Hollywood Regency Bamboo Chandeliers

I love faux bamboo chandeliers.
They are classic Palm Beach chic.

Fantasy Lighting

 Here are some in room settings.



John Locke




Meg Braff




Lonny



Lori Graham




Margot Austin



Meredith Heron



Meredith Heron

I found my first faux bamboo chandelier while visiting my Mom in Pennsylvania.  She's my good luck shopping charm.  Every time we go out together I always find the best stuff.  We found this one at a house sale.  Of course my Mom spotted it and pointed it out.  The owners hated it and were swapping it out for a new fixture. They said I could have it for $8.00!
Here it is hanging in my sun room.

Here's another image of it reflected in my Greek Key mirror on the mantel.




I found another faux bamboo chandelier in one of my favorite shops in Pennsylvania,
Diamond Antiques.  It was quite a bit more than my first find.  I sold it to a friend and then when she decided she didn't want it, I bought it back.  I'm so glad I did.  It was painted yellow but I decided to paint it orange.  This chandelier hangs in a corner of my family room above my desk.

This is another view of it in place.

So, have I sold you on finding a bamboo chandelier?


Kathy

Vintage Quatrefoil Shades

I have been creating (with the help of my husband) some really different industrial pendant lighting from vintage lamp shades.  Basically, I find the lampshades with interesting shapes and he wires them to my specs.

This is the first one we assembled.  After he added a socket, wiring and a chain,
 I made a burlap cord cover and added some crystals. 

Recently I found this pair of vintage shades.  Their custom silk shades were dry rotted, but that makes it easier to remove the fabric.  Usually I just use one shade frame, but since they matched I asked him if he could join them and make one long pendant.  Of course he said yes.

Have you ever looked closely at a custom shade?  There's no hot glue involved.  The wire frame is first covered with a flat bias hem tape.  I decided to not remove the tape.

Then, both the outside fabric and then the lining are individually hand stitched onto the wrapped frame.

Hand Stitched Shade Fabric

Don't you love the quatrefoil shape?

We joined them together with a wired socket, a threaded tube, a loop, a lock washer, and a chain.

To complete the look I added some burlap webbing and crystals.

Here's another angle with the webbing featured.

I love the mix of the rustic burlap and the elegant crystals.
It sold in the first 15 minutes of the barn sale to a new customer who was going to hang it
 in an alcove in her bathroom.

Kathy

We've Been Mentioned in the Washingtonian Magazine

Our Stylish Patina Barn has been mentioned as one of the hidden gems in the DC area in 

Washingtonian Magazine.  Yea!!!!!

 

Many thanks to the Washingtonian Magazine for adding us to their Hidden Gems list.

Wonderful Shabby Chippy Antique French Writing Desk

I was thinking that you may be tiring about hearing about my chair obsessions, so I decided to change it up and share my fabulous antique desk.  My husband purchased it for me several years ago from a dealer friend after a few hints from me about how much I loved it.

It's in my foyer on the wall opposite my leopard chairs.

I have plans to continue the stripes around the foyer onto this wall with the desk.

On one side of the desk I placed an equally chippy and shabby column.  On the other side is one of my favorite chairs that has made appearances in many rooms of my home.  It seems to know just when to move and where it will look best.

Below is a vintage bottle, a weathered leather book, and something you always find in my designs, an architectural fragment.  As if the desk wasn't shabby enough, it appears that someone tried to find the original art/paint underneath by removing some of the paint on the drawer.  Love it!

They also experimented on the top of the desk too.  

The easel  is one of my favorite Anthropologie purchases.

The desk has a pull-out writing surface.  It's outlined in leather with a velvet insert.

I've filled the shelves with Florentine boxes and icons as well as more 

leather books and my pedestal orb.

I love the metal detailing and adornments.

A close up of the icons and my desk's lovely chippiness.

The cross is new but I loved its size and colors.  The antique plaster bust is propped in a small urn.  

So what do you think about the desk?  I know this will surprise you, but I have another desk to share soon and of course more chairs.  Also, do you think I should continue the stripes on this wall?

 

What's A Hoosier?

Nope, I'm not talking about someone from Indiana or basketball, I'm referring to a very popular kitchen cupboard from the 1920's.  Before there were built-in cabinets and fancy kitchens, this piece of furniture was the culinary work space of the kitchen.  It served not only for storage, but it was also a baking/prep station.  Since my daughter has a very small kitchen, she decided that her Great Aunt Dorothy's Hoosier would work for her pots, pans and linen storage. (Aunt Dot found another with even more bells and whistles that she likes better for all her baking.)  It would have a second purpose too.  She would use it as a bar when she has guests.

Oak Hoosier Cabinet

Let me show you all the gadgets it has.  Here's an inside view.  Do you see the little lip above the castors?  That's where you put the ant poison.  The ants never made it past this point.  TMI?

All Hoosiers have a built-in flour sifter.  The sifter tips out on a hinge so it can be filled with flour.  A bowl was placed under the sifter and the baker would turn the knob to sift the flour into the mixing bowl.   Ours only has a flour sifter but some also had a container to hold sugar.

Inside the doors are wire shelves.  The upper ones are for holding spices.

The lower cabinet also has a pull-out wire shelf and a door-mounted shelf for pan lids or baking sheets.  There is also a hidden pull out wooden cutting board.  The top drawers are for utensils and the lower drawer is a tin-lined bread drawer.  My daughter keeps her tea towels and table cloths there.

The green enamel work surface pulls out and doubles the size of the work top.  It was used for baking prep.  It is a very hard surface and wipes clean.  It's a perfect water/stain proof spot for my daughter to create, prepare, and serve her Margaritas.

I didn't take a photo of another feature, but if you pull down on the knob above the pitcher and glasses, a roll down door completely covers that area too.  I call this the inspiration for appliance garages in our modern day kitchens.

My daughter has a small table and chairs.  The chairs are vintage faux bamboo and we painted them chartreuse.  They're just the right size for the small space in front of the cupboard.

I believe we've gone owl crazy.  We found the salt and pepper shakers at TJMaxx.

West Elm has the best accessories.  How cute is this covered butter with a row of owls.  The little yellow owl is actually a timer.  The orange teapot was found on the sale rack at Target.

Our other West Elm favorites are the plates we placed in a row next to the Hoosier.  Of course there are owls involved.

Keep your eyes out if you're looking for this efficient vintage cupboard.  This is oak, but many times they are painted in vibrant colors.   I've seen bright yellow and even a lime green.  Of course, some were also painted white.   We're thinking of updating hers with paint too.
What do you think?

Kathy

March Sale at the Stylish Patina Barn

It's our March sale and here's what I'll have.  I hope you all can make it.

Stylish Patina Barn Sale

4051 Stanford Court

Frederick, MD

March 16,17,18 10-5

 

We had a Spring visitor too.

See ya there.

Kathy