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Tuesday, September 29, 2015

the reading room today



You might recall that the last time I showed you the reading room we had just found a free antique pedestal table on the side of the road!  HERE.  As much as I loved that table- especially for its story;) I knew it was always a "filler" until the perfect table came along.  
It finally did!
I found this antique, circa mid 1800's, iron table with black marble top in Vermont.  
I adore the table and love that it is around the same circa as the house.  The room is small, so it makes the space seem much more open.




I left the iron base in its current state which is an off-white painted finish with iron rust coming through the paint in the form of spots/speckles.  I'm guessing it spent years in an old barn/shed being semi-exposed to elements.  




I'm going through a "keep it clean" look at present (the kitchen island has absolutely nothing on it, which is unusual for me;) so the table is topped with two antique green glazed Chinese parrots (they are unusually tall and only part of our collection), a piece of white coral, and a demi-john bottle with a hydrangea branch from the garden.




Walls are painted Ashwood OC-47 by Benjamin Moore. Trim is White Dove by Benjamin Moore.  (All my paint and stain colors can be found on my sidebar for future reference.)
Antique brass chandelier purchased 23 years ago in Houston for our first house in Eastmoreland in Portland, Oregon, it was also used for a while in our home in Dallas.
I recently changed out the regular bent-tip frosted light bulbs for these silicone-tipped bulbs HERE from Lumiere Candles.  These have a regular/standard-size base (as opposed to a chandelier-size base) and are 15 watts each.  I just love their bulbish/squatty shape!  They look perfect in the antique brass chandelier. 
Don't  forget that Lumiere Candles offers a 10% discount coupon code for my readers HERE. I love their: real wax sleeves, large diameter solid candle covers (which are so difficult to find),   their silicone-dipped bulbs, and their large translucent candle covers (which are impossible to find ;)  They also have resin candle sleeves and covers when for the times when you need a higher wattage bulb than what is allowable for the real wax sleeves.
(No, I am not being paid to endorse this company!  I simply love their beautiful products and the owners are super nice and they have wonderful customer service.)




I've removed some things from the top of the antique Italian case piece and illuminated the antique oil painting.
The simple French fauteuil chair was found in Marseille, France.  I had it covered in natural linen with a vintage alligator back.  A better photo of the back  HERE.




I moved several of the antique mirrors from a guest bedroom HERE to the reading room.  I love a good stack of antique mirrors!  The antique large gilded mirror in the back is French as is the Louis Philippe mirror in the center.  The small iron cushion mirror in front was found in France. Antique Chinese blue and white temple jar made into lamp and large aged brass ball sits on antique English chest.  Vintage mink muff turned pillow sits on a vintage Louis XV fauteuil (one of a pair.) 




"Mavis" is donning a vintage leopard collar around her waist for the cold winter months:)  You can read a story about her HERE.




On top of the stack of books sitting next to the Martha Washington chair is a book (National Gallery of Art, Washington) that we received as a wedding present 27 years ago from a friend (thank you Sue!)   I have always adored the painting on the cover.  




I like how in this photo you can see what the lamp shade looks like with the light on (front) and the pattern on the shade (in the back)  The story of the bookcase door HERE.  The bookcase is filled with antique books/reference books, small paintings, coral, antique iron urn, part of our collection of antique tortiseshell boxes and more of our collection of antique Chinese glazed terracotta green birds.




The south wall.




We found this antique oil painting in Marseille, France.  We named her Aunt Minerva.  She resonates with me. I love that she is reading a book in the reading room :)




An antique country English Chippendale chair with 18th antique vellum books and a bronze mold of a "nude."








The vintage painting on the east wall by artist Jerry Wilkerson.




Antique English oil painting entitled "Cottage in Devonshire" by listed artist James Poole in original frame. Circa 1850.


To see the reading room over the years and to read more about items in the room...
Note:  photographs taken for this post where taken in the early evening with lamps and lights on which casts a different light over the space than the daytime lighting in previous posts.



93 comments:

  1. My gosh you have exquisite taste. Everything is an object of beauty, what a beautiful room to read in.

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    1. That is such a lovely thing to say, thank you Lucina.
      joan

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  2. much older sister susanSeptember 29, 2015 at 7:07 PM

    Love the table, especially the marble!!!

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    1. The marble is really gorgeous. You should come see it in person :) xxo

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  3. I love this room! Well, I love every room in your home. ;) Not only are they beautiful but I just love the stories behind all of your treasures and the collected feel. Thanks for sharing your lovely home with your readers. I was looking for your sweet girls. Aren't they allowed in the reading room? ;)

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    1. Of course they are!!! They are allowed in every room and on all furnishings:) Thank you Gina for your sweet words.

