A Simple and Pretty Thrifted Vignette

One of the hashtags that I have been using a lot this past year or so is #thriftcuratestyle. What does that mean to me? It means, to take the time to scour thrift stores and garage sales to curate (collect, select, choose carefully) objects that I love to style into eye catching vignettes and displays. Here is a simple vignette put together with second hand finds.

The mirror is the newest curated item. It is definitely an antique, I can tell from the back, and simply lovely. I styled it with my favorite, vintage, waterfall vase that I stuffed full of lilacs.

Our lilacs are blooming well this year, I have clipped many to place around the house both inside and outside.

Brass candlesticks with thrifted taper candles sit alongside the vase of flowers. They sit on top a wood box to ground them. The wood also adds warmth to the vignette.

I placed the mirror at a height that would reflect the flowers and the candlelight. Simple, sweet, springy and second hand!

Curated Camp and Cabin Decor

I have been busy curating items for my June pop-up-shop, "Cottages & Cabins" and put together a little vignette today featuring some recently sourced, 100% wool, camp style blankets.

I adore cabin or summer camp decor--plaid blankets, vintage picnic baskets, folding camp stools.

The top and bottom blankets in this pile are my most recent acquisitions. The bottom one is a Ralph Lauren and the top is a vintage Filson Garment. They are all in excellent condition.

A book about a once local guy named John Colter (look him up if you are an unfamiliar with him) and an old baking powder tin add more color to the cabin vignette.

I can't wait to collect and curate more fun, vintage, unique items and style them for my "Cottages and Cabins" POP-UP, June 13 and 14.

A Modern Rustic Vignette with Recently Sourced Goods

I assembled recently sourced home decor items together to create a modern rustic vignette. 

What is modern rustic style? Think of a hip cabin or a cozy mid century space. Modern rustic design includes natural elements, clean lines, sleek shapes. Keep reading to see details on these curated items including this amazing lamp.

So, let's start with this incredible lamp. It was sitting on the bottom shelf at the thrift store and was DUSTY! I picked it up and the first thing I noticed was how heavy it was. I put it in my cart to think about it and that is when I saw that it was signed and numbered. I must say, I have never seen a signed and numbered lamp. I decided it was a yes and then further researched the lamp when I got home. The artist is Christian Willis from England and the lamp is carved from wood, colored with Japanese ink, and then protected with 12 coats of lacquer. It was made in 1999.

The lampshade on the lamp will be changed as this is mine that goes on another lamp. It is black with a gold inside and I do like that with the lamp base. 

The leather and wood tray is a perfect example of the modern rustic style. The leather and the stitching on it is a bit more rustic, while the shape and wood color is modern. I shared some hand bookends about a month ago that I changed to gold. I found a set (they are hard to see on the tray) that were already gold. Placing the tray straight on this recently thrifted table, keeps the lines in the vignette modern.

The wool poof and Swedish cross pillow are more rustic. But their simple patterns, especially on the pillow, are more modern. 

A mustard yellow, rattan "tray" holds a piece of driftwood and a teapot.

Keys to creating a visually appealing vignette: repeat colors--the green in the head planter is repeated in  book spine and on the side of the lamp, the gold is in the poster, rattan tray, bookends, and the poof, black is on the poster, lampshade, books, and pillow. No matter the vignette style, use organic items and textures--the plants, wood, leather, rattan, and wool are all natural materials. Vary heights and layer objects to keep the eye moving.

And, as always, take pictures to see what works and what doesn't and have fun, don't take yourself too seriously! Most of these items will be for sale at my next pop-up.

Creating a Mood Board with Curated Home Decor

I love creating a mood board for a space that is being restyled or newly designed. I first really became enamored with mood boards while watching Capturing Home. 

Mood boards involve curating and gathering items that help set the tone and mood that you want to create in a space. It can use objects that will be styled in the room, but also items that may not be used, but that evoke the colors, textures, and styles that you are designing with. Overlaying and arranging the articles and taking pictures of them helps you to see what works and what doesn't and helps to better define the style.

This mood board is for my upcoming pop-up shop and while the whole shop won't share the same style, a part of it will. Please keep reading for details and close-up shots.

This particular theme started with the curtains in the background. I liked the aquas and reds and greens in them. I recently sourced five vintage Cezanne prints (one of my favorite impressionists). I have framed two of them so far, Basket of Apples and

and Madame Cezanne in the Conservatory. I love how the colors in the prints mesh with and bring out the colors in the curtains. I found three, vintage, floral, metal trays and am sharing two of them here.

vintage, heavy crystal candlesticks juxtaposed next to a rustic worn wood washboard. The green and yellow birdcage introduces more color tones and the little rattan basket adds texture.

Super tall wood candlesticks incorporate warm wood tones. 

A 1940's, Nelson McCoy, Hobnail planter and a strawberry needlepoint trivet bring out more of the colors from the curtains.

