{ Thrifty Cottage Garden Porch Inspiration }

Hey pals - WELCOME BACK!! What a weekend it's been.. So busy, but so fun!! We enjoyed the beautiful 70 & sunny weather with barn thrifting with our niece, errands, bike shopping for our niece, bonfires & lots of yardwork!! It's been an accomplishing weekend but also sooo cozy & fun!! Today is cinco de mayo so we're enjoying tacos & finishing yardwork that has piled up through our SUPER long Michigan winter this year. One area I was determined to get clean, fresh &  bright was our front porch!! After a long day, Kayla { our niece } & I unloaded all our finds from barn thrifting with my mom at our local barn & got to work. I love that miss Kay loves decorating too...{ I think she was around me too much when younger } ha.  Anyways come see our new front porch & some thrifty finds!!! 

 

So, I have to give credit to my momma on this awesome huge vintage metal plant stand!! She spotted it & it had to come home with me & bonus it was on sale for $40!! 

I added some vintage treasures & these antique chairs also from our local barn..We snagged these finds for $3 for both!! I spruced them up a bit with some white chalk spray paint but left the rusty charm still on them.

 

All the greenery is from various stores or thrifts..The larger boxwood tree is from IKEA.. I decided to go a little out of my comfort zone by adding yellow to pair with vintage mini terracotta at the top of the stand. I love how the yellow brought out the space & added that vintage charm for spring/ summer.

Once the weather stabilizes here in Michigan, then I'll be adding some real plants to all these terracottas!! 

 

All the pots are from the barn sale as well & they were all super cheat..Fill a box for $5..score!! 

 

I hope this post was super cheery & inspirational for you. A bunch of thrifty finds, cozy sunny antiquing & time spent outdoors finally!! 

▪︎ What was your favorite part of the porch?!

HAPPY SUNDAY/ MONDAY!

Paige.Rose

{ Living Room Console Table Makeover }

Hey pals I did something I haven't done in quite sometime..I PAINTED a piece of furniture!! This piece isn't new to us by any means. It's been in our basement for years sitting behind the sofa. It worked nice there but never got much attention & it was an undesirable orangey wood. It's a great piece of sturdy furniture from the " Lane " Collection but was super outdated! We actually got this piece, the sofas & matching coffee table when we first moved to this house many moons ago!!! The other day after a not so great doctor appointment I needed something to calm my nerves down.  I grabbed some leftover white paint & my trusty brush & got to work. Come see the after below!

 

So, again I forgot to take a before picture. I did have this one from a prior post. I wish I would have gotten a proper before picture but I start things on a whim ha. 

 

I love the fresh cohesive look of the white!! I even noticed it made my plants look fresher ha. As you can the Ivy is flourishing while the Lemon Button Fern looks sad....

 

After applying two thin " worn in"  coats I let the table dry completely then applied some dark wax to the corners etc... for that rustic look. In all honesty it's not completely done, but I was sore & ready to photograph. I need to distress it & add more charm + character.

 

I like to call this my little garden table. It's long, sturdy & right when you walk up into the living room.  It's the perfect drop zone.

 

I hope you loved this fresh space. It makes me happy & with my medical stuff going on it's the little things these days.

Paige.Rose

{ Cozy Cottage Easter Mantel Styled Two Ways }

Happy Tuesday, pals!! Well, today is the big day..I see my new primary doctor! To say I'm nervous is an understatement but I'm ready to get answers too. I had not planned on doing any Easter decor this year but then I found the cutest mugs @homegoods & couldn't resist! The mugs were super affordable & just simple + neutral enough to use on the mantel in the living room. They're just decorative mugs, so they were perfect in this space! I also did something a bit different for you guys & style the mantel TWO WAYS, because I couldn't decide which I loved more!!! So, bonus double posts for you guys...I really hope you enjoy this!! See full post below..

-F i r s t  W a y

 

So, for both display stylings I used the same decor on the mantel other than moving the lamps & candlesticks. I loved the simplicity yet festive feel I came up with. Nothing extravagant but still cozy. Mugs, carrots, greenery & some vintage pieces of course.

 

This way { the 1st } I set a crock with old wood spindles in front of the fireplace screen. I also added some green & cream check pillows for warmth & texture!

 

This style is more bold & a little less spring-ish!! The darker tones etc.. 

- S e c o n d  W a y

 

This way adds light & bright charm. The light textured basket, springy greenery & cozy neutral floor pillows!!

 

 

I know I'll be asked which my favorite style was, but honestly with just the minimal changes, I LOVE both. This is one of the reasons I shared both...I'm super indecisive & have a hard time making a decision in fear of the wrong one. Fortunately, with decor you can play & change things to your liking without huge consequences most of the time haha.

