Sunday, March 6, 2016

An Armoire By Any Other Name Is...

Is just an armoire? I think not...they can be SO MANY things! The dear folks at Chairish ask me to share some ideas for organizing an armoire in style. So here are two of my favorite armoires from their site and my thoughts on working them in to today's hip and fun lifestyles!


German Antique Pine Armoire
This German Antique Pine Armoire is my hands down favorite on Chairish right now. It's dripping with architectural detail on the outside and the inside is PERFECT for what I have in mind!


 With so many of us returning to the vinyl of our youth then it makes complete sense to put one of these magnificent beauties to work spinning magical music out into your home, am I right? I threw some vintage Marty on to set the mood for my blogging.


Open up those doors and voila! The 'most excellent' set up for a circa 1970's turntable! Conceal the speakers up on top in a French laundry basket and let the dance party begin! "Pump up the jams!" "Let the music play!" "Cha cha... real cool...two steps this time!" I digress...

French Laundry Basket

 Now to style up the organization of all that vinyl. For heaven's sake it's not in your basement or squirreled away in a closet is it? Dig it out...it's time.
Brass Clad Wood Caddy in the Manner of Sarried
How about a splash of brassy bling? Off set your turntable on that top interior shelf with this hunk of gorgeousness as it's neighbor.  At just eleven inches deep it's perfect to keep your favorites at the ready. Thumb through until you find the flavor of the day for your ears.
Vintage Wood Industrial Box
 Of course you'll need to conceal that pre-amp and corral those hi-fi stereo accessories and this vintage wood, industrial box will do just that. Your anti-static brush and 45 adapters can find their home here as well.
Antique Kilim Covered Box
Lastly, for those delicate replacement needles and your stylus brush...a delicious, kilim wrapped storage box.

Vintage Pink Armoire with Painted Glass Panel





How about this exquisitely imperfect gem from the early 1900s? If those layers and layers of paint could tell a story! Mm mm mm...pull up a chair, there's bound to have been some gossip, chatter, and buzz shared over afternoon tea near this darling piece. Or was it whiskey in those tea cups?


I would love to see this piece in one of my many creative friend's design studios. What better way to organize that home office?

Faux Bamboo Bar Stool
I see a laptop on the bottom shelf, story boards with fabric swatches, paint samples and inspiration photos surrounding you as they hang from the interior of the doors.  With the open shelf on the bottom you can easily pull up this lovely faux bamboo bar stool.
Oval Brass Faux Bamboo Tray
Next to your laptop how about a vintage, brass, faux bamboo tray to keep your desktop needs at the ready. 

Vintage Sari Blanket
Just because I know myself so well I would have to have a blanket nearby to throw over my legs. I would keep this warm and toasty vintage sari blanket folded and laying on the top shelf. I'd be sitting there in my pajamas for hours falling down rabbit holes right and left. Perusing my favorite design blogs or shopping for one of a kind pieces as my legs slowly went to sleep and subsequently becoming ice cold. Check out some of my other favorites at Chairish!

Maybe I should go back to the vinyl and throw on some Coletrane to warm up!

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Signs, signs everywhere there's signs! They make for BEAUTIFUL scenery!

Hey y'all!! How are ya?? Tell me what you're doing these days...leave me a comment...I miss you!!

What a whirlwind couple of weeks I have had! Nashville, to Ohio to Indianapolis back to Ohio! I have about 300 pictures from The Nashville Show and The Vintage Marketplace that I just started perusing. Today I'm going to share all of the ones that are of signs.
You know the lyrics to the Tesla song, right?
 Actually, the song was originally released in 1970 as the B-side to a relatively unsuccessful "Hello Mindy Goodbye" by the little know Five Man Electrical Band out of Canada.

The band re-released it in 1971 as the A-side and "Signs" subsequently reached No. 4 in Canada and No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 24 song for 1971. 
It became a gold record.

 Tesla's recording of the song, which they took poetic license to by swapping out 'blocking out the scenery' with 'f***ing up the scenery, peaked at number 8 on the pop charts in 1990


 But I digress...oh those internet rabbit holes right?

 Well...these signs definitely do not f*** up the scenery...in fact, they ARE the scenery!

From advertising to folk art to school charts to farm signs to vacation signs...you name it, you could find it at this show.
 (This little piggy went to market...literally, poor guy.)














 I had the pleasure of hanging out at the show for three days and watched most of these signs head home with shoppers. Someone's scenery just got a little more beautiful!


 Stay tuned, more photos coming soon!
P.S. Long haired freaky people rock!