Skirted Tables In Action

I've been slowly assembling my own house lately and with that comes scavenging for any photos that serve as useful inspiration. One of the things I love about my house is that it is small. And naturally the thing that also gives me the greatest frustration is that I'm fighting the limitations of space -- especially when it's my natural inclination to fill it up with STUFF. Isn't that what lovers of furniture and fabric need to do? 

I've been slowly assembling the sitting area of my little space and with getting closer to being "done" with that, I've been able to tackle the dining area bit by bit. Last weekend, I began sewing the fabric for what will be a skirted table with eventually, multiple options of dress. 

To fill you in on what I'm working with, my "dining" are and living room are one combined space, and truthfully, I'm being ambitious with cramming a dining table in. SO. Our solution? A skirted table that functions more as a place to set up my computer if I'm working from home or stack some books like a library table. Chairs around it all the time is just too much for the room, so those have a life in other places when not occupied... 

For now, I've started with a light brown and white ticking stripe. It's neutral while still bringing in some pattern and let's face it, the price was right. I needed seven yards and when I'm done I'll add some frogs like  the photo above (but farther down) so that it has a tailored look. I'm not into ruffles and folds for my own home, although it can be beuatiful. 

When I've got that skirt fully crossed off my list, I'm moving on to a cream linen (stain treated) that will get a Greek Key border. I love the option of changing out the two and I love how different they are.

In the process of narrowing down my options though, I'm always considering skirts like these:

This one is so simple, I love it. And it was the inspiration for how I'd like to use the table in more ways than just a place to host friends.

And a note about the actual table: Being hard to please, I took to my dad's woodshop and made it. I've made a few furniture pieces by now when I haven't been able to find what I'm looking for. Or when what I'm looking for is WAY out of my price range. For this table, I didn't want a standard round with leaves as my oval because I needed the gentle curve and immediate curve of an ellipse (to maximize space), rather than the straight sides that come with the former option. I also wanted the legs in very specific places so they didn't interfere with seating 6 people. While I'm not crazy about maple veneered plywood, it makes a great base for the table:

It's never a quick process when you're working on you own house -- all the options and lack of time, but slowly I'm getting things together. First dinner party is looming and sitting in front of these windows with a view to Lake Union is really wonderful now that it's sunny.

All the best,

Kate

If you would like help creating a home you love or are interested in purchasing to-the-trade items, contact us at kate@troveinteriors.com

*These photos and credits are available via my Pinterest. 

A Well Planned Guest Room

I'm still on my guest room kick. Having pulled together some of my favorites the other day, I thought it would be worth thinking about what it really is that goes in to a well thought-out guest room. I know that designers fall in to a class of people who are thought of as hard to please, and yes, maybe that's true. But really, design is about intention and attention (intention because everything should have a reason for being the way that it is & attention because life is lived in the details), so with those two things in mind we aren't such a hard group to channel.

For instance, we think about the way a room is used by those within it. In a living room, where will you put your glass? How far to the nearest outlet? I recently stayed in two hotel rooms with no outlets near the bed or outlets that were blocked by nightstands (what!?!). Explain to me how that works for travelers living and breathing by their cell phones?

So let's break it down.

A great looking bed frame: This is more for you than for your guests -- you deserve to have a room that looks great when you walk by and guests appreciate a finished space. It should be the focal point and always positioned directly across from the door (whenever possible) so it's the first thing you see. 

A well-made bed: With so many great options for sheets on the market, a great set is within reach. PB, Restoration, and West Elm are all great resources. Also, extra blankets nearby for people who run cold and a fan for people who run hot (and also need some white noise). 

Good lamps and nightstands: In this case, the nighstands function as dressers. Living out of a suitcase is sometimes unavoidable, but providing a way to make it more bearable is always appreciated. Being able to pull clothes out of a drawer makes you feel less frazzled and makes re-packing so much easier. 

A bench or chair: A place to put your shoes on is such a necessity. Full disclosure, I'm neurotic and hate sitting on a bed in street clothes, but I've surveyed people in the right company and found out I'm not alone... And this one here is an incredible price. 

Beside the bed: Flowers are a special touch and don't need to be fancy, but nothing makes a room that is ordinarily empty feel fresh and welcoming. It's also inevitable that when waking up in the morning at a good friend's house a hangover of some size is usually a problem... Water beside the bed in a carafe with a glass is always appreciated (as is a handy bottle of Tylenol). Also, something to read (even if it's your cast-offs it's probably new to them). I prefer magazines with great articles versus a book for short, but interesting, reading. Vanity Fair, Food & Wine and Details are all great and cover your bases. 

All the best,

Kate

These items are available through Trove Interiors -- For more information, contact us for help creating a beautiful home. 

Our Annual Sushi Party

The weekend before we left for Chicago, Brian and I hosted our annual sushi night with our good friends the Dengers. Brian and Mason have what I can only describe as an intense love-affair with sushi, which unfortunately, I don't share. BUT, I will say they do a pretty good job of convincing me once a year, because together they put together an insane night of food -- it's pure madness in the kitchen.

My contribution is getting the house ready for our group of friends and making sure the liquor cabinet is stocked and the table is laid. I don't know if I've kvetched about this year's Seattle summer (oh... I have?) but thankfully the party fell in the middle of a heat-wave and we ate outside. Not going to lie, a table for an Asian-themed dinner is probably not one that springs a ton of ideas to my mind without going over-the-top theme, so I kept it simple. I used potted Kale plants as my flowers and lit the table with lots of tea lights running the length of a long, extra-wide table. There are so many beautiful serving dishes that go along with sushi, that it didn't take much else.

And more than anything, it's a festive but casual night with friends, so no need to go crazy when the food is the star.

I could post so many pictures of food, but I know this isn't a food blog so I'll just show a few that I thought were particularly gorgeous -- Mason should seriously consider a second career as a chef, especially with his trusty sous chef (aka Brian).

Tuna Poke W/ Rice Chips

Torched Hamachi w/ Honey & Green Apple

Torched Salmon & Brown Sugar w/ Green Onion & Lemon

Mango Marinated in Coconut Milk w/ Radish Sprouts & King Crab