Village Antiques

Art, Pray, Love: Ex-Votos as Objets d’Art

Village Antiques — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:09:00 +0000

Stunning collection of ex-votos via Veranda, November 2007

Growing up, I was fascinated by a book my Dad used to have in his waiting room, which I used to look at any and every time I was in his office. It was devoted to art inspired by the heart, which was very fitting as he is a heart doctor.

On the cover, I remember, was a beautiful object which I did not recognize at the time, but was intrigued by nonetheless. Later, I found out that the object was an ex-voto.

via Pinterest

You’ve probably seen one of these too and wondered what its significance was.

An ex-voto is or was an offering to God in a material form. These objects are given in fulfillment of a vow, or in gratitude or devotion – like a personal thank you note to God. Ex-votos are designed to be placed in a church or chapel where the worshipper seeks grace or wishes to give thanks. In many cases, they are signed and dated, with an explanation of why the giver is offering thanks.

This tradition began in Italy in the 15th century – that’s why you so often find ex-votos in French and European decor. Rich patrons would commission artists to paint miracles that they wished for or that they had been granted.

These artistic objects are very personal, but also quite public expressions of faith in God and thanks for blessings received – which makes their history really quite fascinating.

via Pinterest

Ex-votos come in many forms, from candles to paintings and metal objects. My favorites are the heart-inspired ex-votos, which are often made in silver or gold and encrusted with jewels.

French antique silver ex-voto, via alhambraantiques.com

Ex-votos, in all their different forms, were designed for worshippers who wanted to give thanks. But they also served as testimony to visitors who came later, to show that guidance or blessings had been bestowed. They embodied a perfect triangle of emotion – faith, love and beauty.

Like so many of my inspirations, these pieces are bound up with the religious tradition and history of Europe. The ex-votos would often be collected at a shrine where pilgrims would gather to pray, so everyone could see these very tangible symbols of devotion. Even today, collections of ex-votos can be seen at famous sites like the church at Montmartre in Paris.

From a design point of view, the ex-voto holds endless possibilities. I love the idea of collecting lots of these beautiful objects, and creating a lovely showcase. Can’t you just imagine these in shadow box frames and turned into an art gallery? Wow, that would be so gorgeous!

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I love this ex-voto grouped together with gilt fragments in this glass box – what a great way to showcase all the little accessories we love to collect!

via Pinterest

Whenever I travel, I’m always on the hunt for these, as they are very hard to find. Even at our own shop, these are the only ones we have right now.

It’s funny how something that inspired me so much as a little girl still does today. That’s the beauty in antiques and one-of-a-kind pieces with a story. They leave a meaningful impression on you and inspire you for years to come.

The Deconstructed Kitchen

Village Antiques — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:13:37 +0000

When we bought our house, very little inside it had been changed since the year it was built, 1951. The floors was clad in linoleum and there were bubblegum pink walls and carpets everywhere. There was definitely a serious face-lift required! However like anyone else, we had to budget each project and work on them one at a time.

One of those must-do projects is our kitchen. It’s already had a minor facelift, but now I really want to do a major renovation. Of course, first I’ll have to convince my dear hubby that this is a worth-while cause!

As my tastes have evolved over the six years that we’ve lived here, I’ve come to realize that I love, love, love openness in many aspects of the home. I feel very drawn to those gorgeous open floor plans that you see nowadays, with one family area which includes a great room, a kitchen and a breakfast room. Gone are the days of formal living and dining rooms. Now it’s all about practical, usable spaces that work for modern living.

I’m always trying to find ways to open things up at home. When we did our first renovation, we took down two walls separating the kitchen from the great room. But now I feel I want things to be even more open. And I would really love to bring more antiques into the decor. But first I need to consider, how much open is too open?

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When I saw this kitchen, I was so inspired! I love the warmth and casual feel of this space. Doesn’t it just invite you in? This is a room I would want to sit in for hours! I wonder, could I adjust without those upper cabinets that we are all so used to for storing all the dishes?

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Or how about this? How organized do you have to be to keep this looking beautiful? Now I’m actually pretty organized about my dishes, so there’s only one thing that wouldn’t fit into this design scheme: all of my babies’ gloriously colorful sippy cups, Thomas the Train bowls and plates, and so forth. Hmm, what do to with those – certainly a designer challenge.

