Feeling Red

Happy 4th of July everyone~!

Incorporate some RED, White, & Blue and Pink and Tan into the outdoor decor this summer for French Americana!





Can't get enough!~

Fall Decorating au Natural

{Judy's amazing creation for us to enjoy ABOVE!}

Usually we go all out for Halloween decorating. This year has us busier than we've ever been with decorating here and there for clients, leaving us little time for WOW ME holiday decorating...

This year we decided to focus on a more Au Natural Fall Decor Theme, pulling in inspiration from Dear Mother {NATURE,] that is



Clock faces abound at Vintageweave, as does any vintage typography we can lay our hands on! Since none of this is glued down, you can rotate any holiday theme.

{Cloche Halloween Theme; $64 -- VERY LIMITED quantities available by contacting vintageweave@aol.com}

Of course at VW we are most crazy for French Textiles....pillows in muted fall colors....
{French Fall Pillow; $300 includes down insert available by contacting vintageweave@aol.com}

Vintage Vignettes

Dear friend, Jackie, recently relocated from Los Angeles to North Carolina. I first met this amazing woman as a customer of Vintageweave. Her visits became more frequent and within a month she became a client. Shortly thereafter, she became a friend, a treasured friend. Jackie loves to shop almost as much as I do! Her home is filled with lots of Vintageweave treasures and other wonderful finds discovered during her frequent vintage hunting trips. I miss her daily visits, but now enjoy her daily emails...we have fun trying to decorate together over the phone or via email...

"....move the small blue atop the large yellow and the big pink near the green..."

I trust any government employee scanning our emails doesn't think it's Russian Code for a chess game of spy warriors!


Note the Vintageweave Mail Holder in the lower left...Jackie turned it into a unique spice rack...LUV IT!


Jackie has many talents and if you're in the NC area and are interested in becoming a Casting Director, she occasionally teaches classes on this topic when she's not, well, casting.... IF YOU KNOW OF GREAT VINTAGE SHOPS IN/AROUND NORTH CAROLINA, PLEASE SHARE AS SHE CRIES THAT THE AREA IS BARREN and she's needing a fix that UPS can't always deliver from our doors to hers....

Our email decorating discussions are due in anticipation of a November photo shoot for Country Home magazine.(Out around this time next year).

Succulent Maven

Vintageweave is not a garden center, but we are OFTEN called upon to create something wonderful for the garden....we keep a steady variety of unusual offerings in the boutique to help inspire our visitors to plant out of the box...or in some cases, IN the box! Inevitably these are begged off us to be sold or commissioned to be duplicated for their own homes.

If you're looking to add interest to a corner of your home or table, here's my simple trick that's fast, inexpensive and EASY for those from green to yellow to black thumbs!

Step 1: Find your choice of unusual or pretty vessel. If using wood or cast iron, line the edges with ziploc baggy or moss to prevent wood rot or plant burning (in the case of the latter);

{Vintage box $49 and small Parisien Urn $41 both sold at vintageweave.com}
Step 2: Drill some holes! Be sure the holes are large enough, or if you only have a small drill bit, increase the quantity of the holes. If you've lined your vessel with plastic, be sure you've added holes in that or it won't drain properly;

Step 3: Plant your favorite small varieties, using a mixture of heights and shapes. For added interest, choose vessels with colors that complement the plants you choose. Green and red go great with white and brown, for instance. Sit back and enjoy your mini project!


Feel free to share your planting ideas with our blog readers (and me!!)!

Ottoman Slipcover Magic

It started with the zebra ottoman. While chic, not the right look for an upcoming casual party so a slipcover was called into action. If guests spill drinks or leave shoe marks, it's easily remidied with a quick wash. All you need do is smile and say "no problem'............!

Just a great, rusty, chippy-paint candleholder...........

Sigh. The simple things make me happy.

A Casual Beach Retreat

{Take inspiration from drying squash and bits from nature}

Thought I'd share a client's beach retreat in Malibu....hope it provides a bit of inspiration!

A majority of the items shown can be found by visiting the boutique save for the one-of-a-kind treasures. Phone inquiries are always welcome if you can't hop on a plane and visit us!

Note the large wood balls in the urns. I love using an assortment of wood balls; contact us for current in-store selection...

A simple linen slipcover is given added panache with a French floral fabric border.


Sconces in waiting as we pick the perfect spot on the wall...



Reproduction wood candlesticks are difficult for us to keep in stock right now! In faint shades of blue, white, cream, black or brown....





