Lacquered Furniture- Get Your Shine On!

Thanks to the fortuitous proximity of some wonderful painters who are able to produce a lovely lacquered finish, I have been able (along with other similar small entrepreneurs) to turn a less than wonderful, ho-hum piece of furniture into something absolutely spectacular.

I am currently selling furniture from two wonderful locations: Hunt and Gather Fine Estate Furnishings located at 8724 Glenwood venue in Raleigh, and Inspirations Home Decor and More, also on Glenwood at 8601.  Both of these venues are fabulous in their own rite- each for different reasons.  Hunt and Gather is filled to the brim with an incredibly eclectic mix of fine antiques, heirloom jewelry, beautiful blue and white porcelain, and the comfiest chairs and sofas you can find.  http://huntandgatherraleigh.com/  Managing Partner Abbott Tompkins-Hudgins can usually be found at the store in his casual attire tending to various details and working with his staff to spread the store's special variety of southern hospitality.  Bill Donovan, chief-of-everything knows just about every one of the store's 5000000 pieces and can tell you a little bit about it and what will work well with it.  Joanie and others man the front desk with grace and humor.

Inspirations Home Decor and More is a newer addition to the Glenwood (8601) corridor furnishings family and also embraces an eclectic take on furnishings by virtue of the 30 vendors who populate the airy showroom.  https://www.facebook.com/inspirationsraleigh  Owners Debbie Crain and (designer) Beverly Nichols bring in a lot of their own finds and together with store manager Courtney keep the mix moving.

Now- back to the title of this post!  I would like to share with you some of the lacquered (and perhaps a few other) pieces I have placed in these two furniture playgrounds.  I am especially fond of the lacquered pieces as they bring new life and spirit to otherwise undistinguished pieces. They fit perfectly in today's home, add some light, color, and shine and take us away from the sense that we are living with our grandmother's pieces. They may well be grandma's pieces, but they have been injected with a new vibe that works well with today's quest for that perfect mix of tradition and liveliness that we all crave. Give us light! Give us color! But keep us warm and cozy with our comfy pillows, throws, ottomans, and life-giving bouquets of roses, hydrangeas, and peonies!

Here are a few of my newest offerings in the shops.

These three pieces are the newest additions to my shops.  The grasshopper green asian chest was a mess when I found it. One door was off, the whole piece was lacquered black about 100 years ago, and one of the original hinges was missing.  I searched high and low, finally headed to China via the internet machine, and finally found the lovely hinges you see hear. Steins Furniture Painting and Repair stripped the piece for me, re-hinged it, and lacquered it this great grasshopper color.  I love it, and I hope you do too. A lot of hours went into making this piece as beautiful as it is. Thank you John and Sharon Stein!! It is for sale at Hunt and Gather on Glenwood.

The Asian-themed credenza is made by Century  and is a heavy fellow.  Originally, he was painted a black lacquer, other than the burled wood sections, and I decided to lighten it up with a creamy color. Sharon Stein polished the hardware. Sweet, huh?  This piece is at Inspirations Home Decor and More.  Here she is with a little styling... a little blurry, but you get the idea.

I will post more soon, but hope you will come on our to look for yourself and envision a freshly lacquered piece in your home.  If color is not your thing, we have some lovely cream, charcoal, and deep teal pieces for some subtle shine. Get it on! 

Oh and top it all off with one of my paintings!  Thrown in for good measure~ 

Everyday Ellie

The Art of Style ~ELLAN MAYNARD~ 3:00-5:00 June 14

I would love to invite you to come out and see a collection of my paintings this weekend at The Art of Style- ~ a boutique in Cameron Village at 2023 Cameron Street.  ~  

I have 10-12 paintings hanging and on Saturday June 14, I will be there offering a cool glass of prosecco or beer and a chance to take a look around at the unique style offerings in the boutique, meet Kendra and Natalie, and check out the paintings.  

Your paintings?  What's that about? 

