maviemamaison

New Website, Blog Announcement

2011-05-08T08:21:00.000-07:00

Visit our new blog and more info on our new website. Specimens, collections available for purchase on-line soon.

Spring Cleaning Unveils Vintage Treasure

2011-03-25T16:15:00.000-07:00

I'm finally ready to start cleaning out closets and getting organized. Not that I don't have enough to do with our new website - www.vintagealkemie.com and doing some restoration projects around our 1920's Spanish Med home... So when I gave my closet a fresh coat of Martha Stewart's Tailor Chalk paint, some of the drywall started to fall off (too much scrubbing on my part) and a wonderful vintage treasure was found!!! I believe this is some type of plaster and the color is incredible. If anyone has any idea what type of plaster this is, please share!! Enjoy your weekend.

Kitchen Remodel in Progress...Few More Vintage Pieces Added...

2011-02-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

We are still in the process of remodeling our kitchen, and have added a few more vintage treasures to the design. First up is an old set-back cabinet that I'm in the process of stripping down to the old heart of pine wood, and it fits perfectly by our gas stove. Perfect storage piece for chefs, like my hubby!

I can't tell you how many pieces I've researched to use as our kitchen island. However, a very dear friend of mine, scored this awesome piece for us and I think its the one. And old workbench found in a garage from a former mechanic, this piece screams industrial! I have been cleaning it now every other day (when time and my children permit) to get it to a sanitary condition. Removing oil, and other nasty car stuff from the hand made butcher block top. If you have never heard of Krud Kutter (local hardware stores carry it) I strongly suggest you get it for your next gunk, grime, cleaning project. I love this stuff! I actually used it on our pine wood floors and they turned out beautiful! No stripping, go figure! The base is awesome with its heavy piped legs, galvanized bottom shelf and a huge galvanized single drawer with a brass pull. It even has the original metal label on the bottom of it! Counter height and is perfect for extra seating with our mix/match bar stools. I can't wait to start using it!!!

Another fantastic vintage find is this old hardware/tool cabinet that I will use in our mud room off of the kitchen for extra storage. Linens, serving platters, etc. I love this piece and can't wait to get into the kitchen. My nights and weekends have been lovingly stripping, cleaning and restoring these wonderful vintage treasures for our kitchen. So who cares if I can't cook? I'm building my dream kitchen and adding loads of vintage charm to it. Wish you could stop by for a cup of coffee once its complete!

New Family Room

2011-01-12T10:39:00.000-08:00

Our formal dinning room doesn't get much use, so we converted it into a family, play and homework area for our girls. The Flor carpet tiles are awesome, easy to install and inexpensive. The best feature, child friendly.

Wire metal shelf holds toys, games, etc., while the white metal vintage doctor's cabinet holds art supplies, paper, etc.

Another metal cabinet with an old kitchen cupboard sitting on top is great storage and display for their dolls, books, etc.

Our family computer station/hub is housed with this great old postal desk and hutch. The old school desk (we got one for each) is great for having their own space to do homework, etc. Haven't decided if we want to paint them, or do something eclectic with vintage papers, fabric, etc.

Displaying my children's artwork in old vintage frames are treasures adorning the walls...

Holiday Decorating with Vintage Doilies...

2010-12-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

I love decorating but find it challenging when it comes to my own abode... I recently acquired some vintage doilies thinking I would take them into the shop to sell. I remember my Nana having them all over her house. On the back of chairs, tables, etc., she had wonderful doilies everywhere!

Not a doilies kind of gal, what to do with these crafty pieces of art? Light bulb goes off and the next thing you know... It looks like winter has exploded inside my home with these wonderful "snowflakes" all over the windows, above our fireplace, etc.

What a wonderful and inexpensive way to incorporate a little handmade vintage into your holiday decor! I used Elmer's glue spray adhesive to attach our doilies aka snow flakes to the windows and doors. What other vintage textiles could I use to add to my fireplace mantel? Vintage cotton stuffing for snow trees and vintage yarn wrapped around tree limbs found in my front yard.

When the lights are out, and only our white christmas lights are glowing, our doilies complete our Holiday Winter Decor. You can find them at any thrift store, yard sale or flea market. Some are so intricate and detailed that they should be framed as art. Happy Holidays!

