Yes, that’s an SNL reference. But before I go any further I have to say thanks and I love you to you guys. Your kind words from this morning have literally lifted me up on a day that has been soggy and sad. You guys rock. Hard.
Now onto a very important post that many of you have requested. Photos of what I put on our new craigslist buffet. I tried to pick a variety of items that are functional and special to us (hence the title of this post). So this is what the entryway looks like now:
And just for fun, this is what it looked like when we laid eyes on our house for the first time back in late 2010:
Isn’t it funny to see the same corner of a room decorated by two different people? I love it. I wish I could poke my head into every house in the neighborhood, just to see what they have going on (which is why whenever anyone asks me what superhero power I wish I had, invisibility is always my answer – for no other reason than all the house snooping I’d get to do).
On the subject of what I put on that buffet, figuring out what to put on top of any new (to us) furniture is one of my favorite pastimes. So I relished the thirty minutes during Clara’s nap time that I spent playing with different items that we already had around. Which included:
- glass lamps that used to live in our first house’s living room and then our bedroom until we upgraded to some artichoke-y ones (these were from Target from our wedding registry, so they’ve been with us for five great years)
- a big yellow urn that used to live in the corner of the kitchen (from HomeGoods a few months back)
- a stack of decorating books from my stash under the built-ins in the dining room (and my hallway ottomans)
- a scalloped bowl from the kitchen that I ended up using for something sentimental (more on that in a sec)
- a white resin pineapple (from HomeGoods about a year ago)
- a faux red coral (from Kohls about six months ago)
- a thrift store leaf dish (for spare change) that I got for 50 cents
My “buffet decorating” process was just trial and error. Stepping back. Looking at it all. Shimmying something over. It was sort of like picking the right outfit… for my furniture. Totally normal, right? I just wanted to mix equal parts meaning, function, and beauty. Because I really think that’s the trifecta. People say form and function are two important things, but I’ll up the ante and toss “meaning” in there too. Because something that’s useful, pretty, and meaningful is especially awesome, right? Anyway, here’s where I ended up for now (you know I like to swap things around all the time – plus I’d love to decorate the top of this buffet for holidays).
Here’s a breakdown of all of the items in those three categories:
Functional:
- two lamps to provide light in a room with zero point zero zero (another SNL reference for ya) overhead lights – so they’re very necessary!
- a dish for loose change, buttons, and other small items that tend to collect on various surfaces (when you know small clutter is bound to happen, a little tray, dish, or basket to deal with it when it pops up makes things easier)
- the yellow urn, which offers concealed storage that’s easy to access (we have an extra dog leash and some other Burger-phenalia hiding in there)
Meaningful:
- a pineapple near the door, which is said to be a symbol that says “welcome to our home”
- a change dish that I put 43 cents (our lucky number) into (it won’t always stay that way, but it made me smile to “hide” that number up there)
- vacation postcards that we have sent to ourselves, full of memories from the last seven years spent together (more on that tradition here)
Just Plain Pretty:
- a stack of cute hardcover books to add color and height (and inspiration whenever I crack them open)
- a bright red piece of faux coral for some fresh color (adding modern pops/pieces to an older item of furniture is one of my favorite ways to integrate it into a room so it doesn’t feel theme-y or stodgy)
My favorite thing is definitely the scalloped serving bowl (purloined from a cabinet in the kitchen) that I shoved all of our vacation postcards into. I just love that they’re out to remind me of all of our adventures and I can read through them and switch up the one in the front whenever the mood strikes. Right now one from Hawaii gets top billing, just because I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything prettier…
Oh and you might wonder why that pop of yellow in the urn is up there being all sunny and happy, but I thought these pictures would best explain it.
Doesn’t it look sweet with our yellow front door?
And for anyone wondering where Clara is when we’re shooting things for the ol’ blog, she’s usually right in the middle of everything. Doing something hilarious. Like kneeling at the front door and waving at the school bus as it drives by. Told you. Hilarious, right? No idea why she thought waving and kneeling should go hand in hand.
So there it is. Our new (actually very old) buffet with some meaningful, functional, and just plain pretty stuff on it. Nothing is being stored in it yet, but you know I can’t wait to fill it with stuff (I’m thinking it’s a good spot for more formal dining stuff like cloth napkins, some runners, a few large vases, and some other serving stuff). Oh and that big blank wall above it? Definitely needs a little somethin’ somethin’. You know we’ll keep you posted…
Psst- We announced this week’s big giveaway winner. Click here to see if it’s you.
