Hiding in Plain Sight

I finally got around to a niggling little project several months late. Our central heat and air system was installed in the spring, and our air return is in the dining room wall. It's usually a bit obscured from the general line of sight by the piano, but since the floor finish is still curing, we haven't moved the beast back in yet. So I started noticing the large white grate and felt it was time to do something about the eyesore. I would love to upgrade to one of those decorative iron grilles like this:

But I'm not sure drawing attention to mine is the way to go, and they are also very expensive. So I whipped out my leftover wall paint and a small brush and gave the original grate a few coats (after a thorough cleaning, that is). Now it practically disappears (until the furnace kicks on and there is a whooshing sound in that general vicinity; kind of gives away my secret)!

Before:

After:

Thrift Store Scores!

A month or so ago, I found this great water cooler at one of my favorite thrift stores. Since we only have a mini fridge in the kitchen at the moment, Jeff had not had ice cubes or cold water to drink (he's very fond of an icy cold beverage) since we moved in. This bubbler provides crisp, filtered water, with the added bonus of a hot tap, too! I'm thrilled with that aspect, because I can make hot beverages or reconstitute bouillon in just seconds. Now that it's gotten chillier, I've used it quite a bit.

Then, yesterday, I thought I would pop by the same thrift store since I needed to drop off a donation anyway. I've been keeping an eye out for a dining table, since we sold our Queen Anne set when we moved from the other house. It just seemed too formal and delicate to evoke the warm, lived-in feel I want in the farmhouse. The old dining set:


Jeff bought me six cognac leather parsons chairs for our 10th anniversary, and I've been hunting for a big table ever since. Would today be the day? Why, yes, it is! I found and bought this fabulous trestle table for $100! Here it is:


And the leather chairs Jeff found a few months ago:

This table is huge; 92" long including the two leaves. The best part is the gear mechanism slides that allow me to extend and contract the table all by myself (the base remains in the place and only the top moves). Now, I can extend it to full length to work on sewing projects or set the table for company without help.

This trestle style is very hot right now, and I've seen smaller ones selling for $2500!
I'm amazed no other shoppers spotted the potential and snapped it up (though it was surrounded by some pretty horrid looking chairs and they were asking twice as much for the set). The table is waiting in the shop for a refinishing job (I'm thinking a soft satin black on the base and apron to match the chair legs and a waxed natural or lightly stained top). The only down side is the trestle bar at the bottom; DaVinci loves to sleep under the table, and I'm afraid he may have to give up a favorite napping spot. But on the upside, my rug will be less hairy!

Lighting it up

It's been an enlightening week, as Jeff said! We got the new dining room chandelier hung and the new (old) foyer fixture up, also. I'm very excited about both, especially since I feel I got a great deal on each of them.

The dining room was in desperate need of an update. It had an old ceiling fan that whirled dust bunnies and cold air down on our food, and glaring lights that threw unattractive shadows into the corners.

You can just make out the bottom of the ceiling fan here

I was really drawn to the lines of the Restoration Hardware "Lander" chandelier, but at over $450, it wasn't a price I wanted to pay.

My inspiration picture

So I was thrilled to find a version at Overstock.com at a third of the cost. It has the strong lines of Arts and Crafts or Mission pieces, with a touch of the more modern Transitional about it. It even mirrors the rectangle shape of the old upright piano in the room and the square fabric shades look just my dining room floor lamps. I love it on the dimmer so I can adjust the lighting and mood throughout the day.

After

Though the farmhouse is very original, all the light fixtures had been replaced (sadly), probably in the 70's if style and dust are any indication! So, where possible, I'm looking for vintage fixtures. I really wanted a focal piece for the foyer, to replace this interesting Mid-Century Modern light (unique, but not right for the era of this house).

Before
(DaVinci wanted to know what what was so photo-worthy out in the hall)

It was such a blessing to find the perfect fixture on my local Craigslist. All I needed were glass shades, which I found for $.99 a piece at the Habitat for Humanity Restore.

