Come paint with me! September Design House color selection

This month, Amy is taking some great photos of the entire design process so she can bring you along as we pick out colors, unpack the crates, design the rooms, and add the final accessories a.k.a. the "room jewelry".  First up this week is a peek at our color selection for the September Design House.

Since we like a challenge, the ENTIRE Design House was emptied to make room for a new container of furniture.  This was a great time to repaint and we're featuring three new colors!  Henry is our trusted right hand man when it comes to painting and he has been busy the last two weeks repainting the interior spaces.  "But you just remade an entire house last month," you say.  Of course!  Suzanne and Amy do this every month and truly design each room and space to reflect the new furniture shipments that are coming in, highlight carefully selected artwork, and to show off fresh vignettes with the color trends they're seeing in their travels and using for interior design jobs.

Here is Henry, our painting and handyman extraordinaire, painting one of the many rooms in the Design House.  Without Henry, we simply could not do what we do each month.

Here is a page ripped from our Design Notebook focusing on this month's color selection.  Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

I've heard that yellow paired with charcoal grey is a really hot combination right now. I'm told there is a surprise upstairs to show off this pairing, but I've been sworn to secrecy.  We have a great post with a sneak peek of Suzanne and Amy's furniture selection for the September Design House coming up later this week.  They are totally pumped because they've waited six months for this furniture grouping and it's well worth the wait!

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The September Design House will be open Friday, September 2nd through Sunday, September 4th, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.  The Design House is an interior design showcase open on select dates, usually the first weekend of each month.  At the Design House, we bring together the greatest design talents from The Old Lucketts Store who completely remake an entire farmhouse for each event, from lighting to furniture, to paint, and accessories.  For a more detailed description of the Design House, please visit this post.

Mention in the August issue of Washingtonian magazine

The Washingtonian listed The Old Lucketts Store in their August issue's Great Home Design feature as a source for unique finds in the greater Washington, DC area.  Thank you!

Roaming Loudoun County

Roaming the Planet, a blog featuring day trips in the DC metro area, has featured us on their blog. Here is an excerpt from their blog, please be sure to go to Roaming Planet for their full writeup.

"Everyday the owners of Old Lucketts Store strive to bring you cool stuff at great prices, arranged in rooms that are fresh and full and ready to knock your socks off. But on the first weekend of every month, they take it way over the top with their Design House event.

Entry is made through a breezeway at the back of the property, where you’ll emerge in a courtyard that immediately tells you you’re in for a world of fun. Step up into the house where breakfast pastries by Peace of Cake often await, along with cups of steaming hot coffee.

When I walked in, I immediately bumped into owners Suzanne Eblen and Amy Whyte, the creators of this place where old meets new and everything is reinvented in the process. They’ve coordinated room after room down to the finest detail and you’re left with the feeling that it’s absolutely fabulous and you must have it all.

Eblen explains that their ultimate goal is to make living spaces that come together through passion, synergy and a huge dose of humor. The two have an interesting approach to designing their highly-thematic and subtly entertaining rooms: They concoct a detailed story for each one. A recent favorite was the evil stepsister room, with twin beds strewn akimbo and decorating touches that defied both conformity and peaceful coexistence.

The ultimate goal of Design House, in Eblin’s words, is to create a place where you can “Come in, have fun and be happy.” So when a customer recently admitted that she visited every month just to make herself feel good, Eblen was delighted. Mission accomplished!"

All photos in this post credit Paul Jean and Roaming the Planet blog.

Design Dilemma - Accessorizing an Office

We'll be trying to answer some Design Dilemma questions we receive all the time.  Here's a common one: "Dear Lucketts Store:  I'm converting a spare bedroom in to a combination office / library space.  I need help making the space feel cozy and lived-in.  I also need some accessories to help fill the wall of bookshelves we hope to have one day.  Any ideas?  Sincerely,  Well Read but Still Clueless"

Answer:  Dear Well Read,  I'm thinking that adding an antique statement piece - a great one of a kind bookcase or antique desk - can instantly make the space feel cozy.  You probably already have lots of accessories around the house that you can pull into that room (pottery, glass jars, figurines, pictures), without buying a ton of new accessories.  Pick a few favorites, and then switch them out every few months so the room doesn't get stale.  Here are a few options from our Design Notebook. The pictures were taken at The Old Lucketts Store or our Design House and reflect items we try to find and buy up on our travels.  Good Luck!  Your Friends at The Old Lucketts Store.  

