In a fast-paced world filled with constant distractions, there's something truly magical about finding solace within the pages of a good book. Imagine curling up in a cozy nook, surrounded by the warmth and character of antique furniture, where every element whispers of a bygone era. Join us as we embark on a journey to create the perfect reading sanctuary infused with old-world charm.
The cornerstone of any enchanting reading nook is the furniture that invites you to sink into its embrace. From plush armchairs with intricate carvings to ornate Victorian chaises, antique furniture pieces offer both comfort and elegance. Explore the timeless beauty of these treasures as we delve into the art of selecting the perfect seating for your reading retreat.
Choose between a comfortable leather armchair or add some flare to your space by incorporating a French walnut Fauteuil Napoleon armchair.
As the soft glow of a reading lamp casts a gentle light over the pages of your book, the ambiance of your reading nook comes alive. Vintage lamps and sconces provide the practical light needed for reading but also add a touch of romance and sophistication to the space. Carefully chosen lighting can transform your reading nook into a haven of tranquility and enchantment.
If you’re thinking of going for something grand, a vintage chandelier would probably do the trick. However, if you want something a little more low-key to make the place cozy for yourself then consider adding an antique floor lamp or a lantern light fixture.
It's the small details that truly bring a reading nook to life, infusing it with personality and charm. Antique bookcases, adorned with well-loved volumes and cherished mementos, invite exploration and discovery. Delicate lace curtains filter the sunlight, casting intricate patterns across the room. Explore how incorporating these decor elements can create a reading retreat that reflects your unique style and interests.
If you’re going for something out-of-the-ordinary and cabin-like, consider adding a vintage wooden canoe bookshelf to the space. If your space has more of an industrial/modern feel to it, you could opt for a ladder-style bookshelf as well. Looking for something else? A massive antique wooden bookcase with ornate details might do the trick for you. The options are endless.
A reading nook should be a sanctuary where you can escape the outside world and immerse yourself in the pages of a book. Soft throws and plush pillows invite you to snuggle in and lose yourself in the story. By layering textures and incorporating warm hues, you can create a cozy atmosphere that envelops you like a comforting embrace.
Add an antique trunk or vintage basket to hold your cozy blankets and add charm to your reading nook. Consider vintage paintings and other warm items to bring the nook together.
As we conclude our journey through the art of creating a cozy reading nook with antique furniture, we hope you feel inspired to embark on your own quest for literary bliss. Whether you're drawn to the timeless elegance of a vintage armchair or the rustic charm of a weathered bookcase, let your reading nook be a reflection of your love for literature and your appreciation for the beauty of the past. With the perfect blend of antique furniture, lighting, and decor elements, you can transform any corner of your home into a haven of comfort and enchantment where the stories of the past come alive.
Want to find more ideas? Shop our antique collection and turn your reading space into a nook that oozes character and warmth.
]]>The holiday season is upon us, a time when our homes come alive with warmth and joy. While the market is flooded with modern decor options, there's a unique magic in infusing your space with the timeless charm of antique gems. So naturally, we’ve put together ideas that will help you curate a collection that is truly special for your place this holiday season.
Begin by delving into the world of ornaments. At Ski Country Antiques and Home, we offer a variety of charming ornaments – each one brings a unique sparkle to your festive decor. Whether it's delicate glass baubles or intricate metal designs, these ornaments are magical designs that add a touch of charm to your Christmas tree.
Antique furniture holds the power to transform your home into a holiday haven. Imagine celebrating around a rustic farmhouse table or lounging on a classic Victorian settee by the fireplace. With our rich array of timeless pieces in-store and online, you get to explore a world where each item tells a story. Make your holiday gatherings more festive and charming with furniture that exudes character and warmth.
Founded on a passion for preserving history and enriching homes with character, our store has become a haven for those seeking unique, vintage treasures. With a commitment to authenticity and quality, our storefront and online collection offers a curated selection of furniture, decor, and collectibles that capture the spirit of the past. This holiday season, our collection is a treasure trove waiting to be discovered.
One of the joys of incorporating antique gems into your December decor is the art of blending eras. We have a versatile range of items, allowing you to mix vintage pieces with modern elements. From a mid-century coffee table adorned with festive accents to a Victorian-inspired chair creating a cozy reading nook, the possibilities are as diverse as your imagination.
As we navigate the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it's the small details that create lasting memories. Share in the joy of decorating your home with pieces that have a story to tell. Whether it's an heirloom ornament passed down through generations or a unique find from our store, let your celebrations be infused with the magic of history.
In this season of celebration, let your decor reflect the spirit of the holidays. We open our doors to a world where antique gems add a touch of magic to your December festivities. Explore, discover, and create a holiday home that resonates with warmth, character, and timeless beauty. Shop our collection of antiques here.
]]>In an age where environmental consciousness plays an ever-increasing role in our lifestyle choices, it's no surprise that the realm of interior design and home decor is following suit. Sustainable decorating isn't just a trend; it's a responsible way of curating living spaces that leave a gentler footprint on our planet. One of the most enchanting and eco-friendly avenues of achieving this is through the use of antique furniture. If you're a homeowner looking to infuse your space with character, history, and a touch of eco-friendly charm, you’ve come to the right place.
Sustainable decorating plays a great role in reducing environmental impact. This is where antique furniture comes into play.
Every piece of antique furniture represents all of the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Unlike their modern counterparts that often contribute to resource depletion and excessive waste, antique furniture has already stood the test of time. It's a manifestation of resilience and quality craftsmanship that transcends generations.
Beyond their inherent eco-friendliness, antique pieces hold stories that breathe life into your living spaces. Picture a weathered farmhouse table that witnessed countless family gatherings, or an intricately carved Victorian armchair that has cradled generations of readers. These pieces bring a unique narrative to your decor, creating an ambiance that resonates with history and nostalgia.
Whether you’re an antique collector and love all things with an old charm, or you’re looking to decorate your home in an eco-friendly way, our collection has a plethora of items to choose from.
The carbon footprint of the furniture industry is a topic of growing concern. The manufacturing and transportation of new furniture contribute significantly to carbon emissions. In contrast, choosing antique furniture is a deliberate step towards reducing your carbon footprint. By sourcing locally and opting for pre-loved pieces, you contribute to lower energy consumption and emissions associated with manufacturing and shipping.
At Ski Country Antiques & Home, we love offering a curated collection of antique furniture that not only exudes charm but also aligns with your eco-conscious values. Each piece tells a story of a bygone era while helping to write a greener future.
One of the remarkable qualities of antique furniture is its versatility. Whether your decor leans toward rustic farmhouse, minimalist contemporary, or eclectic bohemian, there's an antique piece that seamlessly complements your style. At Ski Country Antiques & Home, we offer an array of options, from elegantly crafted dining tables to beautiful lamps and vintage mirrors.
Blending antique furniture with modern elements isn't just a design choice; it's a celebration of the old and the new that captivates the eye and the heart. These pieces aren't just furniture; they're conversation starters, focal points, and heirlooms in the making.
Caring for antique furniture goes hand in hand with sustainable decorating. Proper maintenance, regular cleaning, and cautious handling ensure that these treasures remain vibrant over time.
For those with a DIY spirit, exploring restoration and repurposing can add an extra layer of satisfaction. Not only do we offer a special selection of antique pieces, but also provide resources and guidance for those interested in breathing new life into their finds.
As you embark on your journey toward sustainable decorating, remember that every choice you make, no matter how small, contributes to a brighter future for our planet. Choosing antique furniture isn't just an aesthetic decision; it's a statement of values, a commitment to preserving history, and a step towards reducing your environmental impact.
Check out our collection online or visit us in-store to get started.
]]>In a world where modern trends often take the lead, there's a timeless charm in embracing the elegance of the past. Hosting a vintage dinner party allows you to step back in time, creating an ambiance that resonates with the beauty of yesteryears. Whether you simply have a fondness for antiques or a taste for the unique styles that defined earlier eras, curating a vintage dinner party is the best way to showcase your love for antiques and your collection of vintage furniture. Exude a sense of nostalgia and elegance over an evening of delicious food and great company.
As the sun begins to set and soft light filters through vintage lace curtains, the stage is set for a truly unforgettable experience. The charm of vintage dinner parties lies not only in the exquisite table settings and delicious cuisine but also in the warm and welcoming ambiance that transports guests to a different era.
The centerpiece of any dining experience is the table itself. Antique dining tables carry with them stories of generations past, with each scratch and patina telling a tale. Whether it's the timeless elegance of a Victorian mahogany table or the rustic charm of a farmhouse trestle table, your choice sets the tone for the entire event.
Table settings are an art form, and in the realm of vintage dining, layering is key. Start with a delicate lace tablecloth or a vintage-inspired runner, setting the canvas for antique dinnerware. Add an espresso or tea station near the dining table for refreshments. You can go all out and also add some heirloom silverware and vintage glassware to the dinner setup.
For the centerpiece, consider repurposing antique pitchers or ornate vases for a charming floral arrangement. For some seasonal flair, intertwine foliage or flowers that echo the outdoor world.
Lighting plays a pivotal role in creating the desired ambiance. The gentle glow of antique candle holders in your patio setup or the shimmering illumination of a crystal chandelier in your dining room can cast a warm and inviting spell over your vintage gathering.
In addition to the lighting, incorporate a personal touch to the decor. Add cherished family heirlooms, perhaps a silver tea set passed down through generations, or handwritten place cards to the table, making each guest feel truly special.
You could make the dinner party fun by creating a menu that seamlessly integrates with the vintage theme. Consider dishes from a specific era or traditional family recipes that evoke memories of shared meals. The marriage of cuisine and ambiance will create a holistic experience for your guests, making it a night to remember.
As the evening draws to a close, you'll find that the magic of a vintage dinner party lingers long after the last guest departs. Antique dining furniture and accessories are not mere decorations; they are conduits to a world where elegance, tradition, and beauty converge. With careful curation, your vintage dinner party can become a cherished memory, etching its mark on the hearts of all who partake in this enchanting journey through time.
So are you ready to host your very own vintage dinner party? Start curating your list of antique decor to add to your evening. Shop our collection today.
]]>Transforming your outdoor space into a perfect summer garden is easier than you think. By adding antique outdoor furniture, you can add a touch of vintage glamor to your space. In this blog, we will explore the timeless appeal of antique garden furniture, inspire you with different styles and materials, and provide tips on creating a picturesque outdoor haven.
Antique outdoor furniture has a magnetic allure that never goes out of style. Its charm and sophistication bring a unique character to your outdoor spaces. Each piece carries a sense of history and craftsmanship that is hard to replicate in modern furniture.
If you desire a cozy and nostalgic atmosphere, rustic antique outdoor furniture with a weathered patina is an excellent choice. Materials like wrought iron, reclaimed wood, and stone capture the essence of the past. The rustic appeal adds depth and character to your outdoor space, making it feel like a serene retreat.
Consider adding stone garden statues and planters to the garden area, or reclaimed wood picnic tables, such as this beer garden table.
Transport your outdoor area to a bygone era with Victorian-style antique garden furniture. Intricate details, ornate patterns, and curvaceous silhouettes define this style. Cast iron, wicker, and wrought iron are commonly used materials. Victorian furniture effortlessly adds a touch of elegance and grandeur to any garden or patio.
Consider adding cast iron bistro sets with ornate floral patterns, wicker rocking chairs with intricate weaving details, or white iron panels to bring your area to life.
For a romantic and refined atmosphere, consider French Provincial antique outdoor furniture. Delicate curves, graceful lines, and intricate detailing evoke a sense of charm. Wrought iron, cast aluminum, and wood are often used in creating French-inspired pieces. With their timeless beauty, they can transform your outdoor space into a picturesque haven.
Wrought iron café chairs with elegant curves, french side tables, cast aluminum dining sets featuring intricate lattice patterns, or wood garden benches with carved floral motifs are great additions to your outdoor space. You can find a variety of pieces in our garden collection online or in-store.
