Antiquing....

Is anyone into "antiquing"? This is a past-time I have really come to enjoy....I love this so much more than going to the mall, or furniture stores, for 'new' stuff. We found an antique corner cabinet for our dining room yesterday at a new quaint antique store near us, and brought it home today! I love the whole "European country" look. The cabinet totally 'makes' our dining room now...gives it the characte it was crying out for! I love thinking about the 'history' of antique pieces, and much prefer to spend our $$ on old, not new. And things that were made in England, not China.

I love antiquing! Amy, that looks sooooo pretty!!!

Very nice!

Thank you so much Carol & Savannah! I was really concerned about the different color of wood from the dining room table, but now that it's in the room, I actually love the contrast! There's a 'yellow undertone' in the table wood (hard to tell in the pic), and the cabinet kind of brings that out.

Oops, I see you just posted too---thanks Lori!

You know, I have never been antiquing, but it is something I think I would really enjoy.

I really love the corner cabinet. It looks so nice in the picture, so I can only imagine how nice it actually looks in the room.

Thanks so much Pam! I think you'd enjoy it too...I never got into it until about 5 years ago when my sister took me for the first time and I was hooked. It's one of those things that's fun to do just to 'window shop'. I have to be very selective because it's not like we live in a huge home---if you buy something all the time it could start looking junky, and I don't want that! I wait for something to 'speak to me', like this cabinet LOL, and that's when I purchase. I love that my home is now being filled with things that I really love and are special to me, that someone else used to own and maybe loved too! The 'hunt' is half the fun! I used to shop Target for home decor---I can't even remember the last time I looked there!

I love the cabinet, Amy! It looks beautiful in your dining room.

Thanks Teresa!

That looks great, Amy!

Amy wrote:

I love thinking about the 'history' of antique pieces

I'm the same way, even though I don't really have any antiques.

Amy wrote:

characte

Rhonda wrote:

I love corner cabinets and this one is just lovely in that corner......the rest of the dining room is just gorgeous as well!!!!

Thank you Rhonda! There is something cozy to a corner cabinet I think! I had fun filling it up!

Rob wrote:

That looks great, Amy!

Amy wrote:

I love thinking about the 'history' of antique pieces

I'm the same way, even though I don't really have any antiques.

Amy wrote:

characte

Thanks Rob! Ahem....I think. And yeah...I went window shopping with my sister for quite awhile before I bought my first antique. Just browsing and 'thinking' about where these things came from is fun.

Lily wrote:

It looks beautiful Amy!! I love the corner cabinet!! I love your whole dinning room!! So, when can we all come over for dinner?

LOL, thank you Lily!! Well, I would LOVE to have you all (and I mean that whole-heartedly!! ), but I do believe I would need to build on an addition! However, there's always the deck! Ok, come on over everyone!! I'm making lasagne!

Fife wrote:

Amy wrote:

characte

She meant to do that, you know. It was her birthday gift to you.

Oh Savannah, THANK YOU for mentioning that!! Rob I'm so sorry I forgot!!! DOH! Happy Birthday!!

*Amy trots to the bday thread with her head down in shame*

Amy that corner cabinet looks lovely in that room. I can't say I go antiquing, but our dining room set is the original one that my in-laws had in their home and they've been married for over 50 years. It was probably 25 - 30 years old when they received it, so it's very old. We would like to have it refurbished, at least the chairs, because those are falling apart and every holiday I am afraid someone is going to end up on the floor.

Amy wrote:

Thanks so much Pam! I think you'd enjoy it too...I never got into it until about 5 years ago when my sister took me for the first time and I was hooked. It's one of those things that's fun to do just to 'window shop'. I have to be very selective because it's not like we live in a huge home---if you buy something all the time it could start looking junky, and I don't want that! I wait for something to 'speak to me', like this cabinet LOL, and that's when I purchase. I love that my home is now being filled with things that I really love and are special to me, that someone else used to own and maybe loved too! The 'hunt' is half the fun! I used to shop Target for home decor---I can't even remember the last time I looked there!

I think that's what I would like about it, just looking for that special piece. It must be very exciting when you find something that you know would be just perfect for your home. And, I also like the idea of the history behind the piece. I would wonder about the people who owned it before me and what they were like. I think that's pretty cool.

bethandmanly wrote:

Amy that corner cabinet looks lovely in that room. I can't say I go antiquing, but our dining room set is the original one that my in-laws had in their home and they've been married for over 50 years. It was probably 25 - 30 years old when they received it, so it's very old. We would like to have it refurbished, at least the chairs, because those are falling apart and every holiday I am afraid someone is going to end up on the floor.

