Yesterday my neighbor and I went to an auction - a real one with a guy who talks faster than you can think and bidding wars and lurking antique dealers who will rip deals from your hopefull little fingers, and lots of ridiculous deals. An entire dining room set - 6 chairs, table and buffet and hutch went for $350.
My solid mahogany dining room table came from an auction ($50), my wedding jewellry came from an auction...its a cool way to find stuff that you won't find in your neighbors house because you all shop at the same store.
So yesterday I bought a painting that I love. Its of a peaceful scene that looks like rural Ottawa in late summer with just a glimpse of the river with sailboats peeking through the trees. I'm sure it wouldn't get any ooh's and aahs from Antiques Roadshow, but for less than a mass produced Ikea poster, I have original art that means something to me, of a place I recognize and it invokes a feeling. It came in a nice gold carved frame too.
I also bought a 'midcentry' dresser and nightstand that I'll be using for a sideboard and plant stand. Its solid wood with dovetail joinery and it cost $5 for both.
I've never really had the means to go out and buy a whole room of matchy matchy stuff. I remember going into people's new homes and feeling jealous of all of their new stuff that all went together and looked like a show home. So, my ecclectic style has always been out of necessity, but, an interesting twist is now that my husband and I actually could have the show suite, I don't really want it. We have a blend of old and new. It looks cool. When I stood back and looked at my dining room last night, I was pretty happy with it.
The problem however, is the deals are so good that my basement is now filling up with good stuff and I am running out of room. I don't want to let any of my deals go, just in case we buy a house, and what if we have a cottage down the road and I kick myself for throwing out a bedframe? What if someone NEEDS that? If we buy a house this year I will have some tough choices to make.
My solid mahogany dining room table came from an auction ($50), my wedding jewellry came from an auction...its a cool way to find stuff that you won't find in your neighbors house because you all shop at the same store.
So yesterday I bought a painting that I love. Its of a peaceful scene that looks like rural Ottawa in late summer with just a glimpse of the river with sailboats peeking through the trees. I'm sure it wouldn't get any ooh's and aahs from Antiques Roadshow, but for less than a mass produced Ikea poster, I have original art that means something to me, of a place I recognize and it invokes a feeling. It came in a nice gold carved frame too.
I also bought a 'midcentry' dresser and nightstand that I'll be using for a sideboard and plant stand. Its solid wood with dovetail joinery and it cost $5 for both.
I've never really had the means to go out and buy a whole room of matchy matchy stuff. I remember going into people's new homes and feeling jealous of all of their new stuff that all went together and looked like a show home. So, my ecclectic style has always been out of necessity, but, an interesting twist is now that my husband and I actually could have the show suite, I don't really want it. We have a blend of old and new. It looks cool. When I stood back and looked at my dining room last night, I was pretty happy with it.
The problem however, is the deals are so good that my basement is now filling up with good stuff and I am running out of room. I don't want to let any of my deals go, just in case we buy a house, and what if we have a cottage down the road and I kick myself for throwing out a bedframe? What if someone NEEDS that? If we buy a house this year I will have some tough choices to make.
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