Decorating terms...I'm learning

On my last trip to Printers Alley I fell in love with this patio set they had sitting by the front door. It's by Brown Jordan. They have gorgeous outdoor furniture and their website is like looking at something straight out of Hollywood. They take pictures that makes furniture look sexy. Is that possible?

I think my heart stopped beating momentarily when I saw the price tag. I can't even remember how much the entire set cost. I was too scared to look once I saw one chair was $759. Ouch! But that doesn't mean I can't still be in love with it. I've just got to find it elsewhere. Let me know if anyone sees some of these sitting out there at thrift store or on Craigslist.

The style of chair triggered a memory for me, I just couldn't remember where I had seen it before. Until the other night, lying in bed and flipping through the channels. And then, one of my all-time, most favorite TV shows came on and it hit me. The Golden Girls!

Yep, those 4 classy ladies were fashionable before their time. I'm not feeling the tablecloth so much but the chairs are gorgeous! I'm not an educated designer/decorator but I'm learning as I go. I didn't even know what to call these chairs so I could start my search. And so, in my research I learned the term "Chippendale". Who knew? (Probably 95% of the rest of the world, except  for me, but I'm getting there). You can really find out more than you care to know if you go to the Wikipedia site for Thomas Chippendale. He was a famous cabinet and furniture maker way back when. I'm not sure that I see the direct relation but I'll leave that to the professionals.

So instead of posting all about my latest find I just tell you all about my newest wish - Chippendale patio furniture. Until then...

Starting back with a bang...

It was June and now it's almost August. I'm not sure how I missed July but I did. Actually, I know what happened. My wonderful grandfather passed away, we had our annual convention at work, I had knee surgery, and then I moved to the new condo - all within the past few weeks. I was doing good to remember to the dog and myself and so the blog fell victim to my life. Oh well... onward.

So, I'm in. I've got most of the boxes unpacked and the cable was installed today. I've been so excited about the move for so many reasons but mostly because it was going to give me a new slate to work from. It's easy to get complacent and I had at the old apartment. But, the condo has so much potential and I was ready for some projects. And so the search began...

Wanted: Vintage Gossip Bench - preferably one that's cheap and wants a new coat of paint.
Found: Vintage Gossip Bench - Craigslist, $25

I've wanted a gossip bench for a while and I knew that the entryway into the new place was the perfect spot for it. I was so excited when I found this one, but it happened to be in High Point which is a bit further than I cared to travel. So, thankfully, my best friend who lives nearby agreed to save the day and retrieve my new find. She even delivered it to me in Raleigh! Such service...

Here's where the project hits its first hurdle and where you'll have to use your imagination. I was so excited about my first project for the house that I took tons of before, during and after pictures. I wanted to put up one of those posts that show off their skill and impress me everyday (see this one). So, you can imagine my surprise when I went to upload them to my computer and NONE of them were there! Luckily, I can still take the after shots... but there's nothing to show my work or prove that I didn't buy it this way. I did find it's twin brother on Craigslist tonight and will use it only to show you how it looked when I got it.

Not mine, but very similar!

Just know that I had laid out the drop cloth, sanded (even though I hate sanding), primed, painted, painted some more, stapled, and repaired. But you can't see all of that because my pictures are gone... so we'll just go with the big reveal. Wait for it... wait for it...

Ta-da..

Isn't it cute? I'm in love with it already and I don't have a thing on it or around it. I found the fabric at Printer's Alley. It was the perfect shade of blue with the white chair. I despise that green wall and how it throws my gossip bench all off, but I've been painting all week and as I type it's now in front of my gorgeous, newly painted (SW Sand Dune) walls. But, we'll save that for another post when I get my camera working right!

I'm really into all of these patterns and shapes that they have out now. I bought extra fabric and intend to make some pillows for my couch out of it. For now, my new white couch and my recondition gossip bench are all I have to show for my creative projects, but I'm working on it. I'm hitting the beach this weekend in search for those white oyster shells for my mirror that belongs above my  fireplace. Here's hoping August isn't nearly as eventful as June-July and I can get on some of this stuff. 

Going home...

This is home for me. My dad gets upset when I say I'm going "home" and I mean my apartment in the big city. To him (and me) this is my home and always will be. My great-great grandfather built it in the late 1880's. I'm the 5th generation to have lived in this house. That says something, I think.



This is the song that's making everyone think of home. Nice job Miranda... all I needed was one more distraction when I'm driving down the highway. I tear up every time I hear it.

I'm going home this weekend to help work in the garden, hang out with my nieces and celebrate my cousin's wedding. I'm looking forward to going home!

What to do??

It's summer time, or well, it's pretty darn close. Anything over 70 degrees counts as summer in my book. You know what that means? Cotton dresses, swimming pools, tan lines and - yep, you guessed it - MOVING! Ugh!

Moving is the one thing about this summer I'm not looking forward to. There's boxes and cleaning and lifting, oh my! It's all very overwhelming and kind of, sort of exciting all at the same time.

I've found a very cute condo not too far from where I live now. I love this neighborhood and I'm glad I'll get to still shop at the same grocery store and eat at the same restaurants. I know this part of town and it knows me. I like it that way. What I don't know yet is how I'm going to decorate this new home?!? I need paint and furniture and drapes, oh my!

Where do I begin?

dining room 

Ok, so this is what we see when you walk in the door. Small - yes, green - yes, bad light fixture - yes. But, this is where my round pedestal table and swanky new chairs are going to work their magic and make this look suitable enough for Martha and Oprah to come over for dinner.

living room

And here's where my new white slipcovered couch that I just bought is going to go. (FYI - it looks nothing like that white couch) It's really cute and looks like it came from Pottery Barn. Hopefully, when I get these walls a nice shade of crisp blue/grey and throw in a some fantastic lamps and a shabby chic coffee table it will be blog worthy. Stay tuned.

kitchen

And the kitchen... the heart of a home. Well lets just say I hope a "heart" doesn't haven't to be big to be good. I think the word that comes to mind is "cozy" - and that's fine by me. It's got all I need and enough counter space for my mixer!

deck

Again, let's remember... this isn't my furniture or my weight bench. I can assure you, all of that will be long gone once I set up shop. But, it does make me wonder what in the world I'm going to do out here. It's a great deck with a nice view. I haven't really got a plan yet, but I'm working on it. That outdoor kitchen, hydrangea bush and hammock may still have to wait until I build that dream house. 

And so, there you have it - the tour before the tour. Hopefully the next pictures I put up will be after some painting, delivery of the new furniture and the hanging of the drapes. Maybe I can find some friends to come and help... you know, the way they do the hanging of the greens at church? I think this would be a great group project!