Antique POP!

Hi friends! I hope that everyone has had a great summer and is staying cool. I don't know about ya'll but here in Charlotte the heat has been unbearable. I am ready for some football, cool nights and cozy fires. Whenever there is a change in seasons, it makes me think about changes in decorating and ways to transition my home to the cooler temps. It also makes me want to buy! Haha! I don't think there is ever a time I don't want to buy.  So, for this post, I am going to give you all some of my tips and tricks for finding the perfect accessories, vintage goodies and antiques for your home. Since I am a southern gal, I thought I would share my favorite resources here in the South!



Atlanta!  Atlanta was my first "big city" home and will always hold a special place in my heart. Atlanta is the best for all things design. It is the home of Bennett Street and Miami Circle, two wonderful streets dedicated to some of the best antique shops. I actually used to work on Miami Circle for a local designer and loved its array of shops and art galleries. Atlanta is also the spot for ADAC (Atlanta Decorative Arts Center) where all of the design field go to for to the trade resources.  Scott Antique Market is my absolute favorite for one of a kind treasures. This market is held the second weekend of every month in Atlanta in two big expo centers. If I am on the hunt for something special, this is my go to spot.  I have found everything from textiles to pillows to antiques to upholstery here. This is worth the trip!

JuJu hats at Scotts in Atlanta.

Framed African textile found on one of my trips to Scott Antique Market. I bought the textile as one piece and then made two pieces of art!

Great pair of mirrors. In the background you can also see some great antique buffets.

Antique rug now in a client's master bedroom found at Scott Antique Market.

Fun fabrics found at ADAC.

Charlotte! This has been my home base for almost three years (still can't believe how fast time flies) and is home to so many fun stores and shops. I feel like Charlotte is the best spot for vintage finds. I can always count on finding something unique here. To highlight my favorite stops, Slate Interiors and Sleepy Poet Antiques are hands down the best. Charlotte caters to small businesses and I find that there is a real sense of being an entrepreneur and standing out in this city. Not only is Charlotte a great spot, but NC is a hot bed for furniture and design. Go check out the High Point Market if you are ever in the area. This market is for design professionals but during this time many of the antique and furniture showrooms will open up to the public.

Finds at Slate Interiors. So in love with this table and chairs. Still kicking myself that I didn't purchase them!

More Slate goodies. There chairs pictured here were actually found at Sleepy Poet and I painted and reupholstered them for sale in my space at Slate.

Another one of my fab finds at an estate sale in Charlotte that was sold at my booth at Slate. Estate sales and Craigslist are a hot bed for great furniture at reasonable prices.

Brass and glass etagere found at Sleep Poet.

Asheville! Asheville has so many eclectic and fun shops, but one of my favorites is called The Screen Door. I have found a great lucite cocktail table here for a steal and lots of great accessories. You have to be ready to dig but if you are,you can rack up on goodies to take home! There are also many locally owned antique stores along Biltmore Avenue and Lexington Avenue to name a few. I have found chandeliers, waterford glasses and great mid century modern pieces just wandering through these shops.

Milo Baughman acrylic cocktail table found at Screen Door.

Savannah! Savannah just screams antiques. With all of the beautiful architecture, oak lined streets and mystery, this place makes me want to get a good glass of wine and hunt for treasures all day. In Savannah there is no open container law so you can definitely pursue your favorite shops with a tasty drink in hand. The last time I visited Savannah, I discovered a new shop called Clutter. Clutter is a high end consignment store where I scored the most fabulous, vintage dining table for a client. Go often because inventory turns quick here. Another great spot is Cohan's Retreat. This is a spot where multiple vendors sell their wares. You can find everything from fabric to unique accessories. There is also a restaurant located here so grab lunch while you are at it!

This table found at Clutter and now looks great in a client's beach house in Florida.

Mobile and Birmingham! I have to throw in these two southern cities as well. Not only have a I lived in both places but they also have some great shops that are must sees if you are ever in the area. I will start with Birmingham. First stop is Soho Retro This shop is in Homewood and when I lived there I would stop in at least once a week to see if they had gotten new furniture. They had the best mix of vintage and mid century modern furniture and accessories. Circa Antiques and Interiors is next on my list and then the great shops at Interiors at Pepper Place. In Mobile, you must go to Atchisons and Charles Philips.

Sorry for the fuzzy pics, but these show you a bit more about what you can find at Charles Philip and Atchisons.

Other tips and tricks to finding goodies:

• Haunt your favorite places! If you like a store and there are multiple vendors, go often. Inventory changes quickly and if there is something you like you better snag it fast!
• Check out estate sales and craigslist. Also become friends with real estate agents who might be flipping a house and trying to get rid of lighting fixtures, ect.
• Go off the beaten path! Many of my favorite finds have been from going into antique stores in small towns. These usually get overlooked and can be hiding some great treasures. I usually will ride past one, hit the brakes and go back in.
• Read other blogs and visit online marketplaces.  One great resource, Invaluable, offers collectibles on line. Go read their tips and tricks on Summer Antiquing here.

A light fixture I bought from a team flipping a house. Not sure where I will use it yet, but I had to have it!

