July 15, 2008

Perfectly Imperfect

Update, July 17: Linda at the perfectly perfect Restyled Home had lovely things to say about my blog post! Thank you so much, Linda, and everyone go check out her Beauty In Imperfection blog round-up.

Despite our disappointment with the paint color, we’re embracing the bluer-than-expected walls and starting to pick up some items for the fairly-neglected-to-date Master Bedroom.

What makes this room (strike that: the whole house!) so “perfectly imperfect”? Well, for one it’s the bits and bobs that we’ve scooped up at flea markets, antique shops, thrift stores and the like. I enjoy putting them together in a random way to form – to me – a happy room with a story to tell. No generic tales of, “I saw the entire room in a
Pottery Barn catalog and bought it as-is!” here (though, if budget would allow, that may be nice). It’s all about bargains and creative use of cast-offs at the shore house.

And as you know, I’m happy to talk about my bargains!


These past couple of weeks have turned up some inexpensive goodies for this room. Check out this chair I bought from Reclaimed Home, the most excellent Brooklyn-based business (and blog of the same name, which is information-packed and hysterical) operated at the Brooklyn Flea and online (where I found this gem.). Her tagline: “Low impact housing and renovation options for thrifty New Yorkers.” I mean…it’s a match made in heaven.



At $90 it was a deal given the good shape it’s in. I think I’ll polish up the wood a bit with some Howard’s, but I’m kind of liking the fabric (and fabulous nail head trim!). I popped one of my $15 cushions from Quiltification’s Etsy shop on top.

And…drum roll…here’s that $125 dresser I recently acquired. What a gem.



It’s definitely “imperfect” – here’s a close-up of the top:



I don’t really want to refinish (nightmare) and besides, overall it's in good condition and I really like the piece with its original stain -- despite the shop manager’s insistence that I go home and “Shabby Chic it immediately." (I told her we had a lot of dark wood work that this piece complements nicely, and she looked at me with a sort of, “Oh, you poor thing” expression.) I think I might like a large tray to place over the damage to the top? Then, I can find some interesting bowls and containers (thrifting, naturally) to use for jewelry and the like.

The room needs some artwork. I’ve mentioned my love of (bordering on stalker-like obsession for) the band The Avett Brothers. At some of their shows, their artsy friends create very limited edition serigraphs, signed and numbered. I was totally thrilled, thanks to my fast-moving brother, to land one at the show in Asbury Park for $15! (They sell for only $20 online, but sold out immediately.).


The colors actually work well, and while I may be getting a little too old for rock posters in the bedroom (sorry, Metallica) this is a pretty fun way to bring a personal touch into the room. For framing I think I’ll keep it simple; a wide white matte and a black frame, perhaps? It will hang above the new/old chair:


The most personal touch is the
photo *I* took on the boardwalk. Nothing short of a miracle for this untrained photographer armed only with her point-and-shoot digital!


It cost only $2.99 to print an 8” x 10” at
Kodak Gallery, and another $12 to buy the frame (on sale, naturally) at Michael’s. All of which I probably shouldn’t have admitted, because now the cat’s out of the bag and selling them on the boardwalk may be out of the question. :-)

So there you have it. The start of another perfectly imperfect room. Hop over to over to the
Restyled Home blog for others' quests towards being delightfully imperfect.

14 comments:

Elle Jay Bee said...

Wow...I love it all!! You have great style and the look is so much more interesting than generic perfection!

Thanks for participating!
Linda

Anonymous said...

veeeuuuuh I so don't like the generic 'let's buy a whole room' look, I know some people do though

it all looks very stylish to me, I think the chair cover would fit in just right here too, can't believe you got that dresser for$125 even at thrifting prices that was a deal, I really like it and I would't change it, with all the white here I am looking for some dark pieces, but I don't think I'll get any that cheap, I found a small side table/bedside the other day for $70, lovely wood can't remember what but I didn't buy it, went back and of course it was gone :-(

Mika said...

I honestly love that color with the richness of your wood. It looks amazing, especially with the new additions added in. Well played! :)

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

Oh, thank you, all...really. I am glad you like my random finds (and blue walls!). Sarah: The dresser is almost as good as your St. Vincent De Paul settee thrifty find. Almost. :-)

Julia @ Hooked on Houses said...

I hear ya about getting a different paint color than you expected. I can't even count the number of times that has happened to me. I can see that this isn't what you were going for, but I like the blue and how you're making it work.

That pillow totally makes that chair. Love it! And what a great dresser you found, too. It's really coming together! -Julia

Anonymous said...

Oh my!

GREAT JOB! Great shot. I love it in Asbury and it looks fantastic in the frame, regardless of how much it was.

I absolutely LOVE Asbury Park photos. I took a few of my own a while back, then I and went back, took a few more and hung them in my dining room as well as shooting an engagement session there.

Will have to shuffle through my archives to find the ones I hung (or take a photo of them).

The Metropolitan is still there, yes? I think it was saved from demo in October?

Anonymous said...

Ok, it took me a few moments to figure out that Laura the photographer is not Laura Shorehouse. Right? Anyway, my (ex) chair looks great with that pillow! Your light fixture is waiting for you. (I don't think you're getting my email)

Does Asbury Park still look like that? Coney Island used to be my favorite place to shoot. Now we're losing it quickly. :(

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

laura -- metropolitan torn down :-( With progress comes sadness, too, I guess (that may be the most profound thing I've said before a cup of coffee ;-) I saw the engagement session you shot when I first found your blog, and naturally LOVED it!! I'll have to click over to your other pics.

RH -- laura is yet ANOTHER fabulous NJ laura. Can you imagine? ;-) Got your email...Did you get mine?

Mrs. Limestone said...

Oh that chair and dresser look pretty perfect to me. Beautiful in a quiet way :)

j.cro said...

for your new (to you) dresser, what about a piece of beautiful fabric cut to size and then a piece of glass over that?

Just a thought.

Otherwise, some lemon oil furniture polish sometimes does the trick?

The room really is coming together. I knew that color would grow on you. It's VERY beach house in the best sort of way.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, so sorry, I should be remembering to right Laura B. on your blog. Bad habit.

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

First time to your blog, via Restyled Home. Those are some great things you've got there. I'm such a thriftstore, yardsale queen myself. Looks great!

Rhoda

Anonymous said...

oh, I think it's perfect! You know, in this shabby, beachy, cottagy world we live in, it's too easy to forget the punches of color that can come from stained wood. I do have to resist painting everythign I get my hands on white, but I do, and I have some lovely dark wood in my home. :)

Oh, and I like the blue in your bedroom. It's calming.

Anonymous said...

Laura - when was it torn down? Yes, that's so SAD. It was for sale for such a long time - and when I went down there I remember looking at it and thinking how amazing it would be if someone would RESTORE it. Sigh.