When you read about “Top Ten Collectibles” in current magazines, this might just mean what is currently trending and popular.  The word “hot” does not mean valuable, but merely, what people are buying and sometimes because it is more affordable.   I’ve been doing a lot of research on this and it’s always fun to see certain things continue to shine!  Especially things that I am collecting.  Who wouldn’t want to be in the “winner’s circle”! Ha!  I am going to talk about these collections and then tell you what stores in the Greater Charleston, SC area have them!  Stay tuned for my next blog!

If you want the farmhouse, cottage look these things are affordable and popular right now per the magazine Cottage & Bungalows!

1.  Brown Transferware - Different colors of transferware have been in and out of popularity for over 150 years.  England get the credit for developing the technique of transfer printing in the 18th century, but it was actually an Irish engraver working for an English Pottery, who stumbled onto the way of printing that was to be copied by all.  The scenes were typically pastoral scenes of the countryside and the plates, cups and platters would usually have a small flower design along the edges!  When French furniture, toile fabrics and shabby chic became vogue, suddenly there was a resurgence in transferware pottery as they all marry together very well.  The English patterns appealed to the Americans and the artists came over to our country and started making designs depicting our countryside as well as flags and liberty bells etc.    There are  many colors of transferware to collect with hundreds of different potters responsible for these patterns.  I collect pink, red, green and brown  and everyone is by a different company some of them American as well!   Johnson Bros., Enoch Wood, Palissy Pottery, Royal TudorWare, Royal Staffordshire and J&C Meakin are some of the English Potters that I know, and our very own Homer Laughlin China Co., made a transferware pattern as well.  The neat thing about decorating is that you can mix patterns and colors.  You know, I bring out my red and green at the holidays and I always get ooh’s and aah’s.  They look great when you put out a few silver bowls and it’s a “finely laid table” as the Irish would say!  I’m including a picture of a two tired shelf with my small collection of brown & white.  They are diminutive and dainty and I actually have them on my bedroom wall instead of my dining room.

2.  Vintage Millinery – Fun & fancy millinery bits, like velvet leaves, satin flowers, pearlized pins and other decorative trinkets used to decorate hats from the turn of the century to the 1950′s and ’60s, are a girly girls collectible.  You can use them to embellish housewares, to decorate presents or to wear for a bit of retro fashion.  If you are in NYC, the best place ever to buy any of above is the “Tinsel Trading Co.”.   I can’t wait to find sources right here in SC.

3. Vintage Sports Equipment – Who doesn’t love old tennis rackets, colorful sets of Croquet  including the many-colored balls and old baseballs and gloves are fun as well!  Lacrosse sticks (invented by the American Indians)  are fun to put crisscross on a wall.  Even the uniforms are collectible.  I have a pair of my husband’s basketball shorts that were popular in the late 50′s through early 70′s and I keep meaning to frame them.   Not saying which era that he was in!  Ha!

4.  Vintage Silverware – they are still cheap to buy, fun to mix and match and can be used and repurposed.

5.  Vintage sewing notions – from antique pin cushions, scissors, advertising packets that hold needles, spools of ribbon and trim!  I have a white cabinet with glass doors where I keep all of my buttons in jars, spools of thread and thimbles.  The fact that I don’t even sew does not deter me from this collection!  Ha!

6.  Medals, prize ribbons and badges  –  In the Charleston, SC and surrounding towns, I’ve seen a lot of “horseback riding ribbons, prizes, lots of military medals and political badges.  They look great displayed all together! 

7.  White Stoneware – You can find this aplenty at flea markets.  You can mix and match eras or style and always works well in vignettes.  I’ve heard this called “a poor man’s Ironstone”, but don’t let that deter you!  It’s affordable and very collectible now.

8.  Camp Blankets – Nothing like re-creating that cabin look in your cottage with  folded, colorful camp blankets that immediately conjure up that “warm” look!  Some are Native-American rugs, woven serapes and of course, our very own  Pendleton blankets. 