To truly enhance the charm and ambiance of your outdoor space, it's essential to accessorize with antique elements that complement your antique garden furniture. By incorporating carefully chosen accessories, you can create a cohesive and captivating atmosphere. Here are some ideas to inspire you:
Consider adding vintage metal buckets or wooden crates as planters. You can also look for items such as vintage garden sculptures, antique bird baths, or whimsical garden gnomes to decorate your garden area with.
Pay homage to the past by displaying vintage garden tools as decorative elements. Hang antique rakes, shovels, and watering cans on a wall, or use them as sculptural accents within your garden beds.
Decorating your outdoor space with antique garden furniture can elevate it into a great summer retreat. Whether you prefer rustic, Victorian, or French Provincial styles, antique pieces bring an air of elegance and character to your space.
With the right accessories, greenery, and cozy seating areas, you can transform your outdoor space into a picturesque haven that combines vintage allure with modern comfort. Shop our antique collection and create an outdoor retreat that will be the best escape for you this summer.
Spring is a time for renewal, rejuvenation, and refreshing our living spaces. One great way to do this is by deep cleaning your home. Maintaining a tidy and clean living space is a crucial aspect of home upkeep. If you’re an enthusiastic antique collector or you’ve recently inherited a piece of vintage furniture from your parents or grandparents, it’s important to know how to clean a variety of surfaces and materials properly.
Restore your antique furniture back to its full glory by following our expert tips on how to repair, clean, and care for your treasured pieces.
As you’re probably aware, antique furniture comes with its quirks and what we like to call ‘character.’ Be it those scratches from the family cat or a water ring from a forgotten glass, pieces that have stood the test of time will eventually show signs of daily wear. It's important to identify any issues with your antique furniture and to repair them as soon as possible to prevent further damage. Take some time out of your spring cleaning schedule to look for scratches, loose joints, or broken pieces on your beloved pieces.
Before diving into making the repairs yourself, consider consulting an expert. Too often antique furniture is completely re-sanded and refinished, completely diminishing its value. Did you know that Ski Country has an in-house restoration expert? If the task seems too big to tackle on your own, or you’re uncertain about what steps to take, reach out to us!
For the most part, avoid using water on wood furniture. It can damage the finish, remove beneficial wax polish and disrupt the natural patina that has built up over the years. If absolutely necessary, a damp cloth can be used but take care to fully dry the area afterward.
Use a soft-bristled brush, microfiber or other soft cloth to remove any dirt and dust.
Avoid using harsh chemicals, sprays, or oils. The ingredients in these products build up over time, creating an unsightly residue and can actually attract more dust.
Wax! Learn more about why you should wax your antique pieces in our comprehensive guide.
The New Year is a great time to start fresh, and what better way to do that than by refreshing your home decor. If you're looking for some inspiration, check out these five ideas that will help you give your space a new look.
From updating your color scheme to adding some antique furniture pieces, there are plenty of ways to make your home feel new again. So get ready to ring in the New Year with a refreshed home that you'll love spending time in.
Antique wall decor can really add a bold, statement look to your home. When it comes to interior design, larger pieces tend to have the greatest impact. Think oversized mirrors and frames, as well as wall clocks and interesting sconces. Consider bringing in an antique frame and filling it with a curated selection of art prints or photographs.
For extra drama, opt for something with a pop of color that can be the focal point of any space. Antique wall decor can truly bring just the right amount of pizzazz to your living space this New Year!
Incorporating a new color scheme to your decor is a great way to refresh your home for the new year. Choosing a new color scheme can be as simple as selecting a few colors that you love, or it can be more complex, such as choosing colors that evoke a certain mood or feeling.
For instance, if you want to create a farmhouse/rustic atmosphere, you might choose muted colors like browns and greens. If you want to make your home feel more energizing and lively, you might choose bright colors like yellows and oranges. Add these colors to your room by placing small, painted accent pieces such as cabinets and storage bins or a classic trunk.
If you're looking to give your home an antique-style makeover this New Year, adding life to the space with greenery and interesting objects is the perfect way to do it! Whether it's an indoor herb garden in terracotta pots or a small carved animal statue for extra depths and warmth, these additions can instantly give your living room a new ambience that you'll love.
If you’re looking to give your home an updated look in the New Year, accent furniture pieces and accessories are the perfect way to start! Antique furniture never goes out of style and adding one or two pieces can elevate your overall space.
For a classic antique chair that stands out, try a Black Forest chair. Another great option for making an impact is with an iconic piece like a German grandfather clock. It doesn’t just tell time – it adds character to the room, too!
Are your "everyday" things starting to pile up around the house? Is it becoming more of a challenge to find what you need, when you need it? This New Year can be the time for you to conquer clutter and get organized!
Furniture pieces like storage chests, ladders, and end tables are perfect for giving your home an updated aesthetic while providing the organization you need. Not only will they add an inviting feel to any space in your home, but they provide valuable storage solutions as well. Take advantage of this new year by looking into storage furniture to help de-clutter and organize your "everyday" things.
Now that we’ve provided some inspiration, it’s time to get started on your New Year home refresh. Have fun!
With the weather changing outside from a crisp fall to the joyous wonderland that is winter, it’s time to infuse your home with some holiday cheer. Give your home a toasty, cozy makeover this Christmas with these upgrades, quick decor fixes, and expert ideas.
Instead of spending a lot of money on changing every aspect of your home, concentrate on making a few smaller spots of your home feel special. Here are 5 simple ways to make your home cozy this holiday season.
If you’re looking to give your home a winter upgrade with the minimum amount of effort, try mixing up your artwork.
Wooden sleds can be hung on walls or placed in the corner of a room for a cabin-like feel. Ski lodge decor is also the perfect addition to any room – hang an elk antler chandelier or a pair of snowshoes or skis to really bring it all together.
Another way to switch up your art to inspire some holiday cheer is to get creative with your frames. Try out some frames decorated with snowflakes, icicles, or anything else that has a wintery feel to it.
Decorating with snowshoes and other ski lodge antiques will bring the perfect alpine vibe into your living room or bedroom and make it cozy.
Photo Credit: Overstock Canada
Adding a bar cart is one of the easiest ways to make your home feel festive for the holidays, and helps create a warm, inviting atmosphere. A bar cart will create a central space for family and friends to gather around.
Going for a vintage piece is a great way to mix antique and modern furniture. It’s the perfect way to add some pizzazz to any space while giving it a festive feel.
The bar cart can also be used as storage for all your holiday party essentials such as champagne flutes, a decanter with wine glasses, and cocktail shakers.
Photo Credit: My Domaine
If you’re looking for a cozy new way to decorate your bedroom, adding a Christmas tree is the perfect addition. Ski Country offers an array of ornaments and decor to make your bedroom pop! Placing a small tree in the corner can bring a magical feeling to any room, and the decorations will last all season long.
Also, adding some white and icy decorations to your tree can create an ethereal winter wonderland feeling. Drape some white fake fur around the bottom of your tree to give it that extra-cozy feel.
Adding soft, chunky blankets and pillows are a great way to make your home feel cozy for the holidays. Give your living room or bedroom an inviting feel by adding these pieces to trunks or chests. Liven up your space with small additions.
Ski Country offers a wide selection of luxurious and stylish trunks, chests, cushions and pillows that are perfect for the winter season. Don’t forget to add some faux fur or sheepskin blankets to your sofa or bed too!
Rustic colors are perfect for winter and will give your home a cozy, inviting feel. Adding curtains or rugs in rustic shades of grey, brown, and navy will pull the entire room together.
If you’re looking for something small to add a touch of rustic color to your home, consider an antique figurine or centerpiece. When it comes to decorating your home for winter, a little color goes a long way.
Now that we’ve provided some inspiration, it’s time to bring the holiday spirit to your home. Visit us in-store to find the perfect holiday ornaments, accessories, and furniture pieces to add to your home this winter.
If you’re a fall lover, there’s nothing quite like that cool change after a summer’s searing heat. When the weather begins to dip outside, the interior of your home should subtly reflect those changes as well. The shifting seasons are a time of endless creativity, however transforming your home for the fall season can be challenging when you’re not sure where to start.
While it can be tempting to add splashy fall decor to every room of your home, it doesn’t exactly make the space look elevated. More thoughtful decorating choices will enhance your space. If you’re unsure how to get your ideas flowing, we’ve come up with the perfect inspirational guide for you. Let’s make your home cozy and classy this fall season!
The onset of a new season is always an enchanting time and the best way to usher in some of that magic is by bringing it inside. Go foraging in your backyard and find unique twigs and branches for your vases to showcase fall’s beauty at home. Consider adding artificial stems of leaves and berries into the mix. Much longer lasting (and less messy!) than the real thing, faux botanicals have really come a long way and look more realistic than ever. Best of all, you can use them year after year, mixing them in different ways to create a new look. Add to the fall aesthetic by using rustic or vintage buckets, glass bottles, or copper pitchers as vases. There’s nothing more tasteful than mixing antique accents into a modern home.
It’s important to make the outside of your home look as seasonal and festive as the inside. When you’re decorating your home for fall, don’t forget about your porch decor. It’s one of the coziest and most inviting areas of your home’s exterior. Consider adding pumpkins, wreaths, and other festive decorations to your entryway. Don’t forget a touch of vintage! Crates are so versatile and another great way to add some vintage personality to your fall porch decor.
The best thing about antique accent furniture is that it oozes character and elegance, without looking too stuffy or overly cluttered. Consider adding an accent armchair, a vintage trunk in your living room as a coffee table, or even vintage napkins, tablecloths and other kitchen accessories in the mix. You could even add an antique console table by your foyer to elevate the entrance of your home. Properly layer pillows, throws, and blankets on your sofa – It’s a great fall decor trick and adds a lot of warmth to the home. The key is to not go overboard. Keep it simple and clean by incorporating thoughtful touches of pattern and color.
Now that you have some great inspiration for your fall decor, it’s time to start getting things moving. Shop our collection of antiques online or visit us in-person to shop all of our lovely fall decor. We can’t wait to see how you style your home this fall!
Have you been thinking of sprucing things up around your home for the summer and adding a new visual balance to your home interior? Blending antiques with modern furniture is the answer. The varying textures, colors, styles, and shapes will add great character to your home. Here are some great furniture pieces and antique items with carefully selected panache that will add a higher level of elegance to your home.
One of the most underrated touches, the hallway console table is a thing of beauty that adds character, style, and glamor to the entrance of your home. Incorporating a vintage industrial console table to your decor will not only break up the modern interior with a balance of antique furniture but will also add a very bold, rustic feel to your space.
Consider adding contrasting colors to your table if you really want it to stand out. Accent the simplicity of a vintage console table by painting the wall behind it a bold color, or even adding some modern decor pieces that juxtapose the style and color of the table.
You can also go for an elevated minimalism look by adding books, bowls, floral pieces, and other decorative items to the table. Or consider adding a large mirror above the table to reflect the rest of the living room space.
Adding a pair of antique nightstands or a even a mismatched set is a good way to break up your bedroom decor without making your antique pieces the focus of the room. Incorporate antique accent furniture or accessories to add a subtle, tasteful change of aesthetic. Experiment with mixing shapes, formats, and materials. If you’re thinking of going with mismatched nightstands, balance it out with matching light fixtures to create symmetry and maintain a harmonious look.
Use the nightstand to reflect your surroundings and complement your bedding. Don’t overthink it. Add similar colors to the space - complement the bedding with your nightstand colors, and sprinkle it throughout the room. Display what you love; there’s no need to hide it in your drawers. Make space for it on your new nightstand and allow it to build the personality of your bedside table.
This is one of the most versatile furniture pieces that you can add to your home decor. Whether you want to add an armchair to your reading room, a set of vintage chairs to your dining table, or even an antique chair to your family room, now is your time to find the perfect piece of accent furniture to add to your summer collection.
