It needs some care and attention - look the poor old drop down leaf is dangling by a thread! If I take that strap off, then the whole thing half falls off. But the colour is sooooooo 50s and all the knobs are original, and in great condition. Now, here's the thing, I am a painter of furniture, so I would normally get the sandpaper and paint out and set to..... BUT this is in its original colour which, I think, is totally and stunningly fab. A bit scratched and scuffed, but still FAB. So no paint will be sloshed over this old girl! She will be carefully washed with some good old fashioned Vim powder (remember that stuff? I love it); her poor old broken leaf will get some new hinges; and she will get a soothing coat of wax to protect her. And then she'll be off to Bourne Mill where she'll be used to display my ever growing 1950s kitchenware collection. I suppose I ought to offer her for sale as well, but I'm not sure I can bear to part with her just yet!
So what else have I been up to whilst quietly pining for Little Thing 1, you may ask? Well, maybe you won't ask, but I'm going to tell you anyway. The clue is in the word - pining - I have been painting a few pieces of pine furniture I have had skulking around the workshop for longer than they should have been! AND I have been playing with a new paint colour (new to me, that is).
I normally use a very neutral palette, because a) that is what I have always used in my house, so I am used to it and love it, and b) because I assume my customers will find it easier to fit into their homes. But I rather rashly decided to start experimenting with some stronger colours. So this is the first piece off the production line - in Farrow and Ball (of course!) Stone Blue. Of course, I couldn't resist a little bit of decoupage on the interior of those doors - just jollies it along I thought. But, silly me, when I took it up to the shop on Friday I forgot the shelf - duh! So, I shall be sprinting up there as soon as I have finished this post to put the shelf in - let's hope noone has noticed!
It is a pretty strong colour, but I am SOooooo pleased with the result. What do you think? It provides a lovely blast of colour in the shop - I love the way it looks with the Midwinter tureen (pattern Cassandra).
So here is a gratuitous photo of it nestling in the shop.
oops, just slipped another quick picture of the shop in! I had a little reorganise on Friday - I removed some of the "stuff" off a couple of the pieces of furniture, as I think people can't see that the furniture is for sale when it is obliterated by things (even if they are Gorgeous Things!). But I still think there is too much stuff on the furniture - ah well!
WoW,what a great find that kitchen cupboard was! It will look fab in the shop and show off all your 50's collection beautifully. Love what you have done with the pine cupboard.F and B colours are lovely aren't they? :o)
ReplyDeleteOHHHH I love the 50's kitchen larder, i had one myself but it looked to heavy in my kitchen so i had to apart with it hence i got the cupboard and separate wall cabinet. I love them, but i also love the larders, i dream of one day having a larger kitchen and i could have lots of these beautys instead of fitted units. No wonder you were excited i would have been to. They are lovely and fit so much in them. I love your shop it looks full of things i would love. The blue cupboard looks amazing as well, i have been frightened of painting furniture but i think in the future i may have to have a go. I have decopaged a few things and enjoyed that.Well done its all looking gorg. Dee ;-) x
ReplyDeleteI love the red cupboard. What a lucky find. I don't think I would be able to part with it either!
ReplyDeleteI can remember Mum and dad having a cream and black one when I was a child. I often got told off for pulling the flap up and down.
I think the blue cupboard is super - neutrals are good, but isn't it nice to have a bit of colour now and then? Look at how much you love the RED cupboard!!
I'm not quite at your stage with a empty nest (mine are 15 and 12) but I can begin to imagine how you must be feeling. Retail therapy is the only way! That and chocolate, wine and magazines!! I wish your shop was nearer to Birmingham because we need furniture and you look like you have lots of nice stuff :) Claire x
ReplyDeleteI've got an old larder unit like yours only mine is a bit older and unbelievably heavy! I ended up painting mine cream and pink and I love it to bits. Looking forward to seeing yours spruced up. Lovely blog.
ReplyDeleteFi x
I love the colour, I know what you mean, I paint furniture to sell and tend to play it safe with the colour, but that looks fab....Em xxx
ReplyDeleteOh! Now I know I shouldn't say this ('cos it's every antique dealer's nightmare comment) but...my grandmother had one exactly like it. You have certainly given my memory a good jogging - I loved spending time with her, and used to eat my bowl of porridge at the very dresser, with the flap down. Nan lived in an old wooden cottage in Lancashire, no electricity, no phone, and water from the well. She kept chickens, grew her own veg and really is my inspiration to do the same here in France. I wonder what she would have thought of the internet...Carol x
ReplyDeleteYeah, my grandma had one too, and a big old kitchen range encompassing the kitchen fire, on which they would boil a big old black kettle and make toast on the end of a long fork .. how times have changed!
ReplyDeleteStunning. We have a green one minus legs. It looked great with legs, but then I dragged it from one room to the other on my own (too impatient to wait for help) and they fell off. It looks pretty good like that too, just a lot shorter.
ReplyDeleteOh I really hope your emptiness will ease soon. You made me feel very sad reading your words about running out of time.
Take care of yourself x
Oh very nice! AND I LOVE YOUR HEADER!!!! Just joined your blog :-)
ReplyDeleteMy first visit to your blog too - love your header pic. The blue cupboard is lovely. Your shop looks full of wonderful things! - and very well presented - not overly cluttered :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased to find your blog. I too like handworked linens, glassware and lovely vintagey things. I will be back to visit soon.
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