colors of the month: arabesque and farmhouse white
MMSMP Farmhouse White is an antique white, perfect for when you want a little depth on your piece of furniture. I’ve been using Farmhouse White more and more, and while I’m still a Grain Sack girl at heart, Farmhouse White is winning me over. We answer questions about the differences between the two colors all the time, and my general response is that Grain Sack has just a hint of gray and is therefore a bit darker than Farmhouse White. Check out our Pinterest board for more inspiration.
Our other Color of the Month for February, is Arabesque, a soft pale pink that is part of our European Line.
design tip: pillows
design tip: oversized accessory
design tip: finishing touches
A small family heirloom. Trays, baskets or bins. A throw. A piece of art that means something to you….
before & after: don’t blink!
This beautiful, unique sideboard we finished in MMSMP Farmhouse White was only in the store for a few days and was put on hold twice before finding a forever home with one of our favorite Fivethirty Home customers!
I really loved the lines of this piece and it was HEAVY! They really don’t make them like they used to!
fivethirtys new home: opening day
Well, we kicked it into high gear and everything was ready to reopen the store on Friday, March 16th. I was so happy that we only had to be closed for a few days. We got the place cleaned up and put up some balloons!
We received so many flowers, cards, nice notes and visitors that day. It was so special.
Check out our facebook page for some images of the store that day. I can’t fully describe how wonderful we felt as people stopped by all day to see our new home!
I feel that way everyday when we walk into the space. The history, the fun and care and blood, sweat and tears put into making our new location a destination for our customers fills me with such pride and happiness. I hope you will stop in if you haven’t had a chance to see it yet or come again soon if you’ve already been in. We look forward to many years in our new home!
fivethirtys new home: moving two blocks
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. When you move two blocks, you still have to move everything you own. My husband and I once moved from 6th Street to 4th Street in the Village and it was the worst move ever because we would take a load at a time since it was “on the way” to wherever we were going. I tried to learn the lesson from that move and we mostly stuck to the plan of having Carter’s move us.
They came around 8:30 on Tuesday. We had packed all day Sunday and most of the day on Monday.
It took about 5 hours to get everything loaded, drive the two blocks down the street and get everything unloaded.
I had a few staging areas set up to pull from as we started getting the larger pieces in place. Here is a glimpse of the small table staging area aka the paint room…
We got the place put together in a hurry and had most of the paint and supplies ready to go by Tuesday evening.
Up next: Opening day
fivethirtys new home: the kitchen
I’ve tried to find a picture of the kitchen area as it was when we moved in, but this is the best one I can find…
Here’s what it looks like now…
We painted the cabinets in Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint Eulalie’s Sky and gave the walls a coat of Sherwin Williams White Flour. Lana broke out her sewing machine again and made a panel for the door and we found this awesome Mason Jar Light on Etsy.
I love, love, love how it turned out!
Up next: the two block move
fivethirtys new home: the barn door
We knew we needed some storage that would be easy to get to, aka not the basement. So we tore up the leopard carpet, put down some laminate and made a small little storage area.
I had decided we should cover the opening to this space, approximately 5 feet wide, with a barn door. We just have enough clearance to the left so it was a GO.
Now, we just needed to locate a 10′ barn door kit. We ended up with this one from Amazon. Only $100 and ships right away, yes!!
So, my awesome husband built the barn door. It is massive. 8 feet tall by 5 feet wide. We discussed a few designs including an X across the front. I like this one because I think it looks a little like a Z (you know, for Zionsville)!
We stained the pine door in Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in Curio. We thinned the paint to a wash (approximately 3:1) and finished with our custom mix of Antiquing and Furniture Waxes.
And here she is in action…
Up next: the kitchen
fivethirtys new home: the pre-move move
You’ve undoubtedly heard us talk about the barn. We love the barn. But the barn is a little bit of a drive from the store which meant I was spending way more time in the car than I should be. When looking for a space, we wanted something that would make the barn a twice a month need instead of a twice per week need. We are happy to report that our new location cuts down on trips to the barn quite a bit!
But we had a ton of furniture and accessories stored there and needed to get them to 205 S Main. I wanted to do as much as possible before we closed our original location so we wouldn’t have much down time and could stay open. So, we had a pre-move move…
And, we had furniture wrapped in plastic…
And, we had letters (oh my, do we have letters!)…
Up next: the barn door
fivethirtys new home: the paint room, part III
You guys know I love a piece of furniture with a history and I am excited to share this one with you!!
