Posts

Before You Pass Up That Pretty Vintage Glass, Look a Little Closer

Image
 Some vintage treasures practically wave at you from the shelf. Others sit quietly between ordinary drinking glasses, waiting for someone to notice their details. A graceful stem. A delicate etched flower. A shade of green that makes you stop and look twice. When shopping for vintage glassware, start with what draws you in—but take a closer look before bringing it home. Hold the piece toward the light. Examine the rim, base and handles for chips, cracks or cloudy areas. Look underneath for a maker’s mark, remembering that an unmarked piece may take more research to identify. And that familiar trick of tapping a glass to hear whether it rings? Treat it as a clue, rather than proof of its maker, age or value. My favorite question is simpler: Would I enjoy using or displaying this? Picture green goblets beside cream dinner plates. An amber pitcher catching afternoon sunlight. A small glass bowl holding wrapped chocolates beside your favorite chair. Vintage glass doesn’t have to spend ...
Read more

Create a Cozy Home With Vintage Pieces: What’s Worth Bringing Home

Image
 There is a big difference between a home that is decorated and a home that feels collected . A decorated room can be finished in a weekend. A collected home develops over time. It might begin with a pottery pitcher found at an estate sale, a piece of vintage glass that catches the afternoon light, an old landscape in a slightly worn frame or a set of dishes that reminds you of your grandmother’s kitchen. Those pieces do something brand-new décor often cannot. They give a room history, personality and warmth . And the best part? You don't need to fill your house with antiques to create that feeling. A few carefully chosen vintage home décor pieces mixed with things you already own can completely change a room. The question is knowing what is actually worth bringing home. 1. Look for Vintage Pieces That Can Still Be Used One of my favorite ways to decorate with vintage pieces is to choose things that are both beautiful and useful . Think about: Vintage pottery pitchers Stoneware b...
Read more

Pfaltzgraff Tea Rose: The Perfect Vintage Dishes for Cottagecore and Grandmacore Homes

Image
  Some dishes simply hold food. Others hold memories. Pfaltzgraff Tea Rose belongs to that second group. With its creamy stoneware, soft pink roses, delicate blue flowers and gently scalloped shapes, this beloved pattern looks as though it has always belonged in a warm, welcoming kitchen. First produced in 1985, Pfaltzgraff Tea Rose dinnerware has the nostalgic charm people now associate with cottagecore, grandmacore and romantic-style décor. It reminds us of Sunday dinners, flower-filled kitchens, handwritten recipes and tables set with pieces collected over many years. That may be why vintage Pfaltzgraff Tea Rose continues to attract both longtime collectors and a new generation of decorators. Why Pfaltzgraff Tea Rose Fits Cottagecore Style Cottagecore celebrates a slower, more comforting way of life. Think homemade bread, garden flowers, embroidered linens, open shelves and a table that feels pretty without looking overly formal. Pfaltzgraff Tea Rose dishes fit naturally into th...
Read more

Cottagecore Kitchen Décor Using Authentic Vintage Pieces

Image
 Learn how to create a cozy cottagecore kitchen using authentic vintage décor, from old stoneware and glassware to baskets, linens, pottery and collected kitchen treasures. There is something especially appealing about a cottagecore kitchen because it doesn’t look as though it was decorated in a weekend. It feels collected. A well-loved mixing bowl sits beside an old wooden cutting board. A basket holds tea towels instead of being tucked away in a cabinet. Mismatched vintage mugs are actually used for morning coffee. A small piece of framed art hangs in a spot where most people probably wouldn’t think to put art at all. That slightly imperfect, gathered-over-time feeling is what gives cottagecore its charm. And while plenty of stores now sell new décor designed to look vintage, authentic vintage pieces add something reproductions simply cannot completely duplicate: age, wear, history and individuality. If you’re trying to create a cottagecore kitchen, you don't need to replace you...
Read more

Vintage Christmas Ornaments: A Collector’s Guide to Glass, Shiny Brite & Retro Ornaments

Image
  Vintage Christmas Ornaments: A Collector’s Guide to Glass, Shiny Brite & Retro Ornaments There is something different about an old glass Christmas ornament. The color may be a little softer than it once was. The silvering may have faded around the edges. The metal cap might show its age. Sometimes there is even a little glitter left from a Christmas celebrated decades ago. And somehow, those imperfections make it better. Vintage Christmas ornaments aren't simply decorations. They're tiny pieces of Christmas history. Today, collectors search for everything from classic Shiny Brite ornaments and delicate German glass to indented reflectors, unusual shapes, flocked balls and wonderfully kitschy ornaments from the 1950s, '60s and '70s. Whether you've inherited a box of old ornaments, found some at an estate sale or simply want to begin collecting them, here's what to look for. What Makes a Christmas Ornament Vintage? There isn't one magic date that suddenl...
Read more

Vintage Christmas Decor Guide: What to Collect, How to Style It & What to Look For

Image
 There is something about opening a box of old Christmas decorations that no brand-new ornament can quite duplicate. Maybe it is the faded cardboard box. The slightly worn paint on a Santa. A glass ornament that has lost just enough silvering to show its age. Or a ceramic Christmas tree that immediately brings back memories of one glowing on a grandmother's table. Vintage Christmas decor isn't about creating a perfect holiday room. It is about creating a Christmas that feels collected. And that may be one reason nostalgic Christmas decorating continues to find a new audience. People are mixing pieces from different decades, bringing family decorations back out of storage and searching antique shops, estate sales and online vintage shops for decorations that feel more personal than something bought as a complete matching set. If you are starting a collection—or trying to figure out exactly what you've found while thrifting—this guide will help you recognize some of the most ...
Read more

Vintage Wall Art Guide: How to Create a Collected Home

Image
 There is something about a room filled with old art that a brand-new print simply can’t duplicate. Maybe it’s the softly aged frame. The colors that have mellowed over time. A landscape of a place you’ve never visited. A portrait of someone you’ll never know. Or a piece of textile art that immediately reminds you of another home and another time. Vintage wall art gives a room a past—even when the home itself is new. And you don’t need an expensive art collection to get the look. One of the things I’ve always loved about vintage decorating is that the best rooms rarely look as though everything was bought at once. They look gathered slowly. One interesting piece leads to another, and eventually the walls begin telling a story. That is the difference between a home that feels decorated and one that feels collected . What Counts as Vintage Wall Art? When people hear “vintage art,” they often think only of oil paintings. But there is a much wider world to explore. Vintage wall decor ...
Read more