Autumn Decorating

There is a promise 

of 

autumn

 in the air, 

and

 that always nudges me into a

 fresh decorating mode . . . 

gathering and collecting

 and filling jars and cloches with the

 small items

 from around the house.

I have filled one tall apothecary jar with acorns,

one with tiny, antique, white ironstone doll size tea sets & dishes,

one with small, leather, pocket-size bibles and prayer books from the 1700's and 1800's.

Mellow wood bowls now cradle creamy stacks of linen napkins,

dried artichokes or fragrant bundles of cinnamon sticks.

I love

incorporating seasonal bittersweet and shocks of wheat or hops.

Crockery is back out on the counter, filled with wooden implements, prized for their timeworn patina.

Silver cutlery is on display . . . 

(as I anticipate serving some of the delightful fall pies and cobblers with steaming cups of coffee.)

Both of our shops, 

Dwell Antiques & Home 

and

 Patina Antiques & Home

are freshening and ripening with the bounty of the harvest season.

There are antlers and dough bowls, bread boards and baskets, dried hydrangeas and pumpkins appearing every day . . .

and

in the twinkling of an eye

you'll find both shops been fully transformed into a wonderland of autumn splendor!

This is the time when we polish up our reserves of silver plate

 trays and urns and flatware. 

The 1800's ironstone and transferware appears in stacks

with 

pitchers filled with autumn stems.

Botanicals, gourds, copperware and huge wooden bowls will come in and disappear quickly.

Our displays are so much fun to create

but we are delighted and thankful when they're plundered by excited customers

who 

choose their favorite items to cart home.

Designers came in yesterday and turned the shop topy-turvy as they extricated a truckload of freshly displayed items.  While we're honored to see them fly out, there is a momentary catching of the breath when we say goodbye to those precious antiques

so recently scored!

These are precious days, near the end of summer, a fresh awakening of the senses . . .

an opportunity for a fresh palette . . .

a time to 

be

THANKFUL

Come visit us in the South Denver neighborhood of Greenwood Village, Colorado.

Dwell Antiques & Home 5910 S. University Blvd. Greenwood Village, CO. 80121

303-795-3454  Monday - Saturday 10-5,  Sundays by chance or appointment.

One of My Favorite Stylists

Isn't it nice when we meet people with whom we connect?

I connect with this super talented guy.

Although I've never personally met Matthew, we are indeed on a first name basis.

(At least I refer to him by his first name.)

Truthfully,

my dear friend and soul mate 

Matthew

 has not met me.

At the risk of sounding like a stalker,

I 

LOVE

this guy.

If you're not familiar with his work,

allow me to introduce you.

(Being as we're such good

friends!)

LOL!

Hop over to Matthew's link and see what he's up to.

Matthew has been styling for the best photographers and magazines and books forever.

He's got his own now - and you'll see that he's 

the ultimate

 in

 repurposing and upcycling and styling and creating.

Did I say

"I love this guy"

www.holidaywithmatthewmead.com

Finding My Calling

Part of my

  Antiques By Joy

business is home styling.

I visit the home of a client and tweak the look they're going for.

Sometimes they have no idea about what they want, and I have free reign.

Often they say,

"I want it to feel like your shop."

My mother says I began my styling career at the age of 4,

and

 I can recall some of the projects I conned her into.

I dreamed up a bedroom that had purple and lavender

(1957 - and where did I get that idea at age 4?)

T.V. was still in black and white.

Not that we owned one.

She tried to dissuade me,

(apparently there was no purple she liked, 

or,

 no purple in her fabric stash).

She compromised with curtains and dust ruffle

 of 

a delicate white cotton printed with tiny lavender rosebuds

and

(I insisted)

 a

 vivid purple

 throw pillow.

Mind you she made these herself, because that's what our family did.

I recall regularly 

haunting the fabric store with her . . . 

a 40 minute walk from our house,

where we would browse for hours

 and 

dream of the possibilities!

