Happy Holidays!

December 17, 2022: Hi all. I'm still here, just been very busy (who of us is not?) I'm working on updating Maison Newton bit by bit, it's been awhile since I changed things up. Happy Holidays to all, soon the Winter Solstice will arrive and then the days will start to get longer once again, hooray!

Friday, April 10, 2015

The One Room Challenge (TM) Is Back!

Hola darlings!

Some time ago (I don't remember when), I stumbled across the Calling It Home website and a special feature put together by the creator, Linda, The One Room Challenge (TM).  I fell in enthrallment instantly!

The idea is great -- a group of twenty (yes, 20!) decorating bloggers are recruited to redo a room of their choice in six short weeks, and each of them posts the progress of their redo once a week!  Best of all, all bloggers can join in the fun and post their own "challenge" progress.

IT'S BACK!  The Spring 2015 One Room Challenge (TM) is on!  Here's the link listing the blogging designers who are participating:




as well as links to Progress Reports for Week 1 and Week 2!  I am so excited, I'm doing a jiggle happy dance in my chair as I'm typing this.

I should be doing my income taxes (Drat - am I a PRO crastinator or what?), but I'm going to spend the rest of the morning and afternoon checking out the "challenges" that each designer has chosen, as well as checking out as much as I can fit in before I fall over in exhaustion of the projects that other bloggers are linking up.  Honestly, after seeing last autumn's ORC results from the pros and the other talented bloggers who joined in, I am simply in awe of the amount of talent and inspiration made available for free!

I hope you will check it out -- it is just fabulous and great fun, too!

Thursday, April 9, 2015

The Look for Less: Manhattan Style Sitting Area by Horchow

Hola!

I am a big fan of Horchow furnishings since I first started oohing and aahing over their ads in high end decorating magazines more than 30 years ago.  I have long loved the classic and elegant looks that Horchow features.  This morning, I visited Horchow online and fell in love with this room:


Horchow furnishings (shipping charges are additional):

Helena tufted wing chair in pearl white, $1199.00 (x 2)
John-Richard Collection carousel table lamp in white, 30" tall, $995
Global Views black granite side table, 30" tall and 30" diameter, $1899.00
Aerin Clarkson floor lamp, $750.00
Glencrest sofa in grey/brown (82" long), feather down seats and pillows, special value $1199.00
Bernhardt Heath coffee table, walnut veneers and rubberwood in raven black finish, with nickel finish ferules, 18" high, 53 3/4" long, 24" deep, $699.00

Total:  $7940.00

The look for less:

I found several chairs of a similar style in a wide price range, starting around $300 and up; most of the chairs did not have a tufted back or if they did, they weren't available in a color comparable to the original.  So, I tried to find chairs that had a similar shape/profile, accented by nailhead trim, in a light cream or white upholstery.  Here are my picks:

(1) Moore wingback chair in ivory bonded leather (no tufted back) via Amazon.com, $549.00 (available in more colors at homedecorators.com; similar chair in different colors available at grandinroad.com):


(2) Paige Mandarin Wheat Upholstered Wingback Chair at Lamps Plus, $399.99:


I found the John-Richard Collection Carousel table lamp online for $110.00 less at The Classy Cottage.  I could not find a comparable size lamp of the same shape, so I shopped for size, color and shape:

(1)  At Kirklands.com, on sale for $29.98, regularly $49.99, this 27.5" tall Mid-Century glass table lamp in gold finish, love its classic yet sleek lines and the gold finish - a classic mid-century modern look with an updated shade:


(2) At Amazon, for $128.99, this 27" tall Safavieh Paris Ceramic Table Lamp in white, with gold finished metal neck and base and white cotton drum shade, classic and elegant:


(1) Greek Key Accent Table at Homedecorators.com, $179.00.  Although this end table is not black granite and brass, it has two different metallic finishes with a glass top, three legs (one could add a granite round at the bottom), looks sturdy and stable, and the size (height and diameter) is comparable to the Global Views side table:


(2) For an option with casters (the Global Views table has casters), I went in a totally different direction and found the Deco 79 Metal Marble Cart (top is black onyx), black iron and antiqued brass finish, 30" tall, 34" x 16" wide (an oval, not round), with four locking casters, $275.76 (unfortunately, out of stock at the time I'm writing this, and I could not find it anywhere else online):


Holtkoetter Brushed Brass Narrow White Shade Floor Lamp at Lamps Plus, solid brass, brushed brass finish, hand washable white satin shade, foot dimmer, adjustable height from 53" to 68.5", $398.00 (I chose this lamp for its superb lines and beautiful brass finish):


Camden linen sofa in grey (90" long), offered by TOV Furniture at Amazon, $750.49:

I found the Bernhardt coffee table on sale at mathisbrothers.com for $529.95 (compared to Horchow's price of $699.00, a savings of $130.00).  Note: at Mathis Brothers, it is called the Bernhardt Interiors Haven coffee table, but otherwise it is the identical table.  Here is my pick, chosen for its finish and modern but classic lines (and love the leather inserts on the top), the Magnussen Micah wood rectangular coffee table at Amazon, $279.77:


Look for less total cost Option 1 selections only:  $2207.00.
Look for less total cost Option 2 selections only:  $2234.00.
Look for less mix and match least expensive options:  $2058.00.
Look for less mix and match most expensive options:  $3389.00 (includes Carousel lamp and Bernhardt coffee table at the lower prices I found online).

Compared to $7940.00.