I‘ve spent the last couple of years working on the color scheme that seems to work best for our house. We have almost finished ridding our home of the builder’s favorite color a.k.a. swine walls (let’s reflect back to when my entire house was covered in swine, shall we?). We’ve spent the past couple of years painting our walls with neutral shades of warm grays, blues and whites. I just love that mix and feel like it all goes together without anything needing to match. Stay tuned for the second to last swine room currently getting a good-bye swine makeover!
One color I’ve been wanting to add more of is a shade of deeper green. Not for the walls, but as an additional accent in accessories or fabrics. I think a darker green adds a richer depth to the mix of softer blues, teals, and grays.
Lately I’ve been on the hunt for green (not to be confused with necessarily looking for hunter green from the 1980’s for anyone old enough to remember the English Country trend of that era. Heheh! Maybe I’ll inadvertantly bring that back.)
So I was quite pleased when on my rounds of the local second hand and flea markets I stumbled upon this cute little green jewel toned gem of a garden stool! I was thrilled because not only is it green and it was a great flea market find, but I’m quite fond of having little stools all over my house. Besides adding a fun splash of color or texture to a room, stools are so handy and practical as seating or side tables too.
What’s your favorite second hand find?
Did you see the fun “How to Decorate” blogger series going on this week? Check out my post here!
PS. The cute chair with the nailheads is from Ballard Designs–I will have some updates on our family room to share with you soon!
Other second hand finds:
How to get inspired for decorating {new flea market finds!}
Flea Market Find: A Teak Teacart Turned Plant Stand
New Entry Dresser and Vignette from the Flea Market
She Sent Me What? {Fun Second Hand Finds}
Thrift Store Character
I’m new to your blog and love your style. Can you suggest a soft lilac or lavender shade for a purple loving teenage girls room. Just did a swatch of Ben Moore beach plum and it’s so saccharine. I hate picking paint! She wants an accent wall that’s darker. All the light purples are overwhelming. I would like something a little more sophisticated so I don’t have to reprint in two years when she’s at college! Thanks for any tips. Your home is beautiful and serene.
Hi- we found a fab color from Valspar called Iced Violet. Purple is a tough color! Good luck!
Melissa you’ve started my morning with laughter and memories, thanks!! I remember lamenting your swine walls with you at Blissdom 2010, seems like such a long time ago. :) A couple of years later I inadvertently chose a shade of swine for my own walls! No worries, it was gone in a flash. :)
Remember hunter green also, I especially loved it paired with “peach”! ;)
Ha! Yes, good times at Blissdom. :-) And Hunter Green and Peach, such fond memories! heheh.
Love that green!!! What a great find Melissa. :)
You found that at a flea market?! I thought for sure it came from somewhere like World Market. Lucky you!
I love the stool you found — green is my favorite color! I’ve been on the hunt for drum stools, too, but haven’t been able to find any discounted ones yet. Congrats on your find! :)
Love the idea of bringing some green into the mix- kudos on the great find too!
Jenna
http://pizzigatidesigns.tumblr.com/
I love garden stools and this one is a fabulous green color. Great find.
Don’t have easy access to a lot of flea markets around here in Sun City West/Surprise, AZ. They exist but most are a drive and, since I’m limited by what I can fit in the car (up to 5′ wide and not too tall) and what I can move myself. However, a family nursery in our area moved into new digs several years ago and, along with acres of trees and plants, they built a big room that is now The Yard Sale. I discovered it a couple of years ago and have scored well: a great and very cheap Amish-built wooden trunk to set at the foot of the bed, a vintage typing table that works for $25 bucks (they run in the $80 up on Etsy and Ebay) and a small and light but well-built 4-drawer wooden dresser that will fit perfectly in my master closet when I get my new shelving system. The gal who runs the shop is very nice and quite willing to keep her eye out for something you’re looking for and she hosts a Vintage Market several times a year when other vendors fill the parking lot with their treasures. I love to go buy just to look and see what I might find to repurpose.
Haven’t read all the posts on the How to Decorate blogger series yet (no time), but I love these projects where you share and introduce us to other bloggers who are working in the same decorating field. It fits so well with your warm, comfy style and the name of your blog. In fact, the extra inspiration I get is one of the reasons I haven’t read them all yet. I do have to eat and feed the cats and work everyday too.
Favorite Secondhand Find: $600 large, solid brass, 8-arm chandelier…$12.50!
Watched it come down from $200 over a few months. Then one day DH & I stopped on a lark to look around. DH asked if I still wanted the light fixture I had told him about. I said, “Yes, but it’s out of our budget.” “Not anymore!”, he replied. As he showed me the new price I was floored and ecstatic at the same time!
Have thought about painting it many times, but brass is making a comeback, so now I’m glad I didn’t. It just makes the dining space.:)
That’s AWESOME! What a great find and an amazing deal! Good for you!
Except for the gray our color schemes are similar. I use a pop of black and white with my blue and whites. I also use a pop of Kelly green, love how it looks with these colors and your garden stool is the perfect element for your home. You always choose just the right pieces. Love your style and philosophy about hearth and home,
Happy Week,
Kathysue
The garden stool is lovely! Green has grown on me a lot lately. :-)
As for your question about the favorite second hand find… I *love* candlesticks … and got this neat candlestick with a heavy cast iron twirly thing base… :-D (It’s a bit hard to describe.) It brings me much pleasure to light that thick candle that it holds… Little accents can do so much for one’s state of mind. :-)
Green is my favorite color. I love to wear it, but it also reigns supreme inside our home. I love all shades and I find it blends well with all shades, because it is a neutral. Love your garden stool.
I am inspired by your colors and the addition of this richer green looks so good! I wouldn’t have ever come up with it. Thank you for your ideas :)
I enjoy touches of green around my house too. Love, love the stool you added. Great find!
So happy for you about banishing the swine. I was just in a house with swine walls! Since the color scheme is reds and browns, the effect is unfortunate. I think most people think of swiny-tan-pink as a neutral. But there are much better neutrals out there.
Hmmm, the million-dollar question. ALL my fave things are second-hand, vintage, or antique. I love my Rembrandt lamp. And the incised rectangular planter that holds a huge peace lily. And the leaded glass window above our fireplace. The less stuff I have, the more I enjoy the things I choose to keep.
And yes to your green, it looks amazing.
I was searching for a piece for our center hall when I discovered one under a blanket at a house sale. When I got it home I saw that it was from VanSciver, a famous Philadelphia furniture store. A few months later, I was chatting with an elderly neighbor and he told me that the VanSciver family were the original owners of my home! I guess the table was meant to come home so when we moved I left the piece for the new owners and told them the story. Hopefully it’s still in place,
I love the pillow on the chair! Can you share where it’s from?