Thursday, February 22, 2007

Breakfast room before-and-after

If there's one thing I have in abundance, it's family furniture. My husband has been blessed/cursed with a few pieces that never fit our homes. Yet we cannot give them away, because they're all he has of his father's family.

I envisioned a tall, built-in desk with hutch for this sunny corner, with a bank of shelves under the window and floor cushions for the kids. I wanted Ballard Designs to bring a truck to my door and start unloading. Gulp, the rolltop desk wouldn't fit anywhere else. I stuck it in the corner and glared at it for a month or two. My sister offered her old toile chairs. At least that made the big hulk less brown. Then my mom gave me a daffodil painting from Finder's Keeper's, a local consignment store ($45). Hanging it low and off-center connected the desk to the chair. I moved the lamp to the left, so it could be the tall point, then added our field guides and a potted ivy to fill in the triangle. A $3 pair of pillows brings the yellow across the room. Suddenly I didn't hate that corner anymore.
Please don't think I'm ungrateful about this desk. It has many faults, including a herniating weight, but I'm happy to keep moving it (6 times and counting!) so long as it pleases my husband!
For more posts about making the most of your abundance, visit A Gracious Home.

17 comments:

Monica Wilkinson said...

This turned out lovely! It looks so inviting and warm! Great job!

Traci said...

It looks great! I love it...and actually a bit envious because I've always wanted a roll top.... utscp

Rean Day said...

It is amazing what a little decoration can do! What a lovely little nook to read and send out a sweet postcard to a friend or relative. You truly have an knack for decor!

Rean Day

Mary Ann said...

This looks nice! I'm glad we are not the only ones who have inherited family "heirlooms" from their husband's family. Most of them are pretty nice and very lovely additions to our home, but the others-oh my...:-)

Laura Talbert said...

Oh, Meredith, it looks lovely! I adore those toile chairs:)

Karla Porter Archer said...

I love those chairs!

Blessings,
Karla

Anonymous said...

You did a great job and it looks very inviting. Your husband is blessed to have you.

bonnie: said...

I really like the rolltop desk. We have been considering buying one. Does (or would) your computer monitor fit in it? They speak so eloquently of a time past. I am drawn to that!

Bonnie

MamaBirdEmma said...

Gorgeous, Meredith! I love the little scenes that you create throughout your home without the help of Ballard Designs!!

Emma

Gena said...

Your corner is beautiful! The yellow and blue is such a cheerful combination. I wish I could find as many good deals on beautiful things as you and your mom do.

Stephanie Appleton said...

That is lovely. What a difference!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!

Meredith said...

Since you asked...
I would choose almost any desk over a roll top. This one, anyway. It's a very uncomfortable setup for writing. It doesn't hold a computer monitor at all--and barely fits my laptop, with no storage for printers, etc. Even the little storage cubbies are the wrong size for my envelopes. Most importantly, it juts so far out of the wall that it's impossible to fit places.

There, now I feel better!

Anonymous said...

You have such an eye, Meredith! Did you learn all of these design elements (the triangle concept you mentioned, for example) from the Stoddard books, too; or is this just a natural thing for you? Your rooms are always so pleasingly arranged.

BTW, you are a very wise woman to cheerfully accept these things that are important to your husband.

Alexandra said...

Maybe the desk might be good for craft supplies?

Anonymous said...

I was wondering too if the desk would be better for storage of "something" rather than attempting to use as workspace.
I can see how it has a lot of presence and family history, but is hard to really make use of. On the other hand, those toile chairs are a great family hand-me-down! I've got to tell my sisters to start buying better furniture, lol.

Candy said...

wow, beautiful room!