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  4. The new table is beautiful! Now however if you want to get rid of the roadside table I will glady drive to New Hampshire and take it off your hands, in an attempt to see your beautiful home also.

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    1. Nathan, it will definitely be passed on for free (paying it forward;) and has been offered to a dear friend in Maine. If she doesn't take it I will let you know:)
      I love giving things away... this week the 4 adirondack chairs that used to be on the terrace (but for the last two years have been in the basement) were given to a neighbor. As I drove down our road the other day I spotted two sitting there with a gorgeous mountain view across the valley and I just smiled! They looked so happy to be there!

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  5. What did you do with the free table? Is it in your driveway waiting for the next owners 😀

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  6. I always enjoy seeing your home. Your new table is quite a treasure. That lamp shade is beautiful and I love the way you display the statues, art and mirrors. Looking at "Aunt Minerva" makes me think of how hard a woman worked everyday. Reading would've been a special time for each day to sooth the soul.

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    1. That is so true Liz. I never thought of it like that, thank you.

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  7. Your reading room has always been my favorite and it remains so.

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  8. I love love love your home! I live in an 1886 farmhouse in NC and love old homes and antiques! Thank you for sharing your home with us! Karin

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    1. Karin, Thank you! Send me some photos, I would love to see!!!
      fortheloveofahouse@comcast.net

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    2. Joan, your lovely reading room is the inspiration for my front parlor. I also used the squatty silicone bulbs from Lumiere, as well as their wax sleeves on my chandelier and I love how they look. I also really appreciate the FLOH code every time I order from them. Karin, I also live in an NC farmhouse, ours was built in 1894 for the original postmaster of the town where we live, when the mail was still delivered on horseback.

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  9. Joan,
    This has always been one of my favorite rooms in your home...its so inviting and cozy. The perfect place to relax and read while sipping tea. I appreciate your sharing information with us on various products you've found to be worthwhile. I now have wax sleeves on my chandeliers thanks to you.
    I hope the doggies are doing well. I'm ready for autumn.
    xo,
    Karen

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    1. I love hearing that you have wax sleeves because of my post on them!! Thank you Karen. Hope you are well. Are leaves are "just" starting to turn! Expecting cooler temps this week! I'm ready for fall too!

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  10. Every single thing in your home is such a treasure of beauty. I can't imagine how incredible it would be to see everything in person. I was wondering if you had pictures of your home/yard while you lived in Oregon and Texas. I'm sure they would be wonderful to see as well. Best Regards, Wenda

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    1. hi Wenda, You can see photos of our Dallas house here.... http://fortheloveofahouse.blogspot.com/2008/12/pretty-pictures-for-change.html
      Maybe now that I just (literally 45minutes ago;) fixed my "scan to computer" I can find some photos from both houses. I loved them so. I still dream about them both.

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    2. Oh my goodness, that was awesome to see as well. I always dream about your house. Thank you for giving me that link !!! :) :)

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  11. Beautiful new piece for your absolutely beautiful reading room. Everything you create is a work of art. xoxo

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    1. Thank you my friend! You should come see it in person;) xxoj.

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  12. I love everything in this room and your whole home. I have read your blog for 3 years now. It is my new years day tradition to start with a pot of coffee (ok a couple of pots) and curl up and read from the first post all the way to the last post. Every year it gets better and better. Thank you so much for sharing your gift and the girls with us! I recently found a beautiful antique table but the wood looks dry. I was wondering if you would consider writing a post about how to love/ restore/care for older wood pieces or give us some of your preferred products for cleaning/rejuvenating wood. Tutorials I have found online seem like they would ruin the aged patina, via sanding or stripping the piece. Yall have been able to achieve so many beautiful transformations, I would super appreciate a post on what to do or where to start. Thank you!

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    1. I have used RestoreAFinish on several pieces. It is my favorite product for rejuvenating old wood. Joan, the reading room is absolutely beautiful as is all of your home!!! Louise

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  13. This room has always been one of my favorite rooms in your house, maybe because I love to read, and it would be used so much if it were mine. But this table has taken it to a higher level. I love the airy feel it gives the room, yet is still a presence. I have used the code for the candle sleeves a few times, and I get lots of compliments on how great they look. You are such an inspiration, I don't think you realize how much your decorating style has been an influence on all of us. Happy fall! Donna :)

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    1. Thank You so much Lady Courtney! That is just the nicest - you made my day. Your kind words inspire me to keep writing the blog, so thank you! xxo

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    2. Oh I hope you keep blogging. As with all good interiors, they evolve over time, we add, we subtract. Which make them so very interesting, and appealing. And it's the truth, if you saw the inside of my house, you would see how much influence you have provided for me. Thank you! Give the puppy's a pat for me. Maggie says hi! :) donna

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  14. When I saw your new table I thought the base a gold or brass finish and thought it very nice. Then I saw the paint. Will you keep it that way? The room is delightful and how I think a room looks best. Not contrived but loved. The paintings are certainly precious items. I am in love with the old woman. She is right at home!