Tell a story with your furniture. As humans, we’re intrinsically passionate about finding meaning or narratives behind the things we do and see. Decorating our home with antique furniture and vintage pieces provides us with that connection to history. Your antique armchair will be at least a hundred years old, and will have a great deal of uniqueness to it. So, if you’re looking to add more character to your home, antique-style chairs are the way to go.
Vintage or antique paintings are not just for traditional, antique homes. Something amazing happens when they’re pulled out of their traditional settings and placed into contemporary spaces. A bold blend of old and new elements adds a fiery personality to your home and makes guests immediately gravitate towards the tasteful vintage artwork.
If you’re thinking of expanding your vintage artwork collection, branch out a little with your decor placement. Instead of simply hanging them on the walls, have a little fun and place the paintings as decor pieces on tables or chests of drawers. Contrast the paintings with a modern sofa, table, or accent furniture.
Nothing screams summer more than flowers, sunshine, and warmth. Incorporate these seasonal attributes into your home decor. Use a vintage watering can, antique ladders, or even buckets to showcase your beautiful summer florals. Place them in your garden, front yard, porch, or inside the house.
Repurpose old items, while also making your home feel summery and inviting. Sustainable, stylish furniture with a story - it can’t go wrong.
Now that you have some inspiration to get started on your summer redesign, it’s time to check out our online collection and find the perfect pieces for your home.
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With so many beautiful and innovative home decor pages showing up on Pinterest and other social media channels, it can be challenging to identify the type of style that really resonates with you.
When it comes to designing your home, you want to make sure you style it in a way you truly desire, instead of investing time and money to create a space that was borrowed from a design book. It’s important to develop a sense of what you do and don’t like so that you’re happy in your space for the long haul.
Finding your design style doesn’t have to feel like a chore, and we’re here to help you along this journey. Here are five ways you can find your own personal style, and narrow down what does and doesn’t make your heart sing.
You’ve probably received compliments or statements like “That shirt is so you,” or “I knew this was your style when I bought it for you.” If so, you’re closer than you think to finding your interior decor style.
The first step is to take a look at your wardrobe. Don’t simply look at the first thing you spot. Instead, take the time to look at all the patterns, colors, fabrics, and textures you feel drawn to. What are your favorite pieces? Do you have repeats of a specific type of garment? Are bold colors your go-to, or do you like timeless neutrals?
Once you identify your natural fashion tendencies, you’ll be able to use this as inspiration to find your interior design style.
Did you spend a lot of your time in middle and high school creating collages with magazine cutouts of your favorite celebrities or icons? It’s time to relive those moments. Look at design and style magazines to find your inspiration.
Create a vision board for yourself - it could be certain colors you’re gravitating toward, a feeling of coziness or warmth perhaps, or a pattern or texture you really like. Once you have a mood board in front of you, you’ll start to realize what you like and want to see in your house and what you’re fine without.
Make sure you don’t limit yourself to the interior of your home. Your home’s garden, patio and porch need love too. With summer around the corner, what better way to spruce up your home’s exteriors than to decorate it with interesting finds. If you’re looking for some inspiration or aren’t sure where to start, check out this collection of antiques, specifically curated to add character to your outdoor spaces.
Don’t have the time to cut out tons of pictures and flip through endless magazines? You can create your mood board online too. This is where you log into your Pinterest account and create a board with all your ideas. You can get as detailed as you want.
For instance, you can categorize your inspiration posts by room, texture, color palette, and theme, or you can simply add all posts under a broader category of “home decor.” If you’re an antique lover and have discovered that you want to mix modern and antique furniture as your home aesthetic, we’ve got you covered. Our store is full of inspiration on ways to mix the old with the new. You can scroll through our own Pinterest collection for ideas, or check our store out in-person for some amazing timeless finds.
It’s time to take a stroll through your own home. Walk to each room with a notepad and jot down every furniture piece, art, or accessory you have on display. Next, create a list of which items you want to keep and which you want to give away. Once you’re sure of what furniture you want to keep, review the list to find commonalities among the pieces.
Take the list with you when you go shopping. If you have some timeless pieces, character-filled art, or accent furniture, you might want to add some antique furniture styles into the mix.
Nothing highlights stories, history, character, and art more than antiques. If you have a modern feel to your home, consider adding an antique accent chair or vintage lights and mirrors to add more character to your home. A combination of vintage and modern decor will make your home stand out, and add a lot of warmth and happiness to your space.
Finally, the last step is the most fun of them all. It’s time to shop until you drop! Whether you’re looking for decorative accessories, vintage sporting items, antique furniture, repurposed items, lighting or even seasonal decor, you’ve come to the right place. Browse a selection of our antiques online or visit us in-store for even more product offerings. Our decor changes regularly and you’ll find an abundance of inspiration in our 20,000 square foot showroom.
Now that you have everything you need to start discovering your personal design style, it’s time to get busy. It does seem like you have some time-consuming work to get through, but it’ll all be worth it in the end when your home finally feels like you. We can’t wait to hear what you come up with and help you find the perfect style for your home.
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With the sun spilling into our gardens, and the earliest flowers beginning to awaken, it’s time to let your home bloom for the spring season, too! Decorating your home with vintage Easter decor gives you a moment to appreciate the meaning of the holiday, and to celebrate a long weekend with your loved ones in a warm, welcoming environment.
Hosting Easter dinner is no easy task. From the guest list and menu to the decor and activities for the kids, there’s a lot to plan. That’s why we’re here to make things easier for you! If you’re an antique lover, we’ve put together an inspiration guide for you to add vintage touches to your home for hosting Easter dinner.
Whether your home showcases contemporary styles or has a farmhouse aesthetic, we’ve got the perfect antique additions to make your home the perfect setting for Easter dinner this year.
Image: Pinterest
The centerpiece of the dining table is always a spotlight, and when it comes to a table centerpiece, there’s no wrong way to go about it. If you love colorful flowers and bunnies for Easter decorations, consider using a dough bowl as a canvas.
Place a wooden dough bowl on the table, add an Easter bunny figurine in the middle, and fill the remaining space in the bowl with an assortment of floral stems. You’ll get a blend of modern and antique decor, and everyone will love the mix.
If you want to go a step further, add in some Easter eggs and chocolates. You can place battery-operated string lights in the dough bowl or along a table runner, and add an antique serving set to make the decor more vintage and fun.
Image: CultureMap Dallas
When making a guest list for your Easter dinner, don’t let your eyes get bigger than your table. While it may seem fun to invite all of your aunts, uncles, second cousins, and friends, it’s no fun for guests to be standing around with nowhere to sit. Make it a point to create a guest list with the people you feel closest to. Place name cards on each plate for a more formal feel.
If you have a lot of kids coming, create a “kids table” on the side. Use a coffee table or a spare card table to make a kid-friendly seating arrangement. Decorate the table with lots of chocolates, Easter eggs, and Easter bunnies.
Shop our online collection for some unique, vintage accessories to create a festive atmosphere for your Easter dinner table.
Image: Trendy Home Hacks
Don’t limit your vintage Easter decor ideas solely to the dining table. Branch out and include the rest of your home to give off the same aesthetic. If you love fresh flower arrangements throughout your living room and kitchen, it’s time to swap out your typical glass vases for vintage ones. Simply use glass mason jars, a vintage candy jar or glazed pitcher to act as a vase. You can also consider adding vintage metal buckets into the mix.
Image: Home and Antiques
If you have an antique cabinet or chest of drawers, make it a centerpiece for your floral arrangements. Style the scene with an array of vintage pots and vases filled with cut tulips, forsythia branches and Easter lilies. It’s the perfect way to give homage to Easter and the spring season, and to incorporate antique furniture in a modern home.
If you’re looking for an antique furniture piece for your home, now is the time to visit our store to find the perfect one before Easter comes knocking on your door. You can also shop our collection of antique cabinets online.
Image: Art Zolo
Nothing says Easter more than creative Easter eggs. Use vintage buttons, pins, and other fun accessories to decorate your Easter eggs. Once you’re done making your festive eggs, it’s time to place them all around your home. If you have vintage candleholders, consider placing some of your eggs on the candleholders to give your home a vintage Easter feeling. Alternatively, add them to vintage tea tins, baskets, or even in an antique pewter bowl. Get creative with your Easter eggs and the way you display them.
If the weather is on your side, take the egg hunt outdoors! Take some time to hide the eggs behind bushes, in your patio and garden area, and don’t forget a few unexpected places to keep things entertaining. This is a great way to get the kids occupied with a fun activity, while you’re busy in the kitchen getting ready for dinner. Remember, there’s no limit to what you can do with your Easter egg hunt.
Image: Pinterest
It’s always a sweet way to thank your guests for coming by handing them a memorable gift bag. Fill the bags with jelly beans, chocolate eggs and meal leftovers of their favorite dish. Not only is it a thoughtful gift, but it’s also a positive way to end the day and let your guests know how much you appreciate them.
Now that you’re a step closer to hosting Easter dinner, it’s time to get cracking. Visit our store or check us out online for even more inspiration. Let us help you add the perfect Easter touches to your home!
]]>Decorating your house right before the holidays is such a magical and special part of the Christmas season, and yet, taking them down after the New Year seems like a stressful chore. We’re here to help make that process less taxing for you. Organizing your Christmas decorations and storing them a certain way can help save a lot of time and work for you when the next holiday season rolls around again.
Follow these steps to ensure you remain organized for next year.
One of the best ways to stay organized is to label everything you’re storing. Christmas decor storage involves putting away lots of different and tiny items that can be tedious to find the following year if they’re not labeled correctly.
Labeling all your decorations helps you determine where to store your boxes. For instance, you can place all your Christmas ornaments in different boxes according to their shape and size, and then place all those boxes in one large bin. This way you know where all your Christmas ornaments are and don’t have to frantically search for them next year.
It is also important to make sure that your ornaments are kept damage-free. Dainty Christmas ornaments and bulbs are fragile, and it is best suited to place them in storage organizers. Christmas ornament storage boxes come with adjustable dividers, keeping your decorations well-fitted and protected from potential breakage.
When we’re busy decorating our homes for Christmas, we feel like one can never have enough Christmas lights on display. While that is true, it becomes tough to store all of them away for the following year without getting them tangled up. Are you fed up spending time untangling your Christmas lights? Well then don’t worry, you’re in luck.
Light storage reels can make a great option for storage, especially when you have a lot of lights. All you have to do is roll your light strings and extension cords around the reels and place them in a zippered storage bag. Your lights will be tangle-free all year round!
If not organized safely and securely, wreaths and artificial Christmas trees can deteriorate over time. The last thing you want to see next holiday season is a smashed and disheveled tree when you’re unboxing your decorations. Make sure you keep your artificial wreaths and Christmas trees whole, instead of taking them apart and storing them separately. The best way to protect wreaths is by wrapping them in soft tissue and tying the ends so that the tissue lining stays intact.
For storage purposes, zippered bags are the best way to put away your artificial Christmas tree. They retain their natural shape and remain dust-free until you reopen them the next holiday season. Wreaths can be stored in smaller, circular wreath storage bags. They keep the bows and embellishments on the wreath secure and looking good for next year.
Keep the clutter out of your home by making sure you have a good place to store your decorations. For instance, use antique cabinets or accent furniture pieces to highlight your home while making good use of their storage areas. Or if you’re running out of space, consider adding one of our antique trunks to your home. That way you have a designated storage area in your living room and your home still looks great!
Now that we’ve provided you with some great storage hacks, it’s time to get started on organizing your Christmas decorations. In the meantime, visit us in-store to take advantage and save up to 50% off during our Christmas decor sale. There’s no better time to stock up for next year!
If you really want to bring it up a notch this year and decorate like a pro, choose a theme for your Christmas tree. This is not to say you have to throw everything out and start over—those treasured ornaments can become keepsakes over the years. Pull out the decorations you have and see what you can work with.
