I love what you have there. What crosses my mind is to put something of dark value on the table -- maybe a runner or cushions on the chairs? and to turn the swan a bit : )

Beautiful, charming breakfast room! and I love everything about it.

You really have a knack of putting together tablescapes, Johna! I love each and every one you've done so far. With rooms we use heavily though I think we need to find that balance between what looks good and how we live our lives. They are like my magazine basket in my family room. So if in reality the bottles will stay since this is a logical spot for you to serve drinks, you should decorate more in that theme as I notice there is wine storage below. Unless you can create some alcohol storage in one of the side cabinets. That is how we have it in our buffet and DH only sets out the bottles when we have a party. Another option could be to get some pretty crystal decanters and put them on a glass tray and decatating some of the more frequently used alcohol. As for the lamp, I liked your earlier one much better. This one is too chunky for your space. One of the (few) items I put out on my buffet is a large book holder with a book propped up. I can see that working well here with a nice Italian (or what have you) recipe book on display.

The lamp just doesn't work with the beautiful tall elegant candle holders on the left. I love the bottles...hmmm...we have a lot in common:) Anyway. The lamp is "light and fat" and the candle holders are slim and dark and the frame on the picture is dark. I would go with a medium width darker lamp.

I was in Lowes today...electric stuff for decorating for the porch tour...sigh...but I saw some really nice lamps. I was amazed. They were very nice. I am going back when I have minute and look at them in a serious way.

All this is of course from a "decorating challenged" person. Caroline

I meant to add that your chandelier is so lovely with the shades that I'd rather see that turned on than the lamp. You don't really need additional lighting there do you? It's just for decor reasons, yes? I like the mood that candles bring so perhaps you could move the pillar candles to the right and either the bottles to the left or one of the earlier flower arrangements in the urns. I really like those.

Johnatemp, every picture you have posted is so beautiful, and yet you are never satisfied. That leads me to only one question. Are you pregnant???? LOLOLOL!

BTW ... I think you live near me. Did you go to the Christmas parade (G'town) today?

Nin

Gosh, I just don't know....I am thinking b/c I am so ho hum about it - it should go back(the lamp). I am just not *feeling* it - maybe I am in my -sick of it- mode!

Val - I am turning into not only the dog lady but also the lamp lady. My neighbor gets up early in the morning & says he can't tell if we are up or not b/c of my lamps!! I love the look of rooms lit by lamps instead of overhead lighting - I only use the chandelier when eating or DS doing homework & it is on a dimmer. So, I really do want a lamp even if I have to drive circles around this town!!

Trailrunner - you are not decorating challenged!! Your house is so beautiful - and your porch decorated with that carousel horse? & Santa is breathtaking! I will check out Lowes - it is more in line with my budget. I was getting desperate yesterday & went into pricier stores than I usually frequent.

The goose will go on a bed of evergreens closer to Christmas - with some pinecones & such. Hopefully benches & cushions will be ready this week. Maybe I'll have some renewed enthusiasm after I get my benches. This is the part of decorating that bothers me......

Smiles:)

Spitfire - we must have been posting at the same time!! No, I am not pregnant!-

Oh my, I think I am stressing a little b/c of having my entire family of 30 this year at my house. I know that I am not my house but I am very cheap & know if I just get something b/c I need it....down the road it will end up at Goodwill & a total waste of money. It has taken me over 2 years to start to pull this house together. I entertain all the time with my friends - I don't care if they have to eat on folding chairs or whatever....they don't care, either. But I do want to try to make it as *perfect* as I can for my Christmas entertaining - 3 different meals this year at my house!! I am excited about having everyone at my house & if a lamp doesn't work out - I will not worry about it, either. In the big picture - it is just a silly lamp.

But, anyways.......after my justification:) I was not at the Germantown parade but do live around the area - next county.

OK, that was a good laugh..... I know what you mean about having family over being the impetus for finishing up all the decorating. That's why I said leave the alcohol out! Better yet, since your not PG, take a shot, sit down in one of those cozy chairs, turn on the FP and admire your hardwork! Your rooms look lovely. I love the new paint color and think once the benches are there it's going to be perfect.