A new Vintageweave favorite. While I'm typically not a fan of slipcovered sofas, this tailored look over the chic, elegant curves make me gasp. Custom orders are running approx 14 weeks....!

Mmmm, in luscious LINEN or HEMP in shades of natural, canvas, or celedon (sage). {Call for quote.}




Sorry, but ocean saltwater and sand are not included in Vintageweave custom orders............dipping toes into the nearest body of water is always optional! Massive thanks to Kammy Kenman--an amazing designer!!

Mattress Springs Reborn

In my quest for green, eco-friendly mattresses for several clients, I've visited many, many warehouses where the experts have taken me from start to finish and back again in the mattress-making process. I've seen more mattress springs than I care to remember!

 It got me to thinking of all the things that could be done with a mattress spring, besides the usual melting and recycling down of the metal.

LE BEFORE....


Enter my fabulously talented French Friend! He came up with a brilliant idea and I took it from there.

What a fun way to display items in a boutique or at a party!

Imagine the possibilities.....

..............photos....host a chili cook off or bake sale and post the recipes....table seat numbers at a party.......display of vintage French pages and papers will be our use at Vintageweave!

LE AFTER...

A little piece of Ojai Heaven

Sometimes we are given an opportunity in life to work alongside beautiful souls. Other times we are given an opportunity to be surrounded by friends with beautiful hearts who support us in these endeavors...And further still there are times we may be given an opportunity to enjoy friends with beautiful hearts who support our dreams, clients with beautiful souls to work with in beautiful homes in beautiful environments surrounded by beautiful things. 

Enjoy the life and create a life to enjoy.

In our digital age, life moves fast and I often find that I pass myself in the hall. (!!)  A culprit of what others view as loading too much on my plate, I have the innate desire to accomplish an entire month's TO DO list in a day. (I've never been a relax on the beach kinda girl. I spent a month in Greece doing just that 15 years ago and that has pretty much filled the quota and carried me through...!) 

I left the crazy wall-street driven corporate life to foster and feed my creative soul but still find the yearning to move at a wall-street pace!   Thus it is no surprise that I am so grateful for my current project: One that allows me to move at lightening speed, juggling a million items, yet also allows a significant amount of stop and smell the roses moments throughout the day. I always take time for me--ALWAYS--(it is so important for us women to do this for ourselves!!!) but on this project it is such special me time.

I often find myself smiling saying,

........  "Thank you, God. This. is. a. beautiful. life. "

I am filling a beautiful Italian Villa.....

from appliances to linens to chic olive oils to cooking utensils  to light fixtures to mattresses to sofas to textiles...... and all things in between.

Everything to make it 100% turnkey ready. Oh such fun! I love to shop. I love to create. I love to arrange. I love to plan. I love to create smiles. I love to engage. In other words...all the things I love to do at the tippy top of my dream job list are all bundled for me to enjoy in my fast-paced, crazy-busy project. My bonus?  Homeowners with such beautiful souls.

 Join in on a wee bit of the fun...

Oh the options of Italian dinnerware! Can't decide? Let's load up a table with eight completely separate options and do this the sophisticated way: Enee, Menee, Minee, Mo.

 Client requested bright, cheerful colors and no one does cheerful Italian better than VIETRI.  Of course I could never be one for sets, so the mixture of tuscan red, butter, saffron, cream and sage are married with another VIETRI bright pattern:

 Prefer the flushed edge;  raised edges can cause scraping sounds of a knife as you cut your food. Vietri is my favorite upscale casual Italian line. The look is tumbled and hand created.  "Oh, to Grandma's  Italian farmhouse we go.... "



Lest we forget sure-to-be-lots of kiddie sleepovers, there's even a fun mixture of animals images for the kids. Vietri has five color choices, each with a different animal such as bunnies and sheep. We're going to use some of each pattern....


Just how gorgeous is this stemware?


Fabulous  metal sconces in burnished brown with hints of gold leaf...a crown fit for royalty!


A few Niermann Weeks light fixtures will provide the perfect touch:


A small round entry table and Italian dresser leave me drooling...I am so loving this dresser!

Dishwasher, washer/dryer, convection steam oven, linens, towels and so much more have been ordered. It's exciting as with that behind me I only have 7,236 things left TO DO...

Did I make you tired?  Ok, let's together stop and smell the fresh euculyptus-scented air with lavender winds , driving past the long winding road of orange groves...

We're here!

Maybe stop and enjoy a cup of tea in the side herb garden...(Wait-you have the tea. With all that I have left to do, gimme' a triple shot of espresso....)



I almost don't want to climb back down the hilltop...