How to Use Leopard in Your Home

I, come to find out, have inherited quite a few things from my Grandma Doris Lee (she's my mom's mom). From her I witnessed the joy to be found in hosting a great party. I love jewelry and glitz. I like to pour through magazines and recreate looks for myself. And I love leopard.

My grandma started wearing and decorating with leopard and has never looked back. I don't blame her. Leopard print can often times be considered a neutral!

When I saw the two great chairs (shown below) at The Vintage Vine, at an amazing price by the way, I knew a blog post was brewing.

 

 

You might be thinking to yourself...leopard doesn't fit in my decorating style. Well, I hope this proves you wrong.

Let's start small. Consider leopard pillows as an accent. Here, we're shown how leopard can add some graphical interest in a peaceful, neutral setting. Keep it simple.

Photo Courtesy of Arianna Belle

Or in this case, the pillows are in a very bright, cheery space. Somewhat industrial and vintage in nature. They provide the eye with a soft place to land amidst the shocking orange. (PS orange and leopard is one of my favorite fashion combos too!)

Photo Courtesy of Niagara Novice

Now let's move into furniture upholstered with leopard fabric. Again, starting small, this lovely little frenchy chair has been painted green and the seat has been given a fun leopard fabric. Look how this is paired with simple wood floors, a white hutch and a large print rug. This adds just the right touch of whimsy in the simple space.

Photo source unknown

Now let's get a little bigger. This is a fully upholstered chair in a preppy, feminine space. This homeowner is not afraid to have some fun with her décor and doesn't take herself too seriously. I love the orange bench, all the wood tones and the touches of black. Again, if you really look at this picture, the leopard almost recedes in the space and just reads as a neutral color in the corner of the room.

Photo Courtesy of My Domaine

Let's end this leopard party with two of my personal favorite examples. I think these are probably the most realistic ways to use leopard chairs based on how I decorate my own home and the style I know many of my friends are going for.

The first is an example of how you'd use two leopard arm chairs in a seating area in a living room. The beauty of the two chairs we have at the store right now is (besides the price!) that they are a matched set. They are begging to be used together. Imagine the space below with the second chair and perhaps a little loveseat in your front sitting room. All that white is the perfect backdrop for some really funky chairs!

Photo Courtesy of Harper's Bazaar

And finally, what if you put the two chairs in your bedroom?! Have some fun and get a painted dresser. Make the room a little bit eclectic and boho. Like I said before, the leopard and black chairs will be a neutral in the room, so you can add orange or plum or green. Go feminine with light pink. Go bold with turquoise.

Photo Courtesy of Yes Missy

I hope this provided you with some inspiration! Now seriously, go down to the store and buy those chairs before I do. I think writing this post has just about convinced me to do so.  

All the best,
Karli

Brick and Mortar

Update November 2015: We are not longer vendors at the Vintage Vine. You can find us at Unlisted: An Artisan Boutique and Market. We are thankful for our time at the Vintage Vine.

Where's your store?

Do you have a shop?

Where can I find you again?

Up until last weekend, the answer to that question was, "You can read the blog and find us at the Paris Street Market once a year."

And that was a bummer. We wanted more. We wanted the chance to build relationships with our customers and set beautiful displays and curate a set of merchandise to make people happy.

And then it happened.

They say timing is everything and they don't joke! Karli started doing research into vendors like us who had been successful at opening a retail store and she stumbled upon the website FindItOnTheVine.com. One phone call to the shop and the rest is, as you say, history.

 

The Vintage Vine is the cutest little store located in Historic Downtown Littleton. The building itself is a craftsman style home. The manager of the store and concept, Stacey, is a hard-working, kind-hearted, keen-eyed woman. Along with Stacey and seven other vendors, we now share the space---and boy what a lovely space it is!!

 

We have a portion of the back room, which we share with another absolutely lovely lady named Polly. Ironically enough, Polly and her daughter share their business as well. Could this be any more perfect?!

 

 

 

So, we hope you visit the store if you're ever in the Denver area. We hope you'll follow along on the store's Facebook page and the website to keep up to date on all that latest happenings.

We are grateful. We are excited.

And, yes, we do have a store you can visit us at!

All the best,
Karli and Kandy

A Paris Street Market: June 2015

Where does the time go? We haven't recapped the June show!!

The day started off a bit cloudy and overcast. As we were unpacking, it was actually a comfortable temperature. We had a better system for the "unload" portion this year, so it all seemed to go smoother. We were set up sooner than last year and we actually had time to take a few more pictures of the booth before shoppers came and picked their items.

We had a big white section this year. Karli had picked up this old desk earlier in the year and it served as a focal point for one section. The white and gray chairs above were the very first items to be sold (at 7:30 am---before the show even opened). We always take bets on what will go first. Neither of us guessed that one. We were happy to see them go to someone who loved them!

Along the back we placed a few more primitive and industrial item as well as the wine lamp that Dwight built. So many people stopped by to check it out.

