Dining Rooms Chairs with an Opinion

I finally started looking for fabrics to re-upholster my dining chairs.

In the last two weeks, I've brought home many samples of quiet neutrals but I've been utterly bored with all the choices.

On a whim yesterday, we decided to try this:

I think the black is très chic, and the look, along with my traditional china, reminds me of an old French hotel.

A while ago, I replaced the two head-of-table armchairs with upholstered linen chairs, so naturally I started looking for fabrics to coordinate with the natural linen, in both colour and texture.  But nothing has made my heart race.

The black works beautifully with both cream and the white china (apologies for my hasty styling and unironed tablecloth!)

But I wonder if I might tire of the black?

 I also vowed never to do a pattern on anything "big" after my living room rug experience (a single prominent pattern can trap you in a decorating style and preclude using certain other colours or patterns).  

But I think the black pattern works superbly with my typical palette of whites, grayed out browns, slate and gray blues and bright foliage greens.  I also have a lot of neoclassical elements (white and black art) that it relates to beautifully.

As an option, however, it occurred to me that I could upholster only four of the eight side chairs in the black, and upholster the four remaining side chairs (and the two armchairs I'm not currently using) in something neutral and coordinating, like this chenille (though not quite the right colour) or a simple linen:

Generally the table is only set for six, so I only use four side chairs at any time (in addition to the new linen chairs).  Thus, I could use all 4 black chairs on the sides for a while, and if I got bored, I could swap in the neutral side chairs.

I could also use all neutral chairs at the table and then let the black chairs flank the sideboard as shown above, for a little drama.

And if we need to set the table for 8 or 10, I can just alternate the black and the neutral-patterned chairs for an unexpected, certain je ne sais quoi look.

What think ye?

Should I just hold out for an elegant fabric that's a bit more neutral?

A Serendipitous Update

So, my dining room's been feeling a bit tired with all its brown wood.

I love me some brown wood, but I will admit that I usually keep a white tablecloth on the table at all times to break it up a bit.

Yesterday, I came across these upholstered chairs at a local furniture store, on sale for a deep discount.  I decided to buy the pair to use as bedroom chairs.

But when I brought them in, I suddenly realized they might fit right here:

I've been planning to reupholster or perhaps slipcover the seats of my dining chairs for ages, but was waiting a divine intervention, you know, as I could not decide which direction to go with fabric/colours (as you can see below, most of the antique dining room chairs still have pink and turquoise striped seats).

The new chairs don't work perfectly with the set (perhaps it would be better if they had a camel back, say, like the wood chairs), but I like the way they look.  They are slightly overscale in width, but are actually the same height and depth as the original armchairs.

The rolled back relates to all the curves in the room:

I still haven't taken the chairs upstairs to the bedrooms to see if I like them better there (who knows where they will be in a week).  But if I leave them here, I will re-do the upholstery on the wood chairs to relate to the new linen chairs.

Oh, and by the way, they are super comfortable!  Sadly all my guests will have to fight over them...

In other news...

I'm starting a Colour Theory class at the university this week, for 10 weeks.

It's part of their Visual Design Certificate (I've already done several courses) and I can't wait to get started.  I just hope my headaches don't make an evening class unbearable!

Soon, Terri

Birthday Pretties

Last week was my birthday and last weekend we celebrated with a small party!

(I really need a celebration in the wintery middle of March).

I had a really bad headache the day of the party and will admit that by the time the guests arrived, I would rather have laid on the sofa with an ice pack and a warm blanket than entertained guests.

But I forged ahead and made things look pretty while David cooked an amazing gourmet meal.

I bought a pretty mirror a short while ago, and although it's a bit small for the sideboard, I really liked the prettiness of it, which made the space look a bit like a lady's dressing table.  

There is a part of me that likes a very elegant feminine style and it's revealing itself now (as much as I sometimes strive for a more austere look):

I removed the long white runner from the sideboard.  It was so nice to see the lovely wood on the sideboard top, although it probably all seems too *brown* to some of you who are mixing in lighter woods.  

I love buying assorted flowers and putting them together in lively bouquets all around the house:

Eva Zeisel lidded bowl (left) and a very old Limoges bird plate (back)

The one great thing about having neutral walls and furniture is that I can add and subtract colours easily.  

A blue moment in the living room:

In the background, you can see the fun party banner I put up in the dining room

I like to keep the table very plain with white linens since I have a small living and dining space and don't want things to get too busy with all the girlish floweriness (hehe) going on:

Only one tiny arrangement for the table:

The flowers sit in an old crystal tabletop lighter I removed the top from...

