August will be my third anniversary living at this place, and I'm just now getting around to making it look like a home. It's difficult to buy big items when you don't have a truck or free labor, but I am figuring out ways around it. Hopefully, once I have everything in its place, I'll have enough white space in my head to start creating again.
I mentioned in a previous post that I bought a new sofa. I apologize if the quality in this picture is subpar. I'm being forced to use the new blogger interface, and it doesn't appear to allow me to change the size. It was automatically downgraded when I attached the image. The original image that I attempted to import is very large and much better quality. But, I just have to work with it.
So, in this photo you see the sofa in the background. It's pink velvet and not nearly as intense as this photo shows, but you get the idea. It's tufted. It's not a loveseat, but it runs small for a full-size sofa. The pillows are just shams on extra pillows that I had until I find some that I really like.
I also mentioned that I had ordered a new coffee table. It came last week. I am getting to be a regular wiz with an Allen wrench. I had been looking for a large glass and gold coffee table. It's kind of funny because I've had this sort of thing in mind the whole time, but I'm suddenly seeing that many people are decorating with a similar style. I had looked all over, but most of the coffee tables that were gold and glass were either too small, or the gold was dull. It would be like calling a gray metal filing cabinet silver; they were that dull. I found this one at Home Depot. This was exactly what I was looking for.
This is a two-tiered coffee table. On the top, I have a mirrored tray, but I forget where I actually bought it years ago. Target, perhaps? There is an old vase with an oriental design on it that faces the sofa. Looking at my flowers, it's probably hard to tell that I actually took a flower arranging class ages ago. I also have a mercury glass bottle that came with little flashing colored lights inside. I love mercury glass, and I think that I bought this at Kirkland's a few years ago, most likely around Christmas. You can't see it, but there is a tiny silver napkin/business card holder that is an Arthur Court rabbit, and I use it to hold some crocheted heart-shaped coasters that my late aunt made. Then there is a rabbit that I picked up at either the flea market or a consignment shop. The blue candlestick is another flea market item. If the website I found is accurate, it's US Glass, pattern #310. I think it's a candlestick vase, because it's hollow. I wouldn't feel safe using it as a vase without something more substantial to stabilize it. If that website is correct, it's 100 years old.
I went looking for ways that people had decorated the bottom tier of a two-tiered coffee table, but I couldn't find anything. I have everything on the top tier in a single tray so that I can easily remove it if I need to use the table for anything. On the bottom, I decided to put some of my collections in display boxes. I have a set of arrowheads that I found, some rocks from a beach in San Diego (I don't think you can see those in this picture), and various bits of shell and coral that I picked up around Key Largo. There is also a vintage drawer with a set of vintage dominoes inside. I may add other small games like cards to the box as I find them or get them. (7/13: I've since decided it's a good place to put the Skylanders portal and remote. :) Oh, wow. Just saw what day it is. Reminds me of the Elton John song, "Yell Help." "I wish tonight wasn't Wednesday night. I wish it wasn't the thirteenth of July." Funky 70s song.)
In the second photo, you can see the mirrored side table, also a Target find, a crystal basket that holds seashells and an angel ornament that a friend gave me. The chrome lamp is another flea find. There are also crystal coasters that I think came in a gift set from a friend. The wood end table serves as a kennel for Fraser the rocking horse. The gold tray is Pottery Barn. I think the rabbit was a consignment shop purchase. The silk is shattering on the old French bergere. I don't know exactly how old it is, but I have a pair of them. One day I'll have them recovered. I still haven't bought a rug or curtains, so you're looking at black-out liners here. Well, I did buy a temporary rug that I have to go pick up, but it's not really the living room colors. It will go in the bedroom or office when I find a suitable replacement.
In the last photo, you see the bookcases with my basket collection on top. I have all sorts of small collections around the house. The cats in the bookcase came from a flea market. I thought they were funny since they reminded me of Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter with all of her scary kitten china plates.
So, it's starting to look more like someone actually lives here. As you can see, I'm very eclectic. I have traditional/old world styles mixed with glam and shabby chic. I'm hoping to find curtains that will tie everything together. Now I have to finish rehanging the art wall.
TTFN
(updated 7/13/2020)
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