One of the best ways to bring personality and interest into your décor is to use elements that you would never find together in reality and DIY your own awesome mash-up.
I found this awesome primitive raw wood bowl at Homegoods this weekend for $30 (I might have squealed a little!) When you are decorating with something like this you have to make sure that it doesn’t get TOO primitive…like I wouldn’t put bones inside it.
The opposite of primitive in my mind is the world we live in today. Full of technology and industry. I love these old lightbulbs, they are HUGE and I love the odd shape.
One of the best secrets when it comes to adding character is to ask yourself if YOU find it interesting. If the answer is yes then there is a fabulous chance that someone else will find it interesting also.
I paired them with a stack of old books that I found at the thrift store for $1.00 each and a cute brass apple (that is actually a bell) that I found for $2.00.
What are your favorite opposite elements to put together?
Love Your Guts, Mandi
LOVE this! I have a similar bowl at home that I have had no idea what to do with, this is great! Thanks for the inspiration, I think I will pull it out of storage!
I LOVE the arrangement! Those old books are stellar.
I might try to steal that next time I’m at your house. Just warning you!
I definitely like to mix rustic elements with more sophisticated and clean lined pieces… it works well for my eye and keeps things from becoming boring!
Very pretty vignette – can’t wait to see the whole room!
Mixing and creating layers of textures, finishes, and styles makes a house so much more interesting and dynamic then having everything from one style/store/color scheme/set of materials. I like mixing metals – brushed silvers and pewters with golds and brasses – and then mixing the metals with aged, imperfect wood finishes and the naturally imperfect greenery of houseplants. Also, juxtaposing woven placemats, for instance, with a smooth wooden tabletop creates interest. And of course, mixing old and new is always more interesting than just one or the other!
The English teacher in me loves that you used the word juxtaposed in your post. 🙂 Oh, and your table display looks awesome too. 🙂
That bowl is awesome. Great juxtapostion of items!
I hope those aren’t the bulbs that are like 75 bucks each. It does look cute though.
I love how you put these unexpected things together! The bowl is awesome!
Love it Mandi! You’re so right on one thing in particular….if we don’t find it interesting, don’t put it in our house! I feel like I am slowly replacing things or just editing to be only what I love. And do i care if anyone thinks it all “matches”? Nope! If it makes me happy, it stays. 🙂
Do you have the complete collection of Vintage Spoon? You can find it all here!
Whoa that is so weird, I have that same exact apple bell. My grandmother gave it to me a few years ago and she’s had it my whole life (and probably a lot longer). I have no idea where she got it but that’s awesome!
Love this look BUT shouldn’t be used in a home with cats. My cats recently rolled a lightbulb off a table and broke it all over the floor in the middle of the night. My poor son was up way too early picking up broken glass and checking cats’ feet for glass shards. 🙁 I love wood and glass together, I keep a bar with crystal cut glass carafes on a vintage record player console. If I had that wooden bowl (and no cats) I would probably put sea shells and sand dollars in it. But, alas, the cats destroy every decorative concept I have <3
Do you have the complete collection of Vintage Spoon? You can find it all here!
🙂 I think the key to all good design is variety! juxtapose textures, colors, finishes, and elements you wouldn’t natutally see together. That’s what keeps the eye moving and enhances the qualities of every detail. I think the lightbulbs are an awesome touch for the natural bowl!
Just wondering where you found the vintage light bulbs? Love the styling!