The pretty sideboard mirror has a deep bevel.  It beautifully reflects the dining room chandelier:

David surprised me with two beautifully wrapped gifts (he is getting to know my favorite colour schemes):

I received lots of cards and money (lucky me!) - these two cards are from my aunt and darling mother.  The sweet little bone china fox is from David's mum: 

Here is the bounty the next morning - more cards and presents (a bottle of perfume on the left and a tiara, which is odd since I am not at all a princess):

I also got several decorating books, including "The Great Lady Decorators" from my sister-in-law and brother-in-law:

And this one from David:

Everyone gets a book list about two months before my birthday.  That way I get what I want and no one has to wonder what to buy me, although there are always some surprises thrown in.

Hope you have a lovely week...!

A (Little) Party!

(A special hello to the lady who spoke to me at the mall yesterday and said she reads my blog.  Hello!!!  I am sorry I did not get your name...I was so surprised you recognized me!  Drop me an email or comment if you have time as I would love to learn more about YOU!)

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We hosted a very small dinner party tonight.  As we were setting up for dinner, I snapped a few photos.

I love these (inexpensive) Alstroemeria (Peruvian lily) that I picked up at the grocery store. There seems to be shockingly little flower selection post-Christmas (and what was left was mostly red).  

These often overlooked flowers are so pretty in their soft pink and green and work with the Christmas decor, which is still in place:

The small soup plate beside the flowers belonged to my great grandmother, Mary Ann.  She died before I was born, but had some lovely old china that my grandmother used when I was a child (and which went into the back of the cupboard as I got older).  I wish I could have met her, as she seemed to have a taste for pretty things and was also quite a character (or so I am told). 

You can see the Christmas tree in the background:

I set the table very plainly, using a set of very soft white linen napkins I bought at the Georgetown flea market two years ago:

While taking photos, I thought I would show you a little keepsake (from Scotland) that my sister-in-law included with my Christmas gift.  These little pieces of embroidered cloth were included in tobacco pouches many, many years ago.  I don't know much about their provenance, but must learn more.

I am planning to frame this in a small, pretty frame with a linen mat.  I also just noticed I put the flowers back in the sleeve upside down!  Oops.

And last but not least, here is my constant companion (who is always either underfoot or never more than a few feet away):

I hope you are enjoying your holiday.  I started a list of new year's resolutions but after twenty items, I gave up.  After all the parties and dinners this month, I think my #1 resolution is to eat only vegetables for the next month.  And with my chronic headaches, my #2 resolution is to try a few new ideas for headache relief (although this disease does not seem to be within my control).  

In other words, good health is on the agenda!

Happy New Year!

A Green & (Blue &) White Party

The past month has been a flurry of activity.  I took 3 weeks off work with headaches as they have been debilitating lately.  Shortly after that, my dear Mom came for a visit.  I will share photos from our trip to Victoria soon.

After delivering my Mom to the airport for a 6 am flight on Saturday (really), we came home and prepared a birthday bash for David. I thought I would share some photos of our little party.  I had a crushing headache the entire day (sorry to sound like a broken record) but did take pleasure in taking some pretty photos for you after neglecting you for so long...!

I set a simple table, using leftover ribbon lengths to tie my (very old and soft) linen napkins:

The plates are Haviland Concorde:

The silverware is my favorite pattern, Danish Princess:

I brought some hydrangeas in from our garden (sideboard) and dismantled a grocery store bouquet to make two more arrangements, including a low one for the table.

I am going through a green and white phase:

I have been trying small arrangements for the table:

And using my pottery collection as containers:

The salad/dessert plates (a gift from my mother) are also Limoges and are very old.  They are quite fragile.   I love using them for dessert.

The next day, I moved the flowers to the living room, to sit next to the beautiful little blue and white Chinese bowl (*love*) my mother bought me in Victoria.  
The new chair, which arrived last week, sits in the background:  

Nothing beats a party as an excuse to buy some flowers and make your rooms look pretty (even if you are feeling supremely crappy): 

We are off to Paris on Wednesday for 10 days.  I hate flying (I get migraines and nausea..how wonderful!), so I am both dreading and highly excited for our trip.  I am not over-planning this time but have a few goals, like hitting all three flea markets I love (St-Ouen, Vanves and Place d'Aligre) and the Orangerie. 

Mostly we'll go where the wind blows us.

And I am reading restaurant reviews...

More soon.  Blessings, Terri 

Whiteness

I have so many small decorating projects planned for this summer.  But now that warmer weather is here, I want to sit outside in the garden, sipping lemonade and reading a good book.  This weekend, I just daydreamed about decorating...

The only thing I want to do inside the house is declutter, and/or make everything white and airy...

Only white flowers were welcome this week:

And here are some white porcelain pieces on my sideboard:

This little gravy boat joined the family last week.  I think it would look very pretty with flowers in it.

I will let you in on some projects soon.

Have a great week!

~ Assorted Silver ~

I thought it would be fun to photograph more of the assorted silver I bought recently, as many of you enjoyed my Danish Princess post (here).

I also decided to try a watermark-logo on my photos (I need to work on this a bit). I first tried using my name in the logo:

And then I tried using Windlost as my logo:

I love this pile of assorted Danish Princess which was amongst the pieces I bought. I was so smitten with it that I just purchased a custom boxed set on eBay to complete 10 place settings!

