Thursday, October 7, 2010

landing

This was one area I didn't like in the house when we first purchased it. Originally there was a wall where you see the header now and it was all attic space. The wall really made the hallway seem cramped and boring.

My idea was to knock out the wall and open up the space. We wanted to take the wall all the way back to the chimney, but that was impossible without bringing in a beam to stretch the distance. To do so would have required a hole being cut in Claire's room (behind the door in the photo below) so that the beam could come straight in and be set. Not impossible, but expensive, so we opted to keep a support there (where the pencil is) and not incur the extra cost.

To the left of the chimney is a bookcase & magazine rack (pictured below). The white column that sits next to the chimney is an additional bookcase that opens to the other side, but that area is too narrow to get a photo of. Trust me, it look fabulous! :)

To the right of the chimney is a desk area (shown further down this post).

Sources for items in this photo:

Bicycle Disc: Unknown. My designer friend and I picked this up at market in Atlanta 4 or 5 years ago. It used to be in my scrapbook room, but here it's in a much more visible spot. It's a sketch of a bike on a ceramic disc. I must say it's super-cool and I've been asked a thousand times where I got it, but I don't even know the artist's name, let alone the supplier. I keep waiting for Stephen to steal it from me, though. And truly he deserves it since he actually rides a bike, but I love it too much to give it. Perhaps I should make a will right now and promise it to him.
Framed Art: Our House & Reading is Cool by DazeyChic, School Card by StoriesDivinations, my WKU degree (sorry this one is not for sale on etsy)
Frames: Unknown, probably Target or Kohl's picked up at one point or another.
Metal Basket Shelf: Wisteria
Pencil Art: Pottery Barn from 2 years ago. Got it on clearance. No longer available.
Fire Extinguisher: Greg picked that up at a local auction. Not sure what it's worth (if anything), but we like it.


The walls on the slanted portion of the ceiling are painted a pale pale blue.

Sources for items in the above photo:

Desk Chairs: Flea Market (Nashville) & Salvage Yard (Louisville). Each cost about $30-40 and needed the casters replaced, which Greg did, ever so happily (not!).
F: Flea Market (Nashville)
Typewriter: Not sure how we acquired this.
Framed Art: Greg's WKU degree, Dave Matthews Poster
Toolbox (below): from Greg's dad who used it to keep his army men in as a kid.


Books are such cheap decorative items. These we got from goodwill for $0.25 each. Some just have the cover folded back and tied with twine and others are covered in vintage maps. I bought a whole slew of them at the flea market last month and I know the guy thought I was crazy with a capital "C". But, oh well.


Loved how this area turned out. It was something I had envisioned from the very beginning, but didn't know if the subcontractors and specifically the cabinet people would understand my vision. It could've been bad..........but thankfully it wasn't :)

10 comments:

Megan said...

Your home is really looking beautiful, April! I love what you've done with this space.

Michele H. said...

this is just gorgeous April! I love every detail...you seriously have a knack for designing. The book idea is so cool:)

Jill said...

This.space.is.Fabulous! I can just imagine your delight at the final results. (Love the book ideas too)

Barb said...

Beautiful - especially the books!

Elizabeth said...

I love this space and was just about to write and ask where you got that bicycle wall art, amazing! So is this space just for a library/writing area or for something specific? I'd love to have a space like this that's for sure!!!! I think we'd use it for homeschooling! :)
e.

april said...

Elizabeth, I loved the thought of having an open office space for kids or us to work at. I'm not a proponent of letting kids work at a computer behind closed doors and this is the perfect solution. It's right off the TV room which is where we congregate, so I'm sure this space will be much used in the future for schoolwork and work-work :)

lisa truesdell said...

every little detail is perfect - so loving your house posts. =)

Karen said...

that chair from the flea market is fab! perfect for your space. and it looks great with the new casters....and i recognize that "F" too!

*reyanna* said...

I am LOVING all of this! (All your posts.) You inspired me so much that last night, I actually hung up frames in our bed room (about 8 of them in a cluster), and added some patterned paper (now SC "English" will forever live on!) to the insides instead of photos. I'm SO motivated to finish decorating our house now. THANK YOU for that. :-) And I'm just stoked to be doing *something* other than sitting on the sofa, watching movies. :-p

Elizabeth said...

You know what? I couldn't agree more! We have all of our computers in our den so we are in constant monitoring of what our DD does! I think that's important and with your area being off another high living space it will work out well!!!!! How cool!
e.