Portobello Road

Thanks to all of you who came to our Portobello Road Market today! We had such a great day, and we hope you did too. Here are just a few pictures of the Antiques Market, and our fabulous dealers getting ready for it on Friday afternoon.

Here are all the dealers, trying to make "order out of the chaos" on Friday afternoon. It is always amazing how well everyone works together, and how it all fits together just like a puzzle, even though we never know until that day what everyone will be bringing.


Ruth Ann and Alicia enjoying the creative process!


All busy at work......




And here are some of the finished "vignettes" of antiques:

A cozy cabin/cottage corner----



A sparkling display of silver for your holiday parties


An eclectic corner of fall at its finest....


A mix of funky and fabulous...



Jan's creative corner of "To rest is to rust"!


I'll post more pictures tomorrow of the rest of the store decked out for fall. If you didn't make it in today, there are still lots of interesting antiques and fabulous fall finds waiting just for you. Hope to see you soon!

Coming Soon! ---- FALL

Even though I love summer, and its end is bittersweet, my very favorite season of all is Fall. Crisp cool evenings, cozy knit sweaters, leaves turning gorgeous shades of russet and gold, the first fire in the fireplace----I love it all! And, of course, the changing of seasons always requires some decorating changes as well. We will be totally re-doing the shop next week for fall and our Portobello Road Market, bringing out tons of new merchandise including all the Fall and Halloween. (As most of you frequent customers know, it will be rather a mess during this process.....but we assure you the results will be worth the wait!) We will be closed Friday afternoon (Aug. 19) to display all of the antiques that our fabulous team of antique dealers will be bringing in, with Portobello Road Market opening Saturday, August 20 at 9:00! (Note the earlier opening time.) Scones and tea will be served from 9:00 - 12:00, with champagne and samples of new Stonewall Kitchen recipes served from 2:00 - 4:00. Come early and stay late! Can't wait to see you there!


Love these pumpkins in the urns framed by the bittersweet wreaths!


Bring out your fall-colored pottery and light some candles for a cozy autumn dinner.


Turn those wine glasses upside down and they become a cloche on the bottom and a votive holder on the top. (Make sure you save some for the wine as well!)


A touch of whimsy for your front porch.......


Another great use of urns, this time for the outside. And who wouldn't love coming up this sidewalk at twilight, with all the candles lit?!

Start planning your Fall decorating now. See you Saturday!

Book or Nook?

Oh, how we love our books! We read them for pleasure, for school, for reference, for inspiration. We cook with them, identify birds with them, look up maps in them. We decorate with them --- we stack them, we lay them on their sides, we group them by color, by topic, by size and sometimes we even put them in the bookcase backwards! Leather bound books --- classic and classy. Tiny little books ---so sweet and petite. Coffee table books --- a picture IS worth a thousand words!



Oh yes, give me a book --- the real thing. What would we do without bookstores? And libraries? How could we read a bedtime story to a child without a real honest-to-goodness picture book? I can't imagine summer without a good paperback to take to the beach. Book Clubs conjure up the book of the month in one hand, a glass of wine in the other. Book signings ---well, I've never heard of a Nook signing! And how could you highlight, turn down the corner of a page, or make a note in the margin in anything but the real thing?




Our Portobello Road Antique Market is featuring books in many ways, shapes and forms. If you share the love of books as we do, just say no to the Nook, and join us on August 20 to tell us what BOOK you're reading!




written by Gwen Oldfield

Off to Atlanta Market

Just a quick note to everyone since I haven't posted much lately. I'm off to Atlanta for the summer Gift Show, to finish up the Christmas buying, as well as begin spring, and add to all the other regular merchandise! Can't wait to find lots of exciting new things for you all!! In anticipation of new arrivals, I added many items to the sales shelves today. Stop in to check out the new bargains.

Don't forget our Girls' Night Out coming up on July 28, when we will have received some of the new merchandise already. And soon on its heels will be Portobello Road (August 20 through September 9)--- our fall antiques market. The picture above is just a hint on our theme for that event ----!

I'll update you on all the new trends when I return, and hope you have a chance to visit the shop soon.

New This Week.......

A great lobster trap made into a coffee table ----just perfect for your lake cottage or sunroom!



A darling little lamp with a French script shade ----small enough to fit on your kitchen counter underneath your cabinets!



Another charming lamp with two birds admiring themselves in an oval mirror



Quirky metal sculpture flowers that each hold votive candles


A sweet table ---with a white washed bottom shelf and a cherry top.......making it work well in either a traditional or shabby chic setting



What a charming checked pillow with an antique needlepoint centerpiece!



Mixed greenery wrapped in a coconut leaf, and set in a metal pedestal container



New"shutter" lanterns in two different sizes will also look great in a cottage or sunroom


Another pair of lanterns with mesh tops and fleur-de-lis ornamentation

Stop in today to see what else new has arrived this week!

Beautiful Blue and White

There are few accessories as classic as blue and white porcelain/china! Even if your color scheme doesn't include blue, these lovely pieces can be a crisp accent to any room. Here are some of my favorite pictures showing well-displayed collections of blue and white. Above is a great (mostly) symmetrical arrangement that could be a foyer, dining room or living room. The added greens are a nice contrast to the blue and white, while the stunning gold mirror adds a touch of light and reflection.


What a great centerpiece on this dining room table that is otherwise all white! The varying sizes and shapes of blue and white jars, each containing a different single variety of white blooms, makes this tablesetting a simple but outstanding one.


Another lovely arrangement with different sizes and shapes of jars filled with their own variety of blossoms.


This owner of this blue and white dining room is fortunate enough to have a fireplace there, giving her a space to display an arrangement of blue and white vases and ginger jars.



I love the moss on the top of this table as a contrast in texture to the sleek blue and white porcelain. Note a couple of pieces under the table as well as on top.



Here the over-sized ginger jars fill in the empty space below a foyer console.


REALLY over-sized bowls hold large palms and ferns in this foyer/stairway! Dramatic and effective, this tiny corner and adjoining landing become show-stoppers.


Massing a collection of different sizes and shapes of blue and white is a great way to top a chest or dresser .

We have several great sources for blue and white porcelain, with some pieces always in the shop. Consider using blue and white to accent your next decorating project, or to give new life to an existing room....a classic way to add an updated look.

The Thrill of the Hunt

The season of outdoor antique shows is finally here, and rarely a weekend goes by that I don't try to hit at least one of these great venues. Here are some of my finds from this weekend! Above is a nice early blue and white platter, with some age yellowing, which in my eyes makes it even more charming!


Shown here is a wonderful majolica compote in spring-y shades of blue and green, and definitely an early piece.



Shown here is a wonderful architectural fragment that could be the centerpiece for a great grouping---- along with prints, mirrors or other architectural items. Finished in old white paint, it measure approximately 24" tall.


This is one of a set of four of darling bamboo folding chairs. Although probably not antiques by true definition, they are definitely vintage, and, at only $140.00 for the set, a great buy for some extra seating!



A very interesting brass and black iron scale with old paint detail and a fish-tail like shape, this could be an interesting stand for a plant or small basket of fruit in your kitchen.
.
I couldn't resist this darling Spaniel dog with a "feather in his cap"!! ----definitely someone's loved and vintage pet.


A lovely plate with a ship painting in the center, and the best buy of the day at only $12.00!

Stop in soon to see these and lots of other newly-arrived treasures. And don't forget about our Summer Sale next Friday and Saturday (June 10 & 11)...... 20% off on everything (except antiques), and for one time only, this sale includes an additional 20% discount on the Sale Corner!!

Hope to see you then!