Restocking and tuning up~

Thank you! for making our November Market fun, exciting, and memorable~

Now, we can tune up and fill up again! We've already gotten a great start: the trunks in this stack just received a wipe-down of polyurethane, sharpening their old patina~
We've started work on this great dining table. Here is the 'before'~

...and the 'after' (a dark shot) but it shows the table top's newly painted/glazed/waxed finish well~

A little brighter for you here~

It has two leaves....

...and I really have to show you a leg closeup!
More tables - note the smaller pedestal dining table (inverted), and if you've spotted those major legs below - that's an occasional table with drawer, in the dining table's style~

Our December Market is just weeks away (December 1-2-3-4), but we're busy, planning ahead for 2012! Expect great things in the new year, beginning with our January Anniversary Market. ~TERESA

Isn't it about time to show more custom ALAN?

Wow! Who wouldn't want this kitchen? Is this a magazine photo? No~

This is Stacey's newly remodeled kitchen, complete with Alan custom cabinets~
OK, 'before' pictures are a must, to really appreciate the changes. It was a nice kitchen - but how fun to see the inspiring changes Stacey made. Not new to home improvement projects - in the past four years, they've tiled a bathroom, built a deck and moved a door.

Stacey's home just turned 100. Built in 1911, it's a four-square Craftsman - complete with wonderful, wide woodwork and trim. The new kitchen was a major undertaking - beginning with totally gutting the existing room. We can appreciate their hard work!
Stacey: "I love design shows! My favorites are Nate Berkus and Design Star"

Stacey's kitchen transformation would hit high on a list of before and afters!

Alan built about 11 pieces for her new kitchen, which began as seven pages of drawings.

Look at that sink - found in a salvage shop, it was in the 'before' kitchen. A definite keeper, don't you think? Her new countertops are honed granite in Absolute Black. If you've noted the vintage lighting in the after photos, Stacey said there are now two chandeliers, and ceiling fixtures to the right and left of the sink.

Signature Alan style~

Stacey: "There is so much I like about the kitchen now.....the repurposed windows on the cabinets.....I also like the new layout, it is so easy, casual and pleasant.....It was a pleasure working with Alan, he really had great ideas and design input. Many of the details were his idea and they made the cabinets extraordinary (trim, windows......beadboard, etc.)"

Thank you, Stacey, for sharing your kitchen remodel project with us. I know there will be requests for more 'after' photos! ~TERESA

Before and After: painting vinyl

Did this chair......
......really arrive in a recent Sunday Load? (I found her with an end-of-the-estate sale no one wants me look).
Did she begin her Atelier life as a cast-off mauve-pink vinyl chair? Yes! Look at her lines - the great possibilities~

Here she is, getting newly dressed and updated in Behr satin enamel paint~

Have you painted vinyl? It really does turn out great, and wears well~

No rips or tears, we prepped her for paint with a good scrub-down, removing dirt and dust before applying two coats of paint~

The petite button-tufted vinyl ottoman came in the same load. Talk about a fresh, updated look!Good friend Evie was at our JUNE Market - she ran right over and took a seat.

I love the 'before and after' transformations that have me thinking about them long after they're gone. Thanks for posing, Evie!

We love it when you share~

Before and after: HALEYAFTER: Haley found this vintage retail light fixture at The PORCH & Atelier~
BEFORE: the fixture Haley replaced in the entrance porch of her 100 yr old home~
I just have to show 'now' to you again~

Haley removed wallpaper and stripped 'old cracking paint'

Look at her porch entry now!

Haley: "I just love the pieces I have purchased from you". Well, we're very impressed with what you've done! Thank you for sharing your home with us, Haley, and we look forward to more 'before and afters'~

We love it when you share~

~Adorable Jenni visited us at the shop last weekend. We love to hear about the latest decorating fun happening in her vintage bungalow home. She told us about about her freshly painted/restyled master bedroom, and also her studio- and today, we received photos from her! Aren't we lucky?