I love Clara as a little spright in the doorway in the first photo! That sideboard is so nice, especially with those fun colorful modern pieces on top!
Sherry, you always outdo yourself!! I love the way you style your house.
And completely off topic, but something that is making me pull my hair out – how do you deal with paper clutter?? I get so much paper (mostly in the mail) and I just cant’ deal with it sometimes.
I know you did a post on it a while back, but do you think you might be able to do a post at some point (maybe an update, new tips, etc)?
Thanks :)
Sure! That would be a fun update/what we do now post! Will add it to the list! In general we try to pay/file/shred whatever we can right away (dealing with things before they build up keeps it manageable). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
You guys are the pros and I love your current set up but (cue unsolicited advice) did you consider moving your flying birdie by the door to above the new sideboard? Then you wouldn’t have a menagerie (I totally exaggerate)of animals by the door and your wall above the sideboard would be filled by your bird friend, while still allowing the decor ON the sideboard to stand out. Just a thought! Either way, can’t wait to see what you do!!!
That’s definitely something we could try!
-John
Love that buffet. I want something just like it one day.
I have to admit, I wasn’t such a fan of that buffet when you first posted about it last week, but now that it is “dressed up” I’m really liking it. Just goes to show what a difference a little accessorizing can make! :) Nice job!
Yay for the hospitality pineapple! Love that – my mom has a little pineapple in her entry way too!
I spy with my little eye: $herdog’s favorite color trifecta: red/teal/yellow!
Looks beauteous! We have the minis of that scalloped bowl…I have no idea where they came from though (lol), but I love using them as fruit cups, for desserts, etc.
So, the prev owners used to have a different front door? Did you all change the door?? I tried searching and couldn’t find anything about it. I’m looking to change my front door and get a solid door. I’d love to know more about it if you all changed it!
You can read about it here: https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/08/old-yeller/ We removed a storm door and painted the one behind it.
-John
Thanks!! I remember that now. A beautiful difference! Pinning it so I can remember later :)
Looks great! Do you ever wonder if the people you bought your house from look at your blog? I am betting they would want to buy it back!
We know they read frequently in the very beginning, but we’re not sure whether they’ve kept up. We have very different styles so I’m not 100% sure they’d jump at the chance to buy it back!
-John
I love the buffet and where you have placed it. I am not sure that the lamps are my favorite there though…For some reason they seem “off” to me? Maybe the glass or the color perhaps? I keep wanting to take at least one of them off! :) The walls do look light blue on the computer and the lamps look grey, so maybe that is what is throwing it off for me?
I love all the personal touches…always awesome to have around!
Yeah, the wall color got a little funny in those photos because of the daylight streaming in.
-John
Love the pineapple! I have always wanted one for the meaning. Wishing you could just come to my house and make sense of our meaningful things in a nice arrangement. I do and re-do things but they always look like some kind of mish-mash.
i didn’t realize that the house originally had a different front door. did you change it when you moved it, did the old owners take it with them?
love the buffet! and the pineapple!!
It had a storm door that we removed, and then we painted the front door yellow. You can read about it here: https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/08/old-yeller/
-John
I’ve always wanted my superhero power to be invisibility too, for the sole purpose of seeing what the inside of people’s houses look like…and heck, to see what that girl and her “perfct” life I am so envious of, really is like. The closest I got to seeing inside other’s houses was going for my daily run during college, in the evening, through the Fan (fellow Richmonder here). Wow…some pretty cool houses out there!
LOVE IT…so much! And you are so right…form, function AND meaning!! perfect blend. Nicely done lady
Cheers
~ jillian
http://www.hersplitends.com
What a difference! The amount of light that it lets into the room makes everything look so open. I absolutely love the pops of yellow! Bright and cheery. :-)
I love you guys, but hate you at the same time. I feel the same about Katie Bower. You guys both find awesome deals and it seems like we’re always looking for the same stuff. I can’t tell you how long I’ve been trying to find an old buffet for my 1920’s dining room. Then to see you find exactly what I’ve been look for (and so inexspensively) it’s almost hard to read. Katie recently posted about new curtains for her dining room. My mouth dropped when I saw the post. My windows have been naked for the longest time while I search for a steal on just the right fabric. You guys have some mad deal finding skills. Teach me!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/103613822/hi-art-print-lemon-yellow-8×10-modern?ref=v1_other_2
I thought this would look really cute in an entryway!
