A Jacobean China Cabinet

Those of you who've read the blog for a while already know that most of the time I'm working, I'm listening to dreadful things. Dreadful in the sense that it's either true crime podcasts, or audio books on true crime or disasters. Probably the root cause of this perverse fascination is something broken deeeeep in my soul. But to balance it out- OMG HAVE YOU SEEN WONDER WOMAN YET??!!!. It's a triumph and I'm going to see it for a second time tomorrow night. Chris Pine problem now fully engaged. I've only googled pictures of his face, like 87 times today so far.

      I'm listening to a terrible true crime audiobook right now, "Female Serial Killers" by Peter Vronsky. Audible's searching abilities are spectacularly craptacular, so I purchased this because it came up on the home page, and sixteen hours of female serial killers sounds right up my broken soul alley. Unfortunately, it's bad. Vronsky clearly hates women, and opens the book with a three chapter diatribe attacking feminists. I muscled through, really only because I was putting the finishing touches on the china cabinet below, and my hands were entirely tied up. Luckily you can return audiobooks pretty easily on audible, so this guy's going back on the  ole' digital shelf tomorrow.

     While typing this I've just decided I'm now going to give you podcast and audiobook reviews along with your weekly doses of furniture. Vronsky's piss poor effort is a 2/10. Not to end our first ever review on a sour note though, I also discovered an absolutely phenomenal true crime podcast this week. It's called 'In Sight', and it's my favorite ever. They've done 50 some odd cases, and you can listen to all the episodes on their website here http://www.insightpod.com/. The hosts, an Aussie and an American gal, are smart as whips, so the content is not only well researched, but when they weigh in with their theories, I always find myself shaking my head in agreement. 10/10

     Another 10/10- This china cabinet!!! I take none of the credit. This is a stunnning piece, and I just had the privilege to smack it about with a paint brush for a week or so. It's mahogany and walnut veneers over poplar c.1920. The form is loosely Jacobean, but I use "loosely" loosely. It's like the designers squinted at a grainy black and white polaroid of an original Jacobean piece from across a football field on a foggy night, and then sketched this up, tossed it to their cabinetmaker, took a big gulp of whisky from the flask hidden under their drafting table, shrugged and said "Eh, something like this." Which isn't to say it isn't lovely, it's just that it barely has a tippy toe on Jacobean territory.
      The client sent me a picture of another painted piece she spotted on Pinterest, and we used that as our inspiration for the reinvention. A pale shade that dances somewhere between blue and green, depending on the lighting, and a chalky white interior give the frenzied architecture of the piece the breathing room it needs to be subtle and sophisticated, something I'd argue the original contrasting wood grains never did.