Vintage toys as decor....

For years I worked as a children's wear designer and used vintage toys and other items for show displays.  Before long I became a BIT obsessed with these items so these collections spilled into my private life.  There are quite a few "whimsical" doodads scattered throughout the house but I confine most of the old games and wood toys to our family room where we also keep our modern collection of family fun items--board games, puzzles, lawn games, etc. etc.

With light colored walls and tile in the kitchen, I have collected a variety of old rusty metal items--some less rusty than others--that I enjoy displaying to add dimension and texture to the room and make the overall feel less contemporary.  The dark colors play nicely with the soapstone counter tops too!

I was pretty happy when I found two of these great old fish molds--one would not have been nearly as interesting.  The trick was how to mount them without putting any holes in the fish.  Let's just say I am pretty handy with 16-gauge wire!

I am also quite fond of pinecones--anything organic with texture frankly--these are perfect for fall decor and the bit of sparkle lets me know Christmas is not far away without going full holiday just yet...soon though, very soon!

BEAM ME UP

From the main living areas of the house the beams create a dramatic effect that give a rustic element to the light colored walls and ceiling.  

There are many walls waiting to be "decorated" but just when I think I have made a "final" decision on what to hang I change my mind.  Too many choices apparently....The "Marsh Mellow" sign is one of the few things that has stayed in it's first location.