So cute!
xo,
s
Looks great!! LOVE LOVE the buffet and all the stuff you put on it. I was curious… have you done anything to seal it yet? I was handed down an old Hoosier cabinet for my kitchen and I like the chipping paint but was curious what you would suggest to seal it and keep it from chipping futher.
Not yet, but we plan to do something. We’ll definitely tell you all about it once it’s done.
-John
ahh, itching to put a big glam mirror above that buffet — a big starburst one, or something. So jealous of this craigslist find.
LOVE that buffet. I have buffet envy! You painted it yourself, right? Awesome job! May need to beg you for the color at some point. LOL. PS. So nice meeting you at Haven!!!
You too Jennifer! And I wish we could claim that paint job, but that’s the way it came right from craigslist so we don’t know the color name, unfortunately.
-John
I like the buffet – above it I agree mirror(s) would be right – but how about hanging two of those many-faceted star-shaped mirrors? I’ll try to find a link to some.
And I know this relates to your prior post, but I’m sorry for your loss. A dear friend died from MS almost two years ago and – well, it’s a very hard loss for anyone dealing with MS and its crappiness. You are also not alone in your sibling-ish family blends – another story for another time! :)
So sorry to hear about the loss of your friend, Sarah.
xo,
s
Why is there a school bus driving by in July? Are these pictures secretly from May/June? I’m on to you and your tricks! :-P
The woman who lives across the street drives a school bus, so she must be on camp duty or something. But it means there’s often a school bus parked outside on her lunch breaks for plenty of Clara waving. :)
-JOhn
Love the modern and funky accessories with the super traditional piece- fun!!
Sidenote: I recently purchased my first ever bottle of Dr. Bronners and am a bit timid to use it. Did you say once that you dilute yours? Do you use it mostly for hand soap?
Yes, we use it mostly for handsoap and we primarily dilute it because otherwise it tends to clog up our soap pump a bit and it lasts way longer (we’re cheap). It even works for dog baths!
-John
I love the mix of colors and old and new with the buffet. It looks put together without being ‘matchie’ which can sometimes be tricky to avoid. Great Job!
Hey J & S –
While scouring Craigslist this evening – look what I found:
http://columbia.craigslist.org/atq/3134272075.html
It is exactly like the buffet you purchased and probably what yours originally looked like – you got a great price and a beautiful piece! Congrats!
Wow- that’s so similar! Love it!
xo,
s
Wow, so beautiful! Love the color!!! I agree about a mirror above it.
C.
Haha I always say “zero point zero zero” and no one knows what I’m talking about! It’s best to say when I’m chewing a big piece of gum. I love that sketch.
It looks super awesome but I just have to say that red and yellow next to each other really pop and I just can’t get ketchup and mustard out of my head. And I mean that in the most constructive way possible :)
Haha, no worries Francie! I’m sure the items on this table will change 100 times, so ketchup won’t be next to mustard for long! Although they are kind of a delicious pair…
xo,
s
a yellow door? sounds quite unbelieveble but when i see the pictures below it is perfect suitable to the whole concept! I´m thinking of painting my door now…
I am in LOVE with that buffet.. Don’t you just love a good deal on a great find? :) my favorite piece you put on the top is the pineapple, it just calls to me I’m not sure why! Lol. By the way, does your home always look like a photo right from a magazine? It always looks so perfect and everything is always in its place… Take that as a huge compliment! :)
Aw thanks Johanna! Picture a giant pile of junk, just out of frame! Haha. And kids toys everywhere. And half of Clara’s clothes (she likes to undress herself and dump out her whole hamper throughout the house!).
xo,
s
Sherry, I think a very LARGE mirror hung over the Craiglist furniture would really anchor that space well and add the sparkly light reflecting from the large adjacent window.
Blessings to you and all,
Caroline
Definitely something I’m keeping an eye out for!
xo,
s
LOVE the use of “purloined!” A FAR underused addition to the great English vocabulary! They sideboard looks great as well!
