Onyx X-Base Side Tables

<center></center><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7632.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2022/IMG_7632.jpg" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Years ago, at the ABC Outlet in the Bronx, I fell in love with this antique onyx-topped side table. But even on sale the table was about $700, so I just took a few photos of it and filed away the idea.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo cIMG_3620.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/cIMG_3620.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo cIMG_3622.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/cIMG_3622.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">When I was figuring out the floor plan for the library, I knew I would likely have to design my own side tables for the roll-arm sofa, since the bay windows made the space a little awkward for furniture. I needed long and skinny tables that were the right height for the low sofa arms. (Don't mind my dresses hanging in the window here - I was just trying to figure out what color I liked for curtains.) :)</div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo vIMG_4247.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/vIMG_4247.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">About the same time, I totally fell in love with the legs of these side tables that were for sale on <a href="http://www.chairish.com/" target="_blank">Chairish</a>. The dimensions weren't right for my space though and the color of the stone was too similar to my floors, but the design was just about perfect!</div><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_4731.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_4731.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I had found a welder who I was also using to make my bathroom sink base. His name is Dave and his business is called Custom Metal Concepts. He's a really, really nice guy and was careful with all the things I cared the most about (the diameter of the rods and the sturdiness of the bases). He is not all that comfortable with painted finishes as far as I could tell though, so I offered to handle that part myself. I am so thrilled with his work on both of the projects I had him do. I knew the tables would look different from the photos I gave Dave since my dimensions were about half the size of the inspiration tables, but I think he did a wonderful job of maintaining the feel and the proportion of the originals. And they are as sturdy as can be! No wobbles here.</div></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_5463.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_5463.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_5462.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_5462.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">For the table tops, I stopped in to Allpride Marble again to see what their remnant section had to offer. I found this (very dusty) small piece of onyx that was only $30! Fabrication costs were about $50 though, just to have the tops cut to size with polished edges and then to have the surfaces honed. But I guess $80 for the stone wasn't such a bad deal.</div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo vIMG_4903.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/vIMG_4903.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_4904.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_4904.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><img alt=" photo IMG_4905.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_4905.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I measured and marked out the cuts before leaving the stone yard so I could maximize what I thought were the prettiest parts of the slab. They dropped off the finished tabletops with the sink a couple weeks ago. I LOVE how the light shines through the stone. It just glows in full sun!</div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo vIMG_7819.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2022/vIMG_7819.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Before I epoxied the onyx to the table bases, I cleaned up some of the rust off the steel legs.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_5551.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_5551.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I used my fingers and a rag to add some Gold Leaf Rub'N Buff to the legs in just selective spots. I didn't want the finish to look uniform at all.</div></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo vIMG_5555.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/vIMG_5555.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">The steel took the Rub'N Buff really well and after it had dried the finish was pretty solid and wasn't going anywhere. It dried almost like paint.</div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7822.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7822.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7791.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7791.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I really, really love the tables. I love how they look, but I mostly love how unique they are! Lots of people indirectly came together to create these tables - from inspiration to fabrication. It was such a satisfying creative process for me.</div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo bIMG_7845.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/bIMG_7845.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /><br /><br /><img alt=" photo IMG_7884.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7884.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">It's hard to say exactly how much each table came out to in the end because the welder gave me a bundled price for the sink base and the two tables, but with the stone fabrication and everything I think these came out to about $200 each. Not exactly thrift store prices, but I know I will love these forever and ever. They are worth every penny and more to me.</div></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo vIMG_7806.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/vIMG_7806.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7834.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7834.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7700.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2022/IMG_7700.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7624.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2022/IMG_7624.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>

Onyx X-Base Side Tables

Years ago, at the ABC Outlet in the Bronx, I fell in love with this antique onyx-topped side table. But even on sale the table was about $70...

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Linen Curtains in the Library (and a Loom Decor Give Away!)

We get very bright, full sun in the library for the first half of the day, so I've know for a while that we were going to need to invest in black out curtains and shades for the front rooms.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo nIMG_7603.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/nIMG_7603.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo cIMG_7702.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/cIMG_7702.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I've held off and held off (because I knew they were going to be an investment and I wanted to be really, really happy with the color and fabric). Then I started to notice a little bit of sun damage on the mohair sofa and that was enough to get me moving. Plus, I felt like I had made enough other decisions for the adjoining rooms (new paint color for the music room, new rug for the library and music room) that I knew what color direction to go in for the curtains.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7418.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7418.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I ordered the curtains from <a href="http://www.loomdecor.com/" target="_blank">Loom Decor</a> and I seriously could not be more happy with how they turned out. The fabric I chose (<a href="http://www.loomdecor.com/pale-seafoam-slubby-linen-custom-euro-pleat-drape-oh24" target="_blank">the Lush Pure Linen in Dew</a>) was an in-stock fabric, so it only took TWO WEEKS for the custom curtains to ship (and shipping was free!), which was such a huge help with the Domino shoot deadline looming. My local seamstress had quoted me five weeks (which seemed pretty ridiculous - it meant I basically I would have picked them up, like, today! yikes.) I told the Loom Decor people I was in a rush and they were so, so happy to get me everything asap. So nice of them! It was pretty much like Christmas morning when I opened up the carefully packaged curtains. The panels were perfectly constructed and the fabric has a really great color, weave and weight.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_5481.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_5481.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I decided to go with black out lining and <a href="http://www.loomdecor.com/custom-european-pinch-pleat-curtain-panel" target="_blank">two-finger Euro pleats</a> for the curtains. I like fan and Euro pleats the best - I think they are formal looking without being too fussy, and they help the fabric fold beautifully.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7604.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7604.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />It is so nice to be able to close the curtains at night so we have privacy and then sun protection in the early morning. We hung the curtains on these brass Restoration Hardware rods that I got on sale a few weeks ago at the outlets. I love how simple they are.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7681.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7681.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7623.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7623.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />I alway have curtains made at least an inch or two too long, so they puddle just a bit. I wanted these to be a little more puddled, so I went with a 2.5" addition to the finished length.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo IMG_7614.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/IMG_7614.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div><br />It's crazy how much the curtains help this room feel finished! I loved the open look of the windows before but now I can't imagine living without these curtains! Big game changer.<br /><br />Loom Decor, which offers up all sorts of beautiful soft goods like pillows, poufs, bedding and window treatments in all sorts of gorgeous fabrics usually only available to the trade, was really excited to offer up TWO $100 gift certificates for LGN readers today! <a href="http://www.loomdecor.com/little-green-notebook-giveaway" target="_blank">Just click here to enter</a>. Good luck! (and thanks, <a href="http://www.loomdecor.com/" target="_blank">Loom Decor</a>!)<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt=" photo image003.jpg" border="0" src="http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd246/jkomenda/ALBUM%2021/image003.jpg" style="text-align: start;" /></div>

Linen Curtains in the Library (and a Loom Decor Give Away!)

We get very bright, full sun in the library for the first half of the day, so I've know for a while that we were going to need to invest...

Read more »