Thursday Thrifting

You can often find me perusing my favorite vintage stores around Portland. I love finding interesting and unusual pieces. Pieces with history. Pieces with strong bones and excellent craftsmanship..built to last. So, without further adieu, here are a few of this week's findings.

The first set of photos is from my all time favorite Portland vintage store...Lounge Lizard on 13th and Hawthorne. They have quality mid century modern pieces and their inventory is constantly changing. It's organized, too. Often vintage stores are filled to the max with stuff and it can be a little overwhelming. So, thank you for your neatness, Lounge Lizard. It is much appreciated.

Crazy huge orange chandelier. Wouldn't this look great in an all white room with high vaulted ceilings?

MCM appetizer tray with brass handle

Set of acrylic chairs and dining table with tulip base. I actually have one of these chairs in my studio. Reupholstered it and it looks fantastic. 

Chair in my studio

MCM ceramic pitcher with teak detailed lid

The second set of photos comes from a little store that Eric and I stumbled on the other day called Old Portland Hardware. Well, we thought it was little. Turns out it is actually 5,000 sqft of architectural salvage. REALLY fascinating stuff. I would definitely recommend checking this place out. Here's a few of the things we came across.

French Provincial Double Door from Egypt

Door detail

Pair of Corinthian Columns. Quick history lesson: Corinthian columns are the slenderest, most ornate of the 3 classical orders (Corinthian, Doric + Ionic). The capital is often carved with leaf like ornamentation and the shaft is often fluted.

One of these things is not like the other.

Old boiler lid from Portland, I think?

And, I leave you with...a stuffed hyena. I think it's name is Terrance. Any takers?

MCM Miniatures

 This post by Modernica is a must see. http://blog.modernica.net/?p=16107 A spectacular collection of mid century modern miniatures. Makes me miss my days of model building...

Photos: Tim Boyle’s Brinca Dada miniature modern home

Portland Treasures: Cozy Mid Century Lodge

I love snuggling up with a blanket and a good book on a cold winter day in front of the fire. There's nothing like it. So, in lieu of the recent gloomy Portland weather, I thought this an appropriate post.

I was browsing through Apartment Therapy today and stumbled upon a Portland gem. Designed by architect Roscoe Hemenway, this 6000 sqft ranch home won House of the Year in 1954. The owner has undertaken some significant remodels and created a beautiful mid century lodge full of character and taxidermied eccentricity. She has achieved a particularly nice blend between indoor/outdoor spaces by utilizing walls of windows and outdoor seating areas.

It's brooding. It's dark and cozy. A perfect retreat for those cold, rainy Portland days we all know so well. Take a look. Images: Andres Leoncavallo.

living room

living area nook

fireplace 

exterior

covered outdoor living space

covered outdoor living space 

rorschach stags wallpaper

Mid Century Marvels - Hairpin Furniture

Hairpin furniture is the bees knees. It's a mid century staple. I love the way you can juxtapose a heavy slab of wood with hairpin legs to make it appear like it's floating. The good news is..you can do it yourself and it's really affordable. Check out Silvia Song's blog post for a DIY hairpin coffee table.

Here are a few images to show you the possibilities.

1. Hairpin side table, 2. Hairpin Sofa from Modernica, 3. Rare Vintage 60s Bullet Planter, 4. Walnut live edge slab table, 5, 50s Vintage Desk, 6. Buy them at Hairpinlegs.com. Starts at $14, 7. Vintage Art Deco Ironing Board, 8. Paperclip Side Table at CB2, 9. Classic Eiffel Base Side Chair, 10. Scrap wood credenza with hairpin legs

The Adventure Room

Welcome to the Adventure Room. Yes, it's a bedroom. No, not that kind of adventure. We call it the adventure room because it houses all the tid-bits we've picked up in our travels. Originally this was my husband's ONE room in the house that he got to decorate. So, he did. The result? Terrified house guests and hushed whispers of  "What is wrong with these people?" A gigantic kids bed made out of logs, creepy deathmasks, skulls, bull whips,  bullet shell necklaces, fake real-looking pistols...wouldn't you be scared? Needless to say, I had to take action.

First order of business...a new mattress. A big kid one. Cramming two people in a twin bed is never fun. Especially when the massive logs slip out from the bed frame and crash to the ground in the middle of the night sending our guests plummeting to the floor. Sorry, Stephanie. Second order of business...a few quick sketches, a trip to ikea, and a reintroduction of some of our travel goodies artfully placed with the utmost care in (hopefully) an un-terrifying way. Ta da. Done. Problem is...now I like it more than our room. Husband's thoughts? "Where's the rest of my stuff?" 

Scandinavian Inspired Guest Bedroom 

Guest Bedroom with Aztec Calendar

Mask from our trip to Florence, Italy 

Moroccan Death Mask

Bridlemile Times

Just thought I'd share a little side project I've been working on in my free time. I was asked to design and layout a student newspaper for a 4th grade class. What an ingenious class project. Not to mention the articles are adorable. My favorite? Justin Bieber Christmas toys!

Bridlemile Times

Mid Century Marvels: A Vintage Christmas

I love the holidays. Ask anyone. My tree was up and house was decorated the day after thanksgiving. Of course, I would have decorated at the start of fall, but my sensible husband refuses to let me. I have been searching for the perfect mid century tree topper for 2 years now and I found it today!  A red aluminum sputnik starburst tree topper ( see #2). In my search, I came across the most darling mid century Christmas ornaments and decorations.

1. Vintage silver sputnik era tree topper with jeweled center. 2. Red Aluminum Sputnik Tree Topper - 8" (ebay). 4. Sputnik era tear drop ornaments. 5. Vintage Paper Mache Bells, covered in foil with frosted tops. (etsy) 6. Vintage Mid Century Tear Drop Indent Glass Ornament (etsy) 7. Vintage Mercury Glass candy cane ornaments (etsy). 8. Aqua blue tinsel garland reminiscent of the German vintage lametta tinsel. (etsy)  9. A set of vintage sputnik era, blue glass teardrop ornaments. Made in the USA by Paragon Glass Works. (etsy) 10. Vintage Christmas Pixie Ornament (etsy).