My Houzz: Color and Comfort in Upstate New York

Amanda Crames considers finding her home “a real Miracle on 34th Street moment.” She drove by when visiting the area and fell in love with the old house and beautiful property, which boasts views of Vermont’s Green Mountains. “I turned around, looked in the front and called the owners. We began a conversation that resulted in a private house sale.” Upon moving in, she made a few adjustments to the 1849 home and, inspired by the Greek Revival movement and a love of patina, filled it with her collections of antiques and flea market finds, mixing the old with modern touches.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Amanda Crames and her son, Kellen
Location: Saratoga, New York
Size: 2,400 square feet (223 square meters) on about 5 acres; 4 bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms

In the living room, at the front of the house, an oversized window has a great view of the farmland and Vermont’s Green Mountains.

The TV cabinet is an old blue painted cabinet that Crames bought at a garage sale. “I cut the legs off a vintage school desk to house the cable box,” she says, “On the walls are beautiful old stained glass windows that I had framed.”

Slipcovered chair, chaise and sofa: Taylor Scott Collection; rug: Bloomingdale’s


The bright blue china cabinet opposite the TV came from an old barn. The blue color is original, only it was covered with dirt when Crames bought it. After a thorough cleaning, it now brightens up the space. “Inside is my collection of blue treasures — vintage jardinieres, pitchers, cups, plates, most of which have blue color in their embellishments,” she says.


Next to the couch sits a blue icebox that was a garage sale find, as was the large gold mirror above it. The butter churn came from a local farm; the pink lamp base and vintage toy trumpet are from a flea market. The mosaic glass vase is from Ercole, and the beautiful orchid which ties in with the color scheme is from local florist Black Iris.


Off the living room is a space that used to be an office. “My desk, which was off to the right, has been replaced by a vintage dry sink where I now change my son,” Crames says. “The antique mantel was my grandmother’s, the couch was a $5 roadside find I covered in gorgeous fabric from The Silk Trading Co. at ABC Carpet.” The old wood chest, a flea market find, displays chalkware statues, which Crames recently started collecting.

Chandelier: Ercole; pillars: vintage; screen door frame: flea market; horse figurine: purchased in Paris


Off the front entrance, a grand sitting room filled with antique pieces holds a bright Victorian couch that Crames purchased at an auction and reupholstered in pink velvet. On the sofa is a lush pillow made from a piece of old fabric found at The Round Lake Antiques Festival.

“The round-arm bench was from an antique dealer and completely deconstructed. I love it bare, showing its inherent craftsmanship,” Crames says. The little brown chair was only $3 at a garage sale, re-covered in a fun fabric. The book side table came from a Florida shop, and the light is from Gracious Home.

Rug: Bloomingdale’s; hutch and baker’s bench: vintage; toy chaise on the cabinet to the left: re-covered in old red velvet


“This cabinet was my mother’s and is a lovely space for my collections of cups and a great working vintage clock,” Crames says.


Across the room, a large sign reading “Western Horses, Western Riding Lessons” fills the wall space. “It’s fun, oversized and in great condition,” Crames says. “Perfect for me, since I am a horse lover.” On the coffee table, made from an old factory mold, sits a planter that was a Victorian lamp base. Around it are carnival glass teacups. “I love the color and luster,” she says.


When Crames moved in, she didn’t change the basic structure or room layout but still made a lot of improvements. She had to create a foundation for the kitchen, as it was built on the dirt. She put new beams down for the floor in the front of the house, added new windows and central air, reworked the entry, did a lot of tree cutting and trimming, and even moved some trees away.


The dining room opens into the kitchen and boasts the home’s original woodstove that still keeps the space warm and welcoming. The large antique farm table is surrounded by chairs covered in a floral print that brightens up the room.


An original built-in hutch that sits at the head of the table is filled with some of Crames’ collected pieces. “It has that original, somewhat crooked appeal that only something very old can have,” she says.


The mini chandelier over the kitchen sink is by Lisa Nardone of Rosie NYC. She’s a designer who is a self-described creator of jewelry for the home. “It seemed a bit too extraordinary for over the sink, but then I knew I’d be spending a bit of time there,” Crames says. She also loves the view from her kitchen sink. “I look into my screened porch and see an authentic Ferris wheel seat from Coney Island, then out to a patio with gardens on both sides,” she says. “I have a picnic table and oversized Adirondack chairs painted in Bronze Green and other tables and old chairs in purple or white. So invigorating. From there I can see up to the pool and pool house, featuring the best garden on the property. It really is a vision of sanctuary on a good day, even though I’m doing the dishes.”

Bouchon counter stools: Blue Ocean Traders; flour and cake tins: from flea markets and barn sales


The kitchen island holds the stovetop, handy for cooking and entertaining.

