BEFORE & AFTER || teak dining table transformation

Nothing excites me more than finding a diamond in the rough; a beat up, tossed aside or flat out ugly treasure that's crying out to be refinished, refurbished or even re purposed.  Our dining room table was one of these hidden gems. For a cool $350 (including delivery) this gorgeous antique Danish, teak table would become the future meeting place for dinner parties, game nights and crafting projects for many years to come.

Its unique oval shape fit well into our tight space, it had a beautiful base and an extra leaf which made this baby a done deal! I couldn't live with teak, it's nice, but not my style, so I decided I would stain it black (a choice that was NOT popular with the purist, craftsman we hired to do the dirty work).

Before: sad little fellow

Personally, I LOVE the transformation! Went from flat to glam in just a few short days and it tucked in perfectly to our petite dining area.

After: black beauty

It's a beautiful, well made vintage piece that I can keep around forever, and with a $400 stain job and a grand total of $750 all in, I feel like I won the furniture lottery!

WEEKEND GETAWAY || new york - the design

I'm back from the big apple and you better believe my socks were knocked off by all of the beauty, culture and design porn that makes New York one of the best cities on earth.  I'm going to let the pictures in this post speak for themselves, a feast for the eyes.

First stop, Tory Burch boutique on Madison Ave, the highlight of our trip. First of all, the store is a giant jewel box, brass, bold colours and shiny fixtures, stunning! Then, unexpectedly the store clerk offers us beer and champagne; we sit, we sip and simply take in this New York moment, something money couldn't buy, just us and the bevies in a glorified walk-in closet. Heaven.

Moving on to the Brooklyn Flea, so many fab finds, If I could of fit this sensational ceramic stool in my suitcase, I'd be staring at it right now.

Next, well...let's just say the "mecca", my personal holy land, Bergdorf Goodman's, Kelly Wearstler boutique.  It literally took my breath away, I was SO excited to be there, nerdy I know. What would you do for one of those funky head sculptures?! *faint*

And the Kdub party didn't stop there. I creepily peeked my head into the BG cafe on the 7th floor, that Kelly herself designed, just to get a glimpse of at least one hollywood glam detail. Hubs saw the awe in my eyes (and maybe a little tear too), and suggested we stay for a drink, yes please, 1 pink champagne coming up! 

I totally want to add this moulding detail to our guest bedroom, maybe too big of a task, but I LOVE!

On our last day just before we boarded the plane my friend suggested hitting up ABC Carpet & Home , boy was that the best idea EVER! This place was so huge and so inspiring, you need a week and a drool rag to get through it all.

Around every corner this enchanting city has something visually pleasing, from architecture to art and everything in between; I came back a better women, and no doubt a more envious one too.

FOUND || antique markets

Over the weekend I went antiquing; one of my top 5 fave things ever!  I hit up 3 different shops in and around my hometown.  It was a successful trip, found some drool worthy treasures, and while I was shopping I realized I’ve developed a bit of a strategy, some rules I live by when I’m rummaging through vintage shops and markets. Here are some tips that help me sift through the junk and find the real gems!

One of a Kind Antique Mall in Woodstock



TIP ||  go where no (wo)man has gone before

I’ve found it’s the little places off the beaten path that have the greatest finds; they may be off the map for some or too dingy for others but for me, the sketchier the better, less picked over and usually a lot more interesting.

TIP  ||  look up, look way up!

These markets can be completely overwhelming, packed to the gills; I keep my head on a swivel. Make a conscious effort to look up. You can find everything from: beautiful light fixtures, funky antlers, retro art, mismatched chairs, and  vintage bikes.