Have you ever had one of those moments where you look back, and it’s like your whole world has just zoomed in or zoomed out a little? My last few weeks have flown by, taking it with me without any control or any sense of reason – but in a good way, I promise. In these last few weeks, I have turned 23, started a time-consuming new job, and planned out several vacations for these next few weeks. It already has been a wild first week of May!
I have always been someone to jump head first into everything I do, but I am hoping this internet space for me writing about my passions and discoveries will not be one of those all-or-nothing things in my life. It is hard for me to really discover how to write consistently and regularly while being all-in in another place in my life. But I will strive! I have a plan, and I promise to do my best to stick with it and make my mark regular. Even while on vacation.
Another thing that has been happening around my household is planning out how to fill our little apartment with furniture. As an interior designer, I am obviously passionate about the home and surrounding yourself with pieces you love, but am very lazy about that in my own little apartment. Recently, though, I have seen potential as I look around, and am starting to get excited about a future where each room has our personal touch on it.
I am starting with our dining room. Now, it will definitely be a while as we save money for these changes, and slowly implement them over time, but possibility always has its spark in creativity, and that makes my brain run away with itself.
There will be no dining table, no dining chairs, no sideboard or credenza in our dining room. We would be able to use it as a place for study groups, for casual meals, to study or work on laptops, maybe for a game night, but all with a more laid back feel. Since we weren’t interested in hosting dinner parties, and we never eat at a dining table, we thought using more casual chairs would fit all of those parameters. A coffee table in the center can still act as a central location to set things on and gather around, and this setup is just a little more formal than our loungey living room.
I started with an indoor-outdoor area rug, which will help hide crumbs and other mess which I am too lazy to clean up right away, and will look good no matter how many feet walk across it. Personally, I love the fringe too – it adds just a little fun. These swivel chairs are comfortable to sit all the way back in, but easy to slide to the front of when grabbing something from the coffee table. And since they are swivel chairs, it’s easy to direct your direction without too much effort. A marble coffee table is the easiest to clean, and the open bottom means I can slide a pouf or organization basket underneath when I want to, but keep the whole spacce feeling open the rest of the time.
I am a big fan of layering coffee tables these days too. For flexibility, a side table that is taller than a coffee table can give you that much more practical space to work with, but it’s just as easy to slide into a corner and out of the way. If you love this as much as I do, a creative live edge side table, a tiled side table, or something a little more glam can help add a little style to a living space without overshadowing a larger, more practical coffee table that you love.
Continue reading “My Dining Room Update” →
AES·THETE /ˈesˌTHēt/ 