Guess what?! I found a vintage daybed for the library! I stalked Craigslist like crazy and found a listing for this pretty mid-century chaise only an hour or two after it had been posted. I emailed and then realized in the contact info the lister wanted to be texted or called, so I texted. And then that afternoon I started stressing and I called. I seriously felt so nuts, but that was the exact daybed I had been imagining for in front of the bookshelves! And when I finally did get a hold of the seller late that afternoon while I was at the pool with my girls, he said his phone had been ringing off the hook with offers on the daybed and that it was first come, first served. So naturally I threw on a cover up over my swimsuit, a towel on my hair, and raced down there as fast as I could.
From the listing, I was thinking there was at least a 50/50 chance I'd be able to keep the existing upholstery. The seller said the "linen upholstery" was in perfect condition over the phone. Turns out it is in approaching good-ish condition, there are a few stains and a tiny hint of a musty smell. And in person the texture of the fabric reads way more "Brady Bunch" than "Belgian linen," which makes total sense, of course.
So I dug around in my fabric stash to see if I could make good use of some of my hoard. I think it just might be time for Bengal Bazaar to finally make an appearance in my own house. I've been in love with the almost-ikat, sort of Southwest-feeling (so appropriate right?) pattern for years and have been lugging around this remnant with me since we lived in Delaware!
It looks good on the day bed, right? (though now I'm seeing that the pattern is upside down in the photo! whoops.) I definitely still love the idea of a floral pattern, but I think this achieves a similar look, but without going full-on girly. A lot of the colors of the fabrics in these two rooms are going to get changed this month and I think the more neutral pattern is a better choice for the space.
I'm most happy with how it fits in the room! There's still plenty of floor space for traffic flow once the bookshelves are installed.
I love how it is more open to the bookshelves than a sofa would be, but more than one person can comfortably sit there and get back support like with a sofa.
Speaking of which - the CL seller had reworked the back support of the daybed and decided to spray paint it gray, which I think I'll change. The base is in beautiful shape, but the legs need a little bit of scrubbing.
The big bookshelf installation was postponed a week, which was a big bummer because this summer is going to be insanely busy. We're hosting a ton of family parties, showers and even a reunion here and I'm anxious to get most of the common areas done or close to it. We also have some really fun photo shoots scheduled that are only furthering the anxiety/pressure! All good things, but I'm trying to keep clear about what it is that I want for the house long-term and avoid the tendency I have sometimes to buy make-it-work stuff when I'm up against deadlines. So far I think we're doing pretty good! Getting the bookshelves in finally will be a big win, for sure. Jason ran the electrical for us this week so we can install the picture lights after the bookshelves come in. It's so funny - every time we open up the drywall I can spy two or three old beer cans from the 80s inside. Those builders really loved their Bud! ha!
Oh, and PS!! Domino named LGN one of their
26 favorite design blogs! There were some old friends and favorites there on the list, and some new-to-me sites that I'm excited to fall in love with too.
Check them out!
