Between wandering around the International Home Furnishings Center (IHFC) by myself on Friday afternoon/evening and then meeting up with Courtney of French Country Cottage {our Insider’s Guide to High Point Market for first timers!} and new friend and designer Janie Timberlake of JBeth Designs {she’s just starting a site on FB and is on Instagram} on Saturday and touring showrooms listening to a fabulous talk at a place I will share with you in a separate post {we were treated to a Moroccan lunch there, too!} and getting to shop for amazing pieces and see all these gorgeous goods coming from Europe and all over the world I’m on sensory overload ~ but in the best way possible!!! 😀 I’ll have several indepth write-ups over the next few weeks sharing more of the beautiful furniture pieces and accessories I found that inspired me. Here are Seven Incredible Showrooms that I found which just knocked my socks off:
Eloquence
Shown in the featured first photo was my absolute definite favorite followed closely by these next three. As soon as I can figure out how to share Eloquence’s trademark with you on their photographs I promise I have a TON of French etherealness by way of incredibly beautiful French pieces to share with you… sigh! Just look at those gorgeous round accent lights! They are such a lovely take on the 1960’s-1970’s ones my parents had in their guest/second bathroom in their country Connecticut home. {Left by a previous owner and they sufficed ~ just weren’t my taste.}
Love the old French novels and the French farmhouse table and benches at French Heritage.
French Heritage
A showroom filled with beautiful fine furnishings the owner designed herself for various designers and pieces of the company’s own label. Gold leaf, incredible French Louis mirrors exquisite reproductions and antiques as well as avante-garde Art Deco inspired pieces ~ totally on trend!
TONS of ironstone tureens inside Golden Oldies.
Golden Oldies
This must be where everything comes into port
from everywhere overseas…
Hat makers forms, chocolate molds, loving cups,
French mirrors, olive buckets in stacks…
Janie and I… Our mouths dropped open at the $$
we could have dropped there
for clients AND for ourselves!
Ave Home
Ave features raw wood designs for the home
and can customize any of their furniture pieces
with Annie Sloan chalk paint matched to your decor
or can stain as desired.
I like their ability to customize!
I think that’s their best selling point as not
every company has the ability to do this.
Ave prides itself on being very vendor and
owner-oriented.
🙂
Bobo Intriguing Objects
One of the first shops we had an appointment with on
Saturday which has really nice clean furniture lines
and a fun mix of funky accessories ~ like the cute
French bulldog who has a name which I forget
{I’m sorry!}
and cute children’s play horses with burlap bodies
but paper maché heads, legs and tails!
Bobo also carries incredible antique artists’ drawings
which would have been used as the original design
for pieces created in the 18th and 17th centuries.
Wonderful for framing
they were on my list of future wallhangings.
Bliss Studio
Lovely reproductions with that ethereal white Nordic look
that I have totally fallen for these past few years…
Bliss is making very European-style cushions
which are thicker and more comfortable than
foam-filled cushions used on a lot of lesser quality
furniture pieces.
They are featuring the Gustavian-French look
brought over from Europe
which is so beautiful and popular right now
in North America and across Europe.
I was particularly excited about this table
set up that you can see in the photo above.
I like that the demilune tables can be added to
the kitchen table to bring in extra spaces
when extra company arrives ~
especially handy during the holidays!
Blue Ocean Traders
OMGosh! We all went nuts for the many
vintage goodies found here…
My picks were horse troughs which come in three
sizes stacked and can be used in the garden
inside in a greenhouse or really anywhere.
Doors from India and the Middle East
are also a big feature here
along with reproduction wooden breadboards
doughbowls and the cutest capitals
from the Phillipines
made of wood.
A very famous t.v. personality has these
in her showroom.
🙂
Mine! 😀
These are the doors I wanted to put in my
suitcase and bring home…
Love all the colors on them!
Coming to Market has been crazy fun and
I’ve learned a ton!
