TGIF, 4/13/12 Edition

(via my Pinterest)

Is it Friday already? Where did the week go?
I had all of these plans for posts this week, but apparently the crazy cocktail of Zyrtec (thanks, allergies) and paint fumes (thanks, projects) I'd been ingesting led to lethargy. Whoops.

The total transformation of the pathetic $5 wooden chest I bought last Friday is underway, though, so I don't think I've killed all of my brain cells just yet...I promise to have a big transformation to reveal next week.

Oh, and before the week is out, I wanted to say a big WELCOME to my newest followers!
Thanks for reading and sharing your lovely comments!

Happy weekend, blog friends.

My New Coffee Table

On Monday, I mentioned that I bought myself a new coffee table from an estate sale over the weekend. 

The table, which only cost $45, was the perfect size and silhouette, but the walnut wood and black metal combination left something to be desired.

I've been lusting after a brass-and-glass coffee table since January so I thought I'd try to get this $45 option as close to my $$$ inspiration tables as possible (see those tables here).

Luckily enough, the table base and wood top came apart easily, and I quickly got to work with the same gold spray paint that I used for my bedroom chandelier.

I opted to prime and paint the wood top in glossy white (don't worry, wood purists: it wasn't in great shape).

After enough drying time, I put the base and top back together and sat back to enjoy my new coffee table.

Take a peek:

Maybe someday I'll swap the wood top for a beautiful piece of carrera marble. 

But for now, I'm thrilled with the change.

If you recall my post on coffee tables in January, you'll remember that getting a new coffee table was objective #1 for 2012. Check that one off the list!

Scenes from the Weekend

How was your weekend, friends? 

I hope you had a great one, celebrating Passover or Easter or just enjoying a beautiful spring weekend.

It was an eventful one for Adam and I, so I thought I'd snap a few pictures of some of the highlights.

For one, we picked up my $5 entry chest that I mentioned on Friday.
I couldn't help myself and started sanding, patching, and priming while watching "50/50" that evening.

Don't worry, you'll see the total transformation soon, including a very sad "before" picture.

We went to an estate sale about 5 blocks from our apartment and walked out with this coffee table.

We're trying it out.
I might have a transformation planned for it...just you wait and see.

We also strolled around the neighborhood and admired a lush bed with every color in the spectrum.

Adam and I weren't the only ones photographing this pretty garden.

We spent Easter with Adam's extended family and feasted on goodies, like this beautiful chocolate cake.

It looks almost too good to eat!

And, finally, we started watching "Twin Peaks" this weekend and, boy, is it bizarre and addictive.

Not to mention that Tony and Riff from "West Side Story" are in it--hilarious! 

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend and I'm looking forward to chronicling the transformations of my entry chest and new coffee table with you soon.

Happy Monday, friends.

TGIF, 4/6/12 Edition

(via my Pinterest)

Ever have one of those weeks where, somehow, things just come together? 

That's been my experience this week, actually, and it's a great feeling, let me tell you.

You may know I've been hunting down a small dresser or cabinet for my non-existent entryway (where my Ikea Expedit used to sit). This morning, I'll be picking up a piece for $5 and am thrilled to start transforming it.

Oh, and remember this set of Empire chairs from my antiquing expedition in CT with Mom?

Well, I couldn't stop thinking about them and, now, they are all mine!

My mom is kind enough to pick them up and house them for me until our next visit.

This pair will live in my den...which is undergoing some changes that I'm really looking forward to sharing.

There's something about springtime that reawakens the creativity, or something.

Anyway, I wish you all a joyous Passover and Easter, friends.

See you next week.

Meet the Artist: Marc Chagall

During senior year of high school, my fabulous art teacher challenged my classmates and I to transform a famous portrait into a large-scale sculptures. Peers quickly chose works from the likes of Chuck Close, Andy Warhol, de Vinci, Modigliani, Botticelli...but I admit that I was stumped until I saw one of the most facinating paintings I had ever seen.

It was this painting, entitled "Self-Portait with Seven Fingers, 1913" by Marc Chagall.

(via Wikipedia)

Thus began what will be a lifelong appreciation for Marc Chagall (1887-1985), the Belarusian artist best known for his uncanny ability to synthesize many modern art movements such as cubism, symbolism and surrealism, in his work while also strongly reflecting his Jewish heritage. Not to be bound by any one medium, Chagall's extensive catalog included paintings, ceramics, prints, and stained glass.

For me, Chagall's bold use of color and effective use of light and dark are qualities that set him apart.

("Bella in Mourillon, 1926")

("The Birthday, 1915")

("Isaiah Under Divine Inspiration, 1956" / "An Angel, 1956")

("The Sky inflames, 1954")

("The Three Candles, 1940" / "Lilies of the Valley, 1916")

("Still Life, 1912")

("Jacob Wrestling with the Angel, 1963" / "The Creation of Man, 1958")

As the master Pablo Picasso said, "When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what color really is."

Thanks for letting me indulge my own interests today...I hope you like Marc Chagall as much as I do.

You Better Shop Around, Part II

In February, I started a new series called "You Better Shop Around," where I present nearly-identical  furniture and decor finds at two price points (steal vs. splurge). I'm back again today with a few more bargain finds that will hopefully show you that shopping around on the internet yields some beautiful bargains.

Searching for a silvery, serpentine chest?

The steal: Jules platinum chest, $500

The splurge: Regency wave dresser, $3,290

(a difference of $2,790!)

Want to add a well-traveled feel to your bedside?

The steal: Bone inlaid bedside table, $412 (on sale!)

The splurge: Mother of pearl side table, $795

(a difference of $353!)

Desperate for a nautical wire basket to hold your shoes, kids' toys, or whatever else?

The steal: Large clam basket, $36
The splurge: Korbo bucket 20, $198
(a difference of $162!)

Lusting for a wire-and-wood counter stool?

The steal: Perch stool, $225

The splurge: Perch barstool, $398

(a difference of $173!)

On the quest to find a timeless, stackable parsons-style end table?

The steal: Loft stacking cubes, $60

The splurge: Lacquer cubes, $350

(a difference of $290!)

What do you think of these bargain and full-priced comparisons?
If you're looking for a particular piece of furniture or decor for less, let me help!
Email me or send me a tweet, and I'll be on the look out.

For previous entries in the "You Better Shop Around" series, be sure to check out posts here and here.

The Lasting Impact of Albert Hadley

(via Elle Decor)

On Friday, word came that Albert Hadley, one of the preeminent interior designers of the twentieth century, passed away at the age of 91. Across the internet, you will find admirers of Mr. Hadley's memorializing his timeless talent and highly-educated approach to interior design, so I will try not to be redundant here; instead I wanted to share the quote above from a 1994 interview the designer had with Elle Decor.

The quote reveals Mr. Hadley's philosophy on interior decorating. It suggests that the time spent contemplating and creating  a home is an investment towards a more beautiful life. Whereas a wardrobe projects how the exterior world views us, home design reflects the interior of who we are in our most intimate and private spaces.

If you are reading this, I'm going to assume you feel like Albert Hadley did about the importance of cultivating a home that reflects the most beautiful and restorative qualities we all desire in our lives. Personally, I couldn't agree more.

(via Habitually Chic)

If the image of Mr. Hadley above is any indication, it seems he had created a life nourished by beauty, and certainly added a lot of beauty into our lives.