treasures in the attic

My parents' attic is filled with stuff that I used to think was junk, but that now I know to be pure gold. I've found amazing crystal, beautiful dishware, even the fur coat I used in the winter styled shoot! My coffee table is a vintage Moroccan tray table very similar to this that I found up there, and I absolutely adore the thing, despite the fact that I'm constantly kicking the top off of it. Usually when there's a glass of brightly coloured something or other on it. My poor rug.

Most of this stuff used to belong to my grandparents, and it's weird that rummaging through it and discovering so many things that I love has actually made me feel more connected to them in a way. I feel like the things we collect tell a story about us, and I'm getting to know them piece by piece. Realizing that we share similar taste has been really nice. 

My most recent find was a beautiful porcelain Chinese lamp, and after rewiring it (so much easier than it sounds), popping on a new lamp shade and giving the inside a good gold-leafing, I think it's pretty much the perfect addition to my bedroom.

Isn't it pretty? I still need to clean up the edges of the gold leaf, but it's good enough for now. It's amazing how it contains all the colours from my room, no?

Here's a little closeup of the detail:

So much nicer than anything new, and so much more meaningful. I wish I could shop all the attics of everyone I know and love. I swear, I would never need to go retail again.

Well, maybe for soft furnishings. Bed bugs freak me out man.