We buy furniture from auctions, estate sales and on our yearly jaunt down 127 on the world’s longest yard sale, to name just a few. We also, from time to time, buy from locals and customers! We have purchased several pieces of furniture over the years from Steve Russo, of Russo Communications.
Steve texted me to let me know he no longer needed this buffet:
He said this one was free because someone had given it to him years ago. Steve had is office in a building belonging to Mr Robert Bender, Sr. located at 55 E Oak St. Mr. Bender, who Steve describes as “one of Zionsville’s great characters” insisted Steve take this piece from storage and use it in his office. Two guys showed up the next day with the buffet and Steve used it for many, many years! When I asked Steve a few follow up questions, he couldn’t remember if it was free or just very reasonable.
Now, we have this beautiful piece of furniture and I’m thinking about what to do with it. I decide to paint it in our newest Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint color, Aviary, because I wanted us to have a big piece ready for the new color debut. NOTE: we just placed our order and it will be available in store and online the week of 04.09.
Then, we find out that we are moving our store to Bender Square. As in the same Bender family who originally owned the buffet. Come on! I can’t make this stuff up. We decide to keep the buffet and move the Bender buffet to Bender Square.
We are using this piece to store our paint supplies and serve treats to our customers. I hope to continue the tradition, in a few years, of sharing this amazing piece of furniture with the next generation and sharing the history that comes with it.
Up next: the pre-move move
fivethirtys new home: the paint room, part II
I hope you are enjoying this deep dive into how we brought together our new space at 205 S Main Street in Zionsville!
One of the most commented upon new features is our paintbrush chandelier. Yep, we made a chandelier from an old lampshade and paintbrushes that have seen better days! We painted the handles in MMSMP typewriter, kitchen scale and farmhouse white and used an ikea light kit and bulb that I LOVE!!
I think everyone should have one!!
I also think everyone should make these pennants. Again, thank goodness for Lana and her sewing superpowers because she made over 300 of these pennants from drop cloths. And, she ironed them. Because she’s that good!
We painted them in all of the Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint colors.
We strung them and then put them up all over the paint room…
And outside, because 300 was a few too many!!
And in our new kids area…
Up Next: the Bender buffet
fivethirtys new home: the paint room, part I
I knew as soon as we took the tour when we were in discussions to rent our new space that I wanted the front room to be a creative space to hold our workshops. It was a great setup – one side was larger with room for shelves and tables and the other side could hold extra storage and more seating for some other seminars I knew we wanted to have.
My husband, Jim, built a few tables and we painted them in Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint Grain Sack and Shutter Gray
Here is a glimpse of one of my favorite parts of the paint room, the frame wall as well as a picture of one of the tables. We painted an empty frame in each of the MMSMP colors. Finished with our beeswax, I think they give a great glimpse of the colors of the paint line and add some interest to the room.
Here’s a cute video of it coming together…
Up Next: pennants and the paintbrush chandelier
fivethirtys new home: getting started
Hello! So many people have asked about how we created all the fun things in the new store so I thought I would put together a little blog series about how it all came together. I hope you enjoy!
We took possession of the space on February 1st and hit the ground running. Lots of measuring walls and deciding what would go where.
It was a big job but the painters were already scheduled so we spent much of the time cleaning, prepping and planning. If you ever have a project of this magnitude, I hope you know Lana! She has moved so many times and immediately went into drawing and note-taking mode.
So we began, armed with dimensions and ideas and 409.
Up next: the paint room
Customer project in MMSMP Farmhouse White
Another week, another great before and after featuring the work of some of our lovely customers! This time, it’s Ashleigh and hew daughter working on some family pieces for the daughter’s bedroom…
It was soooo orange before and now it looks simple, clean and perfect for a young girl’s room. Ashleigh even let her daughter do the distressing! They are thrilled with the results (and we are so proud)!
before & after: customer project
We worked with a few customers in January as they updated some furniture. We love talking about projects and collaborating to find just the right paint color and finish for the space. This was one of my favorites. I’m filing this as a before and after because she was nice enough to take pictures! Take a look…
I mean, come on!!! It looks like a spa! I told her I was going to come take a nap because it looked so cozy.
Tricia used Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in Grain Sack for the bed. She did a light coat and then wiped off some so the amazing wood grain showed through. She finished the piece in MMSMP furniture wax with just a hint of antiquing in the corners. Well done! And so inspiring — who is ready to paint their bed?
