A Chic Black Dining Set

I found this beautiful solid oak vintage pedestal dining table at a tagsale a few weeks ago. I had it all set and complete pretty quickly because I really liked it, but I had to wait a few weeks to find the right chairs for it. I got the chairs off craigslist two weeks ago. It was love at first sight. Such a classic form, and solid maple. I love them, and the previous owner had already prepped and sanded them! I painted the chairs in a semi gloss true black, and the same on the base of the table. The top of the table was sanded, stained in dark walnut, and then polyurethaned. I think it turned out so chic and handsome. This one's for sale on craiglist so let me know if you're interested!!

Before and Afters below!

Keep it simple

The best collection is a curated collection. These are hard words to live by, especially if you're a shopper like me, and you want to own EVERYTHING. Anytime I see a really fabulous something, usually antique, I have serious trouble leaving it behind. The internal battle usually rages like this:
*Kate is out at the flea market and sees a gorgeous antique sign*
Kate - "I don't need another sign, I have very little wall space"
Kate - "But it's sooooo pretty and the price isn't too bad!"
Kate - "No, there is simply no spot for it in the house"
Kate - "Pleeeeeaaasssseee???? It's one of a kind and I'll never see another like it again!!!!"
Kate - "Alright fine, but THIS IS THE LAST ONE"
Kate - "Yay!!!!!!"
And so it goes, over and over again. Let's just say I'm very lucky to have such a patient husband who turns a blind eye to the constant influx of vintage an antique goods that come through our door.

That being said, I do try really hard to keep things as simple as possible when I'm decorating. Clutter is the absolute enemy of good design. It buries beautiful things, distracts the eye, and even when neatly organized, can look messy. I admire other people who have more restraint than I, and have really embraced a simple, curated design theory. Here are some beautiful, simple spaces....and the sign that I just bought for myself yesterday, and No, I don't have a spot for it. But isn't it lovely????!

My new sign. I don't usually buy antiques online. It's amazing how many fraudulent things turn up that way, but I just could not resist this sign. I saw it on Sunday and had thought about it all day for three straight days. I finally decided to pull the trigger yesterday afternoon. It was $52 plus shipping, and at a whopping 47 inches across, I get a lot of bang for my buck. I really like the colors, the early lettering, and the little design embellishments in the corner. I'm guessing it dates to the FDR days, when there were so many public works projects going on.

Ok so see, this room would just drive me crazy. I counted at least 23 different fabric patterns,
plus the overly ornate <tacky> coffee table, the mismatched chairs, the frou frou decorative items. ugh. TOO MUCH. 

So much better. I love the color. Though bold, it's tempered by the very limited additional elements and the softness of the bleached antique wood floor. This seems very beachy to me, very serene. You'd walk in this doorway and just feel the stress lift off your shoulders. 

I really enjoy this kitchen. Its a fascinating combination of old and new. Everything is kept sparse to really let the architectural elements shine. 

The symmetry and lack of wall art make this dining room breezy and open. The rest of the eclectic accessories and furniture reside harmoniously. 

When we get out forever house someday, it's my dream that we'll have a huge open room like this where my husband Brian can put his grand piano. Right now the piano is in the front room of our bungalow. He deserves a much grander performance space.

This is a great room that really exemplifies the simple design aesthetic. The colors inside reflect those on the balcony of the building across the way and of the natural wood toned floor. The matched sets of seating, though very different, suit each other well..

Gorgeous and so unique. The sparkle of the lamp, pillows, and breathtaking mannequin are more than enough to fill this room with personality and interest. The scrolls of the bed and mirror are divine together. 

The only exception to the black, white, neutral color scheme here is the vase of flowers. Otherwise the living room is very well edited. The texture and beauty of each piece can be enjoyed without distraction.

Swedish interiors are so frequently beautiful in their simplicity, and this space is no exception. The old unfinished surface of the walls adds so much personality that not much else is needed to make this space intriguing. The pair of marble friezes hung high up on the walls blend so naturally with the space that at first they just look like mirrors, reflecting the opposite wall. 

A simple cottage bedroom cuts all the unnecessary frills to make for a peaceful nocturnal retreat.

Like dining in an enchanted grotto, this sun filled porch has the most beautiful elements, brought together so tastefully. This is one of my favorite spaces in several months. The worn stone floors (with a drain!) are perfect for watering the beautiful trimmed trees. The picnic style trestle table and aluminum chairs continue the indoor/outdoor blending. I can just imagine sipping coffee in here on a misty spring morning. 