9.  Vintage Electronics – Yes, retro is very in thanks to “Mad Men” and going back as far as the 40′s you can find fans, radios and clocks that have the mid-century look that is so popular now.  We have old fans and radios thanks to our brother-in-law, Sal Lentine who has been a serious collector for years.  Outboard motors, fans, radios, and anything that is American made would be his mantra!  He’s very generous with his collectibles and my young adult children always say, “everyone should have an Uncle Sal”!

10.  Pewter – I was surprised that this was back again.  I shouldn’t be as I’m starting to see some “Colonial looks” in stores like mirrors with eagles on them.  I received a lot of pewter when I got married in the early 70′s and gave most of it away.  It reminded me of old pubs because pewter is very sturdy and durable!  I still have a pewter ashtray of my Dad’s somewhere, or maybe I gave it to one of my children.  Hope it’s not lost. 

Ok,  wish me well in finding local sources for the above collectibles.  I will be posting them soon.

My next blog will be Hipster Mad Men (mid-century) collectibles that are hot, hot, hot.

Please comment on what you are currently collecting and if you have any of the collectibles mentioned above!

Until we meet again, Tina!

2. “White Stoneware” can be all white or come banded as in bowls.  Who wouldn’t like a yellow mixing bowl with a band of white, or a white bowl with a band of green!  They are out there in all sizes and prices.  When you use white stoneware you can mix & match all of the varieties together for a charming cottage look! 

Brown and white transferware is hot right now.  It is much harder to find then the red or green version.  I’m posting a picture of my small collection of the brown & whites!

Mother’s Day was very special this year as my daughter Regan who lives in NYC flew here to Charleston and whisked me away to a B&B in Savannah, GA where our plan was to conquer good vintage, antique and specialty stores in a short period of time!

I had googled stores prior to coming, but many of the small off beat consignment stores, I had seen online had gone out of business.  Good tip for the next time, as I will always follow-up with a call prior to driving around in circles trying to find these hidden in the wall gems.

Cutting to the chase, I wanted to mention the stores that we liked:

In the boutique category, outside of the city, Matty’s (trash & treasures, antiques & gifts) won hands down.  The owner knew how to merchandise her old and new and every twist & turn in her store revealed a treasure.  Her “new” light fixtures were incredible as were all of her antiques that offered storage solutions and could also be repurposed.  Fun!  Parking was very easy at a park nearby.  You can find her at:  Matty’s, 3107 Waters Ave., Savannah, GA 31404, (912) 349-7197.

Inside the city, was a great treat called “The Paris Market” where I scored an old textile book in French from Brussels and my daughter found a linen tote bag with their logo as a gift to her friend Katie (who was watching the animals at home).  This boutique combined new and old and the lower level just drew you in with their vignettes.  Old postcards and black & white photographs, silver trays, vases, lighting fixtures, pillows and more.  The young woman behind the register was from France and we were truly charmed by her knowledge of the merchandise and her outgoing manner.  She imparted that the French live simply but well.  Flowers on the table, beautiful linens, bread and wine and the windows open.  I asked her if she could beam me up, but we know the answer to that.  Ah the French and that accent!   The Paris Market & Brocante, 36 Broughton St., Savannah, GA 31401, (912) 232-1500  (Be prepared to part with some money as your will power will not work in this store).

In the Shabby Chic & Vintage category, we found a great store called “Two Women & a Warehouse” that housed individual vendors with a mixture of old and repainted and repurposed furniture.  I got a lot of inspiration in this store that I’m definitely going to copy.  One of the vendors had hung a small chair on the wall with books on top of it.  Vertical storage is huge for people like Regan who lives in Manhattan and is space challenged and I thought that this was a clever way to show off your books.  We also loved the different colors on the furniture.  A lot of shades of blues & greens which made us smile. Two Women & A Warehouse, 2819 Bull St., Savannah, GA, (912) 351-5040

