I got a tulip table.
I could have started this post with any manner of clever sentences, stories or jokes but this is what's know as an auspicious occasion and it deserves the reverence reserved for such times in history. You'll notice I didn't even include an exclamation point at the end of my first sentence which obviously would have cheapened it.
I. Got. A. Tulip. Table.
Praise the baby Buddha.
From the outside, the past 15 years of my life have looked fulfilling and happy, albeit with a few planet-sized bumps along the way, but the truth is even though everything looked great I've been walking around with a ragged, empty spot in my soul. I had everything anyone could ever want, other than a tulip table.
Most people would argue that "things", material goods, can't make you happy and certainly can't feed your soul, and that's TRUE, unless it's something you really, really, really want and has been featured on the runaway hit Mad Men.
So why has it taken me 15 years to get a tulip table? Well. There are a few reasons for that including a shortage of either cash or space.
The Tulip Table is an iconic Midcentury Modern piece. It was designed by Finnish born, Michigan raised, Eero Saarinen in 1956 for Knoll furniture. 5 years later, Saarinen would die at the age of 51 during an operation for a brain tumour. His designs live on and are still being produced by Knoll exactly the same way in exactly the same proportions as Saarinen designed them 61 years ago.
Good design costs money. Good materials cost money. THAT is why a genuine marble topped tulip table from Knoll costs $3,000 U.S. (apx. $4,000 Canadian)
I did not get a genuine tulip table from Knoll. I got a knock off. But even knock offs are $2,000 for a 42', marble topped "Tulip Table" which I didn't want to pay if I didn't have to.
I originally wanted the table for my kitchen after borrowing my niece's tulip table for a photo shoot of my house with Style at Home magazine. I didn't find one for the price I wanted and time passed until I eventually redid my kitchen with the help of designer Carol Reed's e-design service and there was no room for any table at all.
But last November I redid my foyer and dining room and that resulted in 2 things; a) a fleeting romantic delusion about living in a condo, giving up doing stuff and instead spending my nights relaxing and posing my cats in famous scenes from the show FRIENDS ( "Turkey on the head" is first on the list) and b) acquiring enough room and the right spot for a tulip table.
4 months ago my mother spotted a tulip table at Homesense (Homegoods) for $1,100. Too much. I didn't want to pay it. My soul would have to survive all ragged and empty.
Just before Christmas I saw the same table, still at Homesense on sale for $900. Getting closer but it was Christmas and my pockets held only lint. Plus at 48" across the table was too big. I could technically fit it in my front hall but it would actually be too large for the space.
Fast forward to 2 weeks ago when I got a frantic phone call from Betty. The table was now stuck at the back of the store with a glorious, red clearance sticker on it. $349. For my marble topped tulip table.
I ran up there right away, I mean I can only be expected to have so much self control, and took a look. It had a bit of a ding on its base and the top had more than a few scratches. PERFECT. NOW I WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SCRATCHING IT MYSELF BECAUSE IT WAS ALREADY SCRATCHED!
There was still the issue of size though. Then it dawned on me that I could take the marble top to a marble place and have them cut it down to a better size for me. I wanted to take the top from 48" to 42" in diameter.
I made 6 phone calls and NO one would cut the top down for me. No one. Marble is soft and easily broken. Therefore most natural stone companies don't want to bother with what is both a small job and one that could end up costing them a lot of money if they ended up breaking the tabletop.
Finally on my 7th phone call I had success with a small natural stone store local to me. My new best friend Madison from Take Us For Granite was my saviour. Yes indeed, they would cut the marble down to size for me. That's often the difference between a huge company and a small family owned store. The family owned operations are usually more likely to do the small jobs that bigger companies won't bother with.
After meeting my mother up at Homesense and laying down the $350 for the table, we whisked it up to the guys at Take Us for Granite (my new favourite people in the world) where the son hauled it out of my mother's CRV and brought it into his father to get a price on cutting it down, and a timeline for how long it would take.
$400 and 7 days.
Just to be smart I asked how much it would cost to just buy a 42" piece of round Carrera marble. It would be $900, so cutting my piece down was definitely the way to go.
They duplicated the bullnose edge perfectly. You would never guess in a million years that this table top had ever been any other size.
The table top hadn't been affixed to the table properly to begin with so before I left Take Us for Granite they even gave me a tube of their construction grade silicone to re-adhere the top to the base when I got home.
