thankful

What a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday we had. For four full days our dining room was a hive of activity. No, actually, we sat down to turkey dinner (fabulous) at our surrogate family's (thanks Risé), while our own dining room experienced a transformation. We worked our butts off and finally overcame a major decorating block. Bookcases. I couldn't get anything to work because the room is so small and dark, with traffic patterns along two sides. In January I got rid of the useless china cabinet and moved the short bookcases in from the living room, but they didn't quite cut it. For months I hunted down industrial etageres - there are plenty of beauties out there - but couldn't find a single one that was appropriate for the location. Then, two weeks ago I changed direction altogether and decided on white wood. I was afraid 7-footers would be obtrusive and overpowering, so I really had to hold my breath and leap. Buying a big costly piece can be death-defying but I lived to tell the tale. The white blends into the walls and the cases actually recede. The glass not only pulls more light into the room, it expands it by reflecting the outside view. It all works and I couldn't be happier. Or more thankful.

too cluttered, not enough storage


ikea and saint michael to the rescue


work progresses and things are looking up


a fourth bookcase might work over here too


non-obtrusive, despite a heavy traffic pattern


end results: exactly what i wanted.
now for that chandelier