Two quick rooms: Starting points for an entryway and a living room/study

Sources/Links (clockwise from top left): 1) Small Owl Lantern from Soane; 2) Rhododendron Oil Painting from Dongan Antiques on V&M; 3) The Park Avenue Chest of Drawers from Soane; 4) Occasional Chair from Tom Gibbs Studio on 1stdibs

Sources/Links (clockwise from top left): 1) Syrie Maugham Settee In Moire Tafetta from Liz O'Brien on 1stdibs; 2) Pair of Metal Étagères from John Norwood Antiques on 1stdibs; 3)  Las Venus'70s floor lamp from ABC Carpet & Home; 4) Todd Hase '40s French table lamp from ABC Carpet & Home; 5) Radar Ax carpet from Stark

Two quick rooms: An entryway and a guest bath

This week I’m showing just a few pieces - enough to get each room started.


Sources/Links:
1) 4x5.5 Kazak rug from Heritage Unlimited
2) Tortoiseshell Finish Parsons Table by Henredon from Era Vintage Modern on 1stdibs
3) Grasscloth wallpaper from Phillip Jeffries
4) Carmen Table Lamp in Midnight Blue from Circa Lighting
5) Small Stacked Pot Form Lamp from Circa Lighting
6) Vintage English Umbrella Stand from Mecox Gardens
7) Umbrella Stand from Mecox Gardens


Sources/Links:
1) Nye Homestead Wallpaper from Waterhouse Wallhangings
2) Photo of Tom Scheerer-designed bathroom with trellis wallpaper from Elle Decor
3) Photo of David Cafiero-designed bathroom from June/July 2010 issue of Lonny
4) Photo of wallpapered bathroom from Domino, via The Inspired Room
5) Black writing desk from 1stdibs (I no longer have this link, so I think this particular item has sold)
6) Instructions for how to turn a piece of furniture into a sink base can be found here and here
7) Cloud Motif Garden Stool from Pagoda Red on 1stdibs
8) Reflections Rug in Natural from Rugs USA
9) Reflections Rug in Terracotta from Colonial Mills
10) Brown braided rug from Rugs USA. Just as I was posting this I realized that this rug now seems available only as a stair tread. Similar rugs, though, can be found, here and here; or, having a custom, cotton rag or braided rug made is another affordable option that gives you the exact pattern and colors you want (for example, here or here).

Leontine Linens bedroom

In advance of the usual post this week, some pale pink-walled goodness...

via House Beautiful and Martha Stewart

via Shelter

via Wealden Times

via The Wall Street Journal

via House Beautiful

via House Beautiful and Flickr

Sources/Links:
1) Photo of Melissa Rufty-designed bedroom from housebeautiful.com
2) Detail shot of gray Grace bedding from Leontine Linens
3) Photo of Todd Richesin-designed bedroom from Splendid Sass
4) Photo of Deborah Buck-designed bedroom from elledecor.com
5) 19th century French Headboard from Dearing Antiques on 1stdibs
6) 9x12 red Tabriz rug from Heritage Unlimited
7) Framed Nude Female Drawings from Mecox Gardens
8) Pinky-red and gold pillow from Karina Gentinetta on 1stdibs
9) Brass Tyrol Horn Cup from Jayson Home & Garden
10) Tom Dixon Base Floor Lamp from ABC Carpet & Home
11) Ultra Premium wool Greek Flokati rug from Rugs USA
12) Rajmata fabric from Peter Dunham Textiles

Furniture on the Cheap(er): Stuff Made from Metal

Instead of the usual post this week (given the holiday), here's an inspirational round-up of metal furniture. As I mentioned in this August post, local welders can make cool pieces for much, much cheaper than you'd pay for in a store - and to your exact specs. For example, I had a coffee table frame like the one in the photo of the ticking stripe sofa (below) made for just $75; I just had to add a $30 stain-ready top from Lowe's, cut to size. A few tips:

• Call around, and I don't mean just two places, because prices can vary widely. I've been quoted anywhere from $75-250 for the exact same project, and was completely happy with the work done at the least expensive price.
• The cheapest metal option is iron, which works well if you're going to paint it (remember, metal can be powder coated so it can be sprayed virtually any color if you want a change in the future). For a finish like antique brass, some welders will use actual brass (much more expensive) while some can create the look of antique brass on iron. Whichever finish you select, make sure you see samples first.
• Be specific: Even if you're showing the welder a photo, s/he might not realize that it's important to you for the legs to be, say, ultra-thin. So give them exact dimensions when you can so there's no room for error.
• Keep it simple: Contemporary pieces without curves will be more affordable for the welder to make, and there's less room for error. (Some of the items below, like the chairs, would require  more work on your part in terms of making sure your specs are exactly right, but they'd be so worth it.)
• Table tops: Wood is your easiest/cheapest option (unless you want the welder to make the top surface out of metal, too). You can buy stain-grade pieces of wood for coffee or end tables at hardware stores for about $30 or less (Ikea sells these, too). If you want a professional, high-gloss finish on the wood, call an auto body shop: they can spray a piece, usually for less than you'd pay a furniture refinisher for the same job.  Another option is to call your local natural stone supplier to get a piece of, say, marble cut to size. Finally, glass: In my experience it will cost about $100 for a thick enough piece of glass for a desk or coffee table top (even at that price, the entire table/desk would end up costing only about $200-250).

