Man, I'm Broke Monday: Buying a table that'll last

There have been times in my life when I've felt that buying an "assemble yourself" piece of furniture was a good idea.  Or when it's been better to buy a new, cheap piece because I needed it ASAP and knew there weren't many alternatives for me (like a futon).

But when it came to filling this space in the kitchen, I knew that I needed to take my time and search for a good value, which meant purchasing something that would withstand some roughhousing by the kids or even a cross-country move if necessary, without breaking the bank (no, we're not planning on moving anytime soon, but it could happen. You just never know!).

See that huge space?  Couldn't have some teeny tiny table there.

So where did I go? To the vintage furniture markets held every month on the west side of town.  You never know what you're going to get, so it can take months to find the right piece. I searched up and down and all around while the kitchen space sat empty.  We ate in our cramped dining room in the meantime (you can see our other lovely table on that post).

Last year, though, I found just the right table.  When I laid eyes on it, I knew it was right.

Country, pocked, but solid.

And the perfect size for our enormous kitchen.

Reminded me of this table (and many others I've seen in catalogs lately):

Pottery Barn Reclaimed Wood Table

The one I bought is also made of reclaimed wood, although it was the painstakingly faux'd with layer upon layer of paint and distress.

And rather than $1700 on sale, my table cost less than $250.

I've had friends ask to buy it from me, others say it's their favorite piece in the house. My mother sent me an article on Ellen DeGeneres's home (which I think has been put on the market since then) and highlighted their barnwood table, declaring that mine was obviously better looking.  So I think I did good.

Sure, the table isn't perfectly level in all spots, but that's a result of the inconsistencies in the wood. And the finish on it has withstood plenty of abuse from the family.  Couldn't ask for much more. A lovely table I love looking at every day that doesn't require special treatment or a payment plan from the local furniture mart.

It's usually worth it to take your time looking for quality used pieces of furniture--you'll probably save money in the short run and most definitely will in the long run.

Shared at Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday.

A Mini-Bar for the Lush in the Corner

Look what I found at Target for 70% off!  

Something small enough for that corner (wouldn't want to cover the vent), but useful, too!

I can hide stuff in it.  

Or place awesome artwork on top of it.  (Got this piece from Elizabeth Ocean)

Can't wait to fill it with sparkling wine and whiskey.

Dry Ice Magic

This was delivered to my door last Thursday for Mother's Day.  I grew up in Memphis and love Corky's barbecue.  We ate it yesterday, and it was all delicious, except for the beans.  They didn't work too well, and I'm not sure why.  But the meat was the star of the show.  Yum.

The kids didn't care about the grub, but they sure did love the ice used to keep it all cool.

Yup, dry ice.  We took precautions, nobody touched it with their hands, and we had fun watching dry ice do its fun, smoky thing.

After the kids went to bed, Ryan "took care" of the rest in the sink.  We just needed a carved pumpkin and spooky music to make it Halloween.  Or some beakers and wild cackling to be in a mad scientist's layer.  Of course, we are quite mad around here already...

I hope all mothers had a wonderful day yesterday.  I'm getting my new toilet soon.  If that ain't a sign of Ryan's true love, I don't know what is.

Mad Men, Take One

I am really enjoying the show Mad Men.  It's dramatic, it's funny, and it's full of eye candy.  That Don is a looker, although Sterling is quite handsome, too.  Too bad they're so sleazy.  And too bad they're fictional characters. (Call me, Sterling, k?)

The show also features lots of great design and period pieces.  Imagine my delight when I saw that the Drapers have Vernonware pottery for their plates.  I DO TOO!  That means I am as beautiful as Mrs. Draper, right?  Hopefully a tad smarter, though...

Here are some of my Vernonware pieces. I bought them almost a decade ago on Ebay.  

This is the Gingham pattern. I have the most of this, although in the past couple of years, little children have dwindled down the collection a bit. In fact, we've broken a few bowls in the past 2 weeks.  Now, I have four left.

I've also got the Belair pattern. Only three plates.  I broke the fourth.  I have more plates in the Gingham pattern, thank goodness.

What's sad about breaking them is that we're not talking about some pattern easily replaced at Macy's.  This stuff is hard to find, and to be honest, I'm a bit tired of it all anyway. So I'm packing it up, and replacing it with a great deal I found at Neiman Marcus. 

HUH?  Aren't you broke?  Why in tarnations are you buying chichi items from Neiman's?  Hypocrite!

I bought them with my birthday money.  They were not expensive. But they are awesome enough for me to have waited patiently since July.  Even more, I've only just gotten the plates. It'll be a month before I get the bowls and another four weeks on top of that for the salad plates.  However, I'm known for my patience. Ahem. Oh, be nice.

Today the dinner plates arrived.  

Elijah earned every penny of his salary with his packing job.

Looking good.

Hmm..another box. Makes me wonder if there will be like 10000 boxes and the plates are really only for dolls.  Ha!  I'm sure they aren't.

Seriously?

Yes, they all made it intact. All those damn boxes were worth it.  I bought this set because it goes together without being matchy-matchy.  Which one is your favorite?

Katie likes this plate best. I kind of agree, but I have to choose a different one because it's not cool when you all like the same one.  

Ah, yes, I love this.  Tomorrow, I'll have a different favorite.  

Oh, if you want to order these plates, you can get them online at Neiman Marcus.  They are still on backorder, but totally totally worth the wait.

Our country kitchen

Because our kitchen is such a masterpiece right now, I just had to share some of the highlights.  And honestly, I do want some input. What should we do with this room?

Our vintage hood sounds like a rocket blasting off.  

Cover your eyes for the next photo. It's not appropriate for young children.

Yes, it's a boob. There are two of them. Lovely ceiling tiles again.

Huge wood-burning fireplace.

The fireplace ain't brick, though. It's all a facade, sadly.  And it's been through a few half-hearted repairs.  

Behold the lovely linoleum flooring, though.  It's actually in great shape.  Too bad it's hideous.

Wallpaper and fake wood paneling.

We only have two windows to the exterior.  Notice the 1980s era roman shade.  And our brand-new faucet.

Gross.  This is above the "office" area in the corner.  (did I tell you there are 7 light switches in the kitchen?)

Our temporary storage solution.  The door leads to the back sunroom.

 Finally, our new fridge.  It is only about 17.5 cubic feet, and you see it fills the space.

And yes, there are dirty dishes in the sink. I have three small children, remember?

So there you have it.  My kitchen.  Any suggestions?  Bring it on. Can be a dream material, something funky, a traditional idea. Whatever. (one final note: the floor is not level. not even close, so flooring would have to be something that could handle it)

I shared this post at Oy Vey Q&A! (Betsy Speert's Blog).