A COUPLE OF TREASURES FOUND…..

My hubby and I purchased an old cottage about six years ago.  It was in very rough shape and needed to be gutted and rebuilt.  But that’s for a bunch more posts.  Anyways, the previous owner left many items that she didn’t want to move and so we became the recipients of many interesting items. 

I insisted we keep some of them much to my hubby’s despair and a few of them have turned out to be precious little treasures.

The first piece was this desk that had belonged to the owner’s grandfather.

I couldn’t bear to get rid of it, I think I was more sentimental about it than she was.  Anyways, an antique dealer has told me that it was a library desk made in the early 1900’s of oak – in the mission style except for the scalloped edges at the front – a decorative touch the carpenter decided upon. 

It has these cute little shelves on each side to place books on from the side. 

It has it’s original finish with marks, scratches and drops of paint but I’ve been told not to refinish it as that will negatively affect it’s value.

So now it has a special little spot in front of the window at the cottage with it’s finish intact. 

Then there was also an old 1920’s chair that I refinished and blogged about here. 

If this wasn’t enough there was also a tiny Gibbard drop leaf side table which was in sad shape.  There were cigarette burns on the top and a piece of the leg was broken.  While I refinished it my Dad (the handy guy) fixed the leg and now it resides in my living room.  Gibbard was too good for the cottage!!!

Isn’t it a cute little table. 

(P.S. Don’t look at the wing chair upholstery that is on the list to be redone.)

Now see if you can see what is in the frame in the above photo – it’s another little treasure from the cottage. Stay tuned for a post about it soon. 

 

I believe that every space can be comfortable, warm, elegant and beautiful. I would love to help you achieve your beautiful space!

Email me at lisa@lisagouletdesign.com or if in the Ottawa area call me at      613-762-0818.

Lisa

IT'S FINALLY FINISHED

I have a finished powder room!
After living in this home for three years and hating the powder room, can you believe it was too big!  Just felt like a big cavernous hole especially with the puny pedestal sink.  Anyways, I made do for awhile by wallpapering a couple of walls (the wallpaper from Graham & Brown called Charming - that I blogged about last week) and changing the light fixture to a much prettier one. 
Here's the before pictures:

 

This last one shows the wallpaper from Graham & Brown.  Check out how Kelly's used this wallpaper in her gorgeously finished master bedroom over at Design Ties.

But now, I think it is my favourite room in the house!!

So what did I do, well first I must give my hubby lots of credit as he did all the hard labour and had to sacrifice himself and go buy some new power tools - it was tough but he hung in there and finished it quickly! ;)   I was also trying to stay on a budget as we will have four children in university and college in the fall and we're trying to be responsible parents.


A couple of months ago I found the perfect 1920's mahogany dresser at an antique sale for the great price of $300.  I had been looking for one to convert into a vanity that was the correct size, shape and finish.   It looked like this when we got it.

Then I went looking for the sink and faucet.  Well I wanted an oval sink to mirror the bow in the dresser and I had wanted a bowl sink but the dresser was already 34" high so I had to find something else otherwise as a vanity it would be too high.  After much looking I finally found a Kohler sink for that was oval, the right size and had about a 1 1/2" lip to make it feel more like a bowl sink. Here it is:

Then the faucet, I originally wanted a more modern style faucet but I felt that since the sink, light fixture and wallpaper were quite modern that I should go with a more vintage feeling faucet to tie the vanity into the space.  Here's the faucet I chose, a bit of a splurge but it's beautiful - it's a Showhouse (by Moen) and it's called Waterhill in a chrome finish.

And the Waterhill matching toilet paper holder...so pretty!

Okay I have the two pieces that hubby needs to get started and here's the work in progress. This is our supervisor Milo always at the ready to lend a paw.

Now him and hubby are discussing the plumbing and what needs to be done....

Any mice back there?

And here's how it looks now!!

Here's a close up of the vanity and the mirror that I found a Home Sense that was perfect. The photographs are mine from Paris (of course)....

Even Milo was pleased with the results and gave it his Paw of Approval!

I don't know if you noticed but I didn't stick with one metallic finish.  The light fixture, faucet, towel and toilet paper holder and glass shelf are all in a chrome finish.  The orchid bowl, mirror, vase (on floor), picture frame above the toilet and the medallions over the toilet are all in an antiqued silver finish.  Because the handles on the vanity are the original brass ones (which I didn't want to change) and the wallpaper has an antique gold in it, I felt that bringing in some warm yellow tones would tie everything together. 

And my budget, well it came in around $1200 which I think is pretty good.  That included the vanity, plumbing pieces, mirror, sink, faucet and accessories.  It doesn't include my hubby's new tools as apparently we needed those anyways!! ;)  Well, I'm so very, very, very pleased with the results and that I have one room in the house completed.....now what's next????

I believe that every space can be comfortable, warm, elegant and beautiful. I would love to help you achieve your beautiful space – email me at lisa@lisagouletdesign.com or if in the Ottawa area call me at 613-762-0818.