Things were pretty quiet this year for the Fourth of July. Everyone had plans, so we enjoyed a night at home with lawn chairs set out to enjoy fireworks all across the sky.
Ready to view the neighbors’ fireworks displays!
Since we didn’t get to open our doors to family and friends on the 4th, I decided to welcome you all to our home for a cozy Americana decor tour. I hope you feel the welcoming warmth and cozy touches… from the blue arbor and winding pathway, to our quaint front porch and even backyard greenhouse. I’ve also included my Top 10 Americana Decor Tips to help in creating your own red, white and blue-tiful summer.
Wildflowers are blooming! The whimsical cottage arbor is painted Wildflower blue and is covered with Wisteria vines. They’ve yet to bloom though; maybe it’s too shady.
I like to beckon and draw people closer with beautiful sites… like flowers and vintage goodies on display.
A word of Welcome to express my desire for friends and family to know that they are welcome here.
Just enough room on this porch for plants, pretties, a place to sit… and holiday decorations!
Our vintage door is darling as can be with a bow and hanging stars.
Aren’t these thrifted patriotic bears adorable?! This pillow cover sold me with its truck load of summer sunflowers.
Red, white and blue watering cans, flags, and a patriotic birdhouse adorn this step stool. Using both real and faux flowers creates a pretty picture.
Come on in… and come on up!
We live in a split-level house. My husband uses the downstairs for his office and hobbies. Upstairs is where all the gathering happens. I’ve poured my heart into creating a place where people feel loved, safe and at home. I pray you experience the comfy cozy love as soon as you cross the threshold!
Displaying colorful quilts is a wonderful way to decorate for an Americana Summer… and the Fourth of July.
I like displaying this quilt over the railing. It’s big, bold and beautiful. You’ll find this same pattern over the couch and comfy chair. Katie Mae says hello! She’s our door greeter.
Our other little greeters… They don’t bark. These cuties were a gift from a dear friend many years ago. My husband restores old cars and trucks, so he likes it when I use small replicas for decor. You’ll notice several little trucks on display.
Quilts, quilts, everywhere quilts… in the foyer, over the railing and at the landing! I’m quite fond of quilt patterns and even have several painted barn star versions on display in our dining room. It all comes together from one room to the next in that flowing cottage style that I so adore.
First impressions…
An old chippy door is the first thing you’ll see at the top of the stairs, surrounded by flower filled crock jugs and an ever-changing quilt. Split-level landings can be awkward, but I dress ours up with warmth and coziness to beckon family and friends into our living room. Colors, patterns and little details help to create that Americana look.
This chippy old door is a restore score, and I HAD to have it the minute I saw it! We hung it as a barn style door for the kitchen doorway. It’s almost always open, except for large holiday gatherings, when we need to protect the home baked pies from our dogs.
Sunflowers and daisies are blooming in our comfy cottage.
I keep a box full of red, white and blue decorations stored in the closet. I look forward each summer to decorating with the goodies inside of it. Here are a couple of pieces from Target’s Dollar Spot. I like blending old with new, past with present.
From his and hers…. To OUR style
My husband and I have been married for ten years. I was a widow who moved into his bachelor pad, along with my two daughters. We joke that his decor style is car parts… everywhere, large car parts like a fender in the sunroom or hood in the family room. He’s definitely all about the practical, and not pretty. AND he likes antiques, dark brown, of course.
A view into our living room… My husband’s comfy chair, as he fondly calls it, is the inspiration for our home’s name, Comfy Lane Cottage!
While he’s functional, I’m frou frou. I prefer my home to look pretty… warm and bright, comfy cozy, colorful and visually pleasing. AND I like antiques too, often painted in happy colors, of course.
Once married, we set up house with pieces of his and pieces of her furniture blended together. We were a blended family.
This old old jelly jar cabinet, a birthday gift from my husband a few years ago, is the perfect piece of furniture for this spot. I like mixing stained furniture with painted furniture, as shown here with the cabinet and bright blue chair.
Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore changed everything for my husband and me. For several years, we had a long standing Friday date of coffee and ReStore. So fun! Together we found all kinds of bargain antiques and vintage furniture, as well as vintage collectibles, used in transforming our home from his and hers to OURS, just our style.
I collect lonely old chairs without mates from ReStore, usually on clearance for $1. They’re given a colorful new life, and are perfect for extra seating when we host large gatherings. Here’s another one adorned with an Americana pillow cover. Did you notice the stained glass square in a red basket pattern?!
Speaking of cozy, Katie Mae knows all the cozy spots in our home. She always photo bombs when I pull out my camera. Do you like the old cedar chest, an estate sale bargain? The veneer was falling off, so my husband was on board with a white washing. Thanks, Babe!!! Usually, he prefers brown, brown and more brown furniture.
This is where we gather as a family to laugh and watch movies together. It’s important for my grown children to feel comfy and at home when they visit. Lots of comfy cozy seating!
