The Coffee Table
I feel positively ridiculous writing this post, but I’ve received enough emails about the coffee table that it warrants a quick mention. Here goes: Not new. Not special. Seriously, not that big a deal.
That said, I’m happy I was able to pull the wool over your eyes!
Our previous coffee table (also not new, special, or a big deal) was a leftover from my college days. I’m notoriously picky about coffee tables and accepted long ago that I will never find one I like and can afford. When it comes to coffee tables, I have a defeatist’s attitude.
The “new” white coffee table is the Imfors from IKEA, now discontinued. We bought it about five years ago because it was round and somewhat indestructible, the two sad, generic prerequisites I held on to despite knowing coffee tables are hopeless. I bought that table with the same jaded acceptance of a woman who, after too long on the scene, narrows down her requirements in a man to (i) penis and (ii) breathing.
We used it for a few years until we unearthed my college coffee table from storage. It sat under old blankets and a painting drop cloth in the garage ever since.
I knew the coffee table from college wouldn’t work with the Ektorp, so I decided to pull out the white one from the cemetery in the garage as a temporary measure. Originally, the legs were chrome, and something about the chrome and white made it look the cheap price point, especially when placed in front of the white sectional. I decided the solution would be to paint the legs a soft gold or aged brass. You know, put some lipstick on that pig.
It couldn’t have been easier. In fact, I did right before I had to pick up Nicholas from school while wearing heels and talking on the phone with a friend. It really was stupid easy. I was pressed for time, or I would have taken apart the table and spray painted the legs with surgical precision, as is my call in life. Instead, I taped everything off and used a ripped piece of cardboard to block the spray of paint.
Which reminds me, I used spray paint. I won’t describe the time I wasted in several craft stores reviewing my paint options and debating the pros and cons of each, except to say that time is gone forever, never to return. Ultimately, I relied heavily on this post by Kate. I chose the Gold Leaf spray by Krylon. It turned out nice, considering it was a beat up old coffee table.
As for how to spray paint, well, I think John and Sherry have that covered.
Here is a close look at all the dings and a water ring I forgot to wipe down. No idea why I feel compelled to share this image, but there you go. Overall, I really like the table. It’s open and airy and can old Skylanders, which is leaps and bounds ahead of round and indestructible. I feel like my relationship with coffee tables is moving in the right direction. Nicholas even calls it the “nice-ee table.” Of course I asked him why.
“Um, mama? Duuuuh! The legs are made of gold. And that is nice. Nice-ee table.
Oh, to be five.
Even though the Imfors line is no longer available at IKEA, you can achieve the same look with the Klubbo coffee table. In fact, I think that’s what Jordan did in these pictures of her old living room in San Francisco.
Aaaaand, that’s it! The story about my coffee table is officially told. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I haven’t gazed at my navel in at least twenty minutes. I need to get on that.
The Home Office
Love and money are the two motivators for this week’s project.
For a while now, I’ve been uncomfortable with how often the projects I’ve been tackling have benefited me directly and/or indirectly. The work I have done to date has been about making my life easier, which is the main benefit to working towards an intentional home. Today I tackled the home office, also known as the studio in the backyard. I never go out there except to use the fax or pick up something from the printer, especially now that we moved the three bookcases inside. The Mister, on the other hand, spends several hours out there every night.
If you ever wonder how I have the time to blog, it’s because my nights are usually my own after the boys are in bed. My little workaholic spends his evenings working, working, working. In a cesspool.
Here’s what happened.
Last October, during my William Morris marathon, I tackled the books in the office. They haven’t moved since because I didn’t know whether to sell them, donate them, or ship them off to Amazon. (I’m still not sure how the Amazon program works.) Then we moved the bookcases, which required me to empty the bookcases completely.
So maybe I just started chucking things onto the floor after touching over 500 books in one afternoon. Even though the Mister couldn’t see the books on the floor over by my old desk, it bothered me to think of him working for hours in such a cluttered environment. I avoid going out there at all costs, and that’s knowing I don’t need to spend more than a minute or two in the mess.
That’s my explanation for the piles and piles of books.
I have no explanation for his area, other than my once neat-as-a-pin husband has turned into the absent-minded professor with an aversion to filing. That heinous frame (and the picture of me, which isn’t bad) has to be 15 years old. Good gravy.
More importantly, those three pictures are what he sees when he sits in his chair to work. Piles of books in front, and a cluttered printing station at his back. That can’t be good Feng Shui.
