Christmas at home

December 10, 2015 | circadee

It has been quite some time since I’ve shared projects from my own home. And for good reason. We’ve been shuffling furniture around still trying to find the “perfect” layout and pieces. We’ve settled on this cozy arrangement in our family room for the holidays. It feels good to “nest” again, one of my favorite winter past times!

I finally got a bee in my bonnet about the sofa situation that I had been less than thrilled with. I had enough of trying to camouflage the overstuffed brown sectional. After a ton of research, I finally went ahead and ordered the creamy tufted Chesterfield of my dreams. It arrived last weekend, ten days early! Just in time for holiday decorating. Come get acquainted with this beauty.

Don’t be shy. Reach out and touch that velvety tufting.

The sofa coordinates nicely with the vintage club chair we already had which was reupholstered in hemp fabric a few years back. Suddenly this space feels bright, airy and inviting!

I plucked a fading bench out of the garden to try as a coffee table for the season. The measurements are just right. The newness of the sofa almost felt too regal for my rustic-loving self. The chipping, vintage bench seems to juxtapose the sofa just right.

I scored the old bench for 5 bucks at a yard sale about 5 years ago. Five dollars well spent I’d say.

I like how the chipping finish coordinates with the chipping window frame that we just moved into this space. We used the window as our seating chart at our wedding in 2013. We never removed the names of our guests and instead used this as a frame by outfitting each pane with a 5×7 photo from our special day. This is as far as we’ve gotten in making any sort of wedding album. That baluster lamp is one of Ryan’s creations. Pink is rapidly and unintentionally becoming accent color in here.

Before we move onto Christmas decor, let me point out one more change. We boosted this vintage card catalog up to proper end table height with the addition of tapered legs. I also painted the frame of the piece however did not want to mess with the drawers, specifically the old pulls. I am still deciding on whether to stain or paint the legs but for now we’re enjoying the table in its unfinished state.

The mantel always gets pride of season. This year I was compelled to follow a traditional red & green palette for the most part. I only slightly switched things up from the autumn mantel by adding the lemon cypress trees, red pomegranates, last year’s felt wreath plus a little bling of course. The botanical prints, another newer addition, have been up since late summer.

I also switched out the blanket on our battered, splattered ladder. Say that 3 times fast! We made the flannel bunting a couple of years ago.

The tree decor is pretty laid back this year. We always choose a fresh Fraser fir. Growing up, we had full Douglas fir trees but I’ve become accustomed to the irregular shape of a Fraser. The gaps are perfect for filling with twigs of cotton and the like.

Presents are starting to pile up under the tree. I’m ahead of the game this year with gifts already wrapped and tagged. Would you believe I found all of these pretty papers at the dollar store? I was impressed with their selection. For a touch of rustic, I corralled the small gifts in this vintage wire basket.

I like to put my favorite vintage Christmas balls on display in bowl. I am always worried they’ll break if I hang them on the tree plus this gives the ornaments the opportunity to really shine on their own. The un-silvered, glass balls date back to World War II. They’ve always been my absolute favorite. Of course, the vintage mercury glass ones are pretty too.

The natural centerpiece was a breeze to put together. It’s all about the layering. Starting with the wood charger and fresh greens from the woods. It’s best to do this just before company comes so it looks fresh. The paperwhites are growing rapidly right before our eyes! It’s the little things that make me happy this time of year…and the new sofa too.

**Many of the pieces used to decorate my home are for sale through Circa Dee at The West End Garage and Serendipity. Pictured are the wood charger, tree bark wreaths, lemon cypress tree, cotton, paperwhites, flannel bunting, grainsack stockings and we have similar vintage and baluster lamps too!**

Happy Holidays!

the winemaker’s table

October 7, 2015August 8, 2016 | circadee

One morning a few months ago I set out on my treasure hunting route feeling extraordinarily optimistic. You know when you know there is a good treasure waiting for you and you just have to uncover it. Yes, that feeling!

The morning was off to a slow start though. I hit several garage sales not turning up much more than then 1970’s ceramics. But I knew the show stopping piece was out there. The next stop was sort of barn sale at the end of a grassy lane. I felt this one had promise until I got inside the dusty building and found nothing more than tools. No cute wooden toolboxes but nails, wrenches and the like. Not my thing.

I did another lap around the building feeling dissatisfied but not quite ready to leave. It is like a game of hot/cold and I was getting warm. I knew it had to be there. That’s when I spotted a wine-press off to the side. An antique, oak wine-press! It was dusty, dirty and smelled acidic but I knew this was the treasure waiting for me and it certainly had potential. It was screaming table to me.

Then that thing happened when someone expresses interest in a one-of-a-kind piece. Suddenly everyone is interested and a near bidding war ensues. As a buyer, this is extremely irritating but as a seller it is wonderful. Being the buyer in this scenario, I found the other shopper to be in poor form as he elbowed in on my negotiation insinuating that he was going to use the press as intended to make wine. Of course, it was evident that I wasn’t and merely loved the rustic patina. I’ve always been a form over function girl. I quickly handed the seller my cash and rolled it down the lane before anyone could change their mind.

After a thorough cleaning and the perfect 48 inch glass topper, we have ourselves a beautiful table. A swanky, rustic table fit for sipping cocktails and noshing at while admiring the craftsmanship of the press. I have to admit that this one was almost a keeper. We really love how it fit in our little dining nook. But I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it again, “We can’t keep them all.”

This one of a kind beauty is up for sale at The West End Garage.

chicken coop coffee table

August 25, 2015 | circadee

Our latest upcycled victim is a fantastic old crate which was once a chicken coop. I’d imagine that chickens were transported to and from auction in this coop. Feathers flying as the birds were off to find a new farm to call home.

The coop is larger than most that I’ve seen in the past and a bit more rudimentary in construction. The wear and aging on the wood can’t be matched. It has that perfectly weathered & washed out color that retailers like Restoration Hardware try to replicate.

We removed the door from the top of the coop as it was raised and not conducive to a new life as a coffee table. Over the opening there is now a large piece of glass making it functional again. We added casters to elevate the coop to coffee table height and, of course making it mobile.

I always love a good coop coffee table. We’ve transformed a few over the years! This one is for sale at The West End Garage.

Did you spy the Victorian pink baluster lamp? Another new upcycle from Circa Dee! This one might be a keeper though. It’s still up in the air. We’re working on this living space so we’ll see how things shake out. That color & patina though…