Ah, let the dancing commence!   This lustrous oak herringbone parquet, which might have been reclaimed from a Parisian apartment, country dwelling, or even – be still my heart – a creaky old chateau, is now available in the U.S.!

Imported by Exquisite Surfaces, this antique French oak flooring is not only beautiful and steeped in history, it is also FSC certified!

I love the juxtaposition of centuries old oak boards with sleek, modern walls.  Each element enhances the other so well, creating a harmonious whole, don’t you think?

There really is nothing like real age to give life to a wood floor.  No manner of machine work, or even hand planning is ever going to recreate the enduringly lovely texture you find in an authentic reclaimed floor.

Exquisite Surfaces takes care to ensure that all of their reclaimed floor boards are from actual floors.  No cut beams, old factory wood, or siding is used.

Happily, Exquisite Surfaces also offers an entire line of natural oils, finishes and waxes that emit low or no (zero) VOCs, so you can maintain the sustainability of your floor.

You can see more of Exquisite Surfaces wonderful FSC certified antique oak flooring here.

Thanks for visiting!

Rachel

"Steampunk Rooster" by Ursulav

Well watch out, because Steampunk’s little cousin Farm Punk is galloping up right behind it!

Fashioned from reclaimed barn wood and discarded bits of farm equipment, farm punk is earthy, rustic and very, very solid.  This is furniture that will be around for generations (provided those generations don’t mind moving some seriously heavy stuff around with them!).  Take a look at some of the great looking pieces I found (click on an image to see the source).

The Big O Console by The Steel Fork

Vice Versa Bench by UTD

There’s No Place Like Here: Pass The Baton from Etsy on Vimeo.

I love this video, I love that store, and I LOVE the concept.  A trip to Japan has been on my mind anyway, but a pilgrimage to Pass the Baton in Tokyo now seems imperative.

seen on re-nest

If that isn’t a whole lot of vintage Swedish design deliciousness, I don’t know what is!  Of course, at 9’8″ x 23′ (!), I’m not really sure how many homes could accommodate it, but I bet it would look amazing in the right setting.

Currently available from a curated collection of vintage Swedish Kilim rugs by Mansour.

Like one of these vibrantly colored mirrors by Etsy seller 1848shop?

The bright, playful colors give these vintage mirrors a fresh look and a chance at a new life.

This mirror/medicine cabinet, with matching sconces, would add a pop of color and style to any bathroom.

And if watermelon pink isn’t your thing, the 1848shop folks can customize the color to anything you like for a small upcharge.

Click here to see more mirrors and other upcycled wares from their shop.

So here’s what I was looking at this week:

1. This History of Curtains is a lot more interesting than you might think at first. (design sponge)

2. You should really take a look at these beautiful prints made from pieces of discarded maps. I particularly love the Japanese Crane, especially because part of the proceeds go to Japan disaster relief. (design sponge)

3. You have to check out this crazy collection of taxidermy antiques in London. (Craft)

4. Est is a new online magazine about “global living with an Australian twist”. (desire to inspire)

5. Here’s a store that really takes sustainable living seriously. All of the products in their store are sourced and crafted in the United States from sustainable materials. (Re-nest)

6. I’m in love with this amazing bench crafted from 5000 recycled New York City Metro cards. (Yanko Design)

7. If you’re short on space, one of these 10 convertible dining tables might just help you squeeze in a little more functionality. (Tree hugger)

That’s it for now.  Happy weekend everyone!

Case in point are the beautiful, reclaimed wood furniture pieces available through Redefine Home.  By utilizing a greywashed finish on the aged wood, the Emma Dresser (above) manages to be very on trend, in an environmentally friendly manner.

This sideboard is a great example of how the new aesthetic for aged, unfinished wood lends itself so well to the eclectic interior, by providing a bridge between traditional styling and contemporary finish.  In other words, it will look cool in the houses of both country mouse AND city mouse.

Although the linens are a bit flouncy for my taste, the reclaimed wood headboard is perfect!  So often reclaimed wood beds are made in a very rough hewn, modernist manner, which, although stylish, has limited appeal.  This headboard has a more classic feel, and is a great height to give a bedroom that dramatic presence.

Of course, it’s not necessary to get a new piece made of old wood to get the natural look.  This Regency chair at Redefine Home was a flea market find, stripped down and then reupholstered.  So elegant!

Oh, and full disclosure.  That cute little dog?  That’s Lily, and she used to hang out at my office from time to time when Redefine Home’s founder, Linsi Brownson worked for me.  It makes me so happy to see that Lily, and Linsi’s Redefine Home, are both looking so stylish!

