Remember the guest room makeover last year? I painted old vintage shutters. All that happened after my first trip to Provence in high Summer. Sunny colors of fabulous Vincent Van Gogh paintings, fields of sunflowers, lavender, purple iris, rich red grapes, cobalt blue sea ~ were my inspiration.
Second time around, last October, the glaring sun had faded the countryside. Autumnal shades surrounded me - russet and ochre of the vineyards after the harvest was over, lavender fields turning to dusty gray under paler washed blue skies. Still stunning ~ I loved it all, even more perhaps.
Dried lavender fields and windmill - nr. Minerve, France. Oct. 2008
Last week I dragged the shutters out into the 'cloud shine', better painting when the sun's not too bright.......or scorching hot!
I lightly sprayed unevenly with cream first, then dry brushed with Valspar's Gravity.I like this softer look. On entering the room, which is small, you no longer see the shutters first and foremost!
Vintage monogrammed hemp French pillow cover purchased at La Madone in Provence.
Do your decorating projects occur spontaneously? Do you enjoy refinishing, repainting, re-purposing items in your home?Do you usually buy new furniture, or hunt for gently used, vintage or antique items? Have you ever had a mad moment when, on a trip, you purchased an item which had to be shipped home because those overheads are so minuscule?
How about shipping an entire container load from Europe..............now that's my dream!
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Hi Mary - the shutters look great! I love repurposing items, but sadly a lot of my ideas stay in my head instead of actually being done. I almost never buy new...love antiques and worn-looking items. If it doesn't say old, I'm usually not that drawn to it. A container from Europe? I think I would settle for getting ME to Europe!!! Not that a container wouldn't be fabulous too! ~Lori
ReplyDeleteHi Mary! what a lovely makeover. I think everything in my house has been dragged home from a yard sale or the thrift store. It made my MIL a little crazy, she always wondered when I was going to grow up and buy a "suite" of furniture from the store.
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to buy something fabulous on overseas trips. I've always wanted a giant urn and had the opportunity to have one shipped home with my SIL's household goods coming back from Sicily, but the cost of the urns at the garden center there just sent me reeling so I had to settle for a few small terracota pieces for the wall. But now I've inherited some fabulous urns from my MIL's estate so I'm happy! xo, suzy
I'll split the shipping costs on the container..my dream as well. My first phrase I learn after the emergency stuff is 'DO you ship to America???"
ReplyDeleteIt makes all the difference to me. I've never heard no either.
I love the look of the shutters, very weathered. Great job!!!
I have had mad moments. Many years ago we made a trip to North Carolina and Virginia to visit family. We were living in south Florida at the time.
ReplyDeleteI found a gorgeous dresser in North Carolina and an old iron and brass bed in Virginia. We were driving my parent's huge station wagon, and somehow my expert packing husband managed to get them in the car. To this day, I still don't know how he did it, but it was an extremely tight trip home. I still have and love both pieces.
Love the new look for the shutters. The subtlety is perfection.
This heat is killing me. I am ready for it to be just a little cooler. All of our blooms are drooping.
Oh... my dream... I wish I could ship all the wonderful thing seen in Italy... wouldn't that be great? The shutters are looking amazing!! I think they're perfect for the French Bedroom. Hope you have a great Sunday! Love, Vanessa
ReplyDeletehello. i am glad to have discovered your blog. i also live in nc - in asheville. i will be back.
ReplyDeleteMary,
ReplyDeletewhat faboulous shutters!!!Love it, P.S.
do you have the Portmerion dishes??? I do,
had them for about 19 yrs also have red toile
everyday dishes by Church
best to you
kate
Love the Valspar Gravity paint color! I just might have to try that somewhere...
ReplyDeleteYour sutters look great!
I just love the changes you are making throughout your home Mary! Those shutters look fantastic. Love your new blog header too.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Penny
I love your new look. I sometimes wake up during the night and get up and rearrange something that I dreamed about or had been thing of. I don't buy much anymore. I have so many children that my house is full of things they get for me. I beg them to not buy stuff any more but they still do. I would never think of replacing something one of them got for me. I have asked more for more of their time, but that is in short supply with jobs and families of their own. Blessings
ReplyDeleteQMM
Super cool! I like the new look!
ReplyDeleteHugs, Lisa
The shutters look great with the new color! And I LOVE that pillow. It's so great! Hope you are very well :o)
ReplyDeleteallison
www.mycozyhome.typepad.com
It looks great. I think you were right about the color.
ReplyDeleteTo Allison - wow! where have you been? I've tried to locate you without luck for some time. Really missed you......and was concerned about your absence from blogland.
ReplyDeleteHope all is well with you and your family. I went to your Typepad page however couldn't find a place to leave a comment. Hope you get to read this and can tell me how to get in touch.
Life is busy but good.
Thanks for stopping by -
Hugs - Mary.
Mary, the shutters look so pretty! I think I mostly refresh and repurpose! I very rarely buy anything new and what I do purchase usually needs some altering!
ReplyDeleteManuela
Love the shutters. Anything from Provence!
ReplyDeleteLike the pink cottage, pink is the main theme for houses and cottages here in Essex.
Purple, Lavender and mauve in profusion at the moment. Think it might be my favourite.