     

More importantly, what vintage accessories do YOU, our readers, think are must haves for an office or library?

If you have a question for us or a Design Dilemma that you'd like help solving, please write a comment to this post and we'll try to feature it in a future blog post.

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Postcards from Berlin

One of our dealers, Ann, is on vacation in Germany this month visiting family.  The trip is a welcome way to recharge and a great chance to scour some wonderful German flea markets.  Here is an update on how Ann is doing.

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Hallo from Berlin!  

I can hardly believe we have been in Berlin for nearly two weeks!  My days have been very full with family and friends and enjoying this city that I love.  Berlin ist wundebar!  First of all, it is nearly 30 degrees cooler here than it was in Lucketts when we left...sweater weather.  I feel rehydrated again!  It has been a very rainy spring and summer here and everything is very green and blooming.

I have been very busy as well collecting loads of great things for my space.  The day after we arrived, still jet lagged and groggy from the long flight, I visited Barbel, one of my flea market friends, in her apartment.  She had a whole stack of linens for me that she had been saving.  I've made friends with several dealers over the years who set aside things they know I will love. 

Here is Barbel.  I love buying from her.  She is very knowledgeable about the things she sells and I learn a lot about their history and origins. 

 

Here is an example of Plauen Spitze lace.  Plauen Spitze is lace from a town in Vogtland where it was first manufactured in the 1880's so although it is machine made it can be very old.  Barbel had saved a Plauen Spitze tablecloth for me that is really lovely.  Also in my Barbel stack are heavy linen nightgowns (even in Lucketts there will be cool nights again!), gorgeous pillow shams, and antique lace.

On Saturday, I went to the Flohmarkt at Fehrbelliner Platz.  I have several friends among the regulars there and I am always glad to see them.  I had written letting them know when I would be back in town and so several people had come with heaps of stuff for me.  I had so much that first Saturday that I had to call my daughter-in-law to help with carrying the bags home.  Loads of bed and table linens, beautiful old lace, white petticoats, pantaloons, camisoles and nightgowns from the late 19th and early 20th century, jewelry, evening bags, silk scarves from Italy and France, and three fabulous hats from the 1930's.  I will have lots for restocking when I get back to the States and back to Lucketts!  Next up are 4 flea markets on the outskirts of Berlin, stay tuned!

~Ann

(Note:  Ann's vintage linen and clothing business is called Wild Thyme.  She is located on the third floor of The Old Lucketts Store, dealer code RAM.  You may remember an earlier post where we featured a collection of hats she purchased at an estate sale.  Ann and her new German finds will be back in September.) 

***UPDATE:  Here is the link to Wild Thyme on Facebook.  Be sure to like this page for new info. on what Ann is bringing in to her space at The Old Lucketts Store.***

August paint colors and tips

We had a request to share the inspiration colors for our August 2011 Design House.  Paint is inexpensive and a great way to breathe life into your room.  We're always on the hunt for great color and we hoard paint chips, scraps of paper, and fabric samples with every color we like.  A lot of the Design House colors we featured in August came from fabrics and artwork.  We then go to the paint store and try to find something similar, usually just handing over the swatch or paint chip (if we even have a chip...and the color is usually retired by then) and ask them to mix the color for us.  

I wish I could simply point you to an exact color by a certain company and you'd be all set, but I can't always because our colors are pulled from fabrics and art.  I will share with you some suggestions on where to find similar colors and how to duplicate a great paint job.

The best color families I've seen that are similar to the ones in our August Design House are at Restoration Hardware.  I recommend the colors in the "Butter Paint Collection" for taupe and light browns, the "Shore Paint Collection" for dreamy blues, and the "Flint Paint Collection" for greys similar to the ones that we used in the August Design House.  These are nice limited color families of 5 colors each.  It's just too overwhelming for me to try to look at 60 shades of light blue and try to pick one.

