| Take your vintage style to your front porch |
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So here we are, somewhere between “walking in a winter wonderland” and “summertime, and the living is easy.” I think they call it “spring.” Mercifully, there’s no more snow to shovel; it’s time to look ahead to those long, lazy afternoons, not to mention the equally long and lazy evenings, of summer. For many of us, there’s no better place to spend those hours than on a porch. Now’s the time to spruce up that space, and that can only mean one thing: let’s get shopping!
Funny thing, it’s become fashionable to talk about “outdoor rooms” and “taking the inside outside.” Those of us who love vintage style know that this is nothing new. Using older items found in an antique shop – things that were not originally designed for outdoor decor, for the most part – has always been a great way to inject a bit of charm into an otherwise bland and predictable space. It still is. Additionally, if your home’s interior is a bit on the formal side, but you find yourself being drawn to more casual items, this may be the excuse you need.
Start with “shabby chic,” as the style was dubbed a few years back. (As an aside, I notice the new name for such items, homely pieces with flaking paint, is “vintage.” I find that to be a bit broad, but what are you going to do?) Skip the garden shop: a trip to a well-chosen antique store is in order. In addition to finding pieces for your home, you’re sure to take away a little bit of inspiration at the same time. The trick is not to limit yourself to traditional outdoor wares, although I admit to being a sucker for twig tables. Be prepared to think outside the box, literally.
I decided to take an exploratory trip a few weeks back. Living in Baltimore, Valley Antiques & Uniques was a natural choice for me. Located a little over an hour west of my home, this Funkstown, Md., shop is spacious and well-stocked. A lot of the wares have a rustic feel, no doubt reflecting its location beyond the metropolitan area. Besides, the shop is beautiful: the window displays are updated and seasonal, and the interior looks as though a designer has just come through.
Let’s get started. If you have metal or wicker furniture on your porch, accent it with a long and low painted bench, or a couple of smaller ones. If yours is a reading porch, these ample surfaces are great for holding magazines and newspapers; drinks and snacks are well-accommodated, too. And I think the casual feel of the primitive pieces softens the setting. While you’re looking at old wooden accent pieces, consider picking up a distressed kitchen chair or two. This might sound odd, but I’ve seen them sitting in the middle of a flower garden, bedecked with flowerpots. No worry about the chair getting ruined by the weather if it’s already in, er, previously loved condition. Sounds odd, I concede, and I wouldn’t suggest it unless I’d seen that it actually works. It’s also a way to extend the life of a piece that would otherwise be junked.
And speaking of where to put blooming beauties, an old folding ladder holds a lot and looks great, too. Additionally, its height adds visual appeal and breaks up the sameness of a porch. Similarly, wire advertising stands are just the thing for holding indoor plants that are summering outside.
If container gardening is your style, consider using old galvanized steel buckets instead of new oversized plastic pots. Several of the buckets at Valley Antiques & Uniques have been decorated with a little paint: pick up the colors from your seat cushions and let your creativity run wild.
Top off the look with some carefully selected accessories. Old wooden birdhouses look charming, even if the “vacancy” sign is up. Ditto old whirligigs. And old toys, including red metal wagons and mid-century pedal cars and tractors, are fun to set around; they’re also handy for holding what would otherwise be porch clutter. For myself, though, I’m on the hunt for a tabletop Victrola for our front porch. What could be finer: sweet vintage tunes under the stars! |
| 4/14/2010 |
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