A great way to decorate a tree is to choose a theme based on a color palette. You’ll probably notice you already have a favorite color running through your collection. Eliminate the ornaments that don’t work; not everything has to make it to the tree each year. Narrowing down your colors to two or three hues really helps to create a cohesive look.
If you get a good collection of one color, then it’s easy to mix things up and pair them with a new color the following year. For instance, red and white can transform to red and gold the next year; red and silver the year after that.
If you’re not wild about a color theme, choose something broader: a woodland tree with pinecones and forest creatures; a snowy theme with snowflakes, icicles, and frosted ornaments; a winter-sports theme with skis, snowshoes, and ice skates; a whimsical theme with Santa, snowmen, and candy canes. There are oh-so-many possibilities!
Incorporate decorative picks into your tree. These branches of pinecones, berries and frosted evergreens are not just for vases. Adding them to a tree is an easy way to add lots of texture and variation to your ornaments. They can also be used to create a tree topper if you don’t have one.
Start with your largest ornaments. It’s easier to find space for the biggest pieces first, rather than trying to shove them in later. If you are decorating an artificial tree, you have the advantage of positioning the branches however you like. If you’re decorating a fresh-cut tree, you’ll find natural spaces that best display your large ornaments. Large pieces help to create focal points or resting places for the eye. For example, envision a lovely woodland-themed tree that incorporates long birch sticks and large pinecones. These unexpected items make for a very unique look.
Work from the interior to the exterior of the tree. Your ornaments shouldn’t all be hanging on the front of the tree. Tucking some of them in a bit really helps to add some dimension. Save your finials and icicles (and other treasured pieces) for the very end so they have plenty of room to hang and get prime viewing spots.
Remember, spacing is key. Step back periodically and take a look from a distance so you can make sure everything is evenly distributed. Happy Trimming!
As humans, we’re intrinsically passionate about finding meaning or stories behind the things we do and see. Decorating our home with antique furniture and vintage pieces provides us with that connection to historical events and narratives. In general, antiques are considered to be at least a hundred years old, and adding them to our homes brings in great character and uniqueness.
If you’re looking to style a new home, or you’re thinking about changing things up a little within different parts of your home, let our European antiques provide you with some interior design inspiration.
If your home has a modern feel to it, adding antique accent pieces to your home office can brighten up the room and add a lot of personality. If you have a modern or minimalist desk, adding a chair with some flair can be a tasteful way to spruce up your office. On the other hand, if you have a neutral and muted chair, adding a dramatic desk made from unconventional material or painted with strong colors can really brighten up your interior. If you’re a night owl, an antique lamp or light fixture could also be a creative way to go. The options are endless, so make sure you have fun picking out your pieces.
Whether you’re looking to add a touch of antique furniture to your living room or you’re hoping to transform it into antique-ville, there are some great pieces to add to your collection. You can start off with a bold, colorful item that vividly contrasts muted tones in your living room. For instance, if you have a white or beige couch, try to add an elegant antique coffee table to your setup. The incongruity between the woody texture and color of the table, and the smooth and light finish of the couch creates an aesthetic that is hard to dislike. If you’re good on your furniture but your walls are lacking some cachet, adding timeless paintings or intricately designed mirrors and frames can be a good way to not only make your walls speak but add a great deal of character to your living room space.
The best thing about adding antique furniture to a kitchen is that you have a lot of options to work with. For most people, the kitchen is usually the heart of the home. It is a space where, multiple times a day, the whole family gets together to have a meal. The kitchen always oozes with personality and sets the tone for the rest of the house. So, if you’re looking to add some beautiful antique accent furniture pieces to your kitchen, you can start with cabinets. Storage is key in a kitchen, and the variety of antique cabinets available makes your home design and functional life so much easier. Whether you’re looking for a single, tall one-door cabinet to fit your dishware or you’re looking for an antique table, our store has it all.
One of the best, and most prominent, ways to display a beautiful antique furniture piece in your bedroom is by adding a trunk to the foot of your bed. It is grand, elegant and full of texture. Plus, it can double-up as a storage unit for extra blankets, or be used as a makeshift table. If you’d rather save space near your bed, getting an antique bench for your vanity or an antique dresser might also be a great way to add some personality to your bedroom. Pairing that with an antique light fixture or mirror will make your bedroom a cohesive and unique place to be.
If you’re looking for some more options to beautify your home, come visit us in-store or check out our online collection.
]]>Finding the perfect gift isn’t always easy. Gift cards and department store finds will get the job done, but they aren’t the most unique or thoughtful options. If you want to make an impact with your gift giving, then antiques are the way to go. Antiques make great birthday, anniversary, and just-because gifts because, like your loved one, they’re one of a kind. With so many different items to choose from, it’s easy to find a meaningful antique gift for everyone in your life.
Here are some of our favorite antique gift ideas to inspire you:
For many people around the world, coffee isn’t just a beverage: it’s a way of life. If you have a caffeine connoisseur to buy for, consider giving something like a classic hand-crank coffee grinder or an elegant pewter serving set. Even if the antiques aren’t in working condition, they’ll still make for striking home decor.
We all have that one friend who is the life of every celebration. They love entertaining friends and family in their homes with soirees and dinner parties. Treat the consummate host in your life to a gift that will be the envy of all their guests, such as a mid-century etched glass wine decanter with matching classes. Cheers!
Attending the theater is an art in and of itself. For the season ticket-holder in your life, consider a set of antique opera glasses. Compact and refined, these petit binoculars will make a statement while also coming in handy for those times when orchestra level seating simply isn’t an option.
Few items bring character to a room quite like antique home decor. Vintage artwork, oil paintings and framed prints make stunning gifts. If you’re not sure which piece to choose, consider gifting an antique easel as a creative way to display artwork instead.
Vinyl records have been experiencing a renaissance among music lovers for some time now. If you really want to impress the collector in your life, while also giving them a piece of music history, a classic wind-up Victrola phonograph should do the trick. This vintage player can store a well-curated vinyl collection and play music, all in one gorgeous piece.
Much like with coffee, people who love beer often have an appreciation for all things beer-related. For the friend who loves the culture surrounding beer as much as actually drinking it, a vintage German drinking stein makes the perfect gift. These colorful beer glasses are often completed with details such as hand painted sides, ornate pewter lids, and lithographs at the bottom that are only revealed once you go bottoms up!
Your loved ones don’t have to be antique lovers to enjoy a gift from days gone by. Vintage gifts tap into the unique interests and values of our friends and family, making them the sort of thing that people will cherish for years to come. For even more ideas, be sure to visit us in-store!
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Home decorating fads may come and go, but antiques are forever. There are so many great reasons to incorporate vintage finds and antique treasures into your home. Finding the perfect piece to compliment your personal style can be such a rewarding adventure. And, unlike the items you find at a big box store or popular online retailer, antique décor is one-of-a-kind. Every piece tells a story, and brings character to your home.
If you’re looking to start using antiques in your decorating but aren’t sure where to start, let some of our favorite trends serve as your inspiration.
If you’re looking to create an impact with your home décor, you can’t go wrong with something vintage. Hand-carved wooden tables, antique fireplace mantels, and stately sofas are great pieces to build an entire room around. Use a hand-painted hope chest in your living room to store board games and blankets for cozy nights in, or add a gorgeous 1890s standing mirror to your guest room for a touch of elegance.
If you’re looking to take a more subtle approach, you can use antiques to add a pop of character to any room in your home. These pieces add texture and personality to a room’s design without stealing all of the attention. Vintage lighting is a great option because it’s both beautiful and functional, which is why we love an industrial light fixture over a dining room table or in the kitchen. Repurposed windows and stained glass panels make for unique wall art.
Giving something old a new lease on life is one of the best ways to save perfectly good treasures from being discarded. There are so many creative and useful ways to repurpose everything from old tools and vintage houseware to parts of deconstructed houses and vehicles. Ornate iron panels, once used for decorative gates, railings, and fencing, look stunning hung on walls. Wooden doors reclaimed from barns, garages, and houses make for durable coffee tables with tons of personality.
Blending antiques with newer pieces is a great way to add layers to your interior decorating by creating a break from the expected. Vintage furniture, art, and other décor bring depth and character to any room. We love seeing old wooden chairs at a sleek modern dining table, or vintage picture frames and mirrors from days gone by gracing walls painted in trendy hues.
Using collections in your decorating is a fun way to add personality to your home. It’s always a work in progress as you seek out and discover new pieces to add. Antiques are perfect for collecting: all you need to do is choose a niche that speaks to your home and personal style! Fine china plates and teacups are popular collector’s items, as they can be used as is or mounted for display. Vintage tin signs make unique wall art that tells a story.
Whatever your personal style is, there’s always an opportunity to bring an antique touch to your home decor!
]]>There are few things quite as invigorating as the first hints of spring. As the days grow longer and the world warms up, we all look for ways to chase away the dreariness of the long winter months. Luckily, it’s easy to usher in the new season with spring home decor. If you’re looking for some fresh inspiration this season, here are five simple spring decor ideas to get you started.
Nothing says spring like flowers in bloom and crisp green sprouts. Flowers are timeless and easy to decorate with, and lush houseplants are having a renaissance right now. Use antique vases and bottles to hold flowers in every room of your house, or repot your plants in vintage kitchen pots and ceramic mugs. If you can’t bring real greenery inside, floral imagery, wallpaper, or other textiles work just as well!
Color is an easy and effective way to evoke specific moods and seasons. Bright tones and soft pastels are classic ways to signal that winter is over. Using color in your spring decor can mean anything from big projects like painting your walls or kitchen cabinets, to subtle touches like adding throw pillows to your furniture, colorful centerpieces on your dining room table, or bright new towels in the bathroom.
Spring brings longer, brighter days outside. Why not bring that brightness inside with unique lighting fixtures and lamps? The right lighting can completely change the way both a room feels — and it can give you a mood boost, too! Freshen up your kitchen or dining room with a statement fixture, or bring life to small rooms with limited natural light by using elegant floor lamps.
When the weather gets warmer, we love throwing open the windows and doors to chase out the stuffiness of those cooler months. While you’re at it, why not open up the doors inside of your home as well? Remove the cabinet doors in your kitchen to show off your dishware and glassware, or store the things you might normally hide away on open shelving instead.
Embrace the easy breezy nature of spring by shifting away from carefully matched furniture and replacing it with the unexpected. Surround your dining room table with mismatched antique seating. Pair your chic modern sofa with a reading chair dressed in bright floral upholstery. Furniture made of wicker or rattan also adds a touch of freshness to a space by giving the sense of bringing the outdoors inside. As an added bonus: these new mismatched pieces will give you somewhere to put your colorful pillows and throw blankets!
There’s no shortage of ways to brighten up your space this spring. All it takes are some bright colors and unique pieces to breathe new life and light into your home!
Our Spring Sale has come just in time for redecorating your home! Save 20% on your purchase when you spend over $100 online or in store. Use code SPRING21 at checkout or visit our store. Offer valid March 19th through March 28th, 2021.
]]>There’s nothing like the freshness of a brand new year to breathe life into everything we do, including sprucing up our home decor. With a clean slate ahead of us, this is the perfect time to seek out home inspiration to create a living space that you will cherish for the next 12 months and beyond.
Here are our top five favorite home decor trends for 2021:
All that was old is now new again with this homey decor trend. “Grandmillenial” style puts a fresh spin on nostalgia by bringing elements of days-gone-by into today. Look for classic pieces to give your rooms character and warmth. Things like antique paintings, needlepoint textures, and unique china pieces will really pull this look together.
Houseplants saw a renaissance over the last year thanks to people exploring different home-based hobbies. This trend isn’t going anywhere in 2021, so embrace your green thumb by bringing some greenery into your home. Not only do plants add a pop of color and freshness to your spaces, you can have some fun expressing yourself with different containers and planters too. If you don’t have the right light for living plants, look to “permanent botanicals.” Gone are the days of tacky fake plants. You can easily find quality artificials that both look and feel like the real thing.
