Do you spy anything new in our den?
Well, it’s not really new, just new to me. We are now the proud owners of my grandmother’s secretary desk!!
Isn’t it beautiful? I especially love the curvy drawer fronts.
This piece has lived in my parents’ house for a long time, and I nabbed it a few years back when my parents let us kiddos pick a few of our favorite pieces. I didn’t think that we had room for it so it’s been in my mom’s living room ever since, but after Christmas I realized that we actually have the perfect place for it!
( I don’t think I have any pictures of it, but we used to have an oversized armchair there, along with a side table. It kind of looked how it did in this post, except the sofa and armchair had switched places. Not sure if that makes sense. )
I still need to find the perfect chair to go with it (right now we’re just using a spare from our dining room). Any ideas?
In addition to all the sentimental value that goes along with this secretary, it’s also ridiculously useful. See?
I’m really digging all of the storage – I hadn’t realized it but we didn’t have a single drawer or cabinet to stash stuff in our entire living room. A travesty!
Look, lots of cubbies!! It’s perfect for stashing all of my stationary and thank you notes, magazines and books, my laptop, and the cozy blanket I crocheted for Jason back in law school (FYI, it’s the snuggliest blanket EVER).
As an added bonus, the top of the secretary is the perfect spot for a few of my favorite things.
Made any new additions to your home lately?
P.S. I’m linking this post up to Samantha’s Friday blog party.
I just love your den. It feels so warm and cozy!!! And that secretary desk is amazing. I have always loved those and the fact that you can hide all the “junk” in them!
I tend to be kind of messy, so this type of desk/storage is PERFECT for me! (P.S. I wish I’d had a fire going in the fireplace for those photos, it pretty much turns our den into the coziest place ever!!)
I have my Grandparent’s secretary too, and I love it! It needs refinished, but I am happy to have it! Yours looks beautiful!
Oh, that’s so great that you have their secretary! Isn’t it fun to have a little bit of family history?
I love it! I think every room needs an antique (or two!), so this is perfect! It really adds “something” to the room.
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It was really bugging me that our den was just a sea of upholstered furniture (all part of a set, ugh), so I was thrilled to get to break it up! You’re so right, bring on the antiques!
The secretary just fits the space, like it’s meant to be – perfect! I love hand-me-down furniture and wish that my grandparents passed down some furniture!
I love West Elm’s chairs… especially their modern windsor chairs! http://www.westelm.com/products/modern-windsor-dining-chair-g195/?pkey=coffice-desk-chairs
You read my mind!!!! We’ve been looking at new chairs for our breakfast room and these made the cut, and I was thinking we could get an extra one for next to the secretary. Hmmm, since you thought it too it just may be meant to be!
That is beautiful! I love the way it looks opened up. What a useful piece!
Jen Rames´s last blog post post ..Brasserie Pavil- Saint Arnold Beer Dinner
Great addition to your space. I’d love one of these for my entryway. The storage space and a place to hide paperwork would be fantastic.
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That would be perfect!
Sentimental pieces are the best kind — especially when they are that beautiful!
Such a beautiful piece (& it has history!)! I also ADORE that gorgeous rug–moorish patterns, yes please. While I’m at it, I’ll take your beautiful dark ceiling beams too. OK, now I’m done. =]
Ha, it’s funny, those are my favorite things about the room, too! I’m officially addicted to beams. :)
I really like the secretary and it really fits in your space well. Totally ‘goes’ without being matchy-matchy. And, I’m adoring that rug. have you shown it to us before?
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It’s made an appearance in a couple of posts, but I don’t think I ever really talked about it! It’s the Pottery Barn Moorish Tile rug (8 x 10, wishing I had gotten bigger!) that I got off Ebay last year. I LOVE Ebay for rugs.
Super cool! I love the whole style of the piece, and it’s totally useful and sentimental – it’s the perfect piece of furniture! I’m impressed with your blanket-making abilities too!
Are the books on top a collection? I couldn’t read the titles! (Ack! I might need glasses after all!)
I’m in the process of laying out my gallery wall RIGHT NOW! Yippee! I’ll be able to post on it this weekend or next week!
Oh, I was hoping someone would ask about the books! My grandmother and I used to bond over nature, so over time she gave me that entire collection of Golden books – each one covers a different species or aspect of nature, from birds to the planets. I love them!
Oh, I love it! And wow – look at that STORAGE! Whoo! Makes me so jealous. And now that you mention it, I don’t have any storage in my living room at all… hmm. Maybe I should work on that! ;)
We’ve got a couple new additions to our living room – a new rug and new sofas and chairs! I’m still so excited about it. Now we just gotta get rid of our old furniture…yikes!
~Chelsea
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That is so exciting!!! I just swung by your blog and saw the new rug . . . LOVE it!!
ahhhhhhhhhhh! The furniture icons have been returned! I missed them! Love the secretary, not only in appearance but also in function. The books and bonding story are very special. Lucky you, and what a cool grandmother to have. About the chair: definitely one with a fabric seat, but what about arms and turn it a little towards the secretary. Maybe a little lamp on top by the books? I am sure I will love whatever you decide to do. Great job!
She was an awesome grandmother, and it’s so great to have little reminders sprinkled throughout our house. :) I’m glad you’re as happy as I am that the furniture icons are back!
I dropped by Odi et Amo at your suggestion, and there is the most gorgeous, coolest baby shower on the blog today. It’s called “Feather Your Nest” and is terrific. Speaking of nests, I really like what you have done to the graphics of your blog “nest” and also your home with the world’s most terrific den. Having all the pictures really makes your blog so enjoyable and I feel like I am nearly there seeing the things. I am always so pleased when your new post appears! Thanks for adding to my day. :)
Thanks, Cathy!
P.S.Wasn’t Averill’s baby shower gorgeous! I swooned. :)
What an amazing desk! So beautiful! I just saw a secretary desk on Cash and Cari last night and I was all over it. :) Also loving that rug!
Thanks, Heather! I haven’t watched Cash & Cari yet, I may have to check it out. :)
Love it! I am sure it adds a wealth of storage space. Now how come I have never noticed the awesome mouldings on your walls?
Yay, I’m so glad you like them! They were original to our house and we were really conflicted over whether to keep them when we remodeled – in the end we decided to keep them because we dig’em, even though they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. :)
I love sentimental pieces. My favorite part is the vignette on top of the secretary!
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Thanks, Joi!!
I love the look of it. my favorite parts of the secretary are the small curved drawers inside the desk portion and that little “half donut” carving on the middle door inside the desk. beautiful.
Its great that you not only have a beautiful piece from your grandmother but that it also looks lovley in your room ,also I love the rug just perfect!
Sharon at infatuatedwith homes and gardens
Your blog is so useful, I can tell you have put in a lot of work on it.