So, in about an hour, I’m going to check out this little ditty I found on Craigslist:
Granted. It looks like something that belongs in one of my parents’ friends’ houses, circa 1991. The kind with lots of beige, mauve and oak. And eucalyptus. Mblehk. However, this little set also looks like it has good bones and even better potential. The size is ideal – 56″ long means you can do a lamp on either side, 14″ deep means it won’t stick out too far and can tuck itself neatly along a wall. Wuftastic early 90’s vibe aside, I look at it and envision glossy paint, a sparkly new drawer pull from Anthropologie, and vibrant fabric on those stools. So, if I can barter the lady down from $75, I’m going to hoist it into my car, drag it back to the city & refinish it in some super fun, super funky, jewel-toned color, like one-uh these:
(…..hey horsey!)
(*All images via the lovely ladies at The Estate of Things’ Flikr page, which is like candy. These girls have a SICK eye for decor.)
Because frankly, I paint everything white, and I’m over it. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
As for the stools: they should be easy to recover (most of the time, if you flip ’em upside down, you can unscrew the upholstered seat, wrap a new piece of fabric around it, and staple that bad boy in place). I’ll need to locate some funky fabric to coordinate with whatever fun paint color I choose… ideally, I WOULD do this:
(photo from Jamie Meares’ Shop, Furbish Studio, in Raleigh, NC)
Ahem, insert my FAVORITE FABRIC OF ALL TIME – Quadrille’s (Home Couture line) “Contessa” in Turquoise/Orange. I’ve been obsessed with it for YEARS and used it in a different colorway in the designer showhouse I did this summer. Had I not lost an eBay auction last week for 4.5 yards of Contessa (we’re talking, close overtime thriller in the final seconds – I’m still devastated), I would be using it. But alas, in real life it’s $200/yard retail with a 5 yard minimum. And it is with a VERY heavy heart that I say this… Homey don’t play dat.
Let’s rub just a little more salt in my open wound: Jamie at Furbish Studio (of Isuwannee blog glory) used the pretty aqua/yellow version of the Contessa pattern on a stool below. GYAH it’s so beautiful, I just shed a single tear.
Runner-up pipe dream fabric = Lulu DK’s Bloomsbury pattern. Also a longstanding fave.
I love it in (that color above), and the two below (Emerald at left, Tourmaline at Right):
Anyway, if I can’t have Lulu or Quadrille, I’m hoppin over to Calico Corners. Remember them? Yeah – me too. They USED to be filled with snoozy toile and stodgy ho-hum stuff, but NOW they’re packed to the brim with gorgeous collections (including tons of Suzani, plus lines by Annie Selke & Iman). Full post on them to come next week (cause honey, I’m not done tooting their horn for the facelift they’ve gotten, and for bringing reasonably priced goodies to the masses), but below are the fabrics and corresponding paint colors I’m kicking around so far.
What do you guys think??
ps: the Dreamy Little Bathroom Series isn’t over! Wallpaper’s up next… I just thought we needed a bathroom break. Har dee har har.
Bon Weekend!