Our very favorite vintage & antique store was “Wright Square Antique Mall”.  We knew it the moment we stepped in, as a matter of fact, we knew it, looking into the windows.  They had over 30 vendors with a great variety of vintage and antique treasures as well as re-purposed collectibles.  I am always looking for “men” things for my husband and sons and I had my pick of things from old flashlights, cameras, maps, paperweights, doorstops and 50′s glassware.  The prices were excellent which we appreciated and you can find things from both the low and high-end of the spectrum.  There were pieces of historical pieces like iron, salvage, advertising signs mid-century and ephemera and lots of ladies collectibles like, gloves (I almost bought a pair of orange leather vintage gloves) hats, jewelry, belts, purses (my daughter bought one from the 60′s), handkerchiefs and more!  Wright Square Antique Mall, 14 West State St., Savannah, GA (912) 234-6700.

Like all things happen, our trip had to end, but we have a list of more stores to conquer when we return!  When we got home to Summerville, SC, we watched the movie “Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil” and we felt transported back again.  Ah, the mystery of Savannah!

Happy visiting & shopping in a great city!

Until we meet again!

Tina Cahalan, Charleston Antique Stores

Recently I was visiting a “new kid on the block” Charleston Fynd in Mt. Pleasant and was speaking to Gail Mackey.   We were discussing our color combinations and our love of geometric designs including chevron.  Of course, we both remembered the 60′s and how they were “back in design favor”.  Then out of the blue, she said, I still love Toile and I squealed as well saying, my dining room chairs have red & white toile.  Before she even thought of what she was saying, she blurted out “don’t worry, it will come back”.  I smiled, but on the way home, I knew I was in trouble.  I had purchased the Toile material 5 years ago in NJ and didn’t have Frank help me with covering the chairs until late last year.  I was so smug in my love of Toile and how it matched all of my Transferware plates on the wall.  I didn’t know that just 6 months later, they were going to be “deemed” outdated and formal.  My dining room table and chairs was made out of Mahogany and all of a sudden it was screaming old-fashioned and I either had to paint it or replace it. 

Two of the chairs had started to crack and when I mentioned it to Frank, he said, “no worries, I can glue it.  Wrong answer, I thought!  I pointed out that we could get two chairs with arms for each end that would change-up the look and he agreed.  I want a much less formal look now and painting seemed to be ideal.  I have Annie Sloan paint and just have to make a commitment to finish this project as it would tie up the whole room. 

My sister, Leslie who lives in Charlotte, NC would never have this dilemma as she has been decorating the “classic look” for years and would never change because of a “passing fancy”.  She’s had the same colors for over 40 years.  Yellow, green and rust and she’s stayed true to this.  Not me.  I started out with yellow & green velvet, moved to Virginia and decided I liked contemporary and got a beige couch.  Moved back to NJ and decided I liked the  “country look” which was all blue,  the next house the “Victorian look” which was dark green and burgundy.  Wallpaper was hot and I tried blue & white wallpaper on my living room wall and a country design of beige and red in the kitchen, Victorian had died never to return in my mind.   Then we made the big decision to sell our house and move a little ahead of schedule to SC where our grandchild lived.  Our realtor told us that we were very outdated and had to “kick it up a notch”.  Gone went the turquoise toilet and sink, out went the laminate and in came “the neutrals”.

I’m exhausted telling you all about this, but you get the picture.  Sometimes you have to look long and hard at what you are buying and try to stay with it.  Try to buy neutral furniture that can be changed up with pops of color. 

I think I need a nap after all of that “decorating” talk.  I looked at my silver jewelry that I have been wearing since I was married.  Maybe there was hope for me after all! 

I’ll let you know what I did to those formal dining room chairs next time we chat!

Happy Decorating, shop local and maybe I’ll see you out there!

Tina

geometric

Color Blocking found on furniture at “Chic Antique”

Hi again!

