When Old Becomes New

This weekend I spent some finger-numbing time in my parents’ barn admiring some items that fit this bill. My father came upon rolls and rolls of vintage Brunschwig& Fils handpainted wallpaper (see above) when one of the company’s local pattern designers died. Although some are hard to imagine floor to ceiling, the patterns are so fun and enchanting that I can see taking cuts of them and framing them as artwork (which they truly are). Another idea, to go with my previous nursery post, is to trace animal shapes such as giraffes or butterflies on these papers, cut them out and create vintage wallpaper scenes when applied to bold, solid colored walls. Also, lining the interiors of bookshelves is a great place to try a bold pattern without being too risky!

Another exciting find for me is this asian inspired iron outdoor dining set my grandmother had that no one else seemed to want. I feel like I’ve seen sets just like this in design magazines for scads of money. For now I can only admire it in the barn, until we relocate to a place with a garden or larger patio. I’ll have some great Sunbrella cushions made for the seats and imagine leisurely summer cocktails and cookouts. You can find steals like these for yourself at local antique shops, flea markets and of course, the aformentioned, eBay.