Category Archives: furniture

Weekend Goodies 1

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Sparrow Wall decals by Olive Owl Art

I’m excited to share the abundance of Belfast’s talent and wares available this weekend. The first ever ‘Home Souk’ on Saturday was a real treat of fabulous art, uniquely crafted homey items, hand-picked treasure and memorabilia, and upcycled furniture. This swoop of swallows I got from Cassie of Olive Owl Art just give my kitchen wall a breath of fresh air, and my step a little skip when i see them. They set off my collection of kitchen finds very well too..

Sparrow Wall decals by Olive Owl Art

Here is Cassie of Olive Owl art and Liz with the rest of their wares. Liz of The Green Peach had some funkily painted crockery, love that pink cadillac! And those silhouette cushions! Check out their etsy shops for more inspiring stuff.

One of my favourite retailers at the Souk is Hola Lola.. the shop is a colourful fairly traded and ethically sourced feast.. I will have to do another post of all the fab things I have from there..

Hola Lola

And the wonderful Jenny of Hola Lola was selling these deliciously quirky hand designed plates

Jenny's plates

It was very inspiring to meet all sorts of people showcasing their business inititiatives.. people with this kind of get-up-and-go and-actually-do-it, amaze me! i think it takes a lot of confidence.

I met Roisin McCrory who will upcycle, repurpose or personalise any piece of furniture you might have a special place in your heart for.. see more on her website

And what about these lovely ladies, selling authentically African handmade goods, from repurposed plastic bottles, useful for lots of little jobs, and with all funds going to source.. lovely!

South african handmade boxes

All in all, it’s the kind of day out, that makes shopping fun, personal, and gives you that warm fuzzy feeling of voting with your banknotes in aid of all things green, pretty, unique and ethical. *happy sigh*..

A novice at the auction

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Last wednesday was my first foray into the world of auctions. DJ Manning in Bo’ness was to be my initiation. So with my closely perused and annotated catalogue, snack supplies and a bundle of anticipation, i set off in search of a bargain. I arrived an hour before the sale for the viewing. After a heady 1/2hr of vintage and antique everything, i began to realise that it was going to be a long day….my specific items of interest were spread across the 1000 lots, and thus the 11-4pm sale time. Not having any idea of an approximate price tag in order to leave a bid and depart, that meant sticking it out until the bitter end. I consoled myself by thinking that this would equip me more readily for ‘next time’, in which i would feel more confident bypassing the actual auction.

Surrounded by old men with wads of cash sticking out of grubby back pockets, i settled myself into a corner and attempted to look inconspicuous. Clearly i was not doing a very good job, as i found myself having unsuspectingly bid £30 upon an utterly horrible armchair whilst swiping my hair. Evidently, swiping one’s hair is indicative of a bid. By divine intervention, someone with no taste continued to bid further. My heart racing, i prepared to bid on something i actually wanted – an oak arts and crafts set of shelves. But they eluded me. Then, so did a cheval mirror, 2 towel rails, a fireside chair, 2 footstools, both oak kists and 2 beautiful lamps. Despair was looming. Nor was it dissipated by winning a rather random oversized beaded foot stool for £20 – i admit it, it was an impulse purchase, a consolation. Then again, everything at an auction is an impulse purchase, given that you have about 1 second to decide on your readiness to spend. This certainly goes against all my furniture/home-wares buying principles. (Which are, if you are interested, look carefully for unworkable flaws, consider the actual value, envisage its purpose and home, deliberate on it for a while, maybe even phone a friend. Above all, be selective.)

As the day wore on, i soon realised that having your sights set on a particular item is not the way to go. Despite coming away with a reasonably satisfying haul (see below), as i drove home i started to think about the things i let slip, having focused too much on the key items none of which i won anyway. However, i must say i am thoroughly delighted with my British Rail Notices framed poster. Catches the eye in the porch.

So, what are my auction conclusions? Firstly, its not for the fainthearted! Its a long day, and you spend most of it on tenderhooks. Each lot tends to be quite large, so you often end up with a few choice items mixed in with other rubbish (eg wicker baskets with a 1970’s cooler), which will invariably go straight to the charity shop. On the positive, i saw stunning pieces of furniture going for nothing – antique mahogany or oak drawers and wardrobes selling for around £35. Those buying furniture were definitely onto a winner.

In summary, a time-consuming way to pick up a potential one-off piece for a fraction of its value. If your lucky…

Made for each other

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If you ask me, display/storage options for technological gadgetry in the living room are often hard to make pretty. i have been keeping an eye on gumtree for something to house our E-normous tv and accompaniments – to no avail. So when kath and i fashioned this arrangement today, i was really quite pleased.

The white table was found on the street by colin, abandoned by its owners and to make matters worse, 2 legs were twice the length of the others. After some very interesting measuring techniques, he made the legs equal (almost), and it sat quietly outside awaiting its destiny. It has been painted white but chipped over time which i think adds to the look. The footstool underneath had been residing in the guest room, posing unsuccessfully as a sort of ottoman, so i was delighted to discover it fitted neatly underneath the table, and not only that, the bottom rungs were perfectly sized for the amplifier. This is a micro-example of something i often find happening in my home-perfecting moments: things you already have can often be rediscovered and reincarnated into a happy new life. As long as you can avoid going to ikea in the meantime…..

Retro Vanity

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Remember my little project I adopted from East Belfast Mission, in the July post ‘A Belfast favourite for useful finds’.

Well i finally got to it.. here are some of the avenues of inspiration I got from the beautiful world of my favourite blogs..

'Grellow' dresser

mmm.. ‘grellow’.. warming, yet understated. See the whole post at Design dump.

Chest by Kfd Designs

A great ‘before and after‘ inspiration at the amazing ‘Design Sponge’ with this chest by Kfd designs which is also a great blog full of refurbing treats.

