Enough with the (insert decor fad here)

Chevron, Chalkboard, Ombre trend | Vintage Floral CottageI have to admit it: there are a few decorating fads I’m “over.”

Some I never liked at all, one or two were okay when they first appeared on my radar but quickly wore out their freshness. Most, I am still seeing in my Pinterest feed and I end up scrolling right past them.

Of course, I realize and appreciate that there are people who love these popular looks. Indeed, personal taste is just that – personal – and in fact, it all boils down to opinion. And you know what they say about opinions.

So for the record, here are my least favorite decorating fads of the last few years:

ChevronsThe chevron, as a motif with its straight lines and pointy tips, doesn’t look comfortable or homey, and never did. Even if it’s on bedding, or a pillow. It just looks painful. You know who can get away with chevrons? Charlie Brown. Yep, Charlie Brown rocks the chevron and always has. In fact, he never wears anything else. Does he have a dozen identical chevron shirts, or just one? And if the latter… how on earth has it survived the laundering all these years? In any case, Charlie Brown looks good in chevrons. My bed does not.

ChalkboardsChalkboard paint hit it big a couple years ago and suddenly everything from cookie jars to refrigerators became an old-school write on/wipe off surface. This is one of those things that I’m actually sorry to say I don’t like. There are some very cute projects out there – heck I even made one myself! I just haven’t seen or thought of anything that really fits our style or daily logistics here, so I haven’t used it in my own home.

Ombre – I knew what “ombre” looked like, but I didn’t understand why it was called ombre until I looked it up for this post. Turns out it’s from French or Latin meaning “shading.” Not to be confused with hombre, which is Spanish slang for “man” or “guy.” Although, I suppose if you were of French & Spanish descent, you could actually be an ombre hombre – a shady guy! Okay, so at least I understand the term, even if I’m ready for the trend to exit stage-right.

Okay now that I have slaughtered a few of the sacred cows of DIY and decorating, it’s your turn. What are you over? What are you still loving? And yes, it’s okay to say chevrons, chalkboards, and even ombre.

P.S. – I was never into crafting with the facial hair motif, either, so I mustache you to stop that.

 

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A pretty find – Johnson Brothers Dorchester

How to spot English Transferware | Vintage Floral Cottage

I’ve become pretty adept over the past few years at spotting English transferware in thrift stores. Sometimes I can spy the stack from afar… sometimes I’m right up on it and realize it’s buried in a pile of other plates. I recently approached a cluttered shelf at a local Goodwill and spotted these lovelies, and upon flipping one over it turned out I was right: they are Johnson Brothers in the Dorchester pattern.

Johnson Brothers Dorchester | Vintage Floral Cottage

The stack included about 9 dinner plates at 99 cents each, and a few bread and butter plates at 89 cents each. I picked through the stacks and only purchased those pieces that had little or no crazing. I ended up with 9 pieces total.

Johnson Brothers Dorchester | Vintage Floral Cottage

Of course, the Johnson Brothers pattern I’ve collected long-admired is the popular classic, Rose Chintz. And I’ve seen Dorchester pictured online. But I just might have a new JB favorite here – Dorchester is simply beautiful in person! A quick moment on Google revealed that Dorchester is ironstone china, and was produced from 1931-1965. That means these pieces are anywhere from 50-84 years old.

Johnson Brothers Dorchester | Vintage Floral Cottage

I don’t know about you… but as I age, I begin to really marvel at all the breakables that have survived over many decades. I’m delighted to add Johnson Brothers Dorchester to my own stack at home!

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Fabulous curb-find: dining table and chairs

Update: I’m linking my sweet little table and chairs to Kathy’s “Return to Loveliness” party at her blog, A Delightsome Life… because it definitely returned to loveliness after its makeover! Please stop by Kathy’s blog for more lovely posts!

One of our luckiest recent curb finds was a dining table and four chairs, which was sitting out in the parking lot of the apartment complex a few weeks before we moved out. What was odd about it, was that it was set up with the chairs all around it – as if it was waiting for a family of four to come along and sit down to an outdoor dinner!

We drove past it a few times – the chair cushions were completely awful – but finally I couldn’t resist. Due to some odd twists, we didn’t really have a dining set for our new place, and I loved the light colors and “open” feel of the framing on the set. I thought it had sort of a garden/patio/bistro feel, perfect for what I envisioned in our open-concept kitchen/dining room.