Such a cute foot stool…. another ReStore find!
This is our idea of HOME… lots of pillows, quilts, throws and color! Red, white and blue – tiful!
My mom-in-love crocheted the blue and white pinwheel afghan. It’s a must for snuggling. The matching pinwheel patterned quilt hung over the blue bench was one of my first big girl quilts from at least 20 years ago.
This vintage rocker was purchased by my husband in El Salvador decades ago. He gave me permission to paint it white. Can you see the balance of stained and painted furniture? I kept the trunk, church doors, and mantel in natural wood, while painting the bench Wildflower blue and the rocker white. Fun fact: those church doors were rescued from an old church being demolished and were the backdrop for our outdoor wedding ceremony.
Look at the hand carved details on the rocker! Both the bench and mantel were scored on Friday ReStore dates. The mantel was a perfect fit and completely transformed our fireplace. Lots of pillows, quilts, throws and flowers, all in red, white and blue adding to the Americana look.
I’ve collected many old wooden windows over the years. This one was my first, found curbside in my previous neighborhood where I raised my 4 children. I’m sentimental when decorating. Another 50’s style pick-up truck paired with our oil lantern collection.
Two become one…
The living room and dining room are two open spaces that feel like one big room, adding to the coziness of our comfy cottage. Both rooms flow well from one to the other. I achieve this by coordinating colors (for summer red, white and blue) and furniture styles, again balancing the darker stained pieces with a white table and corner cabinet, as well as my favorite yellow bench. The white antique table, a $10 ReStore score, found during a romantic Friday thrifting date, is a new addition and brightens the dining room. I’m thrilled with how it looks!
I’m a big fan of hanging whimsical garlands on old antiques… adding color and festivity to the room. Everyday feels like a celebration.
Behind the lace, the antique secretary holds our collected Christmas village. Rather than box it up after Christmas, I hide it with the lace panels. It’s kind of a secret!
This old secretary cabinet was in my mom-in-love’s house for many years, a gift from my husband. When she moved into a retirement apartment, we inherited it for our home. It fits our style perfectly.
My first lonely old chair… I bought it at a garage sale about 30 years ago. It’s a good place to display my husband’s Bible collection.
I use a lot of faux flowers when decorating. For summer, sunflowers are one of my favorites. They add pops of needed color and match the yellow bench. I also have red, white and blue flowers displayed in the wall basket to continue the Americana color scheme.
We have a fairly large dining room; I just like to fill it with beautiful old furniture. It’s full, but warm and cozy!
Bandana fabric over the back of our yellow bench adds to the Americana look. The fabric came in a big tub of fabric and quilt squares for $10 from ReStore. What a bargain! I used it recently to decorate for our church’s VBS, a Western theme.
Although a window on this wall would have been a great source of light, I don’t mind because it allows for more antique furniture, our weakness.
I store dishes in this old cabinet… plates, teacups and saucers. I always display plates here to match the current decor theme and color scheme. In this picture, blue and white floral plates are layered with red plates behind them.
Raggedy Ann and Andy are ready for the Fourth of July parade. I purchased this truly raggedy couple from an Instagram friend. Andy’s feet have been chewed on, and his hat is barely hanging on. To me, that just adds character to our adorable and nostalgic centerpiece. Don’t be afraid to use items that are worn or chipped. They’re a conversation piece with a story.
Things are a little crowded from this view. I need to move the smaller sewing cabinet, but I also need to display my vintage red Remington typewriter, especially for July 4th.
This cabinet was a $12 ReStore find. Once part of a built-in, it’s a bit worn, but adds to the charm of such a piece of furniture. I always line the back of the cabinet shelves with wallpaper or wrapping paper, except at Halloween… the back boards are a bright orange! This cabinet is perky with all of the coffee percolators. A hanging flag is all she needs.
Another view of our bargain table. My husband’s childhood dining table is almost exactly the same, but he wouldn’t let me paint it white. We have an agreement that I will only paint (or ruin, in his eyes!) antiques that I score for really really cheap…. like this $10 table.
The gingham blue curtains in the distance have such a wonderful and cozy country cottage feel. Notice the curbside mantel repurposed as a bookcase. It’s definitely a sentimental piece, restored by my first husband.
I have an affinity for barn star quilt patterns. The one on the left was made by an Amish grandpa, my first star.
The center star was bought unfinished for $1 at a moving sale. The star was drawn in pencil and the dark blue squares were painted on it. I added wallpaper to complete it. I might lighten the dark blue squares. What do you think?
This is one of my favorite places to get creative. Usually, I create some sort of chalkboard message with vintage collections. This display is a nice change for an Americana Fourth of July.
I bought this star from an Instagram artisan. Gingham patterns are repeated throughout our home.
