living room — Page 8

Chimes

November 25, 2015 at 7:50 am by Claudia

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It was a sunny, sunny day yesterday with the light flooding into the living room. I was sitting in Don’s chair, camera on the coffee table, Scoutie beneath my legs. Without the leaves on the trees, winter sunlight is unfiltered and beautifully bright.

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The birthday cards from Don, Scoutie, and the wonderful card Don gave me from my parents are on display on the piano. The Maxfield Parrish “Pierrot’s Serenade” is on the left. A McCoy vase and singing birds in the center, along with our lithograph of the Aquitania, one of our favorite things ever.

I love wind chimes and I’ve always wanted some for our porch, but it was never the right time. I’d see some chimes and almost buy them, but there was always something more pressing that needed those funds. So I’d hem and haw and regretfully walk away.

When I was sorting and cleaning at the condo with Meredith I saw two sets of wind chimes. A smaller set was in front of the house and a bigger set was in the back on the lanai. The set on the lanai had a lovely sound, not light and tinkly, but deep and resonant. I asked Mer if it would be okay with her if I took them. Of course, she said.

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They’re hanging right by the front door.

I absolutely love them. So does Don. We hear them a lot. The sound is beautiful and strangely comforting – perhaps because my parents chose them. It feels as if they are speaking to us. Both of us have remarked that the chimes remind us of my mom and dad in the best possible way.

You see? It wasn’t meant to be all those times I almost bought some. What was meant to be was this.

This lovely, magical sound, once heard at my parents’ condo, now heard here.

Happy Wednesday.

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As Is: Late Summer Edition

September 14, 2015 at 8:20 am by Claudia

Every once in a while, I give myself permission to take a quick photo of the house ‘As Is.’ No straightening up, no ‘vignettes’ – just real life. If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that Don and I like cozy, relaxed, eclectic and vintage. We read a lot, so there are always books lying around. There’s usually a guitar somewhere – right now, there’s one in the living room and one in the den. It’s early around here and the lights are on.

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Practical is the watchword lately. You’ll notice lots of throw rugs that really don’t have any design theme whatsoever. They’re for Scout. They help her navigate. There’s a quilt on the floor in front of the loveseat – also for Scout. And you can just see the edge of a towel that’s on top of the oval rug. You guessed it – for Scout. Don’s Kindle, books, and glasses are on the coffee table.

Nothing exciting. Nothing new. I can’t see spending money on something we really don’t need – just to ‘change things up.’

I don’t decorate for fall, as you know. We are fortunate to live in the Northeast, where Fall will be on constant display in a very short time. Frankly, nothing I could do would be better than the designs of Mother Nature. And honestly, I have so little available surface area that it isn’t practical.

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It’s a dark and cloudy morning, so these aren’t great photos. But sometimes, to be perfectly honest, I don’t care!

More throw rugs for Scout. A piece of paper towel on the island (see? no editing.) Dishes in the drainer. Paint brushes used on the dollhouse in a piece of McCoy on the window sill. Cough medicine on the counter. My Peet’s French Roast (single cup drip method) awaiting the boiling water from the tea kettle.

I’ll spare you the den, where there are piles of used kleenexes, cough drops, and a makeshift bed (I came downstairs around 4 am because I was coughing too much and I didn’t want to keep disturbing Don’s sleep.) I don’t know if it is allergies or sinuses and, frankly, I never know. I do remember now that I wasn’t feeling all that great on Thursday when I was in the city. Lots of sneezing – I mean lots – and congestion. So I think this has been coming on for a few days.

There you go. As Is for Monday, September 14th.

Happy Monday.

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Scenes from the Cottage: The Living Room

January 19, 2015 at 8:31 am by Claudia

We’re recovering from yesterday’s terrible weather. It rained all day long, which quickly turned to ice, black ice for those drivers who were unaware that the innocent looking rain was becoming dangerous. The result was terrible for many people: multiple car accidents, cars spinning out on roads and freeways, the eventual closure of the Thruway. Don had a gig north of us which he had to cancel. It was just too, too dangerous to drive. So we were stuck in the house all day while we tried to make Scoutie’s little corral safe by salting everything in sight. It was simply horrible. Today will be all about salting the driveway so we can get to the grocery store. I’m sick of this icy winter.

Nesting Mode continues, so I hope you don’t mind if I indulge in some more Scenes from the Cottage? Today we’re checking out the living room. I didn’t capture every detail, but there are plenty of photos elsewhere on the blog if you want to see more.

The living room and the kitchen are essentially one big room. There are lots of windows, so sunlight floods each room.

As Is, remember, so we have dark corners, rumpled sofas, and a dog.

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I threw in an older photo of the parakeet lamp because I forgot to take a picture of it the day I shot these photos.

I’ve had the loveseat since I lived in Boston, so that would make it about 23 years old. Like the sofa in the den, it’s had several slipcovers. The yellow chair was purchased new several years ago, as were the rugs. The red chair was a $50 purchase from a San Diego antique shop. The wood chair was purchased at a local vintage shop right after we moved in here. It’s surprisingly comfortable.

The large white cabinet was found for $100 at auction. I love it, love it, love it.

The piano was my grandmother’s. The coffee table was refinished by our friend Rob when we lived in San Diego and we got it for a song.

You know all about the dollhouse.

The desk was free; found on the street and ‘reimagined.’

Once again, there’s lots of McCoy pottery scattered around the room, on tables, on the piano, under the dollhouse, on top of the white cabinet, on the sideboard. In fact, many of the colors I use in the living room and kitchen were inspired by the sherbet colors of McCoy.

The wooden ship was given to my dad by my mom.

The quilt on the floor was found at auction. It’s on the floor entirely for Scoutie’s comfort.

The lithograph of the Aquitania was a big find last year – a bit of a splurge for two normally frugal people. We bought it from a local antique shop. Words cannot express how much we love it.

The parakeet lamp was a birthday gift from Don.

The pillow on the red chair was a gift from Judy.

Monty the Cow was purchased right after we moved East. We love him. We’ve been known to move him from room to room so that he can see everything going on in the house.

I had a canvas print made of the Lamb With The Party Hat (this blog’s logo) and Don insisted, much to my delight, that we hang it in the living room.

The small print in the green frame is a postcard of a print that Don saw in a local gallery. The original print below it is a Norman Rockwell. We found it several years ago in the Berkshires.

The clock was found across the river in an antique shop (the same one where we recently found the Maxfield Parrish). We fell in love with it and put it on layaway. It was an anniversary present to each other.

The Hymns board was found in a local antique shop several years ago. I had to have it.

The fringed lampshade was found in California at Christie Repasy’s shop.

The dog comes with the house. She’s priceless.

You know that feeling when you walk in the door and you can’t help smiling? That’s what happens with this room. The living room makes me happy.

If you have questions about anything else, feel free to ask in the comments section.

Happy Monday.

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Chimes

As Is: Late Summer Edition

Scenes from the Cottage: The Living Room

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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