Win This Metal Card Catalog Cabinet from Vintage Inc.! Holiday Giveaway 2010 | Apartment Therapy Unplggd

2010-12-10T07:01:00.000-08:00

Wanted to share a little Holiday Magic with our friends, family and wonderful customers; Apartment Therapy showcased our cute little metal file cabinet in their Holiday Giveaway 2010 last night. We are so excited about the 4 million plus Apartment Therapy Readers visiting our website! Here's the link for your chance to win this adorable little guy and other faboulous goodies from Apartment Therapy!

NEW GIVEAWAYS POSTED 12/09
• Copa Chandelier and Sconces from Rico
• Pair of Modern World Maps from These Are Things
• Metal Card Catalog from Vintage Inc.
• Haba Play Canopy from Bella Luna Toys
• Eco Shopping Bags from Credo Bags
• Bedford Metal Tray from Z Gallerie

Vintage Wedding Bells...

2010-11-03T12:42:00.000-07:00

Vintage recently had the opportunity to provide some store items as props for a wedding photo shoot with local photographer , Tina Sargent Tina Sargent, Photographer Wizard ... Tina a regular vintage customer when she's stateside has used our furnishings and decor for several of her photo shoots over the past few years. Tina emailed us recently to let us know that her wedding shoot at Barrington Hill Farm in Dade City was featured today on 100LayerCakeBlog with a link to our shop's website. Tina's photography is breathtaking, original and unique.

Thank you Tina for giving us the opportunity to contribute a few of our vintage pieces and decor for this lovely wedding shoot and to be apart of the happy couple's special day! If you are planning your nuptials and would like to add a little vintage charm to you're wedding decor, feel free to stop by the shop or contact us via email Vintage Wedding Decor Inquiry. You can also visit us on-line at: Vintage Website for ideas, inspiration and ideas. Local events planner, Oliver Events staged the farm and did a wonderful job... How romantic and timeless...

Please make sure to set up a consult with Tina for unique, beautiful and original photography for your special day.

Another wonderful vintage customer and one of our first customers 3 1/2 years ago, Matthew Wengerd, provided the Fabulous stationary through his company, A Fine Press. Many thanks to 100layercake for the post!

Vintage Fall Decor

2010-10-25T16:08:00.000-07:00

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love decorating for fall... Pumpkins, burlap, twigs, goodies from my local craft store, etc. Here are some pictures of our living room area that I have decorated for Halloween. I have incorporated vintage goodies from the shop www.vintageinc.biz and from my personal collection. Happy Fall...

Big Bertha Has Left the Building...

2010-09-16T13:14:00.000-07:00

Can you become to attached to furniture? For me the answer is YES! Big Bertha left today for her new home, a recording artist studio out in Los Angeles! She was a real beauty and I hope her new owners will love her as much as I did. Bertha is the huge 1800's postal cabinet we fell in love with. Too big for our home, she kept me company at the shop. I know it sounds crazy but I will miss her. Goodbye old girl, enjoy LA!

maviemamaison: My latest vintage find... Jeweler's Cabinet

2010-08-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

maviemamaison: My latest vintage find... Jeweler's Cabinet

My latest vintage find... Jeweler's Cabinet

2010-08-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

This wonderful jeweler's cabinet is going home with me... I have so many ideas for it. Of course I don't own enough jewelry to fill it up ( I prefer vintage furniture for gifts...) but I'm sure I can find something to fill it with. I'll post more pictures later once I find the perfect spot for it. Happy Friday everyone...

Kitchen Update... If You Want to Call It That.

2010-08-16T23:42:00.000-07:00

You would think with summer being slow in the retail business that I would have time to get my kitchen remodel finished? Not so much... but here's a few pictures of some things we have done recently... However, I did find time to re-do my studio/office, start on a re-design of my girl's bedroom upstairs and work on my closet :) I hope everyone has had an enjoyable summer.

My Memory Cabinet

2010-07-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

Last week, my brother and I had to go through our mother's belongings. As we were sorting through items to be donated, things to keep for our children and looking at old photos I realized that I didn't want them in a box put up in a closet somewhere. She had a robins egg blue china cabinet from the 1960s that she used to display family photos, her bible, things of importance to her. I realized at that moment that I wanted her cabinet to come home with me, a part of her.

