Decorating With Heirlooms - in My House

My House
An old window on the front porch holds seasonal decor.

Stacks of old books can be used to lift items or in this case a small lamp.

Old trunks can act as tables, coffee tables, or other furniture and they are useful storage. I have quilts stored in these old army trunks.


This is silver tablewear from my great grandparents. We don't use it, but displayed this way, I can see it everyday and reflect. I saw this idea on Write, Click, Scrapbook.

Quilts can be functional or decorative. I have my grandmother's crazy quilt hanging in the entryway. I love looking at it everyday. It is my favorite heirloom and so it gets the most prominate location. I have hung it with curtain clips on a curtain rod. I switch directions every now and then so it doesn't get pulled in one direction.

This red and white quilt is also my great-grandmother's work. I love it hung over the banister. It helps block out all the upstairs mess!

This is a chair my great grandmother stitched. It still functions as a chair. I have made similar ones into pillows. The pillow sitting on top of the chair is a quilt piece from another of great-grandma's quilts. If you end up with quilt fragments - they make darling pillows!

I love old frames - I could fill my house up with them! I found this one at a garage sale, but it could be an heirloom! I change what I put in it. This season it has Valentine's Day garlands hanging in it.

I have a few empty old frames on the piano and some other old paintings in interesting frames leaning against the wall. Somehow I love the art pieces on the floor - like I have so much art I don't know what to do with it all! (not really!)

This piece used to be an old radio/turntable. We gave it an overhaul and now it holds table linnens and acts as a buffet server. Click here to read about the transformation.

I can showcase some of my old china and crystal pieces in my hutch. They are decorative but they are the first to grab when I am having a dinner or a party.


This old radio sits in this odd-shaped space next to my stairs. I have no idea what I would otherwise place there. This just seems perfect. This belongs to my husband's side of the family. It would be fun to paint it a funky color - but for now it is the origional wood color.

I turned this old window into a mirror with hooks for the entryway.

Gallery wall in the living room


Star Wars Gallery Wall in the hallway.