Dining Room Progress

Yesterday was an exciting day chez moi, since it was finally time to have an electrician connect and hang the chandelier above my dining table. I also had a dimmer switch installed for maximum ambiance;) If you're a regular reader, then you may remember an early December post (geez - 8 months ago!?!) where I picked up a glass chandelier for a bargain at a local estate sale. Can I get a drumroll for some "halfway there" progress shots of what's happening in the dining area...

I say "halfway there" because I have yet to make a few key decor decisions. First of all, I'm not not sure what will happen on the blank white wall behind the console. The mirror will stay, but I'm still debating the possibility of paint or wallpaper, perhaps with some trim molding thrown in for good measure. Also, the area is a bit tight, so I'm looking for a round dining table to replace the rectangular one that I brought from my previous home.

But getting back to that chandelier, doesn't it look great? I must say that I'm quite pleased :)

First Estate Sale

My friend Rosanna is an estate/contents sale pro, and recommended that we attend a sale this past Saturday. Although I had difficulty swallowing the 8 am start time, I managed get up shortly after sunrise to get ready for the treasure hunt. Large coffee in hand, I arrived at the door 45 minutes early to obtain tickets which would ensure entry in the order of arrival - can you believe we were 35th and 36th in line?

All of the companies who conduct estate sales operate websites where upcoming sales are listed along with photos of most available items. As we scrolled through the photos online, I found this pair of Finn Juhl chairs of particular interest. I was already imaging these reupholstered in a creamy chenille or perhaps a chevron print:

Photo courtesy of The Next Move

Those dreams were quickly dashed when the first person through the door snapped up the Danish teak chairs before anyone else could blink at the price: $2000.00 for the pair. Wow! Seriously? It's a good thing that there were some other items that had caught my eye, otherwise it may have all been for naught. Spot anything interesting in this photo? I did :-)

Photo courtesy of The Next Move

The pair of brass cranes lurking in the fireplace were just what I'd been looking for - no joke. I have no idea where the idea came from that I needed these birds, but recently every stop at Value Village, Goodwill or The Thrift Store required a scan of the brass section. Rosanna made me grab these two lovelies before someone else snatched them up, and she also helped to negotiate a fair price - $40.00 for the pair. They came home for a quick scrub in the kitchen sink:

I'm not sure where they will end up, but for now they are perched atop stacks of books in the living room. I like the idea of having them in front of the mirror so that they can be appreciated from all sides:


There is such amazing detail in the feathers, they really are fabulous! I'm so happy about my first estate sale experience.


There are several companies that conduct estate sales in the GTA, and each operates a website where you can obtain information about upcoming sales. Just click on the logo to link to each company's website. Happy treasure hunting!!