I want each item in my home to be meaningful, and custom canvas art is a wonderful way to personalize a space. I’m sharing four custom canvas ideas that I’ve used in my home. This includes several original projects as … Continue reading
A lot of people groan when they think about moving, and while I plan to stay put for many years to come, I actually love the excitement and challenge of arranging a new space. I’ve had a lot of fun … Continue reading
We recently moved into our new house, and I’ve been busy arranging and re-arranging things to get us settled. In this process, I was fortunate to receive a beautiful new sideboard cabinet from Hernest.com. This item was generously gifted, but … Continue reading
My brain has a tendency to look at furniture and think, “What else could this be?” Our family has been on a journey this past year – we wanted to move houses, and logistically, it worked best for us to … Continue reading
I’ve mentioned before that we use our formal dining room for most of our meals. This was a tradition my mother started when my sister and I lived at home, and I enjoy continuing it with our family.
I’ve posted about durable tablecloths and table runners to give your dining room a more formal look while still holding up to the kids. Recently, I have been debating about adding a dining room rug. I never even entertained (ha) this idea until the last few months, now that the kids are older and (a little) less messy. I really wanted the finished look of a rug, but I need to keep things practical as well.
I’m going to share my inspiration rooms, our current space, and the rugs I’m considering. There are literally thousands of options out there, and I’ve narrowed them down to my favorites.
First, here’s how our dining room looks now, without the rug.
So, you know I have a design crush on Amber Interiors. These are a couple of my favorite dining rooms designed by Amber Lewis and her team.
The vintage rugs in these rooms feel accessible, because the complex patterns will hide small stains. This set me on a hunt for a vintage-style Persian rug for our dining space. While part of me would love to find a gorgeous high-quality wool rug, I am just too chicken – or too smart? – to put a few thousand dollars under my table for my kids to drop food on and my dog to lick… so, at least for now, I decided to look for an inexpensive synthetic rug that won’t make me cry every time something falls on it.
Here is my short list of rugs. My color scheme is greys and blues, and I was looking for something that had pattern but was still muted enough to feel neutral.
1 Unique Loom Rockwell Berkshire Area Rug
2 Safavieh Evoke Vintage Oriental Silver/ Ivory Distressed Rug
3 Freetown Distressed Vintage Inspired Gray/Ivory Rug
4 Willoby Vintage Oriental Charcoal Area Rug
And I have more rug ideas and inspiration rooms on my Pinterest board.
So, what do you think? Here’s another picture of the room currently. Our mantel is pretty busy, so I don’t want to add more busy-ness to the room, but I think it would really define the space and also show off the base of the table, which is a lovely Craftsman design.
I haven’t made a final decision yet, and I like all these rugs so much, that I might by more than one and put it in the living room or upstairs hallway…
So, whadya think?
“Jewels”
There is hardly a finer feeling than being outside at a flea market or rummage sale on a beautiful day and finding a great deal on something lovely to bring home. Finding used items is not just about saving money – though that’s wonderful, too. It’s also about the personality and dimension that a mix of old and new things can bring to your space.
Today is one of those rare and perfect San Francisco Saturdays, when the sun is bright and hot, and there’s just a gentle spring breeze in the air. We took a family walk out to our neighborhood rummage sale. They call it a “collectibles” sale, but I think that’s a bit generous. The older boys brought their wallets, dreaming of a great Beyblade (if you have no idea what that is, just ask any five- to ten- year old boy!) or Lego find in the toy section, so we all felt the anticipation! We stopped at a fountain along the way, and our oldest shared his pennies, so they could make a wish.
When we arrived at the park for the sale, the boys were in and out quickly, after determining there were no Beyblades to be had. They did indulge in some muffins and lemonade from the bake sale, though. Our oldest later reported that he felt very grown-up, purchasing his own snack and that it was a very satisfying outing for $2.02 (the $.02 having gone into the fountain).
Hubby spotted these vintage board games in the toy section for $1 a piece, and they look ultra cool. They’re dated 1960 and 1958. Here they are on the game table in our den. Can’t wait to try them at a family game night!
Game of the States from 1960 and Gettysburg from 1958 for $1 each! Looking forward to playing these!
Now to my treasures! Nothing big, but I’ve been looking for accessories for our living-dining room, and it was a great place to pick up a few inexpensive items that feel like they have a story behind them.
$5 for this decorated wooden box with a little key.
The metallic spray paint gives a great glow very quickly!
I used Krylon grey primer both for priming and a very light dusting over the silver, to give it a more aged look. The silver paint is very shiny!
The new-old silver box on the nesting side tables in our living room. Not sure how long this vignette will stay safe from toddler curiosity.
Total of $11 for these five plates. They will hang on the wall in the dining room.
Today was a ton of fun, but for serious treasure hunting, you cannot beat the Alameda Point Antiques Faire, held the first Sunday of every month. It’s enormous, with row upon row of serious antiques vendors. I went on January 1 this year with a friend, and it was a wonderful start to the year, wandering in the fresh air, enjoying the view of San Francisco, gnoshing on Jamba Juice and kettle corn, and striking bargains! We plan to go back in May, and I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes!
Click the picture for the Alameda Antiques Faire website.
“Jewels”
Jewels at Home 