But those chairs. Oh. My. Goodness.

Chair Makeover Before | Vintage Floral Cottage

We used a few wooden “place-holder” chairs for a few weeks immediately following the move, then I got to work recovering the seats on the found set. I was kind of hoping to find something salvagable under that nasty brown seat cover. Instead I found this:

Chair Makeover Before | Vintage Floral Cottage

Just as bad as the top layer! So I removed it all and kept only the wooden seat base, which was unfinished. So I painted it white so at least it would look good from underneath.

Chair Makeover During | Vintage Floral Cottage

I took a simple gift wrap-style approach, using two-inch foam cut to size for the seat, a linen lining, and some checked upholstery fabric in pretty garden colors. My primary goals were to get the pattern straight and keep the corners looking tidy.

Chair Makeover During | Vintage Floral Cottage

Chair Makeover During | Vintage Floral Cottage

I think overall they turned out really cute!

Chair Makeover after | Vintage Floral Cottage

Here are the first two sitting at the table in the new-to-us house. And, for now, the set looks great in our kitchen/living room, keeping things light and airy without adding too much bulk to the room.

Dining table curb find | Vintage Floral Cottage

I might… someday… try building a new harvest-style top for the table. Not bad for a parking lot find!

 

 

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Easy Photo Holder DIY

I wanted to share an easy photo holder project that I finished up recently. The first picture shows the timing belt gear which fell out of my car on the day that it finally konked out on me about a month ago, marking the end of its reign as “my car.”

Timing Belt Gear | Vintage Floral Cottage
The car – a 2002 Subaru Outback Legacy – was, in fact, a gift from my Dad back in 2007. I had begun taking pretty regular care of him as his liver disease had more and more effect on him, and every time I took him to the doctor or any other errand, we’d drive his car. Eventually he simply gave the car to me, partly as thanks and partly because that’s what he had done with most of his previous cars: given them to me when he was done with them.

So anyway when the car finally gave up, I kept this piece that fell off, and turned it into a keepsake that holds a couple pictures of Dad, including one of him with my daughter when she was about seven years old. It was easy enough to make – I literally just wiped off some of the grease, filled the hole in the middle with hot glue, and poked a photo wire down into the center of it as the glue was setting up. The stuff lodged in between the teeth of the gear is melted timing belt.

Easy photo holder DIY | Vintage Floral Cottage

A very simple DIY and a perfect memento! I’m sharing this project over at the Upcycled Link Party at Funky Junk Interiors, as well as at Marty’s Inspire Me Tuesday party at her sweet blog, A Stroll Thru Life.

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Pretty, functional storage boxes

Have you seen these beautiful storage boxes? I love, love, LOVE them! The designs are by artist Susan Winget, and the construction is very sturdy although they are only made of heavy cardboard.

Decorative storage boxes | Vintage floral Cottage

I just love the various sizes, the romantic nature-inspired designs, the hidden magnetic clasp on the flap, and the pretty grosgrain bow adorning the front.

Decorative storage boxes | Vintage floral Cottage

I currently have… hmm, six of them I think. They hide things that I need and use but that are very unsightly in a cottagey mom-cave.

Decorative storage boxes | Vintage floral Cottage

Decorative storage boxes | Vintage floral Cottage

Decorative storage boxes | Vintage floral Cottage

They even come with a pretty gift tag attached – see it hiding in the ribbon on my shabby mail tin? It’s the modern-day version of vintage ephemera. It makes me wish that every product had an attractive, artistic tag – I would no doubt collect them!

Decorative storage box tag | Vintage floral Cottage
Here are my most recent acquisitions, 50 percent off at Joann Fabrics! Large size was $7.50…

Decorative storage boxes | Vintage floral Cottage
…and this very small one was $3.75.

Decorative storage boxes | Vintage floral Cottage
As much as I appreciate and use plastic storage tubs, I don’t like to have them in plain sight – even in rooms that aren’t my cottage haven. But these pretty and useful boxes are more than worthy to remain in full view – hiding the things I need but in a truly lovely way.

Do you have a favorite type of storage container that fits your style? How about a favorite nature artist? I am also a fan of Marjolein Bastin and Susan Branch.

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