vintage

Summer In the City – Design Inspiration

August 19, 2014

So … this post would not be possible without my wonderful parents who took my boys for a few days last week up to Lake Delavan, WI. (Thanks again Mom and Dad!)

While they were jumping off pontoon boats, miniature golfing and eating lots of ice cream, Dan and I had a nice staycation and a little deja vu of our days living in the city pre-kiddos! I also got to hit some of my favorites shops and the showrooms in the Mart while Dan walked to his office on Michigan Ave. (A very nice commute for him!)

Always inspired by the city, I snapped some pictures along the way …

Yes, sometimes you find inspiration on a street corner. How lovely is this little stretch of sidewalk? Even though I missed the window of time to buy donuts, I had to stop. I love this cream, blue and green color combo. How fun would it be to create this look in a breakfast room? I seriously love those blue chairs with the reclaimed wood table. (Next time, I’m getting the donuts!)

So … maybe our hotel was only a half a block from one of my favorite stores … Classic Remix. I could have snapped about 50 pictures here, but at the time I was the only one in the store so I felt a little strange about that. But I had to get one of this gorgeous mirror and this fabulous feather chandelier. The shop was filled with antique brass and gold, my latest crush.

I also happened upon P.O.S.H. – a quaint little shop that felt like a European Flea Market.

This back room of the store overlooking a little courtyard was filled with light … so charming.

Full of unique pieces … from Hotel silver to vintage cannisters and colorful china, it was fun to browse and discover little treasures.

(Had to grab one of these mugs for our pancake-loving family!)

Many of the pieces tell a romantic story of days gone by …

You can see the little Jadeite cake stand I got in the background of this picture … perfect for displaying my favorite succulent!

And then it was off to the Mart. I was dying to see and grab some samples of this new grass cloth wallpaper by Celerie Kimble for Schumacher.

(I really want to use it in my powder room.)

I also fell in love with this one …

And this one too … (not grass cloth.)

Something about these bold black and white leaf prints hanging in the Hickory Chair showroom really grabbed me. I kinda want to try to make something similar on my own !?!?

Anyway … with summer winding down, the emotions are definitely bittersweet. I will miss the lazy mornings and extra time with my boys. It has been a fun summer.

Good luck with all of your Back-To-School adventures!

5 Girls, A Goat & a Market

August 26, 2013

So if you live in the Chicagoland area, you’ve probably heard of (or been to!) Girl and The Goat, the West Loop dining hot spot on Randolph Street where Chef Stephanie Izard of Bravo’s Top Chef has made quite the name for herself.

And now, much to everyone’s delight, there is also a Little Goat right across the street … an all-day diner where it’s easier to snag a table and easier on the wallet … yet no less delicious!

So what do you do when the Randolph Street Market is in full swing for the weekend right down the street from this Little Goat?

Girls Trip!

Bright and early Saturday morning, 5 Girls and the Goat communed over watermelon cucumber mimosas and the best hashbrowns and grits you’ve ever tasted before heading over to the Market for a little treasure hunting.

The restaurant itself is right out of a design mag …

Gorgeous light fixtures, funky wallpaper and skylights.

And the bakery next door … so charming.

With full bellies, we were off to burn some calories in the most fun way.

As usual, I snapped some pictures of some of my favorite finds …

I love these little vintage glass fishing floats to fill a bowl or vase with soft color.

Or you could do something similar with these strands of beads.

Fun hand-painted signs for a farmhouse kitchen.

We were cracking up over this collection of vintage signs …

How many of our boys could use these reminders …

I think these little lockers would be SO cute flanking the bed in a little boys room as nightstands.

Loved this huge armoire painted a pretty blue-gray …

Of course there were vintage crates everywhere but I liked these for their color.

This lamp with marble base almost came home with me. I forgot to take a picture of the gorgeous gold lining inside the shade.

I wish I had somewhere to put this dresser! What a fun color and the price was only $375 I think?

I also love how it was styled … stacks of candy-colored books and a little birdcage filled with plants. Perfect!

So, after collecting up all their purchases … and giggling over some “vintage” clothing, the Girls were ready to make the trek back to their car …

(See, I told you we would burn off our breakfast calories!)

