The Right Table

I need to thank Mrs. Limestone, whose excellent design sense probably has more blog fans than she knows, for helping to solve a long-time problem. I have been obsessively searching for a table for years. Not just any table. A small table to set drinks, dishes, and other things in our family room, especially when we have people over. There is an old Chinese chest between the sofa and chairs, but it's a bit of a reach from where people sit. This was the perfect solution from Restoration Hardware:


The round table in brass is the perfect solution. But I just didn't want to pay the price. Maybe it never went on sale enough. We have a fireplace set and a floor-standing library lamp in brushed brass from Restoration Hardware in the family room, but both were bought at bargain prices, which is the way I like to get the look.

Ballard Designs has the table too. Hmmmm. At least they DID. Can't find now. Anyway, it looked like the pic above, you get the idea.

Then Mrs. Limestone posted an option with a $35 (!!!!!!) price too good to pass up, from Alsto. While she did warn that it's not brass but a painted version, I didn't care. My house is filled with quality everything and not everything has to be the ultimate version. Here it is:

The smaller side table I got is no longer available but you can still have the lower coffee table. The table was a good pick -- we use it nearly every time we're in the family room. A good indication that it's not just a want, but more like a need.

Of course while surfing Alsto.com, I found the perfect solution to fill a blank space on our mantel that was crying to be filled with the current trend of a shabby chic clock. I had found many $250 versions that I wanted that were quality, heavy and three-dimensional. The one I got has an image silkscreened on what seems like MDF, but it's the right colors, the right look, and the hands move on time so it does the job, for $29.99! It also fits our travel theme with the "Grand Hotel" motif:


Of course I can't surf anywhere, even to fill in the pics and links here, without finding something new and perfect to obsess about. So I present the newest object of my obsessions

Our family room already has sconces from the previous owners of our house, and they do their job quite well. But this room is full of rich black and red and gold ... and well, wouldn't these red leather sconces be so much better! They will need to remain an obsession in my mind for now ...