Since we paint soooo much around here, here is a quick list of our tips for painting walls:

Stay mostly neutral.  We tend to go neutral on most walls, bringing in the punches of color with accessories.  This makes it easier to switch out decor with the seasons and ensures you're not regretting a color choice that quickly goes out of style or only matches with specific furniture / accessories.  Light colors also tend to make rooms feel larger.

Mix multiple gallons.  If you're covering a large space that requires many cans of paint, mix cans in a bucket so the color is uniform.  Just because each gallon has the same color formula doesn't mean the color is exact from gallon to gallon.  Trust me, I'm speaking from experience.

Take a break.  Put brushes in a plastic bag if you're taking a break so they don't dry out.

This goes without saying, but anyway, here goes....wall prep is key.  If your wall is a mess and you try to put a pretty color over a mess, you'll get a pretty-colored-mess.  Take the time to fill nail holes, sand rough spots, and use blue painter's tape if you need it.  Use fiberglass tape to clean up large cracks or holes.  Prime the walls with tinted primers if you're transitioning colors, otherwise you'll need extra coats of paint (best scenario) or the finish may never be even and you'll have to do everything again (worst scenario).  Also take time to prep the room - take down draperies & hardware, put out drop cloths, move furniture to the center of the room, and cover furniture as needed.

A Bonus Cool Find for You!  Decor Pad has a pretty neat paint gallery on their site.  Choose a color family you're interested in, look through user photos, and if you see a room or color you like, click on the photo and you'll see what paint color and brand the person actually used. 

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Five reasons why we love our furniture and our jobs

Lots of great items dropped Fresh Off the Wagon this week, ready for all of your back to school shopping.  Yes, you can find dressers and other pieces made from actual wood instead of particle board for anyone who needs furniture to withstand dorm use :)

Here are a few other great reasons to buy second hand furniture at The Old Lucketts Store instead of retail stores and why we love our jobs and furniture so much this week (and every week):

Reason #1 - Up-cycling.  Taking something that is past its design prime, repairing it, and making it back into something beautiful is SOOOO fulfilling.  (Dresser is $285 from MSI).

Reason #2 - Quality.  They don't make things like they used to (ain't that the truth?).  You've seen it in the retail stores, a nice wood drawer front with construction inside so flimsy you fear your underwear could strain the 1/4" thick balsa-wood like drawer bottom.  Also, with a lot of the imports coming in, we're seeing pieces made with green wood or poorer quality woods; they just aren't built to last.  (Lovely 72" wide sideboard or dresser with fun carved details is $695 from LIS). 

Reason #3 - Value.  Would you rather have a remade hardwood dresser for a few hundred dollars or spend 3 times that for an import made from veneer and particle board?  Real wood furniture is scarce today because there isn't a lot out there and it is very expensive if you can get it.  Inch for inch, the older pieces have the best value. (Mahogany dresser with marble top is $585 from AFS). 

Reason #4 - Construction.  There is a reason pieces have survived 40, 60 or 100+ years.  It's because they were made with care and great materials; not cranked out as quickly and cheaply as possible.  (Handmade pre-Civil War bed with wood pins is $238 from RMB).

Reason #5 - The thrill of the hunt.  When you're scouring the countryside you never know what you're going to find.  It's the lure of those unusual pieces that keeps us going. And as a bonus, we get to imagine all the way home what we're going to do with the piece to bring it back to life. (Farm table is $289 from HAR).

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Jewelry Display Ideas

We often have people poking around the shop looking for unique ways to display jewelry. We are fortunate to have Jennifer, one of our dealers, who offers great vintage jewelry made from old photos and findings.  Jennifer is always a great source for new and unique jewelry display ideas.  You can see a few pics from her space in our Design Notebook below.

 

One simple and quick suggestion for jewelry display is to take a vintage picture frame or window frame (for me, the more distressed and "chippy" paint, the better), remove the panes, staple or tack wire mesh to the back, secure hooks and a picture hanger, and voila! you have a quick place to store your treasures.  Jennifer had a great French nursery tray a few months ago with a mesh bottom that would have been great for the same purpose.  Get creative!  Here are a few suggestions...

