Wish List
If you're a home owner, chances are you have a wish list. Things that aren't essential and thus fall pretty low on the list of priorities. My mom always used to tell me, "Wants come after needs." These are things I want, but I really don't need - and the hubs and I aren't going to pull out the credit card to score these things!
That doesn't mean I can't imagine them as a part of my living room though, right?
The first is a leaning shelf (or two). I like this one from Target.
I know a lot of people are more interested in "built-in" looking furniture right now, but our house already has built-ins. I like the openness of the leaning shelves. They're easy to angle as well, which is how most of the furniture in our house is placed. On angles. We don't have a ton of furniture but we do have a ton of house, so placing furniture across corners in rooms makes them feel better anchored. I'd like to see this replace our Billy bookcases from Ikea. Which is why we don't actually need them- we already have bookcases!
The second is a leather chair. This one is from World Market and reclines, which would mean no ottoman is needed.
Our living room is huge. It was an addition to the back of the house, built some time around 1980 (we think). On one side is our sectional (a major score from Craigslist), tv console, tv, etc. The room is split into "two sections" by our sliding glass door and a large opening into the kitchen. On the other side of the room, there is...well, most of the year, nothing. Our Christmas tree was there, but now it's pretty sparse. We have a large Billy bookshelf there, but the opposing corner is empty. A chair would be a great addition to our addition :)
Another thing is a side table for the leather chair. I'd love something similar to our Era table from Crate and Barrel, but none of their current side tables are just what I'm looking for. The Era C table is close, but it doesn't have a glass top to match the Era table.
Why, CB?
This table from Target is way cheaper. It doesn't have a glass top either, but I imagine it wouldn't be too hard to switch the wood out with a glass slab.
Next - some dining room chairs. We have a few, but they don't really match. They're birch and our table and bench (made by hubs) are stained walnut brown. But we do have some. I could sand and stain them. So we don't need these. But, I like the Cabria honey brown woven side chair and arm chair from Crate and Barrel. Forget the cushions - I could make those or get them anywhere. I think two of these at the ends (or heads?) of the table and two on the side opposing the bench would look nice.
So, if you give a mouse a cookie…
How about a rug to go in that dining room? I like this one from Crate and Barrel and it matches my place mats…and at $200 for 8ft by 10ft? Score again!
There are several more things I can think of…but ya know. I don't want this to go on forever. I think the last thing I'd like to have in the house are a bunch of these bad boys:
We have 15 windows on the first floor of our house alone (we bought white wood slate "blinds" for the four windows upstairs when we did our master bedroom overhaul in August). Only one of the downstairs windows has a covering with which I am happy. And it's a bamboo Roman shade! So classy. I'm thinking we could try buying one or two shades per paycheck and get the windows "treated". Home Depot and Lowe's have great selections of bamboo Roman shades.
Do you have a wish list? How did you manage to furnish your first home?
