Antique-Inspired Lovelies

Hey Y'all! 

Well, let me start off by saying - "Thank You" designer of Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, and Ballard Designs furniture. You have the most gorgeous furniture, inspired by antique reproductions and for those of us ((like myself)) who crave genuine antique pieces, drool over your catalogs monthly. You're in for a visual treat here tonight & I can't wait to start this "BIG" project. Literally.

Now -maybe I'm the only one in my position ((I'd like to think not)) that is young'er and cannot yet furnish a home full of antiques or repro's for that matter - but you give me endless inspiration for DIY projects galore!

I recently found a catalog "NapaStyle" that uses antique pieces and transforms them into some quite amazing pieces... lampshades made from vintage door plates, chandeliers from wine glasses and telegraph insulators. I am so inspired by the mere flipping of pages in 5 minutes' time that I come home, show my findings to my Love and find myself so very amused by the gorgeous home decor made from "junk" at antique stores all over the country. Meanwhile, he is probably anticipating more antique shop stops, more tools required for projects that I dream up ... and secretly, I know he loves to DIY. He told me so ;)

Pottery Barn

Our first contender was inspired by the Pottery Barn Fall 2010 catalog where they released an "antique reproduction Factory Cart coffee table". Love at first sight? I think so! $600, I think not!

Restoration Hardware

Then, I run into one at Restoration Hardware "Factory Cart" for a mere $1,000 at the time of release.
Somewhere, probably in the midwest, people are digging up these amazing treasures, which ranged in use from hauling cotton bales to factory use for transporting fabrics through factories. Hence their name "Factory Cart". Many originals date back to the 1900s, and were made of sturdy materials that will allow them to be around for another hundred years.

Finds like these on Etsy

Before I fell in love with this project, I hadn't ever paid attention to wheels and casters. And lumber. And stains. On top of all that, I am a nut about having chemicals in my house ((call me granola, I don't mind!)) and I am searching for a Low VOC, non-toxic interior wood stain to cover the **untreated** pine boards we're using for this project. So far, the brands I'm looking into are SoyGuard, Livos, and BioShield. Since products like paint and stains off-gas for years ((hello, in my house and the environment, no thank you!)) it's important for me to be conscientious in my choosing!

Apartment Therapy

My Love & I have started researching the tutorials for how-to on DIY'ing this factory cart and it's looking promising. I'm so thankful for others who have taken  on this adventure before me, and that it proves, I'm not alone in my coveting PB, BD, and RH in their products!
Prince Ryan is heading out of town next week for his spring break and I'll be here with the Pup... which I'm thankful for her company. She's a professional snuggler and loves to wake me up with a lick on the nose!

We'll start gathering materials and I've got to order casters in the next week, then I'm not sure HOW long it will take us to complete, but you'll get pictures of our progress! 

That's all for now, glad tomorrow is Thursday! Weekend, you're almost here!! 

XOXO

B