My Home #2 - the Dining Room

I promised a "tour" of my new place.  We moved into our  circa 1973 condo on March 12th of this year.  We don't have a lot of natural light in this room partially because it only has one window and partially because there is a huge pine tree outside.  I don't mind, I like the tree.  Here is the way the condo looked when we came to see it with our Realtor back in February.  BEFORE:

AFTER:

 Okay so here is what happened.  (other than it became dark...I wonder what kind of lens their Realtor used.  I can't get a wide picture) So, I had painted a room in our other house the same Cracked Pepper paint it is a Behr color from your local Home Depot store.  I also, sold the light fixture that the previous folks had and replaced it with a Pottery Barn fixture. I normally never splurge on anything but, when Ed was on some heavy duty pain killers I asked him if I could buy this.  When it arrived and my handyman put it up for me Ed was like WOW that is really cool.  (he had no idea permission was given...Im bad)  I LOVE it though!  I also added a gold curtain that I used in a house 2 houses ago and a rod I bought at JCP.   The beautiful parquet floor and the paneled walls and crown molding were already here.  Now the close ups.

 Sharing the wall. Obviously, I have been collecting and making work for many, many years. Some things have been given to me, inherited, made, traded, gifted and purchased.  Lots of original art, outsider art, a doll by Mimi Kirchner, old school map, wood cut print, art by Josh Johnson, an old A from a screen door and more....  

 There are a couple of pieces that I have done over the years.  A great painting by Judy Jarrett, my fav ironstone platter, a nest, a basset hound, a print of Abraham Lincoln with sunglasses on and another favorites is a framed autographed hankie from July 18th, 1900.   

 I bought this primitive cabinet before I knew my husband for $200-, the luggage came from an old friend of my Mothers and the little dress a day painting was a treasured gift from a friend.

 Such a sweet painting by Liz Tran.

 I love folk art.  This wood carved beauty is a creation of outsider artist Harry Jennings from Kentucky.

 The bust was Ed's from before we married.  It made the cut!!! :)  The pear is a heavy metal sculpture (another gift from my friend) it is covered in wax.  The little doll table was a thrift find that I can't part with.  My cousins and Aunt and Uncle have always lived in Florida and these starfish just remind me of them and all the fun we had on our annual trips to visit them when we were growing up.

 I am realizing that everything I own has a story.  I found this old chair years ago and I had held onto my dad's denim jacket after he passed.  It is upholstered on the back of the chair front and back.  The upholster added the Polo label that wasn't me.  She also made the little fur pillow.  (I have a little fur thing, no judgment)

 I bought this years and years ago on a trip to Chicago.  It's a great little light.  Who doesn't love MONA!

 China Cabinet holds my Dad's wooden tool box on top.  A head by James Kelly, some hand carved birds, thrift store wood log coasters and green wood candleholders and an heirloom parrot lamp.

 I made this table while I was in art school.  My heating and air conditioning brother was able to take my plans and have my 2 legs made at a sheet metal shop.  The wheels came from an old shopping cart. 

 The is our salt and pepper "trolley"  They fit perfectly on there.

 

Thanks for coming along for the tour! xo