you have!
Hi Jo, I love chinoiserie…I’m glad you like it too. I appreciate your lovely compliment, thank you!
ok, now I officially hate our bathrooms. 🙂 Absolutely stunning Karen.
Oh you gave me such a laugh with your comment, Lea Ann. 😀 Your bathrooms can’t be that bad but I do appreciate your lovely compliment about mine…thank you!
Very pretty, Karen. I would love to be a guest in such a beautiful space!
Thank you Susan, for your nice compliment. I do try to make our guests feel comfortable when they visit.
I love learning about new architectural styles. I just realised that I have stayed in a lodge that was decorated in this style. It was lovely!
Hi Lorraine, I love looking a home design books just for that reason. You like to travel in style so I’m sure the lodge was wonderful. Thank you for your nice comment.
Cada pieza y muebles de estilo me encanta y el baño es precioso,gracias por su comentario,abrazos Karen.
Hi Rosita, Me alegro de que haya disfrutado de los muebles y los cuartos de baño y aprecio su encantadora cumplido. Thank you as always for your visit and comment. 🙂
Love the bathroom, especially the vanity and the slightly distressed look. What a beautiful job Karen!
Thank you Pamela, I’m glad that you enjoyed the post about my bathrooms and appreciate your nice compliment.
A home built in the 1730’s? Bet it had some amazing character to build on. Looks like you have maintained the feeling of the times and the beauty of the times as well. Gorgeous bathrooms and I absolutely love the Master bath Vanity! Thanks for sharing your home!
Hi MJ, The nice thing about the house was the size of the rooms. Unfortunately, we had to undo a lot of what time and others had done to it over the years to bring it back to its former beautiful self. I’m happy to know that you like what we did and appreciate your lovely compliment. Thank you so much.
What a fabulous bathroom! It’s the kind of room one wouldn’t want to leave in a hurry. Enjoy!
Thank you for your nice compliment, Fatima. I’m glad you enjoyed the post about our bathrooms.
Wow, Karen! You did a great job designing the bathrooms. They are simply gorgeous as well as functional.
Hi Denise, I’m glad you like how I designed the bathrooms. You are right, they are very functional. I appreciate your lovely compliment, thank you.
Gorgeous bathrooms….love that tub and the vanity
Thank you Donna, I’m glad you like the bathrooms and appreciate your nice compliment.
Wonderful how you have combined modern convenience with traditional style!
Hi Afra, I’m glad that you like the way I designed the bathrooms, thank you.
That claw-foot tub… I’ve always wondered what it must be like to take a bath in such a tub… I’ve always taken baths in tubs which have been surrounded by at least two walls, sometimes three. To be in a tub like that I think I should feel very… naked, I guess.
I love the floors in the guest bathroom – really nice!
Hi Charles, I do hope you get a chance to enjoy a bath in a claw foot tub someday. They have high sides which is nice for a long soak in deep water. Our house does have wonderful wide pine floors, I’m glad you like them. Thank you!
It’s surprisingly similar to the set-up used in older English houses, particularly in the southeast. Lovely.
Hi Misky, One of the things I enjoy about blogging is finding out the things that we all have in common no matter where we live. I’m glad you enjoyed the post, thank you.
Oh my gosh, I love your bathrooms! Totally my style. I particularly like the rugs that you have in them. Do you find they hold up well to wet feet and dripping bodies? How do you clean them? I really want to put something similar in my bathroom…
Hi Amy, I’m glad that you enjoyed seeing our bathrooms and appreciate your compliment. Oriental carpets are very dense and really resist wear, the one on my husband’s side is an antique that is several hundred years oil. I just vacuum them to keep then clean. Whenever I’m going to use the shower (or the tub) I place one of the small toweling bath mats right outside the shower door to step on when I get out. It then gets tossed into the laundry with the towels so the carpets never get soaked.
I wish I could have at least one item from one of your bathrooms. I particularly love the bath next to the window (I cannot live without a bath… when I’m on holidays in a hotel I never sit in baths, but at home… bath is obligatory). I think I could choose one of your bathrooms as my room. I would be happy to stay for hours reading, drinking a glass of wine… Thank you so much for sharing your interiors with us. They are very inspiring.
Thank you Sissi, for your lovely compliment. I think you would really enjoy my little tub. I have all kinds of bath salts that I like to use for a nice long soak and there is a large maple tree right outside the window…I am often serenaded by birdsong. You made me smile about spending time reading in my bathroom. During the winter it is one of the places that gets wonderful warm sunshine in the morning. It is very pleasant to have a cup of tea and read…usually blogs. 🙂
Wow, when can I check in???? How beautiful, but it’s the style I was expecting from you; Homely, warm, inviting and beautiful.
Love the wallpaper, just my favorite shade of yellow. The bathroom looks big as my bedroom.
An amazing job, Karen. And you eye for every little detail is so delicate.
Thank you for your kind words, Viveki. I’m happy to know that you enjoyed seeing our bathrooms and like how I have decorated them…I appreciate your lovely compliment.
You have done a fantastic job, that guest bathroom … I could use that as a bedroom .. the bathtub is so beautiful, but I wonder how I will be able to use the shower – without soaking the whole bathroom. *laughing
I never use the shower handle on the little tub except when I’m cleaning the tub…you are right, there would be water everywhere. 🙂 Thank goodness, I’ve got my husband’s big walk in shower with the glass door when I want an invigorating shower.
I’m such splash-er when I shower – I wouldn’t dare to take a shower in your bathroom. *smile – and I’m not a tub person neither, so I think I have to borrow your husband’s walk-in !!! *smile
Good Evening Karen, My word, your bathrooms are beautiful. I especially love the yellow wallpaper which you have chosen it is so lovely.
I also love blue and white and I noticed you had a few pieces dotted around.
I also love your dressing table and chair they are exquisite. You have beautiful taste Karen and it was a treat to take a peek inside your bathrooms.
Reading this comment back to myself, I notice I have used the word “love” quite a lot…… yes it’s true….. I love your bathroom.
Best Wishes
Daphne
Thank you Daphne, for your kind words. I’m happy that you enjoyed the post about our bathrooms and appreciate your lovely compliment.
Thank-you so much for always inviting us into your beautiful home, Karen! You and your husband have done such a wonderful job maintaining its historic character while still putting your own character into it as well. Very beautiful 🙂
Hi Ruth, I’m happy to know that you enjoy the posts I done about our home in New Hampshire. I appreciate your lovely compliment, as always…thank you!
Karen, I simply adore your guest bathroom – even the waste pipe under the toilet looks stylish!
Emma 🙂
Hi Emma, Thank you for stopping by for a visit and your nice compliment. I’m glad that you enjoyed the post about our home’s bathrooms.
Such a dream ❤ really stylish yet classic decor, adore your style 🙂
Thank you Elementary, for your nice compliment. I’m glad that you like my style of decorating. 🙂
fantastic!! LOVE the yellow wallpaper!
Hi Carol, The yellow wallpaper seems to be a favorite with everyone. Thank you for your compliment.