Monday, August 3, 2020

Sunday Funday

Lanai Bar Cart

Yesterday was such a lovely day. I chatted on the phone at length with two dear friends. One is a law school classmate and the other is a lawyer and girlfriend in Alexandria. My big project yesterday was to clean out half the garage so my car can sleep inside - it also had a nice wash, wax, and vacuum. And I took the fur babies for their first real walk around the neighborhood. They were in heaven.

I did some styling in the lanai today including this cute bamboo bar cart I picked up last week at HomeGoods.

Advice needed - I have two Chinese Chippendale counter stools that I adore but need bar height. They are 36" at the seat, so not terrible low, but a few inches higher would be preferable. The problem is the legs are metal and very thin. A good story regarding them. The house I just moved out of escaped from I couldn't use them because the breakfast bar was quite large and we needed four stools, not two. So I had them carefully stored in a remote unused corner of the three car garage. I asked GG if this was a good spot so they would be safe and he agreed. The very next day I found them piled with dirty tools and old wooden crates and the cushions crushed beyond belief. The entire area around them was empty; this was completely purposeful. When I brought it to his attention his response was, "It is 100% your fault that I have no respect for your things."

RED FLAG #1 - Nothing is his fault, everything is your fault.

But I digress, any idea on leg extenders? I was able to save the cushions BTW. The gorgeous Brunschwig & Fils Xian was plasticized, so I spent a couple of hours gently blow drying the cushions so the heat would make them bounce back and it worked. Here are the stools. Thoughts? They are usable as is but I feel a bit like a little kid - LOL. It may be safest just to leave them as is.


The handyman is here tomorrow and Wednesday, so today I need to make sure I have the correct light bulbs for all the fixtures.

For the foyer - Dana Gibson Bamboo Lantern

For the dining room - Ralph Lauren Gold Leaf Pagoda Lantern

For the breakfast room - Ballard Designs Casa Florentino Umberto

For the vestibule - Pottery Barn Kids Lilly Pulitzer Palm Chandelier

For the master bath - Pottery Barn Kids Bailey Crystal Chandelier

For the laundry room - Kichler Raffiana

Then the wallpaper hanger and art hanger, and I will be done!!!!!!!!

I so want to start having house guests - especially my daughter and her boyfriend. I still haven't met their new schnauzer Millie.

Millie

Look at that face! Have you been waiting on having house guests because of Covid? Not only is travel an issue like flying, but so many tourist activities are closed or not safe to do, including eating at restaurants and going to the beach.

33 comments:

  1. Love the light fixtures! Kudos for your choices. Extending the legs of the two chairs to make the seat taller sounds like a big job. I think you might have to redo all four legs in order to have a chair safe to sit in. I wonder if you could just add a firm round cushion that would sit on top of the chair's seat but underneath the existing cushion? Just a thought.

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    1. Thanks. Yes, the stools need to be used as is I think.

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  2. What darling light fixtures you have selected, Beth. I am looking forward to seeing them installed.
    The bar cart is fun, too.
    Would you be possible to go the other way with the bar stools and cut them down to regular chair height? I know, sacrilege perhaps. Just an idea. Or look for a cute bar stool height table that works with them to use someplace else in your home?
    My sister's adult children visited her from CA. Everyone was tested for COVID prior to their arrival, then the visiting children quarantined for two weeks in the house after they arrived. So not your usual visit. Her son is working remotely so he is staying until Labor Day.
    The behavior of purposely disrespecting your belongings is so typical of people with that type of disorder. You are lucky to have quickly escaped.

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    1. Thanks. I need two more chairs like I need a hole in the head. LOL I can't deal with a visit like that. Not worth it at all.

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  3. Beth, I am so glad u r in a gated, safe place. He is cra cra. I love all that you have done and can’t wait for the official tour! The only thing I could think of would be some chic casters for the chairs? They are beautiful! Take care, Diane

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    1. Thanks so much. I will explore more, but think the legs are too thin for casters.

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  4. Dreamy light fixtures, every one of them.

    Counter stools are to die for, (cushions, too) I'd leave them alone. Any extenders you put on will take away from the look so if you could live with that height, that's what I'd recommend.

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    1. I agree, I am trying the stools as is. They will work.

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  5. Wondering if you could put a "disc" between where the legs attach at the base of the seat and paint/lacquer it a fun color to coordinate with the fabric .... You have to cut the chairs.