After

Shady Deals

The old aluminum blinds all over the house were getting on my nerves. I appreciated that we had some sort of covering for privacy (I've experienced the difficulty of moving into a new house and having to deal with lots of bare windows all at once). But these were dusty, dirty, and dated-looking. I knew something fresh would really update the rooms quickly.

The dining room windows when we were pulling up flooring

One set of living room windows before we moved in

A JCPenney clearance search resulted in just the right thing: bamboo shades in the perfect reddish wood tone to compliment the moldings. It took me part of the morning Friday to get them all hung, and then the new view motivated me that afternoon to remove the torn storm windows and clean the exterior glass. It's like a whole new world out there now! I'm working on curtain rods and drapery, so that will be the next step in the window treatment transformation.

Current view of dining room windows

Living room windows now

I had to smile at Miss Evelyn (the single woman who lived in this farmhouse her whole life). I think I've mentioned before how meticulous she was about saving and labeling items. Well, the blinds were no exception. Each piece of hardware was labeled as to the window to which it belonged, the direction it faced, etc. The header of this blind had the inscription:

Top line reads: S.E. Den window over air conditioner
Bottom line reads: Blinds restrung and new webbing #3 11-3-'82 Wed. - by Mr. "Frank Price Shutter + Blind Co."

(The #3 must refer to the fact that this is the third in a series of three windows, because the windows to the left are labeled #1 and #2). I wonder if this particular Wednesday in November of '82 was when she got the blinds back from Mr. Frank or if he did them all in one day?

And I used to think it was funny that Jeff dated post-it notes and index cards! This is a whole new level of detail!

Dining Dream

The dining room is completed and back together. Jeff got home from CA yesterday evening and stayed up late to get the quarter round molding cut and installed. I caulked and touched up this morning and moved the furniture back in, all just in time for company this evening. It's coming together very nicely!

We've been meaning to do this flooring for over a year now, so it's nice to have it completed. It was the same situation back in Arkansas; we got all the lingering projects done just to pass on the beauty and convenience to new owners. Ah well; if this house doesn't sell, then we simply get to enjoy it ourselves!

The overview
(I know the area rug is too large, but it's what I had extra in the garage)

Come on over and join us for dinner!

Dining Done (almost)

The floors are done! The quarter round trim still remains (the paint is drying as we speak), and the transition strip to the family room carpet needs to be cut and stained, but that is much less back-breaking and knee-aching work, so I don't really count it.

I almost had the job done in one day. I could have, too, except yesterday was the quarterly evening Master Gardener meeting and I had to stop to clean up and get decent, make something for the covered dish dinner, and attend the two hour plus gathering. So when I installed the last piece this morning before 10:30, I was rather pleased with my pace overall. Especially considering that this flooring was purchased as seconds, so I was constantly hunting for a board with the "right" flaw that would be cut off or hidden. I can only imagine the luxurious ease of installing perfect flooring where you can grab any piece you want. Maybe on the next house!

Race to the finish

We are really striving to work our commanded six days a week! After a few months of relaxing Sundays with tennis, leisurely yard work, and miscellaneous activities around the house, we are back at it full force. The house goes on the real estate MLS officially at the end of this week, and I have to get the dining room floors laid.

Jeff is presenting at a conference in San Diego this week, so it's a good thing I decided not to accompany him this trip. He'll be gone about four days, which should be plenty of time to get underlayment, flooring, and trim in place (plus some other odds and ends around the house). He'll be back just in time to help move the furniture back in!

We got the old carpet and padding out together Sunday morning before he had to pack for his trip. Jeff snapped this lovely picture in progress.

Party of 8

We are preparing for our first formal dinner party in our "new" house. The occasion was marked by the need to finally unpack my good china, which had remained safely in dish-pack boxes for over a year and a half now.

I do love to use all of our nice dinnerware frequently, not saving it for few and far-off "special occasions" only. But in this case, I had hoped to get the new floors laid in the dining room and family room before stocking the china cabinet. Alas, the need arose for the china before I found time to complete the floors. So, I spent a better part of Friday last week unwrapping, inventorying, cleaning, and setting each individual piece, along with cleaning the silver and locating the wine glasses. At least the table looks ready, in case the hostess isn't!