Dining table in pink

Our heavy gorgeous dining table from Myers was very dark Martha Stewart-y. I loved it when I bought it off eBay about 4 years ago. Little did I know it was poorly made. The frame of the top was in good wood but the middle was plywood. Through years of use, the wood has warped/grown at different rates so the frame is detaching itself from the middle. I am dying to change it. And I know exactly what I want... getting there, however, is going to be a real challenge in these times, especially when our current dining table isn't collapsing everywhere... yet.

But allow me to dream. :)

I fancy a striking highly lacquered hot pink table. In a pretty grown up pink, almost magenta, much like this gorgeous side-table.



But in this simple, strong shape. And to seat 8-10.



So I went Flickr walkabout for some pink tables. Not many, but what I found really inspired me to go for this when we do need a new table!

Flickr Tony Hanna

Flickr Miss DK

Pink chairs look striking too! :)

Flickr alanakdavis

Flickr ayeupmeduck

Flickr Gabri Le Cabri

But I do want these Chinese Chippendale chairs in (gloss white, please?) to go with my pink table:



These retro ones will do too...



And I'd like the seats upholstered in a happy bright fabric, one of my favourite Manuel Canovas fabric (the shades):



But for now... we deal with this:



I've been eyeing this fuschia block printed table runner (pictured on left) from fab Etsy designer, by HomeSweet. Against my dark wood table, it would be so pretty as placemats arranged like the photo on the right from This Young House.



Update:

I just found this picture bellemaison that totally KNOCKED my socks off. thanks Julie!!



Another one I like that I have to add here (blogged here):

Via Australian House and Garden

Elegance...

I recently joined the local library and found this small nondescript book written by Genevieve Antoine Dariaux, A Guide to Elegance. I love it! It's a hoot! :)



"... it would be ideal to have each set of accessories in 2 different versions: one for sport and the other dressy. And in this regard, I cannot restrain myself from expressing the dismay I feel when I see a woman carry an alligator handbag with a dressy ensemble merely because she has paid an enormous sum of money for it. Alligator is strictly for sports or travel, shoes as well as bags, and this respected reptile should be permitted to retire every evening at 5 P.M."

"...aside from a plain or beaded white satin evening purse, I dislike the white handbags that some women cannot resist carrying as soon as there is a ray of sunshine."



"And speaking of the little objects we carry in our handbags... they can be charming, even more so if they match. So decide upon a colour and a material and little by little try to acquire a complete set: wallet, change purse, comb case, key case, eyeglass case, etc. The style of your compact will depend upon the depth of your wallet.... try to have a matching lipstick case... a clean handkerchief every morning... prefer white ones, of very fine linen, embroidered with my initials."

On Accessories

Vintage Suitcase DIY

Image from Flickr user m.bibelot

I LOVE vintage suitcases. I wish I had space for them and uses for them... but this place has quite a few built-ins... I actually wanted to organise my craft and stationery supplies into suitcases... but I do like to see my craft and stationery on show like a store!! (But behind glass so dust collection is minimised.)

Stowaway Hannah



I guess I wanted to explore what others have done with vintage suitcases and inspire us in our constant need for more storage, more style and more chic-ness in our lives. Of course, we can't do a post on vintage suitcases without addressing the more usual ways like

sewing supplies

Image from Flickr user little pink studio

coffee table

Image from Country Living

keeping off-season clothes

bedclothes

or past years' tax files...

Christmas decorations

Wrapping paper recycle!

Now, a peruse on the Internet and reading around.... I found these great ideas :)

Filing organiser and noticeboard:
Tutorials and information on Design*Sponge



For something less usual, less humdrum Etsy seller VanityCase can turn a vintage suitcase into a vanity cabinet. I bet you can even select your own suitcase.



I do love this one... keep my writing supplies and bits and bobs in a little vintage suitcase via Craftzine

Image from designer emporium

Side tables and ottomans. Simple instructions on DIY Maven on Curbly.

Image from Ready Made Mag

Create a chic pet bed for your pooch or kitty. Of course, this was a huge hit on design and DIY blogland. First appeared in Apartment Therapy and then on Design*Sponge



I love Design Sprout's version for her teeny tiny pooch. Quick and easy for human sleepovers!



What about carrying small pooches around? Via Retro To Go



Turn an aluminium suitcase into a storage area with custom shelves... Install a few MDF shelves with some brackets... and it can be vanity storage, bar storage...



A collection of suitcases make a great table base... Like this foyer in the Oakland's Waterfront Hotel.




