Before and After: Vintage Vanity and Mirror - Together at Last!

 An incredible stroke of luck brought me to this piece that I had been searching for since last March! My husband and I were on a summer road trip through Oregon and he was kind enough to let me go pickin' along the way! 

Our trip started in St. Helena and we then traveled north to hit the Oregon Coast. With absolutely no reservations or plans we were free spirits - we both love 'winging it'! We've been pretty successful thus far with this modus operandi, finding hotel gems such as Ireland's Rustic Lodges (next blog post!)

After stopping at numerous thrifts and antique stores, I received a recommendation from a shop employee to visit another Antique store just up the road - but I had to hurry since they closed at 5!  We arrived at 4:45pm and the owner was kind enough to let me take a 'quick look'.

It is REALLY hard to take a 'quick look' at a beautiful antique store full of treasures and this one even had an upstairs! I was going to have to go fast!  I whisked along, my eyes darting to and fro, taking in as much as possible without causing sensory overload!

That turquoise blue always catches my eye and this beautiful milk glass piece jumped out and stopped me in my tracks!  I set it on the counter and then I almost took the stairs by two. When I got to the top I turned left - and then I saw it! The bottom half I needed to complete my vanity!

You see, I bought this mirror (shown here without the glass!) at a consignment store in 
St. Helena nearly two years ago.  I thought for certain I'd be able to match it up with a bottom half fairly quickly and then refinish it for resale.  But it wasn't as easy as I thought, since the mirror was huge and had a part that dropped down with no frame - I was going to need a special cabinet to complete the set.

  

 My husband said, "How do you know its going to match up with the mirror?"  I told him it was karma and I had been looking for a long time so I just knew it would match up! I quickly paid the lady and loaded it into our car.  I had no idea how well it would fit until I got home and took the mirror out of storage - it was the exact same width! The cabinet had two piers, which accommodated the mirror, since the mirror extended below it's frame.

I took the mirror out of its frame and sanded it down. 
Then I did a quick sanding of the bottom cabinet part of the vanity as well.

After a few coats of Annie Sloans' Old White, the pieces looked refreshed!

 I then distressed each piece to bring out the beautiful carvings and details . . 
.

 (Monet likes to give me advice!)

 . . . and added a coat of clear wax for protection. 
After almost two years, it was time to finally see the finished pieces together!

I carefully replaced the massive mirror and secured it with the holds. . .


and replaced the glass knobs on the drawers. Now for the  big marriage,
I heaved the mirror up to place on top of the vanity cabinet.

I absolutely love it!  My long lost vanity is now complete 
and I can't even think about selling it!

This is one piece I will hold on to - a piece to cherish 
and hand down to the next generation.

I guess it's true - good things come to those that wait!

 

I've joined these link parties! 

 Wow Us Wednesdays!

Chic on a Shoe String's Flaunt It Friday!

Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday

Whispering Pines Antiques - Amarillo, Texas

 Once we entered Texas on Route 66 while on our road trip,  I quickly checked the back of my Romantic Homes Magazine to see if any shops were close by. Little did I know I was about to find a fellow blogger and a place I want to get back to soon!

 Lucky for me, nestled between a row of antique shops on 6th  Street, in the Historic San Jacinto District of Amarillo, Texas, I found a unique home decor shop,Whispering Pines Antiques.  

After being on the road a while, and then entering this shop with its welcoming country prairie theme, the homey atmosphere made me want to just settle in for the day.  I have a particular fondness for all things bee related, so when one of the first accessories I saw was the bee skip atop this cupboard, I knew I had found a kindred spirit in shop keeper Angie Mitchell. Angie was so welcoming and gave me all kinds of information about where to shop in the area.

Then I looked down and saw the checkered floor - similar to Melange's, but not set on the diagonal - another sign!   I was in awe over the way Angie layered her linens on the twin bed in the middle of the shop - there was burlap, and leopard, grain sacks and linen and it all worked beautifully together.  

 

 A fireplace sits center stage and even though my visit landed in the dog days of summer,  it seemed to call you in to stay a while.

This tabletop display shows how Angie brings the outside in by incorporating pine cones, greenery, antlers and lots of pine wood to carry on the cabin feel.

