Dear Apartment,
You know, every once in a while it’s a good idea to freshen things up. Lately I’ve been noticing that every single thing that surrounds me is vintage. Which is great. I love vintage pieces because they are so much more interesting than new, mass manufactured furniture. But I think it’s good to have a balance of old and new so my place doesn’t look like it belongs to a grandpa (not that I have anything against grandpas, I love mine). Thus, I decided to add something new to my living room. Here’s what it looked like before I changed the wall color and added a new sideboard table.
This is the piece I chose to freshen things up. It’s Torsby from Ikea and it costs #299.
This is what Torsby looks like in his new home. Yay!
I accessorized the tabletop with a bunch of plants and a vintage mercury glass lamp. I think it’s important to use vintage accessories if have a piece as new and modern as this one. They balance each other out nicely. Kind of like Melanie Griffith’s plastic surgery face is balanced out nicely by the natural, rugged handsomeness of her husband Antonio Banderas. Yeah, just like that.
I found this bird candle holder at Goodwill for $4.99. I love him so much. His beak was broken off when I adopted him but I made him a new beak by sharpening a small dowel with a pencil sharpener and supergluing it to his face. All better!
You know I’m a sucker for succulents, especially since these have a lavender hue to them that is reflected in the periwinkle blue in the painting.
This sculpture was made by a family friend named Suzanne French, who is a sculptor/potter I’ve known my whole life. She makes really cool ceramic sculptures, many of them taller than you are and totally glamorous. My mother bought me this one for Christmas.
My plan is to use this new sideboard as media storage when I buy the enormous television I want to buy soon. Then I will never leave my living room again. Then I will become obese like that obese lady in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.” Then I will die alone. Oh my god what have I done?
Love,
Orlando
I’ve been lusting after that torsby for ages! looks fab!
Love it! Now is a good time for some sprucing.
Looks great, but what did you do with the pieces that were there before? Show us where you moved them! The side table is awesomeness.
Love how Susanne’s piece contrasts with the sharp modern lines and color of the side table.
love! it! all! thanks for the info about suzanne french – always inspiring to find lesser known artists. does she have a website you can share?
oh noooo Olandoooo…take that Torby back!!!…I wouldn’t want to read about you dying obese infront of your TV and media storage sideboard…jajajaaa you make me smile (I’d laugh but my children would think I’m strange for laughing at the computer)…Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas, she makes him look even younger (yikes i wrote that!) … and the sculptures TALLER and MORE GLAMOROUS-ER too?! I bet they are… two hommemaker posts in one lunch, I don’t even know what the hell i ate…read you soon
btw, sorry for mispelling your name ORLANDO…and if your standing there with that incredible sidetable in your arms I’ve got a great place for it… 😉
orlando, how are you dear?
wow, i feel very honored to be on your ikea cup board.
all looks great, inspiring, very good! i am off to paint the back room now 🙂
ciao susanne
Ahh! What did you do with that chair? I’ll take it! I’ll take two, do you have another? Nevermind, I think I see it sulking off to the side there. I see something that might be the arm of a chair chair anyway. I like the styling and the wall color of your new space. But I would totally have curled up in that chair in the old space and read lots of free books on my Kindle. 🙂
looks great and love all of your vintage finds!
Can you set up a day that we can all come by and clean out your place before you go up in flames in your double wide a la What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. Loving that bird candelabra.
looks good, I liked your cozy nook before too with the round side table
Hope your new piece holds up, found (from the same blue and yellow self assembly store) half broken table with bookcase on top combo that a neighbor discarded into the alley,
with my bare hands I easily broke away the legs and table part and scanvenged the 3 shelf bookcase part to use in my daughters room for her books and whatnot, useful and free, but not a good recommendation of quality,
once visiting the showroom floor, found furniture already broken, plastic screws displaced from flimsy fiberboard pieces, I will always prefer solid wood, vintage over new
oops, sorry, I’m raining on your redecorating parade, so sorry
You will never die alone! I think?