Thursday, May 17, 2012

A Little Follow Up on an Old Q&A Question





Today I just have a quick post, because I have spent a good part of the last three days dealing with Verizon.
I set my parents up with a Verizon triple play on Tuesday, and the only thing I haven't had trouble with is the TV.
I have spent 
HOURS
on the phone getting their email set up, their phone voice mail deactivated, and the internet 
STILL
isn't working.
ARG!!ARG!!ARG!!ARG!!ARG!!
etc.etc.etc.
And to top it all off.......
My mother can't figure out how to use the TV remote control!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ah, technology!
Of course, if it weren't for technology, I wouldn't be able to be griping to you guys right now......

So, today, I got a letter from Betsy Duggan.
In January she had asked a question regarding the hallway to her master bedroom.
She wrote:

Hi AGAIN, 
......we moved in a short time ago and I am super excited to have a first floor master bedroom !  My problem is I am stumped by this narrow hallway and what to do with it?  At first I thought maybe some shallow bookcases on one side, but Big Daddy is so finished with updating and spending on this new-old house.....new windows, floors, trim, doors, bathrooms, hardware, etc....

My brains are fried at this point and would love a pro like you to make the decorating call so I can order some white matchstick blinds, slip covers and call it a day !!!

Thanks for the help if you can !  I am crossing my fingers you choose my question !!!

:) Another Betsy


And my answer was.....
I can't tell how wide the hallway is.....
But if it's 36" or less, you really shouldn't put anything in it to make it a smaller passageway.
With that being said......
I always break my rules.
In my Watertown cottage, I had a long narrow hall, although I believe it is a little wider than yours. 
BUT
I squashed a chest against the wall.

photo by Eric Roth for House Beautiful Magazine

I know, what a useless picture.
You can't tell the chest is in a narrow hall.
Well...
TAKE MY WORD FOR IT!!!!!
It is.
So this is what I would do in your hall.....

This is a picture of the bedroom in my old West Palm Beach bungalow 
(not the house I live in; I sold this little house)

Put a narrow piece of furniture like this, and then hang a bunch of #$#% over it.
It will make the space feel cozy, without making it too narrow.
I love these quirky little bookcases. 
They are visually interesting and give you another surface to put moreSTUFF on!!!!!

Ballard Design has this one.
Librarie Bookshelf
They used to have one that looked a lot like mine in the picture above, but this next photo is what they are selling now. Not my favorite.


However..........
It is narrow, 14"d, so it might work for you.
It comes in a rubbed white finish.
Orrrrr.......
Do what I did, go junk shopping and check on ebay, maybe you'll find an old one.
Amy Chalmers told me you used Susy to decorate your house. She and I won Traditional Home Magazine design awards the same year.
If you can afford her, have the damn thing built to any style you want!!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, she completely ignored my advice, and put a table in the hall that was deeper than the 14", so now there looks like there's not enough room to get by, but she was kind enough to send me a picture.
SHE IS THE FIRST ONE TO GET FREE ADVICE AND SEND ME A FOLLOW UP PICTURE!!!!!
YIPPEE!!!!!
She wrote me and said:
Hi Betsy! Thought you might like to see what I did to the wall in my bedroom hall. I will send another photo because i cant figure out how to send more than one at a time haha - i did try your bookshelf idea but since i had this table in storage - i tried it and liked it. Do you like how it turned out ? I know i still have to work on my opposite wall ! Thanks so much !! Hugs Betsy Duggan

So, Betsy Duggan, the table is lovely, and thanks for the follow up!!!!
I see you saved some of the blue opalescent drops that you gave
 Amy Chalmers!!!!!
They be geeorgous!!!

For an ending my friend and bidness partner, Kris, suggested:
It's Bean Fun!!
(I'm not sure about that)

Sooooooo
Later Gator!
Photobucket

5 comments:

Amy Chalmers said...

Hi two Betsys~I think the table looks nice, but what I was really looking at was the lamp...it appears the other Betsy electrified one of those Italian style candlesticks with the heavy gilded metal and marble base...cuz I just got a nice pair at auction and brought them to the shop today...guessing prisms were switched out? How great it looks! I'll post a pic of the pair I have and other B, tell me if that's what u did!

Anonymous said...

HI Ladies !!! I can't believe you posted that Bets !! Betsy I did try the book shelf honest ! My hall is about 50 inches I think, Big is sleeping already so I can't measure. The table is about 18" at its deepest and the top can come off so I thought about putting a more narrow top on it ? Do you think it looks tooo big ?? I still plan to add a couple things on the wall. AMY my darling I bought that lamp at a cute lighting store here in Hinsdale the cord is wired to the back. I just LOVE it !! It had no drops at all though so I added some from a chandelier I had believe it or not I have a few of those puppies...saving them for my new kitchen one of these days...Love your new shop wish I could do the Annie workshop !!! xoxo the other Betsy

Amy said...

Betsy, not sure if my first comment went through, but I think you should end your Mass posts with

Latah Gatah!

Kat's Purrfect Boutique said...

This is starting to look like a party-line phone call. Betsy S' bookshelf and Betsy's table looks great in the hallway. I love the half tables like hers. Both Amy & Betsy's candle sticks look amazing. I totally love Betsy S' home in Florida.

Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage said...

I totally understand trying to use what you have on hand - as Betsy did with the demilune table. However, the thing I liked about your idea is the filling of the blank wall space leading into the bedroom. But then, tastes are as diverse as the people who have them. ;)

Liz @ The Brambleberry Cottage

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