When I was about 6, we walked to the store to purchase fabric for a new outfit 

for me.

I will never forget the excitement of entering that big old fashioned place,

breathing in the aroma 

taking in the colors

and hearing her incredible words,

"you may choose ANY fabric you want,

as long as it's not over thirty nine cents a yard"

... remembering an

 angel choir . . . .

By 12 years old I was living in a world that was changing.

(NOT in my little world, but in the bigger sense.)

The Hippie movement brought tie die and psychedelic and neon intensity to our color world.

Being the worldly, well read 12 year old that I was, 

my design sense was evolving, and I wanted

MORE!

There was no decorating budget to prevail upon for my room

so

I had to improvise.

I plowed through my mother's extensive collection of bargain fabrics,

(friends often gifted her the remnants of their projects because she was "crafty"),

and came up with a hunter green burlap and some hot pint print and began to picture the contrast they would create beside one another.

It wasn't quite the psychedelic combo I needed,

but

when I unearthed the next component,

a chartreuse gem,

(Oh the 50's were a heyday for chartreuse!!!),

I knew I was on to something!

I rummaged about and found the ultimate fourth:

turquoise with a touch of chartreuse!

Bingo!

I patiently upholstered my hand me down dresser

and even trimmed it in chartreuse prairie points

 I cut from a school folder I found in that color, 

using recycled upholstery tacks I scrounged.

(Stop laughing!)

I pleaded for a gallon of intensely pink saturated-hue paint.

Now this was serious - we didn't paint much at our house, because paint was expensive, 

but after much pleading I got that paint with my babysitting money.

Fifty cents an hour was what I earned, and that included doing household chores while babysitting.

We dragged my little area rug out to the back yard and using our big zinc wash tub, dyed the rug hot pink with Rit Dye from the local Five and Dime.

Oh, I was on  a roll!

Ultimately, I conned my mother into letting me have the "pole lamp" from our living room.

It had filigree ball shades at three heights, and cast the most enchanting shadows.

That evening, breathing a sign of almost complete contentment, I had my final brainstorm.

My parents were out and I knew just what I wanted to accomplish.

I dug around in the utility closet where we stored the Christmas decorations and found

 three red light bulbs.

Installing the red bulbs and flipping the switch, I melted into my hot pink/chartreuse/turquoise

haven

and simply revelled in the creation!

When I awoke in the morning, I discovered my dad had replaced the red bulbs with normal ones.

His reprimand was that he didn't want me using the Christmas ones.

(About 10 years later it dawned on me what that was all about.)

I don't believe I've ever had so much fun as I did with that decorating project.

And that was the day I

 KNEW

I had found my calling.

Neutral Position

I've been collecting textiles and other items of interesting texture 

since I was about . . .

well,

never mind how long,

but 

for a

  really

long time.

I'm a lover of textures,

and this, 

possibly,

is why I live in a world of

limited color and pattern.

Many of us collect "things" and then struggle to find the way to show these "things",

without being over run with clutter.

Containment, organization and appropriate display

are not always easy.

Harmony is delicate . . . requiring a trained eye.

A subtle and limited color palette is one solution.

I'm currently

in love

with

concrete

putty

dirt

mud

stone

and similar

"greige"

shades of taupe - y

grayish

brown.

These

 "dirty", 

muddied tones 

are

simple and calm.

Easy on the brain.

They are found everywhere in nature.

They are the neutrals I'm using in many spaces

and

 upon which

I am able to display

many collected treasures.

I find my eye searches for 

innuendo and detail

in this neutral palette.

Weathered 

barn wood

galvanized metal

river rocks

gray seashells

heather

flax

twiggy bird nests

Ahhhh . . . 

Silverplate Delights

Vintage silverplate flatware is in great demand

and

I have many

 beautiful

pieces

to choose

from!