Haha- agreed!
xo,
s
That buffet is so gorgeous its just mesmerizing!!!
Inspirational! As always! :) I especially love the postcards in the dish! More likely to visit those memories than if they were filed in a photo book somewhere, less likely to become overly familiar and then overlooked than if they were hung on a wall, perhaps. :)
I’ve been following your blog for a little while now for inspiration for my own home, and I actually had your dining room on my mind thinking you needed a pop of yellow just to see today you already had done that!!! Looks very nice.
Aw thanks Christa!
xo,
s
I try occasionally to find something on Craigslist, but it takes time….which I have in very short supply. It is nice to see that someone is finding something great! It gives one hope. But I think I will have to stick to the Antique Faire so I can see a bunch of cool stuff all at once. Bravo! Very pretty.
Sherry, I have a very similar buffet inherited from my father-in-law in our dining room. I store china and such in the two cupboards on the sides and some silverware, serving dishes in one of the drawers but didn’t need two drawers for such stuff. i figured out that the drawers fit rolls of wrapping paper easily so i use one drawer as a wrapping paper station – scissors, ribbon, paper, tape, cards. This idea worked perfectly for me since the dining room table is the best surface in the house for gift wrapping (and the least likely spot to be covered by dog fur!) i have to say, this was one of my more ingenious organizational ideas.
Maybe I am crazy… but the picture of Clara kinda made me think of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poltergeist_%28film%29
Still, it is a beautiful picture, especially once you know what she is doing in it. :)
Oh my – totally Poltergeist-y. I’m actually slightly skeeved out now.
-John
http://www.adirondackfunstore.com/little-colorado-child-s-adirondack-tete-a-tete-chair-red.html
thought of your little clara.. ;)
Ha! She’ll need a date for that chair. I wonder if Will Bower is available…
-John
love it! but wait–when did you get another doggie statue?! I missed that one!
It was a Valentine’s Day gift from me about 4 years ago, so it’s actually older than our other (now broken apart) one was.
-John
Love love the decor! You guys always make accessorizing your house (and yourselves! always love your earrings, Sherry!) look so easy. Quick question – where did you originally obtain the purloined bowl?
That was from HomeGoods a while back! We have also found scalloped bowls like that at Target. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
The entrance way looks amazing. The colours are just perfect!
This post made me laugh because I love walking through my neighborhood at night in hopes that someone has a light on so I can see what their decor looks like.
Thanks for this post!
OMG, I have that little white bowl. And I didn’t even see it here first before I bought it. You have no idea how cool this makes me feel :)
Love the buffet and all the decor you added. Your post makes me think about my buffet i picked up for free and is still in our garage waiting to be finished. i can’t decide whether to keep it the natural wood tones, which my husband loves. or paint it and add some color to our living room. grrr…what to do? i love all the fun colors you have going in your home. thanks for being so inspiring. i love reading your blog, one of my favorite reads.
Just thought you guys would like to know – the word pineapple in Chinese loosely translates to “luck come”..that’s why you would see quite a few gold plastic ones displayed in Chinese restaurants (along with the gold cat/fish) because it means you’re inviting good luck to come on in :)
Interesting!
-John
I second the idea of some HUGE $herdog art above the buffet (Go BIG! Run with the BIG DOGS).
And I agree that the two lamps just don’t seem to have that “Young House Love” oomph-factor. How about adding a little trim (ribbon, or woven jute, etc) around the top and bottom? Seems like there’s a “layer” missing.
You have nice height variety in your table-scape – something tall, something medium, and something low. I like your idea of adding height with books (also adds color).
And of course, your sentimental & colorful pieces truly add that something special.
So sorry for your loss Sherry. I was raised in a big household with my grandparents, my sister, 2 great aunts, my uncle, my cousin, my sister, and I and I can honestly say I have amazing childhood memories! There was always someone there when I needed them and so much love!
I always imagined your house to be young and fresh..going with the name and image of YHL..so seeing this old piece of furniture was a disbelief..plus I feel it does not go with the fun yellow door and the fresh paint. Just an opinion, enjoy it as you seem to like it.
I love it! I literally have that exact same buffet (but unpainted) that I’m working on refinishing to use as an entertainment center.
Thanks for always being an inspiration!