Tag: antiques

Conformity is unavoidable in some circumstances, but individuality reigns supreme in most of them. I like to use elements of surprise, or at the very least, ones that invariably make someone ask, “How did you come up with that idea?”

Brooke Giannetti 

I’m an “eyedea” kind of girl.  Using an architectural pediment as a home decor piece is a unique way to top off the look.

Sherry Hart ~ Houzz

My eyes are constantly looking at the decor world  through idea colored glasses.  Dave the builder is my 20/20 equal and when we are in the zone we can be quite productive.

Better Homes & Gardens

I distinctly remember my first I could’ve had a V8 moment in regards to this practice. It was 1986, and we had closed on the first of many of our dream homes.  Flipping afforded us the opportunity to have many dream homes.  The reason we had many was simple- as soon as we would complete one Dave the builder would sell it and we’d start all over again. Our first dream home is still occupied by the same couple we sold it to. They love it even more today, and have never changed one thing about the interior or exterior of the house.  Either I’m very good at making timeless decor and design selections or they are incredibly lazy.  I tell myself it is the first one.

Better Homes & Gardens

The den fireplace was in the center of a brick wall that was the focal point of the room.  The original fireplace mantel in the house found a better home by the curb, and the choices for its replacement were less than impressive.  Today’s choices in the arena of home furnishings are infinitely better, and I for one am eternally grateful for the strides that have been made.  Anywho, back to the late 80’s.

Dave the builder went to a neighboring town to look at a property.  He came home that evening the proud owner of another depressed property in need of flipping, but even better than that he brought home a stroke of genius in terms of interior eye candy.  In his rounds that afternoon he stopped by an antique shop and purchased a salvage piece.  Well, it might not be truly defined as a salvage piece, but what it was defined as was our new fireplace mantel.  In its previous life the piece had served as the pediment of an antique Mahogany armoire.

Surprisingly, the pediment was in pristine condition as a stand-alone item.  We turned that baby upside down and the “ledge” was deep enough to allow my favorite lamp and Staffordshire dogs adequate display room.  The centrally located broken arch looked great upright, but inverted it went to the next  level of wow!   Our “eyedea” and ideal mantel graced four fireplaces out of six of our homes.  When we sold our second to last home the new homeowner begged me to leave the mantel.  For a split second I considered doing so, but couldn’t find it in my heart to part with it.

I like incorporating a pediment into home decor.  The one in the picture below is one I purchased for a client.  Her plan was to use it as a bed crown in her daughter’s bedroom, but we went in another direction. I grew fond of it and the finish by default while handling it five hundred times during her creative process.

When she said no I said so and brought it straight home.  I went antique on antique and placed it above the vintage balustrade lamp in my kitchen.

The one below is really nothing special, definitely a salvage piece off a piece of funky furniture.  It has a bad spot on it we filled in.  The gold spray paint put up a fight not wanting to adhere or cover.  It won, I settled, and it found a home over the picture hanging in my bathroom.

I ran across a really neat idea in my treasure hunting two years ago.  Don’t throw those old dining chairs away- recycle the top rails and use them as smaller scale pediments.  I purchased two sets and placed them above medium sized frames as a finishing complement.

1stdibs

Keep your eyes open and the creative juices flowing.   I hope this idea helps you with your own “eyedeas”.   One man’s trash is always another man’s treasure.