As we’ve all been spending a lot more time at home, many of us have had to learn how to do more with our spaces. For those of us who have been homeschooling at the dining room table or conducting Zoom meetings on the couch, this is your invitation to create workspaces that actually work for you. Accomplish this with creative storage solutions and set-ups that can easily transform dining and living spaces into home offices and back again.
When it comes to color, this new year is all about natural, earthy tones. From furniture to paint and everything in between, seek out shades of rusts and wines, sagey greens and agrarian browns. There’s no easier way of introducing natural, earthy colors than with an antique touch to your home. Shop our selection of antique furniture or consider a rustic wall hanging for your room. These warm colors will add depth and richness to your spaces, and can make a room feel both cozy and sophisticated at the same time. For more inspiration on bringing warm, earthy tones to your space, discover our tips on decorating with bronze, brass and copper antiques.
Keeping in line with this return to more natural palettes and decor, the combination of woods and stone with metal just makes sense in this industrial style. This look is as versatile as it is pleasing to the eye, allowing you to mix traditional and modern influences in spaces that, as mentioned above, have to do more than ever before. Look for pieces made of reclaimed woods and dark metals to bring this look to life in any room.
No matter your personal style, there’s a little something for everyone in these popular home decor trends for 2021. Find what inspires you and use it to transform your home into a place that’s all your own.
]]>A fireplace mantel is one of the most versatile features in a home to work with. A mantel is a lot like a blank canvas in the way that it lets you play and create works of art to match any season. All it takes is a bit of creativity and some thoughtfully curated pieces. And, when it comes to Christmas, there are no limits to the different ways you can craft a festive mantel!
You don’t need a professional decorator to design a stylish mantel for your home. By incorporating a few easy design elements, you can create a unique Christmas mantel all on your own.
Image: Better Homes & Gardens
Image: Liz Marie Blog
There are so many ways to style your mantel for Christmas. But if you’re having trouble deciding where to start, here are a few of our favorite ideas to inspire you:
Image: The Happy Housy
This style evokes cozy winters spent around the fire at a cabin deep in the woods. This style would also work well with a pair of antique skis criss-crossed as your focal point, and wooden decor like this antique goat statue or these hand-carved bookends to create a mountain lodge look.
Image: Funky Junk Interiors
Marrying vintage antique pieces with clean, minimalist design is the perfect way to bring a touch of warmth and character to a more modern decorating style. Neutral tones coupled with metal pieces like this copper kettle and this two-toned vase come together to create an elegant and stylish winter look.
Image: Attic Mag
There’s nothing like a fireplace decorated with classic Christmas touches to make the holidays feel merry and bright. Welcome Santa to your home with a mantel that evokes the Christmases of yesteryear by adding time-honored pieces such as this antique liquor box or these brass candlesticks.
Treat your fireplace mantel as your canvas this holiday season. With a few gorgeous antique pieces, you’ll be able to create an eye-catching masterpiece.
For more inspiration, take a look at our decorative accessories below, or visit us in store to browse our winter wonderland.
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Walking over fallen leaves and wearing that extra layer on a crisp morning only means one thing; fall has arrived! To celebrate the change of seasons, we have a fantastic selection of fall decor and accessories. We are stocked up on cozy throws and pillows, beautiful wreaths, scented candles, tableware and linens!
Take a look at some of the seasonal items we have in-store:
If our transformation is leaving you excited for fall decorating, take a look at our Fall Decor Guide for more inspiration for your own home!
Visit our store between October 16th and October 25th, to enjoy 20% off all fall decor, to enjoy yourself or gift in the season of giving.
Westbound I-70 from Denver: Take exit 248 (Beaver Brook/ Floyd Hill) and take the frontage road (US-40 West) to the top of the hill, then turn left over the overpass. We're on the right.
Eastbound I-70 toward Denver: Take exit 247 At the top of Floyd Hill, we're on the right.
Alternatively, find us using our address in navigation:
Ski Country Antiques & Home
114 Homestead Rd
Evergreen, CO 80439
A map and hours can be found on our directions page. Give us a call at 303-670-8726 if you have any questions. We can’t wait to see you!
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As fall brings cooler temperatures, our thoughts begin to shift to all things winter. Gently drifting snow, crackingly fireplaces, and holidays spent with loved ones are on the horizon, and the best place to enjoy all of the joys winter has to offer is at the ski lodge.
Lodges are truly versatile spaces. With the right decor, these winter getaways can be transformed to suit any taste and purpose. Here are some of our favorite ski lodge decor ideas.
Image: 1st Dibs
There’s no reason why mountain ski lodge decor can’t be elevated. With a few sophisticated touches, you can easily transform a cabin in the woods into a chic den of tranquility. To capture this look, seek out minimalist decor that showcases raw materials. Plush furniture, wool throws, and neutral colors will all lend themselves well to creating a winter lodge space that is both intimate and stylish.
Image: @cozymera
Who doesn’t love the idea of escaping to a homey mountain hideaway once the snow starts to fly? Rustic ski lodge decor should evoke warmth and comfort, so look for colors like terracottas and burgundies. Repurposed items and antique furniture give these spaces their charm, as do accents of wood and stone.
Image: Paper blog
After a day of fun in the snow, there’s truly nothing better than nestling into the chalet with friends and family. Bring the Rockies and Alps to you with the right mountain ski lodge decor. Consider earth tones when choosing the color palette for your own personal chalet, and create spaces that encourage gatherings of your favorite people. And, of course, no ski lodge is complete without vintage outdoor sporting equipment such as skis, snowshoes, and sleds.
Image: Steed Hale
Is there anything more enchanting than a rustic holiday spent in the forest? Whether or not your lodge is nestled deep in the woods, your choice of decor can make you feel like you’re celebrating the festive season in a winter wonderland. Bring the outdoors inside with pieces sourced straight from nature, such as antlers, tree boughs, and pinecones. Antique accessories like vintage clocks and heirloom kitchenware will bring a touch of nostalgia to this special time of year.
No matter what you’re dreaming of this winter, lodges are the perfect setting for spending snowy days surrounded by your favorite people. And, with the right antique ski lodge decor, you can make sure your winter getaway is perfect for your and your family — no matter what your personal style desires.
Check out our cabin decor ideas for more warm and cozy inspiration.
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One of the best simple pleasures in life has to be baking homemade bread. There is something satisfying about working with our hands to provide something beautiful and delicious for our family and friends.
While the task makes for a fun and fulfilling way to spend your time, it was once a common practice in nearly every household. And, as with most regular household tasks, breadmaking inspired the creation of tools to make the job easier.
In the 1800s and 1900s, dough bowls and tables were standard household items. Hand carved dough bowls were used to mix ingredients and to give dough a warm place to rise. Dough rising tables—sometimes called dough benches or trunks—were high enough for kneading and throwing dough, and came with deep internal compartments that usually lay beneath the surface. These compartments served as safe places for dough to rise without the baker needing to worry about insects and mice stealing a taste.
These days, making bread at home has mostly fallen out of practice in favor of the convenience of store-bought loaves, and new methods have replaced the hand-hewn tools of the past. If you’ve experienced sticker shock when shopping for dough bowls, take a look at what goes into making just one bowl. It truly is a form of art!
Though dough bowls and dough rising tables no longer serve a purpose in breadmaking, they can still have a place in our homes.
Here are some of our favorite ideas for repurposing these items into rustic and inspired home décor.
Source: Life on Summer Hill
Source: Wilshire Collections
Antique wooden dough bowls can be found in a variety of shapes and sizes, making them the perfect vessels for artfully arranged items in any space. Fill them with decorative stones, succulents, or candles to create a stunning, one-of-a-kind centerpiece for your table or mantle. As the seasons change, you can easily transform these pieces by trading everyday decor for seasonal accents. Use fall foliage, pumpkins and dried corn for a harvest look. Come Christmas, trade those out for evergreen boughs, red berries and shiny ornaments.
Source: Hammer N Hugs
Handmade, antique dough bowls feature gorgeous wood grain texture and subtle imperfections that speak to their humble histories. Each one is a piece of art, so why not display them as such? Arrange a collection of antique wooden dough bowls, adorn them with iron hooks and candle sconces, and mount them on your wall to create a statement display.
Source: Pinterest @mariacurry96
The size and height of antique dough tables make them ideal for use as kitchen islands. Not only do they add a touch of country charm to culinary spaces, the deep internal compartments that were once used for rising dough make for extra storage space for kitchen tools or baking supplies.
Source: White Pine Vintage
Another old-fashioned hobby that deserves not to be forogtten is the art of candle pouring, and wooden dough bowls make the perfect vessels to hold these creations. Longer bowls are excellent for multi-wick candles, and the clean and classic wood ensures they’ll fit in any room of your home. Try adding dried lavender and other herbs to your candles for a subtle pop of color and fragrance.
Source: Vinterior
Whether you use them as console tables in the living room or as a side table in an entryway, antique dough rising tables can be used all over the home for stately storage and extra surface space. Use the inner rising compartment to tuck items and knickknacks out of sight while you decorate the top of the box with framed photos, floral arrangements, and other statement pieces.
As we are all adapting to new routines during the COVID-19 pandemic, the most “essential” thing we can do is stay in touch with family and friends. Taking the time to socially connect with others can be incredibly beneficial for your mental health, and can help those around you feel less isolated.
When we can’t be with the people we love, we can show them we care with a gift. On a basic level, we give gifts because we’re supposed to, or on certain occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, it is customary. But underlying that custom is an important purpose: appreciation. We give people gifts to show people that we are grateful for them and value their roles in our lives.
We’ve rounded up the best gifts for each member of the family to let them know you appreciate them. Whatever the reason, say it with a thoughtful gift. Check out our gift guide for the whole family below.
Simply contact us if you’d like to purchase one of these items. We are offering curbside pickup if you’re in the area, or we can arrange to have it shipped straight to your door.
Recycled Paper Gratitude Journal
She never “wants” anything, but boy does she deserve it! This hand-crafted recycled parchment paper journal gives her a place to record grateful moments and blessings to remember. Its compact size is perfect for a purse, so it’s never far from reach. Arrives in a kraft box with a stamped sentiment accent plate and twill ribbon tie.
Dimensions: 3" x 2"
Price: $10.95
Steel Marshmallow Roasting Twig
Make Dad one happy camper with this marshmallow roasting stick! Ideal for backyard fire pits and camping trips, with plenty of room for several marshmallows. Made from steel (for easy residue removal) with a mango wood handle and suede accent loop.
Dimensions: 8" x 22"
Price: $14.95
U.S. Map Linen Hand Towel
Not having our loved ones close by can be really difficult. This printed linen hand towel features a United States map with an embroidered "It's really not that far..." sentiment. The towel comes with two moveable red heart lapel pins featuring a message that says "Near or far, you are always in my HEART".
Dimensions: 20" x 13"
Price: $12.95
Granite Coasters - Set of 4
A handsome set of granite coasters that Grandpa would be happy to slide beneath his drink. Unlike regular coasters, granite is sturdier so glasses won’t stick to the surface. Available in black or white granite.
Dimensions: 3 1/4" x 3 1/4"
Price: $19.95
Barr-Co. Bath Bomb Set
Give your aunt the treat of relaxation! Six effervescent bath bombs are formulated with mineral-rich Epsom salt and a lovely assortment of fragrances (Honeysuckle, Blood Orange Amber, Berry, Marine, Spanish Lime and Sugar & Cream). Natural minerals aid in relaxing tense muscles and detoxifying the skin.
Dimensions of each bath bomb: 2.5”
Price: $42.95
‘Get Lost’ Lumbar Pillow
Your uncle can relive his best memories of hiking and trekking with this amusing throw pillow. Made from 100% natural, hand-hooked wool with a color-coordinated velveteen backing. Perfect for cozying up your beloved uncle’s reading corner!