Her cabinet spoke to me as I started to fill it with some of her treasures, photos, keepsakes as well as my own. Our styles were never the same or I didn't think so until I started blending our things together to have on display in her cabinet. I re-decorated our entire dinning room around her cabinet. Eclectic, fun and colorful just like my mom, Robbie June. Her cabinet has become my memory cabinet of her and our life.

My children have added their own treasures to our "Meme" memory cabinet. Notes about loving and missing her, things that remind them of her. Now when I walk through my dinning room on a daily basis, I am reminded of her and it makes me smile. I hope you enjoy the photos of my dinning room and that it inspires you to create a memory cabinet of your own.

My Mom

2010-07-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

My mother died recently and unexpectedly. I miss her very much. The "Gypsy" in her family, she was always moving us from place to place and never settling down for very long. We had some great adventures, my little brother Paul, Mom and me. Tennessee, Kentucky, California, New Mexico, Washington State, Florida, Alabama, Georgia ... She wasn't into the "homemaking" thing, never owned a house or seemed very interested in decorating. I remember always taking a small treasure of our last "home" before we would move onto the next. She did the best she that she knew how and that's all that matters. She'll always have a permanent home in my heart. I love you Robbie June Leffew.

It's a Small World...

2010-06-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

A recent trip to Disney World brought back memories of my childhood and lazy summer days playing barbies, house with my baby dolls, climbing trees, banana popsicles and watermelon! Our six year old, Sofia celebrated her birthday at the Magic Kingdom and enjoyed every second excluding "melt-downs" as to why she has to wait in line when it's her special day (birthday)...

Walking down main street and watching Cinderella's castle rise above you... Wow! We ARE on Vacation (even if we do live 30 minutes away and its just for the day)...

Visiting the magic kingdom inspired me to create a playroom in our formal living room for the girls. Now they can color, draw, play house, barbies, school, read, create. I'm working on some designs to incorporate some of the wonderful set designs from the ride into their rooms and play room. I hope these pictures bring back special memories of your summers, family vacations, and play-time. Enjoy your summer.

p.s. It's a Small World is my favorite ride of all times and Sofia's too.

vintage shoe stencil boxes... if you love shoes, you will love these!

2010-06-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

Vintage wood shoe boxes used to store stencils from a shoe factory on the East Coast. These boxes are made of solid wood with red or black lettering stenciled on the front to indicate the shoe width and shoe style. Constructed of a thick solid wood, boxes have wood divider inserts (some composite board) as well as the bottom of the boxes. Sizes are listed below, height and depth may vary a few inches (1-2). Wonderful to organize your office supplies, kitchen cook books, craft supplies, etc. Shop on-line at www.vintageinc.biz or stop by the shop...

Objets Trouves Bling Trash Chandelier Yields $13,148 Euros

2010-05-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

The White Chandelier by Winnie Lui

Winnie Lui jewellery designer turned lighting designer with the creation of White, her spectacular chandeliers in which objets trouvés meet bling and trash is made equal to treasure through the application of uniform color. I would love to have this wonderful piece hanging in my dinning room! It is absolutely stunning and the fact that it is made from found repurposed objects is amazing in itself!! Another project to add to my "Junk-to-do" list.

The spectacular design is made from unique pieces sourced to create the elegant limited edition of 50 individual White chandeliers. White will be the main show stopper when showcased during the Space & Design event for the London Design Festival. Price: $ 13,148 Euros

Studio Sneak Peak

2010-05-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a sneak peak into my office/studio where I spend my time when not at the shop. Storage comes in different shapes and sizes... Mixing old with the new makes the piece more interesting and unique to your space...

Happy Mother's Day...

2010-05-09T06:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are first-time mommies, mommy's in-waiting, mother's who are now grandmothers, moms who are saying goodbye to their college-bound babies and moms who get lost in the day-to-day activities of life and to moms we've lost. Wishing you a wonderful day!

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. - Elizabeth Stone

poems on mirrors

2010-05-01T18:19:00.000-07:00

Lotta Agaton: Write on the mirror! How cool is this? I love fonts, numbers, random phrases, etc. My next project! A wonderful and interesting technique to personalize your space. I can totally see this in a nursery or in any room for that matter!

