My Tropical Cottage Dining Room ~ Gizmo Tech Support

Now that I have finished going on and on and on about my kitchen, I will drag you guys over to the dining area of my little house in Florida.....

Wanting to continue the West Indies feel of dark wood mixed with tropical accents, I found this wonderful dining room table that had the feeling of a Spanish colonial somebody or other.

(I don't know what I'm blathering on about, but I hope you get my drift.)

I chose these really comfortable wicker chairs from janus et cie,

a wonderful

company that makes indoor and outdoor wicker. So although these are indoor wicker chairs, I was able to match the feeling with my outdoor wicker that I use by my pool.

(God, how chichi does that sound?????)

I made the seat cushions out of square toss pillows that I covered in vintage barkcloth.

CONFESSION TIME

I have a leetle leetle problem with controlling my urge to buy every piece of vintage floral barkcloth in America.

I used different patterns, 'cuz I like to mix it up!!!

and......

All this barkcloth started with some new barkcloth fabrics I found at the Boston Design Center.

No one else in the world likes what I do, 'cuz the fabrics I use are

ALWAYS

being discontinued.

This was the fabric I first found, that set the overall feel for my house.....

Here's a closer view.....

I think it's PRETTY!!!!!!!!!!!

I used it on the draperies in both the living and dining area, as well as my TV chair.

I found the chandelier at Antiques on Five, an antique store also at the Boston Design Center.

I tell ya, that place vacuums the money out of my pocket.

I guess it's only fair, 'cuz sometimes it

slides some money right back in.

OK guys, this was not a chandelier when I bought it.

I'll tell you what I did to it,

BUT FIRST.....

let me explain about the green drop crystals.

They don't belong on this chandelier. I hung them there to annoy my friend and neighbor (Chloe's mom) Lissette.

Every time she comes to my house, they drive her crazy,

SO, OF COURSE...I CAN'T TAKE THEM DOWN!!!!!

This piece was a hanging candelabra.

It had spikes at the end of each arm on which to fasten a thick candle.

So I took it to my trusty lamp guys, Blanche P. Fields, (also in the Boston Design Center) and had them wire it, add the bobeches, canopy, paint them to match and then add candle slips and make the lampshades.