Alabaster!

Hi Friends:

Years ago, when Shabby Chic first arrived on the scene as a casual, practical decorating style for families, I was hooked. The focus was on cozy comfort and shunned the precious and stiff. Slipcovering, repurposing and utilizing vintage time-worn items contributed to both character and function. There was no theme beyond liking what you liked and recognizing that an eclectic look can be successful, warm and inviting. I was drawn to whites and creams in everything from dishes to linens to painted furniture for its elegant simplicity and ability to work in any room. Alabaster accessories became a favorite.

If you are not familiar with it, alabaster is a soft, smooth stone made of sedimentary gypsum rock formed from a type of calcium. It can be found in many countries especially England, the United States and Italy. Generally white or translucent, it resembles marble. Both are carved into decorative works, but alabaster is more affordable. Alabaster pieces are timeless and have great vintage appeal. It's also a great way to add an earthy element to your decor. Have a look at what I have collected! If you like the look, you can find alabaster lamps and accessories at antique stores, flea markets and on eBay.

Alabaster Urn Lamp

Mini Alabaster Lamp Purchased in Volterra, Italy

Alabaster Grape Cluster 

Carved Alabaster Fruit

Alabaster Soap Dish and Cup from Volterra, Italy  

 

Pewter Door Decor!

Hi Friends:

A couple of months ago, while traveling through Ohio, I saw an inspired front door. It was decorated with pewter pitchers of varying shapes and sizes tied together. I got out of the car and snapped a picture with the hope that I could recreate it as it embodied everything I love: repurposing, charm, and  vintage one-of-a-kind items. Take a look! Inviting don't you think?

I've always loved pewter; for one thing, it doesn't scream, "polish me!" A metal consisting mostly of tin, it has a long utilitarian history. I think the dark, silver-gray tones work well with all color palettes and pewter pieces can be both functional and decorative. I have a mid-century pewter tea set with rattan handles that I love for it's understated appeal. 

So, with the plan to make a similar door decor, I kept my eyes peeled at flea markets and antique malls for old pewter pieces that I could use for this project. It didn't matter if they were really time worn, as that would only add to the overall charm and character. Here's what I came up with!

There are, of course, many ways to celebrate the beauty of old pewter/metal pieces. How nice would a grouping look on a sideboard or mantel or a great pitcher used as a vase? Share your thoughts and ideas with us in the comment section; we would love to hear from you!

Vintage Shoe Racks!

Hi Friends:

Well, it's January and for many of us that means snow, ice, dirty slush and salt. This further means coats, hats, scarves, mittens, boots, drippy shoes and wet paws. My sad, tiny laundry room just can't stand up to the onslaught. At no other time do I wish more for a sleek, functional mud room. Over the years, I have managed to make a few improvements to the space - my top loading machines are now front loaders to allow for a counter top, wire shelving has been replaced with cabinetry and I have a great vintage accordion coat rack (which is sadly not visible in winter thanks to all the coats, hats and scarves). The big problem, though, has been corralling all of the boots, shoes and sneakers that litter the floor. So imagine my delight when I stumbled upon vintage shoe racks from early 20th century shoe factories while shopping for Georgia's. In a word - awesome! These racks ranged from single to multi-tiered. Some were on vintage saucer wheels and all had great utilitarian style and patina. We bought several for Georgia's including a boot rack that can be repurposed as a wine rack. These racks would also work well for magazines, books, and games. I love the idea of fitting them with baskets as well. Luckily, one was small enough to fit into my laundry room. Problem solved in vintage style! 

Georgia's is expanding! These racks and more will be available on Etsy soon. In the meantime, follow us on facebook and we will let you know when we have items up for sale on One Kings Lane. Consider signing up for this site; their vintage and market finds are inspiring! 

We hope your new year is off to a great start!

Chalk It Up to Repurposing!

Photo Credit: Carasco Photography

Here at Georgia's we are all about repurposing, a passion that runs deep for all of us. Not only is repurposing green and good for the environment, it can be a real cost saver, too, especially when planning a wedding. As many of you know, last year I married my best friend and teammate for life. Repurposing was a key theme in our wedding. I wanted to avoid waste at all costs, not only to save some green, but to be green.

One way we cut down on paper use was by using chalkboards. The project began with a visit to one of our favorite salvage warehouses here in Chicago where we found a great vintage gold frame. We brought it back to Georgia's workshop and cut down a Grade A smooth piece of plywood (with no knots) to fit in the frame's opening. Next, we applied fasteners to the back, similar to what you would see on a traditional picture frame. Finally we applied multiple layers of black chalkboard paint to both sides of the plywood. Chalkboard complete.

Photo Credit: Carasco Photography

What did we use it for? The front side of the chalkboard was our ceremony program which we displayed as people walked to their seats. During cocktail hour, the frame was quickly moved and flipped over as the back side featured our menu for the evening. I bet you are wondering where it is now. You guessed it, in the process of being repurposed yet again. But I have to be honest, it is a project I haven't completed yet. This frame will either continue to function as a chalkboard, hold a corkboard for my office or become a mirror for my living room. I haven't quite decided yet.

Photo Credit: Carasco Photography

Do you want a great repurposed chalkboard of your own? Georgia's is stocking up on frames and has amassed quite a collection. Check them out and stay tuned for the grand opening of our online store where we will feature framed chalkboards in addition to winter and holiday decor items.

 

Now go get some chalk! 

Highlights from High Point, NC!

Historic landmark in High Point; isn't it awesome!

