French Toile Room
Today I’m showing you a small change to this French toile room and talking about connections.
First let’s talk about the changes to the room. Here are the lamps that were in here. Yes I bought the lamps, but later felt they didn’t really work for what I was trying to do. But my daughter loved them. So I put them in her room.
Finally one of them stopped working, so she needed new lamps. YAY!!!
So I bought new lamps for the dining room. Stick with me, it’s going to make sense. I put the new lamps in the dining room, CLICK HERE.
The dining room lamps went back to the living room, CLICK HERE.
The living room lamps went in my bedroom, CLICK HERE.
And the lamps in my room came in here. Sometimes I buy lamps for a space, but they don’t really work there, so I switch them out with lamps in another room. Yes I definitely make mistakes, but I don’t worry about the mistakes, because usually there’s an easy fix.
There are two reasons I did that. One reason is that you can buy one set of lamps and get ‘new’ lamps for four rooms. The other reason was that I wanted taller lamps for the dining room. But when I moved the lamps around, I realized the lamps from the dining room were too short for this room. And the lamps (the ones below) were really a bit tall for my bedroom. So, now it’s all sorted out. All of that to say, it’s hard to get lamps that you love that are also the right height and visual weight for the room.
Yes I know the lampshade is not straight. I didn’t notice it until too late. These are Aidan Gray lamps. Also notice that I scaled back on all of the toile. I used to have 4 toile pillows on the bed. See below a photo of the bedding from about 6 years ago.
I like the toile better punctuated with the white pillows and the white pom pom quilt at the foot of the bed. I would still consider it a French toile room, but not with a lot of white thrown in.
Okay so now onto the connections part. I’m joining the By Invitation Only blogger group today and the theme is connections.
So I’m showing my daughter’s room, because sometimes we hang out in here. We have a wonderful connection that really is special. We are very close and love to do things together. Whether it’s going for coffee, or pedicures or watching Gilmore Girls we love to hang out together.
As you might guess we don’t always get along. I found an old note Evie wrote me when she was a wee thing. It said, “I know you love me even when you are mad at me.” So true! I remember explaining to her when she was very little that I would love her no matter what she did because she is my daughter. I might be disappointed by some choices, but my love would always be there. If you are a mom, then you know, because you probably feel the same way. I’m not sure children understand that if we don’t spell it out sometimes.
I also remember the first time she told me that I had ruined her life. I remember saying “Good. Then my work here is done.” I smiled and walked away. I figure if she never got mad at me, then I wasn’t doing my job right. Now she’s 21, and a senior in college! She lives at home, so we still get to hang out a lot. But I know the time is coming when she’ll move out and I’ll miss these times so much.
Listen to the latest episode of Decorating Tips and Tricks.
EPISODE 125 HOW TO THROW THE BEST POTLUCK PARTY
Head over to Daily Plate of Crazy to see the other posts.
I find toile both cozy and elegant. An irresistible combination, and a classic. These examples are beautiful, and the colors are dreamy.
How lovely that you and your daughter share so much …… our son and daughter live in their own homes now and have children and partners to hang out with but it’s still lovely when they all come over …. it’s a connection never lost. A brilliant take on our BIO subject this month. XXXX
There is nothing quite like that mother/daughter connection. Since we do our blog together it’s the greatest way to stay connected even living 5 hours apart. Happy Tuesday!
Love the changes in Evie’s room…..and funny how to look back upon those little “discussions” and smile. I too have saved those Dear Mom and Dad letters. Love seeing the lamp swaps…Evie’s room looks so beautiful..of course, as she has a resident decorator! Always envied the mother/daughter relationship. Maybe that is why I treasure the relationship with my granddaughter….Have a great week Anita.
I LOVE toile and I love your bedroom! I own the 2 ceramic dogs..found them at an antique store many years ago.. I LOVE lamps too and move mine around too..! Your home is lovely!
