Last day of 2010 is the last day of our year-end sale

I hope the coming year will bring to us all a renewed awareness of God' blessings on our lives. Life is good. Hard sometimes, but good.

I also hope to see you before the year is over! Or, the first day of the new year will do as well. Although by Saturday, January 1, 2011, our 10%-off-everything-sale will have ended. This beautiful, wooden armoire/desk will go back up to its current sticker price of $475 (SOLD 1/7/2011):



Back in the day, when I used to do a lot of sewing, I dreamed of such an armoire where I might keep my clutter out of sight when I had to leave a project partially finished. Which happened a lot, as I recall :^)


Now you see it...


...now you don't!

Theo's and Thornwood, chocolate in 2 formats

Our very cheerful Fedex driver pulled up this morning and what he brought was indeed good cheer: our order of Theo's Sipping Chocolate and Chipotle Sipping Chocolate. These are destined for our new venture, Kenmore Coffee & Tea, which is the coffee kiosk in the parking lot next to the Post Office. Hope to be open there within the week, Lord willing. So you'll be able to get your morning beverage there on the go, or come into The Living Room and "set a spell".

And what does Thornwood have to do with chocolate?
Just the color of this queen bedroom set that was brought in a couple of days ago:


This is Thornwood's Mendocino set in "vintage mahogany" finish. Not sure why the photo makes that one drawer look darker; the vagaries of my photography, I guess.

Other pieces in this set include 2 nightstands, a 6-drawer dresser with a landscape mirror (shown here up-ended), and of course, the queen bed with its panel headboard and footboard, shaped wooden rails, and complete metal bedframe. Quite the set up.



If you are looking for a nearly-new, contemporary bedroom set, come see this one.

And try the new sipping chocolate while you sit and consider!

Merry Christmas from The Living Room AND starting our year-end sale

The rainy, rainy day has settled into a clean-washed evening. The Christmas lights in the night air seem especially clear after such a splashy day. It's a lovely, quiet time to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderfully happy and peaceful New Year in the love of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We have some exciting news for 2011, but more about that later.

Meanwhile, the Living Room will be open on Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with an early start to our year end 10%-Off-Everything-Sale through the end of 2010.

If you are still looking for gifts or stocking stuffers, you are sure to find a treasure at The Living Room, at 10% off the last marked price.

Herbal sachets...


Outrageously good shortbread in wonderfully creative combinations of flavors for the sweet or the savory palette...


Tea-lovers tea and accessories...


And something a little too large to stuff in a stocking, a vintage, stainless steel Sunbeam mixer:

A Precious Moments collection looking for new shelves to look cute on:



A strangely lovely...item...a silver-plated floral motif that seems to have been a cigarette caddy with individual ashtrays made like petals. What do you think?


This illuminated globe is a snap-shot of the earth from the early 1980's. Replogle manufactured it after Vietnam become a single nation (1976), after Southern Rhodesia became Zimbabwe (1979/80), but before Upper Volta became Burkina Faso. (Dating globes is a fascinating rabbit trail, helped by charts such as the one I found at http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/datingglobes.htm.)


If you are getting ready to toast the New Year, take a look at some lovely cups and goblets that were consigned this week: from India brass to dainty crystal to gleaming pewter to hearty copper mugs for Moscow Mules:




And is this the last "ugly Christmas sweater" available in Seattle?

I think it is lovely!

Again, Merry Christmas!

Mid Century modern, American made with Danish influence: Lane Acclaim

Here's a new consignment to counter balance the tables of Christmas decorations and china:

Three pieces made by Lane Furniture, in their striking "Acclaim" design.


The 5-drawer highboy is ~38" wide x 18" deep x 43" tall.



The 6-drawer dresser (or credenza) is ~60" wide x 18" deep x 30" tall, with detachable mirror (~26" x 38") that can be adjusted for height and angle.

The full size headboard is ~57" wide x 38" tall (would need adapter to fit 60" queen mattress)

This set was purchased new in 1959. In very good condition, with normal signs of use. To check current pricing, contact us at The Living Room Weds-Saturday, 10a.m.-6p.m., or see whether our craigslist ad is up or has been ghosted (!) (search for 425-877-1074)

Lane's patented, mid century Acclaim series featured walnut veneer over a solid wood casing with solid oak edge, bordered by an oversize inlaid dovetail pattern.

Drawers are solid wood; the inner separations between the drawers and the case backs are masonite.




The legs and stretchers are solid oak with black painted ferrules.





Click photo to see more inventory available at...

Come browse our Christmas tables full of quaint decorations

Heidi came to work her wonders on our Christmas display. Even taking into account the fact that I've already messed it up when I had to quickly clear a nearby tea table, don't you think these are charming displays?







And, yes, we have a Jul Bok available this Christmas:

(POSTSCRIPT: The table sold out from under this display, so look for the Jul Bok in a new station :^)

The Living Room Consignment Gallery & Tea is on the map!