With a mix and match flair,

you can achieve

a

delightful

tabletop

at 

prices that beat

plain

utilitarian

stainless steel.

Most pieces are priced at $3.

with the

 very best,

really

antique

fancy

pieces

at

$4 and $5. 

each

Then, there are those 

beautiful

trays

and

teapots

and

water pitchers

and

champagne buckets

(which make awesome planters and flower vases).

Come see!
At Patina Antiques & Home
5989 South University Blvd
Greenwood Village, CO 80121
303-795-0816
Monday - Saturday
10am-5pm

Old Mason Jars, New Life as Decor

{Mason/Ball jars currently available at Patina!}

Old Mason jars have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity over the last few years. What our grandmothers once used for green beans and pickled okra, we now use for decoration. Put fresh flowers in a large jar on your table, or fill it with sea shells, buttons or even candles.

Joy recently shared a photo of the mason jars in her home office...

I use mine in the kitchen for sugar, flour, cocoa and other items, and in the bathroom for q-tips and cotton balls. {Yes, I am my mother's daughter!} They make everything look prettier.

Need some Mason jars for your home? Stop by Patina and choose from a wide variety that Joy has in stock. Call or email her if you're out of town; she's happy to ship to you!

~Kellie

Time for a change

The weather is changing fast, and I'm loving the changes.  

I was inspired to sort through the closet, 

rotating warm weather clothing and cool weather clothing 

I'm thinking hearty potato/cheddar soup

 and

 chili

 and

rich beef stew 

I have a desire for pumpkin bread

and

baked apples

and

ginger snaps

My candle fragrances are evolving into

Votivo's Red Currant

and 

Honeysuckle

and

Smoke

Scarves are tempting me . . 

burnt oranges 

and

 harvest ambers

and

cinnamon browns

I'm beginning to layer my table top with textural neutrals

in raw silk, burlap, hopsacking and linen

It's time for a change

and

I'm loving it!

Changing Our World

Home after a long day at the shop. I had a nice jaunt the other day with girlfriend Lisa . . . . and OH did we shop!! I'm still unpacking and cleaning and pricing and displaying the plethora of treasures.

I felt the need to shake it up a little, change some things around, freshen my perspective.

I decided to reconfigure one area of my display, so I pushed some furniture around and created a fresh pathway, then spent the day freshening up the 'Joy' displays in the shop.

I began with a white cupboard I just bought, and loaded it with European zinc pots, bread boards, graters, candles, jars, old shoe lasts, and all of the 'tin', wood and glass I could squeeze in. Next, I loaded a table with stacks of glass cake plates, mercury glass and ironstone, surrounded with old mirrors. Lots of white seashells and starfish and creamy buttons . . . . French flashcards under glass cloches . . . . and ooh la la !

Lots of terrific suitcases to stack up and use as organizers, some rusty/crusty crates (used for who knows what???), several benches and tool boxes . . . . silverware . . . . little pewter pots with wicker handles . . . .

Bird nests, feathers, quail eggs . . . .

My fav find of the day was a 3' high, hotel champagne bucket stand: silverplate! It's glorious.

You'll love it!

The weather is balmy - can you believe it reached

56 degrees?????

I've spent the past week saying Thank You, Lord, for this beautiful weather, the great sales we've been enjoying in the shop, the treasures I've been finding . . . . so many things that have gone smoothly . . . .

Each small blessing is to be savored.

There are so many wonderful people in this business.

Imagine how sweet we could make the world, if each day, we went out there with a smile and a hug and a kind word for the people with whom we interact.

I believe we could change the world!

Home

There is something I love about ivy, and I've always said, "it isn't home until you have your ivy situated".

(Just ask my daughter - I've always said it.)

No matter where we've lived, we've placed our ivy plant in a sunny spot, and felt as if we were home! Saturday I purchased two lovely little ivy plants from The Plum Gallery Florist, and repotted them in an old ironstone pot. Ivy is one of the hardest working plants you can add to your home . . . drawing toxins out of the air and providing maximum oxygen for you to breathe. These are adjusting under my favorite reading lamp . . . and make me oh so happy!

