A Simple White Hutch

I should have known. Calling something "simple" in my mind, in my inventory system and to my family is the kiss of death.

I found a lovely, "simple" hutch a few months ago. It was obviously handmade. It had clean lines with a cute little curved board at the top. I was just sure this would be a great makeover!

The back had a handwritten note stating that it had been "lovingly refinished by XXX in 1994." That loving refinish was an orangish brown stain with a few drips in places. The loving refinish also included adding mirrors to the backboard of the top shelves. Oh, and new shiny brass hardware.

Maybe that was showing the piece TLC back in 1994, but today it called for paint! Also, the mirror had cracked at some point, so I was sure I could just smack it with a hammer and get all the pieces out. And the hardware---I'd reuse the ugly brass and simply paint it black.

Here's where my simple plan for a simple piece went downhill.

First, the mirror wouldn't shatter and I could NOT get it out! Next, I painted the hardware and put all the doors back in the exact same holes. But the doors weren't aligned and they wouldn't close!

This is where teamwork comes in handy. Mom and Dad were in town, so we put Dad to work on the alignment problem while Mom and I brainstormed how to handle the backboard.

After a few months, I'm happy to say I JUST finished this piece. I will be renaming it in my inventory list and on its price tag. It will now be "Shabby White Hutch."



The final hutch with a sweet gray and white trellis backboard.

 


I love how the pattern looks through the glass.

 

 

 


The reused hardware turned out great! It looks a bit old and worn.

 


I can just imagine sterling silver serving pieces, white ironstone dishes and wood bowls stacked in this hutch!

I'll be dropping this off at Unlisted in the next week!

Have a great week,
Karli

A Paris Street Market: September 2015

We've been busy getting ready for our next trip to the "Paris Street Market" in Littleton, Colorado, on Saturday, September 5, 2015.  We'll have some fantastic finds for you in our booth!  Plan to arrive early to snatch up some wonderful painted furniture as well as unique found items that will be perfect in your home this fall.


We can't show you everything...... but, we wanted to give you a little sneak peek!



We have one dining set with 4 chairs (one captain's chair and three side chairs) painted a warm distressed gray.  They will be upholstered before we bring them.  The dining table, with two leaves, has a beautiful wood top with the legs painted in the same gray.  You'll have to wait to see the table there.

This piano bench is also painted in a warm distressed gray.  The top opens to hold sheet music or whatever you like.  The vintage 3-drawer chest has a distressed wood finish and would work great as an end table or for bedside storage.  The fun "Antique" sign and fall gourds are the finishing fall touch.

This vintage sofa table has great unique legs and is painted in a distressed gray granite finish.  It would be perfect as a sideboard in a dining area or behind a sofa, or you could even use it as a writing desk.

Here are a few primitive pieces.  The old wood chest was possibly used as a blanket chest.  It has dove-tail joinery and was put together with hand-forged square nails which date it to the 1800's.  It has been "touched on" with love and would be a perfect coffee table.  Several of the rusty found pieces include an old tin can, a rake, and some antique wood presses.  The little wood high chair is precious too.  There is nothing quite like old wood and rust to warm up a home.

And a few more fall touches just to get you in the mood.......

Hope to see you at the Market,
Kandy and Karli

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

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

Shades of Gray (Painted Furniture)

Karli and I love our gray furniture and evidently so do our customers.  Every time we bring gray pieces to our shows, they seem to go early so it only makes sense that my two newest old pieces get a shade of gray as well.


The chair is vintage and really quite comfortable.  Here it is as found.  It must have been used in a library with the "book" upholstery.
                         
                                             

                                       

This walnut desk had belonged to one of Karli's friends.  It is extremely well built and sturdy.  The brass hardware is all original.  It was made by the Myrtle Desk Company in 1928.  Here are some "before" photos.

Original Brass Hardware

Dovetail Drawers

Turned Legs

After some gray paint, a completely different look.....

The chair got reupholstered with some khaki linen fabric for an "Restoration Hardware" look.  I think the desk and chair make a great pair.

Maybe I'll just keep these at my house.

Still painting,
Kandy

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!

Painted Furniture Reveal

I spent the weekend painting, sanding, touching up, cleaning and finishing several more pieces of furniture. They'll be displayed in our booth at the Paris Street Market on August 2nd. If you see something you love, make sure to come see us!

Up first....do you remember those chairs I found a few months ago? They were covered with a blue pinstripe, so I reupholstered them in a lovely khaki linen. I seriously contemplated a large black number on each seat. I may offer that fun option if someone buys these.

 

Up next, take a look at how these tables turned out. They each needed some TLC and a more modern look. (See their original state here)

 

 

 

 

I also have this black dining table and four very sturdy black chairs. The chairs are really comfortable!

 

This large square black coffee table has great chunky legs.

This smaller square side table would be perfect next to a reading chair.

On Friday we're going to announce a wonderful surprise for our loyal blog readers who are able to come see us on Saturday. Stay tuned!

Karli