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Another great eat-in kitchen. I LOVE this antique pine table being used both as an island and eat-in area. This is a great way to incorporate a found piece into your kitchen.

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And the same with this space. Another room I could really live in. I am sure all the dishes are stored in the piece to the left. I adore this kitchen, somehow this one really speaks to me.

So what’s the secret to the deconstructed kitchen?

The right space planning is key to accomplishing a lovely deconstructed kitchen design. You would really need to plan your space and be sure to include the right type of storage, so that all your kitchen items would have a home. After all, you might have a lot of gorgeous creamware to display, but what about the trays, pots, pans, blenders and so on?

The lower cabinets are ideal for storing all these kinds of items. Many don’t need to be accessed that often and so are best kept at a lower level. I would also include a tall piece such as an armoire, cabinet or even wire rack to hold the things you want to reach easily everyday.

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And of course you can have open shelves for your dishes.

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Or if you really feel that you couldn’t manage without upper cabinets, you could consider replacing the middle wood panel with glass or chicken wire to create that open feeling.

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Next, I would look for a piece that you could use as an island and an eat-in area. Most of these kitchens have this in common, and using an antique creates that grounded, earthy lived-in feeling that I love!

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This could be a trestle table, wine table, pine farm table.. the options are endless. Take a look at these:

This gorgeous antique table in the center of the room adds so much warmth and texture.

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Once you’ve taken the down the cabinets (or at least modified the doors) and found your center table/island, the rest is simply in the details. Take a look the gorgeous accessories in these pictures that truly make each kitchen!

via Pinterest

There is so much to admire here! I love the pop of colour provided by the pretty majolica, and that Swedish clock has real rustic charm. Don’t you just want that linen skirt and those breadboards for your own kitchen?

via Pinterest

That island is just so pretty, isn’t it, with that scalloped trim? I’m also loving those fabulous candlesticks and the oversized pail of lavendar. Even the cow’s head makes quite the statement!

And last not but not least, ahhh, less is so much more! This gorgeous, gorgeous kitchen by designer Pam Pierce is just divine. I could cook and live in this kitchen.

via Pinterest

So be sure to share, what do you think of the deconstructed kitchen concept? Do you love it – or do you prefer a more traditional concept? I love hearing your feedback every week, it’s so inspiring!

Intaglio Inspiration

Village Antiques — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:55:33 +0000

Whenever I’m off antiquing I’m always on the lookout for a few extra intaglios. What are those, you might ask? Intaglios are circular ivory pieces that are carved with faces or figurines. The images are made by cutting or carving into the surface of each piece rather than featuring them in relief.

I find these carved discs so beautiful – I think I’m almost addicted! I can’t pass by one without seriously considering buying it. Luckily my hubby loves them too because of their neat history and beautiful simplicity, and he’s usually just as thrilled to find one!

You might have seen these before, as they are amazing to decorate with, but another great thing I love about them is their history. Remember The Grand Tour? This was a traditional trip taken by young upper-class men around Europe, a part of their education in understanding classic antiquities and the Renaissance period from 1660 to 1840. They would travel from England to France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and so on, in search of art, culture and the roots of Western civilization.

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These trips were considered a rite of passage, and part of them was commissioning paintings and buying antiques like books and intaglios. The images formed on intaglios told stories of the antiquities, and so these too became a symbol of refinement and artistic wealth.

So as you can see there is a rich history associated with these gorgeous little pieces. Now on the fun stuff, they are wonderful to decorate with. A grouping of intaglios on the wall makes for a very unusual focal point, and is guaranteed to draw attention. Take a look this bedroom; I love how the ivory intaglios contrast so beautifully with the deep chocolate background. So perfect for a warm and cozy bedroom!

via Amy D. Morris Interiors

Of course, putting the intaglios into a fancier frame creates even more of an effect. What do you think of this cluster of intaglios set in ornate blue and gold frames? The placement of the intaglios, along with the shape of the frames, makes me think of two oversized brooches on the wall – just beautiful!

via Cote de Texas

Here are a few more inspiring projects that use intaglios:

via Pinterest

What do you think: how would you use intaglios in your own space? Let us know!