I knew without him telling me that working there was stressful (how could it not be!) and I knew the prospect of cleaning out from under the mess seemed overwhelming (been there). So, because I love him and think he deserves a nice, healthy place to work (too much), I cleaned it all up for him as a surprise.
Feeling smug.
Also, feeling sore. I had to sweep the floors, then vacuum them, then wash them twice. Blargh.
The Mister was beside himself when he got home. I’ve got points banked for months! In fact, I’m pretty sure if I asked him to take me to the mall on Sunday he would say yes and then offer to carry my purse.
Earlier I said love and money motivated this project. It’s no accident this week is more about sweat equity versus cold, hard cash. Last week’s project tapped our wells, and I don’t like giving the impression that making an intentional home requires an open wallet. Clean desktops are free.
Organizing the office was as simple as categorizing the books and then storing them in file boxes. We’ll open the boxes and let people go to town when we have our garage sale. The rest will go into the donation pile or Amazon, if I ever figure out the consignment program and whether it’s worth the effort.
We’re close, but not done. Not by a long shot. The drawers and cabinets desperately need to be cleaned out, and three weeks ago we had a cable problem. The repairman’s solution was to drill a hole in our wall when I wasn’t there–and in direct violation of our agreed upon plan–and run a cord through the front of our credenza, which is why the door won’t shut. Sigh. That will need to be addressed, as will the 293893853 feet of device cords hiding behind the partially closed doors.
Progress, not perfection.
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The Home Library
In January I detailed the projects I wanted to tackle with The William Morris Project. I had this to say about the family room:
Family Room: A cozy, embracing room where bodies sink into stuffed sofas and chairs to read books and watch movies. The lighting is plentiful, flattering, and comfort reigns over form.
I had a laundry list of requirements, but the most pressing to me was changing the color of the walls and finding storage for our books. I couldn’t tolerate that sickly green-yellow one more minute and I had books stored in every room and on every surface. Two weeks ago our fish tank developed a slow leak. We bought a new tank but decided to paint the wall behind it before putting it in place to avoid painting around it when we eventually repainted the family room. (Moving a full tank can damage the structural integrity and create slow leaks. Learned that the hard way.) Painting that wall the same calm, soothing gray of the living and dining was all the inspiration we needed to finish the room…sort of.
Finishing the room…sort of…is what we did at IKEA on Sunday, and why I have been so quiet (frazzled! short tempered!) this week. I was trying to have everything spick and span and pretty for today, but there was just too much to do. I still think it looks fantastic, though, which is why ugly rooms are so convenient. They make half-done rooms shine.
A few before pictures for those longing to feel the impact of cat urine walls and sharpie-colored sofas.
These aren’t entirely current–we move furniture around often–but close enough. Also, those pictures don’t really communicate the air of “social security office” we had going on. You’ll just have to use your imagination.
Here is how it looks now.
We bought a white ektorp sectional. I did many months of research on it, read numerous glowing reviews, and liked the idea of rotating slipcovers in more luxurious fabrics from companies like Comfort Works. We planned on a sofa and love seat, maybe in mixed styles, but there wasn’t enough room once we finally bit the bullet and fixed that book storage problem.
What’s that? Did someone say home library?
I came {this} close to making our dining room a library in our first home, but I chickened out. I was too worried about what the neighbors would think, which twelve years later sounds extraordinarily stupid.
We pushed the sectional about 3.5 feet from the wall, took three Billy bookcases we had in our office in the backyard, brought them inside, and added two more. In January we decided to save up for built-in bookcases on that wall. This is our test run to see if we would like it. We like it.
We like it from every angle.
We have been saving up for a china/curio cabinet for some time now, but I can now display many of my most treasured possessions, some holding nothing more than sentimental value, on shelves with my other most treasured possessions. We save money and I get to be surrounded by everything I love like a little pack-rat. Win-win.
Here is a shot of our little hallway. It’s about 2 feet. The dogs like to hang out back there.
There is room for one more bookcase. We held off to cushion our budget and because my desk will make the bottom shelves somewhat inaccessible. If we don’t buy another bookcase, I will hang photographs or art in its place. We are also saving up for the glass doors to help with dust control.
The area above my desk remains a clean slate. I’m debating how to decorate the wall, though even if I had a concrete plan it would have remained unrealized this week. Purging and organizing the books (all in alphabetical order, by subject) took me close to 9 hours. All told, I touched over 500 books on Tuesday. There are more in the office, but those I’m selling or donating.
A few months ago on Twitter someone mentioned they bought a Kindle because they had way too many books. “Like, 50, guys. Not even kidding!” I laughed.
