A small decorating saga has been playing out in this living room corner for the past couple of years. If you recall, shortly after we moved into this house, I arranged these plates and antlers on the wall in the style of James Farmer. It’s one of my favorite decorating “moments” in the house.
When I painted the living room walls Card Room Green in November of 2023, I took everything down, patched the holes, and left it down through Christmas since we put up the tree in that corner. Once the Christmas tree was taken down, I excitedly put the dresser back in place and hung my plate & antler arrangement back on the wall. I quickly realized I hadn’t put the dresser back in the same place. It was pushed into the corner a bit more, so now the arrangement felt squished.
I got sidetracked with other projects and life and left it squished in the corner. I knew it would probably always bother me when I looked at it and I was right. It didn’t quite bother me enough to pull all of the nails out of the wall and start over.
When we moved the dresser to set up the Christmas tree this past holiday season, it was the perfect time to address it. I took everything down, and pulled all of the nails, knowing I could then put it all back in the right place when we took the tree down. I hung the fallow deer antlers (the largest ones) almost immediately, but I didn’t hang the rest until a few days ago. We had company coming over and it was a good incentive to get the stack of plates and antlers out of the guest room and back up on the wall.
Esmé was messing up my symmetry! It’s a small thing, just about a six-inch shift to the right, but it feels better than it did when it was too close to the corner.
Sometimes it’s the little things, those six-inches to the right, that make a big difference in a room.
15 Responses
You are right….I find myself making small adjustments here and there….just fussing a bit. All good.
Sift or shift?
I think you need to get smaller lamps.
Funny what a few inch difference can make. I saw the cutest plates at Target, the Chip and Johanna collection for spring. The cutest green and blue plates, just made me think of you and your color scheme…
I love the statue of the cat on the dresser-LOL.
Most people hang the art in their homes too high by a few inches and I always notice. I’m an interior painter so I look closely maybe in a way most people don’t. And I’m in a new house every other week so I see it a lot. If the client is open, I share about positioning items in a room to make it feel a bit better when the painting is done. It’s almost always a matter of inches, just as you say…
Oops, it wasn’t target, the cute blue and green dishes were on Magnolia’s site.
Looks beautiful but I agree with a previous comment…arrangement calls for smaller lamps or possibly a style with skinny brass legs and sawgrass shades.
One half inch off would bother me. It was definitely worth the effort to fill nail holes, paint and move everything. It looks so much better. James Farmer is one of my favorite designers. I love your interpretation!
I shall make no comment or suggestions about the lamps. That is your choice. But I agree about the 6 inch shift to the right. It’s the little things like that that nobody else notices that bring me mental peace in my home.
I love that you did that! You have such a great design eye, and I agree, those extra inches would be driving me crazy. You did James proud. Man, I just love his work. And frankly, I think your alabaster lamps are fabulous and the perfect size! It’s all so YOU and fabulous! Thanks for sharing your many talents with all of us.
Perfect!
Yes, looks perfect now!
Perfection, including the lamps!
Don’t know what I love most: the checkered chair, the pillow, the wall color, or THAT CAT! She’s just too adorable. I agree with Dena above–the wall is perfection.