Personally, I find these vintage suitcases very useful. Now my one-of-two sits on a dresser in the guest bedroom holding guest toiletries. It has held important documents and vintage purses.

I use a pink metal suitcase that was 75% off at a local organisation store (a bowl was missing) to store Hannah's jigsaw puzzles. It keeps the pieces all in ONE box.



Course, I actually use a vintage vanity case for toiletries etc when I travel.

I did put on my thinking cap... Some other ways to use these cute vintage suitcases or vanity travelling cases:

1. New mother kits! A friend giving birth soon? Want to be in a small way involved? Most new mothers walk around the hospital after the birth looking like wet rags... (I know I looked worse!). Scour eBay or vintage stores for a vintage travelling bag... and fill it with thoughtful, girly, just-mums things... like:

-mints
-chocolates
-calcium tablets
-new hair brush
-some pink hair rollers (while she breastfeeds!)
-facial wipes
-lip balm
-hand cream
-magazines she loves
-a romance novel (all those hormones, you know??)



2. In Australia, if you decide to give birth in a public hospital, even spouses are not allowed to stay past visiting hours. So if you're a new dad, why not outfit a small pretty vintage suitcase with a small laptop, like the Asus eee pc so your wife can diary out her first days as a mother. Pop in her digital camera and the USB cable so she can upload photos.

3. Lunch bag for a friend starting a new job after a long wait. (I'd say children too, but more kids prefer the popular kids shows themed bags...). Get a few colour themed things like:
-Pink Thermos only US$9.99
-Tupperwares with sticks of celery, carrot, fruit
-Candy
-Chips
-Chocolates
-Teabags (Lipton Raspberry)
-Pink chopsticks
-A novel by her favourite author for the lunch hour break
-Some pretty pink serviettes

4. Ya know, a metal one like my pink one could well serve as a great now-you-see-it-now-you-don't spice rack! Just get one deep enough for some straight, small glass bottles... Mount the deeper end on the wall. Fill the glass bottles with your chosen spices and label the lids. Just stack them one on another.... After cooking, close the lid. I do like that idea...

5. If you're messy but want to hide the clutter by your bed and hate the look of your continually messy bedside table, find a stand lamp and place it above a cute vintage suitcase (better yet, get a pair) mounted on vintage feet. Place your precious things inside the suitcase and when you leave for work the next day, close the cover and then you have it all neat and tidy!!!

Image from A Cottage Industry

6. Got a special person coming to visit for a few days? Want to get them a special guestroom welcome? Fill a vintage suitcase with towels, soap, shampoo, small box of tissues, a book by a favourite novelist, chocolates...



I'm toying with the idea of purchasing more suitcases and pile them on as storage for Hannah's different toys sets... and pile them up in the living room... maybe attaching a photo tag of the contents...

What do you do with your vintage suitcase?

Caravan dreaming

Image from Flickr user stevehoad

Hut. Caravan. Spare room. Hideout. What a great way to signal to family and the world that you just need some time out... Or a place to define "working from home".



I saw the above image on ebay and I started dreaming of course.







It reminded me of the few files I've saved... and a blogpost from blogger friend Casapinka on boler campers.

I'd paint this dream-camper-caravan-hut bright glossy yellow, black glossy window trim, glossy green lime doors.

Or raspberry red exterior and white window trim and glossy black door.

Like this article in a magazine I have long discarded but kept these few pages...



A shepherd's hut two ways...

As a guest-room


A study away from the frenzy of family...


How great is the ability of ours to dream!

Kate Spade's Yellow Bloomington

I am so madly in love with this:



Kate Spade's "Bloomington" CanvasEddie Sunflower (Yellow)

Not on Kate's website but this is the closest.

Birthday? Christmas? Husband? (Other than the other thing... the art deco bracelet...) hehehe

Moolah for wallpaper... so...

I'm back, somewhat. I really needed that time away in bed. Asleep, willing away the flu! My energy levels still aren't back to normal yet and I have this croaky sexy voice thing going...

But I did want to share something I managed to do 2 weeks ago.



We can't afford pretty wallpaper and there's never anything exciting on the Australian eBay...

Image from Helen Green

I've seen rooms where smaller pieces of favourite wallpapers have been framed in panels... and they look awesome. This idea has been at the back of my mind for ages...











A few months ago I found this pretty wrapping paper... scoured around for an old frame... and it is now propped in our bathroom (first piece of design-esque item)....



Kinda like this gorgeous piece:



Or this one from Ruthie Sommers:


It's now in the bathroom... I want to hang a second identical one nearby... we'll see.