Archive for the ‘den’ Category

Coffee Table

Monday, February 7th, 2011

At this point I don’t even know how to say that I found another coffee table without feeling deep pangs of guilt and embarrassment. It’s turned into a bit of a sad joke, this whole switching coffee tables every month thing, but I just can’t stop myself when I spot something I really dig.

I’m addicted. I love coffee tables. Probably even more than I like sofas.

But, it could be worse, I could be addicted to eating a “household cleanser” or sofa cushions like those folks on My Strange Addiction.

Amazing what teak oil, Feed ‘n Wax and some elbow grease can do. Seriously, if you find a piece of wood furniture and it looks shabby and neglected but is structurally fine – GOOD. Ask for a discount and then get your oiling on! Trust me, it will look perfectly amazing with just a little bit of effort.

Curious about how to spruce up furniture? Check out this tutorial.

The Boy gets mad when I freshen up furniture on our patio since oil and debris get everywhere. Now I’m trying to do it out in our driveway to avoid the mess, which I’m imagining is such a great show for the neighbors. As if we weren’t weird enough already.

Come on. Give. It. Up.

This is a pretty incredible table.

I even vignetted it up like a proper stylist.

I can stack books! With things on top of them!

Are you guys coffee table vignetters?

I’m normally not. I don’t like a bunch of stuff cluttering up a table I use everyday since I like to put my feet up, have drinks and other things strewn about that are frankly, fairly ugly. I noticed that the first batch of pictures were looking kind of sad, so I thought “styling” would help liven this table up. Don’t expect my coffee tables to be like this if you come over.

I imagine there is this question of why the den’s furniture is laid out the way it is. It’s a weird little room. Difficult to photograph and harder to understand in pictures. It’s kind of like a big L with a built in desk on the other side and an entrance to the kitchen smack in the middle. Definitely challenging to space plan.

Oh, did you notice the old sofa is back. I know, I foretold it.

I also know that the portrait of what people like to refer of as “Lindsay Lohan” should be way lower. As a former gallery director and curator, I am ashamed that I’ve let this hang way above eye level  for years. Art hung too high or improperly is a giant pet peeve and I am a complete hypocrite for letting this happen.

Problem is, that if the painting hangs at the proper mid line it hits the wainscoting and hangs all wonky…then you hit your head on it when you sit on the sofa and it falls on you and hurts you and then people sue me. It’s one of those things I don’t think about in real life until I see it in a picture. Different art for above the sofa is a must, but I haven’t found anything appropriate so “Lindsay” stays super high. Tee hee.

Also, screw the wainscoting. It ruins my life.

Stripes

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

I found this amazing striped sofa that has these Milo Baughman style chrome supports and barely rolled arms. It has vintage tags but the maker is unmarked and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it. Mystery sofa.

I love it. I think it’s a spectacular and unique piece that is incredibly graphic and says hi, I’m the star of this room, make way for my stripey awesomeness. Then again, it’s a whole lot of look for someone like me who prefers their vintage sofas uncomfortable and neutral. Problem is, this thing is squishy and delicious to sit and in the most incredible vintage condition that lulls you into cushioned cloud like nap time.

I pulled apart the den to accommodate this 93″ extravagance after about a month or so of going back and forth wondering how to mix things up in here.

Well. This mixed it up. We will see if it sticks.

*spoiler*

I know it won’t – but the comfort, oh my is it nice. I’m just not loving the wainscoting and the stripe and the burl together, it’s almost like this sofa needs a clean white wall and an open floor plan that just isn’t available in our den. Plus, I hate that WAINSCOTING, and no, it’s not on top of the wall and easy to remove. It’s this thick weird solid wood stuff that actually creates the wall, studs and all. That’s why it hasn’t been removed, the house would fall down, and that is why – sadly – the sofa won’t work for me.

Soon. Very soon. I need to sell a bunch of things including this baby. Keep an eye out and I’ll keep you posted…

Pouf

Monday, January 17th, 2011

Craigslist is a fickle beast of a monster.

Seemingly, I search CL nonstop for deals on furniture…even though space is becoming slightly tight around these parts. It’s been awhile since I picked something up off CL, wait, hold the phone, what was the last thing I grabbed? This coffee table? OK, maybe it hasn’t been that long.

Well, I stumbled on a post about an African leather ottoman and hearing that siren call of vintage goodies, headed out to the boonies of Sage in search of the miraculous. Sage is kind of like Hemet, but very much not. It’s this weird/beautiful valley full of ranches and horses and windy mountain roads. I met up with an older couple that built a nutty newfangled adobe (horribly pictured above) overlooking this crazy beautiful view of a horse type farm.

Boom. Vintage leather pouf. With just that perfect amount of beat-up wear and tear on the hardiest leather in the land.

The Eames lounger has been needing an ottoman, but the search has been difficult since: A: hard to find an Eames ottoman by itself & B: the den is really really narrow. If you put a real Eames ottoman with the chair it blocks the traffic through the den and into the kitchen and to the sofa.

This leather baby is kind of the perfect in-between size. Put your feet up and relax without losing a lot of space. Plus I like mixing up the Eames with something less traditional.

Bowie approves. This has been his new perch for monitoring and harassing Iggy (obviously since Iggy is MIA – its working).

Ah man. I should have gotten a shot of the bottom – its woven together with a big leather thread. Like a corset or something. Just take a moment and try to imagine it. It’s cool, right?