When this photo appeared on a blog I was looking at, I thought, Oh ~ I love that picture, the table is so fantastic and the abundance of yellow makes it so cheerful. Upon closer inspection I realized that the dining room had a similar feel to our own, that the strength and colour of the table were not unlike ours, the chairs were very much the same and the carpet was even a similar sisal.
From a Pottery Barn catalogue
For fun I thought I would try to take a similar shot of ours just to show you what I mean. If I had of planned ahead I would have picked up some extra flowers to really make it similar but I used what we had on hand. Funny too that the wall colour on the walls in the Pottery Barn photo is so much like the one we have just used when repainting the walls and trim in some of the other rooms of our house. (BM- Muslin – CC110) Maybe it is time to lighten up the dining room next!
Our dining room
Rick made this table for us many years ago, just as a temporary one until we could find what we were looking for – we quickly realized that we could stop looking for a table because this one was perfect for us and our home. At the time that he built it though, it was far more common to have a table with matching chairs and being that they were harder and more time consuming to make, we thought we’d need to buy a complete set. Then I stumbled upon these leather chairs at Inside Out, a great decor store in the Design District in Victoria. A solution to our “matching set” theory!
It is still so exciting to me that so many styles can work together, like in fashion, the hard and fast rules have softened so much over the years. Our personal decorating style has always been eclectic ~ I took to heart the saying “buy what you love and it will all work together”~ it truly does eventually come together. It may be a slow and soft rule to add to your thoughts too!
Your table still looks good after all these years, Linda. Some things just get better with age don’t they? It must feel good to see a table like yours in someone else’s luxury home. The similarity is amazing.
You and Rick should be very proud that you came up with your design long before similar tables were being offered for sale. I actually prefer your table because it’s more rustic and the matt fininish allows the beautiful rich grain of the wood to shine through. Also the legs on your table are more substantial and make more of a statement.
I also think that the classic black leather chairs really complement the simplicity of your table.
And the bright yellow lemons & daffs and glass vase, full of shells from the beach, finish the whole look very nicely.
Once again I thank you for your kind words! Some things definitely get better with age – like real leather, wool carpets, good books and people! You know I was thinking of you when I placed the vase of shells on the table!
Hi Linda
Love that table and hope to have one when we make the move to the island. We are still looking for land and will be touch. Thanks for all the time you both spent with us this past winter.
Anne and Stan
Hi Anne! We can build you a table just like it when you are ready! We will keep you in mind when we hear of any properties that suit what you are looking for. You are most welcome, we enjoyed getting to know you and Stan and look forward to seeing you again!