The Ground Level of Southard House

Hello Friends!

I wanted to share some photos of the interior of the B&B with you today.  Today I will share the ground level of the Southard House.  There are some things you need to know first.  This house was built in 1912 so that makes it 100 years old!  If a 100-year-old house is left unattended for any length of time it tends to deteriorate quite rapidly.  I wish I had a photograph of the condition this house was in when the previous owner whom we purchased the home from received it.  We looked at her scrapbook and it made me cry because it was literally falling down around itself.  There were many exposed areas where the walls and ceiling were crumbling; the beautiful wood floors were covered in old, ugly shag carpeting; she had to replace all of  the windows, the heat and air units, the electrical system, and all of the plumbing.  She literally saved this house from being bulldozed because it was in such deplorable condition - and because the nursing home next door wanted the land.  I am so thankful for the previous owner and for all of the blood, sweat, tears, time, and finances that went in to making Southard House the beautiful place it is right now.  It is such a dream come true to have this beautiful, historic home.  I just can't wait to get started!

You should also remember that as you look at these pictures they are "before" pictures and they in no way reflect what the Southard House B&B will look like when we open for business.  We plan to do even more improvements and cosmetic work to make the B&B a grand showplace!

This is one of my favorite features of the house.  This antique chandelier is hanging in the entryway before you enter the grand foyer.  I love its feminine detail and because it is my favorite color . . . pink!

 This is the grand foyer.  Isn't the woodwork amazing!  It didn't look this way before the previous owner got it.  She restored it all by hand.  This area will become the home of the Southard House Boutique where you will find Vermont maple syrup, fruit curds and scone mixes, linen sprays, hand-made lavender sachets, holiday gift items, hand-crafted olive oil soaps, gourmet chocolates, and a fine selection of teas, teapots, and tea accessories.  The Boutique will be open to the public from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM each day except Sunday.  If guests of the Southard House would like to make a purchase from the gift shop they may do so at any time.  I am very excited about this part of the B&B because it will be a mini candy/gift shop like we were originally going to open.  I love to decorate and display so you know it will be as cute as ever!!!  I hope if you are in the area when we are open you will stop by and check it out.  I know you will find some lovely items that you can't find anywhere else - and we did that on purpose.  Every time my grandma (Nanny) comes over to my house she tells me that the place looks like a gift shop and I should open the doors for business!  Well now I get to!!!  Thank you Nanny for your encouragement!

 Isn't the staircase beautiful?

 This is the grand parlour.  It measures 26' x 16' roughly.  At this end of the room will be sofas and chairs for a sitting area.  I can imagine a lot of great conversations happening over coffee and tea here.

 Isn't this a beautiful room?  Just wait until we are done with it!  Can you tell I am a little excited about decorating?

This is the fireplace mantle that is original to the house.  The Southards brought it over from Paris, where Frank worked with the Standard Oil Company.  Frank also lived in India and Romania and traveled extensively in Europe and Asia, gathering many beautiful pieces of artwork and rare books to adorn the house.  It was said that Frank Southard had the largest and most unique and rare book collection in the area.  He donated many of those books to his beloved Carnegie library, for which he was the board chairman  for over 20 years.  There was a fire in the library and it is believed that all of George's books were burned.
I had a shopkeeper here in Enid tell me the other day that when the house went on the market she made an appointment to have the realtor take her through the house but she just wanted to get in to see the beautiful fireplace mantle that came from Paris.  This mantle has inspired the rest of the decor in the B&B.  You will see lots more Parisian and French-Inspired decor in the Southard House in the months to come.

 I can't wait to fill this room with furniture, decorations, and guests!

 That beautiful old, grand piano will be staying where it is and hopefully soon I will learn how to play it.  It would be fun to be able to entertain guests that way when they are here.

 This is the formal dining room.  It houses a table that seats twelve.  I know a lot of great breakfast conversations and tea parties (eventually) will happen in this room.

We plan to just run the inn as a bed and breakfast for the first year and then gradually add other services like ladies tea parties and other events.

 Here are some "before" pictures of the kitchen.  It is such a great space in the morning when the sun is shining in the east window.  I will be making breakfast in here for the guests each morning.  I will be getting a new range, microwave, and adding a dishwasher to make life easier.

 It will also get repainted and I plan to add lots of roses and beautiful antique dishes everywhere.  The vent hood over the stove is actually made from drywall and painted copper!  I am planning to paint it white and add a beautiful cherub detail to the center.

 All of the cabinets were custom-made by the previous owner's friend.  They are so beautiful and these pictures really do not do them justice.

 I can't wait to make my first breakfast in here for our first guests.  I already have a set menu that I will probably rotate out every 3 months - according to the season.  I will be sharing more about breakfast in a future post!

 The kitchen will be off limits to guests and the public so you are  getting a sneak peep today!  I know I will be posting the "after" pictures so you can see how beautiful it turned out.

This little bathroom is off the kitchen and I have adopted it as my own private bathroom.  It will be painted pink and be decorated with lots of roses and pretty, feminine things.  The toilet is behind the door.  I wish a shower was too!

Well, now you have seen the entire ground floor of the inn.  Isn't it a beautiful house?  I can't wait to show you more!  Next time I will show you the "before" pictures of the second level of the inn.  Until then . . .

May You Be Blessed!

Tammy