Kathy’s Kitchen
We are often asked about painting kitchen cabinets with Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint. We’ve worked with several customers to achieve the looks they imagined for their kitchens…here are some before and after pictures from Kathy’s project…
She chose a combination of MMSMP linen on the top and typewriter for the desk and the island. It is a striking change and looks so much more modern than the honey finish she had before. She chose well — I think the island is a nice touch and the soft black of typewriter really grounds the whole space. Great job!
Photography I
One of my goals for a while now has been to improve my photography skills. I would love to take crisper photos with a sense of the story I am trying to tell. Sometimes, I think I like too many different styles and cannot nail down the style that is most “me”. I love to use Instagram because the filters can make a big impact and who doesn’t always have their phone to snap a pic? I did a little study of some of the bloggers/artists I follow on Instagram and I’m going to show you a sample of their feed and what I like about them…
First, my mentor and friend Marian aka Miss Mustard Seed:
I like her closeups and subject matter (obviously the blue and white!). Her photos have a softness to them that appeals to me and I also like how you feel like you could reach out and run your hand over the furniture or pick up one of the dishes.
Next, one of my fellow MMSMP retailers, Wendy at Front Porch Mercantile:
Wendy lives in Atlantic Canada and visits her little cottage by the sea quite often. This town is so cute, I cannot stand it! Wendy focuses on the brights and old, worn sea scenes. As an added bonus, she will often share the professional photos of her husband, John. I think he should do a photo book — his shots are breathtaking. Wendy’s images give me the feeling of walking down by the docks in her little town ( I can’t wait to see it in person some day!)
Next, Zionsville’s own internationally-known artist, Nancy Noel:
Nancy’s Instagram feed is an eclectic mix of her animals and artwork. Look at how she captured the light in the eyes of her live subject on the left and the light in the eyes in her painting on the right. She is an amazing artist I was lucky enough to meet recently! Her photos make the animals, live or on canvas, show us a little glimpse of their personalities.
Next up is Kriste of the Rosemary and Thyme blog:
Kriste helps Marian at her studio and I was lucky enough to meet her when I went to PA last year. She is a youngin’ and has a fresh perspective on photography that I am really inspired by. That table, the clothes shots and the little nooks around her house or the studio are given a fresh vibe when Kriste is behind the lens (or phone).
Finally, Vibeke Design blog:
This lady is the ultimate #photographygoals for me. I love it all: the staging, the lighting, the textures…I can’t get enough! Each image is more beautiful than the last.
Hygge
I have read several articles about hygge (pronounced HOO|gah) and I am completely smitten. Hygge is not a concrete item, but more a feeling given this name from the Danish. It can roughly be translated to contentment in English. It is a distinctly Scandinavian concept though it has been making its way across the Atlantic to the US.
Hygge is a sense of togetherness and fulfillment of simple pleasures. It means different things to different people. Some talk about taking walks by a lake with their boyfriend and others cooking an old family recipe. Because it originates in the Scandinavian countries, it is also feeling warmth inside while it is cold outside. All images are from Vibeke Design, a Scandinavian blogger whose images, to me, exemplify hygge.
One defining characteristic of hygge is creating a sense of home, for yourself and your guests. What things surround you? Are they meaningful or just things? Some carefully chosen items to surround yourself with are: plants, heirlooms, books, music, a defined workspace and corners to recharge.
The idea of a corner to recharge is especially appealing to me. Nothing is more hygge to me than to sit for a few minutes in a tucked away space with a good book. As a working mom with four boys, these moments are few a far between during the school year and busy months at the store. However, I am making an effort to cut away little snippets for myself and having a beautiful space just for me is a top goal for 2017.
This spring, I also want to immerse myself in learning more about flowers. I know what I like, but would love to learn more about when certain flowers bloom and how to creep through the spring and summer with new growth throughout the season. When we lived in The Village, we purchased our first home from an elderly woman who had her flower garden timed so beautifully. I still think of it in awe.
One of the many beautiful aspects of Vibeke Design’s photos are her use of light in the pictures. I’ve honestly not given much thought to soft lighting, but it certainly provides a mood, doesn’t it? As I focus more on my photography, I want to include more interesting and natural light. I also want to create a more naturally lit home and store to see how it changes the feeling of living and working in natural light.
2017 is going to be the Year of the Hygge for me. I have already scheduled to focus on photography and floral. I hope you will be involved in my search for contentment and start one of your own!