A nod to Grandma’s kitchen…
I have fond memories of staying with my grandma as a child. I remember her wall phone hanging by the kitchen door with a step stool and pad of paper. I’ve created a little phone display, to the left of our hutch, as a remembrance of days gone by. I used Uncle Bill’s old cream wall phone.
Our entire kitchen is filled with nostalgia and special memories… from the Ethan Allen hutch, to the Hoosier cabinet coffee bar, to our farmhouse kitchen table. No kitchen island for this gal! I like a table surrounded by family or covered in home baked pies!
The summer theme for this ol’ hutch is a backyard picnic. I’ve used red, white and blue for the color scheme, but also added in some yellow with sunflowers and lemons. Just one flag is all it takes. The mason jar is full of red, white and blue straws as well.
My son has a great eye for vintage treasures. The lemon shaped pitcher and glass decanter came from his finds. They’re the perfect completion to this summer picnic themed hutch.
It’s the little details that create the bigger picture. Lots of florals are included… on the Pioneer Woman plates, home-made napkins, and even in the tea cups from El Salvador.
My daughters are quite generous in gifting me with Pioneer Woman dishes, including the butter dish. Old rolling pins get a colorful facelift with cheap dollar store wrapping paper. It’s a small detail that adds whimsy and cottage charm. Don’t miss the old tin cookie cutter star! An Americana decor detail!
Vintage tins make wonderful vases. This one is displaying homemade summer daisies. The tin graphics are perfect for Americana decor.
Our coffee bar needs a good cleaning. Don’t look too closely. This is a busy place in our house. My mom’s teapot and kettle collection is displayed here. I keep the collection growing. Homemade bunting in red, white and blue patterns adorns the Hoosier cabinet.
Our cozy kitchen corner is devoted to chickens. I’m a chicken mom now with 4 new chicks this year. It’s an adventure!
This is a ReStore score and an absolute favorite with the hand painted rooster. Too cute!
My mom would be thrilled to see all of these homemade aprons hanging in my kitchen. My great Aunt Gert sewed aprons by hand for Christmas gifts every year. The smaller yellow apron was one of her gifts to me as a child.
A happy haven, right in our own backyard...
I’m just a city gal with a country heart. I’m gradually creating my own country haven right in our little backyard. It’s just a small slice of country, but it makes my heart smile. It’s definitely a work in progress, but I enjoy this kind of work… gardening, animals and creating beautiful backyard spaces. There’s just something special about touching God’s creation with your own two hands!
Nestled behind our shed, down the winding path, is our little chicken coop.
Welcome to the Chick Inn! My latest adventure is raising backyard chickens. We have 4 chicks, soon to be egg layers. They have adjusted well to life in their new coop and run. They are soooo sweet and precious!
I found the Chick Inn sign on Amazon and couldn’t resist. The gals definitely have a cute little country inn. No rooster in the bunch, just a metal mascot!
Mary Maggie quickly noticed my rooftop decorations added to the coop. A little girl from VBS created the paper hen and baby chick. The bandana bunting was also rescued during the big VBS decor take down.
Mary Maggie and Abigail check things out up close. Priscilla and Queenie Esther keep their distance. Yes, they have Bible names!
I’ve got my chicks in a row!
A simple bow adds a bit of Americana to the backyard garden. Lots of things are blooming right now, including this Phlox.
My happy place! Our greenhouse was gussied up just a little for her glamour shots. She was made with old windows found in the back of a window installer’s trailer headed to the dump. FREE windows!
Gathered items in red, white and blue are just what this spot needs.
Everything you see was thrifted, gifted or a curbside find. I like to change out the greenhouse displays throughout the year. It doesn’t have to cost a lot to create a backyard haven. Old junk given new life is just my style!
I so enjoy sharing my heart and home with others. I pray you’ve enjoyed our time together as well. I’ll end this sweet tour with some of my top decor tips for summer cottage decorating in an Americana red, white and blue-tiful theme.
Top 10 Americana Decor Tips:
1. Use what you already have in the colors of red, white and blue… quilts, throws, pillows, table runners, curtains, tins, collections, vases, flowers and so much more.
2. Flags of all sizes add a patriotic touch.
3. Bunting and garlands with stars, stripes, red, white, and blue create a festive feel.
4. Pillow covers are inexpensive and easy to store. They come in many patriotic and Americana patterns.
5. Keep on hand a little collection of inexpensive dollar store and thrifted decorations to hang and display. Buy them on clearance after the Fourth of July to save a little money.
6. Include primitives, vintage items and folk art to add nostalgia to the Americana theme.
7. Ginghams, checks, stripes, and bandana prints look wonderful.
8. Create groupings of similar items for impact.
9. Warmth is important too. It can be achieved through the use of natural colors, wooden furniture, baskets, metals (rusty is ok!) and deeper, darker shades of red and blue.
10. Repeat patterns, colors and collections from room to room for that Americana cottage flow.
Wish we could sit and chat for a bit, exchanging summer decor ideas. Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Comfy Lane Cottage 