Now this is a Coffee Table!

Last weekend, I found a coffee table that I would want for the family room!!!  It's an A.M. Stock Grand Server.  

This model was showcased at the 1963 World's Fair in New York City as an example of modern furniture.

The top swivels open, and you'll find a bottle holder, pull it up and lock it into place at table height.  

When you finish entertaining, you unlock the center tray, slide it down and then slide the top closed.

Oh and the "fabric" covering the mid-section was still pretty cool and applicable to today.

This is one of those times where I wish I had mad carpentry skills to build my own.  The two things I did not like about the original Grand Server is that it's laminated and has brass casters, but mostly that it's laminated particle wood.  

If I were to build it, I would:

1.  have a really light/almost white wood for the table tops;

2.  make it larger;

3.  have dark wood for the cocktail tray;
4.  change the mid-section to acrylic plant panels; and

5.  install stainless steel casters.

Hmmm, is this a future project for me?  I'll think about it.  Regardless, this is a great example of form and function.

A Much Needed Facelift!

After 57 years, our house was very much due for a facelift!

2008

Close-up of 2008 version with the vinyl siding!

We hired StudioBuild to help us give our house a facelift.  One of the first things we wanted to address was replacing the vinyl siding that was installed by the previous owner.  LD and I both hated it!  The house still had the original cypress, but we did not know what kind of shape it was in.  If it was bad, we would have to put on new siding.  Jerad convinced us to take part of the vinyl off to see what kind of shape it was in.

Vinyl siding coming off!

They removed the vinyl from the front of the house, and much to our surprise it was in pretty good shape (with a few exceptions).  So we gave them the green light, and in a couple of days they had the rest of the vinyl removed.

Sayonara vinyl!!!

We then had to decide on a house color.  LD wanted to go with a really dark gray more like charcoal.  I was a little apprehensive, so we went through about 9 color samples before finally deciding on one called cracked pepper.

We also took the opportunity to replace all 6 bathroom windows, and a couple of awning windows in the master bedroom.  Once the windows came in, StudioBuild and Fosters, Inc. went to work.

Rod and Charles installing the windows.

New bathroom windows!

They also did a quick job of replacing some of our damaged siding and support around the garage door.

LD spray painted our original mailbox from black to silver, so that the mailman would be able to find it.  We might replace it in the future once we come across the perfect one.

After they caulked, repaired the garage support, installed the siding, it was time to paint!

New windows in the master bedroom and new paint!

Then we finally installed our new house numbers, which we had purchased four years ago, and were waiting for our house makeover.

We love how the house colors turned out, and StudioBuild got it done just in time before the rain, snow and cold weather!!

Woohoo!  Thanks StudioBuild - we can't wait to get the rest of the house done in the future. For now it's just the front siding.

Morgan, Phoenix and Katy wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!