I absorb what I see and read and then I copy it.  I rarely have my very own ideas.  I guess I’m like the monkey.  Monkey see, Monkey do.  Everyone that comes into my home always oohs and aahs and asks me where I come up with the way I display things.  I watch HGTV and read every decorating magazine like I was going to write a thesis on what is in and what is out.  I also pay attention to fashion and new fabrics!  Project Runway is another show that will give you hints in what is to come in fashion!

I love color blocking and have been seeing the designers take drapes and insert a band of color 3/4′s down or on the sides.  I recently ordered drapes from Macy’s, the color of steel-gray and bought navy blue material at The Fabric Emporium in Mt. Pleasant, to have it sewn in.  My own little color blocking experience.  These drapes were for my son who lives in Charleston and he was delighted with the outcome. My son asked our grandson “Jake” what he thought of the drapes and he said “Looks like we live in a hotel”.  Out of the mouths of babes!

I should have known that color blocking was not going to be just for fashion and fabrics and would turn up on furniture.  Enter, Chic Antique in Mt. Pleasant, SC.  They have a breakfront painted in a shabby white with red banding running down and off-center.  Brilliant idea, but why didn’t I think of it first.  Yes, and of course, I am going to copy it.  I have a table in my den that used to be a friends childhood play table.  It’s painted white and now I am going to color block it to make it look like a band of “ticking”.  I’m going to do the same thing in my guest room, which I “dub” The Hat Room”, where I have all of my hat and pictures of women with hats off. 

If you haven’t visited Chic Antique in Mt. Pleasant, and you are redecorating, please put this store at the top of your list.  One of a kind repurposed and reworked pieces that will make your mouth drop open!

Happy Shopping

Tina

PS  Taking my sister-in-law Cindy to the Designer Showhouse in Charleston tomorrow!  I’ll let you know what I see!

www.shop@charlestonchicantique.com

My last blog was about Kantha quilts that covered you with color like being in a kaleidoscope. 

Today, I’m going to be talking about skin care and then no color inspiration.

I have to tout this Wrinkle Repair Complex that is made by Samantharoma and can be bought online or at their store “Simple To Sublime”.  Wrinkles don’t come suddenly, they come “on little cat paws” on your neck and face ever so gradually that sometimes it just seems to have happened overnight!  That’s what happened to me.  At 64, I woke up and saw, what I thought was a new me.  My skin no longer looked like it had any moisture in it.  I’m one of these people who has always had clear, unblemished skin until now.  I went to a skin care class at the “Samantharoma Counter” in Simple To Sublime, Summerville, SC and got a little refresher course on what I should be doing with my skin.  I wondered what all of the 30 somethings were doing there, but then I “got it”.  It starts gradually, not overnight!  I must have been sleeping the last 30 years of my life.  I now use a product that I am singing the praises of and it’s called Samantharoma’s ”Wrinkle Repair Complex”.  I clean my face at night with a facial soap made there which is very gentle on the face and then and put a little of the complex on my neck and ,.  Then in the morning, after my bath, I use it as a moisturizer.  It has Vitamin D and Eucalyptus in it and the smell is divine!  Since I live in the south, after using the moisturizer, I put on my sunblock and I’m good to go!  I don’t mind admitting that my face is starting to glow again.  Now if I could just get a tighter neck!  Ha!  Our faces tell a story and I love to read so I’m not complaining!

The Tuesday after Easter I took my guests, Leslie & Frank, my sister and brother-in-law to Mepkin Abbey in Moncks Corner.  Les and I have wanted to go there for a long time.  Founded in 1949, on land donated by publisher and philanthropist, Henry R. Luce and his wife, the Honorable Clare Booth Luce, Mepkin Abbey has become a place to which people can retreat to find peace, joy and perspective and for me “color inspiration”.  The monks (Trappist) belong to the worldwide Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance.  Even though these monks have taken a vow of silence for much of their day, they open their doors to the public to see and appreciate the color of “silence and bareness.  Although the monastery was unadorned with any decorating, I was struck by the light coming through the high, plain windows that flank the walls.  The cathedral ceiling had plain wooden beams and the walls were painted white.  No color, but after walking through their grounds that were colored with shades of green and flowering shrubs of pink, purple and red, the absence of color seemed to me “a sunfilled room of no adornment and no color” and it was beautiful.  I was in the Monastery during one of the 8 daily prayer services that the Monks attend and as a Catholic, I should have been paying attention to the prayers and chants, but I couldn’t get over how just a white room with the texture of rustic beams with light coming through the windows could be so beautiful.  I believe that serenity can be achieved and you are not distracted by anything jumping out at you.  Did I want to run home and change out everything.  I did, but that’s another story!