Dimensions: 8” x 24”
Price: $46.95
Mr. & Mrs. Serving Board with Spreader
Make entertaining easy and elegant for the lovebirds with this beautiful two-piece set.
This marble oval serving board features a sentiment inlay and arrives with a silverplate spreader with a knotted handle.
Dimensions: 6 1/2" x 17"
Price: $44.95
‘Definition of Home’ Accent Pillow
Wondering what to gift for a new home? Look no further! This washed canvas pillow features a printed definition of “home”, with a frayed edge detail and zippered closure. Adding a cozy ambiance, this is a great addition to a living room or bedroom.
Dimensions: 12" x 36"
Price: $36.95
The ‘Yay’ Plate
We love this one! When it comes to celebrating a cute newborn, nothing says “Yay!” better than this plate that says literally just that. The bottom of the plate provides space to record all the events worth celebrating in the early years of life. Arrives in a gift box with a marker for personalization.
Dimensions: 9” x 9”
Price: $23.95
Shopping Gift Card
We can’t forget about friends, since friends are indeed our “chosen” family. Along with a gift card comes the anticipation of an upcoming shopping trip! Gift cards can be redeemed in-store or over the phone and are valid for any item in-store or online.
Available in any dollar amount.
Contact us by phone or email to complete your purchase. We are continuing to fulfill all orders with curbside pickup or shipping options.
Looking for more gift ideas for that special someone? We’d be happy to assist you as well, just give us a call at +1-303-670-8726.
Physical isolation and lockdowns can mean tough times for small businesses, so we greatly appreciate your interest in shopping with us. Even if you don’t buy from us, we encourage you to check out the other small businesses in your neighborhood. During this time, your conscious purchasing decisions can make a huge difference to local retailers. If you can’t buy right now, you can still help local businesses by sharing your positive experiences on social media channels!
]]>Having a well-decorated home will make you feel like a millionaire, but it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Whether you’re a new homeowner, decorating a place from scratch, or simply wanting to give your place a refresh, home decorating on a budget is possible. Even if you have a limited budget, there are lots of savvy ways to achieve a high-end look. We’ve compiled our top 10 tips for decorating on a budget and also included some room-specific suggestions. Read on for the tips.
Furnishing a new home on a budget can feel challenging. If you’ve gone to look at furniture showrooms or flipped through home decor magazines, you might have been struck with sticker shock. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, start with a plan. We recommend that you walk through your home room-by-room and prioritize your needs. Envision how you will live in the space. Do you like cooking and entertaining or do you prefer watching TV?
Source: Autumn Hachey Design
It’s important to spend more on pieces that you love, that are classically designed and quality-built, because then you can enjoy them for years to come. Be prepared to spend a bit more on these foundational pieces. It can be tempting to buy cheap pieces, but this isn’t a wise long term strategy. For instance, an inexpensive bed frame is prone to prematurely breaking, but if you invest in a solid and beautiful bed frame, you can keep it for future moves and homes.
Key takeaway: Buy cheap pay twice.
Design Tip from the Pros:
“When you have a budget, it’s easy to buy things for the price, rather than buy good things. But if you buy good things, they will always be with you. If you buy the bad couch, for instance, you will always want to replace it as soon as you can.” Rita Konig
Source: The Southern Home
Your home is the place for you to showcase a collection of home decor acquired over time. There is no need to feel rushed to decorate it all at once. Prioritize your needs first and wants second. For instance, you’ll want to cover the basics of a sofa, bed, and table, but you might not need to buy rugs and artwork right away. Write out the things that you want and then rank them by priority. Then think about what a realistic budget for your home decorating would be. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend right away, you should start with the rooms you will be spending the most time in. When furnishing on a budget, it’s wise to spread major purchases over time. Also, factor in what will have the biggest impact on your space. For instance, smaller items like a print for the bathroom or a pendant light will cost a lot less than window treatments and furniture but can contribute a lot of personality to your space
You can start with an initial investment and then furnish your dream home over time. Once you're clear on the items that you need and your budget, then you can look for inspiration for your overall look. Pinterest is a great resource for this. Find one or more images that resonate strongly with you and use them as the basis for the space you’d like to create. Not sure where to begin? We have lots of great home decor inspiration on our Pinterest page.
A great way to get a deal on furniture is to buy it secondhand. Especially if you know quality when you see it, antique stores, online classifieds (like Craigslist and Facebook marketplace), estate sales and garage sales all offer fantastic value for money. Keep a list of items that you are looking for and browse often to find the best deals. In addition, try to shop out of season to get the best price. For instance, the end of summer is the best time to get a killer deal on patio furniture.
Thrift shops are also great places to find glassware, teapots and all sorts of kitchenware. This is a real money saver, especially when you are on a budget for an entirely new home!
Source: The Kitchn
Repurposing and up-cycling are great ways to decorate on a budget. By creatively reimagining, items are given a new life and form. There are two ways to go about it. Either you have an end-use in mind, like a bookcase, and you think what you could use to make it, i.e. peach crates. Alternatively, you come across something quirky and rethink how to use it, like these vintage shoe forms that were reimagined into a funky coat rack.
Source: HGTV
When it comes to Do It Yourself home decorating on a budget, there are so many different projects you could undertake. You could start small, like creating DIY wall art, or go more advanced, like tackling a backsplash in your kitchen. Flexing your DIY muscles is a great way to rework garage sale finds and make them even more chic. You could paint and refinish a dresser, or upcycle old items into new creations. We advise starting small and gaining more confidence through experience. An easy DIY wall art project is to take your favorite pictures from last year’s calendar and reframe them. Thrift stores sell inexpensive secondhand frames. For maximum impact, hang your DIY wall art in either a grid or gallery formation.
Source: The Creativity Exchange
Paint is one of the best ways to use money when home decorating on a budget. It’s amazing the difference that a fresh coat of paint can have. Paint really transforms a space and there are so many options for what you can do! The colors you choose will set the mood for the rest of your home decor. When it comes to adding glamour and elegance, we recommend going with either soft neutrals like whites, greiges and oatmeal or a bold and dramatic color scheme. If you like the idea of dramatic colors but are a bit hesitant, you could paint an accent wall or highlight architectural features like a fireplace. Paint is great for creating a focal point as the color gives you something interesting to look at. And it doesn’t stop with walls either. You can inject a splash of color by painting a backsplash, ceilings, floors or doors. Paint can also be used to update cabinetry, counters or furniture. This can be a real saving. Instead of buying brand new pieces, thrift store chairs could be painted for a modern look, or you could give your current coffee table a refresh.
Source: Annie Sloan
When decorating on a budget, finishing touches can make all the difference. Items like unique hardware pieces for your cupboards, window treatments and crown molding really elevate the overall look of your home.
A well-dressed window looks glamorous. We recommend avoiding filmy materials and going for a more luxurious finish. Hang your curtain rods close to the ceiling make your space look bigger. If you prefer blinds, wooden ones look well-designed and won’t break the bank.
Crown molding is the finishing touch between your floors and walls, or walls and ceilings. It gives the room an elegant appearance and is relatively inexpensive. You can also add it to cabinets for a touch of class.
Source: Family Home Decoration
Want a bright idea for decorating on a budget? Swap out or update outdated light fixtures. Light fixtures are often focal points of the room and a well-chosen light fixture can have a dramatically positive impact. If you can’t afford to replace it, you could always update a dated light fixture with spray paint and stylish Edison bulbs.
Source: MyDomaine
Accessories like throw pillows, placemats, table settings, trays, and decorative accents can really bring your personality to life in a space. This is also a wonderful way to seasonally decorate without blowing the bank. Come visit us in store for a wide range of decor and accessories at every price point. We've got some Easter and spring ideas here. For another cost-saving idea, turn a small, thrifted mirror into a tray by applying some felt as a backing.
Source: SFGate
New kitchen cabinetry can be really expensive. Rather than replacing what you’ve got, give your kitchen a significant makeover by painting your cabinets and updating the hardware. Even just swapping out the hardware on the cabinets will make a huge difference. Make sure to measure your existing hardware so that the new ones fit. Or, if you need more shelf space in your kitchen but don’t have cabinets, you could add open shelves. The look is very on-trend right now and it will cost significantly less than adding cabinets.
Source: Leanne Ford
Make a focal point in your living room by grouping like items together. It only takes a few special pieces to start a collection. A bookshelf is the perfect roost for these bird figurines.
Source: DIY Network
A new shower curtain will have a major impact on your bathroom. Store-bought shower curtains often don’t reach the floor, which can look a bit awkward. You can DIY a couture look by sewing a deep fabric hem at the bottom of shower curtain.
Source: Primitive Star Quilt Shop
A headboard will have a massive impact on the overall look of your bedroom. You can DIY a showstopping headboard by repurposing antique window frames.
Source: Karen Rosenlund
As you can see, there are lots of ways to achieve an elegant home decorating on a budget. To recap, our top 10 tips are: plan for success, spend strategically, build your collection over time, shop secondhand, repurpose, do it yourself, freshen up with paint, focus on finishing touches, lighting matters and pull your look together with accessories. If you follow these guidelines you will be delighted at how feasible it is to decorate your home on a budget!
When it comes to decor, most of us want our homes to reflect a style that is fresh and timeless. A space that is fashionable, but also classic. It may seem like a lot to ask, but it is possible! The secret is using a blend of antiques and modern furniture. Have you seen rooms created by professional designers and wondered how they do it? Well guess what, you don’t have to be a pro designer to achieve the look! Today we’re sharing our top 10 tips on how to artfully combine antiques with modern furniture.
This technique involves blending different decor. Before we dive in, let’s get clear on the design terminology for different styles and periods.
Antique - An antique is a collectible item that has a high value because of its considerable age. An antique item is often defined as being at least 100 years old.
Vintage - Vintage is an item from a previous generation. A true vintage piece will be older than 50 years.
Traditional design - Traditional design is epitomized as elegant and comforting. This design style features classic lines and is largely influenced by the 18th and 19th century European decor. Traditional design style is harmonious, with matching furniture sets. The design style is perfect for those who love symmetry, classic art and antiques rich with history.
Source: Decor Aid
Modern design - Modern design can refer to design from the Art deco period of the 1920’s all the way up to the vintage look of the 1970’s. Modern design was informed by Scandinavian and German Bauhaus styles. Silhouettes were streamlined and earthy palettes and natural materials like wood, leather and stone were used. The Mid Century Modern era of the mid 1930’s - 1960’s is an especially popular design style from the Modern era.
Mid-Century Modern (MCM) - The characteristics of Mid-Century Modern, or MCM, are sleek, clean lines with minimal fuss. This style features a lot of wood such as oak, teak, rosewood, walnut, beech and elm, as well as non-traditional materials such as metal, glass and lucite. There were many iconic MCM designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen, Herman Miller, Harry Bertoia, Isamu Noguchi who heavily influenced the period. Their designs (and even replicas) of these pieces are highly sought after today.
Source: Curbed
Modern Vintage - Modern Vintage is a marriage of old and new. Think modern furniture with vintage accessories.
Contemporary design - Contemporary design encompasses the latter half of the 20th century, including the present. It features clean lines (straighter and more austere than modern) and utilizes materials like steel, glass and concrete.
Source: Freshome
Rustic - Rustic design emphasizes the natural. The style is cozy and inviting, it’s all about bringing the outdoors in. Think rough-hewn beams and organic materials like wood, stone, burlap and canvas - often in an unfinished and raw state. Rustic design encompasses many design styles like cabin, coastal, country and farmhouse.
Farmhouse - Farmhouse Style is a fresh take on country living. It’s a warm and cozy style that takes a cue from rustic decor and incorporates vintage and flea market finds as well as modern touches. The style features chalkboards, galvanized steel, repurposed accessories and big, comfortable furniture.
