Primitive Colonial & Country style decorating ideas - primitive country decor - American country and folk art decor - Primitive Hearts & Stars Country theme - Rustic Farmhouse decor - Stars and Stripes Primitive Americana decorating ideas -

American Wall Stenciling
beautiful image of post revolutionary America and this important art form. Ms. Eckert Brown's extensive research is evident, and the illustrations are wonderful. This is the quintessential book for anyone who loves stenciling, art and American history.

Passion for Primitives: Folk Decor for Interior Design
Primitive, rustic, one-of-a-kind furnishings are wildly popular with a wide range of homeowners and professional decorators. Passion for Primitives, with stunning photographs, depicts the unpretentious honesty of pieces that come from the imaginations and hearts of the untrained artisans who created them. These furnishings, accent pieces, rustic architectural and structural elements, and displays of country collectibles and folk art are iconic Americana. This book unveils a legacy that is not only intrinsic to our historic design tradition, but is newly flourishing throughout the country. Passion for Primitives is a photographic tour of private homes throughout the U.S., ranging from country simple to modern.

American Farmhouses: Country Style and Design
These simple homes speak to us of history and values, promising both comfort and protection.The "country look" remains the single most popular American style. Despite social and economic changes and the whims of fashion, it continues to shape our design and decorating tastes. Now in these lavishly illustrated pages, American Farmhouses offers a rich and inspiring survey of country architecture and design, from painted furniture to porches, stenciling to saltbox houses. Part of the appeal of country homes lies in their hand-hewn individualism and heritage of Old World charm. Many familiar design elements derived from distinct traditions brought by the early settlers, then adapted to local conditions and materials. Even in the early twentieth century, most country houses were still designed and constructed by local craftsmen, resulting in an immensely rich variety still visible in farms large and small across the country.Today, the interior of a country home can be a meticulous restoration in a traditional style or a flea-market mix of furnishings and collectibles. The nearly twenty profiles of country homes in American Farmhouses, ranging from a rustic German-style house in Texas to a classic Greek Revival in upstate New York to a contemporary reinterpretation in Connecticut, are full of stimulating and original ideas.

Jessie Walker's Country Decorating
For those who want to create a classic country home that uses color, fabric, metal, wood, ceramics, and collectibles with flair, this is an absolute must. First and foremost, it's breathtaking to look at, with amazing photos that capture everything from Painted Pleasure to Country Collections and provide design inspiration for spaces indoors and out. Pour over lovely displays of period style, with tall upholstered chairs and a vertical step-back cabinet; vibrant mixtures of color; charming details such as homespun fabric, hooked rugs, and handmade quilts. Walker also offers advice on decorating possibilities and on finding vintage treasures that amplify the rustic theme. This book is a delight for those who love country/primitive decorating.

Dutch Colonial Homes in America
This lavishly-illustrated volume provides an unprecedented look at twenty-eight houses (plus eleven barns and other structures) built in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries by Dutch colonists in the north-eastern United States, primarily in upstate New York and along the Hudson River Valley, on Long Island and Staten Island, and in New Jersey. An authoritative work-- written by eminent experts in the field-- Dutch Colonial Homes in America explores the homes in their broader social context by focusing on the historical and religious forces of the times. This book is the first to investigate the meaning of the home and its aesthetics for the Dutch in America, and also the first to look at these homes as a form of art and craft and, importantly, the influence this form and these people had on the shape of the American house to come.

Civil War Quilts
With over 170 photos and an engaging text, this book tells the stories of fourteen extraordinary Civil War quilts and the women who made them. Some of these quilts tell love stories, others relate the determination of women seeking an active role in the war effort, and some of patriotism and creative abilities of people caring about others. All of these quilts tell stories of struggle and survival. In addition, this book contains information for making traditional 19th century bindings and potholder quilts, plus over 45 patterns for making reproduction Civil War era quilts. Also included is information on reproduction fabrics and how to participate in modern soldier-related community service quilting. This book is a must read for any serious quilter, historian, or Civil War enthusiast.

A Day at Sunny Brook: Primitive Projects to Recall Home Life in the 1800s
This is a little tale about three sisters living in rural Lafayette County in the mid 1800s.Inspired by the rich colors of a vintage quilt, an 1899 book of advice, and a favorite doll, Maggie Bonanomi brings you the world of Sunny Brook School for Girls. Explore and make the necessary items for every part of their lives: classroom study, sewing, exercise, rest, finer skills and sleep.Maggie supplies the projects that will take the girls though their days! And what an abundance of projects: a sampler, mending baskets, a chatelaine, pincushions, a fireplace screen, pillows and more pillows, a throw, pinched purse, several hooked rugs, a bed cover, daily books, even a flower press. The golden hues of Sunny Brook School await you.

Colonials (Updating Classic America)
Chapter 1 discusses the history of the colonial home in America, and covers what makes a home "colonial" style. He covers everything; the Early American Saltbox, Georgian, Dutch Colonial, French Colonial, Federal and Adams style, Classical Revival, and Post WWII Colonials - even the differences between northern and southern colonials.

Chapter 2 is about remodeling an existing house. What types of additions work when you need to expand? Do you really need to expand at all? What are the planning and zoning considerations? He mentions the difficulties involved in getting the vaulted ceiling look,especially on the first floor since most colonials have two stories.

Chapter 3 deals with renovating an older colonial. There are special considerations for colonial homes that were built in the 17th and 18th centuries, such as how to hide the wiring or how to create a 21st century bathroom. There are different problems involved for someone trying to renovate a colonial home that was built in the 1950's. One interesting example shows a saltbox house believed to have been originally built in 1694. The owners were attempting to undo a series of previous renovations that had occurred over the years and, in the process, made some very interesting archaeological discoverie.

Chapter 4 is for the intrepid soul who is building a new colonial home. You have a lot more freedom in the design when starting from the ground up.

Chapter 5 is entitled "A Fresh Perspective." It includes such informative subheadings as,
"This is not your father's colonial" and "A new sensibility." If you're a traditionalist, take
that as a warning. However, you don't have to be as "out there" with changes to your
own colonial home and there is a lot of good basic information in this book.

Early American Country Homes: A Return to Simpler Living
Twenty Restored or renovated Early American country homes feature the myriad of different styles from around the country. The homes exude a simplicity somewhat rustic somewhat country in an understated way. Also features small cabins made livable for today as well as decorating ideas and outbuildings. Early American Country Homes is an inspirational resource for those interested in building, re-creating, restoring, or just enjoying a return to simpler styling in home design.

The Country Home (American Country)
You will find rooms that display an effective mix of fine antiques and contemporary pieces, and those that are furnished with period reproductions. There are rooms that are intentionally spare, designed to display one or two valuable heirlooms, and rooms that overflow with flea-market finds, decoys, and quilts. Still others--decorated with lace, bric-a-brac, and richly upholstered furniture--embrace the flowery romanticism of the Victorian era.

Early American Country Interiors
An idea book for designing beautiful interiors that embody the essence of early American country style. As an advocate that something well designed will stand the test of time, author Tim Tanner has coupled basic design principles with a wealth of examples using wonderful old objects and materials, illuminating effective design ideas for bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, pantries, and other spaces.