Amber B Design Studio

Interior Design & Decoration for the South Florida region

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This Piece Has History

March 14, 2013 by Amber Filed Under: this piece has history Leave a Comment

I am happy to return with another post from my series, This Piece Has History. If you read last week’s post, then you know it’s been about a year since this series was a regular on the blog. I wanted to bring it back to remember the importance of collecting and having things in a home with memories and meaning. Today, I am showing our secretary desk.

I love this piece of furniture, because it definitely has a fun past to tell! When my husband and I lived in Germany, I started going to flea markets and antique fairs to begin to fill our empty nest. One weekend, we went on a trip to the Netherlands and Belgium for their famous antique markets. I stumbled upon our secretary desk while at the market in Tongeren, Belgium. I loved it right away, as I had been recently browsing through magazines with similar desks. We drove to the markets in an SUV, so this filled the entire back of our car on the way home! I knew it would be a practical purchase for us, because we didn’t have a ton of space in our apartment. We were living in a 700 square foot apartment, so smart shopping was key! Not only was it beautiful, it became our desk for our laptop. Now that we are no longer cramped for space, the desk is now a place to store books and meaningful accessories. The coral was a gift from my mom, and the book it sits on was a gift from a dear friend. You may have heard me say before, that I am constantly moving things around in this house. Accessories don’t sit in one place for long. So now that the coral is here, I may need to shop for a new accessory for my living room dresser! The shelves are filled with pictures, including one of my husband when he was little.  This desk also holds some of my blue and white china collection that I started while living overseas. This may not be a furniture piece that we use every day, but it has meaning and special memories attached!

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Comments

  1. Elizabeth @ The Little Black Door says

    March 14, 2013 at 12:54 pm

    What a great story. It really is a beautiful piece.

    Reply
  2. pam {simple details} says

    March 14, 2013 at 1:09 pm

    All that and it's gorgeous!!!

    Reply
  3. thefarmfiles says

    March 14, 2013 at 2:00 pm

    So nice! A secretary is probably my all time favorite piece of furniture. And, how special that it reminds you of your time as newlyweds. Love, love, love!

    Hope you're having a good week.

    Emily

    Reply
  4. About Last Weekend says

    March 15, 2013 at 4:02 pm

    That is such a pretty desk and it has such stature and shows off the white and blue so well. One thing that fascinates me> how on earth do you keep that gorgeous white carpet so pristine???

    Reply
  5. Sean Riker says

    March 26, 2013 at 5:45 am

    Your home is so cozy and warm. You have a wonderful collection of ironstone! It seems that your cupboard does "pop" a bit more now that it has been painted. I also think you must be a very hard worker!

    Reply

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Welcome!

Hi, I'm Amber... a wife, mom and interior decorator. I am the writer of Simple Dwellings and the designer behind Amber B Design. Blog topics are all things design, with the occasional DIY attempt! Thanks for stopping by.Read more...

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@amberbdesign

amberbdesign

Most of my favorite design colors to use in projec Most of my favorite design colors to use in projects come right from nature! #coastalliving #palmbeach #loveyourhabitat
Whenever I’m looking for coastal design inspirat Whenever I’m looking for coastal design inspiration, I take a walk around Palm Beach. This week is perfect for that! #designinspiration #coastalliving #palmbeach #loveyourhabitat
Can you believe it… I wrote a blog post!!! 😂 Can you believe it… I wrote a blog post!!! 😂 Head over to my blog (link in bio) to see what’s been going on with all things Amber B Design, including this bookcase beauty in the office of #ProjectClassicLiving #amberbdesign #coastalliving #myballardstyle
In my last post, I hinted at a new plan for the li In my last post, I hinted at a new plan for the living room. Now that the ladder has been relocated to the family room, this corner is definitely in need of some height. I almost went with the idea of a tree and while I love it in other homes, I just didn’t see it here. So I went on Pinterest in search of inspiration and @studiomcgee to the rescue! I love the idea of a pedestal with a vase and maybe some branches, instead of a tree. I can switch up the accessories on the pedestal and I think it’s the winner! Inspiration in the next slide. #amberbdesignathome #coastalliving
I have always liked to shop around my home, moving I have always liked to shop around my home, moving things to different rooms and making them feel like new accessories. It breathes new life into a space, even with subtle touches. I switched the living room and family room table lamps and I like the larger scale lamp in here! I have fun plans for the living room, which I’ll share soon. Happy Friday!! #amberbdesignathome #loveyourhabitat #SMmakelifebeautiful #howyouhome #bhghome #hgtv #coastalliving
Once the Christmas tree is down, I always feel lik Once the Christmas tree is down, I always feel like the room is so bare. This year, we had it to the left of the television and I really feel like that space is now so empty. I tried the living room ladder in its place and I love it! But the living room needs it there too. What to do?! Maybe a tall plant in one of the spaces?! Two ladders within feet of each other?! 😂 #amberbdesignathome #coastalliving #howyouhome #SMmakelifebeautiful #loveyourhabitat #bhghome
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