I love all the varied patterns. They are all silver plate, but all seem quite heavy and good quality. I like both the ornate and the simple patterns:

The cake server (second from left) has a beautiful patina - I did not want to polish it too much and lose this beautiful detail:

These little tiny servers are really fun and very useful for pickles and compotes and odds and ends:

I'm also fond of this gravy ladle which has a very Art Deco vibe:

Do you like the photos?

What about the watermark? I think perhaps I need to soften/fade it a bit more...

I was going to use Windlost for my logo, but I think having my name is nice also - which do you prefer? Using Windlost would direct people to my blog if any of my photos end up on Pinterest or other websites, but using Terri Price Photography highlights my identity as a photographer in addition to writer-decorator!

Fine China, A Fellow Blogger & Serendipity!

A few months ago, I stumbled upon an incredible blog called Affordable Accoutrements, which is written by an amazingly gifted decorator, collector, and writer named Bill, from Tennessee. Not only does Bill have a large, beautiful home filled with lovely antiques, he also has an enviable china, silver, crystal and glass collection. As you might imagine, his tablescapes will knock your socks off! Perfection!

Bill lives in a part of the world (i.e. the south) where a committed collector like him can find lots of lovely old (and new) china. On the other hand, I'd been looking for a set of china forever and could find nothing I liked...until I saw Bill's set of Concorde by Theodore Haviland (made in America), which is shown off in this stunning tablescape (the solid white/cream set):

I mentioned to Bill in a couple of emails that I was in love with the Concorde and asked him some questions about it. And this is how generous he is - he came across a partial set on a weekend antiquing jaunt to Missouri, wrote down the prices and emailed me!

After connecting with the lovely shop keeper, who runs Pastimes Antiques, I have received the first small shipment of my very own Concorde, including the coffee pot, creamer and sugar bowl:

Isn't this beautiful? I just love it. I am not typically a gold fan, but I had a few odd pieces of scalloped Limoges with gold trim, and found that they really brightened up my table. The gold seemed to make big occasions feel more special with their glow. It may be a while before I set a table like Bill, but I'm off to a good start!

Serendipitously, while I was talking about Bill in Tennessee, David came upon the idea of making a civil war trip there! So we've decided to visit Tennessee in late September, for another civil war trip (he's a major civil war junkie). This follows last fall's Virginia road trip and David's solo Gettysburg trip.

The great part about the road trips is that I get to go antiquing while David walks in battlefields. I might get to visit Bill, but if not, I definitely hope I can get a list of his favorite antique shops!! Thanks Bill!

Fine Finds: Pillows and Bone China!

As hard as I strive to become a conscientious consumer (buying fewer things of better quality), I still find myself at the mercy of pretty things sometimes.

Which brings me to some recent finds!  I was mentioning to Janet at The Gardeners Cottage in an email today that I try to use three criteria when I buy unnecessary but lovely things:  

Is is classic?  Is it beautiful?   Will I love it in 5 years?

This system really helps me to curb my aesthetic appetite and I now bring home a lot fewer trends, fewer "good buys" and much less nice but useless junk.  But sometimes, my heart just covets.  I am really trying to re-train the "reward center" in my brain which thinks that it constantly needs more stuff (and/or chocolate).

On that note, unable to harness my covetousness, here are some new finds I have recently acquired:

The opening photo shows a delightful green pillow I purchased from a fellow Calgarian who sells her pretty pillows on Etsy.  Her Lilybeth Goodies shop is full of goodies indeed, her prices are second-to-none, and she's a really sweet lady too! I have already ordered a second pillow in this pattern...a little pre-Christmas gift from me to me.  

My next find was this wee set of fine bone china, from my favorite antique store:

It is not a full set, but rather an incomplete four-piece place setting!  The set is by Royal Doulton and it is cream-coloured with a platinum edge.  There are four dinner plates, four salad plates, and four bread-and-butter plates. I am missing the tea cups and saucers (which I might try to find on eBay).  The pattern is called "Romance Carolyn H5090", if you happen to have some laying around your attic!

I really like the set and since I'm not too concerned about matchy-match with my china, I truly don't mind.  I plan to buy a new set of everyday white dishes soon so all my mismatched pieces will have a proper foundation (my current set is pale blue and white).  I would love to have a full set of very fine bone china some day, but who can justify the expense?  Many people put good china on their wedding registry, which is a very fine reason to get married, in my opinion!  David, are you reading this?

Next, in an odd twist of fate, I happened to be shopping at the Real Canadian Superstore (a grocery chain here which carries really great affordable housewares) yesterday and found these white porcelain bowls, edged in silver dots:

I think they look swell with my new dishes and let me serve a soup or pasta course and still use my new plates!  Talk about serendipity!

What do you think?  Hope you like my finds!