Going Home to our first New York Summer in the new place!

On May 26, 2025 By halfpassLeave a comment

We will be leaving Florida on Saturday. I cannot believe how long it’s been since posting here. We have a new buddy for Schuyler. His name is Jamie and he’s quite the rascal! I’m a little worried about the car and hotel room when we travel this weekend.

As always, these last two weeks in Florida are bittersweet. I don’t want to leave but I do want to go home for the summer. I find myself watching home design shows and thumbing through my design books. I’m always on the hunt for inspiration. But I am embracing the slow motion school of design. I really rather be underdone than overdone!

Going through my photos, I’m frustrated not to have enough new ones to share.

When Carmine was home last, he took this photo of the pool house cupola with the light working. I haven’t seen it in person yet. But since this is a bit of an homage to my backyard, I’m glad to have it.

We haven’t had a summer here yet, so I am adding winter and fall photos for the heck of it.

This one is good. The pool is closed of course, as is the cabana. I haven’t even begun to address the cabana yet. That will be the first project when I get home. I want to place a fire pit in front of those doors and surround it with seating. Wood burning of course!

This is the other place I’m yearning to dress. Back porch. I’m hoping for breakfasts, suppers with friends, a comfy chair for reading in the shade. Naturally, tons of flowers.

Hiding behind the hydrangeas is a small summer kitchen. I say parties large and small this summer need to be planned.

Random shot of a chocolate martini last summer at one of our local regular spots, “Fat Fish on the Bay.” I haven’t even begun to keep refining my own variation of this called, “Starry, Starry Nights”. I love a chocolate martini, especially in the summer.

Looking forward to dining on the bay at another favorite hangout, “Tres Palms.”

And finally, enjoying sunsets over the bay from the master bedroom balcony.

Midsummer 2024

On August 8, 2024August 8, 2024 By halfpass1 Comment

I’m late posting the midway vignettes of summer. I am truly enjoying my coastal lifestyle since moving last year. We are making more changes moving forward but will just let them happen as they will!

The chocolate martini is emerging as my summer drink. Who can resist an adult milkshake?

Dinner on the bay. Windswept and delicious. Fat Fish on the Bay.

My son in law
and me at my nephew’s birthday.

I do plan more summer photos as the summer evolves.

I will leave you with a glorious night sky .

And January comes…

On January 7, 2024 By halfpassLeave a comment

Happily, I’ve gotten Christmas packed away. Back to the boxes! I’m making a real push this week to finish up before we head to Florida next week. I really haven’t gotten a chance to decorate. We are still in the “ unpack and put it away” stage!

But there are vignettes beginning to emerge, even if just temporary. The entry stairwell table pleased me, so here it is.

Fun that it’s the year of the Dragon! I have a lot of dragon themed blue and white.

As you can see, the rest of the foyer is a bit bland. We will get to it!

Hoping the next boxes of books yield the ones I need for the living room built ins! For now, I have to depend on the collies for ambiance!

Saying adieu on 123123

On December 31, 2023December 31, 2023 By halfpassLeave a comment

It’s been quite the year. I sold my beloved Bella Blu Farm, moved to a smaller home in Florida, my dearest Joylena has a new and wonderful owner, then the we sold the Cove House and moved into our new lovely, but flawed, place on the Bay in West Islip.

I’m still unpacking. And yeah, I’m tired. Definitely too many goodbyes for me this year. Looking forward to 2024, which SHOULD be uneventful by comparison. But, you never know!

Here are some photos from the last 2 months. Most are holiday but I’m trying to give you a sense of where we are on “ before and after “ here at the new place.

Living room from the pass through of the kitchen.

Still thinking to paint the built ins white to open the space up.

So much still to unpack so the foyer was only modestly decorated.

Before the gray got eliminated! Loving it white.

Schuyler and Spencer dreaming by the hearth.

Hoping, as the boxes dwindle, my posts increase. We are off to Bella Blu South soon. Wishing everyone visiting my blog a happy and prosperous New Year!

I know! It’s been a while

On December 5, 2023 By halfpassLeave a comment

So the move from hell continued. We finally closed October 27 and it’s been tough ever since. We’ve been painting for the last two weeks which basically means shifting boxes, dogs, and humans from room to room. We can’t unpack anymore until the painting is done! So, we aren’t too comfortable at the moment.

The good news is: the bedrooms upstairs are done. We get to sleep in a bed! One’s own bed should never be overrated. And we can watch tv in the evening as we await getting our family room back.

