Finishing That Wasted Space

First, thanks to Ballard Designs Style Studio for posting a photo of my dining room makeover.  It wasn't the best of the two I sent, but I'm sure they chose that one because you can see the table base a little better and it is their table after all. 

On to today's subject: Finished Attics.

While it certainly isn't anything I can afford right now, I've always imagined some day finishing my attic.  One thing that stopped me in the past is that while the entrance to my attic has a perfectly normal staircase, it can only be accessed through my bedroom.  There is probably another way to open up access, but creating an opening versus using existing would no doubt greatly escalate the cost. 

If I maintained just the entrance from my bedroom, that would rule out a guest room - unless I want guests traipsing through my bedroom (not so much).  I have always admired what Martha Stewart did with her Bedford NY attic.  It's kind of a craft room on steroids.  Take a peek:

 

  

Of course, no matter what I would do with it, it would have to have a bathroom - even if very small.

 

 

A little sitting room to relax and watch TV or read would be nice too.

  

 

A gym?  I would have no excuses to skip the workout so I would have to pass on this idea, but it is impressive.

   

 A home office...

Or just stick with the obvious...a bedroom.

 

 

  

  

I'm going to go buy a Mega Millions ticket so I can finance my big ideas.

“Have nothing in your house that is not useful or you believe to be beautiful.” William Morris, leader of the Craftsmen Movement. If you want a golden rule for what to purchase and what not to purchase, this is it.  William Morris also said that the most important things in life are love and work and the true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in the details of daily life.  I think he has a point or three. 

Tuesday Tips - Wisdom For Everyday Life

One More DIY For My Dining Room

After pulling together my new dining room, I left one wall sadly blank while I pondered what to adorn it with.  Here is the lonely wall (below).  You can see why it needs somthing right?

None of the art work I already owned really did the trick, so I decided on another mirror.

After a brief search at Home Goods (of course), I found what I was looking for in the form of this mirror (love the arch):

 

It was priced at $29.99, but the wood frame was badly scratched and even gouged in spots, so some haggling later, I got a $5 discount.  Not what I was hoping for, but I really liked the mirror and knew the size was perfect for the wall in question.  

BTW, objects in mirror are not nearly as fat as they appear - that was a bulky sweater - it's very cold in Cleveland right now.  Just wanted to make that clear.

A major dose of sanding and three coats of the same glossy black paint I used on my other dining room mirror and the tray table and my new mirror was ready for its close up.

Here it is occupying the formerly lonely wall.  My original plan was just to stain the mirror a dark brown as I feared it would look to "matchy" if I used the same glossy black paint on the tray and the mirror, but I do like the overall effect.  

The one big disappointment was that after I cleaned up the mirror, I realized it was covered with fine scratches (visible in the photo below) that were not noticeable when I bought it because of the tape marks, dust and paw prints on it.  Anyone know how to get rid of those scratches?  

Still, in spite of its imperfections I'm quite pleased with my new mirror and at a recent get together with the girls (before I purchased and hung the mirror), I turned the tray table into a drinks station and it worked really well and kept the main table free for the food. 

That's my DIY for the week - unless I get another burst of energy.    
Wealth Consists Not of Having Great Possessions but Few Wants. Epicurus We Americans are drowning in stuff we don’t need.   Buying things you don’t need takes up a lot of life energy that could be used to buy your freedom from debt, among other things.   Next time you go shopping, ask yourself if what you are purchasing is a want or a need.  If it’s a want, think twice about what it’s actually costing you. 

From TUESDAY TIPS - WISDOM FOR EVERY DAY LIFE

Doing A Design Double Take

I was perusing the online catalog Anthro emailed to me today and happened upon this mirror:

 

Anthropologie calls it the Weathered Curlicue Mirror and it includes this discription:

As if plucked from a 19th century farmhouse, this remilled pine mirror is full of rustic charm.

• Remilled pine, glass
• 34"L, 27"W
• Imported

An additional $30 will be added for shipping and handling. This item will ship via UPS Ground and is only available for delivery within the continental United States. Shipment to international locations, U.S. territories, AK, HI, P.O. boxes, APO/FPO addresses and express ship methods are unavailable for this item.

style #960030

$368.00

So, does it look familiar to you?  If you're a design junkie like me, it probably does because it looks very much like a mirror that appeared in Restoration Hardware's catalog months ago.  RH calls it the Mansard Scroll Mirror and here's a picture of it taken from their website:

This is the description for the Restoration Hardware Mirror:

Mansard Scroll Mirror

$295

Inspired by classic late 19th-century architectural windows collected in his world travels, designer David Thompson reproduces this mirror as a distinctive piece for the home.

Hand-carved from salvaged wood

Treated with customized stains and then hand-painted

Multi-step finishing process achieves a uniquely weathered, washed patina that makes each mirror truly one of a kind

Dimensions: 27"W x 2-3/4"D x 34"H

Catalog, Web and select stores

As you can see, the dimensions are the same for both versions.  I notice a distinct difference in the little double scallop at the top of the Antho version. It appears the scallops are inverted on their version.

I know vendors copy each others merchandise all the time but it's odd that the copy is more expensive than the original design.

So you can have the original design from Restoration Hardware for $295 or you can purchase the imitation from Anthropologie for $73 more at $368.  Hmmmm...it's a tough call ;-)

Hopefully the Restoration Hardware mirror's designer, David Thompson, is flattered by the rip off imitation of his design.

Kitchen Eye Candy

Wow!  That's the only thing that floated through my little head as I gazed at this kitchen.  Just. Wow!  I mean it is completely unlike any kitchen I've ever seen in my life.

The part of the kitchen that falls below chandelier level is relatively normal - crazy beautiful, but nothing we haven't seen before (click on photo to view larger picture).  But, what's above that is truly amazing - to me anyway.  It's part English manor library, part early American kitchen with all the pewter (at least many pieces appear to be pewter or maybe silver) dishes and serving pieces decoratively arranged on plain white shelves.

The owner of this beauty of a kitchen?  Joan Rivers, people...Joan Rivers.  Who would have guessed?

I love that they didn't move the blue towel with the dog dish out of the way for the picture.  Even famous and fabulously wealthy people have dogs that make a mess when they eat and drink :-)

Just can't adequately express my amazement over this kitchen.  So just wallow in the beauty of it and talk among yourselves.