Here's a conversation Rich and I had a few weeks ago regarding dishes for the Cape cottage:
Me - "I was thinking maybe we should get some of those hard plastic dishes. They're lightweight. Will be easy to clean."
Rich - "You mean melamine."
Me - "Yeah, yeah. Melamine. But nice looking stuff."
I then find myself at Macy's during a sale with double coupons. I was there to pick up sheets requested by Anna (she was still using toddler sheets with baby animals) and figured I would look around to see if I could find any bedding or dishes for the Cape. No bedding but I came across these dishes and thought they were perfect. Gingham and granny flowers scream beach home to me. So I bought a bunch of plates and bowls, brought them home and then for some reason decided to google "is melamine safe."
No, it is not safe. According to Safe Mommy dot com, melamine is not a safe choice at all. If you own it, get rid of it. Everything Organic dot org wants to know why anyone would even want to use melamine when there are so many other options - bamboo, glass and ceramic. Why would you even consider melamine? WHY?
I'm not one to freak out over this sort of thing but there's a possibility in the future that we may rent out the cottage, so the last thing I want is to be concerned that renters are microwaving or using serrated knives on my melamine.
The next day, I returned the dishes.
I was having a conversation with Grammy about the dishes and she offered to pass along some vintage plates and glasses that Mamaw had given her that aren't currently being used. Milk glass. Google "vintage milk glass." We're unsure of when these were made so there's the possibility that the glaze contains lead.
Everything is going to poison you. (In some ways it seems ridiculous to even be discussing this when there are children going to bed hungry. Know what I mean?)
We have an abundance of glasses and Rich and I had already discussed moving some of those down to the cottage. I looked through the cabinets and found four china dinner plates we don't use very often and a stack of smaller ceramic plates and many other items we hardly ever use. Might as well move them and put them to use. I did purchase a few Fiestaware dinner plates and small bowls in the color cobalt. I like how it's made in the USA. We have some bowls that have held up well.
I need to work on bedding. I don't necessarily want nautical but I did find these cute anchor sheets at PB Kids and ordered two sets (in navy) for one of the bedrooms.
The light was pretty good when we first arrived at the cottage during our last visit so I was able to photograph one of the bedrooms. These should be considered the "before" photos as we haven't done anything to the room. The wall paper needs to be removed. From years and years of heat and humidity, it's peeling in several spots. I really just need to deep clean and paint. I'm still undecided on whether or not to paint that knotty pine white. Oh, and we did order new mattresses.
This week is turning out to be more hectic than I expected so I don't think I'll be posting anything for the remainder of the week.
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4 comments:
I kinda love the knotty pine for beach cottages. It's so what I think of from childhood. With freshly painted walls it might look great. Some orange oil might give it new life. Would work on the beds too. My mom swears by this stuff. She gets it at thehttp://www.westernwooddoctore.com/feednwax.htm
Not having kids, I had no idea PB Kids had queen sized bedding. I've been looking for new sheets for summer and those anchors are great. So is that madras quilt. Who knew?
Ohh leave the knotty pine, it's gorgeous!
I think you could have fun re-finishing that lovely little chair.
Leave the pine! Take down the wallpaper and with some fresh white paint on the walls and those adorable sheets it's going to look amazing.
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