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| A Decorating Decision |
First off, a very Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there, including moms who have that role in their households as well. Both my dad and husband have passed, and in these uncertain times we live in especially, we never know how long any of us has here, so make this day extra special for the special dads you are lucky enough to have in your lives.
Thanks for the help on the dining table this week - it was driving me crazy, and your comments and overwhelming choice of the Mercer made my decision for me. I need your advice again.
Above is the dining area that I am repurposing. As you can see, it has a massive mirror that reflects the preserves and palms in back. Underneath is a wood ledge about the depth of a fireplace mantel. I forgot to measure it, but it is about the same as a mantel. And FYI, that chandelier is going.
What do I do with the ledge?
Should I leave it bare?
Or should it have a dramatic pair of thin and tall ginger jars?
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| 1st dibs - Antique Ginger Jar with Palm Fronds |
Or perhaps my beautiful blue and white tulipieres?
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| My Tulipieres |
Or perhaps one or a pair of blue and white Chinese vases or clear cylinder glass vases with palm fronds?
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| India Hicks |
What would you do? It does not have to be Chinoiserie - seashells, coral, orchids?
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| Amanda Lindroth Bar - House Beautiful |
I think your tulipieres would be gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI agree, thank you.
DeletePalms! Of course if the palms are on the table ‘a la Bunny’, they will be reflected in the mirror and have more room, go big!
ReplyDeleteMichelle
Yes, I am definitely doing a large ginger jar on the table with palm fronds a la Bunny. And I am ordering a 9 foot canvas palm.
DeleteWhat would you think about getting a custom marble piece to fit on top of the ledge. Then get various heights of crystal see-through candleholders & crystal vases. When lit at night, the mirror will reflect beautifully. Thus, using the ledge as a light source with mirror to highlight your décor on dining table. xoxo
ReplyDeleteThat's a really intriguing idea. Thanks!
DeleteFirst of all, I would paint the mirror the color of the room. To raise the height of the ledge, I would use stacks of books, because I think every room looks better with books! Then on the stacks of books, tall thin ginger jars AND the tulipieres AND a blue and white cachepot of white orchids. I think the palms on the mantle are too much—and takes on a little shop of horrors kind of feeling! How do you plan to use this room? What new lighting have you planned?
ReplyDeleteI am doing stacks of books and blue and white Chinese porcelain and white orchids on the table already a la Bunny. Not sure if this should be different? I agree on painting the mirror - my painter suggested that too.
DeleteAnd I am still playing around with my plans for the space and the lighting.
DeleteThe idea of fitting a custom marble piece there does ‘grab’ me... you had been thinking of a marble table but the use of marble here would not be so at risk for marring and staining. It seems to me that the scaping of this space has to take the table scape into account. Height seems a good plan...I like the tall jars. The use of the ledge for candlelight is a great call but that may not need to be a permanent state...? This might be a space where you can have some fixed elements like the tall jars or even blanc de chine, and add and subtract things like palm fronds or orchids or candlesticks as your mood strikes. I am curious about your plans for the lighting too.
ReplyDeleteI like this idea and have lots of Blanc de Chine as well. Still debating on the lighting.
DeleteI’ve also been wondering about painting or gilding that mirror frame.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it is antique gold now and I will definitely paint it the wall color or gold leaf it.
DeleteI would paint the mirror the color of the walls and add two large jars/tulipieres on either end of the ledge. I would keep it simple so that the outside has a chance to be seen thru the mirror.
ReplyDeletehttps://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgxwJWXQbMhmwbxzSftrMWrWrrWhS
My painter suggested that as well as far as the mirror. It is antique gold - I will either paint it the wall color or gold leaf it. I definitely want the outside reflected as much as possible, for sure. Thanks.
DeleteDress it with your blue and white and carry the color through as the color theme for the room. So glad you're losing the chandelier. Now find an appropriate rug to warm up all the hard surfaces.
ReplyDeleteYes, the room will have lots of blue and white. All the chandeliers in the house are being replaced. Thanks!
DeleteI concur with painting the mirror frame to blend in with the walls. But as for decorating the ledge, its height and location make me nervous about putting much of anything on it that you don't want to get broken. Mantels are usually high enough that things on them don't get bumped accidentally. But this ledge appears to be about hip high --- turn around too quickly and --- oops! there goes a wonderful tulipiere crashing to the floor. I'd leave the ledge bare for now. Maybe later do some seasonal or holiday decorations on it.
ReplyDeleteYou are so funny. BUT, I have designed this entire home around a man with severe ADHD who crashes into and spills everything. In my home, I am putting things exactly where I want them. I have tiny dogs and I am extremely careful. I can move things off for entertaining. Bare seems too bare to me. LOL
DeleteLOL, if the dogs are tiny then it'll be okay.
DeleteHarper is 4 pounds and Margot is 7 pounds.
DeleteBlue and white ginger jars and/or tulipieres will be gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI agree and I have things that will work in my collection already. I will experiment.