What I'll be looking for at Brimfield

I never seem to make it to the May Brimfield, or the September one, so the July Brimfield is a BIG deal for me. I'm counting down the hours until I can drive the yellow pickup up to that veritable mecca of flea market glory. For those of you who don't know, Brimfield is the be-all, end-all massive flea market that happens three times a year in the otherwise sleepy town of Brimfield Massachusetts. It's overwhelming, about 300 times bigger than the Mansfield flea market that I like to go to on Sundays. There's a little bit of everything, and if you don't go up with a plan in place, you can end up buying really really silly things, or spending way too much money, or both.
Now my house is pretty full already, and because the prices are about 50% higher than our local flea market, Brimfield is not the best place to buy furniture. It is, however, and awesome place to get decorative accessories. Here's a working list of what I'll be keeping an eye out for on Friday at Brimfield:
1. A rustic antique pine console table for the front porch. Really rustic. I know, I just said the furniture up there is expensive...but if I can find one for the right price!
2. An antique small black framed beveled mirror for the family room
3. Antique educational posters or charts
4. A set of antique schoolhouse style chairs
5. An fabulons antique oil painting to put on my new antique easel (must remember to show you all a picture of the fabulous antique easel I got on Sunday for $5)
6. Antique signs...always. I just can't resist
7. A couple vintage suitcases to stack on the lower shelf of the rustic pine console table
8. One of those amazing antique amoeba shaped wire baskets
9. A long antique bench
10. An antique tray, probably wooden, to put on the coffee table

Here are some images of what I'm hoping to find.
Are you going to Brimfield???

A stunning oil painting that would look awesome on my vintage easel. It captures the colors of fall so perfectly.

Such soft color to this. It really balances the hefty construction. The one drawer is a quirky charming touch to this console table

I'm obsessed with this table. It's saved in my 'interiors' folder on my desktop. The truss construction reminds me of an old bridge. If I saw this at Brimfield I would basically just open up my wallet and dump out everything I had for it. 

This vintage french education chart would be amazing for the fall decor.

Another really beautiful vintage french chart. These come in such a grand, impressive size. Great as single impactful piece of art hung on a big wall. 

The shape and dimensions of this mirror are really stunning. I'd like to find one with a frame in an old black paint surface though.

My set of five antique school house chairs. If I can ever find another set, I'm keeping them! I want to switch out the chairs in my dining room for fall.
The ones I have now are great for spring and summer, but a little dainty for the colder seasons.

This painting is breathtaking. So much color, such great composition. Perfect to put on the easel...which I think I'll put in the corner on the enclosed porch.

A really great antique trade sign. 

Pocket watch trade signs always bring big BIG $$$ so I won't likely see one in my budget anytime soon. I always look though, always hold out hope. I will get one someday, even it means laying down some serious cash to do it. 

I think a sweet stack of vintage suitcases will really help to capture the vintage schoolhouse vibe I'm going for in the fall. They're everywhere so I should be able to get some for pretty cheap .

If I can find a basket that's the right size, I'd like to put in on our dining room table and fill it to the brim with mini pumpkins and gourds as a fall centerpiece.

The old green paint on this antique bench is so pretty. I'm such a sucker for a rich emerald green color!

I really like the lines of this antique bench. The curves of the legs add a lot of extra charm. I want to get one to use as a coffee table on our porch.

I'd like to put a big rustic tray like this on our coffee table to coral all the magazines that accumulate there.

A Set of White Shelves

On my way back from the flea market on Sunday morning I came across a little antique shop that was clearing out their inventory by having an impromptu tag sale. Sitting right near the road was the most perfect antique white shelf. I simply could not drive by it. They wanted $30 for the shelf, but I talked them down to $20. What a score! I'm going to put it in my dining room for fall. It will fit perfectly, and being that it dates to about 1900-1920, it fully suits the style of my house. I think it was permanent shelving that had been removed from a kitchen or pantry, it still has the cut out notches on the back lowest board to fit over molding. I'm thinking of adding a piece of antique bead board to the back, just to make it a bit more useful. The shelf matches an antique cupboard from the same period that I have in my dining room already. I can't wait to see the together! I'm going to wait until September 1st, when I switch over to my fall decor, to put it in. Until then I'll be storing it upstairs. Included is also a picture of the AMAZING antique piano sign that my parents just found for me. Come fall, it's going to be hanging over the shelf.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned it, but my husband is a pianist and piano teacher- so this sign has special significance for us. And, of course, I absolutely love antique signs.

The Hutch Finds a Home

But first, an apology. It was brought to my attention yesterday afternoon that my blog had gone all crazy-like, and was basically not viewable for most PC users. I've re-formatted it, and hopefully it's fully viewable now- if not, shoot me a message or comment!
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I found a hutch at the beginning of May that I just loved. Solid maple, probably dates to the 1940s or 50s. It was in great condition, but really needed a facelift. I suspect that the hutch had been home made by a skilled craftsman. It had a lot of details that a factory made piece would lack. I painted the case Benjamin Moore's sailcloth. The beadboard back is painted a bright white. I kept the original patina'd brass knobs on the doors, and replaced the pulls with some great vintage looking ones.
My husband and I delivered the hutch yesterday evening, and I had the rare treat of getting to see the piece in the spot where it will reside. I hope you like the color scheme- and pay close attention to that kitchen also pictured- there are going to be some exciting design things happening in that space in the next couple weeks :)!!

The hutch now resides in a pantry that the clients just built as an addition to their kitchen. We're going to use the piece as an inspiration starting point for a full overhaul of the walls, cabinets, and counters in the kitchen. I'm so SO excited to start on the project, and I will give you posts along the way to keep you updated on the progress!