Source: Simply French Market
Industrial - Industrial style was inspired by industrial warehouses and factories. This “unfinished” style showcases the industrial structure of the building and its raw, unrefined edges. Exposed structural and mechanical features like pipes and beams, concrete, brick, wood and metal are showcased; as well as utilitarian objects and metal light fixtures.
Source: The Wow Decor
Now that we're clear on the design styles, let's get into the tips!
Our top tip for mixing antiques with modern furniture is to pay attention to the balance and proportion of the blended styles. Keeping balance and proportion is the golden rule of interior design. It applies to style, as well as color, shape and texture. Mastering this guiding principle is the key to thoughtful design. Wondering where to start? Start with the end in mind. It’s helpful to have an inspiration for the room you are creating before you begin designing it.
For instance you could:
If you’re not sure where to start, visit your favorite store’s showroom, or look through our Pinterest to try and find one or multiple images that resonate with you.
The contrast of antiques and modern decor together is so intriguing! A great rule of thumb is to group contrasting periods together. For instance, you might have antique bedside tables with modern lamps, or antique lamps with modern bedside tables. In the office you could have an antique desk with a modern chair, or perhaps antique art with a new sofa in your living room.
Source: Decoist
Amalgamating modern and traditional styles is the best way to make a room that is both fresh and timeless. That said, the skillful way to achieve this look is to go with predominantly one style, and add accents of the other. This is the 80/20 rule. For instance, you might have a room with 80% modern furnishings and then add in a stunning crystal chandelier.
Source: Las Cositas de Beau & eau
This rule goes both ways. Here is a predominantly vintage room with a pop of industrial seen through the pendant lamp and bold lettered signage. It’s all about showcasing the dynamic tension that exists between different periods and styles.
Source: alleideen
When combining antiques with modern or contemporary furniture, nothing needs to be matched exactly, but make sure to align and repeat the design elements that you use. Everything needs to have a buddy. For instance, here we see the blue tones from the hero painting are repeated in the furniture and accessories. As well, the wood tone on the side table is repeated in the dining room chair legs and the tray on the coffee table.
Source: Style by Emily Henderson
If you have an odd piece without a buddy, make it shine as the focal point of the room. For example, if something is much larger in scale than anything else in the room, it will stand out as a focal point. In this room, the oversized chinese lantern and Baroque mirror are the focal pieces.
Here’s how pro designer Leanne Ford styled it:
Source: Leanne Ford
While it’s easy to get caught up in the trap of focusing on one design period, the most intriguing rooms use a blend of antique and modern decor. Different styles can be layered together for a captivating finished look. Wondering which room in your house to try this out in? We especially love the blended combination of Farmhouse and MCM in the dining room with traditional antique pieces.
Here we see traditional landscape paintings and a traditional, antique table combined with an antique dining room table and replica MCM Eames dining chairs.
Source: decor8
In this picture a beautiful rustic, farmhouse table is juxtaposed with traditional chairs, and an antique round table, distressed mirror and a modern light fixture.
Source: Sf Girl
This look highlights the use of mixed antique, vintage Thonet and modern chairs with a farmhouse table and industrial pendant lights.
Source: Merchant Design
Yes, you can mix furniture that use different woods. The trick is to pick a dominant wood tone as a connecting point. If you have wood floors let their tone guide the way, otherwise focus on your largest furniture piece and observe whether it has warm, cool or neutral wood tones. Warm tones appear to be red, orange or yellow. Cool tones look grayish, green or blue. Neutral undertones are beige and go with both warm and cool tones of wood.
In this living room by award-winning designer Charlie Ferrer, warm mid-tone wood pieces unify the look. Ferrer took the continuity of the tone one step further by consolidating it with the monumental 1940’s kilim rug. A rug acts as a buffer to smooth the transition between wood elements. This is especially important for placing wood furniture on wooden floors. Without a rug, wooden furniture with a similar tone to the floors ends up looking washed out. It’s equally troublesome to place a wooden piece directly on top of a wooden floor with a different tone, as the disparity is immediately perceivable.
Source: Ferrer
The scale of objects refers to their size in comparison with other objects in the space. The trick is to balance lighter items by grounding them next to heavier ones. Dainty items like this settee and coffee table are anchored in the space with this heavier side table and fringed velvet sofa.
Source: Ferrer
In the same way that balancing the scale of objects and design periods is important, you also want to commingle the materials that you use in a room. A bit of contrast works best. Here we see a sleek mid-century modern Saarinen-style tulip table paired with rustic rattan armchairs and Thonet Chairs. The tulip table is an especially versatile piece as it also counterbalances the traditional look of the room. The result is a perfect blend of antique and modern furniture.
Source: Style By Emily Henderson
The value of antiques lies in their history. The journey of finding and repurposing antiques will enrich your home with so much character! When you upcycle or repurpose, the item you are using becomes even more functional and beautiful than what it previously was. This repurposed dresser makes for such a standout powder room vanity! Browse our collection of custom-designed and repurposed antiques for more inspiration.
Source: Style by Emily Henderson
In summary, this look is all about balancing the styles. Here’s a handy recap of our top tips.
Tip #1 - Start with the end in mind. It’s helpful to have an inspiration for the room you are creating before you begin designing it.
Tip #2 - Remember that opposites attract, group contrasting periods together.
Tip #3 - The 80/20 Rule: work with predominantly one style, and add accents of the other.
Tip #4 - Make sure to align and repeat the design elements that you use. Everything needs to have a buddy.
Tip #5 - If you have an odd piece or something is much larger in scale than anything else in the room, make it shine as the focal point.
Tip #6 - Layer different styles together for a captivating finished look. The most intriguing rooms use a blend of antique and modern furniture.
Tip #7 - Pick a dominant wood tone and make sure to use a great rug to consolidate the look.
Tip #8 - Balance the scale of objects; place lighter furniture next to heavier pieces.
Tip #9 - Mix materials: a bit of contrast is best.
Tip #10 - Repurpose antiques to add character and increase their functionality.
So there you have it, our top 10 tips for how to mix antique and modern decor!
]]>Are you planning on driving the 88 miles from Golden to Vail? The trip includes stunning Rocky Mountain scenery, the highest vehicular tunnel in North America and some of the most unique shopping. If you didn’t know better, you might breeze through without stopping. But if you did that, then you’d miss out on some seriously delightful gift shops! Life’s about the journey, not the destination. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 gift and souvenir shops to discover along the way. Join us as we travel from Golden to Vail and find a special spot for everyone! There's a gift shop for soap, candles, antiques, flowers, olive oils, candy, art, jewelry, and even exotic jerkies!
Spinster Sisters Co. makes its home at the foot of the Rockies in historic Golden, Colorado. They are a natural skincare brand, founded by Kelly Perkins, who realized that she and her friends needed an alternative to the witches' brew of chemicals that many modern skincare products represent. They handcraft all-natural skincare products - sourced locally when possible, and are 100% vegan. Spinster Sisters Co. have grown exponentially from their humble 2011 roots as a local craft fair vendor. In 2019 they were honored as a Colorado Company to Watch. This is a great gift shop for environmentally conscious shoppers; Spinster Sisters Co. uses very simple packaging to conserve resources and reduce waste. Stop at their storefront in historic downtown Golden, Colorado to check out their full product line. They also hold tours and events at the 7,860 sq. ft. Microsoapery where their products are made. Contact the Microsoapery to schedule a group tour.
Mountain Lux Candles is a family-owned and operated business located in the heart of historic Golden, Colorado. They are a ‘make and take’ candle gift shop, offering a specialized, hands-on experience that allows you to create a custom scented candle. There are over 80 fragrances to choose from and put together the way you want! Because everyone perceives scent a little differently, designing your own fragrance means that you can create a candle that you will truly love. This is a completely unique experience! Sharon and Mark are friendly, knowledgeable and great conversationalists. You can also craft your own scented lotions, wax tarts, room sprays, and reed diffusers. The custom-candle pour takes 2 hours to set, giving you enough time to explore some other sites around Golden. Love candles but don’t have time to wait? Mountain Lux Candles also carry a large variety of scents and pre-poured candles, gift-packs, note cards, and candle holders.
Stems is a friendly, creative and fun flower design studio located in 'The Chalet' on Meadow drive, in a quaint A-frame built in the late sixties. Mindful of the environment, they've created a warm and inviting space using reclaimed wood and repurposed furniture. Dore Huss, the owner, is known for her abundant fresh floral and plant designs. Stems carries the largest variety of flowers in Evergreen from local Colorado growers, California, Oregon, South America and Hawaii. We love their artful combinations of colors, textures and other elements of nature. Standout pieces include beautiful birch boxes and pumpkin centerpieces. Stems also keep a large selection of house plants and succulents. Making succulent gardens is their favorite! Want a truly original souvenir? You are welcome to bring your own container for them to fill.
You've probably been driving by it for years, so it's long past time for you to pull off the highway and look inside this not-so-hidden gem. Located right off of I-70 in Evergreen, this 20,000 square foot shop is a mix of high-quality European antiques and a seemingly endless selection of home decor. Ski Country showcases thousands of hand-picked, turn-of-the-century antiques, from larger furniture pieces like trunks, sideboards, tables and armoires to smaller decorative items like skis, snowshoes, skates and sleds. Not an antique aficionado? Well, there's something for you too! An incredible array of lamps, throw pillows, artwork, florals, bath and body products, fragrant candles, gourmet food, and baby products await you! This isn't your typical antique shop and you'll find oodles of inspiration and ideas to use in your own home. Perhaps the best time of year to wander in is around Christmas. A number of themed, decorated trees are spread throughout the store creating an absolute winter wonderland of holiday goodness. A great place to find wreaths, garland, ornaments, holiday tableware, stocking-stuffers and unique gift ideas for everyone on your list!
Visit Ski Country Antiques & Home
The most picturesque town in Colorado might just be Georgetown. It’s so beautiful that John Denver chose it for his holiday film, “The Christmas Gift.” Once you experience the 200 Victorian buildings and charming main streets you’ll understand why he chose it. Our favorite gift shop in this pretty village is Georgetown Jerky & Emporium. The owners Max and Jann have created a welcoming store with a one-of-a-kind jerky experience. The jerky ranges from regular to exotic proteins such as Alligator, Elk, Wild Boar, Venison, Buffalo. The Georgetown Jerky & Emporium is located in the historic Hamill block in downtown Georgetown, Colorado. In a previous life, the building was Merchants National Bank. At the back of the store is a bank vault that is over 150 years old! This vault is a piece of Georgetown history and a work of art. Don’t hesitate to ask Max and Jann about the incredible history of this store location and town. Also, be sure to try their deep-fried peanuts!
Visit Georgetown Jerky & Emporium
Silverthorne is just south of Dillon. Without a bit of signage, you might miss it entirely! In fact, before 1967 there was nothing in Silverthorne but a gas station and makeshift camp for the Dillon Dam workers. The town has now grown to over 4500 people and offers one of the most beautiful shopping experiences in the nation – the Outlets at Silverthorne. There are more than 50 brands here, offering savings of up to 70 percent on brands including: Williams-Sonoma, Ralph Lauren, Nike, Coach, J. Crew, Columbia, Calvin Kline, Eddie Bauer and Levis. However, it’s really the beautiful Rocky Mountain setting that distinguishes this mountain shopping experience. The Blue River flows right through the center of Silverthorne, providing a zen-like nature break. The shopping is split into three villages, connected by bridges. Whether you want to spend a few hours or a full day browsing, the Outlets at Silverthorne offers a distinctive haven for mountain shopping.
Frisco was founded in 1870 and enjoyed a mining boom until it became all but a ghost town during the Great Depression. Revived in the 60’s by Colorado’s ski industry, downtown Frisco is one of the prettiest and most historic main streets in Colorado. A dozen historic buildings, including the old schoolhouse, jail and chapel, were relocated to the Main Street and surrounded by Aspen trees to make a beautiful park. The Sunny Side Up Studio is on the Main street. This creative gift shop offers tons of charming artsy pieces to choose from. It's the perfect place to find a unique souvenir for your trip, a thoughtful gift, or create something amazing in one of the art classes on offer by the owner, Ash. These drop-in creative experiences are available for people of all ages and levels of ability.