You can find the tutorial for this window turned cute mesh-backed jewelry display at The Borrowed Abode.  Pretty neat, huh?

...and here are a few ideas from our Design Notebook.

Do you have any unique display ideas you'd like to share?  Leave us a comment (please and thank you).

Oh, and Jennifer's finds (some pictured above) are on the first floor of the shop, dealer codes JDH and OWL.

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What the... What? (#4) Revealed!

A big thank you to everyone who joined us for The Design House weekend event this past Friday, Saturday & Sunday.  We had a wonderful time and hope you all enjoyed the great atmosphere and great shopping!

We only received one response to our What the... What? #4 --- I hope that is a testament to my ability to find more unusual items to quiz you on :)

If you were wondering about the item we posted for our What the... What? #4, you'll be excited to find out that these are horse lawn mowing boots.  Didn't know those existed?  Well now you do!  I found these on a website out of the UK that specializes in antique gardening tools.

These were used by early horse or pony-drawn lawn mowers to protect the lawn from hoof prints - how well they did their job, I can only guess. They were first used in 1841.  This shoe was fixed to the pony hoof and the screw was tightened in the back.

This is another set that's circa 1900.  This is the more common type that were tightened with straps.

Just how will I use this new found knowledge, you ask?  I'm not really sure.  But it was fun finding this and sharing it with you.  Until next time...

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August Design House - 5th, 6th & 7th

Reminder that the Design House WILL be open this weekend 10am to 5pm daily.  All of the rooms are completely redesigned and redone this month, including paint, furniture, and accessories.  Here are few photos of what you can expect this weekend...

Newly designed spaces and unique furniture, including this oversize reclaimed wood table and beautiful high back chairs with nail head trim detail.

What a great double sink vanity!

This Shiner bed is the most wonderful bed ever.  Period. (and it's proudly made in the U.S.A.)

Pops of color brought in from nature including oversize pillows, flowers, and colorful birds.

Intimate and comfy seating arrangements downstairs like this round reclaimed wood table we're using as a breakfast table.

If you're not familiar with the Design House, you can get the scoop here.  We recently posted a few pages from our Design Notebook.  To see what inspired us for the August 2011 Design House, please click here.

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See you this weekend!

What the... What? (#4)

We have a special phrase around the store when we find things in our travels that are particularly unusual, odd, confusing, or sometimes hideous.  When we come across one of these items, we like to use one of our favorite Lucketts-isms, "What the... What?"  Here is one of those items I came across while doing some research for another item.  We didn't have this in the store, but hey, you never know, it's quite possible.

See if you can guess what this is and leave us a comment if you think you know!  We'll reveal the item's true identity and purpose later this week.  

Can you identify this mystery item and tell us what it was once used for?

What the... What?

Leave a comment if you know!

July Recap

July was really an exciting month for us!  Here are a few of the highlights.

Now back from vacation, we spent weeks getting ready for our next special event, The Design House, on August 5, 6 & 7.  We posted sneak peek photos on our Facebook page & our website, and ripped a few pages out of our Design Notebook to show you what inspired us for the August Design House.   

We did some shifting around the store and a few vendors moved spaces.  You can learn more about Pete, Marian, & Kim here and here.

We started a new feature on our blog called "What the...What?", which is a Lucketts-ism we use for an item that is unusual or tough to identify.

We posed a Design Dilemma to you, asking how you would decorate a man cave with antiques and vintage items.  We got some really great ideas from everyone.  Thank you!

Several of us have been thinking about how we're going to decorate our rooms for the holiday season.  We are busy going through books, magazines, and hunting down great items for inspiration.
  

In August, you can look forward to...

...getting the scoop on how the August Design House event  went and watching us prepare for our September event.

...hearing from one of our vendors as she scours markets in Germany this August on her summer vacation.

...going behind the scenes as we prep for the fall and winter holidays.

...our answer to another Design Dilemma question posed by one of our customers.

...more unusual items featured in our What the... What? posts.
  
Happy August everyone!