Buyers remorse and pineapples

Do you ever buy something you think you need in a hurry, and then realize later that you don't really like it?  That is what happened last spring when I wanted a lamp for our entryway.  I'm not even sure why I felt pressured to buy a lamp in a hurry, but I went and bought this one from Target:

You know, the one you can't even see against the wall color?  I thought that since we had the bronze chandelier, I needed to buy a bronze lamp.  I also thought I needed a small lamp for the small table.  The cage-style lamp was the only one I kind of liked, so I brought it home without totally loving it and it's been bothering me ever since.  It's not ugly, it just doesn't look good in this area.  And the linen shade looks dirty next to our white trim.  So, I'm going to sell it on Craigslist, as I don't have any other place for it.  (Wanna buy it from me?)

Of course, I have already purchased the replacement.  Shaun and I were picking up a rug pad at TJ Maxx when I saw this gem in the clearance racks.  He tried covering my eyes and dragging me to the checkout telling me I didn't need it, but I wouldn't budge. 

I've never purchased anything this funky before, or anything shaped like a fruit for that matter, but I instantly knew this was just the fun punch of white that my entry needed to break up the teal walls and dark wood console.  And it was just $23, which meant less than $20 with his discount!  I'm totally marrying this man for his TJ Maxx discount!  No, really, that's a wine-induced joke.  I actually love him without the discount.  Ahem.  Where was I?

Oh yeah, I love this lamp in here!  The shade is large and in charge, and a nice crisp white that looks so much better against the stair molding.  Here's another blah before:

And the cool and pineapple-y after:

I also switched around the accessories.  I kept the jar full of wine corks because, uh, we're winos and need a place to put them all, and added these little Crate and Barrel plates for our keys. 

**Staging alert!**  Yeah, those key-holders would be great if we actually came in the front door, but that doesn't happen, so they probably won't stay there.  Do you like the change?  If so, say it with me now, "I LOVE LAMP!" 

(That one is for you, Micah!) 

Toss Cushion Test

A couple weeks ago I was the lucky winner of an All Modern giveaway, courtesy of Kristi from Life at the Chateau Whitman.  Thanks to All Modern for the opportunity and Kristi for randomly picking me!  I could have anything I wanted up to $45, so I chose the Zinnia pillow in brown, and check out this cutie:

This pillow is very well made, stylish, and the insert it came with is actual down feathers...it is cushy, smushy goodness.  Plus, I can use it in my bedroom, guest room, dining room (well, if I wanted a big throw pillow on a dining chair) or living room.  I guess that means I passed Maria Killam's Toss Cushion Test on her fabulous blog that I scour daily, Colour Me Happy.  I also could use the other pillows on my couch in the connected dining room with no problem.  Do you use similar color palettes throughout your connected rooms?  Would you pass the 'Toss Cushion 'test in your home?      

Worth their weight in wool

While I was taking clutter from the living room and dumping it in the dining room cleaning up the living room for new pictures this weekend, I was overwhelmed with love for my rug, and decided to do a post on how awesome it is.  In reading other people's blogs, I understand that a rug is one of the most maddening elements of a room.  It can make it or break it.  It has to be perfect, but can also be the cost of a mortgage payment.  I hear you.  I knew right when we put an offer in on our house that I wanted, nay, NEEDED, the Pottery Barn zebra rug for our living room.  I agonized over the price, but my mom convinced me to buy the 8x10 - for $633 including tax - immediately upon closing because her wool rugs are still going strong after 10 years.  When we finally got the living room all arranged, I was in love.  I love looking at the soft pile getting fluffed up while vacuuming (with my amazing 30 year old vacuum) and marveling that a year later it still looks new.  

Many people balk at the price of wool rugs, but let me tell you...IT IS SO WORTH IT.

My cats have puked on this rug countless times (do they purposely head for the rugs, or what?) and you can't see one spot.  When it happens, I spray on my Woolite Oxy Clean, scrub gently with a brush, and hum a happy tune because I know it will clean up like a dream.  Every. Time.  Thanks to my mom's advice, I only buy wool when I purchase room-size rugs.  So here's my rug reasoning:

Fibers - Wool pile will 'bounce back' after a good scrubbing, lots of foot traffic, and general wear.  Synthetic fiber rugs are stain resistant and offer more vibrant colors than wool, but a cheaper synthetic pile will mat down over time.  Wool rugs are softer and 'springier' under your feet - and they stay that way for decades if regularily cleaned and vacuumed. 

Damage - Wool rugs can handle loops being pulled out better than synthetic rugs.  You snip off the yarn and immediately, you can't tell where it came from.  Well-made wool rugs are packed tight and stand up to losing threads here and there.  Many synthetics can look 'bald' when this happens too often.  Also, my cat peed a few separate times on my dining room rug (a horrible ongoing problem in itself) and it still looks great after an extensive remedy that included soaking it with urine-off and blotting it dry for days. 

Cost - Some people think it's crazy to spend $600+ on a room-sized rug, but I say you get what you pay for.  I went the cheap route for the guest room, I got a sythetic rug for $100 and it's dropping threads like crazy and just generally isn't holding up.  And we don't even use that room!  Now, I only buy wool and if I want it brand new, I pay the $600 dollars.  I particularily love Pottery Barn's rugs because they are extremely high quality for the price, and they have beautiful colors and patterns.  If you think the price is high, do some research and it will start to look like a screaming bargain!  My dining room rug was a PB 8x10 purchased gently used on eBay, and I am so pleased with it.  I paid $240 including shipping, which was a steal for the size.  I have also found high quality wool rugs at TJ Maxx/Homegoods for a fraction of this price, but I wouldn't buy cheaper priced wool online unless I was familiar with the quality.

Pads - I never buy expensive rug pads, I go to TJ Maxx or Homegoods and pay about $20 for an 8x10 rubber non-slip pad.  The key is to get the rubber pads with the TIGHT weave, not the ones with the big spaces in between.  You don't need the $60+ rug pads the stores try to sell you, the rubber ones work just fine and won't ruin hardwoods. 

Care - I vacuum all the time because I have two cats, but even without the cats, I would vacuum at least weekly to keep the pile lifted and fresh.  Wool rugs will shed for awhile after you buy them, but the high quality rugs won't shed as much as cheaper ones do. 

Bottom line - I view rugs as an investment, and I'm willing to pay more for one that will last and look beautiful until I am ready for a new look.  I am not saying there aren't some very nice synthetic rugs out there, there definitely are, but they will not be cheap either.  Your rugs will be walked on, spilled on, crushed, and abused.  Spend the money now instead of replacing it in a couple years!  Please note that if I was going for a very trendy look that I knew I wouldn't want forever, I would most certainly pick out a cheaper Olefin or Poly rug and just give it away when I was ready for a change.  But for the most part, my rugs are a long term commitment! 

**And yes, my fingers are crossed that I don't hate animal prints in a couple years!**