My first series of paintings was an exploration of a technique called "color field" or stain painting inspired by the work of Helen Frankenthaler and Louis Morris.  I have always had a love of color and composition and have exercised that love by helping friends and family with interiors.  But I decided to get my hands in the paint (and they look like it). Continents, part of which is showing at The Art of Style, reflects various elements of the universe: water, air, clouds, elements.  

Here are a few of these paintings.  I hope you will join us at The Art of Style this weekend or throughout the month of June! 

There are no rules. That is how art is born, how breakthroughs happen. 

Go against the rules or ignore the rules. 

  That is what invention is about.

Helen Frankenthaler

"Cumulus" is a large acrylic on canvas. It is 50 by 56. 

"Marshes" is 48 by 50 

This is a fun piece called "Convergence". 

There are lots more paintings and some great clothing, accessories, and gift finds at the boutique.  Please joins us! 

The Humble Tobacco Basket

When my daughter mentioned that she would like a tobacco basket to place over her bed, I assumed that here in the old Tobacco Belt it would be a piece of cake finding a stack of wonderful old tobacco baskets. It is not a piece of cake.  Maybe I am just looking for tobacco basket love in all wrong places, but I found them to be a bit elusive.  Maybe I need to head over to Winston-Salem, home of RJ Reynolds. Or down to tobacco growing fields near Kinston.  

Instead I saw a craigslist ad for several baskets in Henderson, NC.  Henderson? Ok.  Never really spent much time in Henderson, about an hour north of Raleigh.  So, road trip!  I invited my son, but did not get a whole lot of enthusiasm, so I filled my water bottle and headed out on a fine spring day. 

Long story short:  The man had four baskets in a ratty shed behind his "fahm".  He used to have lots, but someone came and bought most of them. Well, they were nearly in pieces, evidence of lots of squirrel activity, acorns and all.  One was decent.  I bought it, paying way too much.  I decided the trip was not worth one basket, so I headed over to Oxford, NC and found another- though smaller and less intricate. In Oxford, they know their baskets by what grower and warehouse they came from, treasuring those imprinted with "Oxford" on the rims.  Some Oxford homeowners collect them, endeavoring to have every local warehouse displayed in their homes. It is a local Southern Living kind of thing.... And some elegant homes line the old shady streets of Oxford. 

These old baskets, once used to transport tobacco leaves to market (tobacco markets in themselves another blog-worthy affair) were originally around 3'x3'- some smaller and some larger. For those of you who "aren't from here", here is a bit of history: http://www.telegram.com/article/20120408/APN/304089984/0

After looking at some photos, I have become a bit obsessed. WHY??  Well, they add the warmth of wood, without being fussy. They are graphic and striking in a "I can be rustic or I can be graphic" kind of way.  I could see them in a spare, minimalist setting or in a cabin with lots of stacked stone.  See for yourself: 

This one is a reproduction.  It is only 14" square.  Old baskets really look their age
 because they were workhorses!
http://primitivebasketcase.blogspot.com/2011/02/items-for-sale.html 

Crate &Barrel has seen the graphic/decor value of the tobacco basket-- and created one from woven antiqued zinc.  It can be hung horizontally or vertically.  I actually like it. Crate$Barrel offers it for only $269 with nary a word about it's history in the tobacco marketplace. 

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/tobacco-basket-wall-art/s628647

Here are the two baskets I bought yesterday.  I have brushed off the extraneous dust, acorns, and pine needles but have yet to do a more thorough cleaning. I am thinking a light coat of polish or wax might bring out their patina. 

I am sure you have seen these in many Raleigh homes over the mantel, over the bed, in the kitchen.  They must call to our sense of history.  When my husband was a kid, he worked in the summers "priming" (we don't say picking..no-no) tobacco.  He has mentioned the backbreaking hours of bending over the rows, the sticky hands, the sun beating on his head and back.  Long before he was in the tobacco fields, others far less fortunate than he labored in this state's fields, working as slaves, then sharecroppers, later as migrant workers, on plantations and small rural farms.  The tobacco industry has a motley past, built on the backs of others. Though these baskets were no longer made after the late 1960's, their imprint remains as an indelible part of our past. 

