The table. A place for gathering, for lighting the candles; for slow time and the breaking of bread; for sharing the events of our days. A place for a vessel of water holding the wild cut from the riverbank just down the road.
And even though there’s not a room for dining here in this house, there is most definitely a place for it. And that place is tucked into a recess under the dining window. There, a built-in banquette serves as seating, storage (it holds larger kitchen items such as the popcorn popper, slow cooker, Dutch oven, and table linens), and a place for lounging with a book at the table’s side. It can hold as many as four young boys across, and truly maximizes a minimum amount of space. Chairs flank the table’s other three sides, and more can be gathered from around the house when guests arrive.
A vintage brass pendant, dating from 1913 (scored at our local ReStore for $20), drops down from the dormer and an antique bentwood coat rack holds hats, coats, and bags near the front door.
Layers and texture are two of the hallmarks of a well-designed room. It seemed best to apply these elements in subtle ways in this small house, like through fabrics such as this burlap on the banquette pillows. Burlap has a wonderful raw weave and the natural color suits a relaxed atmosphere and dirty boy hands. Grin.
The table is only a few steps away from the kitchen, so it often sees the rolling of pizza dough, the cooling of cookies, and in fall, the popping of apple butter lids. It’s the ‘kitchen island’ that isn’t.
Every tabletop is an opportunity, and recently, ours has held this giant footed vase with a variety of different things inside, depending on what was in bloom. It has just-budding branches here in this shot (which opened to bright green leaves and dainty white blossoms). Soon after, it held a mass of lavender lilacs. I’ve also thought of this very same vase as a terrarium for tiny plants, or maybe it will one day hold a flotilla of flower blossoms.
But right now?
Right now, I glance over and see, there’s a mound of lemons inside.
Updated: Next in the home tour here.
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