New Light

Funny how changing a few things in a room seemingly affects the light - I know it's just the way the light is catching the nuances of the texture and colour that is layered in this room, but it definitely feels magical! A few more views of the living room and I'll move on into the rest of my little cottage on Monday. The spindle-legged, gate leg table and the wonderful basket beside it, were found for a song recently. There is a sad side to my recent luck with finding great things for very little. As I make my rounds of my favourite haunts in Taos, I'm seeing amazing amounts of antiques and art being put up for sale at ridiculous prices. I feel for these families who have been so hard hit by this economic meltdown, that they have to let go of these pieces in order to eat! My prayers go out to them. Have a lovely weekend, wherever you are!

Another Point Of View

I recovered my old chairs in toile, which they have had on them before, added a shade to match and mixed up old and new. My need for white is tempered by the colour and gentle play of pattern and texture. I also like the way the kitchen/dining area feels seperate from the living room.

Morning Light

This was taken today in the early morning light. I'll be back tomorrow with more rooms! I've been on a tear changing and rearranging everything!

The Evolving Home

Excuses aside, as you can see, I've been busy! It began with an unhealthy craving for shocking pink - easily satisfied by throwing a couple of scarves over a chair holding a basket of dried roses - but it did not end there! Suddenly I had to have eau de nil - nothing but nothing else would work. And - big and - I needed a full on sofa. Not a pretend modern affair, but something substantial like a Camelback or Chesterfield. This I knew was madness because I've never liked sofas and have mostly avoided them, making divans out of single and double beds, instead. I let the sofa idea simmer on the back burner while I satisfied myself with a tiny but exquisite pillow cover from Common Thread, a divine shop here, in Taos. Then a day later, at one of my favourite treasure hunting spots, Pieces, my friend, Stacey pulled two lemon yellow, vintage linen pillow cases from a pile and thrust them on me with a "they'll look great in your house." I bought them and looked at them for a day before my epiphany! They now upholster my Louis XV chair. I used nail heads for a rustic vibe. The floral chintz was also given to me by Stacey and tucked away in the fabric stash waiting to become cushion covers - that darned pink again! A few days later, back at Pieces,with Stacey - who is decorating her house to the max right now and we'll visit her soon - I saw the sofa! It was in perfect condition - not a spot on its gorgeous silk/linen upholstery - a sage green - almost eau de nil - check that went perfectly with the cushion! It was big enough, old fashioned enough, comfortable enough and big plus - it had legs! The price? Unbelievable. $250.00. I kid you not. It appears to have been redone - cushions and upholstry - very recently. It's an old piece - 40's I'd guess and very well built. Curtains were made to match and came as part of the deal. I used one to cover a seat and foam I had cut to fit the French chair,( which needs to be recaned but until I find someone who does it reasonably...this will suffice) it matched the linen perfectly and used the other to drape over the sofa, beneath the antique North African textile I have over its back. The matching cushions are going on my outside bench as soon as it's warm enough. It's in this manner that a home evolves. The best homes are never done - they are a continual, ongoing reflection of their inhabitants lives. Right now, I like many others on the planet, want to feel safe, cosy and comfortable when I come home and I suppose my sofa reflects that need quite accurately. But mostly, it makes me laugh with its happy riot of pattern and colour that hankering for bright pink and a single little cushion cover initiated. I plan on having a fitted (white of course) slip cover made pronto for the moment I tire of all the colour, and tire I eventually will and the whiteout will commence, but right now I think I'll have a cup of tea and enjoy my bright pink blossoms!