Surprises pop up in smaller vignettes - here a vintage pair of ladies lace up boots sits perched alongside a vintage bottle and vanilla scented candle.

A pine bough wraps itself around vintage crib springs - a pair of shutters tucked away behind while a gorgeous carved chair presents itself in front.

Angie has a second twin bed dressed in the second room. I love the way the white linens were layered with the earth tone floral giving it a pop of crispness.  A breakfast tray sits on the bed complete with plates and napkins.  At this end of the bed, two busts sit with another serving of dishes - perhaps company is coming?

Heading back into the main room I looked up and there was a full size canoe suspended from the ceiling!  The pine paneling throughout the main room provides a honey hued glow and serves as a perfect backdrop for displaying forest greens, warm reds and even a shabby piece or two.

Good lighting makes an impact without being obvious and Angie has it down.  Lamps cast soft glows to accent various pieces such as on this vignette of a salvaged grate,  a bowl of vintage photographs and a couple big Texan seashells.

The natural light cast on this dress form sporting a garden apron makes you think she's going to grab the basket and head out into the crisp morning to gather flowers or pick the daily vegetables in the garden.

The shabby porch railing was one of my favorite pieces in her shop.  The ghost and green pumpkins filling up the pull cart next to it left nothing to imagine - it was easy to picture it on my own front porch. As I thought about Whispering Pines Antiques, it is that which makes it such a beautiful escape - anyone can walk into this store and see a use for the merchandise. So stop by whenever you are in Amarillo!  
There are 17 antique shops and malls next to Whispering Pines Antiques
located at 2727 SW 6th Ave - a quick jaunt off Interstate 40 on historic Route 66. 
And if you can't get there right away - visit Angie's blog www.whisperingpinecottage.net - you can't get much better than a virtual coffee break with Angie and her gorgeous shop!

Melange - Historic Folsom

Historic Folsom is a quaint little area just east of Sacramento, California. There are numerous antique shops, gift shops, art galleries and eateries. Melange does not fit in any of these categories and can only be described as unique! Melange has vintage, antique, re-purposed, handmade and new items but the overall look and feel in the store is shabby chic with a french twist.

I rent a room in the back of the store where I set up vignettes, tablescapes, and arrange my furniture and other vintage items for sale. I will be posting new additions to my space as well as feature some of the other creative women and their wares here on my blog! So click the "follow me" button or sign up for email - you will get a message telling you I have a new posting! Meanwhile, check out these great furniture pieces that just came in Saturday!

This sweet rocking chair used to be pale yellow and had a worn fabric seat - I sanded it down, painted it antique white and added the pink paisley fabric - now it is ready for a little princess! I also have two vintage white hobnail glass lamps with shades I covered in the same paisley fabric to match! The pedestal table was found with worn and cracked varnish on the tabletop - lots of sanding and three coats of fresh paint and this 42" diameter table is ready for a young family or kitchen nook.

This vintage cupboard has all sorts of storage space - two large drawers on the bottom as well as the three smaller drawers inside make this a great piece for someone looking for extra storage. I love the detailing at the bottom and the vintage glass hardware. Use it in a room where there is no closet, to store scrap booking supplies, or even a kid's room for toys and books. Kelly was so excited when she found it and almost didn't bring it in the store to sell!



Stacy just brought in this huge beautiful chest of drawers! This is a statement piece that would definitely add that "WOW!" factor to any room. I could see this piece in a bedroom with either French, Victorian, Coastal or even Colonial decor. It would be a beautiful wedding gift for a new couple or gift for a recent college grad with her first job!


Lastly - a beautiful re-purposed piece by Jennie! Jennie transformed this vintage window into a display cupboard! The chipped window frame has worn edges with multiple colors showing through that add to the character of this piece. Jennie built a box with weathered boards and added two hinges to make this cupboard. It is a perfect for a shabby chic room to display a collection or even to store perfumes or accessories in a powder room!

All of these pieces can be seen at Melange - 307 Riley Street in Historic Folsom, California. Store hours are Tuesdays - Sundays from 11am - 5 pm.

If you need any more information about any of these pieces you can email me:
susan@cherishhome.com or call the store (916)357-5800