A bar cart is the best cart

Uh, SCORE!!

I decided I had to have a bar cart after seeing a few pictures of them in living rooms, hit up Kijiji (just like Craiglist) and immediately found this amazing cart. 

 

 It was listed as "vintage bar cart", and was priced at $45. I ended up getting it for $40 because one of the wheels had fallen off. I quickly fixed it with a new pin.

I put it at the end of our couch, where it now acts as part end table, and part boozy vehicle.

I've stored some overflow Perrier, mixing tools, ice bucket and a handy whiskey reference guide on the bottom shelf. One day I'll probably use the area to display some of my nicer glasses, but right now I have a toddler, so...

 I love the detailing on this cart.

 

I love that it's such a unique replacement for a regular end table.

Definitely the best second hand thing I've ever found.

Bar cart mania

I'm so completely obsessed with bar carts and realized that I need to own one urgently.

My obsession started when I saw this picture while I was browsing sugarandcloth.com (which I also just discovered):

It's a gorgeous bar cart for sale for $515 on http://www.shopsocietysocial.com. They obviously don't ship to Canada. I love the idea of using a bar cart as a side table in our living room. Currently we have two matching end tables, and I really want to break up the set so it's not so matchy. And since our dining room is adjacent to our living room, and we like to drink, why not throw a bar cart into the mix?

http://taylormadeinteriors.blogspot.ca/2011/11/ever-elegant-bar-cart.html (not sure what the original source is, sorry!)

Ballard has one for $349, plus probably $1000 for shipping and duties.

Obviously a good bar cart is on wheels, I love the big wheel on this one:

http://maison21.blogspot.ca/2009/12/holiday-cheers-junque-whisperer-brings.html

So off I go on a feverish Craiglist hunt - and don't I hit gold on the first try??

THAT NEVER HAPPENS TO ME.

I should buy a lottery ticket. I emailed the seller and she has promised to hold it for me until Friday since she's pretty far away and that's the soonest I can get out there. I know how the Craiglist world works though and there's always the risk another buyer will steal it from me.

If all the stars align, and I can make this CL bar cart mine this Friday, it's going to go right here at the end of the couch:

Sorry - iPhone photo. I was too excited to take a real picture.

REALLY EXCITED!!EXCLAMATION POINT!!!

I'll be back on Friday with a post about my (cross fingers) new bar cart!! And also how much I paid.

A peek in my closet

I'm always obsessed with looking in other people's closets. A favourite pastime of mine is watching closet tours on You Tube, dying a little at how big some people's closets are and secretly hating them because they have nicer things than me. While I haven't painted the closet yet (still beige!) and there's still a boob light on the ceiling that I won't bore you with, I still wanted to give a little peek inside our closet. Let's call this the "before".

This is one side - the door opens inward, and just about touches the shoe rack on the left side.  The shoe rack is quite large, with 8 racks that can fit 3-4 pairs of shoes on each rack. I don't love the wire "rack" look of it, not to mention it's tricky to store shoes with heels on it, but it doesn't bother me enough to change it. I don't wear 80% of my shoes anymore, since I'm a stay at home mom and my days consist of going to the park, play dates and the gym. Anyways, this whole side, and the back wall is all mine.

In the cubbies I keep my jeans, shorts, heavy sweaters in the winter and my handbags. I used to have a lot more handbags but they were all stolen :( So it looks a little sad and empty.  (I talked more about that here).

And then on the ride hand side, I also have some more space for my dresses. Husband has the rest of the space (all the cubby space you see and two levels of rack for his shirts - which you can't really see. 

As I'm looking at these pictures I realize our folding skills could use some work. 

This is one of my cubbies where I keep my pretty clutches and some jewellery. The little handbag hanging on the wall is vintage and belonged to my grandmother. Luckily it was still at my parents house until recently so it wasn't stolen. The white clutch (from BCBG in case anyone is wondering, haha) and the python print bag (Michael Kors outlet) were recent acquisitions using my insurance settlement. The black bag in the middle is a favourite Kade Spade of mine that the thieves somehow missed (or maybe it wasn't their style! Zing!).