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    1. I will Karen. I love the original patina of it. To paint it would feel too bright and shiny and new for the room for me. It provides a "soft" feel to the room that works well. Except for waxing furniture I'm usually not one to alter a finish. I love that you think it looks loved, thank you!

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  15. Joan, your reading room is absolutely perfect. I absolutely love your rug and you have impeccable taste. I look forward to reading and seeing pictures of all of your posts!!! Take care, Tara

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  16. What a beautiful reading room and love all of the special treasures you have. The table is stunning!

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  17. One of my fave rooms in blogland. I LOVE the table. Swoon!!!!!

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  18. What an amazing room! The English call a room like this a snuggery-a small room filled with things you love. Yours is a perfect snuggery for me as I adore your green parrots! We have a wild flock of them that visit regularly having escaped from Parrot Jungle decades ago. They are quite noisy! Also am over the moon for the turtle shell hung on the wall. Pamela

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    1. A snuggery..... I like that Pamela! I would love to see your green parrots- please send me a picture!

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  19. Hi Joan:

    Agree with all of these posts...everything is beautiful. I'm a reader, so the reading room is one of my favorites as well. May I ask where in Vermont you found the table? We're getting ready for a foliage drive soon, once the rain clears, and we'll be driving around the state. Also headed to a B&B in New Hampshire for Thanksgiving. Looking forward to that as well. Take care.
    Bev

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    1. Bev, I found the table in Bellows Falls at Windam Antique Center. It's a really nice shop. We also like Stonehouse Antiques in Chester- we've made some good finds there too.

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    2. Thank you, Joan. We'll check those out. I wonder if you like Vermont as much as you do New Hampshire. Similar, but still different. I am so smitten with the lifestyle here, laid back and easy with beautiful scenery. Thanks again.

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  20. Ok, I should really comment, since I stalk your blog site a couple times a month! The reading room is just beautiful, it always has been, but now wth the new table and moving the antique mirrors it's perfection! I really enjoy your blog, your eye for detail is awesome, it has helped me in rehabbing my old house! Keep on blogging!

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    1. ha! I love that you stalk the blog! Thank you for your kind words- they inspire me to keep writing and posting!!

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  21. This is one of my favorite rooms....you have exquisite taste! And your " new" table...oh my! ;)

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  22. Hello Joan, I love the type of room in which each object has its own story and history, and the antiques that fill your reading room have a particularly happy way of blending together. That black marble table top is one of the most beautiful I've seen. Are the objects placed on your Chippendale chair to prevent sitting, or to create a vignette?
    --Jim

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    1. hello Jim! How are you?! Yes, the Chippendale chair is somewhat fragile and I use it more as a table to stack books and magazines.

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  23. Really, stunning, Joan. I learn so much from you.

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  24. Every room in your home is beautiful, I so enjoy coming to your blog to see what you are doing. It is always perfection, and inspiring. Your collections are so wonderful. I LOVE the hydrangea stem in the bottle:)

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    1. Thank you so much Pinky! You always leave the sweetest comments.

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  25. Such a warm, cozy room. You didn't say -- or maybe I missed it -- where you are now using the round wood table. I love that table. I've always been fond of ones like it with the big lion's paw feet, and that carving around the edge is so cool. Did you keep it?
    Claudia

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    1. hi Claudia, I mentioned it ^^^ in the comment section after several people asked about it. It will definitely be given away as it was given to me. Right now it is in a storage room awaiting its next home:)

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    2. If only I lived closer ... but I think I'd be standing in line for that table. Is it Catherine who might be getting it? It would look lovely in her new home. By the way, last week while I was off and reading through your entire blog, I investigated the wax sleeves for chandeliers but was confused about what and how to order, so I gave up. My husband may understand it better. I'll have to get him involved because I think they are such a nice feature. Love that they offer your readers a discount too!
      Claudia

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    3. Claudia,do you remember what was confusing? I'm sure they would love to know to better reach their customers. If you can remember please email me at fortheloveofahouse@comast.net And I would be happy to walk you through what you are looking for!

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  26. Beautiful table and I love your layered mirrors - so gorgeous!

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  27. p.s - just saw your comment about the book, it is really worth getting!

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  28. You must keep your dogs very clean if they are allowed on all furniture. What is your secret for keeping the upholstery clean?

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    1. Since they are indoor dogs I suppose we do keep them rather clean;) We wipe feet if it's raining or snowing outside. Other than that I simply vacuum the upholstery. The barn room sofas are slipped in natural linen so they get washed as needed.

