Decorative Box

I have this piano in my house...

It was given to me about a year ago. I love the "antiqueness" of the piano. BUT, it is so HUGE it kinda sticks out in my house. I'm still working on it, but I'm trying to decorate around this thing to make it fit in with my home a little more.

It is an old auto piano (one of the piano player kind, like below).


I checked out the history behind it... and it was originally built as a piano player model. During WWII the auto piano company were still selling piano's, but needed to cut down on building materials and supplies. They started buying back old piano player models and modernized them by cutting the top part off - adding a mirror and a shelf on the back.

The history makes me like my piano all the more. =)


I decided I wanted/needed a long narrow type box/basket to put on the lower shelf. I scoured the stores near and far, but had no luck. One day, while browsing aimlessly through Michaels I came across the "Balsa Wood" display.

Inspiration kicked in that I could build my own.

I don't own fancy wood cutting tools, so I loved that the balsa wood was thin enough to cut with my exacto knife. =)

A little Gorilla Glue (love this stuff!)

A couple of decorative handles from Lowe's...

and...




I had myself the perfect box!




Loving the handles... right?

The basket balls are from Ikea and the linen is from a little boutique shop up in D.C.

I have the perfect artwork to hang above my piano also...
that is as soon as I'm rich enough to walk out and put down $300 on a piece of art.

One day.