Kitchen & Front Room

 I spent a lot of time this week and weekend messing around with the front room furniture placement.  This is a picture and link heavy post so please bear with me.  You're welcome to skip around. I know I'm hardly the most riveting blogger there is.

First I tried the original layout.  You all remember this right?

It looked so crowded to me. 

So I started to play around.

I'll admit that part of my resistance to changing where the dining area would be was that hanging light.  It was meant to go over the dining area.

I tried to put the dining area near the front window but I still had that crowded look.  So I tried something a little weird.

The desk at the front window, the couch at the dividing wall and the dining area under the stairs.  It works all right for the furniture but under the stairs was really dark.

See what I mean?  Everything works except how dark it is.

So I started to think of how I could put a little light in there.  A battery light won't work because there's no where to hide the battery, even a small one.  But I'd gotten a bunch of old miniature lamps, some of them in brass, and they worked.   So I took the plastic lampshade off a brass floor lamp and glued on the shade from the broken Reutter Porcelain lamp onto the brass.  It's the right height for under the stairs and fits next to a chair under the stairs. 

The only thing I still need are a couple pieces of art for the walls. I have one piece, which I absolutely love.

The artist is very cool, a gentleman by the name of James Mann.  The painting is of the lighthouse on New Canal, LA.  I've got permission to get it printed out and I'm going to put it on the dividing wall, over the couch in its new position.

Then I just need another piece of art for the area next to the front window.  It's not as important but I do want something there just to finish it off.

I got candy for the candy dishes I found on Ebay.  Since I can't be relied on to move things without spillage I glued the candy in.  I got the candy from Kerby Lane Miniatures.

I didn't want to glue the lids on because I want to be able to see the candy now and then.  Then I got the lamp table and desk all set up.

   

Obviously the glue is still wet.  The candy dishes are Chrynsbon as is the white lamp.  The rose and green lamp and picture in the frame are from Reutter Porcelain. The tulips and vase are from HBS Miniatures and I'm afraid I can't remember the seller of the notepad and pencil, but I got them on Ebay.

I made the octagonal table and it's hollow to hide the battery for the light.

Alistair decided he would lounge on the couch for a while and supervise my efforts.

I made the couch from a House of Miniatures kit, the pillows are from Brae's shop on Etsy. Alistair is lounging on a throw I made.

So here's the front room so far.  I plugged in all the lights and I'm pleased that they all work.

I'm debating about the chair for the desk.  I have a kit for another chair and I like the idea of using it so the desk chair isn't the same as the dining chairs.

The dining and desk chairs and the tilt table are all House of Miniatures kits.  The desk I found on Ebay.  The armchairs are from Janet Harvie on Etsy.  And the rug is from Green Gypsies.

The shelf clock on the staircase wall is a kit from Cynthia Howe Miniatures.  The cameos are jewelry findings.  I made the mirror with a woodsy, a small circular mirror I got out of Estee Lauder eyeshadow and some wood scrolls from UOLHKscalefurniture.  I glued them all together and then painted them black and then gold for contrast.

Except for the artwork I'm pretty pleased.  I need to add the one painting and find another.

I also got most everything put into the kitchen.  That took me a little while because I had to think of how I wanted to present everything.  Lots of layers.

My hidden corner coathooks and shoe drying spot.  There's no space for a mudroom but this is a little spot to serve that purpose.  The sweater and hat are from TheShabbyGardener and the flip flops are from Tinytown Miniatures.

My old black fridge blocks most of that view.

I can't remember where I got the wine bottles but the cat dish and treat jar are from Twelve times more teeny.

I had purchased all the Fiestaware type pottery from HBS Miniatures for the shelves over the sink.

The wine glasses are from Bright Delights and I got them on Ebay.  I got the cookbooks from ABCDolls on Ebay.

And here is my sink and cupboard next to it.

The apple cutting board, knife and apple core are from aMusingMiniatures.  The soap, sponge and cleaning supplies in the basket are also from ABCDolls.  The dish towels are from Green Gypsies.  The pot holders are from LugartPetit.  I got the cleaning supplies bin from Shapeways and the bucket from Hobby Lobby.  The dustpan and brush are from DianesMiniatures and the broom is from MarquisMiniatures. 

The totes are from Tinytown Miniatures.  The trivet is from Bright Delights and the pasta jar is from Syreetas Miniatures.  The cookies are from Paris Miniatures.  The canisters are from HBS Miniatures and I got the little jars full of candy on Ebay.  For the life of me I can't figure out where I got the cute little red Dutch oven.

Most of the groceries are from ABCDolls, but the oranges are from aMusingMiniatures. 

The rose is from Diane Paone Miniatures and it fits quite nicely on the windowsill of the kitchen. 

As I was going through my kitchen supplies I found the scrubbing bubbles so I added it to the bathroom.

I also added some cotton balls to the dish on the dresser.

And since the dresser had a drawer missing its knob I pulled it out and added a piece of 'clothing' to hang out over the front to hide the missing knob.

And here are a few shots from the outside with the lights on inside.