I'm moving to my garage!

2010-04-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

If my garage could look like this... I would move out there in a heart beat. Photo via www.castlegibson.com Check out the rest of their website for more eye candy!

Down in the Drain

2010-04-26T05:38:00.000-07:00

Our 9-year old has some of her artwork on display at our local Museum of Art. We are so proud of her!!!

Shades of Grey

2010-04-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

I'm in-love with the color grey, once thought to be a cold sterile color now brings life and warmth to my living room. I love the contrast with the original 1920's windows, doors and moldings. I used Dutch Boy Paint's Cathedral Gray. You can see in the first photo that our living room was originally a pale yellow. That part is almost done and I will post more photos soon. Every color you can imagine goes well with it. Now for the rest of my house!

Afraid of Sewing...

2010-04-17T06:39:00.000-07:00

As sweet and cute as this little guy is... IT SCARES ME TO DEATH!!! I just got it. It looks great on my vintage sewing cabinet. I have tons of vintage fabric and ideas of what I want to create... Sewing & crafts are the rage, trend, dedicated blogs, etc. I really want to learn to sew and maybe ( a big maybe) I could actually make a few things for my shop... Vintage Any words of wisdom on sewing? Oh Martha you make it look so easy! Stay tuned...

Kitchen Redux Continues...

2010-04-08T13:26:00.000-07:00

I came across this great "factory" loft... Great ideas for room dividers if you have an open space.

If I had it my way, our kitchen would be 99% industrial. However, we don't live in a factory but this wonderful piece will house our dry goods. I love the patina of this aged zinc cabinet with its simple lines and bounty of storage space. I can't wait to get it home and into our kitchen.

Spring Inspiration

2010-04-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

Spring has arrived and I wanted to share some of these wonderful "spring" inspiring photos:

Beehive Bunt Cake...

Flowery Dresser

Old Watercans

Time Flys

Mud Room Storage Solution?

2010-03-26T06:03:00.000-07:00

Some might ask, what is a mud room? For me, its an irregular space that is part of our kitchen and eat-in area. One of our biggest challenges is the original layout of our house and kitchen. While we are grateful for the large space that is uncommon in 1920's home designs, we've been hitting road blocks with how to divide the space while keeping it functional and aesthetic. Thank goodness for my friends who love, live and eat design like I do. My girlfriend sent me this image as an option for the only remaining original built-in left in our kitchen (the previous owners tore everything out, not us... promise!) which I absolutely love! What are your thoughts on it?

Lakeland has become a "brand" name in Home Decor

2010-03-25T05:21:00.000-07:00

While researching the web for the ultimate kitchen sink for our remodel, I came across the following sink... Who knew that our small town nestled among the orange groves in Florida would have such an impact on home decor...

Introducing... American Standard's Lakeland 33" Single Bowl Kitchen Sink...

Mirror Mirror on the Wall and in the Hall...

2010-03-09T03:04:00.000-08:00

Grande Galerie or Galerie des Glaces

My latest find...

Who doesn't love mirrors? Considered to be one of the world's oldest accessories, they come in all shapes and sizes. With 3 girls in the house (excluding myself) I have them everywhere! In the 14th Century the invention of the mirror plate was invented which allowed mirror makers to produce flat, colorless glass. And leave it to the French to be the first to create the casting method which later enabled manufacturers to produce mirrors on a larger scale. By the mid 18th century, the mirror became an architectural device as a medium for reflecting light and magnifying space. Set into panelling, ceilings and gesso frames, mirrors became a staple in galleries, balls, banquets and our homes. The most famous example is the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles (French:Grande Galerie or Galerie des Glaces), which was copied all over Europe. The principal feature of this famous hall is the seventeen mirror-clad arches that reflect the seventeen arcaded windows that overlook the gardens. Each arch contains twenty-one mirrors with a total complement of 357 used in the decoration of the galerie des glaces (Verlet, 1985a). How many mirrors do you have? What style is your favorite? How are they displayed in your home, office, space? For the record, anyone who lives for decorating like I do, should obviously have the website for Versailles bookmarked. If not, here's a direct link to their website: http://www.chateauversailles.fr

Insert Foot Into Mouth!!!