 

The other side of the booth was filled with black furniture and some of our colorful items. This side also featured some of the kitchen items we'd been gathering.

 We took our customary selfie before the crowds got too big. It was still cloudy until about 9:00 am.

We had a steady crowd from about 8:30 until 11:00. Around 11:00 it got pretty warm, but there were dark clouds building above. Around 1:00 the rain came. So we pulled everything we could under the tent. At that point the crowds really started to dwindle.

The sun came back out at 1:30, but the crowds didn't really follow suit.

We had so much fun seeing all our customers (many repeats from last year who remembered us) and meeting new fans. While the June show wasn't as successful as last year's August show, we still had a great time!

See you again in September!!

Kandy and Karli

Paris Street Market 2015

It should be no surprise by now, but just in case you're new to our blog, here is more information about the Paris Street Market. We hope you plan to join us on June 6th for this fun, unique way to shop for home decor, furniture, clothing, jewelry and more! We'll also be there in September too!

The information below was originally posted last year as we prepped for the show, but it is worth repeating for market newbies and those of you just wondering what the heck we're doing.

What exactly is the Paris Street Market?
The street market is an outdoor gathering of vendors with goods to sell. But there's more to it than that...

What will I find?
This is the best part! The market offers unique goods that you won't find at just any retailer, big box store or in a catalog. The creators of the market had a vision from the beginning...They wanted to sell vintage and antique items. Items that had been "found" and will make your home different than the rest. Over the years, there are now more handmade items and a few wholesale vendors that offer cute clothes, jewelry and art.

Here are a few of the pieces we're planning to bring...

 

When and where is the market?
The market takes place the first Saturday of each month, May through October. It runs from 8:00 am to 3:00, rain or shine. (We're really hoping for a nice day when we participate in two weeks). The market in Littleton is at Aspen Grove Shopping Center just off Santa Fe. Trust us, you can't miss it...its set up right in the middle of the parking lot.

What should I know before I go?
The market is often crowded. So many people bring dogs, so watch out for leashes! There will be people milling in and out of booths, so bring your patience and courtesy. Most vendors will take checks, but cash is always appreciated. With new technology, some vendors can take cards as well. We are planning to offer this service in our booth. There are some food vendors available in case you need a snack or drink.

Finally, a tip from these two veteran street market shoppers. Come with an open mind. If you're on the hunt for a lime green 24 x 48 desk, you might not find it. But if you come knowing that you'd like to find an interesting piece that can be used as a desk (or whatever), then you may just leave with something better than you'd ever imagined.

Opps...one more tip. If you see something you love, buy it. So many times we've walked away from something great thinking "I'll make the rounds and come back if there's nothing better." And guess what...when we make our way back, someone else has taken our piece!  (that coffee table still haunts Karli's memory)

If you have any questions about what you'll find, what to bring, or how to get there just let us know.

We hope to see you there and if you're a blog reader, be sure to mention how you found us. We'll have something special for you!

Searching for Family Room Furniture

My husband loves leather. He loves big recliners. I prefer stylish chairs and upholstery. What's a family to do?!

A couple years ago we upgraded from Brent's hand-me-down sofa and loveseat. The pic below is how we had this set up when we moved in in 2012.

I had my heart set on a sectional for our long narrow space. We ended up with a lovely gray two piece from Macy's. We special ordered it to be extra long. I love it because the whole family (me, Brent and the dog) can all stretch out on it! The pic below is a smaller version of our current sectional.

via Macy's

But Brent still has his heart set on a recliner and I decided I didn't love the chaise in our space. We all make design mistakes, right? I remember my mom's big curtain mistake...this was mine. I didn't think it through very well. So now, the big gray sectional is for sale on Craigslist and we started the hunt for replacements.

Because our room is a bit narrow but long, I think we'll have room to do this:

I used the Room Planner from Ballard Designs. I love the easy-to-use tool when I need to space plan.


We spent a couple weeks driving from store to store, reading other blogs who experienced the same search, and we sat in LOTS of sofas and chairs.

We had almost settled on a deep sofa from Arhaus based on Thrifty Décor Chick's experience, but then we remembered Ethan Allen. Boy I'm glad we stopped in. We found the Retreat sofa to be the perfect fit for both of us and we could upholster it in a perfect Pewter gray fabric that looks great with our paint.

via Ethan Allen

Then we started looking for leather recliners. UGH!!! Why do recliners have to be either a) stylish and stiff or b) ugly but pillowy?!

Store after store. It was the ultimate Goldilocks tale. And then we found it. When we sat and both of us murmured "ahhh," I knew it was the one.

We're skipping the nailheads and we're getting it in a yummy caramel leather called Dorado Toast:

Now we wait 8-12 weeks. And just as I've been writing this post, I think I've sold our sectional. So we'll be sitting in miscellaneous chairs for the time being. Actually what we should be doing is working out instead of sitting...Maybe this whole debacle will accomplish several things.

Until next time,
Karli

The Paris Street Market: A Recap

This post is long overdue...(we've had quite a lot of exciting things going on. more to come on that soon)


We did it!

