Jenny Komenda

Dining Room Option Three…Inspiration from T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings

Did you like geometry in high school? Algebra was OK and I hated its big brother calculus, but I sure did love geometry. Cue one of my favorite shapes – the octagon. Symmetrical like a square, but with none of its hard-edged pointy-ness, fluid like a circle, but with more structure, it is a dynamic shape for a square dining room. The Coliseum table by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings for Widdicomb has long been one of my favorite pieces of vintage furniture out there. Robsjohn-Gibbings was one of the foremost mid-century designers and taste makers whose influence is still felt today – klismos chairs anyone? Sightings of this table are rare and it is best known in the blogosphere from Dara Caponigro’s dining room featured in Domino: The Book of Decorating. (It seems very apropos to type that today as the relaunch of Domino Magazine was announced yesterday!)

Another geometric love – the arch! Gracious and welcoming, that half circle is reminiscent of everything I love about ancient architecture. Basically I chose the house here because I loved its arched pass throughs and windows. How ideal would the table be for this space!

Its combination of looks and functionality is ideal. The modern but classic lines make it work in every kind of decor. It seats 4 without being awkward and can seat 8 without even adding a table leaf. But it does have them, allowing for expansion to seat at least 12. Thanksgiving anyone?

It is rare and hard to find, being from Robsjohn-Gibbings’ final Widdicomb collection, and extremely expensive when you do find it. This one below is available on 1stdibs for $18,000. Which brings up the question how would I ever get one? And here to boot? Well, I have heard from numerous sources here that there are some craftsmen here in Doha that make furniture for very reasonable prices. Perhaps this is an opportunity to make my dream table?

Other sources of inspirations confirm my love of these motifs. When I was in England this summer I drooled over this E.W. Godwin Japanese inspired ebonized table at the Victoria & Albert Museum. It’s a circle, but it has those lovely arches in the base.

It reminded me of the other octagonal table I’ve had saved in my inspiration folder – this very precise and also Asian influenced one by Ralph Rucci. Love the brass feet on both tables!

I’m not the only one to love this look. Jenny at LGN created her own version of the Robsjohn-Gibbings table by pushing together two unusually shaped demilunes.

And in another crazy fabulous room from Susan Hable Smith (remember her living room here) she combines an antique table with both a marble top and arches in the base with vivid colors and patterns.

In all three of these last posts I have been neglecting the entire conversation around what chairs as the table, while difficult, seems like the easy part in comparison. My fantasy chairs are painted white-ish, a bit classical, a bit Scandinavian,

…a bit Hollywood Regency with a bold colored seat…

…perhaps even a bit 1930s Francis Elkins. These are sold on 1stdibs but could have been perfect, upholstery color and all.

I’d even be happy with simple oval backed Louis chairs like Dana’s in the top photo. Or maybe the perfect chair would be a klismos? The exact version all depends on the table choice.

So I’d love to hear from all of you. Of the three choices, which do you like best? Why? Should I combine elements of different schemes or have you got other suggestions? The truth is there is much timing, practicality and possibly some impossibility at play here that will require compromise, but let’s see where I can go with this.

Oct 4, 2013 By tokyojinja in Doha Move, Furniture, Interior Design 8 Comments Tags: arches, Dana Caponigro, dining chairs, dining room, dining table, Domino, Domino magazine, E.W. Godwin, Jenny Komenda, octagon, octagonal table, Ralph Rucci, Susan Hable Smith, T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings

Ingenious Repurposing…Unusual Kitchen Islands and Printers Drawers

The only big house project that looms on my horizon is renovating the kitchen here in Ocean Grove. Always an expensive proposition, I don’t want to undertake it lightly. Basically everything has to go – flooring (bad yellowish linoleum), appliances (almond!), and cabinets (1970s) – but I want to replace them with things that feel both special and as if they might have always been here. The key to it all is coming up with a special island that is not from a kitchen cabinet company, whether it be a baking table or my favorite, some kind of repurposed item.

I am not sure what the island in this Swedish kitchen is made from, but I love it and the whole room.

A friend across the street uses an old butcher block that belonged to her grandfather as a small island, much like the one in the photo below.

On the right side of Rachel Ashwell‘s Malibu kitchen, she uses some sort of old counter or bar as an island, with baskets holding supplies on a lower shelf.

Speaking of shabby chic, this painted work table is another favorite.

Striking a completely different note, Darryl Carter‘s kitchen with its gorgeous marble-topped antique table is to die for, although clearly a bit too formal for a beach cottage.

I do love a marble topped island though…The DIY master, Jenny Komenda at Little Green Notebook, has used an old dresser and the marble top from a vintage coffee table to make one of the most stylish (and inexpensive) repurposed islands I have seen. Check out her other recent projects, including the most amazing reupholstery tutorial here.

In my ongoing hunt to complete my house, I spent a full day up at the antique stores in Red Bank, NJ. There are numerous multi-dealer shops with great merchandise, and I’ll be doing a full “Shop Talk” post on them soon. At Monmouth Antiques Shoppes I saw this red industrial cart which would make a funky but functional island.

And while surfing, I did notice this great desk turned island over at Remodeleze.

But the piece I have been obsessing over is this vintage printer’s table currently on eBay. It has an amazing thick slab of a marble top and a few shelves and cubbies. It even still has its original letter drawers!

I think it would be perfect in creating a kitchen with the feel of Kristen Buckingham’s, but no matter how many times I measure, it is just too big. Unlike her huge beauty, my entire kitchen is only about 9 x 12…

And speaking of the printer drawers, I saw them everywhere at the Point Pleasant and Red Bank antique shops. They have always charmed me, but have really come to my attention of late.

My friend Jamie Edwards, a former Tokyoite, is making these adorable display cases for children from vintage printer drawers, lined with washi paper and custom colored to suit your decor. You can find her EllaBeanBoxes on Etsy.

And another friend mentioned that her mom uses one flat in the narrow top dresser drawer to store jewelry. I found this photo of a great storage solution in my files too.

Ingenious, no?

Image credits:1 & 2. credit unknown, 3. via Cote de Texas, 4.via Elements of Style, 5.Elle Decor May 2008, photo credit: Simon Upton, 6. via Little Green Notebook, 7. via Remodeleze, 8, 11-14. me, 9. via eBay, 10. Elle Decor March 2009, photo credit: Simon Upton, 15-16 EllaBeanBoxes via Etsy, 17. credit unknown.

Jun 30, 2011 By tokyojinja in Interior Design, Renovation and Decoration Report 10 Comments Tags: Darryl Carter, display cases, EllaBeanBoxes, Jenny Komenda, kitchen islands, kitchen remodel, Kristen Buckingham, printer's drawers, Rachel Ashwell, repurposing