I was so happy and after 6 other phone calls, so SURPRISED that Take Us for Granite would actually do the job for me and do it right away that I promised I'd tell the world about them and how great I think they are. Just like KellyAnne Conway did for Ivanka Trump's clothing line, only more legal.
So if you're in my general area and you need anything marble fixed or replaced or are looking for stone countertops or anything else granite/marble/Corian etc. related ... tell 'em Karen sent you.
Take Us for Granite, Take Us for Granite, Take Us for Granite.
O.K. That's all. Sorry ... I forgot to mention that Sam, the son, isn't shy about randomly whipping off his jacket to show you his flexed muscles if you want while you're up there, so there's that if you're into that sort of thing.
Now that I had my Tulip Table I could start decorating my foyer for real. I got it temporarily decorated a couple of months ago by way of putting the buffet in there.
But having the Tulip Table meant I could finally pull out these Midcentury Modern lamps that I've been storing in my basement for the past 15 years waiting for a time when I'd actually be able to incorporate them into my decorating.
That time has come.
Some of you like these lamps and some of you hate them. I get that. They're not for everyone. Only for those of you with exceptionally good taste. Just kidding. No I'm not.
My favourite thing about them is how they turn on and off. You slide the wood dowel in the centre of the lamp down and it pulls the brass chain that switches the light on or off.
I also wanted the room to feel less sophisticated than it was leaning towards with a white lacquer buffet, huge antique crystal chandelier and marble table. Soooo I added in as many natural and rustic elements as possible.
I kept my original stump table in the room. Added the lamps which although are Midcentury and sleek are also wood toned with grounding black shades. Displaying some oversized twigs, a really rustic wood bowl (with Ramones drum sticks in it), worn wood candlesticks and a vintage cow print I got the feeling I was hoping for. To bring a bit of colour over onto the buffet to pick up on the ferns on the table I added a multicoloured crayon too. You can see it the best a few photos up.
I still have a bit of layering to do and new wood shutters (hopefully) to make for the windows but the room is getting closer to what I envisioned. The one last thing I'd like to add in is a reading chair. My initial want was a copycat Eames lounger (more on that in Friday's post), but with already having the Midcentury lamps and the table, I'd probably rather go with something like a men's club chair. Something leather, worn and cracked in black or a caramel colour.
I found the lamps for $20 (if I remember correctly) at a flea market. I've seen them online for upwards of $700.
The shades are shades I found on some Ikea lamps I had in the basement and are probably temporary, buy for now they work.
So the table I've wanted for the past 15 years ended up costing $750 in the end. Not dirt cheap but buying it this way had 2 benefits. First of all, even at $750 the table was half the price of the cheapest knock off. And since I've wanted and adored it for 15 years I know it isn't a whim. It isn't something I'm going to get sick of in a few years.
Second of all, even if I COULD have found a tulip table on-line for the same price, this solution had a very important benefit. I had seen the table in person. Every piece of marble is different with its own personality. If I'd ordered the table online I wouldn't know what I was getting in terms of marble. I could have hated the pattern or colour variations in it.
One final thanks to Ross (the endearingly curmudgeonly owner), Sam (the flexing son) and Madison (the do everything gal) from Take Us for Granite for helping me out.
So after 15 years of pining, whining and waiting I finally got my Tulip Table.
And I also got something else.
Unlike the table, I only had him for the day. :)
Beth Lawton
Don't the kitties think that the multicolored crayon is theirs? We have adopted a whole new, spare decorating style now that we have a cat who prefers every single horizontal surface clear of any items, even those a lot bigger than he is. We call him "ThankYouKitty" so we don't spend the days hollering "F@#$ You Kitty" - but he's also totally deaf, so it doesn't matter what you holler!
Carrie Badger-Wallen
Just another reason I look forward to seeing what's next with you Karen! I had no idea what a tulip table was!! Its beautiful and its almost like it was waiting for you to snatch it up. (Good lookin out mom:) Love the lamps too. You got style girl! Whish I could decorate like that but we have 4 cats that chew on damn near EVERYTHING!!!!!
Keep doing what you're doing! Besides great ideas, you are one hilarious chick!
Now, let's get back to this Sam..................😁😁
Franniecanary
This brings me joy.
I love the lamps.
And the doggie.
But they will eventually pee pee on white rugs. Ask me how I know this.