On the counter is a Jennifer Lanne tile, perfect for holding hot pots just removed from the stove.


Off the kitchen and dining area is the large screened-in porch. “One of my favorite parts of this pretty little porch is the screen, making outdoor dining so enjoyable through three seasons,” Crames says.

In the foreground is an old telephone seat painted purple that makes a perfect place to sit and rest with a drink. On the wall is a Jennifer Lanne painting, and an old grain sack hangs in the window.

Outdoor rugs: Koko Boodakian & Sons; furniture: vintage


The side entrance gets the most use, because of its convenient location near the dining room and kitchen. “I love the windows and the incredible utility of having a mudroom in the Northeast,” Crames says. “This is a hardworking mudroom.”

The wood bench was from a barn sale, the “Happy” sign is from a local flea market, and the rug is from HomeGoods.


Opposite the mudroom doorway is a cabinet for storing shoes, hats and mittens. “Prior to being in my mudroom, this piece was in a chicken house, used for storing feed. I gave it some fresh paint. It’s very handy in any space,” Crames says.


The powder room, on the first floor, holds a painted sink from Kohler, with prose about burning love around its edge. “There is a very old mirror with reverse painting on it and one of my favorite frames, standing on the honed-granite countertop,” Crames says. “That was given to me by my mother, and from it hangs my all-time-favorite vintage Christmas ornaments.”


Above the toilet is a shelf made out of old molding. Crames has filled the shelf with random pieces that caught her eye, including a Victorian print of a fine lady with a horse, some gilt frames, an older Jennifer Lanne original, a vintage shaving mirror and some wine goblets.


“I love the upstairs hall with its original plank floors and banister,” Crames says. “Getting the old church pew upstairs was a challenge, but it sits nicely under a beautiful old window with images of angels in each of the lights.” Opposite is a framed pair of shutters.


In the guest room, a couple of old trunks with a blue cast, part of an old blue sign and an older Jennifer Lanne original oil painting set the tone. The blues are serene without being overly feminine, so all guests will feel at home here. There’s also a saddle form, a blue service tray and a patchwork pillow made from patchouli as well as custom bedding from Pillow Talk.


The iron crib in Kellen’s nursery is on loan from a friend. Crames dressed it in Bella Notte linens. “I placed the mantel behind it to serve as a headboard and shelf,” she says. The decor’s loose theme is baby farm animals, seen in the old prints of kittens, puppies, cows and chicks. The treasures on the mantel follow that theme, including the vintage metal farm trucks, dressed mice from Maileg, vintage dog statues and finger puppets from Folkmanis. Crames painted the vintage rocking chair a bright green, and the pillow on it is hand stitched.

Rug: Pine Cone Hill


In the master bedroom the windows are low, framing the maple trees outside. “You feel like you are sleeping in a treehouse,” she says.

The silk curtains are from Pillow Talk, hung with a minimalist steel bar treatment.

Bedding: Bella Notte; pillows: custom, Pillow Talk


The home’s side garden is a mix of peonies, irises, spireas, an ornamental birch, catmint, thyme and veronica. There are also some evergreen yews and boxwood to provide greenery in the winter. The painted furniture pieces include an old carriage seat, a table and random chairs and stools. “Bronze Green and Plum Shade have been my go-to outdoor hues for years,” Crames says. “The Flemish Blue on the table and birdhouse is a new color for me this year.”


Tree stumps painted white make great seats and pedestals. “My friend Lu suggested it, and I’ve been painting stumps ever since,” Crames says.


Along with its pool and pool house, the property includes a beautiful pond that offers an infinite amount of fun and exploration for Kellen and is a great attraction for all kinds of wildlife.


Nestled between the house and the pool area is a perfect space for lounging, casual dining and serene gardening. “It’s totally private and feels truly removed from all the activity on the other side of the house,” Crames says.


In this outdoor space, Crames loves the oversized wooden Adirondack chairs, originally made from old barn wood and lovingly touched up with paint each year. The Bronze Green looks great in spring and summer. The green chairs are swapped out for orange painted ones at Thanksgiving and red ones at Christmas.


Although she doesn’t use this front entryway as the main entrance, “it just makes the house seem so proud, a bit grand and very loved,” she says. Upon moving in, she removed the old, fallen porch foundation and changed the configuration of the front porch and entryway, making it more grand and a fitting focal point with columns and bluestone. She also changed the roofline of the front living room (above the large window). The previous owners had given it a cathedral ceiling effect, and when Crames moved in she changed it back to a flat roof, giving the exterior a more authentic look.

“Instead of wreaths, I went with some whimsy this year and painted some old pitchforks turquoise. They hang on the front door in playful contrast to the seriousness of the grand original doors, but still seem to fit just right. Totally fun and refreshing to me,” Crames says.

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