Modern Art & Antiques

Village Antiques — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:53:32 +0000

When customers come to our store, they often ask me the same questions. Can I mix periods? Can I mix styles? Can I mix countries? The short answer to all of these questions is YES! When designing projects, I love to do all of the above. And one of my favorite ‘mixes’ is to combine modern art with anything old!

Have you ever looked at a piece of modern art and thought, “My 4 year old could do that!” Well my hubby and I sort of had the same feeling at first. But sooon after we got married, we signed up for a 12 week abstract art class, and it totally changed our perspective. Little did we know how much layering, balancing, and understanding of contrast and scale was needed. It gave both of us a deeper appreciation for the subtlety of modern art.

Today I find great joy in incorporating modern art with antique pieces. I love the juxtaposition of these styles as they really reflect how we live, incorporating ideas of classism and tradition with new home decor and new art. I’m a firm believer in supporting local and modern art. Without it, what will history books look back on and study about our times?

Take a look at the gorgeous abstract art above this pretty antique console. I love how beautiful it looks against the classic paneling, and with those elegant side chairs inspired by the classic klismos chair! This is a great example of bringing modern day to centuries’ old design.

via Pinterest

Or how about this entrance? Again, the contrast of the modern canvas against this Rococo console table is striking!

via Pinterest

Here’s another great example of decorating with pieces of different styles, possibly different centuries. I just adore all the movement in this great modern art piece contrasted with those all of those beautiful antiques.

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I love this grouping of five modern pieces with the classic Louis XVI fauteuils.

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But how do you do this when you are decorating from scratch?

The trick to accomplishing this is to find a piece that can work well with a piece of modern art. I love creating this look over a wider foyer table or a buffet – for which I would use an antique piece. These wider pieces allow for the width of a larger canvas, and give you the surface area to include a bigger, statement piece. If you look at the images above you will see that these wider consoles, demi-lunes and buffets provide the perfect backdrop for a large piece of artwork, which is what provides the drama, intrigue and gorgeous juxtaposition of old and new.

Here are a few great modern art pieces that we have right now. Any of them would be stunning paired with an antique buffet or console.

On a smaller scale, these pieces would be perfect over a little commode.

So what do you think? Do you love mixing modern design elements with classic antique pieces?

Designing with Antique Doors

Village Antiques — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:14:22 +0000

Found objects represent a fabulous source of inspiration for me. When I was a child, my younger brother, sister and I would love to go bike riding for hours through our neighborhood and pick up tile remnants, moldings and other pieces left over from the sites where new construction was taking place. It should have been a sign for me when my little basket’s bottom fell out from the weight of all the little pieces I had collected. I should have known that being on the hunt for one-of-a-kind things was going to be my heart’s passion.

Today I still thrive on that thrill of discovery, but my ‘special finds’ are usually old doors, iron remnants, architectural fragments and the like. There are so many ways to use these pieces in your home, but sometimes customers find they are inspired by our pieces without really knowing how to utilise them.

So today I’m focusing on one element from the found treasures category, and that is antique doors.

I love the idea of using old antique doors that are rich with patina in our design projects. A great place to use one old door is leading into a powder bathroom. This is such a centrally located room, all of your guests are sure to see a lovely entry and appreciate the beauty of an old door.

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If you can find two matching doors, it’s nice to use them to break an entry into a great room, a sitting room, or even a butler’s pantry.

via The Vintage Nest

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What do you think about this idea of using a pair of doors as a headboard? Believe it or not, this is popular with a lot of people!

via Apartment Therapy

These barn doors remind me of shutters. I love how you can repurpose these architectural items to bring real warmth and coziness to the interior of your home.

via Decor de Provence

Here are some of the antique doors we have in the shop right now.

So do you feel you could incorporate antique doors into your decor? Remember, they don’t have to be used in the same way that they were originally! Doors can be built in, hung on the wall, used as a backdrop, a room divider… the options are endless.