I bought this print from an Etsy shop called I See Noise. It's so pretty plus the artist is Canadian (big up Canada!!). I picked up the frame at Home Sense. I made the necklace.

This is one of my favourite candles - Havana by Tocca. I don't burn it because I love it so much I don't want it to finish plus I find it gives off a good amount of scent just sitting there. I can't really describe the scent - musky? I don't know.(update: just checked the Tocca website and it's described as having notes of sugarcane and rum. So it smells boozy. That's why I like it.)

One day I'm going to have to just man up and empty out the closet for painting but I just can't face it. I need a pep talk. I also want to get a pretty light fixture and some nice boxes or containers (the clear containers, while useful are fugly and oversized).

Hope you skimmed through with marginal interest enjoyed my closet tour!

Canadian shopping rant

Home furnishings and decor shopping in Canada is extremely difficult, in my opinion. Unless of course you have buckets of money and nothing else to spend it on. Oh, how I would love to waltz into Elte, Studio B or Ethan Allen and pick out whatever I like! These places have absolutely gorgeous pieces and I have no doubt in my mind that the quality and craftsmanship (blah blah blah) is amazing but the prices are astronomical.

Commencing photographic rant.

I'm trying to find a banquette/settee for our eat-in kitchen, photo here:

Currently I have a temporary Ikea table and chairs for us to eat at but my long term plan is to make a cozier more inviting space, with a slightly larger table. Something like this:

Source: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/

Or this:

http://pinkwallpaper.blogspot.ca/ Ignoring the table, I love the banquette style.

To do this I need to find a comfortable, reasonably priced banquette, somewhere north of the 49th parallel. So I visit websites and fire off emails to various furniture purveyors in my city (this is much easier than visiting said purveyors because I live in Toronto and driving across the city in our horrible traffic to some store just to walk out empty handed is my own personal hell). I'll show you these two options as an example:

The Ettiquette Banquette at Studio B. 

Source: http://www.studiobhome.com/site.html#/browse-by-item

 My heart leaped when I saw this banquette. LEAPED right out of my damn chest. That's not the fabric I want (although it's really nice!) but this is the perfect banquette to me. I love it. Except the base price is $3745. What the what??! Ok moving right along.

I found this one at Barrymore:

Source: http://www.barrymorefurniture.com

Also lovely. For $2360, starting. Yes, a way better price. And yes, it's going to be something I would have for a long time. We're not at the stage where we need to buy Ikea furniture anymore (although I do and I like it and it has it's place). But still, I can't help but think I should be able to find something like this for the less horrific price of around $1500. Even $1800? I mean really. If I lived in the USA, I could have any one of these options (found in under 5 minutes):

Target $239.99. How is that even possible? For that price I could reupholster it and still be getting a deal.

Joss and Main. $1191.95. DO NOT get me started on Joss and Main. I would have the cutest house ever if only they delivered to Canada.

Amazon US. $592.99

Ballard designs $1369

Hold the phone!! I just noticed on Ballard's website, which I haven't been to in a while since I knew they didn't ship to Canada and now it says they do! This is exciting news!! I'll have to get back to you about how much they want to extort charge me for shipping. Not to mention I'd have to factor in what those crooks at Canada Customs would like to take from me.

Americans have SO many more options when it comes to home furnishings. Yes there are 100x as many people in the US. I understand the economics of it but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Hmph.

If I lived in the US, my entire house would be currently filled to the rafters with amazing stuff, all at 75% less then you could find it here, and it all would have been purchased online and delivered FREE OF CHARGE.

And nope, I'm not being the slightest bit dramatic or exaggerative.

I will say though, that I no longer feel jilted when it comes to fashion, especially on-line. There are so many great websites where I can buy any brand my little heart desires, there is hardly any need to go to Buffalo any more! Sorry Buffalo!