Teamap, that is. Check out our teamap.com listing!

To celebrate, we are beginning Thursday Tea Specials! Every Thursday, we offer free samples of our featured tea, available at 10% off all day.

Will it be the dark and mysterious Pu'Er?
Or maybe Davidson's sweet, floral Childen's Tea?
Or perhaps Keemun, Assam Golden Tips, White Peony, Rose Congou, mint, or herbal lemon?


Our featured tea each Thursday will be chosen from our delightful array of black, green, red, white, and herbal teas. Most are organic and fair trade teas provided by Davidson's, Barnes & Watson, Mountain Rose Herbs, and Market Spice.

Of course, tea and tea accessories make great gifts.

Can't make it on Thursdays? Visit us on teamap and grab our teamap coupon to use on any tea or tea accessory, any day.



Come for tea and enjoy browsing our eclectic inventory of consigned antiques, secondhand furnishings, collectibles, aromatherapy, and local artworks.


Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
Merry Christmas!

Pure Soap Flakes

Searching out pure and natural ingredients for our aromatherapy products, I've found something a little different from our expected inventory. (For a shop that carries antique and secondhand furniture, tea, art, bath salts, books, scented candles, china, fireplace tools, a vintage coffee grinder, and pickles, let's see what "something a little different" can possibly mean.)



Soap flakes imported from England! I guess there's not enough demand currently for pure, unscented, unadulterated soap flakes to be made in the USA, but thankfully, they can be had. This soap is made from coconut oil and Malaysian palm oil, and that's it.

If your skin is bothered by detergents or chemical additives, or if you just want to recapture the fond memories of sweet-smelling soap-laundered clothes, give these soap flakes a try.

A one pound bag can be expected to wash 64-72 loads in an HE front-loader, so it's economical. For top loaders, a pound is expected to do 9 or 10 loads.

Using soap flakes in laundry requires one extra step: dissolve the flakes in very hot water first, then pour in with the clothes...not in the detergent dispenser.

Soap flakes are useful for all types of washing jobs: laundry, pets, floors, cars.... Users with allergies and asthma have reported good results from soap flakes. If you've tried them, please add your comment below.
Next time you come to The Living Room for tea, or to shop for an antique walnut dining table, buy a bag of pure soap flakes and let me know what you think!

Visit our new online store

When we're snowed in, I feel as if the rest of the world has stopped, too, for a nice time-out. Fantasy, I know, but I do hope the current, inconvenient weather in Seattle gives you an excuse to enjoy a lazy day at home.

While you are home, check out our new "SHOP The Living Room ONLINE" tab above. Let me know what you think of our little online store. The teddy bears, shown above, are featured, along with a couple other items. I'll add more as I'm able. For us, it's a beta version, sort of like the rest of life.

I know online shopping is not the same as coming down to Kenmore, browsing the treasures, and enjoying a hot cup of tea. But it will have to do until the roads are safe to drive.

Stay safe, don't worry, and be thankful :^)

Saturday, November 20: Christmas Craft Bazaar at Cedar Park Northshore!

The Living Room plans to be part of the fun at Cedar Park Northshore's annual Christmas Craft Bazaar this Saturday, November 20, 2010, in Kenmore, so look for our booth. We'll be there 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.! (Our store will also be open, 10-6, if you are up to double-dipping.)

Click this link to map the church address:
Cedar Park Northshore
18737 68th Ave NE
Kenmore, WA 98028

Jenni, of Hidden Treasures fame, has put together a great variety of crafters, artists, and vendors so you can do your Christmas shopping in one fun place. She's thought of everything: "The youth are serving lunch from 11am to 1:30pm and this will consist of bar-b-q pulled pork sandwiches, chips and cookie for $4.00 and homemade, extremely delicious to die for chili with all the trimmings (tortilla chips, cheddar cheese, and sour cream) for $3.00 a bowl."

Sounds like the place to be this Saturday, no matter what weather you have to slog through to get there!

It is fireplace weather. We have the accessories you need: fireplace screen, fireplace tools, and chocolate

With this folding, brass shell fan fireplace screen and the sturdy Coleman fireplace tool set, all you'll need is a good cup of hot chocolate. You can get all this at The Living Room this week :^)

Brass shell folding fan firescreen




Too ornate for your tastes? Here's one with cleaner lines:
Tri-fold, beveled glass fireplace screen, 25" front + 13" sides, 30" tall




Iron fireplace tools by Coleman, $35 for the set:




Here's that promised hot chocolate, with a couple of shortbread cookies on the side. We make our hot cocoa a little extra dark, and pass the cinnamon:

(Sorry, no whipped cream! Since we are not a restaurant, we can sell hot drinks, but nothing that needs refrigeration.)

To recreate the scene at home with your own mug (purchased from The Living Room?), shop our display of packaged Davidson's "Ultimate Organic Cocoa", spiced for the Christmas holidays.