If you are looking for something like this to add a sense of style to your space, follow my design tips: Look for doors you love, and be flexible about the size as long as they aren’t too tall for your space. Carpenters can build around doors, creating new panels or bringing down the sheetrock to meet the door. These old doors do not need to match the height of the doors you currently have – the point is that they are special and repurposed and should stand apart from the architecture. As with anything, look for a piece that inspires you!

We look forward to seeing you at our Spring Fling on April 26th from 6-9 pm.

Spring Trends: Part II

Village Antiques — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:21:50 +0000

There are so many fun ideas and great pieces we’re seeing this Spring that we’re continuing with our seasonal trend report in this post.

Last week we were talking about all the gorgeous spring colors we’re seeing these days. They’re even making their way into the furniture I work with. Spring fabrics are full of fresh vitality and the furniture is reflecting the color trend too, I just love it!

Take a look at this darling Swedish side chair with a classic pale yellow and cream check fabric! It would be ideal next to a little side table, or as a vanity chair.

This gorgeous, tall chest of drawers just came into the shop. I love how the pale green of the piece is offset with cream. How would you use this? I think it would be just perfect as a place to store jewelry.

And last but not least, we’re seeing a move towards a much more open style of seating with the resurgence of caned back pieces and chicken wire. If you’re looking to add freshness to your decor this spring, nothing could be more light and airy.

Although it originates in Asia, caned furniture has become seen as quintessentially French. European countries started importing it from places like Indonesia and India in the seventeenth century, eventually setting up production at home. You can imagine how light and clean they found the new caned styles after using old-fashioned, heavy wood furniture for centuries!

Caned furniture was so popular in France that even Marie Antoinette reportedly performed her morning beauty routine in a covered caned chair.

If it’s good enough for a queen – it’s certainly good enough for me! I personally just adore caned pieces, and have them scattered throughout my house, including my dining room chairs and a bed frame in our guest room. I love how light and fresh they look, especially with a painted finish. If you are trying to keep a room from feeling too heavy, then this is the perfect texture!

Here are a few caned back pieces I love right now.

So there you have it: last week we looked at spring color trends, and now we’ve covered furniture trends too. If you’re wondering where the inspiration for these posts came from, be sure to stop by and take a look at all the beautiful, fun new pieces we have in right now. And if you haven’t done so, please rsvp for our Spring Fling; we hope to see you on Friday April 26th, starting from 6pm!

Spring Color Inspirations

Village Antiques — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 06:45:07 +0000

It’s that wonderful time of the year again – spring! After being tucked away in the winter doldrums for months, we can now finally enjoy some gorgeous weather and a little bit of extra sunshine. And of course, with spring comes some fabulous fresh spring inspiration.

Today I wanted to share a few of the things that are inspiring me this spring. And we’re trying something different this time: our first video blog! Here you can see some of the sources of our inspiration.

And for those of you who prefer good ol’-fashioned text over video, here a few of our favorite spring trends:

One thing I’m excited about is the fact that we’re seeing such a lot of color popping up everywhere, especially rich yellows and soft pinks. I’m loving the subtle hints of pink that are appearing here and there. It reminds me of the all the beautiful azaleas in bloom right now!

Pink is such an elegant, sophisticated color; it’s one of my hubby’s favorite shades on me, and in flowers. I have to say, I love it too. Here are a few current pieces with that gorgeous pink coloring:

I adore this plush lumbar pillow, perfect on a settee, sofa or bed.

Another great piece with a hint of pink is this pretty Venetian glass mirror.

As much as I love my subtle blue and gray, there’s something just so appealing about fresh pops of color, like in these vintage art pieces and antiques. You just can’t help falling for all those fresh floral spring shades of yellow, green and blue.

Even though this has a muted background, I love the hints of pink and yellow that just bring this scene to life.

And how about these gorgeous cobalt blue glass jars? These are perfect for a pop of vibrant color in your home, or even maybe your beach house.

And of course there’s white, a classic color to use when wanting create freshness and contrast. Can’t you imagine these lovely containers filled with pink and purple tulips?

And last not but not least, white ironstone or plates can help create an intriguing wall display.

I hope this gorgeous weather and all the lovely flowers in bloom are inspiring you this spring. Be sure to share your inspirations with us!

French Antiques 101

Village Antiques — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:32:50 +0000

How many of you are getting ready for Round Top? Or as I call it: “Antiquing Texas-Style”!