Everything is going white or pale blue currently. Although, when we paint the kitchen (to be sprayed while we are in Florida this winter) I’m going to do navy on the base cabinets and bright white on the uppers. I’m craving clean and crisp just now. Just need to be careful we don’t make it too cold feeling.

Going to share a few “befores”. You’re just going to have to wait for some “afters”.

Not too bad. But the beige chair on the left is blocking the dining room.

The library blue needs to be corrected. A little too 9 year old boy for me. Will go lighter and slightly grayer.

Paint done here. Decorating can begin soon.

That’s it for today. Trust me, more mess will come. But, hopefully, it’s going to look great eventually.

The waiting game

On September 13, 2023 By halfpassLeave a comment

We were supposed to close today. Unfortunately, we still don’t know our date. The sellers get thirty days grace under the law before they are subject to a penalty for breach of contract. But so far, no indication of a date. I suspect the sellers are going right to October 13. Oh well. I’m just impatient to actually begin the move.

I did it.

On August 30, 2023 By halfpassLeave a comment

I changed the name of the blog.

Now if I could just remember how to change the cover photo!

Last day of August

On August 30, 2023 By halfpassLeave a comment

Just back from Florida. We left early to beat driving through the hurricane Idalia. So home to Cove House we scurried. Got back late yesterday afternoon.

As you can see, I haven’t renamed the blog. I think I’m clinging now to Cove House as the closing on the new house is galloping upon us. We could close as early as September 13 and as late as October 13. New York allows a thirty day window on the closing date for both the buyer and the seller. Fingers crossed for an early closing! I need to get in there and paint some of the rooms. The previous owner went in for a lot of gray, taupe, mocha and cream. The house feels very dark to me after my light filled Cove House.

The plan is to paint the master bedroom white with an incredibly pale blue ceiling. The two story living room and foyer may go to a very pale blue or white on the walls. There is existing grass cloth on two walls that is a neutral taupe mocha which I will leave. The verdict is out on whether I paint the kitchen cabinets. I am quite tempted to remove the black and white granite and put my beloved white Carrara marble instead. of course, the walls need lighter paint! I may live with the rest of the existing color scheme and change rooms after we’ve lived there a while.

Today I’m contacting a consignment person to take and sell furniture that I’m sure I don’t want any more. Getting mover estimates. But I will probably stay with the guys I’ve used the last few moves.

It’s getting real.

The wonder of it.

On July 28, 2023July 28, 2023 By halfpassLeave a comment

This will be the last official “Cove House” post. On Wednesday evening we listed this house officially for sale. Thursday morning we had two showings booked for Thursday afternoon. During the second showing, the first appointment submitted an offer. This morning we accepted it. So it’s official. We are on contract for the new house. We have an inspection here on Sunday because our buyers do not want to lose this house. I expect the Cove House will be in contract early this week. Talk about “one and done”!!!

So now it’s time to rename this blog. I am still thinking “Bella Blu by the Bay” in order to honor my farm. Of course, there isn’t any blue in the new house. Yet.

But I’m feeling I can begin to share photos of the new house. And share design thoughts. Not sure if I can share many photos during the interim as I only have a limited number. But I will see what I can do.

Design Vignettes

On May 22, 2023May 22, 2023 By halfpassLeave a comment

I’m an avid Pinterest user. I am on nearly everyday saving inspirations, vignettes, and plain old stuff! While I do still save dressage related images, in recent years I have really used the site to hone my interior design, architectural, and lifestyle tastes. There are thousands of pictures on dozens of boards. I think I’m more organized on that site than on my phone. Which impresses me. That said, I really should edit, archive, and delete more often.

While my home style has loosened and grown more eclectic over the years I have remained true to my traditional, classic roots. I still prefer English country house and Cape Cod coastal styles. Southern maximalism weaves through but I’m a Yankee at heart. I have a few boards that groan with saves. “New York and New England Aesthetic” probably has the most stuff. But “Cove House”, “Kitchen Inspirations”, and my “What if I lived in…” series are close seconds ( especially Nantucket).

I’ve learned a lot about architecture thanks to Pinterest. Patrick Ahearn and Gil Schafer are favorites. The shingle style of Robert Stern is another. Indoors, the designers are too numerous to mention.

I love my Design Vignettes board. The choices are more eclectic. They reflect mood as much as style. I wish I could figure out how to import photos from my site over here. In the meantime, I will hit my phone and share some vignettes over the years that I have taken myself.