nails, and nail holes, but I love the surface,” she says.
Elsewhere, she added architectural enhancements, such asiron balusters imported from France on the open stairway,
antique interior doors throughout the house, and in the kitchen
a salvaged barn beam she bought at the Round Top Antiques
Fair and hauled home in a trailer. The wood tones and textures
pop against cream-colored walls and trim. Watered-down paint
lightens salvaged boards applied to the ceiling and coats the
new fireplace brick. “I just think a white background shows off
everything in your house so well,” she says.
After her diagnosis, Angie sought new decor inspiration.A trip to Paris had a huge impact. “Never before had I liked
anything contemporary, and I sure didn’t like mixing it with
antiques,” she says. “But Paris changed my mind about that.”
She admired the design energ y of spaces where, for example,
a modern glass coffee table was pulled up to Louis XIV chairs.
“You’ll see a bit of that here in this house,” she says. In the living
room, a chandelier formed of individual twigs, which Angie
calls her “flying bird’s nest,” is an example of the contemporary
notes she included in every space. In the master bath, a
frameless mirror and concrete floating sink mingle with a
slipper-style bathtub and French crystal chandelier.
Former antiques dealer. Former collector. Breast cancersurvivor. Angie’s identity has changed in many ways that she
could not have predicted, but she’s enjoying her new outlook.
“I hardly ever antiques shop now. Once the house was filled,
I was done,” she says. “My priorities are different now. We’re
happy with less.”
RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
TOP LEFT The interior doors in the house
were salvaged and fitted with glass panes
to allow light to filter between rooms.
For privacy, some doors have opaque glass.
TOP RIGHT A curtain rod stretches
along one wall in the bedroom. When the
curtains are closed, they create a soft
backdrop. ABOVE Angie blends modern
and traditional elements in her master
bath, including a slipper-style tub and a
concrete floating sink.