The new Antique Shops & Designers magazine is out, and this issue is better than the last!!

The family team, who puts this artful publication together, created a fall cover that is merveilleux! (marvelous)

My favorite article this issue is a glimpse into their own country retreat!! After thirty years of escaping to the Hill Country, mother and daughter Dot and Dana  decided it was time to build ‘The Barn’;  a dream come true for themselves and their respective families to get away for some R&R. A barn-like structure of metal and glass, their love of all things European certainly influences the design which unfolds into a beautiful sanctuary.

The living spaces feature a warm palette of cool whites, natural linen and reclaimed wood. A wall of windows provides a view of the beautiful rolling countryside uninterrupted by anything inside. Except, perhaps, the over sized French crown which appears to float above the table … fabulous!

Alexander, who brilliantly composes the magazine, is an accomplished artist in his own right! Studying art in Italy, he carved out a studio for himself featuring a wall of collected art; inspiring him in his own works!

The kitchen, which opens onto the rest of the space, feels like a furnished room. The mother and daughter design team really show how creative vision uses simplistic design to create a warm space full of charm and sophistication.

What a refreshing master retreat using antique shutters as the headboard and romantic white linens on the bed!

In the bath, Rusty Arena wallpaper creates an accent for the wonderful Italian mirror. Starting as a finisher himself, Rusty is an amazing talent and I was so lucky to visit with him at his studio here. If time, it’s worth taking the tour with me!

Dot and Dana draw from their years of interior design expertise as the owners of Twenty Six Twenty, a gorgeous antique shop and design studio specializing in European antiques! Alexander, native to Budapest and educated in Italy, spent years honing his creative craft working with Fortune 100 companies in the areas of communications, advertising, publishing and more. 

It is always a challenge to produce an article which I feel is as worthy as the rest of the beautiful features in this magazine!!  But, somehow, they keep letting me write!!! In this issue my article, titled Can it Be Saved, explores the use of decorative finishes in salvaging furniture and fixtures. “ Worthy of experimentation and thought, tweaking these dated elements successfully offers a substantial savings from starting anew. A surface can be transformed from tired to current, from blasé to stunning, and even from an eyesore to soft and neutral.”

Many of the homes designed in yesteryears are filled with heavy, dark or orange-toned stains on beams, shelves and cabinetry. Soft hues, bleached tones, and washes of gray and brown are leading today’s trends. To change the finish, it may not be necessary to strip the wood’s existing finish or prime and paint the surface before applying a glaze. Depending on the desired look, the surface can be sanded, layered with a primer wash to counteract the wood’s red or orange hues and then glazed over for a sophisticated effect that allows the grain to show through.

Scale and shape should be the deciding factors if lighting, frames and furnishings will work in a room. Existing fixtures or newly purchased ones can be inexpensively tweaked to work well in a space. If toning down the brightness of a piece or adding gold or silver highlights is all that is desired, Rub ’n Buff, a paint product found at art or hardware stores, can be easily applied by most individuals. If a more elaborate finish is desired, a skilled finisher can affordably execute the desired look.

Similar techniques can also be used to incorporate architectural elements into a space. After this antique plaster hunting trophy was embedded into the plastered range hood, it didn’t feel as though it belonged. Hand-painting a carved panel around the trophy helped one element seamlessly blend with the other. 

Antique Shops and Designers have also just launched a new website, www.eantiquing.com! On the same site you can view on line past additions of the magazine for free!!! I hope you enjoyed my exploration of Antique Shops and Designers! Click here to read my first blog on this amazing publication and to re-visit my blog on my last article, Gray in the Home!

I am going to Dallas with Segreto Style!!!!

Such an exciting announcement –Aidan Gray has invited me and Segreto Style to help launch the grand opening of the redesign of their storefront, Gray Living!!  March 5^th, I will be in McKinney, TX signing books and admiring their always amazing products at a cocktail reception from 6pm to 8pm catered by Patina Green. Yum, Yum!!  If you’re in the Dallas area, I hope that you and your friends will join me for what is sure to be a beautiful event. I can’t wait!!

Don’t forget, the Organization Challenge is fast approaching!!! Send entries to leslie@segretofinishes.com by March 2nd!! The rules are below!