Home the 5 Girls went to husbands and kiddos … and to find new homes for their new treasures.

One Girl bought this cute little chalkboard …

Another Girl scored this pretty little shelf for her daughters’ bathroom.

Another Girl picked up these metal numbers …

With a plan to do this …

She feels guilty that the picture of #3 is not hung yet given that #3 is 4 years old … but I assured her that you would all understand and perhaps even empathize with the Third Child Syndrome, right?

She also found this …

I love the idea of tucking a vintage team photo like this into a gallery-style wall of art.

k c interiors

via Houzz

As for this Girl? I also got a chalkboard …

What else?

Well, I have loved these on Terrain for some time, but not for $158 bucks a pop.

Fortunately I was able to snag one for only $40 …

There are lots of uses of it … from a planter to a magazine holder …

… to a place to store TP or firewood ….

via Houzz

or repurposed into a light fixture …

I think I’ll find many uses for it in my house.

I also like collecting little number eights since that is our address … I found this cute black and white one that I can tuck in almost anywhere.

And I couldn’t resist a little bag full of those glass fishing floats …

All in all, a successful (and YUMMY!) trip.

Another great thing I love about this market is that often times if you talk to the vendors you will find that they have their own shops elsewhere around the city or even do custom work. I snagged quite a few cards that I hope will come in useful to me or future clients …

I know these 5 Girls are looking forward to another trip!

Have a good week!

Pretty little things …

August 21, 2012

So, being the only girl in my household, I’ve been able to work out a few compromises with my “men.” Sometimes they let me run into stores I like while they sit in the car playing with their respective, iPad/iTouch/DSi/phone.

Last week, for example, we all went down to Wrigley for my youngest’s first Cubs’ game. On the way home, we got to stop in Lincoln Park for me to check out a store I’ve been dying to see for awhile called Classic Remix. I giddily ran inside while they stayed in the car.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! Talk about things that make you swoon …

Classic Remix did not disappoint. A great mix … or remix, if you will, of old and new. Vintage pieces feel modern yet the whole store feels timeless.

I knew I didn’t have much time, so I tried to soak in as much as I could … I will definitely be needing to come back soon on my own.

I couldn’t resist a few pretty little things.

Vintage Mint Julep cups … perfect for small bouquets of flowers or holding pencils.

How sweet are these tiny starfish? I found the pretty little gold leaf bowl there too.

I also grabbed this spiky urchin/orb/whatever-you-want-to-call-it to add a little interest atop the books on my coffee table.

I am already plotting my next visit.

Good luck to everyone during back to school week!

I’ll be wearing waterproof mascara on Friday as I send my little Braden into Kindergarten.

My favorites from Randolph Street Market Festival

May 29, 2012

Yes! We made it down on Saturday afternoon. The weather was lovely and the crowds weren’t too bad. I snapped some pictures of some of my favorite things … including a couple of purchases for myself and a couple of “Wish – I – Had -Boughts”.

Isn’t this pretty? I love the chunky wood bowl and the assortment of blue and green glass balls. I was about to scoop up a selection of them for myself and then learned they were $20 a piece. Yikes! Not everything is cheap at a flea market.

On the other hand, just a few feet away were these wonderful vintage fishing floats. I have seen these in magazines and stores for $75 plus a piece. These were only $30! Score! Mine now gives a lovely pop of color and some visual interest to the the bookshelves in my family room.

I loved these colorful letters of the alphabet … each one was different, with lots of character, color and pattern. These would be cute in a child or teen’s room.

How fun are these vintage shoe molds? I’d love to see the whole collection on a man’s dresser, but even one makes an interesting prop on a bookshelf or console table.

I love, love, love these chairs … and would have bought them in a second if I didn’t already have chairs for my kitchen table. Perfect for kids as they would easily wipe clean. I love their industrial look …

… and the variety of colors!

While not personally my taste, Braden would have liked to bring this green dinosaur home.

Oh how I wish I had a place for this cart. I think his would be perfect in an older kitchen that is in need of an island or it would be great as a dining room buffet filled with plates, wine bottles and pretty napkins in the little drawers.