I always love seeing how Evie’s room has changed over the years, maturing, much as she has. I like the addition of white to the toile bedding. It breaks up all the toile that was going on before and gives it a more finished look. I think I’ve enjoyed her Soft Surroundings side tables as much as she has! The lamps are perfect in her room, even though the others were “like paradise” to her. Thanks for another peek.
Anita – It’s such a pretty room! I’ve always admired it. Your lucky daughter!!
Celia
My mantra is to BUY WHAT YOU LOVE, you’ll find a place for it…eventually!!
I love toile and have it in my guest bedroom. It is red.
THIS is my very FAVORITE toile pattern. I have pillows made from it but seeing it made up into a bed cover is amazing!! It is so beautiful. I move lamps around as well. Sometimes they seem to be overlooked… Thanks for this lovely post!
I will always have toile somewhere in my home. My latest was a bedding set for a grand baby ( the pack ‘n play). I love it so much, thank you for showing it. Love your ideas too Anita!! Happy Thanksgiving by the way, we finally moved into our new condo and have tons of boxes to unpack!!!
Love your bedspreads…do you make them or have someone make them?
Lisa, sometimes I make them. This one I definitely made. Hugs to you.
The pillows look so much better with the white mixed in. Really makes the toile one stand out.
Love your ‘connections’ story, Anita. My daughter (24, married and pregnant with her second) just yesterday, posted this on FB to my timeline, “Do U ever just realize that your mom is a living breathing angel and feel really bad for being mean to her when you were 15 :’-( ” And she said, “Always (hearts and kiss emoticons). ” So thankful that my daughter and I can call each other ‘best friends’ now. 🙂
Thanks for the post, Anita… love the pops of white that you added!
Sorry, I lost you on the lamp shuffle…not to sorry. I move mine all the time without any justification. LOL. I love your mother-daughter story. Keep sharing with us!
Anita…I love the look in Evie’s room both before and after the change. Do you, by any chance, have a link for the toile bedspread…or did you make it?
Beautifully done Thank you for sharing
Love your mother/daughter story, Anita, and Evie’s room! You made me remember one of my favorite mother/daughter stories. My husband died suddenly at 46 years old. The oldest of our five children (a son) was newly married at the time, the three girls each lived on their own, and the youngest, another son, was a junior in high school (we had our children at a very young age!), and was the only one living at home with me. About a year after losing her dad, one of my daughters decided to move back home to save up for a down payment on her own home. We were all deep in grief and trying to find our way in this “new normal”. One day we were both so depressed, we sat in her bed all day watching one Lifetime Movie after another, never getting out of our pajamas. Those movies are depressing!!! But, then, a firetruck went by our house, and then another, and another. All of a sudden we were energized, and while still in our pajamas, we jumped in one of our cars and tried to find out where the fire engines were going. We laughed so hard at ourselves, and hoped we didn’t get stopped by anybody–we were a mess! But, it has always been a memory the two of us have shared–being in the “same place”, together, and ending up laughing in the midst of our sorrow. Joy in the midst of sorrow. ( Thank you, Lord). I look forward to your posts, Anita. Really.
What a lovely story Meg! I so much appreciate you taking your time to write me such a lovely note. Blessings to you. And that is so sad. Your husband was so young. Glad you have your daughter.
I love daughter stories! My daughter is now 34 and we certainly had our moments. However, I now look to her for guidance. She is wise beyond her years. As far as your decor goes, I find the older I get less is more. My bed used to be crowded with pillows as well. The toile is timeless and lovely.
Thanks Cindy!!! Wise words.
I love toile. Growing up our house was a very old Victorian style home in Queens, NY. It had 3 stories with this great staircase that you could look up from the first floor and see all the way to the top floor. Along the walls there was beautiful molding that my mother put toile wallpaper in At first my sister and I used to make fun of the “people” in the wallpaper but we both grew to love it! Your rooms are beautiful!