All Grown Up

Okay so anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE to entertain! Some people dread the thought of it, but I love to go all out and have a blast planning events. Of course my favorite part is setting the "scene" for whatever the occasion may be. So I guess it's no surprise that my favorite room in our house is our Hollywood Regency inspired dining room!

Helen Mirror from Jan Showers Collection and sconces are Oscar de la Renta for Oriental Accent

My amazing grandparents were kind enough to give us their 1920's Japanese inspired Chippendale dining room furniture that I have adored since I was a little girl. When Nana and Papa purchased the table, chairs and buffet at an auction in the 60s it even came with a sweet love story, as it was originally given as a wedding gift from a groom to his new bride in the 1920s... ahhhh, now that's a wedding gift! I actually have an old newspaper clipping describing the auction and their particular purchase which is a neat piece of history for us to treasure!

I would love to know more about the history of this furniture, so if there are any furniture buffs out there please educate me!!! All I really know is that it was purchased in the 1920's, but I don't know if it is American or European. And I don't know if it was made in the 20s or if it is older.

For larger dinners and brunches, I send the hubby to pull out the something like 6 or 7 leaves that can end up filling our entire dining room! But, my very favorite part of the room are the twelve black-lacquered queen anne style chairs, each featuring a unique hand-painted and gold-leafed scene. They really need to be re-lacquered, but in a way the chips and aging are kind of charming. There really is something magical about these chairs, which I treat like my babies... just ask my husband who teases me for my habit of obsessively reminding people to be careful with them. I know, I know not great hostess behavior - I'll have to work on that!

As a young couple (do we still qualify as such?), we have been slowly working on our house since we moved in 4 years ago and this is the first room to feel finished. Of course, for me, it is never really finished, but I'm in love with it for now and know I will be for a long time to come. We call it our "grown up" room and I really do feel a little glamorous when I'm in it!

India Table from Jan Showers Collection

Love my vintage mirrored lucite lamps that were a very kind gift from someone!

I wish I had a better picture of the antique chaise longue that sits in the window. It has all the right curves and I love it! The awesome coral linen velvet has even come full-circle to stylish again! Lately this has become Patrick's song-writing perch... lovingly referred to as the psychiatry chair.

There are a few orders of business left though... and very important ones at that! A chandelier - that must be fabulous! And to reupholster the chairs which probably have the original 100 year old fabric on them... yikes! After 2 years working for Jan Showers I unfortunately acquired expensive taste in chandeliers. Hers are always to-die-for!!! But unless I win the lottery or Patrick's record goes platinum I'm going to need to get realistic. ;)

Just for kicks, here are some dream chandeliers (all from 1st Dibs and all over $3500)...