The red, paper parasol is on top of one of the Cezanne prints that I haven't found a frame for yet.

Remember, if you have to use faux flowers, always use really good fakes. I love these ones I thrifted, popped in a jade green, slender vase.

The curvy, aqua, table lamp came with a white shade that didn't look good with it. I replaced it with a lighter aqua shade I had. The skinny, horizontal vintage print repeats the blues and greens in the mood board.

The next time you are redoing a space, weather it is just a corner, or an entryway, or a whole room, create a mood board and TAKE pictures to help you define your style.

Upcycled Wood Barrel Style Tray

Sometimes when I thrift something that is less than perfect, I am not sure how I am going to fix it. But, if the bones are good or it is solid and the price is right, I will buy it. This simple, barrel style, wood tray is solid, but has some stains on the inside area.

I could have sanded the tray and hopefully the stains out, but I decided to cover the bottom with a thrifted wallpaper scrap instead.

I used a piece of newsprint to create a template.

I then traced around the template, making it a little bigger, and cut out the Ginko Leaf, peel-n-stick wallpaper.

I used my fingernail along the edge of the wallpaper circle inside the tray to get the perfect size.

I used Mod Podge (and peeled off the wallpaper back) to stick the wallpaper to the bottom of the tray. I also used the Mod Podge on top to create a protective coat for the tray.

The wood tray is fresh and updated and makes the perfect bar tray. 

I did use furniture salve on the outside to revive the wood. It would be cute in a bathroom or on a coffee table too. 

Styling Tips for a Dark Wood Shelf

I love this recently sourced bookshelf handmade from old, reclaimed wood and put together with nails (indicating it is old). Whoever previously owned it did drill a few cord holes in the back, but those are easy to cover.

Dark wood shelves can be a challenging to style, so here are a few tips.

Prop a mirror in the back to reflect light. Here, I used a large, antique, gold framed, oval mirror. These shelves are fixed so I just used one mirror in this vignette. but a smaller mirror on the bottom shelves would look great too. I used a mirrored tray on the third shelf down.

Display light colored objects--light wood, rattan, books, etc. If you have something darker you want to display, place it on a light colored cloth napkin or doily. Remember to prop art along the back of the shelves.

Repeat colors and textures and layer objects. Be sure to include interesting, unique, weird pieces. The funky art on top the shelf is fun and shows personality. 

Use some plant life, even if it is faux (Good fakes only!! Fake ivy is never good.) Display some books, after all it is a BOOKshelf.

Do not center decor items in the middle and remember odd numbers, create visual triangles, vary heights, have fun, and take pictures to examine to determine what works and what doesn't. 

Organic and Wild Wall Display

A few simple thrift store finds and some curly willow branch clippings from my yard,

came together to create a wild, organic wall display perfect for spring and summer.

I love the texture on this sectioned, seagrass basket. I added faux Forsythia stems and curly willow branches to the back section.

A couple vintage doilies and an old children's book (lifted up a bit with brown paper in the basket bottom), and a velvet ribbon tied on the front add more texture and color.

There is a rattan loop like the one on divider on the back of the basket that makes it easy to hang.

I love the wild, curly branches and the simplicity of this organic wall display. I love that everything except the branches came from a thrift store.

Farmhouse Table Set for Spring Pop-Up Shop

I was thrilled to source a great, smaller sized, white farmhouse table for mu upcoming pop-up shop. It needed some tightening and a quick sanding and a fresh clear finish before I put it in the shop and styled it for this weekend's event.

This table is the perfect size for four and for smaller dining spaces. It also will make a wonderful work table. I styled it with freshly curated, vintage finds mostly in greens and yellows.

A sweet, lemon apron, a green checked tablecloth, yellow checked napkins, art, linens, dishes, old books---all ready for the pop-up shop.

I love the sweet green and white garden coffee set sitting in the basket tray, the chick and bunny glassware, and the yellow basket hanging on the branch.

How about this cute bunny dish, the yellow "Reading is Sexy" mug made from corn that is sitting on the green scale, or the new to the shop green and yellow paint by number? 

How sweet is the dapper bunny pillow sitting on the bench?

Give Me a Hand Bookends

Two aspects I enjoy about home decor are upcycling or changing up finds and mix and matching different styles to create fresh looks. I did both with this easy thrift store makeover that started with a pair of hand bookends.

I loved the details on the hands and that they were funky, but I didn't like the pale pink flesh color so I changed that!

I spray painted the hands a flat black first.

I then brushed on Antique Gold Rub-n-Buff.

The black underneath helps the details to better stand out. 

I love the juxtaposition of modern decor with antiques. It creates something unexpected and exciting to look at. The modern bookends with antique, leatherbound books is a fresh take on style.

These bookends are great for creating a tabletop book display.  Remember to look at what things CAN BE rather than what they are while thrifting. The hands will be for sale at my upcoming POP-UP SHOP, April 18th and 19th.