We ALMOST came home with these lockers to put down in our lower level for all of the boys’ indoor sports equipment. We kind of chickened out because of the size and not knowing how to get it home. It definitely helps to have a very large vehicle with you at flea markets, just in case you come across something great that’s also BIG!

How fun is this dresser? It would be easy to replicate with an old dresser and some paint.

If you read my post on Friday, you’ll see that I did come across several of the things on my Treasure Hunt List.

This great old corbel …

… a nice little vintage suitcase (that I purchased for Braden’s room)

… and some great vintage signs.

So that was our trip … looking forward to the next one!

What to scout for at the Flea Markets

May 25, 2012

I’m super excited that the first Randolph Street Antiques Market of the season opens this weekend! I’m hopeful that rain, high heat and some soccer and baseball games don’t keep me from going!

Besides just the Randolph Market … the season of Flea Markets has begun! So I thought I’d put together a guide of what to look for if you’re heading out to one in the upcoming weeks or months. To me, it is truly like an adult treasure hunt … finding those special, unique little things than can add character to even the most contemporary decor.

So here is your Treasure Hunt List:
1. Blue Ball Jars

These are pretty easy to spot with their bright blue color, which also provides just the right pop in your home.

Southern Hospitality

I love to use them as vases …

(Useless fact: when the first machine-made Ball jars were produced in 1896, the distinctive script on the front boasted “Ball IMPROVED MASON,” with an extra loop after the last “l” in Ball that almost looks like a fifth letter. From 1900 to 1914, the script was shortened to “Ball MASON,” while from 1910 to 1914, some Ball jars bore the words “BALL PERFECT MASON” in big, block letters.)

I’ll bet that you just ran to check your jars, didn’t you? What year are yours from? Mine say Ball Perfect Mason so they must be from somewhere between 1910 and 1914.

ANYWAY … moving on …

2. Vintage Suitcases

Ethan Ollie

I always see these at Flea Markets and have a few in my son’s room peeking out from under the bed. A fun place to store things and add a bit of travelers’ whimsy to a room.

Stay Elegant

Homedit.com

3. Old Signs

Keep an eye out for interesting old signs. They can be used as art, nestled on a mantle or above a window.

Better Homes and Gardens

Funky Junk Interiors

4. Crusty old corbels or architectural elements

Bellina Designs

A pair of these can turn a plain old wood board into a fantastic shelf …

Inspired by Charm

A single piece can make an interesting focal point on a bookshelf …

Painted Lady

5. Vintage Books

Etsy

You can find tables and tables of these at most flea markets. It’s worth it to spend a little time searching through to pick out some gems. They don’t have to be in perfect condition. Just look for titles and colors you like.

If you have large bookshelves to fill, this is a great way to fill them for cheap! But I also like small stacks on tables or consoles around the house. If you have a small spot that just needs a little something, try a stack of 3 vintage books topped with a small vase or interesting artifact from your travels. Books can elevate it to greater importance.

Elizabeth Ann Designs

6. Antlers

These babies can be pretty pricey at home design stores and boutiques, but I’ve gotten some for $10 a piece at flea markets. A great sculptural piece for your mantel, coffee table, bookshelves or centerpiece.

Wednesday Custom Design

7. Old Crates

There are so many ways to use old crates … as planters, trays, shelves or tables. Keep an eye out for sturdy ones with great typefonts or color.

Caisa K

Kristinel Dridge Photography

8. Old Art … even if it’s ugly!

Just look at the frames. You can buy ugly art for really cheap … and sometimes the frame is the best part. Take it out the old art and replace it with art that makes you swoon. It instantly gives it an heirloom-quality look. And a whole wall of it would be stunning.

FromTheRightBank.com

9. Anything else that speaks to you …

Chicago Home + Garden

An old beverage dispenser … who knew it could make a fantastic lamp? And what IS that above it on the wall? But it looks kinda cool, doesn’t it? If it makes you swoon … go for it!

Hope everyone has a wonderful long weekend! Happy treasure hunting! Let me know what you find!