WHY EVERY ROOM NEEDS AT LEAST ONE VINTAGE PIECE

If you're familiar with my style, you know that there's at least one vintage piece in every room of my home.  I believe that adding vintage makes your space unique and interesting.   Just one piece of vintage makes that room completely different from anything anyone else will have.  I follow the same principle of vintage/new mix when I style my space at the store too.

We have just completed our semi-annual clearance sale.  I wanted to completely change the look of the store after the floor sample sale and begin to add my new inventory.  I always try to style my space with coordinating color, like items, and always at least one vintage piece.  This first image shows home decor in sepia tones.  Can you find the vintage pieces I added?

VINTAGE BREADBOARD, BOOKS, WALL SCONCE, AND CHESTS MADE FROM RECLAIMED WOOD

I also purchase new items with a vintage look.  The weathered lamps, finials, and herbarium prints all have a vintage look.  The rug I used as a table runner mimics an oriental rug.

VINTAGE MIXED WITH ITEMS WITH A VINTAGE LOOK

I love these finials and their vintage design.  I added some folding baskets as wall art.

CURVY FINIALS, RUG AS TABLE RUNNER, AND FOLDING WIRE BASKETS

This next space displays blue and white.  I always use wonderful vintage frames.  These frames support bead garlands and create "art" with the decorator paper.

VINTAGE FRAMES IN THE BLUE AND WHITE MIX

VINTAGE FRAMES AND BEAD GARLAND

The ginger jar is also vintage.

VINTAGE GINGER JAR

This next tabletop vignette has more vintage than new.  The centerpiece is a vintage dough bowl.  I filled the bowl with branches and old block prints.  Next to the bowl is a framed print and a wire-covered bottle.

VINTAGE DOUGH BOWL, BOTTLE AND FRAME

ANTIQUE BLOCK PRINTS AND BRANCHES IN A VINTAGE DOUGH BOWL

WIRE-COVERED BOTTLE

The marbleized frame is antique.  A vintage book is a riser for the bottle.

MAP PRINT INSIDE AN ANTIQUE MARBLEIZED FRAME.  

I already shared that I painted the walls in Benjamin Moore's Wrought Iron.  It's the perfect back drop for this black and white mix.  The vintage items are the pair of door sidelights and the column base under the chandlier.

BLACK AND WHITE DECOR

DOG PROFILE AND FERN PRINT

FERN AND BOTANTICAL PRINTS
VINTAGE DOOR SIDE LIGHTS, CHANDELIER, AND TURTLE SHELLS

I used a chinoiserie decorator paper as a back drop for the vintage chest.  The small dough bowl and the window grate are also vintage.  I love the way the floor lamp with the velvet shade picks up the colors in the back drop.

VINTAGE CHEST, DOUGH BOWL AND WINDOW GRATE

What's not to like?  Velvet and fringe!!!!

FLOOR LAMP WITH VELVET SHADE AND FRINGE

Do you mix vintage and new in your home?

So Haute

For those of you new to my blog, I frequently write about what's haute  to shop for when shopping vintage.  Some of my haute finds are just for me, others were purchased with clients in mind, and some are just for sale.

Check them out.

I've been loving horse heads.  I found the clear glass one.   I bought the book for its zebra cover.
The series of women's faces are copies of Piero Fornasetti pieces made into paper weights.
If you missed my post on Fornasetti, go here.

 I always buy orbs when I see them.  These mottled brown orbs are exceptionally nice.  Again books bought for their chevron and snakeskin covers.  The striped pillow is made from a feed sack.  The wall sconces are new and electrified.  I could see them painted hot pink or turquoise.

The planter is mid century modern.  What a fabulous imprinted border.  This would work well for holding magazines as well as plants.  The framed botanicals are original hand-colored book plates.

Another horse head.  You may have already seen the horse head in a previous post.  I used it as a book end with some covered books.  If you missed that post, go here.
I was excited to find the tortoise shells.  I'm trying to figure out how to hang them on a wall.
Any ideas ?
The four small squares are vintage geometric-patterned coasters.  The snakeskin print scarf is vintage as is the snakeskin blotter.  I think I may use the blotter in my kitchen, almost as a tray.  I think it will look good with my snakeskin fabric back splash.  To  see the back splash, go here.

My last find is the orb finial--I have a pair of them.
I've seen books tied with twine, but I really like the use of an old leather belt too.  You could also use a silver or sequined belt for some bling.
The old lab bottle had its label, but not its stopper.  I added some feathers to fill the space.

I hope I've given you some ideas for your next vintage shopping trip.

Please share your haute finds.



Kathy

Foyer Wall Sconce Change Up

Guess what?  I'm changing something in my house.

These wall sconces have been in my foyer for many years.  I actually like them and still do, but I found some others that I like better.  Here's a close up of  one of the current sconces.

Before I share the new ones, I just want to say that there are ways to add touches to simple sconces.  These sconces were pretty ordinary brass with no extras.
This is the before.

  I embellished them by adding the gilt shell.  It originally was a vintage curtain tie back.  I liked its shape and look and simply drilled a hole in the center of it and attached it with the screw that goes into the wall mount.  If your addition is thick, you may have to purchase a longer screw.  I purchased the bobeches and added them.  They already had the beads attached which really added some sparkle.
I've also seen bobeches with hanging crystals.

The faux leather shades are from SteinMart.  It's my resource for reasonably-priced shades.  It's the only place I know that carries a large selection of the sconce/chandelier shades.  I once needed 12 matching shades for a very large chandelier and found them there.

Here they are on the wall.  They flank the coat closets and an archway into the living room.

Chandelier glare from the living room.  Sorry.

This is a side view.

I'm replacing them with these by Alexander-John.  They have a more modern look.  They also have a sheer shade with another shade within as a liner.

A closer look at one of them installed.

.
A side view of the pair.

 

And here they are lighted.

What do you think?

Kathy