    "It is 100% your fault that I have no respect for your things." That is a prime example of Narcissist Personality Disorder ... "Gross Guy" has an acute case. Read about it ... you will cry as you recall... but your healing will accelerate.

    Love your fixtures ...

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    1. Thanks and I have read lots about Narcissistic Personality Disorder and he is textbook IMHO.

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  6. I agree with Delta. Any addition will detract from the stool and I would question the stability of the altered stool. Stools do come in two sizes (counter and bar); it seems these are counter height. If this will not work is there any other location for them? Perhaps on the lanai as extra seating? They are so beautiful and colorful; try to make them work!

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    1. I agree, but really no other spot for them and they are perfect for the breakfast bar. Are there high heels for stools?

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  7. Perhaps there’s a way to add height to the seat portion rather than extending the legs.

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    1. I need to keep the cushions. This is complicated!

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  8. I agree about trying to make the legs taller could result in an unstable option. One thought: how about having the cushions redone to be thicker/taller? I suppose that might lead to a "princess and the pea" kind of feel. Otherwise, I agree moving to a place (lanai?) where you can have a countertop that is the perfect height for the gorgeous stools.

    The "all your fault you made me do this" is scary...if it weren't so predictable with a person like GG. The total lack of empathy and the ability to view the world only as it pertains to him is a double decker train wreck!

    Millie looks adorable. We had a mini Schnauzer. A delightful pet. Millie looks like she is a standard. A little less yippie than the little guys. When our letter carrier finally saw the fur ball behind the ferocious bark, commented: "That's are there is?" Ha!

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    1. She is a miniature and a barker. Always on alert. I am trying the stools as is and see what I think. The cushions are my favorite part and irreplaceable.

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  9. As an alternative to messing with your [handsome!] chairs, be on the lookout for a counter height table [I think that size may go by the name 'Bistro Table'] with an eye toward setting up the threesome anywhere in your house, any little corner would welcome the warmth of "a table for two." I love the idea of Mr. Handyman working as we speak, you are going to be so happy when all that lovely lighting is in place!

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    1. I need stools for the breakfast bar and really don't have a spot for another seating area unfortunately.

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  10. I cannot wait to see your fabulous light fixtures installed!!

    Your stools look fine the height they are -- at least in the picture. Lovely stools. What a snake GG was. SMH.

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    1. The photo is my old kitchen in Belle Haven, not here. I am excited about my lighting too.

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  11. You have such gorgeous taste, I love everything you choose. Have your tastes evolve over time or has it always been quite honed?
    I second using the stools in another capacity and leaving them as is - they are too beautiful to tamper with.

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    1. Thanks, you are so sweet. My parents had great style and I was brought up in Europe and in Lake Forest, Illinois, so I think environment had a lot to do with it for sure.

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  12. The bar cart styling is perfection. I love it all!! Could you use brass casters on the bar stools. They would then roll back from the counter when you wanted to get in and out. That adds a little height and i love the look of brass casters on bamboo furniture.

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    1. I love the idea of brass casters, but the legs are so skinny I can't find anything to work. I will see of there is a place here I can take them and get expert advice. I would love that.

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  13. Could you have cushions made with cute long ties. They are wonderful stools. I understand why you wanted to save them. Smart Girl!!!!

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    1. The existing cushions are my favorite thing though. Otherwise I would.

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  14. I love those stools and would worry about destabilizing them and also the proportion of the bottom footrest changing. Would they work on your lanai? Love the bar cart (what a find) and especially the way you have styled it. Millie is adorable. Hope your pups take to her when they finally meet. I think air travel for the short flight from DC is manageable and that you would be thrilled to see Kate. Eating out is truly optional. The difficulty is with the shelter in place/quarantine regulations on both ends. When we were in Florida, I had to quarantine for 14 days upon return but my husband was allowed to return to work immediately as an essential health care worker.

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  15. The bar cart is fun - great for the lanai. We all love to eat out though!!!! No quarantine here - this is the land of laissez faire.

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  16. a carpenter could make you some leg extenders, they would need to be turned on lathe. I refuse to give up some items of furniture I have, they are dwarfed by the size of the rooms (mine are all 14ft and over as I live in a Scottish victorian house). We had a wood turner make them and the carpenter attached them. You cant see the join.And if I move, I can take them off again. (the secretaire with bookcase looks like it was made that way)

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  17. As a last resort, could the legs be made shorter to regular chair height?

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