Mission (Almost) Accomplished

Over the weekend I finally finished a project . . . well, sort of (is anything ever finished, really?). Remember my Parson's-style console/sofa table I got off Craigslist? I bought some grasscloth wallpaper a while back off eBay and finally set to recovering it this weekend. Here's the result . . .                                       

Just to remind you, here's what it looked like before . . . 

Bad 70's laminate.

Now, fresh grasscloth . . .

Let me tell you, this was not an easy task. And seriously, I don't think you want my DIY steps . . . I'm not the most adept DIY'er. I don't always make the best decisions. Like the laminate, for instance. Some of it was peeling off, so I thought, "I'll just remove it all and that will make a clean surface for the grasscloth to adhere to." Boy was I wrong. Once I started removing the laminate, I realized that it was starting to peel off the MDF underneath leaving holes. So, I quickly scrapped that idea and didn't remove it all - just some small sections (two of the legs and one of the sides). Second came the issue of how to adhere the grasscloth to the table. I had read spray adhesive worked. Not in my case. So, I went to plan B - hot glue. I used a box cutter to cut most of the paper, then I just wrapped it like a present. The legs still need some fine tuning. My husband took a very flattering photo of me during the process . . . 

If you'll recall from my previous post, I was hoping to paint the grasscloth to provide some contrast with my sofa. I had been leaning toward a dark, saturated blue, but now that I changed my lamps to black and I'll be painting my adjacent dining room blue, I think the table needs to be brighter. Now, I'm thinking of either a creamy white or going in a totally different direction with a coral. Any thoughts? Here it is again . . . 

Of course, I'm still searching for the perfect fabric to put on the stools which will reside under the table (at least some of the time). So, that might help make my decision as well. One decorating dilemma solved just to create another. Does it ever end? I kind of hope not, because I love the process (even if it sometimes is painstakingly slow in my case).

And through it all, my dear, patient husband humors my decorating whims. So, it's only fitting that I thank him today for putting up with me for all these years as today is our 14th anniversary (as I've said before, I was a child bride). 

Happy Anniversary, Matt . . . I love you!!

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AN anniversary, console table, design ADD, grasscloth

Crazy, But in a Good Way

I'm sure there are nice, normal people out there who don't want to re-do their homes constantly. Unfortunately for my family, I'm not one of them. My newest idea . . . I want to re-paint my dining room.

This is how it currently looks. Not bad. Well, now that I've got that Chinoiserie pagoda mirror (that I picked up from a local online auction for a song), I feel like I need more vivid walls for it to pop against. I know, crazy. 

My inspiration?

Ashley Putnam's dining room from Lonny.

And, I have these nice linen curtain panels I picked up at an estate sale for $20 for the pair. 

They're not hung correctly. I just threw one up to see what it looked like. My plan is to have put Greek key trim around the edges, like so . . . 

Except, I think in orange . . .

to contrast with the blue walls a little bit.

I even went to the Sherwin-Williams site and played around with their Color Visualizer . . . 

Okay, so I didn't do that great of a job, but it gives you a general idea. Just squint. And this isn't the exact color I was going for either. Something a little more saturated like the Benjamin Moore color above (Champion Cobalt). This is Sherwin Williams' Regatta.

So, am I crazy? Or at least crazy in a good way? Please tell me I'm not alone.

Sources: Lonny, House Beautiful, M&J Trimming, Sherwin-Williams

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AN crazy, decorating dilemma, design ADD, dining room

Opinions, Please

Should I buy this table?

I hit an estate sale earlier today and saw this. A little out of my price range, so I passed. But on the way out, the estate sale lady said, "Put a bid on it - you never know." So, I did. And they accepted. Now, it's mine if I want it.  Now, I'm having second thoughts. Bidders remorse. I don't think my "bid" is legally binding, so I'm pretty sure I can change my mind.

I was actually thinking of selling it in the booth. Would any of you buy this if you saw it? I love it and think it's very unique, but I am running out of room in my house. It's kind of Chinoiserie/Hollywood Regency. I mean, come on, a brass fish console table - you'll be the only person in the neighborhood with one of these. The only problem? The booth is kind of crowded right now. This is how it looked on Monday . . .

So, have I flipped my lid or should I get the fish table? I need your help. I'm having an indecisive moment (I seem to have a lot of those). Any advice would be much appreciated.

Happy Weekend!

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AN antique mall booth, design ADD

A Pleasing Palette

I've been looking for a little something to shake up my dining room for a while. With our open floorplan home, it's the first room you see as you enter and it's also visible from our family room/living room. The walls are a grayish-blue, and the chairs and rug are very neutral. Recently, I've also added rusty orange velvet curtains. However, I keep thinking it needs (or wants) something else. Well, the other day, I just happened to buy some lavender mums and stuck them in my fish vase, and voila . . . thunderbolt.

Mr. Fish eating lavender mums. Not the best photo of the walls and curtains.

That's it. Lavender with the blue and orange would be so lovely.

Then I went for some inspiration. First, Katie Ridder. I've always loved this room featured in Elle Decor.

And, of course, the Frank Babb Randolph-designed home in the April Veranda knocked my socks off. Wonder if I could steal that painting? The homeowner is the artist, he could make another one in no time.

Photo via Full House

Palmer Weiss has a similar color scheme going on but with a more vivid blue and less orange, but inspiring nonetheless.

Lulu de Kwiatkowski's kid's room has the same colors going on . . . pale blue and neutral with pops of orange and lavender in the art.

Then, for some reason, I kept finding things on eBay that had the same color palette.

Who doesn't love a little Oushak and in lavender, no less. Although, it looks kind of mauve here.

A Peter Max print. Very groovy.

Love vintage Vera scarves. She used such great colors and graphics.

Now, where was I hoping to inject this little bit of lavender (besides the mums), you ask? Well, there's always the option of lamps. A little 1st Dibs dreaming here . . .

1950's Murano Lamps

Or maybe these . . . they're a few thousand cheaper. No need to blow the budget, even if I'm dreaming.

More 1950's Murano Lamps

Another option would be on the seat cushions of my side chairs. They're the same neutral fabric as the host and hostess chairs, and I've often thought of changing them but could never decide on a fabric. 

Blahville

I've thrown a million swatches on these chairs. This one has sat here for a while. 

Don't judge. I know everyone is "over" Chiang Mai Dragon, and that it was considered trendy for the longest time. Well, I still like it. I don't care if that makes me boring. And, it does look nice with the walls and the curtains, but alas it has no lavender. Does anyone know of a fabric that could pull it all together . . . a little blue, a little orange, a little lavender? This is a tall order, I know.

Oh, and I have some plans for the curtains too - they're a little plain Jane right now. I've been thinking a little Greek Key trim would dress them up nicely. Maybe in the pale blue?

Greek Key trim from M&J Trimming

So am I crazy for liking this color combination? It's okay, I may change my mind tomorrow . . .

Sources: Elle Decor, Full House, Lonny, eBay, 1st Dibs and M&J Trimming

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AN blue lavender, color, design ADD, orange