There is still plenty left to do, despite the tens of hours I put into the family room this week. We need window treatments, toss cushions, overhead lighting, a little of everything on the fish tank wall (Exhibit A), and we haven’t even painted the TV wall (Exhibit B). Let’s not talk about how the rest of the house looks (Exhibit C).
Still, having said that, this room already feels like us. The boys are over the moon in love with “the library.” I’m so pleased with how everything is coming together. And let me tell you, it’s not often this perfectionist is gentle enough with herself to acknowledge her efforts didn’t turn out half bad.
- Please link to a specific post, not a general blog address.
- Your post must relate to your efforts to create an intentional home. I have a delete button, and I’m not afraid to use it.
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- Let’s use this weekly link up as an opportunity to gather inspiration and motivation. Click links. Discover new people. Say hi and good job. I know I will.
The Plates
While it is true I regularly use the party plates my mom pressured me into buying, I still buy paper plates on rare occasions. For example, this past Christmas most of the Mister’s family came to visit. His dad and one sister plus husband, to be specific. I have to be specific because that brings the total body count to twelve, and one night we were hosting his brother/wife, sister/husband, us and the boys and we don’t have enough plates what are we going to do?!
What are we going to do?!?!
You know how you have people coming over and something happens that falls outside your expectations for the night (like having more people than plates) and suddenly every rational braincell you’ve ever possessed sticks to the steam shooting out your ears and leaves you with synapses that can only shoot blanks?
That happened.
I ran out before everyone came over and bought super cheap, plain paper plates and plastic utensils and used them to eat molten polenta with chicken and sauce. The heat went through the plates and marked the table.
In my panic over People v. Plates, I forgot the 40-50 plates we already owned. This sounds silly, forgetting that you own enough plates to open a small restaurant, but it’s true. I completely forgot their existence.
And that’s because they sure as heck weren’t in the cupboard. They were with my mom, neatly stacked in her cabinets, waiting for the moment I could fit more than a monofilament in mine without causing a ceramic avalanche.
As I was writing yesterday’s post, I truly and with all sincerity, said to myself, “I wish I could store our party plates at home. It would be so convenient.”
Oh, honey.
You could try storing the two serving bowls you forgot you had with the other serving bowls. You could donate the baby plates and bowls you never use. You could move the teas you never drink to the beverage cabinet. (Maybe then you’ll remember to detox your kidneys with peaches and dandelions?) Then you can wipe everything down, put things back, and see if you have enough room to store your precious party plates.
Well what do you know. Will wonders never cease?
- Please link to a specific post, not a general blog address.
- Your post must relate to your efforts to create an intentional home. I have a delete button, and I’m not afraid to use it.
- No links to giveaways, please.
- Let’s use this weekly link up as an opportunity to gather inspiration and motivation. Click links. Discover new people. Say hi and good job. I know I will.
DIY and Reusable Party Decorations
Thank you GLAD for sponsoring this post. Learn how you can reduce waste at your next party!
Mikey’s first birthday party was the first party my husband and I hosted as a couple, and by that point we had been together for almost 7 years. We had people over for dinner, of course, but never a party. Nothing to celebrate our 30th birthdays, my law school graduation, holidays, or whatever other reasons people use to come together. We’re both introverts who avoid being the center of attention.
That’s not to say that I don’t go all out. I do, and Mikey’s first birthday is proof. Sad, sad, proof. I went a little nuts. I invited, oh, everyone we ever knew. I had it catered, had special invitations made, had two outfits for him to wear, and, because it was an Argentine Gaucho theme, had Helena bring over her saddles and bales of hay so the kids could have their pictures taken.
Ever since then, overly produced themed birthday parties leave a bad taste in my mouth.
The one thing I did right was listen to my mother regarding tableware. She felt strongly that paper plates and plastic utensils were a waste of money. She finds them unattractive, flimsy, and bad for the environment. True on all counts, but I didn’t see where we had a choice. She did. In the clearance section of Target she found brightly colored ceramic plates in several patterns. She found matching melamine ones for the kids. She bought enough for everyone attending, and taught me this lesson.
Buy real party plates in fun colors that will work for most party themes. In our case, primary colors since most boy themes (cars, super heroes, animals, etc.) are usually red, blue, green, and yellow. Use them every time you have a party.
I’ve used those plates for birthday parties, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, large dinners, summer barbeques, and ill-fated attempt at Bunco, to name a few. All you need to do is change the flowers and a few incidentals to create a totally different look. Believe it or not, the table never looks the same.
