casapinka

Organizing the Dining Room

Do you remember that huge bookcase that our handyman made? Well, the only place it fits in our rental is the dining room.

I have been sooooooooooo unmotivated after having left my difficult job, a big move and a gray New England winter. Now, I'm pleased to say that I'm getting the home bug back again! I put some of Junior's toys on the top. That's my old Fisher Price phone and the abacus wheely thing is from the Salvation Army.

I'd been piling Juniorette's school papers in one of the cubbys (yeah, it looked just great) but I realized an $8 file folder (on the bottom) looks so much better.

Wheat Sconces

I bought these wheat sconces last week for $65. My goal is to kit them out and make them look gooooooood like these guys below, which are sold for $2200 at an amazing store which I love (but they probably wouldn't appreciate this post.)

I'm was thinking that they would look spectacular in the fuchsia dining room.

Dining Room Progress

A little more progress on the dining room despite working crazy hours. Sorry for the lack of comments but I'm working 10 out of 12 days (overnights) - que fatigue. This is where you guys come in. I'm still thinking about doing something with suzanis. I'd love to put one in a plexi frame but the ones I find are too large since I have a chair rail in the middle of the wall. If you see any artwork or have any amazing ideas for wall hangings please let me know. Even if I don't pick your idea every contribution means so much to me. They get me thinking and often it leads to something else entirely.

I am in love with pattern and colors in this suzani but I don't understand what the landing strip in the middle is for and it seems like it would look odd hung on a wall. I would really like to upholster the Wynonna bench with this but the white would show up. Any ideas how this could be used?

I also need some sort of buffet. I was thinking of doing an Ikea hack of something shiny and white but haven't really investigated too much yet. I believe this might be a Parzinger repro and it is kind of cool.

This little guy popped up on Ebay and I thought it would be a smasher in the dining room. I know I already hung a chandy in there but his one is so neat! I really like the idea of fuchsia, white and gold, not least because I haven't seen it everywhere and it's nice to have something a bit different. Do you think it's worth switching out that chandy to this bamboo one?

Painting

Painting is set to begin on the dining room tomorrow (by me when I can tear myself away from the Tivo-ed Top Model marathon.) I found this large painting on Etsy and would like opinions on how it would be in the dining room. In theory, I fight against it but every time I close my eyes to sleep and reopen my computer (ever done that?) I really like it a lot.

The winner is the second color from the left.

Paint mixer: TWO gallons?
P: Yep, and I'll be back for more.
Paint mixer: What are you painting?
P: Dining room. Isn't it excellent?!
Paint Mixer: Does your husband know about this? (pointing to the sign that reads "Wives must have a note from their husbands for colors other than white or beige.") - I kid you not.
P: Pink's his favorite color - how lucky is that?

Flea Market China

Don't you rue an unsuccessful day at the flea market? You spend your time trying to prevent your kid from drinking your Diet Coke and manhandling the vintage Lalique that one vendor has on sparkly display. The magic eight ball at the coffe shop has informed you that "signs point to no" when you inquired if a perfect mid-century French coffee table was gathering dust with a $20 price tag.

All of a sudden you sense something. Your eyebrows dart up and your eyes scan the room. You pass tables full of old Life magazines and broken down doll cribs. An aquarium filled with marbles...then BINGO. Kelly green and gold china. How wonderful it would look in a fuchsia dining room with your big mirror reflecting small spatters of green.

Oh shucks, your budget is fairly small today. Each turine is $50 and your face falls. Your daughter's lemonade smeared hands head to the woman's antique dolls and you are distracted save for the glimmer of green in the periphery. Time stands still as you do the mother dance which allows you to home in on your desire while putting a death grip around your kid's neck. You pick up a soup bowl and it reads "Bridgwood England." Aha. The woman notices your intermittent interest in the china which is a few hundred dollars if purchased together.

"It's Sunday and I don't want to leave with it, so you can have the lot for $75."

Time stands still and that wonderful glow spreads over you as you realize that it was waiting for you all along. THAT, my friends, is "Flea Market Magic."

If anyone knows the name of this pattern I would be most interested. I could not find it at Replacements.

Dining Room Update

I've painted four samples on the dining room walls but they still need a third coat. I even ordered pink primer but it hasn't made much of a difference in decreasing the number of coats of paint needed.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult with my photography skills to convey what they look like at night. This is quite a dark room and I am leaning towards Picture #3 (Hot Pink) because the one on the left (Raspberry Pudding) in Picture #1 looks like dark red at night, even with the light on. Picture #1 on right is Silk Ribbon, Picture #2 is Cran Brook (Eric, that was your fave.) Opinions one and all!

Please note that comment moderation has been turned on since Bugaboo decided to share my personal information in my comments at Pink Mohair. I'm just glad it wasn't one of my wonderful readers who caused this to happen. I'll be back with another post after a final coat is on.

Oh, and I ORDERED THE WALLPAPER! Can you believe it?! I finally met "The One!" I am in love at last (sigh.)

Dining Room Ideas

Come with me on a little journey so you can try to understand where our dining room is going, and where it has been. Last December with our toilet in the middle (makes potty training easier - good access.)

This brass chandelier just wouldn't do. I've seen ones like this spray painted white but I'll just hold onto it until it becomes de rigeur again in fifteen years. Aren't those walls just beautiful? We bought the house because they were so inspiring (not.)

I found this chandy at the flea market for a hundred dollars. Needed a quick polish but other than that Jimmy hung it in a jiffy. I'm begining to get a vision...

The hardwoods are wet with sealant here but it looks so much nicer than the dirty white carpet. This place has potential!

The chandelier in situ.

Now, I've had a number of ideas for this dining room and a number of them knocked down by certain males in the house. What I THINK I've convinced him of (and don't write in to say that it sounds hideous because I love it)...magenta. A deep gorgeous magenta (like the color of this guy Hugh's couch, on my monitor at least) with white trim (Anna's idea - she thinks white trim will look best.) I'm picturing some Sinatra or jazz in the background, my glitzy chandy and (Anna's idea again) a suzani on the wall with perhaps a mirror reflecting it off the opposite side. No idea what color suzani, I just nabbed one off Ebay for this.

Silk curtains, perhaps striped (not big on stripes but Anna is getting me to come around like she did with white) or solid, nice and billowy and drapey like these. I've never seen a magenta dining room but I think it's going to BEG us to have dinner and cocktail parties. I can picture a fabulous cocktail cart in the corner.

Those of you who know me know there is a certain little hotel that I'm in love with.

This is Phillip Treacy, who designed the hotel. When I visit it in Galway I'll take loads of photos for you (early May.) Husband said NO WAY IN HELL is not a fan of the bright pink but he thinks the deep magenta of the couch might be ok (work it, Pink, work it!) See how beautiful the white looks against it?

Well, these are just ideas we are bouncing back and forth. I could go on and on but I'll leave that for another day!