I’ve linked all the showroom names for you
so you can see their products.
If there is something you’d like to buy
just let me know and I’ll
inquire for you and quote you a price.
Sharing with Inspire Me Monday ~ Create with Joy
Dishing It and Digging It ~ Rustic and Refined
Snickerdoodle Create Bake Make ~ My Husband Has Too Many Hobbies Totally Terrific Tuesday ~ Savvy Apron Wow Us Wednesday ~ Savvy Southern Style Welcome Home Wednesdays ~ Five Kids a Dog and a Blog Wonderful Wednesday ~ Oh, My Heartsie Girl Feathered Nest Friday ~ French Country Cottage Sweet Inspiration ~ The Boondocks Blog This post was featured at Dishing It and Digging It at Rustic and Refined 😀
French Ethereal Design and
Photography
is my fledgling company with its own resale license.
wishing to see Cindy’s super charming Craftsman~style cottage and to buy Cindy’s amazing rose paintings
and the beautiful custom~built birdhouses lovingly created by Bob…
Cindy’s personal birdhouse made lovingly for her by hubby Bob
The Ellis’ home, gardens and art
have been featured in some of our favorite decorating magazines such as
Romantic Homes Magazine
and this is where I first learned about Cindy.
When I found out she lived locally and a mutual friend Julie
had become friends with her,
we eventually got to meet through the internet
{like so many of us have!}
and that was that!
A few years ago Cindy and Bob were hosting their
Open House and I was free that particular Saturday and drove up there
to see and meet them in person.
🙂
Their living room is too die for cute! Can’t you see yourself happily plopped down on the sofa there?
Their amazingly beautiful home,
all white and Shabby
with lace, birdhouses, roses, and
smartly~dressed mannequins
in party dresses
was such a treat for this die~hard romantic!
I had arrived late in the day
getting a bit lost
however
Bob saw me driving by then
stepping out of my car
“just to snap a few photos”
before heading back home ~
I was late and I was okay with
just seeing
their beautiful gardens
out front.
Bob had seen me though
and asked
“Would I like to come inside?”
Yes, please!
Another friend was coming over so we both
were able to see Bob and Cindy’s home
and all of their gardens
at the same time…
It was the perfect day for a home tour warm but not blistering hot and the front garden bed of rambling roses and climbers was massively blooming! Heaven on Earth…
The white picket fence and welcoming arbor were the perfect entryway to come through as we headed around the side yard to the back of their home.
First stop was among a gorgeous Eden rose bush with canes extending 12 feet or better
along the top of the breezeway pergola {also built by Bob ~ he’s a retired carpenter by trade}.
In front of us was an outdoor koi pond
shaded by trees
with
the Ellis’ shop sitting to the left of the yard
and
Cindy’s little studio
{the one featured above and in those magazines}
just to the right and ahead.
Here’s another photo of Cindy in her ethereal studio ~ sigh!…
Views above are of:
Upper left ~ looking from the pergola and outdoor seating area
towards the original garage~cum~shop
Upper right ~ the big birdhouse display case I purchased!
Lower left ~ happy koi loving their shaded home.
and
Lower right ~ the outdoor seating area itself
Many rose paintings and other
rose~painted items
were for sale
along with other treasures.
Cindy’s larger artworks set inside custom~made frames
of ceiling tiles and architectural elements
were also available.
We all visited for an hour
or so outdoors
then headed inside
to tour a true
Craftsman~style home
*click on the wording above to check out more about
the Craftsman style and how this style of home came about!
Here’s another picture of Cindy!
She is sooo personable!
If you haven’t visited her website or her Facebook page
do check them out at
by clicking on the words below.
I’ve linked to her website so you can go directly there
from here!
Cindy Ellis Art
Cindy teaches how to paint roses in oil paints
and all supplies are included in the cost of fees
per her website
so…
If you live in Southern California
come take a class!
Here is the Ellis’ powder room with many original
and period~style fixtures.