Just launched today, Redefine Home is the ambitious and amazing interiors shop belonging to Linsi Brownson and her husband David Betz.

Filled with artisan crafts and vintage finds, there is something to please everyone.

Redefine Home sees decorating as an ongoing process, more of a cultivation of things you love and things you need.  We strive to offer a collection of beautiful everyday items mixed with one of a kind treasures and furniture designs inspired by just about everything.  We recognize that some things are a splurge and some are a steal, and we like it that way. – From the Redefine Home website

From the simple, rustic feel of this grain sack throw rug,…

to this charming print, done exclusively for them by Paper Cut Industries, there is a quite a lot to recommend.

Of course, some of you may even remember this table from a guest post Linsi wrote for us awhile back.   Yep, it’s the Bob Hope table, so named due to its (possible) origins from Bob Hope’s Palm Springs estate.  Even if it never actually belonged to “Old Ski Nose”, it has such a lovely character that it should surely belong to you!

Right now Redefine Home is offering free shipping on all orders over $50.  So what are you waiting for???

As a side note – I had the pleasure of being Linsi’s first employer when she completed her degree in Interior Design, and I am really looking forward to the day I can say “I knew her when…”.

So, congratulations Linsi!  No one deserves success more than you.

We spend a lot of time scouring flea markets for objets d’art to put in our store.  When we first started going it was a bit confusing.  Everything we saw either seemed to have endless potential or was just a bunch of old crap.  We really had no idea what we were looking for.  But then we began to ‘hone our craft’ and suddenly things were a lot clearer.  I honestly don’t know how that happened.  It was like we showed up one day and just knew…

But for the sake of having something relevant to say, I’m going to focus on the part after we just knew.  Here are some pointers for finding great deals at a flea market:

1. Give a moment to anything that grabs your attention.  After a while things start to blur and you feel like you’ve seen it before (if you frequent the markets you probably have seen it before) but if it makes you turn your head, go take a look.  It may be a shiny gem hidden in the rubble. 

table supposedly from Bob Hope's estate

2. Inspect carefully.  I’m a fan of old stuff and I like a little bit of character.  In general, antiques and things produced before the 50s were constructed by hand and used higher quality materials.  After that, products were produced quickly and cheaply using molds, plastics and wood veneers.  If that’s what you’re into then great.  If not, then just be sure to take a closer look at items you are interested in.  Look at seams, edges and just general wear and tear.  And ask the seller about information they may have on the item.

3. When buying furniture: keep in mind that if you’re bringing someone else’s furniture into your home it’s gonna need a bit of work.  Even if that simply means a good cleaning (fabric and cushion foam holds germs and dust mites) you’ve got your work cut out for you.  Wipe everything down before you bring it into the house.  Soak any removeable cushions, pillows, etc. and plan on reupholstering anything over 10 years old.  This can get expensive, anywhere from $200-800, so budget that into the value of the item.  Even so, if you get a great new couch for $800-900 it’s still a pretty good deal, but just bear that in mind.

4. Have an idea of what something is worth before you start bartering.  Of course you can’t really know unless you’ve researched it.  If you want to do some research, the antiques roadshow website is a great resource.  Otherwise, get a sense of what something is worth to you.  If you want it, what are you willing to pay for it?  If you feel like you’re being swindled, walk away.  There are some great vendors out there and some not-so-great ones.  You aren’t obligated to buy anything you don’t feel is worth the price.

5. Enjoy the experience.  Being outside on a nice day is great for the spirit.  Be inspired by things, a bit conservative with your cash, but overall just have a relaxing day!

To preface tomorrow’s post on finding cool things at flea markets I thought I would share my reasons for spending so much time shopping for “old stuff”‘.

Really, they just don’t make ‘em like they used to.  The quality of things made by hand is almost always greater than mass-production.  And while we can get artisan made goods these days, the comparative price is vastly different.  Today handcrafted products are at a premium – you have to pay to make up for the fact that they could have used a machine and made 10 times as many in the same amount of time.  In days past, people were paid a lot less for their work because they required a lot less to live comfortably.  These days it basically comes down to price vs quality.  A balance is good, but I usually vote quality.

I’m also a big fan of objects with character.  Don’t get me wrong, I love clean lines and simple layouts, but I like my home to feel lived in and show signs of age.  I like to mix old and new, to cultivate (there’s that word again) a style that’s inviting and comfortable.  A little rust or a couple scratches shows that something has a story, and I like stories.

Yes, I love old stuff.  Maybe it’s because I’m getting older..maybe I just like being around things that are older than me – like my husband (hopefully he thinks that’s funny too).  Who knows.