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dreamgoddess_01

Please help me accessorize this area

17 years ago

We finally got finished working in the dining area and I've been trying all day trying to get it accessorized. Unfortunately everything I try to arrange looks awful to me. I just can't seem to make any of the surfaces come together.

I need to figure out how to decorate everything before next weekend (having a graduation party here at my house). I guess I've just looked at all the stuff until I'm brain dead. Somehow I need to make what I already have work...the budget is shot and I can't buy anything else right now. LOL!

I need suggestions for the top of the china cabinet, the marble table and the buffet (or sideboard, I can never remember which it is). Suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Here are photos of the area.

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(Yep, I'm missing a shade...DH broke it last week and I'm waiting on a replacement)

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Here are some of the things I have to decorate with.

Two Vienna Art Plates that coordinate with the two plates on the plate hanger, Cupid figurine, Cambridge Flying Lady Compote bowl

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Victorian epergne and bride's basket

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Lots of crystal candleholders

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I have bunches of assorted plates and cups/saucers

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More plates and pie server with plates

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Cherub waterfall lamp

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I do have a few more things that I can pull out if what I have now won't work.

Comments (7)

  • 17 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    First, let me say that your furniture is exquisite.
    Here's my 2 cents worth....
    First, I would take the picture down by the china cabinet and put ALL your crystal candlesticks on top of the cabinet.
    Then, I would move the lamp on the marble table to the other side and put the frame with the same color metal (that is now on the sideboard) next to the lamp.
    Then I would take everything off the top of the sideboard so that the beauty of the furniture shows, and I would polish the silver tray set.
    That's it, I think. You really do not need to add anything else. Your furniture is so beautiful, that the less you have on it, the more it will stand out.

  • 17 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I am in the midst of graduation panic as well. My plan is to fervently hope that the weather will be nice and everyone can stay outside. I still do not have a couch that is able to be sat on.

    I love your rug!

    As for decorating- I am planning on flowers. Lots of them, where ever I can find them to pick. You have that epergne you could stuff with flowers and put on top of the corner china cabinet. And then, I would fill the pie plate server with cookies, or pies, or whatever you will be serving, and put that on the side table. A few candles in your crystal holders ....

    And that is all I would do. Keep it simple.

  • 17 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I really think you don't want to put a lot of things out now esp as a graduation party is coming up. If people will be in that room (and milling around elsewhere), you want places where people are going to put down plates, cups, etc. without them having to worry about knocking something over.

    Here's what I'd do:
    1) Put the epergne on the side table and put flowers in the holders.
    2) Take the lamp off the side table and put it upstairs in another room until the new shade comes. Trust me--if you're frazzled now, what happens when somehow the shade doesn't come on schedule and that lamp is still sitting there minus a shade when guests come? You don't want to be embarrassed.
    3) Take what is now the centerpiece on the round table and put it atop the curio cabinet. (Although I also like declansmom's idea of putting the candlestick holders there.)
    4) Put the plate stand in the center of the round table and use the plates for serving cookies or whatever.
    5) Polish the tea serving set.

    And that's all. Too many accessories will reduce the impact of each individual accessory.

    How are you planning to decorate the wall on the left (eventually)? Since you have a lot of lovely plates, I'd display those there, maybe on ledges, and add some half-circle shelves to hold the teacups. (I'd also move the two that are on the wall next to the window over to that left wall, too.) But I wouldn't do this to have it in place by next weekend!

  • 17 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Thanks everyone for the suggestions! I can't wait to try them out.

    The graduation party will be outside. We're grilling and will have tables set up for eating outside. I don't have to worry about lots of people being in the house trying to get around the table to the food.

    However, my family and DH's family will all be here and they know we've been working on these rooms for weeks now. They're all going to want to see what we've gotten done. That's why I'm in such a panic to get it all decorated before next weekend.

    I do have another picture that will be going on the wall where the table with the lamp is. Right now, it's at the shop being framed, and they promised me it would be ready before Friday.

  • 17 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I love your furniture! I have antiques too. Your carpet and wall color are just great.

    The hutch with the tea set looks just great! I need to dig out my grandma's tea set, similar to yours, and shine that baby up. I need to get a tray for it, though.

    The top of the china cabinet on the left just cries out for one of two things. Either a big bushy green fern, or a pretty pitcher filled with peacock feathers with maybe your candlesticks around it.

    Those doggone shades come off too easily. I just had to replace one. I got my floors replaced, and I'd set the lamp in the bird room on the floor. I suspect the guys pounding on the other side of the wall caused the shade to vibrate off. After, I pinched tighter all the little leaves that hold the shade on. Those buzzards aren't cheap, either. Fortunately, though, the replacement matched the other 11 shades on my tulip lamp, though. Hope yours is a perfect match when it comes too.

    I look forward very much to seeing more photos of your house.

  • 17 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Lovely antiques! I would use burgundy candlesticks on the table and get some lacey valances to trim out the window in the door. A fern would look pretty in your room as well, maybe on top of the marble table.

  • 17 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Hi. You do have very beautiful furniture. I think that the reason you may be feeling frustrated, is that there is a lot going on in your room, and the eye does not know quite where to land. I think you need to create a strong focal point on the dining table, with one large piece (I am thinking something like a large greenery or floral arrangement--something with soft edges and at LEAST 2 feet--preferably more--in height and diameter, and a WIDE base). One large item would be better than several small "cluttery" items. It is hard to tell from just a picture of your room, but to get more balance, I think I would want to turn the tall buffet flat against the wall with the door on it, if it will fit (take the plate rack off the wall, of course). Maybe angle the picture over the corner curio into the corner, on an easle, to balance the tall buffet on the other side and add some greenery for more weight. Or you could still leave the picture on the wall (maybe scoot to the left a little) but add large greenery to the top of the curio. I think the smallest table may not need to be there, but if you decide to leave it, I would probably put the three-tier plate stand on it, with the other ceramicware that is pictured together with it, and hang something fairly large on the wall just above it. All those ceramicware colors in the picture with the stand-up plate rack would look great in your room--but group them all together. I like the silver set on the tall buffet and would leave it there, or you could arrange all the ceramicware I just mentioned on it instead, or maybe do the silver set with the plate stand to the side if it doesn't look too crowded. A small lamp, turned on, would look beautiful, to the side in front of the mirror on the buffet.
    It also would help the room to feel more pulled together if you brought in some stronger color throughout the room that goes with your room, like deeper wine/burgundy tones or maybe some deep green or even chocolate. If you have a medium size solid burgandy square table cloth for example, you could put that on the table, with the points hanging between the chairs, or even just scrunch a piece of solid color accent fabric under your centerpiece to add some strong color. Think of the strong accent colors you want in there, and see if there are things in your house elsewhere that would work. I would stick with mostly solid colors, because there is a lot going on in the room, and pattern would make it feel busier. I would also take the small pieces off of the top of the tall buffet--let the beautiful carvings on it show without clutter in the way. I would try to use only pieces in the room that support your color theme--I don't think that a lot of the other pieces--even though they are pretty--are helping you with that pulled together look you're probably wanting--particularly the yellow/gold pieces.

    I think if you focus on a large, not-too-busy, strong focal point on the table, strengthening your color theme with deeper mostly solid colors throughout the room in your accent pieces, and achieving some balance with the heavy furniture pieces, that you wil be happier with the space. Good luck!