Pillow party

I had a lot of fun with the Target clearance section and found a bunch of really cute pillows. Not sure which pillows are going into which rooms, but they all look good together, so I think they will be nice finishing touches wherever they end up.  Here I’ve scattered them around the living room to try them out.  So much fun!

In addition, John has been hard at work building some really lovely nesting tables, two sets of three tables that can be tucked away into corners when not needed but then separated and spread around the living room when the house is full.  Perfect for those grey days at the beach when the best thing to do is to curl up with a good book and a hot cup of tea.

I think John did a stellar job at these tables , including staining them a lovely grey-brown, a color he hadn’t tried before.  Here’s a tutorial if you’re interested in the stain ratios that he used.  He then finished them with a matte polyurethane that I researched like crazy.

John was dead set on using something oil-based for durability. But I was hoping to find something less shiny than he’s used for previous projects, something that would give a really mellow matte finish. We ended up with something called Zar Ultra Antique Flat, which worked perfectly.  John put on two coats, and it was just enough to pop the grain and give the tables a nice bit of protection without making them super glossy.

I just love how they turned out!  It’s really fun to put a few elements together — see the cute boats my friend Molly found me?? — and envision how nice they will all look in the house.

Hoping to tell you very soon that the building permit is in our hands and that we’re breaking ground.  But for now we will keep thinking about design and building furniture.  It’ll all come together eventually!