I bought this cabinet at Slate but I store all my glass treasures here. I have some brass I bought at Sleepy Poet, crystal I found in Asheville and pieces that have been handed down from family. Always have a place to show off your treasures!

So what are your tips and tricks to finding your treasures? My best piece of advice is to buy things that speak to you. There is nothing better than a collected home!

XO,

Show Me Your Shelfie

Recently I was approached by Laurel and Wolf, a great online design service, to show them how I style my Shelfie! I love this project because I love to accessorize and also to collaborate with other design businesses to help you with ideas. In case you all didn't know, I love to add unexpected touches to my design and started with this fabulous brass and glass shelf that I found at Sleepy Poet Antiques here in Charlotte. This shelf was a great buy not only because it was super affordable but also because I can use it in multiple places in my home. These pictures are from my home office but now this shelf is in my bedroom. It is styled totally different but we will leave that to another blog post.  Laurel and Wolf provided this awesome plan for styling your shelfie and below is my take on how to make yours POP!

This shelfie POPs with eclectic touches and lots of color. Here are my pics and tricks to help you:

To start, this shelf was originally being used in my home office which has lots of color and unique, eclectic touches. I had to make sure I kept that theme with my shelf design. I added a lamp to the top for more lighting and to bring interest to the top of the shelf as well as my gallery wall.

I then added books and colorful art the top of the shelf. This piece of art was found online on Serena and Lily and is the work of artist Jenny Prinn. I also added books and a decorative plate which was found at Target several years ago. Target is a great place to look because they will often have collaborations with small brands and designers to bring discounted items to their customers. I used the plate and an agate bookend to hold the books together on my shelf. 

 I love decorating books not only for great reading material but also for accessorizing. My favorite place to get books is Amazon. If you start collecting now, you can have lots of accessories for your shelves as well as coffee tables and entry tables. On top  is a glass knot I found at Home Goods, another great place to go for unique and affordable accessories. On the very bottom of the shelf, you can see I repeated the decorative plate as well as a white container I found at the beach.  

To me, the secret of a great shelf is to keep the eye interested but also to have something that you can repeat to have symmetry.  I loved using the plates because they were different colors but kept the design flowing from top to bottom. Although I used them twice, I changed the placement of them so that the shelf would maintain interest.

So, how do you like my Shelfie? I hope you got some ideas for styling yours at home! My best advice and secret is to start collecting now and always buy what speaks to you.  I love visiting flea markets, vintage shops, and Etsy for finds that are unique!  What are your secrets to styling your shelves? I would love to hear from you on how you like to style your space. 

Have a  great weekend and thanks again to Laurel and Wolf for including me in this fun post!

XO,

Courtney 

Art POP!

Hi friends! I have another fun collaboration to share with all of you. Several months ago, Top Art, an art website filled with ready to go art to hang on your walls, contacted me to pick my favorite pieces. After picking my favorite pieces, they sent me one to style to give you all ideas! The painting that I picked is by Michelle Oppenheimer and is called Emerald Flight. The colors in this piece of art are just stunning. Take a look at how I took this painting and styled it with some of my favorite furniture and accessories from Slate Interiors here in Charlotte. When thinking of how to style this piece, my thought was to give it the perfect entry way look. I love how all  of this turned out and could even picture this set up in a mid-mod, vintage dining room. Take a look at how it evolved from the beginning to the finished product. Thanks to my great photographer from Smitten and Hooked, too! I could not have captured these beautiful photos without their help!

So what do you think? Thanks again Top Art for inviting me to collaborate with you. I enjoyed every minute of it!

Till next time!

XX,

Courtney

Coffee Table Pop

Everybody has a coffee table in their living space but a lot of times we get stuck with how to accessorize it! Recently, I was approached by Chairish, an online marketplace to come up with my take on the perfect coffee table styling. If you haven't visited their website, go now! They offer a unique assortment of vintage and eclectic finds from independent sellers and shops. I love haunting this site to see what I can find to truly make a space look special. Take a look to see how I take their gold faux bamboo coffee table and make it POP with fun accessories.

Let's break down these elements of the perfect coffee table styling! First, you have to start with a great coffee table. I found this one on Chairish. What I loved about this table was the gold accents but also the open concept which allows you to really spice it up with fun goodies!

I picture these blue vases placed on either side of the coffee table.  I love the color but also love that they give the coffee table interest and height.

Next, I would place this tray in the middle of the table with the brass pineapple, a few colorful Chinese paintbrushes and a Diptyque candle.

Diptyque candle

On either side of my coffee table,  I would place my favorite coffee table books. I love this one by Eddie Ross! Stack them up!

I love this green malachite box and think it would be so pretty sitting atop a pile of coffee table books!

Can you tell I have a thing for blue? This lovely bowl would add interest and color to the bottom of the coffee table. 

I don't know about you, but I keep most of my Architectural Digest magazines. Not only are they great reads, but they are also great coffee table pieces. I would stack these on the bottom on all four corners of the table.

This is actually a vintage brooch! Coral and gold are so pretty and I think you could add these on your tray or on top of your magazines and coffee table books. Not only are they pretty, but they are also great conversations starters! 

Last but not least, this great overdyed rug is the perfect piece for your now styled coffee table to rest!

How do you style yours?

XO,

Courtney