DeleteA few questions first: What will you paint the walls and will the wainscoting be different from the rest of the walls? What furniture will you put in this room, what light fixture?
ReplyDeleteI agree that painting the mirror frame is a good idea but beyond that, the ledge would probably be the last are I style. Everything else will point you in the right choice, I believe. You have a lot of good options on hand but to me, it's putting the cart before the horse, as exciting as that would be. You'll know it when you see it, I am certain.
Actually, yes and no. I plan to leave the room quite sparse as I want the mirror and the reflected gorgeous back yard to take center stage. So what is on the ledge if anything will be quite a focal point. There will be no table or chairs. I have not made a final decision on the light fixture. I will discuss the wall and trim colors this week.
DeleteI agree with painting the frame of the mirror with the same color paint of the walls. This is a fabulous addition to the room. I would leave the ledge bare as once you have the new chandelier and furniture, table items, I believe it will hardly be noticeable.
ReplyDeleteLove palm fronds in glass vessels! When I see them out on the street to be disposed, I will often stop and throw them in my trunk to trim up and use. Palmetto fronds are a good size. I have also "pulled over" for sago palm fronds... beautiful texture in these as well.
best,
teaorwine
There will be no table or chairs at all in that space - nothing to block the mirror and ledge. I have many palm trees here and always have a large glass cylinder filled with fronds from the garden. Free floral arrangements!
DeleteI vote for blue and white tall jars or tulipieres. Keep it simple so the mirrors reflection will be the star. But I also like adding a marble top which you could make a bit wider, and also adding candles for entertaining. It will be fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about making it wider, but I will have to see if that looks odd or not. I agree about a pair of tall blue and white.
DeleteI love home before dark's ideas and comments.
ReplyDeleteBeth, what will you have in that room?
ReplyDeleteI am thinking just a large piece of art and a beautiful bench underneath. I will see how that looks once I get in and start playing around.
DeleteI am imagining a gallery type room here?
DeleteAny artwork on the large wall on the left of mirror?
ReplyDeleteYes, planning on a very large dramatic piece I have that I hope will work.
DeleteFinish your room first and see how it feel's. Busy? Not too busy? Go from there, also let the outside reflection in your mirror be a point of view! Fun!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree, the reflection of the palms and preserves is very key for me.
DeleteOne of your previous shots (where you see the kitchen entrance and counter area) gives a better sense of that space and now it's clear to me that there is no room for anything other than styling the ledge beautifully. Certainly the tulipieres need to be there for starters.
ReplyDeleteYes, using it as a dining room closes in the whole great room and blocks the view.
DeleteBefore I even saw your choices, I thought deep green palm fronds in something fabulous blue&white! That mirror is fabulous with your view. I read above a comment about knocking things off. Do you know about Museum Gel? It is a fantastic product you put on the bottom of vases, etc and it adheres to whatever surface you put it on. A quick twist releases it with no damage to paint, furniture, etc. I use it all the time with my 6’3 husband, dogs, and cats around! Really useful with Christmas decorations too.
ReplyDeleteI use it all the time. When I did my Chinoiserie doll house, I used it to hang wallpaper, chandeliers, kitchen cabinets, and mirrors and they are all still up. I am never without a container of it. Thank you!
DeleteMuseum Gel?! I'm so glad to learn about this!
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff!
DeleteYou can buy it on Amazon. A tub lasts forever, Bg June!
DeleteYour view in the mirror reflects the greenery in the garden, so why not enhance it by adding some potted plants to give it more depth?
ReplyDeleteYes, I will have potted palms in my blue and white Chinese fish bowls.
DeletePaint the mirror the wall color, and add tall, thin ginger jars.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree - thanks.
DeleteI am liking the tall ginger jars .
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree that would work well.
DeleteMaybe wait until the room is finished. However, maybe beautiful candle sticks along with ginger jars. I really like candle lighting.
ReplyDeleteBack again with a real "off the wall" idea for the ledge. From what I gather, the ledge is rather narrow and it is a lower than ideal height. You want to preserve as much of the frond views as possible. Sooooo, what about having a "slipcover" made for the ledge? If you annexed the sides into a table space you could put the tall thin ginger jars there not taking up reflection of mirror space. Think about designing bases, could be as simple as wooden pedestals, for each side, then the real trick would be having the top "notched" so that it would fit inside the mirror, and then come out on the sides. You could make the "slipcover" taller—in the range of consoles or chests—you could then put chunkier blue and white below to obscure the "coverup". You could paint the slip cover the same as the walls/mirror/ so it would read as one. You could have a mirror top made for the slipcover that would bring the reflection to that and would look like a mirror "waterfall". I know this is crazy. But I think it could be crazy good.
ReplyDeleteYou have been putting your thinking cap on! Thanks - I will explore this.
DeleteI love the tulipieres. Wouldn't it be lovely to see the arrangement 360, if you will, from the mirror?
ReplyDeleteYes, and I think they are the perfect size too.
Delete