Monday, January 26, 2009

Day 576

Photo by Roger Davies for Cottage Living (found here)

As you may have noticed, I've been thinking a lot about the finishing touches in our house. In the living room, dining room, bedroom and office, we've pretty much got the furniture taken care of. But I've still got a little ways to go in terms of getting things on the walls and satisfying my desire for pretty displays of the fun things we've picked up along the way. And I'm finding that walls of art and table vignettes are catching my eye more often now, than say, a color combination. With that in mind, I did a simple little makeover in our living room.



Between our two wonderful rocking chairs is a walnut drop-leaf table that my mother gave to us. It was one of the first pieces of furniture that my parents bought after they were married, and I think I can place it in every house I remember us living in. In other words, I love this silly little table. Besides its sentimental value, it's a great surface for display.

This is how it looked during the holidays. Well, during the last part of the holidays, as I had our nativity set here until Maddie ate baby Jesus (yes, you read that correctly!). Mary and Joseph looked kind of silly staring down at nothing, so I swapped them out for some sparkly trees. In front is an oval platter with Christmas cards on it.


I've really been loving big stacks of books lately, so I gathered all of the big, pretty books we have, and stacked them up (can you guess which are mine and which belong to Wes?). Then I added a blue-and-white porcelain box that I picked up at a flea market and topped the other with a candle and a metallic shell (my souvenir from Pieces). Then I took the little oil painting we bought on our Charleston honeymoon and hung it under the mirror (which I moved up a couple of inches). We're getting there!

7 comments:

Amber B. said...

I've been a lurker for a little while--love what you are doing to your house!! ! I have a random question--what is that book with the faux bois-looking cover? I've seen it in a few pics in magazines, etc. and I am just curious. :-)

paula said...

i love it. a good table scape always makes me happy.

Jennifer said...

Amber -- it's actually zebra print, and it's called I Married Adventure by Osa Johnson. I found it on ebay: http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37.l1311&satitle=i+married+adventure&category0=

LindsB said...

I'm loving the mini makeover!! It looks so great! I'm also loving stacks of books, I just did something like this on my side table too, I'll have to post about it now.

Great post, thanks for the idea!

Lauren said...

Love it too!! Stacks of books are so great to have around. They really make a home feel real & lived in.
Great job!!
xoxo

Anonymous said...

I adore your blog and the way you see the world (of design). I am a stylist for photo shoots and I would love to reciprocate some of the great inspiration you give out by inviting you to explore some of the vignettes on my site. Take a look if you like. I'm at www.French-Kissed.com
:) J

Gillian said...

I love your blog!! I recently found it and have been catching up on the back entries. My favorite part of your update is that there is now 2 items in-between the windows, it frames the size much better. The oil painting in its frame is so pretty!! Lastly, now that the table is open (unlike in earlier entries) and with the box under it looks so complete and sophisticated!