Visit the Sunny Side Up Studio
If you decide to detour down the Blue River to Breckenridge, be sure to stop in at Olive Fusion. This store is the ultimate place to sample and purchase from over 80 different olive oils and balsamic vinegars. We love a good, niche gift shop experience! They don’t just carry olive oil though, but also an extensive line of sea salts, fusion sugars, hand-blended spices, recipe kits, and loose leaf teas from around the world. The black truffle popcorn set is a must-try! This is a playground for foodies and you can taste EVERYTHING! They sell a lot of their popular flavored oils and balsamics in "sample" size so you can a few of those small bottles and take them home to experiment without breaking the bank. Their pre-packaged spice/oils kits are fun for gifts - but also delicious. This is a great place to pick up a unique gift for a foodie friend, or yourself of course!
Jim Cotter is an exceptional artist. He had the foresight to open his gallery space in Vail in 1970, and was able to grow with the town. Mr. Cotter believes that jewelry is an art form, a smaller version of sculpture. If you’re looking for a truly unique souvenir shop, then you should stop here. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful selection of jewelry anywhere else! Mr. Cotter works primarily with gold, silver and set stones and his unique pieces are bold and unusual - definitely not run of the mill rings, earrings, bracelets and necklaces. This shop is one of Vail’s enduring treasures and always worth a visit. It’s a fantastic spot to find a statement piece that you will feel great wearing.
Mon - Sun - 10:00am - 5:00pm
First of all, how could you not love a candy store called "Fuzziwigs"? If you’re a kid in Vail, or even just a child at heart, you'll end up at Fuzziwigs. Conveniently located by the Children’s Fountain in Vail Village, this magical shop is filled to overflowing with an incredible selection of traditional, exotic and nostalgic candy. There’s also an ice cream counter as well as house-made delicacies such as fudge, truffles and caramel apples. It’s a great spot to get your sugar fix, or pick up some specialty sweets as delightful presents. From hard candies, gummies, to chocolate covered everything, there are options to satisfy every sweet tooth! The variety of this gift shop is unparalleled; it might remind you of something out of Harry Potter. For a fun after-dinner walk in Vail, swing past Fuzziwigs for a sweet treat. The crisp mountain air and sparkling lights will lend the evening an air of enchantment. Be sure to try the homemade dark chocolate sea salt caramel; you can thank us later.
We hope that you enjoy your mountain corridor gift shopping! Want to keep the experience going after your trip? Check out the latest in our online collections.
]]>Look closely - here and there, the leaves are beginning to change and we have certainly had some crisp mornings. This means it's a wonderful time to make your home cozy for fall! We're talking about creating a space that invites you to wrap yourself in a luxe throw, light your favorite candle and lose yourself in a good book. Does it sound lush? That's because it is! But it doesn't have to break the bank; it's totally possible to make your house cozy on a budget. Read on for our top tips for how to make your home cozy with fall decor.
Having warm feet is the first step to feeling cozy. Consider adding high pile rugs to your living room and bedroom to up the coziness. If you want to start with less of a commitment, smaller rugs work great as layer pieces. Slippers are another great way to achieve warm and toasty feet without splurging. We suggest adding a basket of slippers by your front door so that you and your guests can feel comfortable from the moment you walk in.
Image: Whole Living
Adding luxurious blankets and pillows is a great way to make your house cozy on a budget. Layers like blankets and throws will add texture to your space, and adding even just one or two will go a long way to make your home feel cozy for the cooler weather. It's like putting on a warm, plush sweater, but for your living room.
Lighting a scented candle is one of the easiest ways to infuse your home with cozy fall aromas and warmth. We love the elegant sophistication of Simmered Cider by Thymes and Spicy Apple by Rosy Rings. Come in-store to give them a sniff - we're certain they will win you over!
Get inspired by the changing leaves and add fall warmth with color. Warm neutrals like tans, oatmeals, creams, and grays mix well with fall accent colors like deep reds, yellows, and oranges. To achieve this look you could add accent pieces, paint trim or simply create a cozy ambiance in your home by dimming the lights. Try switching out harsh overhead lighting with "warm" or "soft" compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Source: Sarah Renae Clark
What are your favorite earthy fall elements? We like to sprinkle natural touches everywhere we can. Think wagons full of pumpkins, buckets full of fall foliage, seasonal wreaths hung on doors, pinecones in baskets and tied bundles of birch.
Not sure where to begin? We've got an amazing selection of stems and sprays in-store, purposely displayed to give you inspiration. Here's a sneak peek:
We hope that these tips have inspired you to decorate for fall! What's your favorite way to make your home cozy?
Visit us in store for even more fall decor inspiration - it's a great way to spend a fall afternoon! Our store is fully stocked with a lovely assortment of pumpkins, turkeys, fall foliage, table decor (and even some great hostess gifts!) to help you celebrate the new season.
]]>It’s so rewarding to furnish a bedroom with antique bedroom decor. Vintage and antique elements combine to create a bedroom that's stylish, comfortable and uniquely yours. Not sure where to begin? Our top vintage antique bedroom decor ideas will help you put together your own gorgeous, vintage bedroom.
The first step to creating exceptional antique bedroom decor is discovering your initial inspiration. This could be an antique piece that you’d like to highlight, a color scheme that you love, or a period profile you want to focus on. It’s easier to decorate around larger furniture pieces, so if you find a beautiful bed frame or wardrobe, let these pieces shine to guide your overall vision.
Image: Better Homes & Gardens
If you're wondering what color palette to choose, go with a creamy white vintage bedroom palette. This soft white palette will invite tranquility and calm into your bedroom and gives you a great base if you want to incorporate color later on.
Image: Liz Marie Blog
One of our top tips for decorating with antique furniture is mixing old with new. This decor layering technique gives your space depth and texture. For instance: unexpected pairings such as antique furniture highlighted with modern art, or contemporary bed frames juxtaposed with a vintage rug.
Image: Decoholic
We find that including repurposed and upcycled elements are a surefire way to make a charming vintage bedroom. Think outside the box; window shutters can become a creative headboard, vintage skis can be hung as wall decor, and suitcases can be stacked as side tables. When it comes to upcycling, we find that there are two ways to begin. Either you have a piece that you’d like to feature, such as antique skis, or you have an item that you’d like to source, such as a bedside table. If you come across an antique piece that you love, consider how it could be creatively repurposed and reused. Not sure where to begin? Browse our collection of custom-designed and repurposed antiques.
Source: House on Winchester
The final step to creating a standout vintage bedroom is all in the details. Antique lighting and accessories elevate your vintage bedroom decor to the next level. There’s nothing more glamorous than chandeliers, and gilded, oversized mirrors. We especially love this look when combined with a soft white color palette.
Image: Curated Interior
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Type DIY furniture repair into your favorite search engine and prepare to be overwhelmed with over 100 million results. Type DIY antique furniture repair and close to 20 million results are at your disposal. So why, you may ask, am I posting yet another blog post about antique furniture repair and restoration? To convince you that what seems like a simple DIY fix may not always be your best option.
In this multi-part guide, I will lay out a few scenarios that I have seen in 20 years of antique furniture restoration and repair and what I do (and more importantly, don’t) recommend.
The first thing that needs to be evaluated is the value of the piece in question.
They say new cars depreciate as much as 11% the minute you drive them off the lot. I’m here to tell you that for most new furniture purchased today, that depreciation (and I’m not making this up) is as much as 110%. In other words, you will never be able to resell that item; you may not be able to pawn that item off on a family member; and you may even have to one day pay someone to have the item removed from your possession.
So, if we are talking IKEA-grade furniture or big box “some assembly required” furniture, then by all means continue with your DIY project. It’s hard to decrease the value of something that has no resale value to begin with.
However, on the other end of the spectrum, if your furniture item truly is antique then some attention to restoration should be adhered to.
If you have any questions regarding the value of your antique item, before you attempt any repairs yourself, please send me some photos to info[at]skicountryantiques.com. I will be happy to go over the estimated value of your antique and what restoration may entail.
You may be thinking, “But I use Pledge furniture polish once a week!” If you have Pledge or any of the oil-based furniture polishes available on the market, please stop reading, go to your closet or cabinet under the sink and throw them directly into the garbage. Go ahead, we aren’t going anywhere.
Now that you have that taken care of, click on over to our previous blog post, How to Care For Your Antique Furniture - Our Top 5 Tips, to get some other great tips about everyday furniture care. Just make sure to come back!
There are a number of DIY products you can pick up at your local hardware store or online. In this guide I will go over a few of the most widely available, why you shouldn’t use them for antique furniture repair and restoration, and what to use instead.
Howard Restor-a-Finish (or, maybe I should have opened a window)
I am reminded of a client (whom I will refer to as Client A), who was willed an antique 18th century Hepplewhite satinwood sideboard from a relative. Having no idea of the value of the piece, they decided to pick up some Howard Restor-a-Finish at their local hardware store. After thoroughly coating the entire piece with the product, all of the exposed grain started drinking up the solution and began darkening. What now sat before her, was not a beautifully restored piece of furniture, but a sickly looking mess of dark streaks and uneven tones. The moral of the story; this client had taken a beautifully crafted piece of furniture from the 1700’s, that would have needed around $500 in professional antique restoration, and caused so much damage to the piece that the only option would be a full restoration (at a substantially higher cost) to remove the product that had penetrated deep into the grain.
Don’t be like Client A.
While we have talked about the benefits of maintaining antique furniture with wax paste in our previous blog posts, the product’s uses can’t be overstated. It is (and I may be giving away a trade secret here) the number one product used by professional restorers looking to, easily, give new life to an antique furniture restoration project.
Not only does the wax protect the piece, in many cases the tint in the wax will cover or fill most of the undesirable blemishes.
A pure or “natural” bristle brush, designed for waxing, can be used to apply and buff the wax in hard to reach or decoratively carved area.
Wax can be applied over almost any finished surface, making it one of the most highly versatile products available. I, however, try to avoid using waxes over antique painted furniture or furniture that has a painted faux grain.
Wood Filler (or, welcome to an even bigger mess)
There are a number of different wood fillers out there; soft wood putties from Minwax, Plastic Wood from DAP, the list goes on and on. If you have larger gouges or damage, most of these wood filling products are not suitable for the DIY-er on a finished piece of antique furniture.
Client B came to me with a European farm table from the early 1900’s. The tabletop had numerous cracks, splits and gouges from years of use. He had attempted to fill said cracks with (I cringe even typing this) Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Filler. In the process of sanding down the filler to be flush with the tabletop, they ate away at years of beautiful patina surrounding the “repairs”. Matching an existing patina, especially one that has naturally developed over a hundred years or more, is costly and requires experience and a trained eye (or two).
What could have been an inexpensive (less than $100 repair) turned into a much more costly venture.
Don’t be like Client B.
Hard wax fillers are great for filling in larger scrapes, dents, gouges and cracked or separating wood, in a finished piece of antique furniture.
The easiest hard waxes to use that are available online will be sold in kits, with multiple colors and often a heating tool used to melt the wax into the damaged area.
The beauty of this method is how well it pairs with the paste wax we discussed earlier, filling any cracks or gouges before the application of the paste.
I feel wax really can fill (pun intended) many of the superficial needs of the antique furniture restoration DIY-er, and is a great place to start getting into the craft. In the next part of this guide I will be going over a few of the more challenging antique restoration techniques.
If I have tempted you to give wax a try on your next antique restoration project, please feel free to send us an email with any questions you may have. (We love seeing before and after photos as well). Discover more tips for caring for your antique furniture.
As always if your project is more than you would like to take on, or you want to leave it in the well-waxed hands of a professional; send photos of your piece to info[at]skicountryantiques.com and we will get back to you with a quote for our antique repair and restoration services.
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