I hope you guys loved this different kind of post. How do you like the " two for one" post ideas?! I think it's a nice twist on being tied to one look in each post!! 

HAPPY TUESDAY!

PAIGE.ROSE

{ Bring Antiques into your Home The SAFE Way }

Happy April 11th, my little sister's big 30th!! As I was shopping around for her { she loves mid century collections} something hit me...I've never shared a post about how to safely bring found treasures/ antiques into your home! I really wanted to share this because I've sadly made the horrible mistake of not doing some of these & let's just say it wasn't pleasant. Most of these tips are super simple & most do but we all can get side tracked or excited to display a new piece & forget.  Keep reading below for the tips & what happened to us....

 

So, about 7 years ago we brought a vintage piece into our home & displayed it in our lower level. Fast forward a few weeks or even month later & we had tiny little baby brown spiders sharing our home...YES, spiders!! I'm always careful to wipe & check for creatures but I missed just a little spot & unfortunately it caused the hatching of spiders! Lesson learned..THE HARD WAY! 

1. LEAD / PAINT!

 

This is probably the most important, especially if you have young children. You can buy lead testing kits at local hardware stores for around $20. These test kits will determine if you have lead paint. If you do you can seal it with special poly. Also you don't want to disturb the paint if it is lead. This means no peeling, chipping it off etc. Leave it & poly, leave it completely or repaint!

 ▪︎ My ways only, proceed with caution at own risk!

                           2. CLEAN!

 

Again, this should be a given, but we all get busy or excited to style a new piece & so on. I usually just use water & wipe everything down really well. If the piece has a smell I'll use antibacterial spray or set in the sun for a bit! 

3. INSPECT FOR CRITTERS!

 

This is the biggest mistake I've made!! I always go over pieces but you have to PRECISELY!! Check every nook & cranny at least twice. Make sure no bugs are hiding or nest remain. 

                         4. DISINFECT!

 

This is something I do with rugs, cushions & shoes..DISINFECT!!!! If you don't like using Lysol or similar sprays because of chemicals there are tons of natural ways to disinfect, but make sure you do. Like I stated above,  I like to wash with a cloth & regular water & then spray with a disinfectant. You never know where old vintage antiques have been. 

I hope these simple tips make for a relaxing time junking, picking..antiquing whatever you call it! It's so fun & rewarding finding that special piece that holds so much charm & history. 

HAPPY THURSDAY!

PAIGE.ROSE

{ How to get Garden Greenhouse Style }

Hey pals! Thanks for popping back in with me today..It's been a busy one but as I'm typing this post up I can't help but think about upcoming warm months, vacation & flea markets!! Yesterday was a big blow for me personally after leaving the doctor's with more appointments but I'm trying to just look forward to the fun things coming up. I also know I need to take more " me time" & just enjoy the ride. I wanted to pop on here today to share something I get asked & well just because I thought I'd help all you spring/ summer decorators. I mean this is my job to help & inspire you all authenticity & thriftly...{ is that a word } ha....you get it. So, today I'm sharing - How to get Garden Greenhouse style- !!!

1. GREENERY ASSORTMENTS!

Okay, this is an obvious tip, but be sure to use many different types of greens & plants/ flowers. The more the merrier & the textures & color variations help give that old cozy chippy white greenhouse feel.
▪︎▪︎ For an extra greenhouse style tip you can use plant markers. I got these white ones for $5 in a pack of 20.

▪︎ Garden Greenhouse Dining Room Post: HERE

2. USE TERRACOTTA POTS!

This is one of my favorite tips & super THRIFTY too. You can buy tons of terracotta pots for super cheap at Dollar Tree or Michaels. They last forever, the more they age the cozier more gardenyyy they look & they add that pop of color with the greenery.

 

▪︎Spring Basement Tips: HERE

3. GALVANIZED GOODS! 

This is the 1 tip that was newer to me a few years back. I always looked at galvanized items as more industrial, which they are too but also garden style as well. Vintage garden tools, trays, olive buckets- ANYTHING!

▪︎  Simple Spring Porch Refresh: HERE

4.  VINTAGE TOOLS/ SUPPLIES!

This is probably the most unique tip, but bring in the tools for gardening for staging. You can get them at Target & they're super cute & add that greenhouse look. Don't be afraid to bring the outdoors in. I also use mine indoors when I'm replanting or moving plants.

5. ADD WOOD!

This brings in texture, but most importantly warmth & a natural element. The chippier the wood the better..at least that's what I think. Any rich or distressed wood furniture, planters, signs etc..

Well that completes this little guide to everything cozy spring greenhouse... Do you like this style? Or incorporate these tips in your home already? I know it's not everyone's style but I hope you got a little springtime inspiration anyway.

Happy Wednesday!
PAIGE.ROSE