You are a sweetheart ! I am glad you liked the pics. I try but I get so frustrated too. I just stop posting though since I worry that everyone is going to go " oh no it is her again" LOL!

I think the lamp is a mistake. I agree...light the fire and have a glass of wine and we will all be over in 30 min for a wonderful time ....c

Back to your chandelier, I can see it would be really bright with all the shades. Do you have it on a dimmer? All my lights are on dimmers (including my recessed lighting) and I like my chandelier so much better dimmed--to get more mood than task lighting. Our programmable dimmers are one of my favorite things about our remodel and being able to precisely control the lighing in my house. I'd like to see one of the urns back with the pillar candles.

I actually like the bottles in the middle; the function of this piece of furniture is to hold things. I'm sorry, but I don't care for the lamp; it's too rustic for the elegant pheasant picture and the rounded shape looks awkward to me. The lamp you had there before on the other thread looked much better.

I love your room and the Christmas decorations are beautiful! Don't give up; it will come together.

Ingrid

Johnatemp, first, take a deep breath and relax. Your home is already welcoming and wonderful, and your guests will have a wonderful visit as long as you focus on what's truly important.

I agree with you that your buffet calls for a lamp to make the room cozy. Trust your instincts: return the too expensive latest one as it doesn't work as well as the previous one, I like that one better in its new spot by the chair though. Your tray with bottles is a very appropriate touch that helps your guests feel at ease.

For a lark, I checked ebay to see if anything struck me as appropriate for your buffet. My preference would be a roundish, perhaps Asian, dark rattan or textured metal lamp which would balance the candlesticks. Didn't find one but found this on another search:

http://www.shoptablelamps.com/TL51736.htm

But then I saw this pheasant lamp and thought I'd share. It's campy but quite nice, or maybe I've just really enjoyed my Zin tonight.

Here is a link that might be useful: pheasant lamp

I love the lamp because it reflects (LOL!) the lovely style of your space and the color of the swan ..... BUT the black lamp did look very nice there too!

((NO help whatsoever ....... LOL))

Sooooooo --- the choice just depends on the budget.

Naturally -- I adore the bottles .....

And the candelholders ......

Jan (pass the wine .... thanks ..... any cheese and crackers?) LOL! :)

Your room is gorgeous. What's throwing it off is the lamp. If you stand back and really look at the picture you posted what stands out most is the lamp. I think it looks too heavy for the buffet.

Johnatemp, I love that room! As others said above, I'm seeing a different lamp there, though. Just wait until one "finds you". :)

Spitfire, I was at the G'town Christmas Parade today. We go every year. Did you have fun? Our favorites are the Houston band and the Golden Retriever Rescue group.

...this buffet is wearing me OUT!!!...

LOL, I so understand that. That's the time to just stop, sit back, and enjoy what you've already accomplished (which is A LOT), and the right thing will come.

Have to agree that while the new lamp isn't ruining what you've already accomplished, it is too light and cottagy almost shabby-chic and so it really isn't bringing a single thing to the party, and since it was expensive and you're not sure, to me that would be a return to the store situation. It's also competing and trying to unite with the gorgeous swan (goose?) who is a thing unto himself and should remain so.

Everything about the room is so warm and inviting, I just would let that right side of the buffet unfold, and if you really like your bottles there, then keep them, you're supposed to enjoy and use the room in addition to having it look fabulous. I agree some nice old decantors thrown into the mix, and also a more substantial (with higher edges) tray so as to give the base of the composition more weight visually and thus making the bottles seem more secure and contained. Something like black lacquer (or black plastic that looks like black lacquer.) (I said lacquer, not liquor! LOL!)

You have a beautiful house and are doing great with it, have a lovely Sunday and enjoy it.

Can you show the black lamp again too, plse?
Your home IS lovely....

Yes, I second Loribee's request! I wanted so badly to see that black lamp close up in another post you had a few weeks ago. It's hard to see what either of them look like from such a distance. Please post another shot of the black lamp there, and then close-ups of each?

