some decorating questions.

[etwahl]

1. how do you know the right height to hang a mirror or picture. i usually try and have my eyes look into the middle of the picture, but i don't know if that's correct height.

2. if you don't have china, what do you put in a china cabinet? i was considering starting a collection of cool "platters" and serving type dishes, but then they'd be all different and i don't know if that's cool. we have plain white dishes (that we keep in the cabinets) and no china. ideas?

3. what are some ideas for non-breakable things to put on end tables? decorative items?

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[bluej]

I think the platter collection is a great idea. I do have my china in a china cabinet, but I also have a hutch in the kitchen and on that I have part of my white porcelain teapot/coffee pot/tea cup, etc collection. My mom has white ironstone platters on her hutch w/ other ironstone stuff, but mostly platters. I think it's fine if your platters and serving pieces all end up different (I'm assuming you mean different patterns). I think that's fun. I like it when there's several different place settings on a table, it looks pretty to me. But then, I really like dishes, so the more different patterns to look at the better in my opinion! I know some people think EVERYTHING has to match, so I think it's a matter of personal opinion.

I'm no help w/ the other two as I have breakables all over the house and I'm not certain on the correct placement of pictures, I just hang them where they fit (usually eye level or a bit lower).

[alkagift]

Tammy,
I was always told that you divide your mirror or picture into imaginary thirds, and your eye should hit the line between the top third and the middle third. Does that make sense?

I have an old china cabinet in my living room that has a mirror on the back side and glass on the other sides. In it I have crystal, mostly, and glass--plates, vinegar cruet, cake stand, vases, sugar bowl & creamer, that kind of stuff. But I also have some native american figures (black pottery) and a vase, some pewter, a silver coffee set, a picture of my grandparents in a silver frame with my grandfather's pipe, and a chocolate pot my grandmother gave us for our wedding. I think you can put anything you want. I think platters are neat--if you do platters, maybe you can collect things that have a certain theme you like or that include some color you really like. That way they would be "linked" somehow.

On end tables, that's a problem. I have picture frames (which I guess you could take the glass out of or get plastic from a frame shop instead). I'm not as far along the babyproofing thing as you, so I don't know. Maybe you could put out things like wooden votive candleholders or baskets? I know Target sometimes has decorating stuff that includes grapevine balls, different sized baskets, etc. For Christmas I think I saw red silk roses in a silver metal vase there yesterday... I like having my end tables nearly empty anyway!

Allison
Mommy to Matthew, 5/19/03

[C99]

Pictures should be at or about eye-level. Of course, since we're all of varying heights, this means varying levels, but since you and Evan live there, they should be hung at a level that is comfortable for you both. Of course, you can always break the "rule" for effect, or if you have really tall ceilings.

I really like the cool platters idea -- I've been trying to come up with something cool that I can collect and display, too.

For non-breakable decorative items, what about things like decorative baskets -- filled with soft things or empty, books, photoalbums, etc.?

[elvisfan]

Yes, hang the pics at a level that you and Evan can appreciate! As fas as the china cabinet is concerned, I love your idea. I'm thinking of doing a similar thing with teapots instead of platters....With endtables...do you plan on having lamps on them? If so, you could choose ornate lamps and forgo extra decorations........

[votre_ami03]

#1 Eye level. Sounds like you have it.

#2 I don't have China either. I have these simple white dishes w/the fruit pattern (all white though) & the completer set (tea pot, pitcher, platters, tc.) displayed in my hutch. They are the same as my every day dish. Another collection I have is my Grandmother's old milk glass. Anything like that would work, it doesn't have to be expensive.

#3 Large chunky candles, books, small baskets. I have a large round candle w/a metal holder, large art books & a small wooden box (to hide the remotes). My son isn't at that stage yet, but I never had a problem w/my sis's kids when they were babies.


Christy & baby Nolan 7/22/03