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  29. Oh my! I love the picture of the old lady, and I love the table too!

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  30. Your home Joan is beautiful and forever evolving. Entertaining in your home must be heaven. Your guests probably never want to leave!!!!

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    1. Thank you Judi, that is so nice. It might also be the never-ending-wine that keeps them here!!!! :)

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  31. I love your reading room. I would like to know how you got all of your French items home.
    Did you take them on the airplane or did you ship them? If you shipped them. can you please
    give us some tips on how to do this when in France. Your posts offer a lot of inspiration. Mary Ann

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    1. hi Mary Ann, my apologies... I forgot to respond to your question. At the time we took a large metal trunk, which is probably not feasible today:( Yes, we did use a shipper. We traveled with a group of antique dealers and would group our purchases to ship on the same container which made it more affordable. Shippers have setups at the Paris Flea Market and at show and street fairs, but it would probably be best to google them and find all the info prior to going shopping.

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  32. Hi Joan, Dan, and Girls: As always, another beautiful setting. It was a great surprise to see another blog entry; I always look forward to reading them! Denise and I were together, today, and were commenting that we both need to order the wax sleeves and tonight I read your entry and you mention them...off to place my order. Cindy

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  33. What a delightful room! You have some lovely pieces of furniture and what a joy it must be to sit in this lovely room. I do love your new find! The top is quite exquisite and I love the fact that you have left the base in its original state which is really appealing. Sharon

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    1. Thank you Sharon. I feel the original patina works really well in the room.

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  34. Love your reading room, love the warmth and beauty you enrich it with, the green bottle similar to mine, and the landscape framed in old old has my heart skipping beats.

    See you soon and all the rich authentic beauty you inspire.

    Xx
    Bisous

    Doré

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  35. I like this version of the room best. And any time you want to give your house away for free just call me. This room alone would make me move.

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    1. I will add you to the list of free-house giveaway Jane;)

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  36. Hello! Thank you sharing your beautiful houses with us. I just followed the link to your former house in Dallas. Your collected items and the decorating there both look so lovely, but they really, really sing in your new old home!
    Mary

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    1. Thank you Mary. I agree- the farmhouse is a wonderful home to all our antiques!

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  37. Love your home -- hope you don't mind but I'd love to follow you (and your girls..) on instagram

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    1. I don't mind at all:) Thank you. You can find us at "fortheloveofahouse"!

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  38. Beautiful room! I love it. So warm and cozy. Absolutely perfect! Thank you for sharing your home with us!

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  39. May I suggest that your windows could use some draperies? I'd go with a London Roman shade.

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    1. You may.. though London Roman shades are a bit to fru-fru for my personal aesthetic. I am a fan of windows with no coverings- to me it is a luxury of: natural light and the fact that there are no neighbors to need privacy from. I use curtains in all the bedrooms, but love the openness of the first floor. I'm thinking if you saw it in person, with the house as a whole and the setting of the house on the property it would make sense.

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  40. Everything is an object of beauty! Soooooo perfect!

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  41. Beautiful room! You have exquisite taste. Thanks for sharing!

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  42. My so very close neighbor, maybe someday we will meet.
    I would love to know how you illuminated your painting on the Italian case. Is it just string lights lying flat? I am always working with lighting in my home because evening ambiance is so very important to me. I have a similar case that I would love to put a painting atop because your post just gave me inspiration and I would also like to illuminate it.
    Fondly,
    -Lisa

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    1. hi Lisa! Hope you are well. I just illuminated the painting about a month ago! I wanted an up light as opposed to a picture light that would cast down light. The piece is very shallow on the top, so after trying several spot lights that were too tall I chanced trying a LED light strip! It works great. It was a little bright for my liking so Dan installed a hi/low switch on it. Happy fall!

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  43. You have a very lovely home. Sorry to hear about Dan's accident. I send wishes for a speedy, and not-so-painful recovery. Best to you in the new year.

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  44. Joan your reading room is amazing, I love it. It seems so cozy, so stylish…just perfect to be called “the perfect reading nook”. You did a great job; I like the lamp…is brilliant.
    I see that you are so interested in interior design, that’s why I would like to invite you to explore our rug world here http://www.sukhirugs.com/. Each Sukhi rug is unique. All rugs are made from natural materials by the hands of local makers from Nepal, India, Turkey and Morocco. I hope you will like them! :)

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Welcome! Thank you for leaving a comment; you have no idea how much your comments inspire me to keep writing- I appreciate each and every one. Comments are moderated by me prior to publishing on the blog, so if you don't see your comment post immediately it will be posted as soon as I receive and read it. joan