Thanks Cheryl. And LOL, that would be scary! And embarrassing! Yeah, it's funny...I am always looking at the things that are not in the best condition, and figure "Oh, I could refurbish that!", but know that realistically, I probably won't get around to it! I am quite happy that there really isn't much that needs to be done with this cabinet...Bill may line the back of it with bead board, but that would be about it. Your dining set sounds really great, btw...that's the kind of thing that is worth refurbishing, especially because of its intrinsic value. Pretty cool!

pamh36 wrote:

I think that's what I would like about it, just looking for that special piece. It must be very exciting when you find something that you know would be just perfect for your home. And, I also like the idea of the history behind the piece. I would wonder about the people who owned it before me and what they were like. I think that's pretty cool.

Yep, and I try to have something in 'mind' when I walk into a store. a 'mission'--it can be overwhelming otherwise! You have to really think about where you'd put 'this' and where you'd put 'that', otherwise it can get too junky. There's a fine line.

Rhonda wrote:

Reminds me of The Legacy, where Pa has a friend who dies, and he is determined to make sure he leaves a legacy behind for his family.....He starts making those tables, altho the real legacy left behind, was Laura.

Oh, yes Rhonda!! That's a perfect example! I guess I'm just to that point in my life too---I don't want the stuff that eventually gets handed down to my daughters-in-law someday to be 'junk'. I don't exactly think of my special pieces as being my 'legacy', but just something special to hand down. Like I said before, so much of the stuff in stores these days is made in China, just total junk, and in even in 5 years won't mean a thing to me. Recently I found a couple of tiny silver soldered teapots in an antique store, dated in the early 1900's---they weren't cheap, but I absolutely fell in love with them, and put them on layaway. They will be special to me now, and special to me 40 years from now. That's what's cool, and worth spending a bit more. I also have really cheap china---I never got china when we got married, so I am collecting an old set from "Johnson Brothers" of England, a mix between 'ironstone' and porcelain china, which is more durable than 'classic' porcelain china. Now there's a website called "Replacements.com" where you can get replacements to your existing china, which is really neat, or you can get whole sets. I can look at antique stores for pieces to my Johnson Brothers, over time (I'm in no hurry), and whatever I can't find, I can order off the replacements website! Kinda cool!

Here's a pic of the china patterns I'm debating between...I already have some pieces of the second set:

This first set looks a bit more white than it actually is---it's more over an off white, and the fruit is a bit richer in color than this too...



This second set is the Johnson Brothers seasonal 'village' set...the winter scene pics are so pretty---I have the covered bridge one in a small plate (you can see it in the center)---I know Savannah would love that one! I think I'm leaning toward this set...

Aw, thank you Savannah!

And here's a better shot of the first one---I like the browns with just the hint of color:


The problem is, I haven't ever seen this fruit set in antique stores before...the other 'scene' sets are the ones that are more popular and easily found when out antiquing. Could pose a problem, since I really don't want to have to 'order' china all 'new'.

Savannah wrote:

You have excellent taste.

You sure do, Amy. Wow!

WOW...I have had a busy week....didn't even see all of this til now. Love the corner cabinet and DISHES! WOW....Amy's house for Christmas Everyone!!!

I've been looking for Christmas dishes. Not sure if I want new or old, but I do look everywhere. You know me Amy, I dig in all kinds for Antique stores. I love the malls, the small shops are so tight its hard to look and prices seem to be higher there.
Last time I went into a small shop I hit my head on an old iron "chandelier." I quickly stopped it from swinging when I saw the price tag of $230!
Clay got me out of there fast.

I love to look through books, and find baby cradles. Haven't found the right cradle yet, but when i do I might not be too quiet!

Thanks for sharing!

Thank you Rob! I appreciate that, both of you! Unfortunately, I also have expensive taste, which is why this will take me until I'm about 60 to collect either of these sets!

Gin wrote:

WOW...I have had a busy week....didn't even see all of this til now. Love the corner cabinet and DISHES! WOW....Amy's house for Christmas Everyone!!!

I've been looking for Christmas dishes. Not sure if I want new or old, but I do look everywhere. You know me Amy, I dig in all kinds for Antique stores. I love the malls, the small shops are so tight its hard to look and prices seem to be higher there.
Last time I went into a small shop I hit my head on an old iron "chandelier." I quickly stopped it from swinging when I saw the price tag of $230!
Clay got me out of there fast.

I love to look through books, and find baby cradles. Haven't found the right cradle yet, but when i do I might not be too quiet!

Thanks for sharing!

Thank you Gin!

LOL Gin, I'll bet Clay DID haul you out of that store fast! In my experience though, those cramped stores are the best ones. I found the corner cabinet in an actual old cape-cod house---just HUGE, but it's cramped too (you know how the old homes had SO many walls)...it is so cool though, to venture through room after room. But the dealer only takes 'good stuff', no junk, and was reasonably priced too.

Too funny---you like cradles and my mom likes baby buggies!! She is constantly looking at baby buggies when we're in the antique stores. Hmm, is there something the two of you want to tell us?

And funny when you say about 'being quiet' when you find that 'right' cradle....when I found that corner cabinet (that' I'd been searching for for YEARS now, mind you) in a BACK room of this house crammed in a corner, LOL, I went "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh", and the lady came around to see if I was ok!