Downsized in real life. Update on my 1939 living room.
There are pros and cons to downsizing. After my husband died, I sold our 4,000 sf house. The expenses of running my half-size 1939 house are 1/3 of the cost, but the furniture given away, only to buy "right-sized" furniture has been a big lump to swallow.
I used what I could (furniture, art, etc) and purchased usable, livable items where needed. I donated more items last week, but I have still more items in one bedroom waiting a decision. I tried to consign many of these items, but the consignment stores didn't want antiques.
Anyway...I received a lot of help here, so this is an update.
The skinny (12x21) living room is divided into three areas.
1) Conversation area. I gave away the big screen TV after cutting my cable, so now my love seat is against the wall. Two chairs and a coffee table finish off the conversation area in the middle of the room. 8x10 rug. I'm still searching for the right piece for the mantel, so the too-small botanical is just to warm up the blank space. Those are original sculptures on each side of the botanical, so those are important to me.
2) Back wall -- library/secretary. My grandfather's antique pie safe serves as a bookcase, as it has done for me since I was a child. An old rush bench bridges over the necessary floor intake. The new secretary that I love to use -- closes up to cover my pieces of paper. A leather swivel stool is easy to keep out of the way.
3) Front wall -- this was a dilemma that wore me out until last winter when a friend was posting her jigsaw puzzles on FaceBook. I loved solving puzzles with my mother, so I dragged my antique English pub table down from storage and added two rattan chairs. I love this space! I use it for puzzles, dining, after tea, using my notebook computer, drawing with my granddaughter, and making jewelry.
The living room is quirky. The floors aren't level. There are heat vents in the walls. The paneling is solid wood, but too dead to refinish, so it was primed and painted SW Glass of Milk. The ceiling is SW Tidewater.
Original oil paintings on the front wall are landscapes, and "heavy" green, so I grouped those around the table, adding an original pottery piece (had for many years) on an antique pedestal that I've had for 20 years.
There are original water colors on the back wall -- one small one over each piece. Botanicals from the 1700s are on the wall beside the secretary. A newer mixed media piece is over the sofa.
I had tried small tables with the chairs, but it was too much "small stuff" but the coffee table is usable from all the upholstered pieces.
Windows are now covered with custom wood plantation shutters. That was done in April.
View from the front vestibule:
View from front of room to the back:
From the back of the room to the front:
View from sunroom door to front of house:
Mantel with original sculptures but needing artwork (there are many art walks coming up in November and I plan to hunt for something). The pottery pieces on the coffee table are also original, so those will remain.
It's taken 1.5 years too get to this point -- mixing up old with new. It's comfortable for me and my guests. Even without a TV, it is used a lot because my visitors and I don't watch TV together...that's in the kitchen lounge where my grandkids watch cartoon movies while I make Sunday pancakes for them.
Thanks for all the help over the years!
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8 years agoDYH thanked beckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally- 8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
IndigoRose -- the sunroom? vestibule? The sunroom is 8.5 x 18.5'. The vestibule is 9'10" x 5'6".
Linelle - here's the fireplace. It was red brick that someone painted black (not well) and had an old insert with not-code approved gas logs. I upgraded by using tile and black slate to cover the painted brick and pulled out the old insert and bought new logs. I have to open the flue to use the gas logs. There's no switch on the wall like new builds.
BTW -- The bronze frogs are by Tim Cotterill. Two of those (Social Climber and Show Off) were purchased on two different trips to California many years ago. The third (Jitterbug)was purchased at auction last year. The metal bird (now under a glass cloche) is Mullanium by Jim & Tori. I love their sculptures.
Here's the master bedroom, but I've removed (but, replaced only one) of those buffet lamps now. They were from our home library bookshelves in a Craftsman style house built in 2003. The nightstand on the left side is an antique oak washstand that my mother purchased when I was a kid. The nightstand on the other side, I purchased for the garden room at my previous home. The linen sheers are Pottery Barn. The roller woven shades from Country Curtains. The overhead fixture from Pottery Barn. The pillows are a mix collected over the years, some used at previous homes, some new. The duvet cover and shams are Woodland from Crate and Barrel. I think they still carry that -- I used this bedding at my previous home. The antique mezzotint on the wall, I purchased over 20 years ago from a local antique store. The shag rug is for my poodle to have something to jump onto. The chest of drawers is again part of the same bedroom set I purchased over 20 years ago. The bed is from Restoration Hardware and new to this house. That's a sleep number bed, purchase years ago, but my late husband and I didn't have a bed to dress it up.
8 years agoDYH thanked melle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/- 8 years ago
- 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
I FINALLY found the right rectangular lamp for my game table -- front of living room. This one is a better scale for my table. Taller/wider.
I needed rectangular to sit at the back -- because I use the table for coffee, puzzles, occasional meals, etc.
It's the Robert Abbey 'Duncan' lamp from Crate & Barrel. Expensive, but I caved in! It's brass with a cream shade. I like the open base since it's in front of a window.
- 7 years ago
- 7 years agoDYH thanked beckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
- 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real