What a season we’ve had!  I have to share with you my BEST finds of the season and three things I NEVER fear when antiquing!

Barn sales, junk shops, curbside, thrift shops, antique stores, and even birthday gifts!    I love the thrill of the hunt and the entire process of finding treasures for my home.

Sur le Rocher is a unique style that is a blend of two loves.   A French Farmhouse and an English Country House.   While many lean towards a Provençal style when decorating with their own French-style farmhouse, I am a bit more Normandy farmhouse… keeping it Celtic, curated and cluttered.   A layered look.   Years represented on bookshelves, on walls, in cabinets…  Not a fresh, trendy American farmhouse look, but a style that looks layered throughout generations.   Sur le Rocher is full of family heirlooms and items I’ve found over the years that touch the tattered part of my artist’s soul.

Second-hand is my love language.  Give me gilded frames, worn edges, threadbare setées, patina and chipped paint every day of the week.   

If this is a look you want to create in your own home, don’t be discouraged, even though acquiring the multiple treasures needed can be intimidating.   As with most things in life, it’s about the journey.  They’ll be no walking into a showroom for you.   It’s one piece at a time. (Cue the Johnny Cash!)

(Be sure to watch the video to see my Best Finds of the Season!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are THREE things I never fear when antiquing!

1.  I’m never afraid to ask for a bargain.

BUT I think it’s very important to be respectful.  Many vendors, booth holders, barn sale hosts; they are doing this to bring extra money to their families. Been there.  Done that.   So don’t be rude.   Don’t ask to pay five dollars for something and then hand them a fifty.   And in other cases, this is their full-time job.  They’ve got HOURS invested into finding, cleaning and displaying those items.   Booth rent.   Truck rental.   Travel.   There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes, but most of them are factoring in having to haggle, just don’t insult them.   A few dollars off or ten percent if you’ve got a big pile of items.    That being said, you NEVER know when they’ll be more than happy to take you up on your offer.   You never know how badly they might want to get rid of something or perhaps the item came in a box-lot at an auction they attended and anything you offer them would be sheer profit.   My point is, be brave, but be kind.  This was the case with my beloved Rhett and Scarlett.  The shop owner got them for practically free and had them for two years.  She was thrilled to give me a deal and get them out of her store.

2.  I’m never afraid to pay full price for something I KNOW is going to take my design project in the direction it needs to go.

My crazy lavatoire (you know, the infamous urinal sink:) is a great example of this.  I saw this sink on the Instagram feed @englisheccentrichom and I’ve seen how pricey lavatoires are on online sites.   When I found one for $95.00, while it was MUCH more than I wanted to pay at a thrift shop, I knew the owner is not one to come down on a price AND I knew it was unique enough, I’d never find one again here like it.   I chose to shop at places that aren’t inflated by demographics and location, meaning, I’m not going to a trendy salvage store in Atlanta or Chicago.   I try to shop where there are realistic prices and so when I find the right item, while it might not be ten dollars, but I’m willing to pay.

3.  I’m not afraid to buy something even if I have NO IDEA where I’m going to put it or what I’m going to do with it.

The perfect example of this is my copper butlers sink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When my mom called and said,  “So and so has a copper sink in storage she wants to get rid of for $150.00”, I was ALL OVER THAT.  I stored it myself for close to three years before it found a place in our new home.   If you find something that you can afford and it makes your heart flip/flop, SNATCH IT and figure it out later.   A purpose will always reveal itself down the road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three easy things to NEVER fear when looking for beautiful treasures for your home.

You know, I just received the sweetest news from a reader.   She actually put away a bunch of Homegoods items and dug out old treasures that were her mothers.  They are now displayed in her home where she can appreciate them and remember someone so precious to her.  I love that.   How much can we add to our daily joie de vivre when we bid Beigeland goodbye and chose to surround ourselves with heritage, craftsmanship, and beauty.

You might enjoy a post from a few years back.  7 Tips for Successful Garage Saleing   where I share ideas on what to look for when you’re out shopping for your own layered, European look!

What about you?

What do you love?

Where do you find it?

And tell me all about your treasures from the season!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heartfelt, special thanks to all my friends who show their love for YouTube and the blog by shopping for all their health and beauty needs here!