Remember, no matter where we are, there is always time for inspiration and we find it no matter where we are.

Thank you Samantharoma and the Mepkin Abbey.

Until the next time.

Tina

www.simplesublime.com

www.samantharoma.com

www.mepkinabbey.org

You don’t have to go far today to get inspiration.  Just by clicking on One King’s Lane this morning, I saw two trends.  One I knew about and one I just learned.

I know that the colors pink & orange together are hot!  My daughter-in-law Jaime used them in her wedding bouquet 4 years ago.  They remind me of colors in India and of beautiful sari’s.  The pillows featured on One King’s Lane that were “Emerald Green” were not marked sold like the pink & orange ones.  So much for Emerald Green being the color of 2013.  I’m choosing “Lime” over Emerald every time.  Much easier to integrate into our homes.

Speaking of sari’s, this is what I learned by looking at One King’s Lane.  Every “Kantha Throw” they advertised on-line were already SOLD.  A true Kantha Throw is made up of pieced together sari designs.  Gorgeous.  I went online and saw that West Elm had a version of the Kantha Throw, although it was more like “color blocking” throws and I  appreciated their interpretation. 

Design can take you anywhere you want, it’s all out there for us to discover.  We just have to look at things in a different light to be the “true trend setters”

I’m off to shop in North Charleston today.  Love to support our local stores.

Have a great day and will catch up with you again soon.

Tina

Just when I thought I knew it all with “Chevron, Ikat and the Global look, here comes Scalloped edges, clay pots painted on a slant and the best, mirrors painted white on one side and gold on the other.   The mirror design was done by Emily Henderson of course.  She has the Midas Touch for sure.  I could watch her style for hours and hours.

I recommend Emily’s blog to anyone who likes to decorate.  Her newest bedroom has the best look with colors and art.  The portrait of a woman on her wall tells a story.

Off to make new discoveries!

See you tonight at 3rd Thursday on Short Central in Summerville, SC

I had to give a nod to my favorite story, “The Wizard Of Oz”. 

There is a new kid on the block and it’s called “Charleston Fynd”.  This store is small, but chocked full with wonderful curated collections, from many eras.  The vignettes draw you into their store as it looks just like someone is living there.  I looked down expecting either a dog or kitty sitting by the chair that was flanked by a table filled with goodies.  There were quills sticking out of glass beakers, unusual flower frogs, mid-century leucite lamps, books stacked everywhere and the room is surrounded in art.  Both owners have a love of art and know what they are talking about when you are looking for a Parisian or Brussels look.  They are on Facebook where you can check on their hours.

Just received a new Flor catalog and even they are up to date with the latest designs where they show zebra print, chevron and striped looks now!  Let’s go Flor!

Also as a footnote for all of you travelers that are seeking out good value antiques and vintage whimsy.  I recently shopped in Kingsport, Tennessee and was shocked at their high prices.  Wooden crates with advertising were going for between $60 and $80, compared to Summerville, SC prices of $40′s to $50.  I collect old wheels from carriages and bikes and usually pick them up at salvage and barn sales for under $5.00 each and at these stores they were asking $20.00 and up!  No bargains were to be had!

I’m going to Charlotte, NC on the first weekend of May when the Metrolina has their huge antique and vintage Flea Market.  Excited!

