19 - Butterflies Flown the Coop

I received a beautiful set of four wine glasses, and I had completely forgotten about them until I pulled them out of the back of the closet last night. I never opened the box as items like these deserve a proper display cabinet, and someone far less clumsier than yours truly. The more I look at design magazines and watch swanky design programs, the more I crave a place of my own.

These are hand painted stemware by Lenox's Butterfly Meadow collection. Unfortunately, all the glasses in this collection are now etched glass, so if I break one of these, I need to be prepared to pay an escalated price from a collector to replace them. There are some eBay sellers that have these glasses listed, so I may try and pick up a B-string just in case.

The cabinetry I have for food and item storage is all stainless steel with no padding. The doors are heavy and they slam easily, so having something so delicate as discontinued stemware is too large of a risk. With my job being as it is, displaying adult beverage glassware would be in appropriate, even if they are this pretty and elegant. This is one set that may need to stay in the box a while longer for safe keeping.

When I look at these glasses, I wonder which color combination and style of plates and bowls would best suit these. I do not own as casual dish services nor do I own formal setting either, so that's a positive thing. I do not have to worry about matching it to anything.  Would softer colors like pink, yellow and light green be better, or something bolder like jewel tones of sapphire, ruby, and emerald bring out their beauty?

12 - I Am With Coco

On Wednesday, June 2, 2010, I was fortunate enough to witness the pandemonium that was Conan O'Brien's "Legally Prohibited From Being Funny On Television" Tour at the illustrious Radio City Music Hall. It was a night of music, comedy, and guest stars, and it though did not have the epic comedic dance off that previous night held, it was worth every single penny that I paid for that Section 3 Row FF seat. I had a fantastic time, and now here come's today's decorating dilemma.

Designed by Mike Mitchell

Being the good little Coco-Nut that I am, I invested in the 2010 Tour Poster. Now, I have full intention of displaying this fantastically handsome piece of concert memorabilia, but the epic question is where. I love Conan, but the bedroom is out of the question, and the he'd clash terribly with my bathroom color scheme. I am starting to formulate plans for my kitchenette as well, but there is not enough wall space to accommodate the 18"x24" poster. Also, the design of my kitchenette is such that there are a pair of folding closet doors, and nobody puts Conan in the closet or a corner!

I would like to mount and frame Conan in a classy way (the poster, People! I am talking about the poster)! I was thinking about getting a 25.5"x31" frame, and painting it dark gray. In lieu of a proper cut matting, I was considering wrapping paper patterns as a back drop. I love the patterns available at EyeItalia. I would love something with orange and with a smattering of gold like the Faenza Palmettes or the Fiori Geometrico. The sheets are 27.5"x39" which would be perfect after a little trimming. I am going to wait until I get home before ordering either (or both) patterns, as I would like to see how the actual size of the poster matches up with the prints.

I keep flipping back and forth between the dining room and the living room. When I look at the Palmettes pattern, I picture Radio City and its glamour which would lead to its placement in the living room. However, looking at the Fiori pattern, it has orange and blue (the scheme I want to use for my kitchenette), so I am leaning toward the dining room. My gal pal, Alison, previously worked in a framing shop, and she once told me "investing in a framed piece is like buying a piece of furniture." This being said, I am hesitant to tackle this project before I have at least put pieces of furniture in both spaces.

I have a general idea of what I would like to do in my dining room, but the living room is completely unplanned as of now. The only piece I have is this older model Leksvik Coffee Table which I use as my TV stand/media center. The sofa I have is currently on loan, and shall be returned to its proper owner when I move into my new place. I am not too concerned about the wood clashing in the living room, as it could be covered or given some colorful accent.

I did think about framing the ticket with the poster, but it was an electronic ticket, so it is just a piece of paper. It doesn't hold the same impact a classic card stock ticket does. Maybe one day, I will drag the damn thing to California and see if I can get it signed by the man himself. That would completely blow my mind.