Love this vintage vanity shot I saw in this post at Bliss.

So I decided I was after quite a retro look, and the whole ‘Grellow’ thing had me feeling groovy..

And here he is finished..

I don’t love the colour, I wish I went for a grey or dusky blue for a more dramatic before and after! What do you think of the knobs? Should I choose one set keep it more uniform?

Go on and leave a comment with your thoughts.. I’m not precious, you know I love the banter, it’s only a coat of paint, and it’s my first real Salvage ‘makeover’ so be honest!  I must tell you about one of my blog heros Barb, from ‘Knack’ and her fabulous series ‘Before and After Basics‘ over on Design sponge if you’re looking for tips on this kind of thing. It’s worth reading the whole series!

One of the things I’ve always found offputting about painted furniture, is that it can look somewhat bland, or ‘flat’. Barbs super tips on staining and waxing the furniture after painting really bring your piece back to life, restoring it’s lustre and personality. And man do Barb’s pieces have personality! Thanks Barb..I think this one’s an Alfie!

I have updated this piece with some jewellery display.. I once realised that I always want more things in shops, just because they are so visual and displayed well, so I have tried to put my stuff out like a shop ever since!

it's all about the display!

update

Back to our roots

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Many moons ago, Gemma and i undoubtedly committed a multitude of style sins during our 2-year experiment on Dad’s old farmhouse during our last years at school. Take, for example, the lime green conservatory. Or the ‘Mexican’ theme sitting room – orange brush-effect walls, red velvet curtains adorned with multi-colour beads , blue window and door trims, gold stars suspended from the ceiling, a £10 salvaged red velvet sofa. Hopefully, our tastes have softened somewhat since then, but those were the days that nurtured and shaped our creative longings. Perhaps as a form of penance for our unfettered interior experimentation, we started the big clear out of Tullyroan House last weekend, making room for a new era in its long Dalzell history.

Work began under rather sodden conditions, but relics of salvage sister history soon made for cheering moments. This table was my first furniture project at age 13. The driftwood piece posed as a light for many happy years on the psychedelic wall.

This vintage bistro chair was restored from the brink with copper paint and a blue paint wash.

With creative confidence setting in at 17, i revived this dresser from its previous life as a paint-pot graveyard, making the doors and adding a chicken wire/material frontage. The paint stains were covered up using white paint and a wood-effect tool. I think i was aiming for a bleached wood look.

But no time for nostalgic loitering, the salvage sisters turn to seeking out opportunities anew amidst their car-crash teen craft projects. Enter the complementary skills of the self-proclaimed Burn Brother Ryan! Unfortunately, some things just can’t or won’t be reincarnated… These sofas have seen many a party, but their final destination in the great Tullyroan Sofa Heaven has come, via the pearly gates of the holy bonfire.

Good job we had plenty of help from the next generation in making all these tough decisions, and a steady hand to stay the course on the way up to the bonfire pile.

And for another day, when sources of plant pots, wobbly stools and rusty lamp stands have run dry, we can always return to this pile of salvaged goods and start all over again!

Vintage in the Country!

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I was ever so excited to hear about the ‘All things vintage’ fair being held at Derry’s in Annaghmore, on Feile FMs ‘Saturday morning show’ with ‘Frock around the Clock’ interviewee Becky Moore.

Being a local girl I endeavoured to visit my Granny and then get on down there, and I did! It really was a treat of all things vintage, from designer vintage frocks and authentic american vintage jewellery, to antique, retro and kitsch collectibles of all descriptions, alongside some incredible repro furniture including outrageous felt covered vignettes and glorious chaise longues.

A Salvage sister day out is not complete without a great tea room with exquisite iced buns to smear into our new collectibles, if we are 1 years old, as my budding salvaging partner Lucia did. She was also very taken with the great live jazz music, creating a fabulous atmosphere for us to bop around whilst my eyes were darting everywhere for the next inspirational find! (pics of my finds to come, as my camera is temporarily on holiday!)

You could even get ahead for your night out with ‘Pin up’ hairstyling available on the day. The beautiful 50’s up styles they were creating are a good thing, as this weeks Sunday Times Style magazine tells me that this is a season to get adult and polished – chic, elegant and grown up are this seasons buzz words apparently.  ‘Think Mad Men Women, soignee 195o’s girls with up dos’ Read more about the stylists, and the fact that UTV will be featuring this great day shortly at the Derry’s blog.

Also dont miss Frock Around the Clock Vintage Fashion and Textile fair at the Holiday Inn, Ormeau Road, Belfast this Sunday the 26th September.

[slideshow]

All photos courtesy of Derry’s own Cathy Haughey so far, as unfortunatley as I mentioned above, my camera went home in someone elses bag from holidays! Miss you!

A Belfast favourite for useful finds..

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Here are my recent ‘practical’ purchases from an amazing church based project that I love,East Belfast mission.
The first for a fiver, the second fifteen. I love anything to do with round/ oval mirrors or frames.

I can see this little bland guy as my new bathroom book stand and cabinet.. mags in a bathroom, essential!

Really fancy this painted up as a funky retro vanity unit.. My jewellery definately needs an inspiring shop fit, where I’ll be inspired to pluck each piece up anew!


And a little ‘after’ view for you. The contrast shade should maybe have been brighter.. went for grey/ aqua tones, and a blue/grey glass knob.



The colours were inpsired by a recent trip to a magnificent pebble beach in Donegal on a treasured visit with Salvage sis Lucy. I ‘salvaged a few’ to add feature to the bathroom.

I’ve since evolved this little cabinet with some birdy decals.. I recieved a beautiful little note with this design, and just knew it had to be saved from the bin or a dusty shelf!

too cute to trash/stash

Birdy decals