Our Pennsylvania Farmhouse Cozy Gallery

 Creating a charming cozy corner in our old Pennsylvania farmhouse gallery finally happened!   

season of life changes in our home

This end of the gallery has always needed something. The wicker I had hopes for not only didn’t physically fit, it just wasn’t the answer.

We are in the season of life of passing household possessions to family and avoiding bringing in new unless necessary. This is notthe same as routine decluttering and cleaning out. Slowly we are also sorting all the excess beginning with going through all of our stored books. Read about that here.

So how was I able to bring cozy into this space to make it feel warm and still be a place for the kids to read and play?

Shop our home for decor

I started by shopping the house.

Finding new ways to create fresh looks in our old Pennsylvania farmhouse can be fun and a challenge.  

With rare exceptions these days, I shop my house when making changes. Remember, we are trying to get stuff out and not bringing new in! I did buy a new lamp recently for the freshly repurposed middle room. Read about that here.

vision for a cozy corner

Little did I know that I had a chair that would be perfect to bring my vision for a cozy space for the end of the gallery.

The plaid chair clearly did not belong in the middle room any more! It had to go.

But go where?

Jim initially favored tossing it.

Not so fast!

Instead we carried the chair upstairs to the gallery corner. Its smaller size was a perfect fit.

bringing cozy to the gallery

First, why do we call it a gallery?

The enclosed porch was done during our first home renovation. It is long space but isn’t a hallway. It was dubbed the ‘gallery’.

We opted to not have built ins under the windows for free standing bookcases. It was a more affordable. These bookcases from Walmart long ago have worked well. They are no longer available but I found some different options.

It is a place to play and read

Can you spot the big container of marbles?

This is a place for play. Other puzzles and games sit along side of the books. There is lots of space. If I am looking for one of more of the kids usually, they are here reading and playing undisturbed.

The tops of the bookcases are perfect to display Amy’s original ceramics and plants that thrive in the morning sun.

Did you notice there is not a TV or any electronics in the gallery? No one missed them.

shopping the house

Turns out the smaller scale plaid chair fit perfectly in the corner.

It doesn’t block the stairs or take up floor space.

I bought the navy lap blanket at the same time I got the chair at Home Goods.

I pulled the paisley pillow that was used on the back porch from my pillow stash. The puff and large floor pillow from the girls’ dorm days had been tossed in Meg’s now empty room.

Turns out I really like the mix of the fabrics. You never know until you give it a try! The creams and blues totally go with the navy plaid upholstery of the chair.

Of course, a spot for a cup of tea or coffee and lamp was needed so I grabbed one of our Chinese antique farmer’s stool for that. 

Old Pennsylvania farmhouse suits our lifestyle

The old Pennsylvania farmhouse suits our lifestyle even more as I redecorate and repurpose rooms and spaces. I love the morning sun.

Sometimes we need extra sleeping space. Come bedtime during family gatherings, the gallery is transformed into a sleeping porch. Bonus use!

Updating living spaces for our season of life

This old Pennsylvania farmhouse continues to be a changing, fluid living place that suits this season of life for Jim and me and for our expanded family. 

It is very satisfying!

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I have linked products I used that are the same or similar. Please note I may recive a small commission for purchases made at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your purchases!

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