Whenever I get to page 80 in the AT book, and see the words "Determine Your Style" I sigh, and read through "Style 101" yet again, and hem, and haw, and shrug my shoulders. I honestly don't know where I fit in to the style divisions Maxwell lists.
What I am pretty sure about is that my current furniture doesn't reflect my current style. I bought much of my furniture in the summer/fall of 1999, when I was moving in to the apartment I lived in before this one. Up until then, I had lived with a hodgepodge of mismatched hand-me-downs, and things I had bought cheaply when I first moved out on my own. Purchasing my own furniture was exciting. I knew that I was tired of dark wood (at the time). I knew that I had to have solid wood, not particleboard, because of my allergies. I didn't know a lot about style. I knew that I was tired, tired, tired, of the mismatched hodgepodge of furniture I had been living with. That turned me toward purchasing things that matched. So a lot of what I have is the same style and stain -- bookcases, nightstands, tv stand, jelly cupboard bookcases. Then there are the bits that don't match, and that stick out like sore thumbs. Chief among these is the natural-finish pine pedestal table and matching chairs.
One thing that really got me thinking is a purchase I made last weekend. Yes, I know I said I couldn't afford to buy much, but I found two occasional table/plant stand thingies, on sale, for about half of what I was expecting to pay for what I wanted for my landing strip. I bought them, I brought them home, and I discovered that I liked them. Actually, I like them a lot. And they're different to the things I have. They're welded metal with bronzey accents and glass tops. You'll see pictures in due course.
Another thing that has been nudging my thinking for a while now, is the fact that my living room chairs aren't as wonderful as I used to think they were. When I bought them, I had tried many chairs, and I was feeling very much like Goldilocks. Most of the chairs I tried were way too big for me. I don't like overstuffed, I don't like ornate, I don't like too modern, and I do like comfort. That doesn't leave a whole lot to choose from. When I tried the floor model of these chairs, I sighed, and like Goldilocks, decided "This one is just right". They were smaller than most chairs I'd encountered. They were lower. The seat wasn't way too deep for me. Um. I'm now finding they're too small. Too low. The seat is too short. Not to mention that the style isn't really doing it for me anymore.
So I'm feeling the rumblings of change. This change can't happen overnight (dratted budget), but I think there will be some changes coming, sometime. And when I can afford those changes, I want to be ready for them. Which brings me back to the initial question. What's my style?
I noticed that Alana had suggested that Mella build a bit of a style tray, so that we could see what sort of things she likes. I started doing the same, finding various chairs, and tables, and coffee tables, and beds, and things that I like. Perhaps if I show you at least some of them, you all can help me put a name to my style. (Perhaps I'll call it George...)
Chairs for the Living Room
Image from http://www.allyourfurniture.com/
Or this fairly similar one...
Or this one...
Or this one (I especially like the rounded ottoman)...
Or this one...
Or this one...
Dining Table and Chairs
I had a harder time finding an illustration of the dining table I'd like. Simple, unadorned, narrow curved legs at the corners, rectangular, darker wood. Chairs were easier to find.
Image from allyourfurniture again. It's the chairs I particularly like, although the table's nice.
I like these chairs... And these... And these...
(This post suddenly started double-spacing itself, and I don't know how to get it to quit, so I've changed the format a bit)
Here's a couple of tables (not the chairs, the tables)... Table one, and Table two.
Other Furniture
Coffee tables. One, two, three...
Bed/headboards. One (just the headboard), two, three...
Toss pillows. One, two, three, four, five...
Okay -- with those few things in my style tray, does anyone have any suggestions about what my official Style might be? Do I have one? Or shall I just call it George?
6 comments:
I like this naming trend. I think I'll call my style Sydney. Go George!
As for the chairs, if they have little screw-in feet, you can replace those with taller screw-in feet. Not a permanent solution, but an inexpensive way to raise them up if they are too low (or to let you find out that they aren't too low before you buy new higher chairs). I got four 6 inch high plastic legs on eBay for about $10.
George is good.
I'm going to give you an assignment: go look up styles like "Federal" and Regency" at your library. Have someone carry the havy books to the car for you! Traditional Home, and House Beautiful would be good mags for you, if they aren't too smelly.
Look at how they've combined curves and squares. Look at the dining room chairs vs the living room chairs. You have selected some which are very similiar too each other--not surprising, given this is a style tray, but I think it would grate on you if both somehow wound up in a small open apartment.
You like "holes" in your furniture, too. That's a detail I would keep for just one or two special pieces....and not more than one in any room!
You do know that you can right click on any image and save it to your hard drive, right? Then you can use word and drop the photos into a document--and see them all at once.
Time for me to go to bed, but wanted to leave you with my thoughts, such as they are!
At first glance, I would say you are Modern Traditional....Meaning classic style but updated....and safe. I would do what Alana suggested too!
Yes, "modern traditional" - traditional forms, but stripped of all the fussy details. And Alana's right, the skeletons show a lot of Federal influence. (No, that doesn't mean you have to accessorize with bronze eagles everywhere!)
Classic/traditional with a romantic and creative edge, just like your wardrobe style.
I agree with all the other folks--maybe "modern transitional" or something like that. Traditional but clean lines...I think I have a bit of that myself.
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