Small Gold Treasure

Hi all!  I know this week I was going to continue with the Dining Room of a main floor project I am working on, but alas, I did not have time to get photos of the selections we are using, so will have to postpone that one until next week.

In the meantime, I have a wonderful little find I picked up in an antique store I want to share.  It was a long time in the making, that's for sure.  I picked up this adorable little gold table last summer.  One can never have too many little tables!  However, when expressing this sentiment as my son was in the same room, his reply was, "Mom, more little tables are not always the answer." Mon Cher!

When I took all the crap off of the top of the table while in the antique store, the glass top was severely cracked and broken, so the guy took $5 off.  Then I tipped it upside down, and one of the four gold floral stalks came loose...there went another $5.  Then I noticed one of the corners wasn't secure...yep, you guessed it, another $5!  I was really enjoying this game!!  It started at $55 (still a steal I thought) and ended at $40.

I had my friend Kelly Ludeking, a fabulous metal artist who has a done a lot of work for me over the years, weld the corner that had come loose.  Not a good pic, I know.  That was $50.

 I believe my son, or husband, super glued or siliconed the extra floral branch in place.  Free! (to me :)

Next, I had glass made for the top.  I knew I wanted extra thick chunky glass so I would have a blue ring at the top when the sunlight hit it.  Because the metal corners were slightly curved, the glass piece had to have radiuses cut into them, definitely an increase in price.  By the time we were done, the glass piece cost $100.

 View from the top

 And another...

Lookin' good!!

About $200 later, I love my table!!  It works well in my very eclectic, yet inviting, living room!  Do you have fabulous finds and trinkets to share?  Let me know!

Keep digging for treasure!!  Susan

Stillwater project finished!

Cheers!  I have recently finished, so to speak, a whole house project in Stillwater.  Are we really, as designers, ever finished?!  I know it's so hard for some people to understand the innate quality of being an interior designer.  There is no "off" button~~which is fine with me--it's my passion.  I am moved and enthralled by exciting environments and fun, funky, and unique designed products.


We are still working on a few small finishing touches in this residence, but for the most part, the main vibe of the place is intact!  We, as in myself, Hagstrom Builder, and Denny Claridge, the architect, designed this lovely new home in an open floor plan style for ease of having many grandchildren and family members visit as well as to accommodate a disabled homeowner.  The intention was to create intimate and inviting areas within a French Country style space with a nod to Asian.  Below are some of the pics of the living room, dining room, and kitchen.  If you've already seen the pics on other sites (website, FB, Linkedin, etc.), well, enjoy again!  Other room pics to come in the future!

 Dining Room

We used the client's existing dining table, chairs, and buffet, but made new cushions for the chairs.  The wall is blue grasscloth by Thibaut, drapery fabric by Ralph Lauren, hardware by Orion, and the chandelier is by Cyan Design.

 Living Room

In the living room, we purchased all new except for the two creamy white bergere chairs which we reupholstered in a Kravet chair fabric and the rug, which was our inspiration for the room's colors.  Because we had a large TV on one side of the fireplace and watercolor art on the other, we didn't want yet another image, or similar size piece, over the fireplace.  I hired Kelly Ludeking, a fabulous metal artist, to make custom bronze candlesticks, which are stunning!  The hand manipulated bronze and hand rubbed finish is truly incredible!  Kelly has done many wonderful pieces for me in the past including a Pool Changing Room vanity and a pendant light.  See here.

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The drapery fabric is Fabricut and the console bronze sculpture is my client's.  Sofas are by Lee.  The stunning two color, distressed console as well as the cocktail table are by Sterling.  The two ottomans under the console are custom and I had them upholstered in the coolest fabric from Pollack, one of my fave fabric manufacturers.  It is a vinyl that gives the appearance of silk.  I have seen it on a tufted king size headboard as well, which is initially where I became aware of it.  I thought for sure it was silk until I went up to touch it!  One of the best illusions around!  See the close up below, which still doesn't do the fabric justice!

 Living Room

~Sterling Collection cocktail table, rug client's own, Kravet chair fabric, Sunbrella sofa fabric, Fabricut pillow fabric, pottery bowl by local MN potter Lee Love

 Living Room and corner of Kitchen

Kitchen/partial Sun Room

Cabinetry by Preferred Kitchens in White Bear Lake, MN.  Peek into the sunroom where we had a custom sofa and chair made.  Stool fabric by Sunbrella.

Well?  What do you think?  Questions, comments...???!!!