The search goes on for treasures that are out there waiting to be discovered!

Please leave comments and I will write back!

February in my world has been hopping.  Customers are coming in looking for furniture, furniture and more furniture.  They are searching for functional pieces, furniture with character and also things they can repurpose.  I can’t keep enough coffee tables stocked as well as anything with drawers, chairs and couches.  Now that I have my room of “Fabric”, customers are buying chairs and I will update them with our material.  They are a part of the process by picking the material they like, but I do the work and I love watching how new material can change a piece.

I asked Carol what was coming to the store and she said this summer they would be featuring a lot of lighting pendants that are being made by a local artist.  No one seems to want the stock lighting features that come with our homes.  Everyone wants something different and original.  Some people want quirky one of a kind metal pieces and others want something with a little glamour and bling.  I predict that lighting is where we will be splurging this year.  Unique and one of a kind so that our homes can stand out. 

Stay tuned for Main Street Antiques next Event which will be some time in April and will feature an Interior Designer who will talk about how antiques and vintage help a room look “evolved” and how to get “the look”.

Happy treasure hunting and remember when you go to Main Street Antiques allow yourselves some time as it has room after room of goodies.

Tina Cahalan (Charleston Antique Stores)

 http://charlestonantiquestores.com

I sat down with Val of Chic Antique last week and we talked about why her furniture was flying out of the store and what she was learning about the needs of her customers.  Pricing is more than half the price of a piece of furniture from Morris Sokol without any sacrificing of quality.  Number one, the price of a chair that has been reworked by one of their market place artists is in the $300 – $400 price range.  This chair or set of chairs will be one of a kind as their vendors go out and buy vintage, antique and old and make them new again with upholstery and paint.  I asked Val what she was seeing going into this new year for todays designs and here is what she said:

“My customers are looking for quality, unique design pieces, that are functional for todays’ living.”  Val’s fabric and painted designs might include the Greek key, Ikat, global, chevron, and zebra prints. People are coming in looking for storage and sustainable pieces.  It is appealing to know that you are buying something that “had an earlier footprint”, but was changed into chic and new!  It’s the “green” thing to do.  It is also appealing to her customers that many of the pieces are one of a kind.  You could buy all of your living room furniture at Chic Antique and no one could identify it as the matchy, matchy “Pottery Barn” look which is all mass-produced furniture.  Furniture at Chic Antique is many times made with reclaimed wood and re-purposed furniture accompanied with old wheels and new knobs and finials.  It’s painted and showcased in many color combinations which I love.  You might see a sort of Paris Grey married with yellow,  turquoise or teal with orange, red and pink and more!    Every time I visit Val’s store, I think “one of a kind” and you better buy what you like the first time around  as it goes fast.

Val is seeing unique lighting fixtures as her customers “big splurge” this year.  Modern, mid-century and chic sculptural lighting is softly shining light above you as you wander around the store.  Val said “that her customers cannot get enough of mirrored pieces, the Hollywood glam look, reworked hutches with storage, sideboard servers, unique knobs on all of the pieces, painted dining room tables, end tables and mix and matched chairs.  Her home decor includes beautiful, sustainable “botanicals”, driftwood, and large vases and sculptural jars that make a design statement all by themselves.

 I chose Chic Antique to talk about as this is a remarkable “design store” that is staged perfectly so that you can imagine how it would work in your own space.  Speaking of staging, Val is available to help you “stage” your home and has recently been re-styling some of her customers’ built in storage units with a more “collected look”.  Some of the furniture  pieces are re-worked and re-invented and some are new pieces “hot from the market”. 

Thank you Val for all of your “design insights” and for your “innate sense of decorating!

Stay tuned for a Spring Event at Chic Antique where you can sip wine, nibble on appetizers and “drink in” the design offerings.

Happy trails and stay tuned for more design fun!

Happy shopping and don’t forget www.shop@charlestonchicantique.com as well as www.charlestonantiquestores.com 

Let’s support our small local stores!