Round Top is a tiny town in Texas that hosts one of the most spectacular antique shows in the US. From junkyard finds to the most exclusive European antiques, you’ll find it all at Round Top. This time of year it’s particularly fun, as you get to enjoy the blue bonnets as you travel up the freeway, soak up the gorgeous weather and enjoy the wonderment of beautiful (and not-so-beautiful) period pieces!

Sometimes when you’re shopping, you’ll find the dealers referring to pieces with their original names, especially French pieces. So today I decided to share our French Furniture guide with you, so you can be ready to impress the dealers as you look around!

Canape (Cana-pay)

A canape is a carved wood frame French sofa with an upholstered seat and back that became stylish during the Rococo and Neoclassic period under Louis XV and Louis XVI. This kind of piece is similar to a French settee and is also like a French sofa. They are classic designs that are still popular today.

Custom canape by Amitha Verma Designs

Available at Village Antiques

Fauteuil (Fo-too)

A fauteuil is a carved French side chair, with open sides. This kind of chair might be upholstered or have caning along with the carved wood frame. These chairs emerged during the Rococo period and became very popular with many different interpretations. These are very classic French chairs, and though they sometimes comes with a modern touch – a bold patterned fabric, or a lacquered finish – they are usually to be found in the most classic designscapes.

Available at Village Antiques

Bergere (Bur-jair)

A bergere is another type of French side chair. The difference between this and the fauteuil is that the bergere is closed all the way around. A bergere has an upholstered seat and back, and will often have an additional seat cushion. This is a classic, classic Louis XVI chair, perhaps one of the most famous pieces of French furniture. You’ve probably seen many different variations and interpretations of this chair.

Available at Village Antiques

Gueridon

A gueridon is a small circular table that is used as a little side table. I love the geometry of these tables, they are so perfect to slip in between a pair of chairs or by the side of a sofa.

via 1stdibs.com

If you are an avid antique shopper, you will often find that these antiques are referred to by their original classifications. And now you’ll know exactly what those names refer to. Have fun in Round Top and hope to see you soon at the shop!

Tips for a Spring Spruce-Up!

Village Antiques — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 07:57:57 +0000

Spring is here, and the gorgeous weather just makes me feel like throwing on a pair of yoga pants and decluttering my house from top to bottom!

One of my favorite things to do twice a year is just pull out all the contents of our closets and cabinets and reorganize them. It just makes me feel better to simplify, sort out and update.

How many of you have just the right amount of storage space in your home? If you do, I’m so envious! We barely have one shallow closet in each room, which leaves with me very limited storage options, so I love getting creative with storage solutions!

Believe it or not, our antique store is actually a great place to look for pieces to help you get organized. Vintage pieces like large baskets can be spread throughout the house to help organize shoes, socks, linens, extra pillows and much more. These are also great for home office spaces where clutter can accumulate.

via Pinterest

Check out a few of the baskets we have in the shop right now.

I could see these layered in a mudroom or even home office. And don’t you just love the little metal touches on them? Metal tones are so in right now, these are totally on trend.

I love this work table with the basket underneath. This is how I like to look at fabrics, paints and other things I don’t need right away but like to catch a glimpse of now and then.

via Roses & Rust

Or how about a basket to tuck away in a closet, or even in a great room to hold linens and extra pillows?

I love this use of a basket in a bathroom – it makes having a lack of storage a charming problem to solve.

via Hamstersphere.blogspot

Another great piece to help with organization is an antique armoire. We tend to think of armoires as useful only for housing televisions, but investing in one of these pieces is a really beautiful way to create storage. The best thing about them? Everything is accessible from a standing position, so you don’t have to bend over to reach the things you’ve stored inside.

via Pinterest

Can’t you just imagine this gorgeous French armoire filled with down pillows, extra linens and all your cozy winter sweaters!?

It just goes to show – when you think of storage, you should always think outside the box, literally! Not everything has to fit into pristine white built-in cabinets. I have an armoire in our master bedroom that houses all my sweaters and scarves, and one in the guest room which my mom often uses when she visits, and where we store all our holiday linens.