Last year I took that same philosophy and made party decorations I could use again and again, no matter the occasion. I’ve used them at least twice since then, and I am always asked how I made them. They’re easy to make, and I made sure to make them in such a way that you can turn your product waste into party decorations, too.
Here are instructions to make your first set of party decorations.
Here is what you’ll need. Everything (for all the projects in this post) is available at large craft stores, like Michael’s or JoAnn’s.
- Card stock. Do not buy scrapbook paper. You’ll be tempted by the cute patterns, but scrapbook paper is thin enough to curl easily, and it won’t withstand years of use as well as card stock. Speaking of patterns, avoid those with words, letters, or anything that would look silly upside down or cut in half. You’ll be making precise cuts, and an upside-down headless dog won’t look cute on a banner. Unless you’re Tim Burton.
- Yarn. You can use other fibers as well, but you can buy a pound of yarn for around $5.00, and that’s more than you will ever need.
- Glue sticks. Buy the ones with a “no wrinkle” formulation.
- A ruler. You’ll be measuring, so a simple straight edge will not work here.
- A hole punch. Any shape, just make it large enough to thread yarn.
- A cutting device. I recommend a rotary cutter to make quick work of the project. If you don’t have one, you can use the ones at a copy center for free. You can also use an exacto-knife or scissors.
- Buttons. You’ll see.
Fold your card stock in half. You want paper thick enough to stand on end, but not so thick that it cracks when creased.
Take your ruler and a pencil and along the folded side of your card stock make light marks at 0, 4, 8, and 12 inches. Obviously the 0 and 12 inch marks are the ends of the paper. They aren’t necessary, but I still do it.
Next take your ruler and pencil and along the open side of your card stock make light marks at 2, 6, and 10 inches.
Finally, take your ruler and pencil and connect the marks at 0 and 4 on the folded side of your paper with the mark at 2 on the open side of your paper. Do this for all the dots. You’re basically making triangles. Or, like Nicholas noted, a giant zig-zag.
Tip: do this with a light hand. I made sure my lines were dark so that you can see them. If your lines are faint, you won’t see them later. If they’re heavy, you’ll become intimately familiar with your erasure.
Cut out your triangles and separate everything into three piles. You’ll have a pile of doubled-sided folding triangles, single-sided triangles, and goofy triangles.
Grab the double-sided triangles first and lay them out to determine a pattern. You can also wing it.
Determine the length of your banner. Pull that amount of yarn and add an additional 8″ on each side for tails. Lay it out on a large table and position your triangles. See how you like it. I don’t cut the yarn at this point in case I want the banner longer or shorter.
Apply plenty of glue to your triangle and press down firmly for a few seconds before moving on to the next one. When you are done, cut the yarn and finish off the ends with buttons.
Are you ready for your second set of decorations?
The second set of decorations uses the single-sided triangles. The first banner looks great from every direction and can hang from ceilings, across walkways, etc. Banners made from single-sided triangles are better suited for hanging against walls, furniture, or anywhere you won’t see the backside.
These are the most popular homemade banners I have seen. They are often made from scrapbook paper, which is fine if you don’t plan on using them for multiple parties/years. You already know the drill, I’m sure. Prepare your yarn as detailed above. Take your hole punch and punch holes at each end. Thread your yarn like a running stitch and finish with buttons.
(See the pencil marks on the orange triangle?)
Congratulations! You have banners!
(I’ve spread out the triangles a bit in the middle to show you both doubled-sided and single-sided banners can be adjusted for spacing after they are already made.)
We have two more decorations to go before we use up all our card stock. Here is your third set of decorations.
Using the entire pack of 48 sheets of card stock will get you a grip of triangles. You can use them all to make banners, but you can also use some of them to make a fun chandelier garland.
You’ll need
- Three paper punches in sizes ranging from 2″ to less than 1″
- Baker’s twine, #10 size yarn, jute, etc. You need thin fiber, in other words. Embroidery floss is too thin.
- Glue in low or wrinkle free formulation.
Cut your baker’s twine in roughly 18″ lengths. Punch fun shapes from your scraps, making sure you have enough for a front and back side. Generously glue each side, press down firmly, and wait a few seconds before moving on to the next one.
Allow them to dry, and then hang them from your chandelier. You won’t use buttons to finish these off. Instead, trim the twine to the very edge of the bottom shape, like this:
Here it is all together.
What’s that? You see the fourth set of decorations? Yes, just take your triangles–even the goofy ones–and thread them on skewers to make quick cake flags. Easy.
Now, go throw a party!
