Here are some screen shots from the finished product-- while the lighting wasn't perfect, it was WAAAY better than the quality of the photos I usually am forced to take in similar lack-of-light situations (all the best camera light parts of the day are when I'm at work!). And you get to hear my squeaky-yet-low voice blithering on about whatever came to the top of my head regarding these pieces. Which may or may not be factually accurate!
Like:
The sectional, which I incorrectly refer to as having hairpin legs...turns out, there is no good name for what these are called. "Angled, tapered mid century legs" was the best I could find online, and still it doesn't have the panache of the wrong term I was using. Le sigh. Can you see Jingle from my Christmas post making a cameo appearance? I didn't have the heart to put him back up in the attic, so he can hang out in my Jungle Room set up for the time being. Red and green go surprising well with leopard print! (Make a Christmas note to yourself about that for future holiday parties).
Excepting the skinny, painted Thai wooden figurine, the brass Mayan guy, and the big straw hat, every other piece on that wall came from Goodwill! Including the giant wooden head. I'm telling you, there's gold in those hills if you're willing to dig. I'm particularly attached to that hat, as it makes this weird, sculpture-like statement coming out of the wall to a point like it does. And as much "wall clutter" as you more minimalist decorators might see this layout as being...you SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT BEFORE. Yeeks! Give me a hammer and a nail and I will make a wall disappear. But I'm learning editing, slowly but surely.
One of my favorite video moments-- when I straight up Alzheimer's blank on what this kind of textile is called. It is a buggy blanket, or carriage blanket, and I bought not only this one but one more at a Family Tree sale out in Franklin because a) they were ten and fifteen dollars apiece, respectively, on the second day of the sale, and b) I had driven all that way mainly to see if they were still there. The other has this design of a 1920's cartoon puppy looking at two kittens playing in flowers...oh, I am still so happy I have these.
Some other highlights from the wall decorations, which for some reason, I keep calling "accessories" (I was nervous!):
That's all for today! If you're not scared away by my frenetic speech patterns, I'll see you back here tomorrow!
I like it! I love the bones of your new sofa, and the way the tribal masks and Balinese dancers pick up the Jungle Room theme. If it was my own living room, I'd edit the art more tightly and remove the pieces that don't immediately evoke jungles and international exploration. But I know my minimal style isn't for everyone. I'm imagining full-length jungle print panels at the windows as a finishing touch. Maybe something like this?
ReplyDelete<3 jen @ librarian tells all
Thanks! I like my little museum, it's a fun room to hang out in. The only thing it's missing right now is dark wood slats on the windows, something-different-with-the-carpet, and possibly a bar. I don't know where I would put it (maybe in place of the tv?), but a bar AND a piano AND a leopard print couch...now, that's cooking with gas!
DeleteI'm having the same problem! I desperately want a super-elegant bar cart dressed with crystal decanters and pretty glassware, and we have no room for one.
DeleteI keep imagining vivid, jungle green panels on your windows. Like taking Elvis' jungle room carpet, and moving it up to the windows instead. With the leopard print sofa... MEOW!
Maybe you could place a small two-tier shelf on top of the TV and build a bar there? When there's a will, there's a martini. :)
ha! great! would like to have a drink there ;-)
ReplyDeleteand your outfit is total cool too.
but - you should do something with this windowblinds.......
Thanks for commenting! And about those blinds, oh, I know! That and the carpet have *GOT* to go! I definitely want to replace them, maybe with some wooden ones, something in a dark shade of brown, maybe.
DeleteLOVE the video!! That is a great room and I'm jealous of the leopard pieces. I'm also a big fan of having art on every wall possible. You are adorable and have a great voice- personally, I sound like a nasal Midwestern Valley girl so video blogs are not likely to make it to my blog. I laughed out loud at least three times!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words about the room and my fledgling film career! :) I'm so happy you liked the video. I've never done one like that before. The one I posted was supposed to be a "first draft" and then I ended up going "I am not putting myself through that twice!" haha. More of those to come, I think!
DeleteLoved the tour! Keep 'em coming! And girl, you'll ALWAYS be mysterious. : )
ReplyDeleteI loved seeing all of your finds and peeking into your cool den! That painting of Matthew's grandparents is just THE best, let me tell you. I love all of the wall art that you pick up - and I love that it's eclectic and that it doesn't stick to one theme - that's totally limiting and I could never see you flourishing as a collector that way. The idea of you with your mirror and butter knife makes me giggle a little but it sounds totally worth it. I can't believe that lamp made it to day three at an estate sale.
I am just pleased to death that (other than the carpet and the blinds, which I still have to replace and then ceremoniously burn in the yard) that I finally have everything "just so" in that room-- you should have seen the before pictures! And I love what I ended up with on the wall, they're all my favorite little things. Talk about a room that just screams "ME!" every time I walk into it, haha!
DeleteI can't believe that lamp was still there either-- it was right in the first floor den of the house in plain view! I guess it was waiting for me. What's even more incredible is that I dithered about buying it before taking the plunge...with the Sunday discount, it was something like fifteen bucks! Are you kidding me?!
Nice work, Lisa!!! I've seen this room change so many times in the past few years and I've gotta say this is the BEST arrangement so far. Very cool! I really like how everything fits together so nicely. Keep it up!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sus!!!!!!!! :)
DeleteI like your room! I love al those corners and different things you put together. I really love the lamp at the start of your video.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I forgot to say anything about that lamp on the video, I now realize. It was from an estate sale on the last day, just like the other lamp-- how do I keep lucking out on these lamps? I couldn't believe how LARGE it was when I got it home...it seemed much smaller before I bought it! But I am crazy about it.
DeleteHA! Brillsville!! God, that sofa is even more fabulous in 'real time' than it is in the photos! Congrats on the score of the year! So bloody jealous!
