July 10, 2012

✥ Reader Feature: Vintage Style Home Tour ✥

I have a super fabulous home to share with you all today! I am so excited to show off Susan's, from Must Love Junk, vintagey home! She is a new blogger but has been widely welcomed into the blogging community- since her style is amazing! People cannot get enough- and I feel the same. In fact I went through her whole archives the other day- just reading and checking out the eye candy!!

{Susan will share a few glimpses of a few different spaces in her home. If you want to see more about that room- just click on the link. }

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This is the wall opposite my front door, the huge coat rack, and the stack of suitcases.  My talented friend Melissa made the cute little picture frame (she knows I love me some numbers!)

This wooden rack has to be one of my all-time favorite/best scores!  (And a funny story, too.) I was at the local flea market a couple years ago with my nephew Alex, who was visiting from Arizona.  He was maybe 13 years old at the time, and whenever he comes to town, I call him my 'flea buddy' 'cause he loves to go and look for model cars he collects (used to), etc.  So I look down the aisle, and spy this shoe rack, and grab his arm (nearly squeezing him to death) and tell him I've always wanted one of these, I'm freaking out, but to be cool (even though I'M the one that needs to be cool!)  So we get to it, and it's a little rough, and not the greatest one I've ever seen, but hey, that's fine with me, and I ask the guy how much...drumroll please...and he says "how about 20 bucks?"  Well, I heard angels sing, and about passed out!!


So once I recover, I pay him, and we go to load it into my small SUV, and it won't fit!  Now what am I gonna do? Well, he asks where I live (about 15 minutes away) and he then OFFERS TO DELIVER IT! Having no choice, I give him my address, and as Alex and I left, I'm fretting "Will I ever see the guy again? He could just take my money and scram!" (Not that I cared as much about my 20 bucks as getting my great find!)  And Alex is just rolling his eyes and so amused that I'm getting worked up over this piece of 'junk'. It gets better...


We're at home waiting, and sure enough, the guy comes rolling in (I was so relieved) and this cute girl gets out of the passenger's side, and comes to the door...and we know each other!  She sets up at the flea all the time with gorgeous linens and vintage jewelry, and it turned out that she's friends with the guy who I bought the rack from!  We were laughing so hard because she said the whole way to my house she was giving him such a hard time about offering to deliver a $20 item!  But she was happy it was me, and I gave her a tour of the house.  And I've enjoyed this 'piece of junk' ever since! Just had to share that. Click here to see the other details on this side of the room!



Now we continue my home tour into my front hallway/entryOur house is a 1929 Colonial, but it's not a traditional layout...the front of the house is a big open hallway (basically unused space, but that's ok-more for me to decorate :) then the kitchen in the back of the house is TINY (but that's ok, too, since I don't cook!)  This gives you the perspective of walking out of the living room into the hall. I've got quite a collection of suitcases, but this is my highest stack. I especially love the 'striped' ones, as you can tell. 

Stop by to learn all about this huge piece in my hall- and to see all the other details on this side!

This is the room we spend the most time in (next to the sun room)...the "Living Room"...let me break it down for you:  this is the view from our front hallway.

We use an old factory cart for our coffee table-it's a true, old rough one; my hubby surprised me and stenciled "Dept No 3" on the side when I was out of town, because that's my favorite number!  I really couldn't believe he went and did that! (I absolutely can't picture him going into Jo-Ann's and buying stencils and a paint pen :)   We got the old roll-down school map at an auction when we lived in Columbus, for a steal!  The postal cart is one of my fav items-I splurged and got it on Etsy. 

And I found 2 crates/boxes that are more unison in shape and size to replace the bottom drawers!) My hubby also surprised me with the 3 connected 'stadium seats'-he's a keeper!

Stop by to see the other side of our living room!

We all love adding to our collections, don't we?  I have too many to mention!  But here are 2 of my favorites...ironstone and old seltzer bottles.  I know so many of us love ironstone-it's pretty easy to find, and usually fairly inexpensive.  I've gathered mine in a cabinet that my dad made for me using barnwood and an old window/door. I love how grouping together some simple items can make such a statement!


This is our 'office', right off the front hall/entryway. 

In here, I decided to go with more of an industrial vibe. The walls were painted red when we moved in, and we left them, so they just seemed to lean toward a more industrial look.


The red walls definitely aren't for the faint of heart (although they're not as bright as they seem in these photos!)   I've liked them, but it's time for a change, so we're thinking of painting them a gray. It should mesh well with all of the galvanized metal I've collected! 
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Totally great, right?! I loved the mail cart in her living room- and of course the railroad cart too. Susan's hubby sounds like a major sweetheart. I mean, aren't antiques always the way to a girl's heart? ;-)
 Oh- and did you see the tower of vintage suitcases!? I have a pic pinned just like that- now I can have 2! I am totally crushin' on all the little details- like tons of antique items filling the built-ins, vintage seltzer bottles, wood patina, and worn metal! (*sigh!) 
Although I love the design details, the best part of the blog is Susan herself. She is such a sweetheart!

If you guys want more- make sure you stop by and say hi to Susan. Even though she has a fairly new blog- there is a ton more eye candy to check out!

To the gals I'm meeting up with tonight for our Blogger's Dinner, I am so excited! It's gonna rock!