Green

is such a soothing and nourishing color that I've always needed to have some around me. I've come to consider it one of my neutrals - like black or white or cream, and added it to every room of the house. When there is a not so choice view out the window, just place a big fern or ivy plant, a lamp and a mirror, and you have recreated the view and established a new sense of life.

Gray

is another favorite of mine, although it wasn't always. I thought of it as dull and depressing. Some time ago I decided to give gray another chance. I painted the walls in my living room a fairly dark, saturated gray, and the ceiling a very soft dove gray. This lent the room a

romantic seaside aura

It has become a delightful backdrop for my scrubbed pine furniture and white seashell collections. Baskets also provide a perfect contrast of warm wood tones to the coolness of gray.

Silver, mercury glass and white accents glow in lamplight or candlelight. It became very important to allow lots of natural and incandescent

light

to warm the gray, and I added several strategically placed mirrors to double my lamplight.

Texture

is of the essence, with vintage textiles and the worn leather of antique books providing plenty of touch worthy display.

"Naturals"

such as bird nests and twigs and feathers delight my springtime sensibility.

Have fun with your environment. It can become your most personal expression of who you are.

Serenity

A warm thank you to those dear readers who have shared their thoughts with me. I know you are busy people, with much to accomplish during your days . . . and yet you have taken time to peruse my little blog. I'm hearing from many of you that you're enjoying the decorating photos and ideas. It's nice to know you're inspired! Here are a few simple tips for achieving a serene setting.

My styling business has grown out of the love for arranging my collections for personal enjoyment and my consistent desire for efficiency and order. Feel free to borrow ideas for your home. One of my trademarks is a monochromatic color scheme that emphasizes textures, scale and tones within a color family. The effect is calm and serene . . . and which of us doesn't need a little dose of that in our environments?

While some designs call for purity and a minimalist approach, most need to be warmed by layers of texture, stacks of books, and personal memorabilia such as jars of seashells and bowls filled with vintage black and white photos. Our favorite memories should surround us, daily.

To achieve a subtle, peaceful scheme, think of the many variations of your favorite color. If necessary, using a color wheel, add one color to the right and one to the left of your favorite hue. While I'm happy staying within the most basic and calm realm of whites, I love mixing as many shades of that family as possible. Snow . . . eggshell . . . linen . . . oatmeal . . . stone . . . cream . . . vanilla . . . ivory . . . wheat. To these, I always add rich deep browns and a variety of nature's greenery.

Once I've decided on a color scheme, I begin to bring together a multitude of textures. Wool, linen, cotton, wood, wicker, glass, stone, metal, ceramic, paper, leather . . . the list is endless.

Nature must contribute her bounty as well: twigs, birds nests, feathers, seashells, smooth river rocks, moss, flowers and greenery. I've treasured abandoned turtle shells, porcupine quills and naturally shed antlers. Acorns, juniper berries and eculyptus branches are favorites of mine. (Mind you, use only two or three of these naturals at a time.)

When you think you're finished, remove an item or two from your vignettes. Paring down is essential and the eye needs a place to rest.

Decorating is an adventure, and should go on continuously. Your home, like your soul, should never grow stagnant. It should be refined, nourished and developed every day. It isn't necessary to display everything you own or love at the same time. Choose a seasonal look and pack up those items which don't fit. In a few months, unpack the next season's accessories, and replace the ones you have been enjoying.

As an example, think tulips for spring, geraniums for summer, sunflowers for autumn and ivy & evergreens for winter.

Or,

Birdsnests with eggs for spring, bowls of seashells for summer, branches of berries & gourds for autumn and pinecones & candles for winter.

Have a cup of tea, enjoy a good book, breathe deeply! Thank you for visiting me!