Jump in the car and drive 13 hours to the High Point Market in North Carolina? Why not! That's just what Georgia's did arriving 15 minutes before the opening of Blue Ocean Trader's Gypsy Market. We had no idea what to expect, but two great ladies we met in line, Kelsey and Lauren, kindly explained the buying process to us. Take a look at what these two are up to at www.shopgreenroost.com and greenroostva.blogspot.com. Thank you Kelsey and Lauren; your help was invaluable! After doing some antiquing in outlying areas, we hit the ground running at the market. Our favorite venue was the Antique and Design Center of High Point where we hand selected a few items for Georgia's inventory. We had a great time talking to Denise Eckert and Stephanie Freitas of The Barn on Sweetwood about repurposing. They do a wonderful job with this and you can follow them at thebarnonsweetwood.blogspot.com. Overall, the market was well organized and the hospitality outstanding; we thoroughly enjoyed visiting the showrooms and meeting the vendors. Take a look at some of Georgia's finds!        

Cabinets made from reclaimed wood and hardware - great for spice cabinets!

Vintage sleds!

Late 1800's pumpkin cart with original green paint - love it!

Wrought iron coffee table with antique French fretwork - gorgeous!

Free the Birds, Keep the Cages!

They say: "Birds of a feather flock together."

I say: "Let them flock and get the heck out of their cages so I can use them to decorate!"

Now, before I get into how I use birdcages to create a charming space, I want to make one thing very clear:  I am not a bird fanatic, nor am I a crazy bird lady that likes to be surrounded with bird paraphernalia. I am simply a blogger and home decorator that can appreciate the appeal of a vintage birdcage (or vintage-inspired). I would like to pause and highlight the word vintage. Regardless of the used cage's character (it could be well used with chipped paint or classic metal with just the right amount of rust), I can tell you this: a new cage from the pet store does not have the same appeal.

Believe it or not, I have 2 birdcages in my home (hmm..this does not give my "I'm not a crazy bird lady" statement much credibility does it). Let me tell you how I use them and, hopefully, I can inspire some great ideas in you!

Large birdcage:

My large birdcage was purchased at Scott Antique Market in Atlanta, Georgia. I fell in love with this cage during an antiquing trip I made in preparation for my wedding. I thought it would be a unique way to collect and display wedding cards that often stack up and slide off of gift tables. Not only was the cage vintage inspired to fit with our theme, it provided a layer of protection (ain't no one getting in to swipe a card or two). I now use the cage as part of a vignette on top of my kitchen cabinets. I've also positioned the cage on a large shelf with a stack of books displayed inside of it.

Small birdcage:

I love this little guy. He is so cute and perfect on the side of my bathroom sink. Even serving no purpose at all, I love the rustic element it brings to my delicately-decorated master bathroom. But, as you all know, I like to repurpose; so I used this cage to hold my earrings, bracelets and miscellaneous jewelry. Cute and functional. Win-win!

Happy decorating!

One Door’s Past, Present & Future

As many of you know, I am newly married and I used my wedding day as an opportunity to combine my love of all things vintage with my love of repurposing. The culmination was a day I will never forget, and a ton of great repurposing ideas I can share with all of you! 

It’s hard to say what my favorite repurposed item was. But, for the sake of this blog post, I am going with the 100 year quarter sawn oak door that I found at a local salvage warehouse. Man, did that door have character and I fell in love with it immediately. 

After thorough investigation, we determined this relic needed a good cleaning and a little TLC to take care of some light water damage. Georgia’s Crew was up to the task!

We used Formby’s Furniture Refinisher, a fantastic product that allowed our team to easily redistribute the original stain without affecting the patina. After a coat of tung oil we had our result - a fabulous vintage door ready for repurposing.

To me, doors are symbolic. On our special day, we positioned the door front and center as guests entered our wedding ceremony and reception venue. Adorned with a large moss “B” (for Bechtold, my married name), the door welcomed our guests and symbolized the entrance to our future.



Photo Credit: Carasco Photography 

But that’s not the end of the story for this great piece. After our wedding, we brought the door back to our new home: a modern loft with bright white doors, 12 foot ceilings and expansive hardwood floors (except for white carpet in the bedroom - something I would like to change, but that's a topic for another blog). We immediately tore down our white, boring master bedroom door and replaced it with our 100 year old vintage one. The transformation to our condo was immediate. To this day, the new door is not only a great conversation starter, it warms up our condo and brings me such joy when I enter my bedroom each night. We'll take this door with us every place we move because it is something we truly treasure.

Stirrup Some Style!

Hi Friends:

Back in the frontier days, cowboys used to roam the dusty, tumbleweed-swept range with beautiful leather saddles and classic wooden stirrups. After years of aiding their riders as they galloped across fields, along creeks and over streams, these simply-crafted stirrups developed warm patinas and time-worn charm.  While wood is no longer the material of choice for stirrups today, these beauties have found new life and purpose as decorative accessories in the home. 

Here are my three favorite ways to use a vintage wooden stirrup:

1. Place one on your kitchen or dinner table and fill it with beautiful vintage cloth napkins.

2. Hang or set out on the counter in the bathroom and add a guest towel. 

3. Use in the kitchen with a dishtowel.

Georgia's is stocking up on stirrups; we'll have one-of-a-kind relics from the past available soon! 

Happy trails!

Decorative Accessories at Georgia's

Vintage cobalt blue console table 

Georgia's loves mixing the old with the new and blending vintage pieces with modern home furnishings and accessories. To that end, we are continuing to add found, one-of-a-kind items to our inventory and will be making them available to you very soon. In the meantime, take a gander at a few of our favorite finds! I don't know how we are going to part with them!

Silver plate trays ready for repurposing

Vintage hand mirrors - so beautiful hung together

Vintage Sears tool caddy great for the garden

Nikki and I are so excited to share our vision and our finds with you! Tell us how you accessorize and repurpose pieces to create comfort and charm.