Living Room Blues -

I'm not keen on the idea of purchasing home accessories online - I really

prefer to see what I'm buying upfront and close up.

These days, real shopping, where you call a friend, make a date for

 lunch, and look forward to "let's take whirl around Home Goods, 

TJMaxx, Target etc. for a couple of hours" is out of the question.

I'm missing those special days and spending time with my friends.

Following the annual packing away of colorful holiday decorations -

other than leaving out some candles to brighten the long evenings - the

 living room has taken on a bit of a tired look. . . . . perhaps because we

 now spend so much time there and have to look at it so much!

So today you get what has to be the first 'cottage interiors' post

 in a long time, and I require a little help with this one.

I purchased the pair of blue and white 'ginger jar' style lamps online, 

throwing caution to the wind in hopes they would work in the room.

Despite a initial scare when I noticed some serious damage to both

 boxes they arrived in, thankfully the lamps and shades were intact and

 not damaged at all! 

Removing them from said boxes is another story - let's just

 say styrofoam made from millions of miniscule balls should be

 banned now!

My old table lamps were just that, old and dull. 

This small room has a wall of windows facing north, no direct sun floods in,

just enough natural light in the daytime, and for evenings ambient lighting

 from table and floor lamps, and two ceiling spots over the fireplace.

Notice that the lamp on the left of the sofa is currently standing on

 three books! This is because that end table is lower that the one on

 the right - something I never thought about before because the former

 lamps were not a matching pair and apparently their different

 heights worked. 

So, and this is where your help would be appreciated, should I raise the

 lower table by adding something (pieces of wood perhaps) underneath it; 

look for something else to stand the lamp on, such as a wood or ceramic 

plinth/pedestal; or just continue using books which can be changed out 

now and then regarding colors and sizes?  

Needless to say, the right hand table cannot be lowered and I have no

 plans to buy new tables anytime soon, if ever, because I like these!

I enjoy the shades of blues and grays in this room. It was a big change

 after saying goodbye to the old sofa and white slip covers on all the

 upholstered pieces for many years - such a lot of extra work! 

Now however I realize I need a few pops of another color, again to

 brighten up the room - so today I added the velvet mustard patterned 

pillow and citron candle for the time being.

Curiosity makes me want to ask how you feel regarding online shopping.

Have you purchased home decor items this way, and if so were they 

delivered safely, undamaged, and did you keep them?

I was really nervous seeing the state the boxes arrived in. I thought

how awful if I unpacked them but needed to repack and ship them 

back to the seller. 

Life is different these days in so many ways.