common ground : Country French

Showing posts with label Country French. Show all posts

Sunday, July 13, 2014

French Garden Inspired Frame

I've mentioned before that vintage garden goods have always been my favorite kind of "vintage". I love it all, but I have a real soft spot for old garden tools, wagons, ephemera,...anything "seed" related, etc. I've had to pack up most of my garden goodies for now, during our move, but I've kept a few little things to play with and decorate my baker's rack in the sitting room.

When we cleaned out my in-laws garden shed a few years ago I confiscated several old garden tools, and I've had my radar up for a few different ones recently. (more on that next week) These little ones below are of the "mini" variety that I use with my tabletop wheelbarrow. I've been collecting garden inspiration on Pinterest using the old tools, and thought I might try a little summery wall vignette with an old empty chippy frame from my stash.

Inspiration for a French Garden Frame from the Graphics Fairy

I have this hanging in the sitting area in the kitchen.

I'll share the rest of the summer garden baker's rack next week.

I included a mini bee skep among the flowers in the old watering can. I recently bought a little bigger one, (that I haven't shown you yet). I've had this little one for ages, complete with "bees".

My Black Eye'd Susans are really blooming crazy this year,

so I thought I'd do a little nod to them on this.

Hope you're having a great weekend.

We have a contract on the house, YAY!!!

joining in at these parties:

Sundays at Home with Thoughts From Alice

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Show and Share at Coastal Charm

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

xoxo,

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Making a Statement

Sometimes all it takes is a focal point.

One piece of furniture that sets the stage for the rest of the room.

A piece that says "this is me; this is my style".

I've shown my favorite chair many times, and this month it's in the spotlight several times. It's not old, my husband bought it for me as a surprise about 15 years ago for our anniversary. That chair has been dubbed "The Christmas Chair", because when we all gather at Christmas to open gifts, that's always the chair I choose. Funny how little traditions come about.

As you can see, it didn't start out as a neutral slipcovered piece. When I went to a more subdued "white" decorating palette I opted to try my hand at a quick slipcover. It was hit and miss, and certainly something I wouldn't want any professional to scrutinize, but it has served it's purpose well, and gave me a fast option in transforming my space.

covered arms with antique linens

I love it's lines and curves and I wanted to keep it's original dark wood frame to balance out all the white that was coming in to the room.

When asked earlier this week, I was thrilled to help One King's Lane let you all know about their new Home Decor Resource that is filled with ideas, historical information, and examples of furniture design. Not only chairs, but sofas, settees, chaise lounges, benches, and ottomans. Do you have a favorite style? They can help you locate pieces that will definitely "make a statement"!

Run by One King's Lane Design Resource and do a little browsing, then do a search for your favorite style. I just typed in "French Chair" and these were just a few of the options that came up in their wonderful inventory. Not only do they have current manufactured items, but also vintage and antique pieces to choose from. Have fun, then stay to shop throughout their website. One King's Lane also has a blog you'll really enjoy to keep you up to date on all that they have going on for the Holidays!

If you haven't joined in on Be Inspired this week, the party is in full swing. I couldn't get blogger to update my posts for two weeks, now it's publishing when I didn't ask them to. So just a break from our regularly scheduled party... just scroll down to the previous post! thanks everyone!

xoxo,

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Bovine Beauties

Last week in my post on the downstairs mantel I mentioned I had a fondness for vintage landscapes, especially with a few cows and sheep sprinkled in. I'm always on the lookout for a sweet vintage sheep or cow print, and a few weeks ago hubbs and I found this one in it's original frame on one of our trips home from St. Louis.

I have it in the Living Room, but the glare from the windows is so bad I couldn't do a straight-on shot. I'm generally a little wonky anyway, and this just proves it.

The antique clock is a family piece that my mom and dad had

in their Dining Room for as long as I can remember.

Here's another old print in the Living Room that I painted the frame. It had been dark and not attractive, so it got a shabby paint treatment. My husband gulped hard at my painting it, but didn't voice his opinion. He's learned...when it's gotta be painted...it's "gotta be painted!"

This old print, also in it's original feather painted frame,

is in the Master Bath above the tub.

(sorry...no bathroom "reveal" at the moment)

And here is the little milk maid, "Amalie", that my husband gave to me for Valentine's Day last year. She's in the kitchen. Also tricky for a photo without glare.

I had to move her to another spot for a good look.

She's so sweet.

These old prints make me think of the French Countryside. Today I just shared a few of my cows...now the sheep are another whole blog post.

joining in for these weekly parties:

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings
Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm
A Stroll Thru Life
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
Knick of Time
The Scoop at CedarHill Ranch
Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend,

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Pumpkin Urn with Bittersweet

I've been on the hunt for the perfect white Pumpkin and some Bittersweet, and finally tracked down those elusive little berries yesterday at a local nursery. Wow, these are expensive little berries, and why haven't the manufacturers of "all things faux" not come up with a version that looks real?

Now having my Bittersweet, I was able to decorate my Pottery Barn Urn on the coffee table. I put this Frenchy faux grain sack on the coffee table this Spring, to bring a little "rustic luxe" into the mix. Love that tagline...Rustic Luxe. Helps tone down the over-the-top white foo foo.

Also keeps the coffee table clutter from scratching the paint finish.

I don't know if I can keep the Bittersweet here, as I just read where it's toxic to our feline friends. OK, where's the faux stuff when you need it?

At least it looks pretty for the moment...

(This was the urns Summer look)

...cause look who's lurking?

"The Nibbler"

Linking up with:

Mod Vintage Life for Mod Mix Monday
Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
The Polohouse for Favorites on the First
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Finding Fall with FOLK Magazine
Make it Pretty Monday at the Dedicated House
Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch to Yours
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here
Sweet and Simple Fridays at Rooted in Thyme
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Stuff and Nonsense
The Charm of Home
At the Picket Fence
French Country Cottage
2805
Shabby Art Boutique
Jennifer Rizzo

Hope you're having a great week,

Friday, February 3, 2012

Vintage Inspiration Friday # 75 A Gallery Wall

I think I'm finished with this little "project"!
(and what might this project be?, you ask)
a gallery wall...

and I've realized that putting one together,
is a little harder than it might seem.

I started with this shabby rectangle mirror. I've had it for ages,

and toyed with selling it, but it never seemed to make it to the booth.

I've tried using it here at the house before, but it never did work out.

So, when I realized I had a good 4x4 space to play with,

what do you think I dragged out...

yep, my shabby, chippy, old mirror.

I think I've tried about 20 different elements before I finally decided on this,

the finished product, and that was about an hour ago.

(that's why I had so many nail holes...trial and error)

I've Googled and checked on Pinterest for "gallery walls",

but most were of photographs or paintings,

not many were a mix of objects AND art.

I found I had to stay with the golds and creams to make it work,

I had a lot of beautiful prints that were within the subject matter,

but they were either the wrong size, color, or shape.

It was harder to find the balance in all that, than I imagined.

My advice for creating a gallery wall would be to gather all your possible elements first, trying to keep color and subject matter complimentary. Find your larger pieces to anchor your arrangement, then you can build around it.(them). On this light wall and with this shabby white frame, I found darker pieces, or ones with too much color just didn't look right; they were too "jarring" and very distracting. I wanted this space to flow.