Lighting up the House : Part 1

I was going to title this post "I really MUST be stopped!" I have been on an Ebay tear. Snapping up not 1, not 2 but 3 more vintage light fixtures since the middle of last week when I posted on this beauty below! It may seem out of control but when the only light fixtures in each of the rooms literally consist of a series of dangling light bulbs, a girl can only take it so long. I've often wondered what the original lights must have looked like for this house (built in 1928). But they are long gone. Also must admit, I love to find a bargain and all of these were definitely that.

So this was the first purchase. Its going in the master bathroom. But we've been over that. So on with the show and tell.

Not 10 minutes later LondonHIM won this 1920's French fixture bound for the kitchen.

Not sure I can stand the bows on the globe however. I did find a great option for replacing it at Van Dykes Restorers. I'm reserving judment until after they arrive. It can be hard to tell from pictures.

Also a 1920's French Gothic pendant heading for the central hallway.
P.S. -All of these first 3 fixtures we purchased are from the same seller. Don't you wonder where he finds his wares.



The piece de resistance. This is going to the master bedroom. Crazy about the Greek key motif on this one.




So as you can see, I really must stop! --- For now. (After all there is still the living room, den, dining room, book nook and one bathroom to go!)

New Source: Bungalow Tile

Recently I stumbled across this interesting new take on a classic design. Bungalow Tile offers the iconic hexagon tile in a 2" size. This is twice as big as the standard hexagon tile we are accustom to seeing. A playful nod to tradition and full of possibilities.

Images via Bungalow Tile website

Ebay Score!

Won this last night on EBAY! I'm still a little giddy. Just $81.00 Yeah!



I do believe it will look wonderful in the future master bath. Remember the napkin sketch and the inherited granny style dressers I found the twins of on Steven Sclaroff's site.



Master Bath concept:

"Appropriately Aged"

Designer Lynn Sears, creates a Dallas standout two years in the making that looks as if it stood there a century or more. When in fact the house is brand new. The home was recently featured in the Better Homes and Gardens special interest publication Beautiful Homes Spring 2008 in a story by Denise Gee.
The finely crafted home is spectacular. Old and new simultaniously. Smart, elegant, and warm altogether with and individuality you may not always see.


Pallatially grand central corridor with fantastic trompe l'oeil ceiling.

Photography by Gustav Schmiege

Gorgeous english arm sofa in the living room. Interesting beam treatment of the ceiling. Actually all the ceilings in this home are special. The kitchen and wine cellar are as well.

Charming dining room using reclaimed wood and embroidered fabric on the walls is a mix of rustic and elegance, beautifully crafted.

Breathtaking mosaic backsplash designed by Lynn Sears.

The article is full of more lovely pictures from this home. In fact the entire magazine is full of great features. I recommend it!

Have a nice weekend!

Tudor love...

Carmel cottage. Picture via Mabel's House (which is a great blog BTW, you should check it out).

My funny valentine.

It reads "I've a bicycle built for two."
(It's not ours yet, the auction ends at noon.)

Happy Valentine's day, LondonHIM! Here's to us finally figuring it out. And to falling head over heels for your best friend (of 16 years). I'm a lucky girl.

The sky is falling...

5 Days and counting 'till the ceiling comes down. Chandelier we bought at an estate sale in an old historic downtown Georgian mansion. We had them throw in a scary-yellow/green-plasticlike-linen covered cool shaped wingback chair in the deal. Although in retrospect, I think they were happy when we took it off their hands. The wingback is the next thing in line to go to the upholsterers when this ceiling comes down. Its going to be black crocodile leather w/silver nailheads. Actually, I planned to send ALL pending reupholstering projects to the shop the end of the week. Sending them at the same time while we tear out the ceiling. That way we don't have to store them for the 2 month blitz.

P.S. No, this is not a log cabin. That is called shiplap and it is 6 inch wooden planks, typical construction material behind plaster or cheesecloth in this era home.

Empire Chair love...

