I picked up this book at Ikea on Saturday. It is absolutely chock full of wonderful rooms and not too heavy on the Ikea product shots, thank goodness. Those Scandinavians really know how to decorate.
What more is there to say?
This custom made silk and down French bergere chair was adopted by a certain elated blogger who plans to reupholster it in something unfailingly amazing. If you are a decorating fan and know what that fabric might be, you should say something. Spotted yesterday on Ebay with 8 hours left, she couldn't believe that nobody else outbid her in the final minute. She had been looking for a comfy reading chair for the window in her pink studio, and it just waltzed into her life. A little unsure if this was too fussy for her, she quickly saw that she could love it.
I'll have to move the pink desk elsewhere to make room for the chair in the corner. That's ok - husband needs a new desk, anyway. He'll be completely psyched .
David Hicks La Fiorentina would be spectacular, which Err is also considering for his new chairs. I'll add others as they come up. Anyone remember that red Chinoiserie blind in Domino -might have been in a Celerie Kimble charity room or something. I thought it was Quadrille but cannot find it. I loved that.
Lulu DK's Marlon
I had two readers send me the link to this sweet yellow birdhouse from Urban Outfitters - thanks, ladies. I think it would be perfect for Petite Casapinka - what do you think? I have another little cuckoo that Grandad just brought back from Germany but I'm saving it for the kiddo's bedroom (it's silent - thanks, Dad!)
I also thought the sentiment of this wall hanging was sweet and so childlike. It reminded me of when Jimmy came to work on Petite Casapinka and he told Juniorette that he was putting ant traps around the stairs. She immediately looked horrified. "No Jimmy!!!! Those ants are my FRIENDS. Oh no, you can't kill them, you can't!" and Jimmy quick as lightening replied, "Darlin, I'm gettin' your friends some ant HOTELS so they can stay in there instead of your little house." "Oh thank you Jimmy thank you, you're a friend to the ants, too! I always knew it!" ( I kid you not - this is the conversation verbatim.)
In case you're wondering, I've been planning and plotting the kiddo rooms and the fuchsia dining room and I'll update you on my progress soon. As a little overview on the thoughts flowing through Casapinka, here is an addition to the dining room. I got this amazing suzani from Ebay because I loved it and was the ONLY bidder. Perhaps it will go in the dining room.
This newly recovered midcentury sectional is for sale down the road. It is $825 but I know they would accept less. In our large empty "bonus" room it could be the start of something wonderful, although if I'm honest with myself, it's not the right selection for two children who will undoubtedly use it as a launching pad for swinging from the rafters. It's still fun to admire, though.
And finally, this is a Grace Kelly/Prince Ranier coronation ashtray that I got for $3.99. I'm going to use it as a ring holder on my mirrored vanity - a little nod to the whole icon idea.
Back in the deepest area of the flea market on Saturday, wiping sweat from my brown and spilled lemonade from my daughter's ear, I stumbled upon this horrible green objet d'crap. My eyes swept over it and then jerked back and stared in astonishment. No, this was something pretty, or would be when it came to live at Casapinka. I opened the drawers and peered in like they do on HGTV, not too sure what I was supposed to find. There was a "Thomasville" stamp on one of the side of a drawer but no hidden bullion as far as I could tell. Although not very attractive, I hope it will blossom into a swan when it is cleaned up and painted and nice drawer pulls installed. (Whispered:) He was asking $39 and I didn't have the heart to bargain him down.
Currently, I am thinking of lacquering this in white and painting my chandy turquoise, maybe a bit lighter than this photo that Anna emailed me of a room done by Vannessa De Vargas of Turquoise. This week's plan, of course.
I was also thinking of placing two square ottomans underneath with some devastatingly beautiful fabric.
I am the happy owner of this sweet white and yellow lamp. I know it's a bit tacky to disclose but so what - $16.50. Oh, and as far as the fuchsia dining room goes, the painting is done and I'm trying to figure out how to decorate it. I was thinking some big white vases or white lamps on top of a suzani covered buffet or something (that's this week's plan at any rate.) Oh, and this photo was not taken at Casapinka (whew!)
I picked these aged keys out of a large can of keys at the flea market on Sunday. I was thinking that I could mount them on bamboo backing or fabric and frame them. Of course, you do know that I'm also interested in your ideas.I really like their lines and curves and the rust just adds a bit to the charm. I do think they are a bit small to hang directly on the wall with nails, but heck, for three bucks a girl can hardly go wrong.
Jimmy is supposed to get started on Petite Casapinka tomorrow. I'm sleeping with my fingers crossed tonight, though (Monday night.) He's sooooooo good about getting the job done but he always has a bunch of people calling him. I sure hope he's mine this week!
Update, 0750 Tuesday: Jimmy and Mark are here and Petite Casapinka is getting ready for the big makeover!
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.
Oh flea market, how good to me you are! I found a matching set of end tables a couple of weeks ago. I am still (as usual) trying to work through my confusion about furniture arrangement and where to put my artwork. I have emailed Anna detailed photos of the Hemingway room so we can try and figure out where to put everything. I just moved our huge (way too big for the room, but it's bought and is staying) armchair and ottoman into the corner. The problem is that the tv isn't visible from it. This might be ok when we get another tv somewhere else (you know - that universal male dream of a large screen tv.) Nancy Drew is going in my studio and boy, do I have great plans for Frida. She's got a few new friends I haven't shown you but I soon will. We also need to figure out a rug and I need to get shades for the bamboo lights, which are GORGEOUS in person. A stunning buy. I promise I will post more of a finished Hemingway room next week, as I'm sure it's getting a bit tedious to see little purchases here and there without seeing where they go. Can't you just PICTURE some nice contrasting pillows on the couch and armchair? Slowly, we will de-brownify the Hemingway room and make it into a haven.
The perfect flea market find. They are larger than they appear - the mirror on the right is about 18 inches wide. Thunder and lightning is a bargain hunter's best friend; I got the guy down to $25 because I think he wanted to get rid of all metal objects. Definitely worth the drowned rat hair! Anna thought some frames and mirrors like this on our stairwell wall would be compelling when hung suspended by ribbon (note the holes in the mirrors), along the lines of this photo below which Anna sent to me awhile back. I can think of a million places where they would look great!
By the way, does anyone know where I would have a glass top made for the worktable I posted earlier this week?
The flea market was very good to me this weekend, very good indeed. I found this silk fireplace screen for $55 and I was so happy it wasn't $200 that I didn't even talk them down. It has a very nice dark wood frame with brass scroll embellishemnents and is backed with a golden patterned silk. If you look carefully it says "Casapinka" in Chinese, which was an amazing coincidence.
We had talked about getting this screen for the room but I had held off for some reason. This silk screen changes the room entirely and seems to add some depth and nice color to it.
By next winter we will need a wrought iron screen since this silk one isn't practical in front of a burning fire but I think we can wait on it.
