An intimate corner

One thing I love about smaller houses is that they play host so well to quiet moments. In a large space, there is often a lack of cozy nooks or corners to melt into and indulge in either deep conversation or reverie. My own house, being about 2000 square feet, is certainly not lacking when it comes to intimate spaces.

Today I am showing you my favorite corner for reading, resting, and regrouping.


This is an Edwardian chair that I slip-covered with a painter's tarp. I made the slipcover myself, so it is far from perfect, but I love that I was able to do it on my own. The chair was free at a yard sale many years ago. It is filled with horse hair and is the best seat in the house. In honor of spring, I made some pillow covers in a rose and fern print to add a burst of freshness and feed my craving for flowers. The garden is not yet fully awake, and it is so hard to wait!

The chair is between an antique ebony-stained piano, that was purchased at the local Goodwill, and the half-wall that separates the living room from the kitchen. The piano is one of my favorite pieces. The coffee table in the foreground is also a yard sale piece. We added a cheap, round, pine top from Lowe's and painted the whole thing a soft white. It is also one of the best pieces in the house.

The top of the piano serves the room much as a mantel does. It is great fun to change the diaplays there seasonally. Right now, the display palette consists of white, silver, and softest green to harmonize with the rest of the room. The mirror is aged and has lost some of its silver backing, an effect I love. There is a mirrorred candlestick and a glass dome enclosing perched ceramic birds and a glass bowl that contains a fluorite tea-light holder. The pitcher corrals seedheads gathered from the meadow last fall. The wall-mounted cabinet to the right houses rarely used dishes. Miss Kitty, in the foreground, just loves that fern on the coffee table.

Behind the chair is a cd storage tower that resembles a bird cage. This piece was also bought for a bargain at a local antique/resale shop.



A view from the hallway into the living room. I keep the wood floors bare to make the room appear more spacious and light.

Most days one can find me curled up in this very spot with Miss Kitty (or one of the other cats) on my lap. From this chair I have a view of my front garden and the woods beyond. It truly is the best seat in the house!

Until next time...

Anne