Equestrian Hallway

Author:  Autumn (Janette)

Here in Lexington, KY, the Thoroughbred Capital of the World, we know equestrian decorating.  It is almost a cliche, which normally I try to avoid.

But when my friend Beth Harper, the Lone Rearranger, came over to play help me repurpose some of our things, I was surprised and thrilled with what she came up with.

The upstairs hallway had not really been decorated since we moved in. Other than a marble-top dresser, a couple of mirrors and a seasonal lamp, there was nothing.  Beth and I were scavenging in the basement holding area, and she found……….

this dusty little guy.  She fell in love and said I HAD to use him.

So, we carried him upstairs, moved the dresser over, changed the lamp  and added a print of a horse auction scene.

You know that saying about never looking a gift horse in the mouth.  Well, we couldn’t help but notice that our little friend had a problem.  He is over thirty years old.  I bought him from an artist in West Virginia who also made one for Prince William when he was a little tyke.  After two children and a few moves, our wooden pal needed some cosmetic dentistry and a nice rub-down.

His former teeth were long gone.  So, like any dentist, I mean DIYer would do, I headed to the hardware store and bought some teeth corks.

I spray painted them with ORB, of course, and proceeded to operate attach them with velcro.  I also gave him a massage with lemon oil.  Doesn’t he look adorable?  I need to point our here that his former hand-carved teeth were huge – much bigger than his new set of dentures.

We never gave him a name, but somehow, I’m thinkin’ Bucky seems fitting.  His little ear just won’t stand up.  I guess that means a trip to ear, nose, and throat specialist unless I can come up with an alternate solution.

Beth and I hung two prints on another wall, and then I saw this at www.beatricebanks.blogspot.com and thought I could make my own version.  We already had a bench in place, and I had recently made a plaid pillow out of a man’s sports coat.

It is a fairly good representation of the look I loved in her blog.

Last week I made two pillows for Mr. Autumn’s in-home office out of a sports coat I bought at the thrift store.  His office only needed one, and so, this extra one is perfect here.

Doesn’t everyone have a version of this hunt scene????  I have had this one for at least 25 years.  By the way, the old pine bench came from my grandfather’s farm.  I think it was in the barn.

The kilim rug adds needed color, and our solar tube is an wonderful source of light.  We put three in this house after having three in windowless areas in our last home.

Overall, I am thrilled with the way this hallway looks, and it will now be known as “Bucky’s Place”.  Just by using items I already owned, it is a cohesive and adorable area.

Take care.

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