2010-03-02T16:35:00.000-08:00

Remember my earlier post about our wonderful kitchen cupboard??? Well, my hubby didn't object but my kitchen layout did! UGH... True to my word, we're keeping the piece but it has found a home in our living room and a new coat of paint as well. I love the "Lincoln Cabinet Black" paint I scooped up from Lowes and I'm almost done painting my entire living room with Dutch Boy Paint's "Cathedral" which is a gray that reminds me of Belgian interiors... Back to the drawing board and once again I'm on the "HUNT" for another fabulous vintage piece for our kitchen.

Breakfast Anyone?

2010-03-02T16:19:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite family meals is Breakfast for Dinner. We get in our jammies and make breakfast together. Bella & Sofia love to help and here's a few pictures of them preparing the eggs. Our kitchen remodel is still underway but we manage to have fun in all of the chaos!

An Eye for an Eye

2010-02-18T06:58:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite interior design blogs; www.designspongeonline.com features sneak peaks into vintage junkie's homes. Its nice to see pieces that are implemented into someone's home, shop, etc. Drawback? Should of kept one for myself... I just sold our last card catalog file cabinet (exact same one as featured on Library Catalog Photo Link) with the exception of one extra unit which will be repurposed into a coffee table.

Inspiration

2010-02-10T15:23:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love, love, love these photos. From the textures, lighting, to the different shades of gray and cream. PERFECT don't you think? My shop, vintage www.vintageinc.biz will be carrying some of these wonderful treasures very soon and I'm sure some of these items will find a home at my house as well.

Our new Kitchen Pantry

2010-02-02T05:08:00.000-08:00

The bulk of our storage will be housed in this wonderful old kitchen pantry that was saved from a house in the Northeast. My husband seems to think it will not fit, but it has too. It is by far my most favorite kitchen redux piece yet and we need the storage. My solution.... move a wall but this piece is staying :)

School Table will be our new kitchen island...

vintage factory shoe rack will house our pots and pans...

French Pigs, Irish Cows and British Sheep

2010-01-27T18:03:00.000-08:00

What do french pigs, irish cows and british sheep have to do with my kitchen redux? Fabulous 1940's original black and white artwork of course! These are an amazing find and I cannot wait to get them put into vintage gilded frames and hung on my gray walls. More pix to come!

Kitchen Bling

2010-01-27T09:27:00.000-08:00

As we continue to work on our Kitchen Redux... I continue to shop for kitchen "bling" aka accessories for our french industrial kitchen and oh I've found a wonderful industrial piece from France. The perfect amount of "bling" for our kitchen and a great spice rack too. Take a look... More pictures to come...

Hang out with Vintage

2010-01-22T10:33:00.001-08:00

We miss our display windows at the old location on Kentucky Avenue, so this is what we came up with for a display to let people know that we have moved upstairs in the Thom Down Antiques Building. Reminds me of Europe!

Kitchen Redux

2010-01-15T09:50:00.000-08:00

As a shop owner of vintage furnishings and decor, I'm always revising, repurposing, recycling pieces in my own home. This blog is about my personal trials and tribulations of decorating my home, my passion for things handmade and everything else important in my life that has some sort of connection to furniture, interior design, travel, etc.

I love so many things, different styles, that I have a hard time committing to a certain look or leaving a piece in a space for any length of time (thank God for furniture on wheels). I think as I grow the shop, my personal taste in design grows along with it.

I want to dedicate this first post to my wonderful husband, William. He's always been supportive of the shop, my OCD for change with our home, always rearranging pieces and rooms in our home and for living with chaos! We live in a 1920s Spanish Colonial home that has tons of character from the wood floors, plaster walls, coved ceilings,to the original windows.

When we purchased the home 7 years ago, the kitchen had been re-done and was somewhat functional. My husband is the chef in our family so it needs to remain functional for him. Meaning... I'll give him a "little" input regarding the new design but not too much. So we've started ripping out contractor grade cabinets, granite, etc., and will move forward with vintage pieces and custom cabinetry that reflects a french farmhouse with an industrial edge.

I'll do my best to keep my posts current with the progression of our "Kitchen Redux" and include photography as well. I'm always looking for suggestions, ideas, input or opinions -- so DON'T BE SHY!