My bed is high, really high. So it took a long time to find night stands that would work with it. In the end I opted for a pair of Chinese stands from Toronto’s Jalan warehouse (99 Atlantic Avenue, about $180 each), which compliment the folding screen headboard, if not the style and colour of the bed.
I was content with the tables although I never loved the ho-hum Chinese-style pulls (above left). Then, this past weekend, I found a pair of awesome vintage pulls at The Salvage Shop (below, $15 each). They’re more Indian in spirit, which will bother purists but suits me just fine. The fact that they’re brass and add a bit of bling to an otherwise sober piece is even better.
Of course, it took a bit of polishing with Brasso before the shine was revealed. But to have left them tarnished and dull, well, why bother even switching them out?
You’re probably wondering why I have a green lampshade on a madder coloured stand. In fact, there’s quite a bit of green and rusted red in the screen so taken as a whole, the scheme makes sense, just like the shiny brass pulls with the shiny brass lamp and gold leaf screen. Changing out the pulls wasn’t much of a project but it was rewarding all the same. I know it’s a cliché but God really is in the details.
August 27th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
The details totally matter, and it’s amazing what a difference a change in hardware will make. The screen and stands and those lamps, what a great look Chris.