Want to read more about tobacco growing in the south?  (p.s. wish they had known about crop diversification..a good lesson for stockholders, too) 

Tobacco and Slaves: The Development of Southern Cultures in the Chesapeake, 1680-1800

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_in_the_American_Colonies

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-newsouth/4418

I will be offering these baskets at Everyday Ellie at the Warehouse at 1107 Capital Boulevard. 

Make a tobacco basket part of your home, so you can see it everyday. 

Don't Let Your Credenza Go Naked: Dress it in Style!

The Credenza:  a sideboard, buffet, or a bookcase patterned after a Renaissance credence...  A credence is a small table where the bread and wine rest before consecration. 

Who knew? 

Call it what you may, it is my favorite piece of furniture. It can be used just about anywhere - a foyer, a bedroom, a living room, and office, etc.  It can have a mirror over it or a great painting or an assemblage of your favorite photos, vases, collectibles.  I personally like a credenza with a great painting over it (lit with a picture light), a beautiful silver tray, selections of great Scotch (I hate the stuff but it is pretty) and some nice lowball glasses.  We have several sets of these (they are just fun) : 

So, I have two nice credenzas at my shop Everyday Ellie. (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Everyday-Ellie/219469831560755
Here they are.  

Marble inserts, lacquered a creamy white by Steins http://www.steinsfurnitureandrepairs.com/antique-restoration-services-raleigh-nc.html

Gray lacquer, also professionally lacquered by Steins, this one has a matching mirror. It's large and heavy...

I am not in the shop at The Warehouse at 1107 Capital Boulevard right now, so I can't actually play with them, but here are some ideas for styling a credenza lifted from other sources. Use your imagination! 

From Chris Loves Julia http://www.chrislovesjulia.com/2012/09/our-styled-credenza-industrial-chic.html 

This little blog addresses the subject nicely. They refer to this as a "fauxdenza" because a) they made it and b) it has no legs- but it captures a nice modern approach.  I love the grouping of 8 photos above and the cool industrial lamps.  They actually drilled holes in the top of the fauxdenza to conceal the lamp cords. Brave, is all I can say.

The Decoist has a lot to say on the topic, with a decidedly contemporary take.  These range from sleek to rustic- take a look at the credenza in all it's versatility. 

All of these are interesting- for different places in different homes. My favorites are.. the ones I made larger.  I love the diamond pattern in the bottom image, and the really textural mix of materials that reflect the owner's interests.. the two interesting lamps, the airplane, the photos the zebra rug- it's all an appealing assembly.  Not for your traditionalist, but perfect for the loftIdreamofinhabitingbutprobablyneverwill. 

I also love the credenza with the great blue glass.  Its a great combination of rustic and refined, light and heavy. The four images above are from http://www.decoist.com/2012-12-11/20-modern-credenzas-with-contemporary-flair/

I can't leave without a word or two for the traditionalists.  So I give you some of the credenza or credenza-ish photos from my own house! 

An old pine chest in the sunroom.. 

In the foyer, a simple greeting space

... and in the living room a table made from glass and pillars in front of a huge mirror..

I actually have a couple more.... but I am sure you can do a better job of dressing your credenza.  Send me your photos and if there are no x-rated contents I will post them! 

Enjoy your home.. it's where you want to be at least part of .. everyday. 

everyday ellie on facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Everyday-Ellie/219469831560755

and in person: 

~The Warehouse at 1107 Capital Blvd~ 

Mid Century Modern- It's an Attitude

Classic Danish sofa- now at Everyday Ellie

Following World War II, Frank Lloyd Wright and others pioneered a shift in residential architecture to accommodate the thousands of families ready to create homes.  For the masses, this translated to tract homes built quickly and simply with lots of light, smooth transitions to the outdoors, and more geometric, linear shapes.  

