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

Branching Out

I opened my first antiques shop 30 years ago, knowing nothing about retail and truthfully, not much more about antiques. I was simply determined to gather together some of the things I loved and present them to others who loved antiques. Looking back, I realize how naive I was about the potential for financial disaster. I was passionate, and I thought there must be others who loved to surround themselves with pieces of the past . . . . and surely they would be seeking a shop like mine . . . . right? Over the years I've been blessed to meet some of the nicest people in the country. I began on a shoestring, and when the first load of merchandise sold, I was off to shop for more. Amid oohs and aahs throughout the shop and long warm conversations about memories and cherished family keepsakes, I started to feel more confident, and began a little notebook of items my customers were looking for. My business blossomed, my customer list grew and my shop grew to house an abundance of beautiful treasures. I soon realized that a large part of my enjoyment was derived from creating my vignettes. I was learning that the way an item was displayed could make all the difference in how my customer perceived it's value and desirability. Context and texture, lighting and elevation . . . . these things made a big difference. It really stunned me when customers began asking if they could take a photograph before purchasing an item, so they could be confident they could duplicate my display exactly when they got home. Of course I was pleased and delighted that they loved my ideas. It wasn't long until someone asked if I would visit their home and give them some advice on how to diplay their collection of quilts. Then someone else asked, and then . . . . a little branch of my business was born. One day I came home to find my, (female), mail carrier peeking intently through the window of my condominium. She was embarrassed to be caught, but confessed that she was intrigued with my decor, and wanted so much to see more. I invited her in, and my little styling business was launched. I'm delighted to tell you that all these years later, a large part of my joy is still in assisting others who love to surround themselves with beautiful things.