Swedish Empire at Coup d' Etat via 1stdibs

Russian Empire Chair at Triannon via 1stDibs
Empire Walnut Fauteuils at Thomas Jolly via 1stDibs

Danube Monarchy at Ritter Antiks

French Bergere at Ritter Antiks

South German Empire Chair at Ritter Antiks

Empire chairs for your enjoyment via 1stDibs and Ritter Antiks.

Ritter Antiks houses the worlds largest collection of Biedermeier furniture at their New York showroom. Obviously an amazing collection of Empire pieces as well.

Why the eye candy today? I'm suffering Empire chair withdrawals. I have a pair of Empire chairs and a great story of the score! (The owner of the little antique store I got them at still winces when I walk in.) So where are the before pictures, and the after pictures, not to mention the chairs themselves? In storage... bummer...I'll save the tale for another day.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

Knowing you want an apron farm sink and knowing which one you want are two completely different things. For the longest time we were thinking a copper hammered farm sink would be just the thing for the reinvention of our kitchen. We are keeping the original upper cabinets and painting them a warm white with the back of them painted buttery yellow and changing the chipped glass in the doors for seeded glass. The backsplash is planned for white subway tile. The countertops - black granite with an ogee edge. New stainless appliances (adding a dishwasher is a MUST) are in order. We're using an island we developed from a 1940's birdseye maple breakfront. It's a great place to hide the microwave and small wine fridge, they didn't have either in 1928, can you imagine.

So recently, we began to think the copper sink would stand out from the rest of the plan a little too much. We do have some copper pots and pans but that's it . So when we went to the new Round Rock Ikea a couple of weekends ago to find some organization products for the home office, we were surprised to find this enameled white farm sink. It seems very classic and has an interesting detail of a ridged drain board across the back. And at $299 its just a fraction of what comparable sinks would be.

Ikea DOMSJO double bowl sink at IKEA
Timeless and classic but is this choice too safe?

Option #2:

The Country Living Feb. 2008 issue features this year's Idea House of the year. The kitchen has this amazing nickel hammered sink by Native Trails.


Photography by Jon Wayne Kishmoto for Country Living

I love it! It combines the look of the hammered copper one which we love but won't clash with the stainless appliances. But I am concerned about it being dated. Do you think this look will be OVER in 10 years... 5 years?
So while we're trying to decide can you give me your opinion.
White enamel apron farm sink or the hammered nickel choice?
Thanks in advance for helping out ;-) !

Library ladders on my mind.

2 story library, by champagne.chic via Flickr

A few months ago I recieved the most romantic gift...a library ladder! I'm not joshing. To me it was very romantic! You see I have always wished to have a rolling library ladder on rails and the library to go along with it. So when my guy found that the former law office next door to his office was demo-ing out the library and its accoutrements he chased the ladder down to the salvage yard to aquire it for me... umm us. So now we have a gorgeous ladder along with the beautiful brass rails. Used, but I think they are even more charming because of the patina.

Library ladder via 1st Dibs.com

Our ladder is similar to this one but with brass casters.

Before I became a permanent fixture around here the idea was to take out the ceiling in the living room to expose the beams. There is also a peaked roofline over the front porch. His plan is to open that up as well creating a small loft or reading garret. So the acquisition of the ladder provides the perfect way to access this future little room as well. Of course we will be adding some tall built-in bookshelves to further utilize the ladder.

Library ladder via 1stdibs.com

Beam me up, Scotty!

Great hall, Eltham Palace, Southest London,via Whipper_Snapper@ Flickr

Eltham Palace, Southeast London as above @Flickr

Two weeks and counting until the living room ceiling comes down. We will be dropping the ceiling to reveal the beams and the peak of the roof line. Hopefully it will end up looking something like this.

Skwishy via Flickr


Designer Victoria Hagan via Ferret & Hound

We're going to seal off the living room, kitchen, and den from the rest of the house. Put everything in them into storage and go to it.

SLC Interiors via Ferret & Hound

House Beautiful, designer Fern Santini

House Beautiful, designer Marshal Watson

I can't wait!