Furniture designers followed suit: Charles and Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia, Isami Noguchi.  The catchword was "multi-purpose".  Tables and chairs were designed to be used for dining, relaxing, or to morph into use as work places. Mid century influences were multi-national-- Danish, Swedish, Japanese as were the designers:  Aalto, Jacobsen, Saarinen, Knoll, Baugham. 

Today what we have on the market, both new and vintage, is a mix of of items with a variety of monikers: atomic, deco, minimalist, modernist. 

Today's enthusiasts embrace the genre either in small doses or ... whole hog. A piece or two can add simplicity and freshness to your home. 

Several of us at the https://www.facebook.com/Capital1107 have pieces to offer that will bring a touch of this minimalist attitude to your home.  Here is a small sample: 

Marimekko was founded in 1951 in Finland and has since become a household word defined by vibrant colors and patterns. These bright and graphic textiles are especially striking set against the clean, white backdrops loved in Scandinavia. Because of the long, dark winters Scandinavians employed every possible opportunity to create cheer and brightness.  Jackie Kennedy loved Marimekko, though she WORE it rather than decorate with it. She had 8 Marimekko dresses designed for the Presidential campaign. 

This textile is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to mid-century furniture.  I love it.

These two clean, white pieces bring freshness and light to almost any decor, but look great with mid century furnishings.  The tall vase on the bottom is about 24" tall; the smaller pot has perforations to let your candle glow shine. 

Come in and see us soon at the Warehouse.

Your home is where you want to be everyday- make it special. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Everyday-Ellie/219469831560755?ref=hl

The Newlyweds at Home

The younger Maynards invited me to help them with their home.  Come inside and visit for a minute!

Burlap drapes enhanced with .. burlap sacks..

Everyone loves these doors- rescued from Restore and edited with a little paint and sanding. 

Brooke and Joel bought their house a year ago and I helped them scramble to furnish it.  They love the result, and so do their friends.  At least it seems as such, because their friends are often there for dinner, a game on tv, or a party, or prepping for a party. 

We began with a dark green velvet couch, which we recovered in a rustic neutral weave, found some old doors at Restore, which we scraped and sanded, and recovered a couple of Brooke's chairs to place in front of the mirror/doors.  I painted an old library table of Joel's grandfathers in what has become my favorite paint color- Silver Fox by Ben Moore. It is a little gray, a little beige, a little silver, and a lot of go with everything else. 

I had pillows monogrammed for Joel and Brooke to liven up Joel's old brown leather chairs. Turns out Bella especially likes the pillows.  Consistent with the urban-on-the-cheap motif, I had draperies made from indigo burlap for the breakfast room, added actual burlap sacks for valances, and an old table from our attic, circa 1980.  It is Danish in design and blends well with their furnishings. Plus, it has a pull up leaf that expands the table to seat 10. 

The dining room, on the other side of the kitchen repeats the burlap sack motif (not shown here) with french grain sack pillows on top of a woven bench.  The Restoration Hardware table and chairs (a Christmas gift!) are topped with one of RH's light fixtures. The windows are enhanced with some $12 wood shades I found at Penneys.  The colors for the dining room were chosen based on a French reproduction poster of Joel's (one of two) and the colors of ruby, olive, and gold are echoed in the rug. 

Brooke and Joel added the blackboard paint to the office they share, and Brooke was the only one of us  patient enough to put together the hanging lamp.  Perhaps she was the only one smart enough, too. 

So, they have added Senator to the family, adorable little guy that he is, all four of them are still able to fit on the loveseat in the office. It was a lot of fun scouring the flea market for accessories to paint or restore, refinishing some family pieces and bringing together what was his and hers to make it theirs. 

Love to Joel, Brooke, Bella and Senator.  

p.s. please invite us to dinner soon.  Brooke is a fantastic cook! 

home is where you want to be everyday