Sources/Links:
All of the above photos are from 1stdibs, except for:
1) 2-tier Curvy Side Table from Worlds Away
2) Photo of gold leaf étagère from Sketch 42
3) Photo of dining table with two red chairs from Abbey Goes Design Scouting
4) Photo of coffee table in front of ticking stripe sofa from Domino magazine

Dark mustard velvet

Sources/Links:
1) Three dark mustard velvet fabrics (left to right): Performance Velvet in Wheat from Williams-Sonoma Home; Mustard Velvet from Greenhouse Design; Soft Textures Velvet in Cashew from Robert Allen Design
2) Tournai wool/sisal rug in Camel from Merida
3) Linear Wood Base Office Cabinet in Solid White Oak from Room and Board
4) Small Italian Burl Wood Parsons Table from Sputnik Modern on 1stdibs.com
5) Large Rail Vellum Side Table from Mecox Gardens
6) Bench with Leopard Print fabric from Ellen Ward Scarborough Antiques on 1stdibs.com
7) Parsons Desk in Solid White Oak from Room and Board
8) Harrison Three-drawer Writing Table from Hickory Chair
9) Louis XVI Gilt Bois Theatre Chair from Jerry Pair Antiques on 1stdibs.com
10) 1970s Tear Drop Table Lamp in Chrome from V&M
11) Thomas O’Brien Terri Crystal Accent Lamp from Circa Lighting
12) Kashmiri Temple Hanging from Sarajo on 1stdibs.com; (this one is WAY too big, but you could look for something similar in a much smaller size)
13) Blueprint Drawing of Ship Boiler Room, Circa 1920 from V&M
14) “Adventure on the Horizon” 16x16 painting from amolczak seller on Etsy
15) Picture of yellow books from booksbythefoot.com

Berry pink antique rug

Sources/Links:
1) 10.5x7’ Hamedan antique rug from Heritage Unlimited
2) Photo of room with two Louis beds from House to Home
3) Louis XV style daybed from Bush Antiques via 1stdibs
4) Cotton Ikat pillow in Pomegranate from John Robshaw
5) Design #13 (Crosses) woven indigo fabric from Les Indiennes
6) Vilas fabric from Penny Morrison
7) Anastasia Resin Ball Table Lamp from Mecox Gardens

(Please excuse the shorter than usual post this week - such a busy week!)

A blue and chocolate Turkish rug

Sources/Links:
1) 7x10 semi-antique Turkish rug from Heritage Unlimited
2) Samarkand fabric in blue/blue from Peter Dunham Textiles
3) Photo of Michael Bastian’s office from Domino, September 2008
4) Fig Leaf fabric in Original on Natural by Peter Dunham Textiles
5) Ashley Cream Campaign Desk from Mecox Gardens
6) Tall Back Abby Dining Chair from Mecox Gardens
7) Blue Murano and Gilt Lamp from Flessas Design via 1stdibs
8) Keith Desk from Hickory Chair
9) Frances Elkins Chair from Downtown. Another source for a reproduction Loop chair is Mecox Gardens
10) Abernathy Hammered Nickel Table Lamp from Tonic Home
11) Patmos Stripe fabric in Taupe from Carolina Irving
12) Photos of Peter Dunham-designed dining room via Girl Meets Glamour and Katiedid
13) Isle Flower in Blue/Coral by Michael Smith for Jasper
14) Fig Leaf in Original on Natural (shown) or Faded on Hemp by Peter Dunham Textiles

Two feminine bedrooms from one silk floral fabric

Sources/Links:
1) Shadow Bud silk fabric in Shell by Barbara Barry for Kravet
2) Photo of curtains from larsbolander.com
3) Chariot crewel fabric in Brown Linen from crewelfabricworld.com
4) Italian Campaign Canopy bed from Anthropologie
5) Solid Sisal rug in Tweed from Pottery Barn
6) String-of-Pearls lamp from Anthropologie
7) Vintage Lucite lamp from Wooster Gallery via 1stdibs.com
8) Antique Persian rug from ABC Carpet
9) Chocolate Scallop sheet set by Serena & Lily
10) Peyton linen/cotton drapes in Chestnut from Pottery Barn
11) Tilbury fabric in Jasper by Laura Ashley for Kravet

A cozy, papered guest room

Sources:
1) Pomegranate wallpaper by Waterhouse Wallhangings
2) Winter Blanket from Swans Island Blankets
3) Mid-century modern aluminum bench from The Antique and Artisan Center via 1stdibs.com
4) Jute Bouclé rug from West Elm
5) Coco bed from The Sleep Room
6) Artwork: Vicenza blueprint from Novecento Antiques via 1stdibs.com
7) Antique table from Jayson Home & Garden
8) Khaki Jacqueline cotton rug from Madeline Weinrib
9) Brocade pillow in Copper from Madeline Weinrib