Chicago's Randolph St. Flea Market

I had been trying to get to the Chicago Randolph St. Flea Market all summer long and every weekend they had it I couldn't go for one reason or another......that is until this past Saturday! I finally made it and found so many great pieces of furniture I would love to have for my future house. Some I would leave as is and some I would repurpose to spruce it up or give it a more modern feel. Next summer I will be hitting the flea markets like crazy to hopefully be decorating my own house. But for now they are just going on the wish list.

Here is one of my favorites from the day. It is actually an antique Nigerian bed! It was out of my price range but I just loved it. I thought I remembered seeing something like that in a Domino magazine several years ago and I was right!

Sharon Simonaire, another of my favorite designers, used it in her own home as a coffee table but painted it a bright white as you can see pictured in her movie room below.

Here is another view of the movie/family room. This room really inspires me to get some really comfy seating where everyone can just sprawl out and enjoy chatting or a great movie. Plus it is so pretty and girly all at the same time. My favorite thing is the Nigerian antique bed that is so unique.

Oddly enough on Sunday while checking out the latest design magazines there was another one, unpainted, on the cover of the August 2010 House and Garden UK magazine but in a bathroom.

More posts soon on some other great finds at the flea market. Happy Monday!

Paradise, Michigan's Blueberry Festival & Art/Flea Market

I have come back from Michigan's Upper Peninsula feeling very inspired! My style is what I would call modern country, which is basically a combination of rustic and nature inspired elements mixed with a bit of modern. I love the visual interest of a flea market find chair re-upholstered in a modern print fabric or a side table that was made from a tree trunk. While on vacation I went to the Blueberry Festival and Flea Market in Paradise, Michigan that is the big event there every August. I loved it! My absolute favorite booth was set up by Jan Roth who calls herself the Antler Lady. You can view her website here to find out where she will be next or to order her incredibly unique and rustic creations.

This was my favorite find and it is on my wish list for my home someday. I'd love to have a set of 2 to put on my big farm table, also on my wish list.......jeez that wish list is getting long! Now don't worry, all the antlers are from whitetail deer who shed their antlers each year, so no animals are harmed in making these.







A few other things at different booths I loved were these petoskey stones turned into door pulls.

Also this adorable sweater just made me smile. My amazing grandma made me something similar to this when I was a little girl and completely and utterly horse crazy. Still a bit horse crazy to this day. It makes me want to work on becoming a better knitter....currently working on a simple scarf.

I hope this inspires you to check out The Antler Lady products and to go to some local flea markets/art shows to support your local artists AND why not create something of your own!

Vacation Time!

I'm off for a week long vacation filled with wine tasting, cooking, reading good books, hanging out at the cottage, lying on the beach, and enjoying the outdoors as this picture inspires me to do. I will be without internet and television so I bid you farewell until then. I plan to come back rejuvenated and re-inspired!

Shabby Chic

Even though I've never really decorated shabby chic before I really love the style. I bought all the Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic decorating books I could find years ago and found it very inspiring. You can check out her latest book here. I just read that the stores went bankrupt but thankfully Ashwell has brought back the style with a bit of a new look into New York, Los Angeles, and London with new boutiques! Here are some pictures of her London Flat where her style fits perfectly.

She really knows how to put all different shades of white together to still give it a very cozy vibe. I especially love this coffee table.

I'm even liking that the floor boards are painted white.

A beautiful antique amoire.

A welcoming bedroom filled with cozy bedding and antique finds.

Even if you don't want to decorate your entire place as shabby chic you can take the vibe of it and add some coziness to your home with antiques/vintage pieces, a cozy overstuffed chair or sofa, and some fluffy - not too fussy bedding.

*Photos courtesy of Lonny Magazine

Vera Bradley's Cottage

I am a big fan of Vera Bradley's accessories line and would love to own one of her large bags in a beautiful print of hers. I just discovered more great prints showcased in her own cottage. She mixes them beautifully in interior decor as well.

I love the brown and blue color pallette and the bird prints framed on the wall. Anything nature inspired. Although it looks like a country cottage the textiles are fresh and modern.

This cozy porch reminds me of fall, must be the earthy colors and the fact that the Chicago heat and humidy has me longing for the cooler fall temperatures! I really love how these chairs were used indoors with different fabric and out on the porch. I usually don't like brown and red mixed together but here it looks perfect. They are just the right shades that go great together.

Monday Morning Blues

Anyone else wishing to stay in a comfy cozy bed this Monday morning? Here's one to dream about. All these pillows look so cozy it would make it extra tough to get up in the morning but extra nice to fall into bed at night. I love the mixture of patterns, textures, and colors. I have been thinking about going with either a really modern look for my bedroom or ultra cozy. This inspiration picture is leaning me more towards cozy......how about you?

J Crew Jenna Lyons

I have always admired J. Crew's style and found out about their Executive Creative Director, Jenna Lyons, when Domino Magazine (alas no longer being published) had an article showing her amazing Brooklyn home. I just found out she has now become J. Crew's President as well! Very admirable AND she's a working mom. I have buying a house on the brain lately and if I were to live in New York I would love her Brooklyn townhouse. It is just perfect! Here are some photos of it from Living Etc. magazine.

The molding on the ceiling is my favorite part of the room. Have to love this unique color sofa too. The whole room has a relaxed and cozy vibe.

This is the entry way with adorable baby shoes all lined up! So cute.

Loving this simple kitchen. Some day I'd like to design my own kitchen with open shelves like this.

This image is actually from Domino but it is the first time I was inspired to pair a farm table with modern chairs.

A cozy little breakfast nook.

Her fab walk-in closet! A dream of mine. I really love the safari vibe too.

The bedroom is painted with chalk board paint, which kept the black from looking too harsh.

Freestanding vintage looking bathtubs are my favorite. I really like the copper fitting as well.

Her little boys room. The stripes on the ceiling were probably a lot of work, but so worth it. They're something you can stick with even as a baby grows.

Bright Sunshiny Decor

Sorry for the not so great scanned image here but I loved this room so much I had to do it. It's from the latest House Beautiful. Lately this has been one of my favorite design magazines because it actually has pictures of rooms with color! Is anyone else sick of all the neutrals in some of those other magazines? This picture has so many things I am in love with right now. First off the star. I saw so many of them in Shipshewana shopping with my mom and here is another one hanging from the ceiling as a light fixture. I have had a farm table on my wish list for years now and here is one that has these perfect bright color upholstered chairs to go with. Ikea has this great black and white stripe rug I can't help but want, but this bright orange one by Madeline Weinrib is even more fun. The plant just reminds me of my favorite time of year - fall. I could certainly enjoy waking up in the morning to have breakfast in this room!