Thursday, October 3, 2013

Living Room Vignettes - Decorating with Old Thrift Store Stuff


I have enjoyed the past week - tweaking things in my living room from summer to fall/winter. I think I'm ready to add a few pumpkins, twigs and other fallish things now!

Before I get back into the middle bedroom, I'll show you a few more photos of some of the vignettes in the living room...



Family photos in thrift store frames. A thrift store lamp, painted by me, with a Walmart shade. My 3rd grade Bible, open to Psalm 91. A candle bought for me by Mason when he was a little boy...I just can't burn it. 



A mid-century metal tray from Mexico, stripped by me. A vintage seltzer bottle found at Goodwill years ago, a crystal decanter wedding present, thrift store glass decanters, and a glass door knob bottle stopper from one of my favorite Texas bloggers, Tina. 


The table was a curb-side find decades ago, and I made a top for it from boards I had cut-to-size. 


A stack of thrift store vintage wood frames, painted by me. Greenery from Dollar Tree in a wicker plant basket found at a thrift store. 


The basket is great - it is lined in zinc. 




A free storage bench from my church, which I painted in homemade plaster paint. In front of it is a garage sale table painted in ASCP with thrift store items on top. 



Above, a curbside picture frame with a Hobby Lobby cross inside. The throw is all cotton Buffalo Plaid, and I found it for a few dollars at a discount store years ago. 



More stacked frames, painted by me, behind a box (filled with vintage blocks from my children and their grandmother).
On top of it, a thrift store file box painted white. It holds scented candles and wax cubes. I love burning nice-smelling things!

A thrift store chair, painted in ASCP and recovered in drop cloth. Behind - a vintage chest from a garage sale with more thrifted items on top.



At the front door, I reworked the art on the wall. The previous arrangement had begun to irritate me. 


A contemporary art assemblage by me, a thrift store silver plate platter, a couple of thrift store paintings, re-worked by me, a vintage plaster French frame found at a church tag sale years ago. Thrift store numbers, a T from Hobby Lobby, a souvenir wooden angel from a trip to San Antonio years ago, a ceramic cross from Hobby Lobby, and a souvenir Eiffel Tower bronze piece found at a previous home. The previous owners had a garage sale before we bought the home, and left things there. It was cool, so I kept it. 


Garage Sale silver plate sugar bowls with trophy shapes. Love 'em! Thrift store pumpkins painted white, Hobby Lobby Greenery. An old drawer bought at a garage sale years ago catches incoming mail.


Vintage metal flower frogs. 


A white wooden tray, painted by me. The child's chest of drawers is an oak piece from England, painted in oil. The hardware is original.



Do you know what I just realized? There is scarcely ANYTHING new in my living room. Seriously! A few things from Hobby Lobby, a wedding gift, a few Walmart lamp shades, not really much more.

And do you know what else? Given the opportunity to trade it all right this minute for a new set of furniture from a store, with accessories to coordinate - I'd turn it down. I LOVE my old stuff. The furniture is much better than new stuff - solid wood. The old accessories are real, too; wood, metal, glass...I like real stuff. Plastic has it's place, but I really, really like the real, old stuff. 

Word for the Day:
Isaiah 25:1
Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.

Linking With
Sunday
Sunday Show-off Link Party
Nifty Thrifty Sunday
Silver Pennies Sundays
Monday
Metamorphosis Monday
Mod Mix Monday
Revival Monday
Masterpiece Monday
Make it Pretty Monday
Give Me the Goods Monday
Tuesday
Vintage Inspiration Tuesday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
The Scoop
The Scoop
The Scoop
Inspire Me Tuesday
Inspiration Exchange Linky Party
Wednesday
Blissfully White Wednesday
Restored it Wednesday
Wow Us Wednesday
Show Me What Ya Got
What’s it Wednesday
Cottage Style Party
What We Accomplished Wednesday
Penny Pinching Party
Thursday
Under $100 Link Party
Transformation Thursday
Inspired Creations
Thursday Open House Party
Time Travel Thursday
Share Your Cup Thursday
Grey Dey Thursdey
Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Furniture Feature Friday
Friday Redoux Link Party
Frugal Friday
Be Inspired
Fridays on Remodelaholic
Fabulously Creative Friday
Friday’s Five Features
Weekend
Saturday
Saturday Nite Special
Get Schooled Saturday
Show and Tell Saturday




A Favorite Vignette Spot for Fall and Thoughts on Generous Friends and Family


This chest is one of my favorite mini-makeover spots.
I've had some elements that have stayed here for a year now, so a bit more change was in order.


I kept the Frenchy frame, but took away the modern/industrial art piece I had propped there for the past year. Though I enjoyed the contrast, it was time to change things up!


Since I had recently moved the plaster face from my gallery wall behind the sofa, it seemed like a good focal point to put inside the frame.


I kept the faux mercury glass lamp there, since the scale fits well.

Next to the Frenchy frame is another small ornate framed portrait of a Baroness. She may be Italian...



I painted her with ASCP French linen.


Keeping with my mixed metal mentality, I included a gold box I received from a sweet great aunt as a high school graduation gift.


 I love the contrast of the elegant box on the rustic cabinet!


These deconstructed books make such interesting props for things! They were free - from a friend's garage sale. Of course, I had to spend an evening ripping off the covers!
Most of the ones I deconstructed were Reader's digest condensed books. Many of them were already falling apart, so it didn't feel like vandalism!

Remember the rusty hammer head I found last summer for .10c at a garage sale? I have some sort of unexplained affection for it. I see it as true art on so many levels!


Rust enjoys company, so my favorite bird from my favorite aunt June returned to roost! 


Last, but not least, is a favorite ceramic piece made by my long-time dear friend, Vivian. She took a pottery class in college and took to it like a fish to water! (Viv, you should really take another class...) This pot has a salt-fired glaze. She gave me three pots years ago, and I'll love them forever, partly because they are lovely to me, and partly because they were made by her, and she is lovely to me. 

(Note: DO make it a point to make friends with artists and creative people. Not only are they lovely company, but you end up with lots of cool stuff just because!) 


Word for the Day:
Proverbs 19:6
Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.

Possibly Linking With:

Sunday

Sunday Show-off Link Party
Silver Pennies Sundays
Monday

Masterpiece Monday
Make it Pretty Monday
Mod Mix Monday
Give Me the Goods Monday
Tuesday

Vintage Inspiration Tuesday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
The Scoop
The Scoop
The Scoop
Inspire Me Tuesday
Inspiration Exchange Linky Party
Wednesday

Wow Us Wednesday
Blissfully White Wednesday
What’s it Wednesday
Cottage Style Party
What We Accomplished Wednesday
Thursday

Thursday Open House Party
Time Travel Thursday
Treasure Hunt Thursday
Share Your Cup Thursday
Grey Dey Thursdey
Be Inspired
Friday

Feathered Nest Friday
Frugal Friday
Fabulously Creative Friday
Friday’s Five Features
Weekend
Saturday

Party Junk
Get Schooled Saturday