Dining Rooms ,Donkeys and Lamps(oh my)!

I wanted to share my dining room progress(you may click on any image to enlarge)! The walls are still fairly artless,and one day in the future I am thinking of replacing my washtub chairs with something bigger,taller and more unusual and statement making. I realize galvanized steel washtub chairs are definitely not something you see every day...but I am trying to implant the thought "think on a bigger scale with larger pieces"! Ofcourse I have no idea what these fantasy chairs look like,any thoughts ,anyone? The table and chair in the corners are probably not going to make the cut. I am considering replacing them with these modern book shelves.


This is how the entrance to the dining room is framed.The small rectangles you see are actually little cut out "windows".

The lighting plot in the house is quite wonderful,and instead of a chandelier in the dining room,there is a recessed "coffin-like" cut out with a rectangle wired for light "echo" of the beautiful bamboo floor .

Directly behind the table is a new(to me) buffet/display case.I am unsure of what period it is from.Unless its from the mid century I am simply not a furniture era spotter! I am guessing its from the late 20's or 30's...but then again perhaps its a 40's piece! Anyone care to speculate.



It has little etched/painted flourishes on the glass and the back of the case has this bizzarro world silver sparkly wallpaper stuff that I adore!!!!!! So much better to show off my donkey planter collection.
Containing my beloved donkeys to this elegant little piece that possesses its own imperfect quirks really elevates the importance of this crazy kitschy bunch in my mind!


I have topped it off with one of my favorite inherited pieces from my Grandma. My husband likes to call this diamond shaped hand painted mirror "Lone buck at purple mountain". My grandparents evidently watched it being painted on a trip to Colorado. Rumor has it there is also a round variation of this treasure at my mothers house that she cannot find!Lighting the way are my adored matador and matador-ess lamps from the 50's.I jettisoned(and carefully stored)the giant fabulous original shades and replaced the bulbs with big round clear ones. To me ,without their shades,they have become giant candelabras. And again,I have achieved my brand of elegance through a witty wink!

Long ago I wrote of my passion for lamps. I simply cannot get enough of them. Figurine lamps are certainly my favorites,like this Jeannette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy "Naughty Marietta" chalk lamp shown here and snapped up from a thrift store for 20 bux!


Vintage bedside lamps (one of a pair),I grabbed (both) at a garage sale for 10 bux!


A tiny Shawnee Chinese empress lamp.


My Swordfish lamp with the crazy feather implanted shade!


...and ofcourse my fave little Asian pair that has lived with us for the past decade from the mid-century decade!


Lastly getting back to another part of the house...I decided on this multi-color block rug from Ikea(notice how all my art looks like little poastage stamps? I gotta get some giant art!). With a biegey/taupe love pit sectional I wanted a piece with color to make the sectional really pop!

I think I achieved my goal.