Fresh Twist on Vintage Baby Crib

Several weeks ago I was privileged with an invite to search and "pick" through an old boat house on the Ohio River, just overlooking the northern shores of Kentucky. To say that there were treasures within this compound is not enough. This space truly had sacred objects, all collected over one individual's lifetime of passion for things of rare, and true, value.

Now "value" is a word that I have come to find quite meaningful through the last several years. To me, indeed it is a "double-entendre". Or maybe even a "multiple-entendre".

I, along with most, definitely respond first and foremost to value and what the monetary price is associated with any given object. However, there are layers. And I love when "value" goes deeper. What's the value to a memory? Or an association with a dream, idea or concept? Or a person or event?

The value of objects within this boat house were imbued with wordly travel, life experiences, raising children and grand-children, entertaining, and a rich appreciation for all things of beauty and inspiration.

To this, one of the treasured finds was an early 1900's wrought-iron baby crib in sweet pink tones of peony. In one regard, these cribs are monetarily worth quite a bit of money through their age, materials and nostalgia. Yet sadly, they equally are worth very little - as they cannot be used for their original purpose, in not being up to modern society's safety codes. So they sit. And they are stored. And they age some more. And then...they have little to no value. They have no modern purpose, no modern function, no modern place.

Our idea to re-purpose is not a novel one, but it is a successful one! At Lost & Found, I love to present great bones, good materials and authenticity - with a fresh twist and perspective for present day.

With this baby crib we removed one side of the crib gate, re-purposed a plywood board from our stock supply, secured a cushion to it, and re-upholstered it with a whimisical new fabric and play pillow. It's re-interpretation has people adoring it, admiring it, and re-thinking: what one thing is, it can be another...

And I love that! From a little girl's room, to a cottage bay window, to a summer porch, to an adorable pet bed - an early 1900's piece - is now so very today!

Hidden Jewel in Henderson

I had the privilege of traveling to Henderson to visit with one of our favorite customers Ellie and her designer Kip. We stopped by for the day for a quick chat to see how things had gone with the home tour Ellie's house had been included in last week. Ellie lives in a brand new home along the Ohio River that is pretty similar to her previous home. When Evansville had a horrific ice storm a few years ago, Ellie lost her home due to a tragic fire set off by the power outage. Ellie was able to recreate her previous home's footprint with a few new tweaks to modernize it and better the flow of the house.

Ellie has phenomenal taste and it seems to come easy to her, even with the help of Kip. She loves using neutrals with pops of turquoise and red. Modern yet homey and relaxing! Just the place to be on a rainy day when all you want to do is curl up with a good book and nest with a good cup of coffee. Some people might call Ellie's style not the norm because she might be one of the only people to have a deer head hanging in her brand new chic kitchen! Great style and great company,Ellie and Kip thanks for a wonderful day!! Everyone enjoy the weather!!

Warehouse Surprises

This morning we had a great opportunity to visit the warehouse district of Evansville for some great company and interesting finds. Talk about an interesting place, the warehouse is the home to a dogbone company, but in the back warehouse the owner has hundreds of pallets, a couple boats, random cars, and a few hidden gems. Way in the back, Jack, the owner showed us some Indian iron window covers with a Moroccan flair. They had been sand blasted and primed, ready to be painted. What a great way to add charm to a brick wall. Boy were they heavy! At least 80 lbs each!!

You wouldn't believe what else Jack showed us, 2 Indian safes he had brought back from India. Both were in excellent condition and had ornate details on the front. We were under the impression the window covers were heavy but at least 2 burly men, a wheeled cart, and a trailer will be needed to bring them back to the store. Jack has traveled the world many times and his tastes show it.

Later he took Rachel (the intern) and I to his home on the west side. Jack is a man of all trades. Up front he is a business man but once you peel back the layers he tells you about his real passion, wood working. In his backyard you see a workshop he built himself that houses all his tools, to the right of it there is an large unfinished porch framing the most beautiful forested valley. The sounds of the wildlife is extraordinary, no wood peckers on Virginia!! But the most interesting part are these human sized wood bugs he has made. The bodies are made from porch railings and the wings are made from cornices. What a great idea of reusing and renewing! No teaching required!! Enjoy the weather today, hope to see you out and about!

Spring Blues

This beautiful weather has kept us busy. Sarah Wellmeier stopped by the store to pick up a few great pieces including this vintage 1950's crushed blue-turquoise couch. The couch was meant for her studio where it had been hostage for the past few months, but this past weekend she took it Downtown Evansville for fresh air and some blue skies. The perfect setting for an engagement photo shoot!

This vintage couch went straight to Main Street and isn't looking back. Have you ever thought of taking something expected into an unexpected location? This is the time when the inside goes out. This spring weather is fantastic and the humidity hasn't set in. Stop in the store for chandeliers to hang outside in your family's gazebo or use a chest of drawers as a bar or a sophisticated way of storing your summer party goods. Reuse and recycle, have you ever thought of using an old headboard as a plant trellis?

Need some patio art? Why not take some old art frames with some charm to fill that empty space, economical, chic, and sustainable!

Check out Sarah's great talent at her blog: http://sarahwellmeier.blogspot.com/