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of on the fence with the wall filler. A lot of the time, I think 1 or 2 big, statement pieces are best...however, I too have wall to wall paneling and my view on most of the rooms in my own house is: "Cover that s*** up!" Plus, you've got some great pieces. If you've got it, flaunt it!
As to the legs, I've always called the sort of V shaped metal legs in mid-century furniture 'hairpin' legs. The ones like you have are like the legs on my sofa/chair/ottoman, coffee table/end table, and bookcase which I've always just referred to as 'atomic' legs. Then of course, there's the flat on two sides and slightly curved on the edges legs that I've always referred to as 'danish modern' legs. I don't know if any of those are the correct terms, but everyone seems to know what I'm on about when I use them!
It's funny you mentioned the Twilight Zone episode as that's always what I think of when I see those type of paintings! I want one HARD! But one never encounters good mid-century art here in 'BumpkinLand' East Tennessee! Knoxville's about as far as it got!!
And as for the decanter, you can absolutely use it! If it's still got the 'goods' in it, you can even drink them if you know how it was stored and that it was kept in a cool, dark, dry place. If not, you can always clean it out and funnel new liquor in! I've got a whole vintage bar, all of which was my grandfather's (so I knew how and where it was kept over the years) and I drink the vintage liquor often. When they are empty, I fill them with the same thing over again!
Love the video! Do more!!!
Thanks, lady! Yeah, the walls were all scarred up from the previous renters, and I was like...well, we either paint it or we cover it up. And now I really like the not-to-the-ceiling, but kind of clustered configuration I ended up with. Thanks for the backup on those legs, too! I felt a (I think visible in the video) twinge of doubt as soon as I said "hairpin". And then I googled it and was like "THAT'S what I thought, dang it!" I'll have to try cleaning out that decanter, I haven't had the heart to open it yet!
DeleteYou are so cute in your video debut!
ReplyDeleteHaha, thank you! Hollywood, here I come! :)
DeleteWONDERFUL! Your room is terrific and oh so interesting!!!!! It represents a livable museum, if there were such a thing. Kind of like Ben Stillar being able to live within the walls his museum!!! What a treasure your den is, and I mean that with sincere, genuine compliment! As for being a weather girl, I fear you gather you have far too much intellect and interests to tether you to scripted weather patterns.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Vivian! It is like a fun museum, it really makes me happy to see all these things I love in one room.
DeleteHow fun! You have some of the same problems I do--like buying little stuff that's awesome but has no place to go. Ah, well. I figure we're giving all of those things a nice home. Minimalism and I don't even have a passing acquaintance. AND I totally know about the low-light situation. Our living room was paneled in the 60s and it is sooo dark. I guess it makes things "cozy." I don't have any suggestions on the blah carpet; we've got that, too. Maybe an area rug? Ugh I hate vacuuming.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, loved getting to put a voice to a face!
Right? I can't even begin to think of my house looking like some of the ones on Apartment Therapy...the collecting and curating instinct in me is too strong! I've learned not to buy EVERY antique little knickknack I run across, but that does not mean the desire to do so is not still vibrating in my little junk loving heart.
DeleteThere's more videos to come! I think. I had a lot of fun making that one.
What a cozy room. That couch is amazing and must be easy to clean, and if you ever get bored or want to change throughout the seasons all you have to do is change the cushions now that is awesome. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! I just about died when I got to the seller's house and saw it in real life. Matthew and I had even worked out a code in case I didn't like it ("I will say I think it's too big for the space we're putting it in, and you will agree with me. Capice?") but we obviously didn't need to use it, haha!
DeleteWhat a great room, and I loved the tour of your treasures. The leopard couch is incredibly cool and the price on that was a crazy bargain. You will have to do more videos--fun idea to change it up a bit from written blogging!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I love that room. It was so "just there" before and now I feel like it's all how I want it to be and nest-like. I was nervous about that video (as you can see IN the video) but I got such a kick out of making a "vlog", I think I will do it again. You should do one of your new house when you get settled in there, I am still so excited to see how you end up decorating it! :)
DeleteThe leopard couch makes me heart SING! Love all of your treasures. Thanks for sharing! Sarah xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks! I can't believe I ever thought "maybe it's too much"-- it is JUST ENOUGH! :)
Delete5 seconds in and I had to pause because I was giggling too much at your "For me, it's couches" problem. I love your den, and that you know and appreciate that so many of the weird neat things that one finds should absolutely be haunted. I hope you'll do more vlogs in the future. It was so much fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nancy! I was telling Rae about it at the flea market and realized, seriously, who serially buys couches? I've had like three different ones in that room! But this is real love, this couch. You guys have all been so encouraging, I think I'll definitely make video one soon!
Deleteyes! that was great! i loved seeing your room that way, it really gives you a feel of the space! and you were totally cute. as you know i too have an addiction to picking up tons of tiny things that i like to just set around everywhere. i'm trying to working on editing but it is SO HARD! I keep saying "no more sales until i clean out my front room", but i just keep going back. ha! i look forward to more vlogs in the future!
ReplyDeleteThanks, thanks! I really liked the video format for that reason, I just kept trying to think of how I could photograph it well enough to give you an idea of how the room was set up, and then I was like "EUREKA! VIDEO!". For some reason, I always forget that it's 2013 and videos don't have to be made on massive camcorders, you can just shoot one on your phone (or Matthew's phone, in this case).
DeleteIt's the curse of having a good eye for smalls and very specific taste at estate sales and the like, to be constantly drowning in your past victories! I think it's worth it to have these crazy collections, though, I can't lie.
you sound like a adult female teacher! woot!
ReplyDeleteIs that you, Xingxia?! And thanks!
Delete