Archive for December, 2007
The Dawn Of A New Day(bed)
The third bedroom (also known as our second guest bedroom) has finally come together. And not a minute too soon since we’re hosting a gaggle of guests on Friday night. As a reminder, this is the former dining room that we converted into a bedroom by closing off the doorway that connected it to the kitchen (we didn’t miss the dining space since we moved it into our jumbo living room).
Lucky for us, the old dining room already had a closet, so other than ripping down the chair rail and switching out the light fixture it wasn’t much work at all (after the doorway was closed by a professional). Here’s a picture of the old dining room to refresh your memory:
And here’s a photo of the cozy new bedroom (still in progress of course):
All it took was a cushy new daybed from West Elm (on sale for $299 with free shipping- gotta love Christmas sales) and a charming little storage ottoman from Target ($59). Oh and a soothing coat of tan paint (Glidden’s Water Chestnut, $21), because nothing says insomnia like turquoise walls.
On the opposite side of the room we threw one of our existing slipper chairs in the corner with a reading light that we already had and hung a fun black and white print on the wall. Then we called it a day. But don’t be fooled, we still have to get some sheets for the daybed. It looks sleepover-ready but it’s naked under that comforter… the shame!
Stay tuned for more updated pics (once I get my mitts on some fun pillows, wall art, and other accessories to add a little extra oomph).
Classy Richmond vs Tacky Richmond
For the most part, Richmond is a classy city: Jeffersonian architecture, cobblestone streets, Sunday brunches, etc, etc. Even during the holidays, areas like historic Monument Avenue keep their Christmas decorations full of class- like this fancy little tree below.
But I’d be lying if I told you that Monument Avenue Christmas decor was the norm around Richmond these days. This is actually the time of year where other parts of the city are happy to embrace their tacky side. Hence our beloved and famous (infamous?) Tacky Light Tour.
I can’t claim to be an expert on the Tacky Light Tour, but what I do know is that it’s basically a list of homes in the area boasting outrageous Christmas light displays. How outrageous? Well, to even be considered for the tour you’re required to have a MINIMUM of 40,000 lights. Most strands have maybe 50 lights? 100 lights? Either way, you do the math required to get to 40,000.
For better or for worse, Richmond’s tacky side has drawn national attention, including a TLC special called “Crazy Christmas Lights” and this story on NPR. One house, which we visited last night (see below), even topped USA Today’s list of 10 Great Places To Plug Into The Christmas Spirit. Somehow it even got listed before the Rockefeller tree in New York City.
The tour is so popular around Richmond that every year droves of people rent buses and limos so they can tour in style. Or so they can tour with alcohol. Either way- drink up, shield your eyes and bask in the artificial glow.
Rudolph Sighting
As the wait for that last cabinet continues, we’ve found another way to keep ourselves busy: holiday cards. We’re not typically holiday card people, but with a Target coupon offering up some free photo greetings we couldn’t pass up the chance to spread some cheer.
Here’s the pic. It stars Burger, who fell victim to our idle hands, over-active imaginations and some photoshop:
In case we forget to say it later: Happy holidays to everyone from John, Sherry and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Chihuahua.