Her studio. The chair and chandelier are finds from The PORCH & Atelier~I love how her mirror reflects another view of the studio~

Studio view #2: "a frame I bought a while back from you that I made into an inspiration board that is hanging above my sewing table". Jenni is always sporting an adorable bag she's sewn - and not just any bag - wow, check her blog: http://chickpeaandfig.blogspot.com/ What beautiful coves in this ceiling- what an awesome room! Look at the petite window alcove to the left - how very European~

"my bedroom makeover........I made the pillows and coverlet from the old curtains that I had made and had hanging in the room previously. The new curtains are a pair of silk duiponi floor length panels that I had retired from my living room. It's great to reuse!"

Her jewelry/sitting area by those gorgeous windows~

"The white frame I painted a dark grey and made into the jewelry board...." Her jewelry is art when displayed in this way - note that she has a petite print as a focal in the center~

The frame, in the Atelier, where Jenni found it last weekend

I've posted about Jenni before: http://theporchatelier.blogspot.com/2009/09/we-meet-best-people-here.html "....I'm sure you'll recognize the tray and other little nicknacks...I'm using the pewter creamer to hold rings. Love them all!" Jenni gathered this tray, bottles, bird, and candle here last weekend, also (that's a battery-operated votive--not a bad idea for carefree ambience~).

The perfect ending to our post today: "...a beautiful white vase filled with ranunculus that I absolutely love....One of my favorite purchases from Atelier!" Once again, look at the view beyond - wow~ And, if there's one silk flower I can love, it's ranunculus~

We DO meet the best people here - thank you, Jenni! ~TERESA

Chandelier before/after~

You may remember this chandelier~ Shown a few weeks ago in a 'Sunday Load' post, you may have wondered is there any hope? She was referred to as the dirtiest chandelier I've ever found....


And, then she was shown here last week - at our MAY Market; beautiful and clean but not yet lit~ This is what we do here, see the true value under what sometimes looks hopeless, and clean it up - with alot of help, I might add~

Drum roll, please.......here she is, in her full glory~

Look at the light effects of the crystals --she just may convert you to wanting a little bling~ (it happened to Karen, who did the phenomenal cleanup job).

A true hidden treasure, don't you think? Karen, our good friend, took her home and worked on her - for many hours. Tip: she used sudsy ammonia, suggested by her Father. Still, no easy task - I'd attempted her first cleaning, but this is more than spectacular! I hope you can stop by to see her in the Atelier~

~Side note: it's a quiet morning here, with more rain/rain, and as I walked by these 'plaster blank' statuettes in the apartment entry this morning, I noticed they didn't appear to care - not one bit. So, sport your parasol, or gaily dance through whatever your rain is today, and have a great Thursday~ TERESA

Atelier clothing rework

It was a good week for reworking the Atelier clothing display. It's been cloudy and gray outdoors, but the Atelier glowed warm and bright~

Today, we're able to appreciate that wonderful 'window of time' when everything is freshly painted and cleaned, but all isn't back in place. I love stopping to appreciate this beautiful vignette of soft textures. From left: vintage slip; original 1902 embossed tin walls and old fluted window trim, pure linen curtains and soft yellow lights~

We cleaned, painted, and added new track lighting. The exterior door you see here has actually been sealed off for 30+ years, we'll be adding brackets, rods and hooks. We love the Ikea petal light in this window, so we returned it there - that doesn't happen often during a rework here!

Our plans for the finishing touches, some of the clothing will be displayed on the door~

Note the lace bodice and straps, and the bow on the full dropped waist crinoline skirt~

OK, a trash-to-treasure today, also. I found the tennis racks a couple months ago - I just loved everything about them, and admired their patina, wear and colors.

Adding a hanger to the back of the racket, and screwing a vintage closet hook into the handle, they're usefully re-purposed~

I couldn't tell you which one I like best, they all have different qualities to admire~

I wish you something that gives easy appreciation today, TERESA