The Farmhouse Chandelier

While still in California, on one our regular Saturday garage sale hunts, we came upon a wonderful multi-family sale.  As David looked at the tables, I spotted a wonderful chandelier.  Heavy iron painted a rustic cream, with animal silhouettes and “meat hooks”. It looked like it could have hung in a butcher shop and been repurposed to add lights.  It was not old or repurposed, but it caught my eye and I stood in line (at a garage sale!) to buy it. 

 

A few months later David had lunch at a swanky “see and be seen" restaurant, The Ivy in Beverly Hills.  Hanging above a table occupied by actor James Coburn was the very same chandelier!  At the time we were living in a California ranch house and I was collecting Danish modern furniture and globes.  David asked what I intended to do with a farm-themed chandelier.  This was about the time that Rachel Ashwell was beginning her shabby chic empire, hanging chandeliers as light fixtures in bedrooms and living rooms.  I decorated our guest room around this chandelier. 

 

But I also told David that someday we would have a little farmhouse of our own and we would hang this chandelier in the dining room.  We have our farmhouse, and the chandelier is hanging in the dining room.  Buy things you love and you will always find a place for them.  As always, happy hunting!

 

 

 

 

Start Collecting!

The many, many shows which make up AntiqueWeekend are about to begin.  The tents are going up and the trucks are being unloaded.  Start your "idea list" (if you haven't already!) and carry it in your pocket or on your phone.  When you see that great item snap it up, working your way back to that spot may be difficult and the item may be gone. 

 

 

 Red or blue?

My dad always says that three of something makes a collection.  The shows sites of Antique Weekend are the perfect place for an instant collection.  These dealers followed one of the classic decorating rules: grouping like items.  If you love blue glass, for example, group several pieces together in one spot to display it.  It will be eye-catching like these displays of blue and red glass from the Fall 2013 shows in Warrenton.  Personally, I am drawn to the blue color, but also love to collect something I can enjoy using...these red goblets and bowls would make a beautiful Christmas or Valentines table...or make Tuesday extra-special!

 

 Bring your list, start the hunt, and take home a treasure!  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Things I love: Yard Sticks

Treasure hunting at AntiqueWeekend is more fun if you are looking for something specific.  We have a list and I call it "things I love".  I'll be blogging about these during the days leading up to the shows to give you ideas.

I love yard sticks.  They are practical, decorative and old-school.  I have a favorite rescued from Grandpa Bob's house.  Its over-sized, longer, wider and heavier than most.  I use it to slide open the living room curtains.  A new one, a square shape, is from the old hardware store in Bird-in-Hand, PA where David and visited one very snowy January.  And yes, it came home to Texas in my suitcase! 

 

This group leans in the corner of my living room by the front door ready to answer that "how tall is it" question, or slip under the sofa to retrieve a hard-to-reach toy.  I always have my eye out for the kind that are hinged and fold up into a more compact size.  I have seen those made into picture frames.  The advertising information imprinted on the vintage yard sticks adds to their charm, long-gone businesses promoting their location and merchandise.  Grandpa Bob's features "Joe's Auto Glass", no telling where they are now! If you gather up a bunch, and can bring yourself to cut them to size (I can't!), they can be repurposed to create a wonderful table top.  As always, enjoy the hunt!

Big Letters

An AntiqueWeekend show trend we love: 
BiG LeTTerS

The big letters showed up at the April 2013 show at many vendor booths throughout Warrenton, and appeared in even greater numbers at the Fall 2014 show.  Expect to see that continue.  New metal letters have been available at several booths (we bought ours in Bar W) in several sizes. 

The “new” metal letters are raw unfinished rusty metal.  The vendors we visited had them in three sizes.  Also available are arrows and other “punctuation” symbols.  Vintage letters, box letters, lighted letters, plastic and metal are available throughout the show sites.  Good vendors know their inventory and if you are looking for a hard to find letter, like we were (“M”) they could tell us if they had one or not.

Big Letters are a fabulous decorating tool.  A child's first initial in a bedroom or  surname initial in a family room, or a rustic accent in the garden.  Our giant “M", painted sage green,  decorated the outdoor area at our daughter's wedding, and will now transition to her back yard.  We did learn one lesson.  If you want your guests to “sign” the big letter as a keepsake, choosing a “medium” sized metal letter is probably better…. Don't be intimated by the rust, it was easy to spray paint.  Start your hunt at Bar W and Northgate Field in Warrenton.