Need ideas

[Tams]

I am stuck on what to do with the bedrooms for the "farmhouse". The kitchen is my avatar pic, but I have it and the living room in my gallery. There are two bedrooms upstairs that sadly need attention, but I'm clueless on what to do with them. I plan to get the Willow on the HBS sale, and want to do it in the same style, but again, I'm stuck on the bedrooms. Any suggestions?

[havanaholly]

Farm family last Century early or middle? Earlier? You could go with a four-poster bed or one with a low head- & footboard. Quilts could be solid colored quilted coverlet or patchwork, blankets or more quilts folded at the foot of the bed or in & on a blanketchest at the foot of the bed. Older beds were sometimes quite tall, so a stepstool or a set of bedsteps might be tucked next to the bed. Sheets and pillowcases if your family has money or is mid-Century, otherwise striped ticking. a bedside commode table (where do you think the word "commode" comes from?) with chamberpot on the bottom shelf/ drawer. Washstand with basin & ewer and a soapdish and towel bar on the side, perhaps a small shaving mirror (adult's bedroom). Chiffarobe and/ or chest of drawers. Probably a braided rag rug beside the bed so's not to freeze the feet getting up in the night to check on the baby or at 3:30 AM to start the milking...

[Tams]

Not exactly sure what time period mine would fall under. The kitchen has a wood cookstove and a pump at the sink - so pre-electricity, definately I think. I did the kitchen because I fell in love with a similar one and unfortunately didn't do a lot of research. Thanks for the suggestions.

[havanaholly]

Some of my maternal grandfather's family were very "old-country" and visiting them as a small child was a treat.

[prariegurl]

I think a low bed, perhaps a rag rug (farmers are thrifty types, you know). Since the kitchen looks well-scrubbed, these are tidy people who would have a washstand at hand. And a warm quilt and perhaps an extra blanket folded at the foor of the bed. With a wood stove and fireplace, there is obviously no central heat, so make sure your mini people stay warm! Perhaps they would have a bed warmer as well!

[Wolfie]

Don't forget keroscene lanterns on the tables, and candles/candlesticks in the bedrooms. Chamber pots if you don't have a commode. If you are going to landscape, the outhouse is important! Can't forget that! Longjohns on the clothesline is a nice touch!

I long for the old days when life was simple........

Wolfie

[havanaholly]

I long for the old days when life was simple

Let's see, up before dawn to light the stove for the day's cooking and baking, all day to wash clothes, hang'em out to dry & get 'em in before it rained, no TV or computer or cell phones, no vaccines for the flu or measles or polio so people caught the diseases and either were crippled, disfigured or died...

No, thank you.

[Wee Obsession]

I like the four poster bed idea too. Every room in a farm house needs a wash stand w/ bowl and pitcher.

[Tams]

I love all the suggestions - please keep them coming.

Rag rugs have been mentioned a couple times. Anyone have a tut for a fabric-challenged person??

[newt]

well, Nana, my great-grandmother, had a tall spindle bed. it was so tall that i had to climb up on it to change the sheets and bed linens. So, a tall bed is good for authenticity, but i'd think that it might make a dh room look crowded??

a rocker in the bedroom is nice. depending on who the people are, clothes pegs might be good along with the chiffarobe. some ladies don't like clothes hanging on a wall ... maybe a dressing table, stool for that?

again, depending on who the people are, if they don't have a family Bible or a menorah in the living room, there might be faith-related things in the bedroom. i'd imagine a parlor stove, period wall sconces, lamps, tintypes in frames ought to be somewhere, and maybe something additional to suggest family ancestry.

[chesterfieldzoo]

Great ideas, I'm taking notes...

[justmesue]

Armoires, were a must in older house bedrooms, (had one as a child -real life on the farm)had a black iron bed,the potty set in the bedside table, a blanket box at the foot of the bed, and yes, those rugs my gramma used to make, were in there too- just like the other members suggested. Can't wait to see how it all turns out for you!

[bmatson]

My first thought for a great bedroom was a four poster king size bed. But somebody already mentioned that. I think that would look good with any style of room you decide to do.

[Tams]

Thanks again for the wonderful ideas!! I should have no problems getting these rooms done now!

[Tams]

Actually, I have another question about these bedrooms- what type of wallpaper should I use, or should I just paint?

[Marlene]

Four poster bed, no canopy just some monstrous posts.

[havanaholly]

Rag rugs have been mentioned a couple times. Anyone have a tut for a fabric-challenged person?

Here's a link to a braided rug tutorial, although I personally draw out the size & shape I want my finished rug with a ballpoint pen onto a piece of neutral-colored felt and start in the middle with a crewel needle threaded with all six strands of variegated embroidery floss and chainstitch around (I begin with a line at least 1" long for an oval rug) until the next stitch would overlap the inkline; I make the stitches a bit on the loose side so the finished rug will lie flat. I cut out the rug and block it and it's ready to go. You can also use a size 4 or larger steel crochet hook and roll really narrow strips of torn cloth to make a "rag" rug, if you can tear your fabric strips down to 1/2" wide.

[Tams]

Thank you, Holly!

[TinyJudi]

My great grandparents had two bedrooms up the 'scarey stairs' that we girls had to sleep in when we stayed the night. I remember seeing wardrobes in the rooms and the beds were iron I believe. It was many many years ago and you know' my mind is not what it used to be. I do remember those stairs though. :yes: Man, they were steep and narrow. Fortunately, it was an enclosed stairway. :lol: There were many quilts and her sheets always smelled so good. No heat though, so it got pretty chilly in the winter. No A/C so it got really hot in the summer. I can't remember the walls though. I guess as a child, I just didn't pay attention. Well, I am not sure if I have been of any help to you, but this thread has brought back a lot of wonderful memories for me. I was always Great Grandma and Grandpa's favorite.

[havanaholly]

what type of wallpaper should I use, or should I just paint?

If farm families had he time & inclination for being fancy they might have put wallpaper above the chairrail in the diningroom. My grandfather's Mennonite relatives just whitewashed their walls, although I seem to remember the parlor walls were plastered; most of the walls were the boards over studs and painted.

DH's grandparents enclosed part of their backporch to make the bathroom when his grandmother finally convinced her hubby they would have indoor plumbing, and the walls were vertical beadboard.