Shelly
I've always wanted a tulip table but I'm holding out for a marble top one too. Can't wait to hear the new pups name!
Grammy
The room is perfect now. Beautiful. Every time you show new pictures I'm reminded of what a huge improvement you made when you painted your woodwork white. All your lovely artsy artifacts look so good without the competition of the older dark wood on the walls. The tulip table is just exactly right, too.
Grammy
P.S. Only you would pose your Wellingtons so fetchingly for a spot in the background. Nice.
Teri
so, make me scroll through all the photos to see the boots, Grammy! LOL
Maureen Locke
Congrats on the tulip table. It looks awesome. Love the lamps and all the wooden accents. Really love the pop of colour with the crayon. Where on earth did you get that?? So cool. And little puppy is just darling. Hope he didn't make any spots on that white carpet. Is that some kind of "skin"??
KATHLEEN HARTZELL
Stunning, sophisticated enough for your style yet leaves rom for the stump!! And the lamps are to DIE for.
And I would love that pupster, too!!!
I had a tulip table years ago and sold it do $100 at a garage sale (kick kick kick myself) when I was thinking I didn't have room to store it. Damn damn double d.
Catt-in-Kentucky
You've got style lady! That Table. Perfection and a great story. Patience and persistence paid off big time.... I had not seen your lamps! Those lamps are fabulous...artful, organic and what a great price. Everything looks so cool.
Sharon
Those lamps are amazing. I wish I had room to keep things in storage for later. Currently have a coffee table I love but doesn't go with the room and absolutely nowhere else to put it. No other room to style it in or outside space.
Margaret
Congrats. I'm looking forward to what you will do with a 6" (I think, too lazy to go back to check the math) wide large marble donut. You took the left overs right?!
Grammy
I was thinking the same thing. Where will that marble ring show up -- inside or outside? Anticipation.
Sherry in Alaska
So - It's great! That said, remember I told you when you did the reveal on this room that it didn't look quite like you? This looks like you. Totally. And the lamps are just right. All that and great bargains too.
Now the quest for the perfect aged cushy leather chair begins in earnest. I hope it doesn't take another 15 years to find. I may not be here that long.....
Auntiepatch
Yeah, yeah, the table's nice and the lamps, too. Tell us about the DOG!
J
AuntiePatch--my first thought too!! What about the dog? He does look cute as heck-has to be a good story,,,
Christy Weber
Yay!! You beat the system and got what you longed for and it looks DIVINE. Worth the wait and what a smart deal. Now when I see a tulip table I will stop eyeing it for you. Lol. I immediately understood and related to your longing for one and it stayed with me all these years. Happy your vision for the space has materialized. It was worth the wait.
Judy
This is a perfect example of the saying, "It's worth the wait." You have exactly what you've been wanting for so long. The table looks fantastic, and I love how it beautifully displays your Buddha. I think you have a lot of talent when it comes to designing your home.
Tina
OMG, I was enjoying the read until I go to the EXPLOSIVE ending! Who is the fuzzy little mister? If he yours? If not, can he be mine? Best part of the entire post and you left it to the gasping, groaning end.
Karen P
I'm wondering myself if she has the dog as a trial, the same way she borrowed the tulip table from her knees…
Judy O
I'm already considering what style dog bed would look best tucked right under that tulip table. Pretty sure it wouldn't cost anywhere near $750 -- even after adopting a pooch from the local rescue group. Just sayin'.
MrsChris SA
At last!! It looks aweome!!
Really happy for you.
Amber
"My favourite thing about them is how they turn on and off. "
I had to stop there, a bit confused. Wait, I thought, are there lamps that don't do that? And aren't broken? And then I kept reading and all was well.
Brenda
omg - - the little pup is so sitting Buddha for you -- was that where you had the linen duvet table cloth laying in wait for something to bring you this tulip table?
Laura Bee
Looks fabulous - I actually saw a "tulip"table on Kijiji a little while ago & thought of you. Pretty sure it was IKEA though & far away.
And my eyes went right to the lamps! I have some lamps stashed too. hope I can find a spot for them soon. It's been a year so far...
Karen
Oh! Well only a decade or more to go for you then. ;) ~ karen!
Rosemary
Wahoo! Worth the wait, congratulations.
Karen
I think so. :) Thanks Rosemary. ~ karen!