This built~in cupboard is to the right
if memory serves
as you come in from the backyard
into their home.
I love how Cindy has added
wallpaper
to the back of this cupboard making
the old rose dishes blend in but also to stand out!
Built~in cupboards are so useful
and also great space~savers
in smaller homes.
Something I can really appreciate
just now!
The galley kitchen still has its original hardwood cabinets
and they are just gorgeous!
Much of the cabinets one finds
at the big box stores today
aren’t made of solid wood and aren’t always built well
in addition
they often just don’t fit nicely into period homes
as originals were built onsite
therefore
it’s really nice to find
original cabinetry when purchasing an older home.
Even if adding more cabinets are needed ~
custom cabinets are the way to go
if at all possible!
🙂
I didn’t take a picture of the other side of the room
or it didn’t turn out
so…
I’m sorry that I can’t share that with you.
Here is a final lookat
Cindy and Bob Ellis’ gorgeous home!
I do hope you have enjoyed this tour
as I have enjoyed bringing their home
to you!
I may have done a write~up before when I first began blogging
back in 2014 but it is lost
so…
I thought I’d bring it to you again.
🙂
Just in case!
😉
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One doesn’t have to be crazy in-love with all things French, but you will think of converting and
redecorating your home after entering into the world created by the lovely people of Vignettes
a go-to source for anyone looking for
a jewel or two to feather their nest!
🙂
Vignettes is owned by Lori Chandler who has been in business for over a decade in Ocean Beach.
(I am sorry that I didn’t snap a photo of Lori for you ~ I will next time!)
She is very niceand was happy to meet everyone
as old friends even if one was a new one!
(like me!)
Last Saturday’s event at Vignettes, on Valentine’s Day,
was a much-anticipated book signing featuring design-stylist, author and editor of French Country and Prairie Country magazines and the former editor of Romantic Country magazine…
The lovely Ms. Francoise “Fifi” O’Neill surrounded by all things romantic and inspired by her book! Notice the super cute lace dream-catchers!!!
Upon entering Vignettes, one is almost on sensory overload as there are so many lovely things
to behold…
Jeweled crowns, sparkling brooches, Victorian-style necklaces, bangles and bracelets and bronze sculptures are scattered about in vitrine curio cases!
Rose wallpaper used in new ways…
Mannequins dressed in laces and furs, some wearing
“dresses” created from a disparate combination of goods but somehow all creating “the dress…”
Very ethereal!
Following the path through each room, some of the things which caught my eye were engraved silverware pieces (always a favorite with me!), Victorian crumb catchers with their little silver-handled brooms, small bronze statuettes, crystal and beaded chandeliers,
table girandoles and wall sconces with their Louis IV curves, satin tablecloths and boudoir pillows, incredible screens for partitioning one’s room, as well as settees and chaise longues…
Eye candy for the soul!
Here are some more lovely photos from that day…
Vignettes truly is a series of one vignette upon another!
Love, love, love this screen!
I think I have been here once before friends from the tea group that I am in, back when “taking tea” was such a revival in the late 1990’s! I remember the area and this shoppe! 🙂 Two last things before this post is finit! I met Sheri Howells in her booth near the front of the store. She used to have her own online shoppe and is now one of Vignettes happy vendors.
Meet Sheri Howells!
Sheri is very sweet and though she doesn’t sell online anymore, her website and Pinterest are still there,
Sheri4Sure, and you might know her a bit as her home was featured a while back in
Romantic Homes magazine.
Check out her corner, above!
Lastly, I was talking with Sheri and as we were
visiting I caught some movement out of the corner of my eye, in my periphery…
This (wo)mannequin startled me to pieces!
Vignettes must have hired this woman to dress as a live mannequin! She startled everyone when each of us finally noticed her!!! Very fun!
I hope you have enjoyed this little tour of Vignettes!
Do come down and visit the lovely ladies and gentlemen who work there when you have a chance.