It must be the angle of the shot that makes the shade on this one look a bit asymmetrical to me.

Spitfire, Mimi & I have met before & gone to the square in C'ville. We both want to hit Sheffields Antique sometime - maybe you and Southernheart would like to join & we could have a GW day!! Maybe after the holidays....

Okay, thanks everyone. I skipped the drink (had too much the previous evening) & took a bath, looked at Charles Faudree books & went to bed.

Y'all are right, thou!! The original brown toile lamp is it!! I got so stuck loving it over by the chair - I forgot about it on the buffet. It will be sooooooo much easier & cheaper to find a good looking table lamp for the fp. I don't have to work with a composition.

My3dogs, I took some closer pics for you on the other thread but they got deleted in photobucket yesterday!!

I will get pics today - gotta run. But, y'all talked me thru one of my frustrating times aggravated by too much wine & too little sleep.

Smiles:)

Lovely room, but the picture above the buffet really needs to be raised up a bit. I think the rule of thumb is that a picture should be 10-12 inches above the piece of furniture it's over.

The picture is fine and the height is right, about 6 inches above the piece of furniture.

I think it looks fine. I think you are working too hard at it and trying to make your house what everyone else wants it to be and not for you and your family. I think it is lovely and looks like the hands of love instead of the hands of a decorator did it.

Just for the sake of what we see differently, even though the lamp doesn't send you personally, I agree with Patricia about your room. And I like the lamp also because it looks a bit unfitted, giving a more casual, collected, homey European look. I can see where you might want to add a bit of something light to the other side of the buffet with that particular lamp, but the whole space just looks lovely to me as it is. I do remember that other lamp, though, and it was a great one too : )

Sorry to hijack johnatemp's thread.

Southernheart,

Yes, we had a great time. My older son and DH march with the Cub Scouts while my younger son and I find a good spot to sit, cheer, and collect candy! I can't really pick a favorite entry. I liked them all. My youngest enjoyed it but has a harder time. He is afraid the dogs and afraid of the horses. He loved the Corvettes until they started revving their engines (and after the incident in Selmer, I'm surprised they do that). He had a love/hate interest in the bands. He thought they were really cool but hated the loud drums. I spent a good part of the parade with my hands over his ears! After we arrived early to line up with the Cub Scouts, watched the entire parade. walked to the end to meet the Scouts, then walked back to our car, the parade was a 2.5 hour event for us!

Johnatemp, that is a sweet invite! I'm a bit of a drag though because I work full-time and when I'm not working, I seem to always have at least one kid with me! Let me know though. A little window-shopping on a Saturday might be a good get-away for me.

Nin

I want to thank you all for talking me thru my neurosis:) Spitfire, when I was preggers...I didn't get worked up about a thing!! It was all good....I could have served pork & beans out of the can & not cared a bit!! LOL

Returned the too expensive lamp....feel so much better.
Here are the pics of the tole - been spelling it wrong - lamp on the buffet. I did find a larger/darker tray that I put the bottles on....(Val, we do have storage on one side of this for bottles the other side for glassware!! - I am not even a big drinker but alot of our friends enjoy)

Here is a close-up of the tole lamp.

Smiles:)
Neurotic no longer:)

WOW ! You are looking great ! I love the tole lamp and the little red one just hits the spot perfectly with color. What a warm and inviting home . c

BINGO!

Perfect -- and just right and ready for a party! :)

Jan (who is always ready for an afternoon party! LOL)

Be still, my heart.....I may have to print out the close-up of the tole lamp and frame it! WHERE did you find that beauty?

The whole room looks SO inviting - sit back and just enjoy it, as it's perfect now.

I love that lamp...perfect!

I'm breathing a big sigh of relief. I've been trying to get that beautiful lamp back on your buffet on two threads now. I don't think it was nearly as effective in the living room. You have a winning combination now, especially once you get your pheasant reframed. I wonder how a black and gold frame would look?

Ingrid

That looks great! I loved the tole lamp in both places, but it looks at home on the buffet! The new lamp is cute for sure. I also like that new tray much better. Did you have that or did you buy it? I am always amazed at how many different options people have already lying around in their homes. I just don't have that many things to switch in and out! Everything looks great, Johna. You should be so pleased.

