Tag: <span>decorative objects</span>

Published September 5, 2011 by

The Winning Bookshelf

bookshelf-design-ideasFor those of you who participated in the Bookshelf Runoff over the summer, thank you for your vote! With your fine taste and discerning eye, you picked the Left Bank by Vivaterra and it couldn’t be more perfect for our living room. The gray-washed wood shelves and exposed rivets give the room a little edge but the classic shape lets me know we’ll love it for a very long time.

With the bookshelf built and in place, the fun part begins: Accessorizing…

bookshelf-design ideasBookshelves are like one big showcase for your favorite things. Little collections, one-off objet, happy photos and quirky art get a new sense of purpose and importance when strategically placed among tomes.

Here a mix of fashion, design, fiction, photography, and travel books become pedestals and frames for beloved objects like our red-handled wine corker from the old bottling rooms of Burgundy to pieces from our camera collection (featuring Mike’s antique accordion Kodak and a cheeky ceramic Polaroid I got him for Christmas).

objects as bookendsReally, anything heavy and interesting is a bookend. Here, a charcoal-heated iron that Mike found in India keeps our literature in place and looks quite sculptural in its new found role.

Bookshelf accessorizingFilling the formerly empty expanse next to our fireplace, our bookshelf of favorite things makes the living room feel like a much more personal place.

Finds

Anne's buys decorating decorative objects furniture living room

Published October 6, 2010 by

Hot New Shop! Shine Labs

bone china napkin ringsOut of all the new companies that were introduced at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair last May, Shine Labs is the one I’ve kept my eye on. Upon entering their booth, the porcelain collection had me drooling and asking a million questions–most importantly, when I could get my hands on it!

Well, the time has come. The San Francisco-based company has just opened its first online shop, Store.ShineLabs.com, and it’s as fabulous as expected! They have a ton of chic lighting and really unique accessories (the Nautica Votives are wild) but I’m still fixated with my original love: their porcelain bone china. Made by artisans using all natural materials, Shine Labs porcelain is not only durable and luminous, but down-right gorgeous.

A Few of My Faves
porcelain flower napkin ringsNapkin rings—especially the floral variety—often fall into the cheesy realm. But in the absence of bad silk or sequins, these solid, sophisticated shapes read like sculpture.
Rose, Moth Orchid, and Peony Napkin Rings, $12 each.

Tabletop ideasSaid to be leaf-inspired, I look at this pattern and see a series of whimsical hearts. However you’d like to see it, this piece would make for one impressive fruit bowl. Pelargonium Platter, $130

tabletop ideas votive holdersSold for a bargain $32, the Rocca set includes three naturally modern bud vases and a votive holder with the warmest glow.

porcelain planterI just love the simple lines combed through these porcelain planters. Place a fern here, and it will be one of the best thing about owning a house plant. Reef Collection, $22-$50.

Finds

decorative objects shops tabletop

Published June 10, 2010 by

Hot Purchase: Artisan Bowl from Simon Pearce

unique silver serving bowlsWhenever we are near the Quechee area of Central Vermont, Mike and I always make a point to stop into Simon Pearce. The river-powered glassblowing and pottery workshop is endlessly inspiring and its retail store…irresistible (click here to read about my initial love affair with the Quechee Mill).

There were about ten things in the shop that I desperately wanted but with our wedding around the corner (and in turn, our registry), I found the restraint to just buy one piece: the Artisan metal bowl. Part of a four-piece collection, the cast aluminum dish has the texture of a wave-beaten conch shell; rough in parts but smooth in others, it feels amazing to the touch. This olive/nut/nibble bowl may only be 4″ x 2″ but its shimmery nickel hue gives it big glamour and at $20 it was a total steal!

unique serving-bowls in metal

Finds

Anne's buys decorative objects tabletop

Published November 5, 2008 by

Finally, Refinished Furniture

two piece VanityFlash back to three weeks ago and my backyard was a DIY testing ground for nine painted-furniture projects. The paint has since dried, the hardware been screwed back on, the bugs picked out of the air-dried paint, and the furniture has been moved inside. Some of the projects were just paint touch-ups and others, you’ll see, were a decorative overhaul.

(Above) This desk and mirror just needed a fresh coat of white paint. They go so nicely together, I think I’m going to buy a little stool for it and use the setup as a vanity in the master bedroom.

after red mirrorThis antique beveled mirror was originally a natural wood color, but we painted it poppy red to match the wallpapered accent wall in our guest bedroom.

before yellow tableWe loved this Macky Blue sideboard’s tin top and exposed tin bread drawers—despite its brutally chipping framework. We bought it knowing that, even with serious sanding, this piece couldn’t be smoothed over. So we vowed to try our best and chalk the remaining rough spots up to “character.”

process purple table horizontalThough the original paint job had a palette like a Greenbay Packer, the two-tone legs were really inspiring. We painted the piece plum but left the feet primer-white to match the tin top.

after purple tableI still have dreams of having a tall chinoiserie china cabinet in my kitchen, but for $100 and a fun weekend project, this is a cute placeholder.

process buffet paint stripping anneThe greatest lesson I learned from Painted Furniture Weekend Part 1 was: NEVER strip furniture. It was the most disgusting, toxic, arduous yet deceptively easy project I’ve ever attempted for my home. The majority of the paint may gum up and peel off nicely, but the other 40% is a battle to get off the wood.

before buffetAfter stripping two sides of this piece, I abandoned ship and just went on to sand the front and top.

after buffet
Note: Please ignore heinous boob tube TV on top of sideboard and ugly equipment below.

As you can see, our entertainment center is not ready, but we’d like to ultimately use this sideboard as a media console (when we buy a TV from the 21st century). To do this properly we’d take the top two drawers, cut off the fronts, and reapply them with hinges so they fold down for easy access to the DVD player and fold up to cover unsightly equipment.

Another project added to the list.

Projects

accessories antiques decorative objects DIY furniture paint