Waiting, Wanting, and Wandering ...

If you read the blog with any regularity, you'll already know that I've sold just about everything that I own, in favor of creating a new look. When I made this decision, it was definitely in haste, and looking back now, I'm not sure that I made the right one. But, cest la vie ... what's done is done, and I have to work now on creating a room that is as beautiful, while being far more comfortable.

After the bulk of the furniture was sold, I had no idea where to go. I knew that I didn't want to do an all white room again, but did I want to venture into color? I started with the idea of blue, and I ran with that until I hit a brick wall and realized that I would grow very tired of that, very quickly. I thought about red, inspired of course by the elegant red room that Mary McDonald had created which I show here at least once a month:

That seemed the best way to go, until I attempted to source the perfect red fabric, and realized that I was better off spending my time trying to find a needle in a haystack. Then I lucked upon a great deal on a sofa I've wanted for as long as I can remember Pottery Barn carrying it. The Carlisle sofa is a large, long and deep English Roll Arm sofa carried by Pottery Barn in multiple sizes and seat cushion choices.

I ended up with the slipcovered option. The base of the sofa is upholstered in muslin, and the cover (a sort of creamy-oatmeal Belgian linen) is perfectly tailored to the sofa. It's a great piece of furniture, far and away more comfortable than my last sofa, but working a room around it has been somewhat of a challenge. 

I probably had gone through 4 different sets of chairs, before I lucked out and got two Savonarola chairs that are done in solid steel. It's great because they'll never give or slack like other Sav chairs, but they need cushions to make them comfortable, and I haven't been able to settle on a fabric. 

Then I ordered things from Germany. What was I thinking? Patience is not a virtue I was given. 

I've been watching the DHL shipping notice for the last 8 days waiting for any sign that they were at least closer to me. Nada. Still in Deutschland. Sigh.

There are a few things that have really come together wonderfully. I ordered a beautiful sun bleached antique Anatolian carpet that I love. It set the colors for the room in motion with its myriad of warm caramel, tan, honey, ochre, and gray. I found some great unlacquered French brass and glass tables, and set up a pretty serviceable dining space in the room, too. It's still a definite work in progress, but sewing for ottomans and chairs and pillows starts next week ... and then maybe, JUST MAYBE, I'll start to see this crazy vision come to life.

Anyone got a lead on DHL? Can you have them speed this up? It'd be really great!