The tin ting
So, we just bought a new house to test out a theory. Could I truly make myself feel whole and fulfilled by maximizing the awesomeness of my nest, “we” asked? Could I collect enough shiny things and blue scrunchies to decorate my nest and impress others like a Bowerbird, or perhaps even just myself, to feel like I had finally won at human-ing? Clearly the answer is yes, because there is a blog. But just to up things a notch, we decided to buy an ugly, post-war triplex that we, as completely un-useful and non-handy human beings, would convert into a supercute pinterest dreamhome. Correction: me. My husband just wants a room he can hide his reeking hockey gloves in without the shrill judgement of a shrew-wife.
Clearly such a dream must begin with the kitchen island, a-doy. And where else would a lady look for such things except for the obscure Floridian internet? Nowhere. Don’t be looking for that anywhere else. You’re wasting your time. Is it nearly exactly the same at your local Home Depot? Well, don’t bother. At Home Depot you can return things that are affordable in the first place. Online Floridian shops are like an arranged marriage between drunk you browsing online and some absurdly shiny navy blue tile that seemed to looked whimisically French at the time but now you feel that “til death do you part” resentment for.
The point is I bought some way too shiny, navy blue tin I convinced a contractor to glue to my kitchen island and that I decided to paint, to cover up the horror of my poor choices. But then I realized I also sucked at painting and so pretended it was on purpose and gave it an aged tin effect.
My main inspiration for this was a local Montreal decor shop called VdeV and their main front counter that I cannot find a decent picture of anywhere online. I crouched by their counter one day to try to get a good shot, but instead I got a shot of an unimpressed French shop girl, so I promptly skulked away. Another local restaurant named Larry’s also danged on some tin tiles for their decoration. What I’m most impressed with is they somehow managed to steal the tin design ideas I had in my head before I even had them, then transformed them into a successful reality. Come to think of it, I am just going to repaint my tiles to the Larry’s colour and steal the painting they have on the wall and perhaps just one stool. It was my idea anyway, they just had it first. Just a technicality really.
Here is the result and below are more examples of what I wished I had been able to achieve. But, alas, I am merely an overly optimistic human who is frequently pleasantly toasted when online shopping, so may your eyes and hearts be forgiving.
Enjoy!
Here is the before:
Here is the after, take 1:
Yes, those are dishes in my sink and my daughter feeling pretty pleased with herself for almost successfully taking her pants off. That is seconds before she tripped and fell onto her face. I am an excellent mother.
The after, take 2:
This is the newer more “Larried” version I realized I actually wanted to achieve after first posting about it. I was unfortunately unable to steal a chair or painting from Larry’s for the complete look.
The inspiration:
