Dish Envy …

Twice now, I’ve been walking through our local “Bay” (aka The Hudson Bay Company) store and come across this table setting.

And twice now, I’ve taken pictures with my iPhone (sorry for the quality …)

I’m thinking this means something.  This last visit, I took this picture also…

… which means two things … one - I am seriously crushing on this pattern and tw0 – it’s way out of my price point.

But one of the reasons for writing a design blog is to be able to dream – right?!   So, I’m dreaming of a virtual table setting including this lovely china…

Lenox French Perle in Ice Blue

I think it would be lovely paired with this set for contrast …

Mikasa Antique White

matched with this glassware…

Mikasa French Countryside wine glasses

And this flatware …

Anglais Ivory flatware by Alain Saint-Joanis

On this linen tablecloth …

Linen drawn-work tablecloth with double hemstitch c/o Opulence of Southern Pines

On this table …

Round onion based pedestal extension table c/o Camlen Furniture

In this room …

Room by Phoebe Howard

In this house …

traditional exterior design by minneapolis general contractor Stonewood, LLC

Well, look at that, a whole new life, just from one little table setting :).

What do you dream of setting your table with?

Sew …. what’s new???

Hey readers, I’ve got something brewing in my garage.  No…. it’s not hubby’s still (I can’t say that too loud, he’s McGyver inclined and may just try it out --- LOL).

Nope, it something better than alcohol, well better than Grain alcohol anyway, never better than red wine you understand – NOTHING is better than red wine.

But I digress, back out to the garage.

A couple of weeks ago my friend and fellow blogger Kelly of Jax does design gave me one of several old sewing tables (including the machine) of her grandmothers.  I was beyond thrilled.  You see I have a small obsession with previously loved furniture. (See my last makeover here).  I think it’s partly because of the secrets they hold.  Where have they been, who have they known?  And in this particular case, how many garments have been lovingly created or repaired by this machine?  That’s part of it, but the main reason is the draw of giving these pieces a new lease on life.

So, after I brought my new friend home, I was “alotted” a small space in the garage for my latest find.  Then the fun began.  What did this new treasure hold ….

In the original picture Kelly showed me I wasn’t sure if the top was one or two pieces.  I used to have a sewing table that had a split hinged top.  With this in mind, I was thinking I would replace the top with a nice piece of granite or marble.  But … looks like I won’t have to, since this sewing table has a solid one piece top that lifts off – sahweet!

Now, what secrets is this solid one piece top hiding …

The machine is a Franklin, made by Sears Roebuck Co. in the early 1900’s.  Here are some close-ups:

So, what started off as a cool new furniture makeover, morphed somewhat into a Google research project to find out as much as we could about Franklin sewing machines.  Here’s what we found:

The whole story can be found at http://www.ismacs.net/sears/sears.html, where you’ll hear all about the exciting world of sewing machines :)!  The machine isn’t worth very much at this point, but it certainly has some decorative value if you were going to display it somewhere. 

Next week, I’ll share my ideas and inspiration for re-finishing this gorgeous piece … stay tuned

Friday Find – October 21 {Turned Crazy}

First, I must apologize for missing last Friday.  I was away with my girlfriends for our 26th annual Girls Weekend.  I’d tell you more about it, but you know what they say … what happens on Girls Weekend ….. nobody remembers!

Anyhow, I am back in one piece and ready with this week’s Friday find. In more research on the colour RED I came across this photo:

contemporary bedroom design by los angeles interior designer betsy burnham

via www.houzz.com

The picture showed up in my search for RED because of the chair, which is nice but I am crushing on that bed.  Isn’t it fabulous?  Those turned bedposts are crazy!

(source:  House Beautiful – http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/Warm-Is-Luxurious-House-1206)

This is the  Moragas Bed from Gregorius|Pineo and I WANT one!

Friday Find – July 8

Flipping through the June 2011 issue of Elle Decor, I came across this table in an article about Paul Loebach, a furniture designer.

 

All images c/o The Contemporist. 

Read their post on the Watson Table here.

Paul was named one New York Times “Nifty 50” in January of 2010.  I like the unique design, a modern piece with a nod to the spiral turned legs of earlier furniture styles.  A conversation piece in anyone’s home, I’m sure!

Friday Find–May 27

We have a new Stickley Furniture store in Ottawa.  It has reminded me how much I love arts and crafts furniture.  Here’s a couple of my favourites from their Edinburgh collection.

I fell in love with Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s furniture designs while taking History of Furniture.  Stickley has done an amazing job in carrying his designs forward in the Hillhouse Sideboard and Willow Queen Bed pieces above.

I think I know what I’ll be doing this rainy wet weekend – heading to Stickley Furniture!

Friday Find - March 11

Lots to love in this room!

By interior designer Annie Selke via House Beautiful. 

New feature on dh designs–“Friday Find”

I've been feeling just a tad bit of guilt over the summer about my infrequent postings here.  Nothing you've done blog-land, just life was uber-busy, and maybe I would rather be outside enjoying the sunshine, or upstairs painting a bedroom, or out shopping.  Whatever the reason, I have been neglecting my blogger friends by not posting and even worse - not visiting and commenting on your blogs *GASP*.

Well I am about to remedy that.  And here's how:

One of the reasons why I've been skipping posting is a case of bloggers block.  I have set somewhat of a standard for my posts - they were not quick and easy to post, they took some thinking and time to formulate.  That seemed to be turning me off posting.  Soooo... I've decided that every Friday I will be doing a quickie post about something I've found that week that has caught my eye.  It won't be a novel, heck it won't even be a short story, it will just be a picture and perhaps a sentence or two.  I'm going to call this my "Friday Find".

And here's the first one:

I love this chair! Simple…