I can see these filled to the brim with linens, or baby clothes, or even all those stacks of books and magazines you never know what to do with!

Here are a few new pieces we just got in:

Another great storage piece I love is a commode or chest of drawers. These are so lovely, and perfect when used next to a bed, or as as a petite dresser. Usually they have three drawers, and so are another great place to store items. I recommend using this space for storage you need in your room, like for children’s toys, socks, undergarments, books and so forth.

via Pinterest

Isn’t this room so inspiring?! And I could sure store a lot of things away in that gorgeous commode!

via Pinterest

Another lovely room with a few of my favorite colors. I love the wallpaper in this room – what do you think, could you live with a wallpapered bedroom? I’m thinking about it, but that subject will have to wait for another post…

via Better Homes

All I can say is classic, classic, classic!

I used to get frustrated by the lack of storage in my home, and now I squeal with excitement at all the opportunities (blank walls) that I can fill with commodes, chests, armories and secretaries, which is what I’m always on the hunt for. My dear hubby feels like I make up rooms when I find a fabulous piece we can add in!

Here are a few gorgeous chests or commodes that would be just beautiful in a bedroom.

And if you have the room, a traditional full-length dresser can add just the perfect vintage touch.

I could go on and on about all the lovely storage items that we currently have, but I’ll reserve a few for our Facebook pictures.

I’ll leave with you with one last image of a pantry project where we custom designed all the cabinetry and millwork designs to fit the client’s storage needs – that’s how much we love organizing! My other favorite organization tip: once I’ve got my “beautiful antique pieces”, I make sure to pay a visit to the Container Store. I always wait for the Holiday Card to come out every year and get 20% off on all my cubbies and containers. Between my few gorgeous French antiques and my containers, I make progress every spring and fall!

Till next week… happy organizing!

Glass Masterclass

Village Antiques — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:12:00 +0000

One of our latest projects in the shop has got me all excited these days. It’s a beautiful new kitchen with cabinets painted in a lovely color called Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore. But what I really love is how they are offset by some gorgeous Depression glass-inspired knobs, accented with polished nickel.

Our beautiful kitchen at Village Antiques

via House of Antique Hardware

Depression-glass inspired knobs and classic subway tile backsplash with carrera marble countertop

I came to learn about this lovely type of glass when my husband and I first purchased our current house, which was originally built in 1951. All of the doors had these gorgeous antique cut glass doorknobs with a brass backplate. My husband wanted something modern and fresh and asked our contractor to pull all the door hardware off and replace it with modern polished nickel hardware. I quickly shrieked, “Nooooo!” I was adamant: we had to keep the original hardware, it was inspired by classic Depression glass!

via House of Antique Hardware

Now you might be thinking, Depression glass… what’s that? Well, there’s an interesting story behind this style of glassware!

In the late ‘20s, right up until the early ‘40s, glass manufacturers started mass producing a low-cost, clear or translucent glassware that we now call Depression glass. In those dark and dreary days of the Great Depression, the glass pieces were handed out free at stores and movie theatres or packaged into food boxes, as an incentive to leave home and spend money in effort to boost the economy.

via K and M Antiques

Even though the glass wasn’t the best quality, the colors and designs must have cheered people up a little, and Depression glass became popular and people looked forward to collecting these little pieces. And don’t think this glass was limited to those with lower incomes. When Jackie Kennedy became First Lady, she even used a line of Depression glass as the official glassware for the White House!

via First Class Glass

I have to say, for me, one of the appeals of Depression glass has to be the fanciful colors. It comes in so many different shades, including green, pink, blue, amber and yellow – which means it can add a really uplifting pop to your décor! No wonder people still love to display their favorite pieces! You often see these in stemware and those classic glass knobs we all love so much.

via House of Antique Hardware

Isn’t it great that a design element with so much history has made a place for itself in the modern designscape? Along with its quirky charm, Depression glass resonates with the history of difficult time and the determination of our people to survive it. What a great thing to celebrate with an antique piece!

We ended up keeping all of the gorgeous original hardware, brass and all, in our home, and now my dear hubby loves this classic glass! I love antiques that represent something – a struggle, an ideal, or a historic event. Do you have a piece that inspires you in the same way?