lighting

thoughts on pink

| circadee

Sometimes pink is just that. Feminine, girly, frilly.  Pink!

arabesque french dresser-275

But sometimes it can be quiet, subtle and almost neutral.  I don’t dare say masculine because we are programmed to believe that pink is the opposite of masculine but perhaps in a room full of dark wood or ornate antiques it can balance out the masculinity.

salvaged baluster lamps arabesque french dresser-273

I’d like to think that the less-than-precious finish on this French provincial piece can lend to a variety of settings from the obvious choice in a little girl’s bedroom to a dining room sideboard stand-in or and entryway piece.  The latter is how I would choose to use it.

arabesque french dresser-278

The body is painted in MMSMP Arabesque while the eight drawers are layered in Marzipan which is a warm neutral in and of itself.  Between the layers of Marzipan is antiquing wax and light distressing for an imperfect finish.

arabesque french dresser-292

The body of the dresser chipped on its own revealing hints of brown.  After some subtle white waxing on the pink, the entire piece received a top coat of MMSMP Tough Coat for durability.

shells - arabesque french dresser-283

The inside of the drawers is undeniably feminine with a surprise pop of vintage floral wallpaper!  The original hardware is on six of the eight drawers with a hint of gilding wax to bring out the detail.  The smaller top drawers received a knob since one pull overall was missing when we found this dresser.  Since taking these photos I’ve since switched out the pink knobs for brass ones.

vintage wallpaper as draawer liner - arabesque french dresser-287

Here is how it looks staged for sale at The West End Garage.  I love that original tin wall.  I’m sure I’ve mentioned that before!  It is funny how Arabesque sometimes reads as a lilac and less pink.

WEG arabesque dresser

Also, did you see those lamps?  Another set of salvaged baluster lamps created by Ryan.  This pair is also less than precious with chipping paint and fractures adding to the awesomeness!

salvaged baluster lamp

I am not sure that I ever shared on the blog the pair of green salvaged baluster lamps that Ryan made.  These sold some time ago but were another favorite!  We opted to make the white pair a little bit more industrial with the hardware exposed since the top is where most of the detail of the white balusters lie.  Otherwise the lampshades would have covered those curves.

green salvage baluster lamps-096

And speaking of pink, here is a pink baluster lamp that Ryan made and we’ve decided to keep for our own living room.

pink salvage baluster lamp-159

Tell me your thoughts on pink.  Is it feminine all of the time?  Neutral?  Can it go masculine?

driftwood lamps

| circadee

What’s old is new again!
Driftwood Lamp Collection 3

A battered piece of driftwood crafted into a sculptural one-of-a-kind lamp is feeling very current with a nod to the late 60’s/early 70’s.  I’m digging how these are coastal with a dose of industrial due to a hint exposed brass-tone hardware.

Driftwood Lamp Collection-7300

In fact, driftwood lamps can go in so many design directions.  Obviously the organic pieces have a nautical feel.  Perhaps less obvious is that the sculptural aspect lends itself to a modern or mid-century modern design as well.

Driftwood Lamp Collection-7324

The lamps can also be the statement piece in an otherwise traditional room.  Lastly, let’s not leave out the boho style that is trending hard right now.  Mixing driftwood with layers of pattern gives your eye a place to rest in bohemian design aesthetic.

Driftwood Lamp Collection-7309

All of the credit on the driftwood lamp collection goes to Ryan, my partner in crime & design.  He conceptualized, designed and wired each piece.  I think he did a phenomenal job.  They’re all for sale although we’re sad to part with them.  That’s typical here, though.  We can’t keep them all!

Cape May magazine

| circadee

The spring edition of Cape May magazine is now available.  Aside from featuring everything we love about this town, the regional magazine also offers a regular decorating column called Interior Motives.  Earlier this season, I was asked to contribute to the current column’s theme of refreshing the bathroom.

Bathrooms?  I can talk bathrooms!

Bathroom task lights turned sconces-6339

I met with the editor and we discussed redecorating the bathroom for the upcoming season using new paint, fixtures and accessories.  Naturally I didn’t stray far from the themes of repurposing and styling with vintage.  The cottage bathroom that we completed last year in our home was mentioned in the article (as well as one we’re currently working on using that pretty brass fixture).

Bathroom task lights turned sconces-6344

Here’s how that cottage bathroom looks today with the addition of sconce lighting that we recently added over the sink.  For months I was on the hunt for just the right vanity light fixture.  Then, at the flea market, I came across a pair of gooseneck, task lamps.  Thinking outside of the box, it was clear to me that these lights could be the finishing touch that we needed in this bathroom.  Insert light bulb pun here.

Bathroom task lights turned sconces-6328

Ryan worked his magic dismantling and reconfiguring these task lights into sconces.  He took off the switches and exterior cord and hardwired them to work on the light switch.  We also sprayed them glossy heat-resistant white.

And voila, a custom vanity light for our bathroom.  I like how the lights have a gallery vibe to them as if they’re illuminating the heirloom mirror like a piece of fine art.  If you’re curious, you can see how we constructed the vanity out of a dresser here.

Bathroom task lights turned sconces-6332

The magazine article also references ways to use Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in the bathroom. We talked about using tough coat as a protective top coat to preserve wood surfaces around water and humidity such as the mirror.

Check out the magazine next time you’re in Cape May.  You can always purchase online too.