DESIGN:Friday-Vermont Farmhouse

Today, and going forward, I'll showcase the use of antiques in home design on DESIGN: Friday. The following photos from House Beautiful Magazine are of a farmhouse in southern Vermont. Doesn't this house look modern, comfortable and livable? Antiques add great character when mixed with modern furnishings.

I'm traveling next week and then headed to Mexico for a wedding; congratulations WH and MT! Look for photos and posts from sunny Puerto Vallerta. Until then, have a terrific weekend!

Photos from House Beautiful

GO: Woodstock, Vermont

On my travel 'wish-list' is Woodstock, Vermont and the fabulous Woodstock Inn. I've been told that summer is a fabulous time to visit, but I'd like to go during the snowy winter months to ski, snowshoe, and sit by a cozy fire. There's a great collection of antique shops in and around Woodstock, I've suggested a few below.

SHOP:
-Wilgren & Barlow Antiques: 29 Pleasant Street, Woodstock, 802.457.2453 Open Tuesday-Friday noon-5pm, Saturday 10a-5pm

-Ellaways Attic: 14 Central Street, Woodstock, 802.457.1066  Open daily 10a-5pm

-For more antique shops in Vermont, check the Vermont Antiques Dealers Website.


STAY: The Woodstock Inn

-Not to most economical choice, but certainly the most fabulous. If you don't want to break the bank, there are a host of bed-and-breakfast options in Woodstock to choose from (most fashioned with gorgeous antiques!). Check the Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce website for suggestions.

Photos from the Woodstock Inn



Yankee Magazine article

This is a Yankee Magazine article from 2008 that offers useful tips for collecting antiques. I agree with all these, but think the most important tip is number three: Buy what you love! I've bought lots of goodies over the years that weren't from "reputable antique dealers", but rather from estate sales or flee markets. As long as it's something you love and will enjoy seeing everyday, I say buy it!

1. Purchase from reputable dealers. Not only can you usually trust what you buy from them, but they can educate you about how to discern what's authentic.

2. Go to as many antiques shows as you can, and look, look, look. This is the best way to educate yourself.

3. Buy what you love.

4. Don't necessarily hold on to all your collections. That's part of the secret of avoiding clutter. A no-longer-loved item in your own home may make the perfect accent piece in the home of a friend.

5. Make sure you can see and display the things you love. If you have too much, many objects will wind up languishing in storage.

6. Move things around. You'll get a new appreciation for them. You get used to looking at things where they are, and after a while you no longer see them.

7. Be careful of color combinations when you display your antiques. Make sure things actually go together. It's okay to mix contemporary with old, though -- it can create a distinctive and refreshing effect.

8. Try not to scatter collection items throughout the house. They'll be more attractive and orderly looking if presented together.

9. Avoid cramming items together, though. Try to keep a clean look, letting your special items show themselves off while not overwhelming the eye.

10. Insure valuable items, listing them individually.

Stowe, Vermont

List and photo from Yankee Magazine.com

White Cabin and Vintage Ski Photos

This month's Country Living magazine showcases terrific examples of decorating with white. I continually find myself dreaming about white furniture and would love to have an all-white room in my house. My two black Labradors make that idea less than practical, however. But I'll continue to live vicariously through the many photos of pristine, dog hair-free, white rooms I see like the ones below. Also, if I lived in this cabin, wouldn't it be great to include a few vintage black-and-white ski photos? Lots of times these are found in antique malls among boxes of old photos; it's worth the effort to sort threw the lot to find a few treasures.

LOVE this photo! 

Great photo, check out vintageskiworld.com for

other classic pictures and vintage ski wear

Skiing is still pretty glamorous, but we've lost a bit

when it comes to air travel, no?

Winter sporting good painted white; how clever!

Clean and Cozy

Great collection of white platters

Photos from vintageskiworld.com, Country Living and Google

Vintage Ski Posters and Vermont Antiquing

Now that the holiday season is over, those of us living in cold climates stay entertained by the snowy weather and winter sports: skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, ice skating, hockey and drinking (insert alcoholic hot beverage here). I thought it might be fun to highlight antique sporting goods this month, so look for those posts in the coming weeks. And because Stowe is one of my favorite skiing spots, I'll note some favorite antique shops and markets in Vermont. Enjoy these vintage ski posters and click the below link to learn more about the poster market from Homes & Antiques.com.

Photos from Homes & Antiques Magazine

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! What are your resolutions this year? I'm hopeful that I can complete a draft copy of my first The Chicer Antiquer book; look for excepts on this blog throughout the year. And, of course, the obligatory 'eat more vegetables, run more, do more yoga'...yadda, yadda, yadda. Below is a resolutions list from 1stDibs.com from some of my favorite designers and antiquers. Wishing you and happy and healthy 2011!