We planned and worked and finally made it to the big day. (After loading the U-Haul oh so carefully)

The show opened at 8:00, but we had customers beginning at 7:30 and we were busy all morning. There was one point where we had a line of people waiting to pay!

We didn't even have time to take many photos before some of our large pieces started moving.

 

 

It was rewarding. It was exhilarating. It was a lot of hard work. It was all worth it.

One of the best parts was meeting the customers who fell madly in love with a few of our items. Knowing they were going to a good home gave us both such a wonderful feeling.

Thank you for all of your support, love, and well wishes. We felt them all!

Now we have to replenish our inventory. We sold A LOT!!

Gratefully,
Kandy and Karli (Kindred Style)

What is the Paris Street Market?

It should be no surprise by now, but just in case you're new to our blog, here is more information about the Paris Street Market. We hope you plan to join us on August 2nd for this fun, unique way to shop for home decor, furniture, clothing, jewelry and more!

What exactly is the Paris Street Market?
The street market is an outdoor gathering of vendors with goods to sell. But there's more to it than that...

What will I find?
This is the best part! The market offers unique goods that you won't find at just any retailer, big box store or in a catalog. The creators of the market had a vision from the beginning...They wanted to sell vintage and antique items. Items that had been "found" and will make your home different than the rest. Over the years, there are now more handmade items and a few wholesale vendors that offer cute clothes, jewelry and art.

Here are a few of the pieces we're planning to bring...

 

 

See more of what we are planning here, here and here. We may even bring one of these since they were such a HUGE hit on the blog!

When and where is the market?
The market takes place the first Saturday of each month, May through October. It runs from 8:00 am to 3:00, rain or shine. (We're really hoping for a nice day when we participate in August). The market in Littleton is at Aspen Grove Shopping Center just off Santa Fe. Trust us, you can't miss it...its set up right in the middle of the parking lot.

What should I know before I go?
The market is often crowded. So many people bring dogs, so watch out for leashes! There will be people milling in and out of booths, so bring your patience and courtesy. Most vendors will take checks, but cash is always appreciated. With new technology, some vendors can take cards as well. We are planning to offer this service in our booth. There are some food vendors available in case you need a snack or drink.

Finally, a tip from these two veteran street market shoppers. Come with an open mind. If you're on the hunt for a lime green 24 x 48 desk, you might not find it. But if you come knowing that you'd like to find an interesting piece that can be used as a desk (or whatever), then you may just leave with something better than you'd ever imagined.

Opps...one more tip. If you see something you love, buy it. So many times we've walked away from something great thinking "I'll make the rounds and come back if there's nothing better." And guess what...when we make our way back, someone else has taken our piece!  (that coffee table still haunts Karli's memory)

If you have any questions about what you'll find, what to bring, or how to get there just let us know.

See you in August!!
Kandy and Karli

Busy Birthday Weekend

***pic heavy post!***

This past weekend was a whirlwind! Mom and Dad came up to Denver for a visit. We were celebrating my birthday and Mother's Day a little bit early. Mom also brought several pieces of furniture to store in my garage prior to the Paris Street Market. Dad wanted to pour a step in our garage and I wanted to refinish a few pieces of furniture of my own. It was busy to say the least.

I'll do a full post on the furniture pieces but here's a bit more about the step. The step leading out to our garage from the house had a problem....the floor below it had sunk, so there was a REALLY LARGE drop. Brent and I were sort of used to it, but everyone who stepped down got a big surprise. So we needed to fix it!

Eight bags of Quickcrete. Looked like a lot, but surprisingly we needed all but one of the bags.

 

My dad loves to study projects. He also loves to engineer ways to build things. He had been planning this for weeks.



 

Building the supports and the frame.

Here you can see the large drop off and the gap between the single step and the floor.

 
These were the ingenious supports Dad dreamed up for the frame. We needed something strong so the cement wouldn't just ooze out.

Some of the important tools. We were rocking and rolling at this point!

 

 

This was just a small part of the mixing process. Mom and I were the lucky ones who got to mix the Quickcrete and lug it over to the step. Dad took care of smoothing it out.

 

Working with Quickcrete was DUSTY. Thank goodness for masks.  

Here Dad is using a tool he built called a "darbie." It is very smooth and levels out all the concrete.
 

 

It is SO wonderful to have two easy steps into the house instead of one giant step.

PS...we tried to put Porter's paw print in the step, but we waited too long. It was too hard to make an imprint!

Saturday evening we went to one of my favorite local Italian restaurants to eat a glutinous meal. (Although Mom and I did share ours, so it wasn't quite as bad as it could have been!) Even if you don't like eggplant parmesan, I would dare you to try this one. It's been known to make converts of eggplant haters!

Sunday afternoon we smoked ribs and completed a few more projects. My dad proclaimed this would be his choice for a dying meal.

Now here's a little preview of the other pieces of furniture we refinished. I'll post more this week. I can't WAIT to show you how these turned out.

Hope you're having a great week!
Karli