We jabber a lot on Fridays about all the pretty baubles & threads & what-nots we’re lusting over. But… how’s that little quote go?
So today I thought it’d be fun to rap about one of my favorite things I’ve already got: the happiest of happy, cozy dining rooms. It’s taken a little while, a little trial & error, and a lot of layering things I love over time… but isn’t that what a space you love should be? Collected and curated? I really am breaking my arm patting myself on the back here… what a hooker. Whatever. Almost everything in this room has either sentimental value, was sourced from a thrift store or Craigslist, or is a refurbished antique. Here are s’more bits from the room:
Super sentimental stuff on the wall: Old family photos of my parents and grandparents around the dinner table… a gigantic spoon that I scooped up antiquing with my Nanny… a framed copy of “La vie est faite de petits bonheurs” (Life is full of little pleasures)…
And, hand-written directions to my favorite restaurant in Florence (Il Latini) scribbled by an obliging shopkeeper when my college bestie and I were trying to find it again on our 2nd trip to Italy.
Mix & Match seating was a must for me. I generally want to ralph when I see a fully matched dining set. This isn’t Rooms-to-Go, yo. Linen Settee is from World Market (on sale right now for $299! #stealing). Tufted chairs are from Nest in Chicago – I finally snapped them up after months of pressing my nose against the glass and drooling over them. Louis XIV chairs are sommuh my favorite refurbished antiques.
Ikat Pillows: The navy throw pillow covers are from Interwoven… she has some pretty great stuff in the form of kanthas, ikats and otomi textiles for great prices. I also follow her on Intstagram for daily updates and sale alerts.
Framed Mia Beach Photography & Vintage Dresser: I remember the day I saw this dresser at Habitat for Humanity in Mt. Pleasant, SC with a $125 sticker on it. I literally lunged for it and carried it out the door… à la that 2 lb. weiner dog from the Grinch carrying a 875 lb. bag of toys. It took a little elbow grease to clean it up, but I love it. Such a great piece. The old barnwood frame was about $16 from the Broadway Antique Mall in Muncie, IN, and the photo is my very oldest friend Mia‘s little boy frolicking through a field. She was sweet enough to send me a copy. It makes me so happy every time I look at it.
Louis XIV caned dining chairs: I picked these up at an antique store in Charleston, SC about 8 years ago… at the time, they were a yellow-y bone color covered in mauve velvet. Wuf. They’ve seen a few cans of spray paint since then, but I finally ended up with a few coats of rose gold spray paint and the most delicious charcoal grey velvet from Calico Corners. Big thanks to Begley Upholstery on High Street for doing such a bang-up job on these. I love a good DIY, but some things you gotta leave to the experts.
Vitrine of antique flutes, coupes & tumblers: Muffie Faith, who owns ESD in Charleston, inspired this collection. I saw candy-colored glasses perched in her kitchen window about 7 years ago and thought it was the greatest thing I’d ever seen (remember this post?). So, every time I’m in a thrift store, I sprint to the glassware section, and there is ALWAYS something delicious there. This collection makes parties and holidays REALLY, really fun.
And look how amazing these bad boys are… I think they were 50 cents each. Where’s the karate chop emoticon??
Here’s my newest addition: A $20 buffet from Goodwill.
I ended up painting the outside cream, and the inside is this color. #bangbangbang
What’s your favorite room in your house? Or your favorite thrifty score? Shoot it over to us – we wanna see!!
Have a great weekend, Campers!