I had to laugh when I read Ingrid's post. I think it is so interesting and fun how invested people on this site get in eachothers projects. Like when you think of someone from GW when you are out shopping and you find the perfect thing for their room! :)

Oh, it looks perfect now. Love the new tray and the return of the tole lamp. I agree with my3dogs, where did you get that lamp? I like seeing the alcohol out on the tray. Looks like you are all ready for guests! After the holiday season is over, you can always rotate other items on the tray--as I know how much you love to tweak your tablescapes. Can you come over and tweak mine please? You have quite the knack. I'm glad you decided to mat and reframe the pheasant picture. It's already beautiful, but will soon look even better. Can't wait to see it all together with the pheasant shades.

I love that red golden pheasant picture!

I love most birds from china, what can I say?

Do you know the name of it or any information about it?

I got a live pair of red golden pheasant chicks this year and I'm waiting for them to color up like their daddy below :)
{{!gwi}}

Wow, Koidom....the colors on that bird are incredible. The only thing on the picture is the name Golden Pheasant by RT Peterson.

Val, I would love to come to your house but you don't need my help!! You've got my address just send the ticket:)

Ingrid, you have been trying to get that lamp back!! I just *lost* it over this lamp situation!! I so loved having a lamp by the chair.

Yes, I find myself thinking about people on GW when I am out and about. We should try to organize a *swap* type thing where we can trade/sell our things we no longer need!! I did already have the tray.

Jan, you are always invited for a party:) Did you see my bottle of EVIL I picked up the other day? Got it & more B*tch to grab for a happy for parties we will be attending!! Don't know if the wine is even any good but I sure do like the labels:)

The lamp came from a store here in town....it is so funny, b/c when I was telling the owner about needing a lamp for my buffet the 1st one she suggested was a smaller version of the brown tole one. I said, yes, I have the larger one - which is no longer available - but have it next to a chair....blah, blah, blah. She does have a smaller version of this one - which is so charming!! I did overpay for that lamp but it was one that I couldn't resist!!

Below is a link to her store. Anyone interested could call & ask about the smaller one. Maybe she could email you pictures.

Thanks!!!!!!

Smiles:)

Here is a link that might be useful: First Fruit store

Late comment: It's just perfect (both rooms). Enjoy!

Love the arrangement on the buffet, and the print above is beautiful too. You have such a pretty home!

Red

Yep -- notice the bottle of Evil -- and yes! it is a VERY nice white for all occasions! And folks just love the label! LOL!

I agree with so many others here - both of these spaces are magnificent. You've done a great job.

By the way, i'm particularly impressed with your furniture arrangement around the fireplace. Unless my eyes deceive, that's an angled fireplace which can present a real challenge (i know, i'm struggling a bit with that myself).

Brilliantly done.

Johna,
I live in the Chattanooga area and frequent Memphis whenever my kids have soccer tournaments at Mike Rose Complex. I never manage to get out and look at the shops there - but maybe I need to take time to do that next time I'm there and in between games!

Your tablescape is lovely - I like your final setting.

I don't know how old your kids are yet, but down the road(teen years), you may want a locked cabinet for that liquor! LOL :>)

It's PERFECT now.. the tray under the bottles & the tole lamp!
It's just right! LOVE it!

Estreya, girl, tell me about it!! This room has been sooooooo difficult for me!! I still have to have my doors switched - a major detail I am choosing to ignore over the winter since we don't go out to the pool that much. I had thought about moving the FP/ centering it on the wall/ taking the whole dang thing out & enlarging the laundry room. You name it, my mind has been there!!

Downsy, I love Chattanooga. I have a dear friend that owns a tattoo shop there. Yes, you must hit the Square in Collierville.....they have darling shops. Kids still young enough not to be interested in the liquor - but I do remember my own days!!! Mike Rose is some complex, isn't it?!

Thanks, y'all.

Smiles:)

Thanks so much for the name of the guy who did the bird picture, he has many lovely bird prints.

Roger Tory Peterson