my newly-decorated living room: part one

Yes, you read that right ... part one! There's so much to show and tell about, I really have no choice but to make this at least 2, maybe three posts!


My sweet mama came to see me this weekend, and we had SO much fun getting my new little townhouse all spiffed up. She treated me to a new rug, houseplants, patio furniture, some adorable beachy pillows, and ... this:

Did your heart just skip a beat? Because mine does every time I look at it! It's a portrait painting by Stanislav Rembski. He painted F.D.R, Eleanor Roosevelt, and (ironically) one of the old professors from Ole Miss ... the school in the south where my husband and I met and fell in love:) My mother and I didn't know any of this when we spotted it at the Ocean Beach antique fair, though. We just fell in love with how her hair was in a flapper-esque bob, her cute and mischievous smile, and the fact that she matched my house perfectly! I've been collecting house wares in turquoise, pink and red since I started registering for wedding gifts almost 3 years ago, and to look at our house now, you'd think it was decorated to match this adorable painting, because she fits in so perfectly.

There's no need to go on about how much I love early-to-mid 20th century portraits. I've gone on and on and on about them already on this blog! This one was painted in 1921. I ADORE the 20's, it's my favorite decade, so that makes it even more fun to own. I'd give anything to know more about this cute lady. She must have been very stylish, she's already sporting the long-waisted, low-hipped, minimal-bust-line look that was so popular throughout the 20's. 

Here she is enjoying her new home. My mama and I think she looks like a Mitzie. What do you think? Mitzie is an old-fashioned nickname for the name Miriam, and I can just imagine her at a fabulous 1920's party, introducing herself saying "Hello, I'm Miriam, but my friends call me Mitzie":)


If those chairs look familiar, then you are a faithful white waxflower reader! I first started working on this project just after Christmas! You can read about it here, but this is the original chair ... the one on the left:

We un-upholstered it a few weeks after Christmas, and I was all set to re-cover it when I started thinking that it really needed a mate. I just couldn't think of anywhere where it would look cute all by itself. I held on to it, in it's un-upholstered state, until just a few days ago. I was browsing Craigslist ads, and found this chair for sale for only $50 (but we ended up getting it for $35!)

We bought it from a lady who said it belonged to her mother, who is still living at 104 years old! I was thrilled to finally have a buddy for my other chair, and got to work painting and upholstering them both. It was by far the most difficult thing I've upholstered, and the seat of the one on the left actually needs to be re-done, but I'm pretty proud of how they turned out:)


Come back tomorrow for the living room: part two! It includes homemade shelves and a captain's bench!