We re-created our clock wall in the new shop and now it greets you as you walk in the front door.
It is surrounded by our beautiful custom draperies.
It was part of my store opening plan for the new Whistlng Elk to have this room say “we do interior design, window treatments, color consultations” – it is a very pretty room so i think we were successful!
Tag: decor
I went a little crazy with the distressing
well, i might be done…
I did really go crazy with the distressing…but i think i like it!
I used a little of the gilding wax on the hardware and on the drawer front.
You can never have too much gold!
Ooophs – i just couldn’t resist painting the insides of the drawers with Henrietta – Annie Sloan Chalk Paint –
its the sweetest lavendar!
I love the little Fleur de Lis detail smack in the middle…
every time i open this little drawer i know it will make me smile – yes! I am definitely done with this piece!
It’s a Wine Cabinet Makeover
Remember that black wine cabinet that i posted…well the makeover is almost done!
First coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint…Louis Blue and Louis Blue mixed with Pure White.
I left the inside black….liking the contrast!
Later I’ll distress it…
The seasons are changing…time for cozy details at home
It’s that time of year when having a throw blanket to curl up with is really important.
I love piling up a group of throws in soft, natural colors with some of our custom pillows –
It’s hard to resist going by this chair without stroking the throws which do not disappoint!
They are soft & luxurious – so cozy!
The iron canopy bed in our Bonne Nuit colored bedroom is virtually packed with custom made pillows…
Textillery throw blankets are piled here…they are acrylic chenille and just exquisite.
I have several at home and can’t bear to actually use them – I just love to drape them everywhere – ooh la la!
Below a gorgeous purple silk drapery embroidered with sprigs of leaves shimmers with a reddish tinge when you move it…
a fabulous multi-colored bullion adorns it as it hangs over the entrance doorway to this bedroom.
I love the way the ready made 100% cotton organdy embroidered floral drapes hang on the other side of the doorway
creating a multi-layered elegance and depth – very pleasing to the eye (mine anyway).
Both The Whistling Elk and Little Paris are ready for season change…are you?
Say hello to my latest Annie Sloan Chalk Paint project
Say hellooooo to my latest painting project…
This little wine cabinet is my paint project for the next couple of days.
It’s really cute but i am going to make it even cuter!
Stay tuned for the results….
Purple Just Feels Like Bling
Lampe Berger is one of our favorite things…
and what could be prettier than purple?
Not only do we love the scents but they add to any room design….
Feels like bling – I want one!
The Beginnings of our Christmas Bling
Little by little the Christmas Bling is creeping into the shop!
It begins by mingling with our home accessories..
this will continue for the month of October!
Gifts and Decorative Accessories Interview with The Whistling Elk
We just got written up in Gifts & Accessories Magazine….
Check it out!
here’s the link http://www.giftsanddec.com/article/555546-The_Gifted_Retailer_The_Whistling_Elk.php?intref=sr
A Treeful of Mark Roberts Fairies
How fun is a treeful of fairies?
Fairies and lollipops adorn this tree at The Whistling Elk!
First Frost, All Aboard and Xylophone Fairy are from the 2011 Mark Roberts Collection.
It’s hard to see Bah Humbug fairy in this picture – he’s hiding in the tree but you can sure see his sign!
In front of him is Dancin with the Stars Fairy and My Lucky Stars both very cute and colorful!
and sittin pretty in the tree is our very last Father Christmas Fairy….
Art Deco Fairy is riding high at the top of the tree!
Christmas Tree Fairy has a tree on his head…
he is hanging out near the tree with Chocolate Truffle Fairy!
I love the the Christmas Lights Fairy….he is adorable and i love that the 9″ fairy is holding a string of lights!
I think he might be my favorite this year…but i dont know yet because they have a tendancy to grow on you so i could change my mind at any time!
i do still like Bling Bling with his handful of pearls…
i guess i have the rest of the year to decide!
Love at first sight
I fell in love with this little table while out searching for antiques….
Its not old – just cute with great character! It’s oval about 16 x 12 and was already painted with Annie Sloan Paris Grey. It also has a marble top – black with a little pink and grey.
As soon as i saw it i knew i was going to paint and gild it! It was just a matter of what color…
So naturally i did paint it – it wasnt even in the shop for 24 hours before it got a makeover!
So here “she” is wearing some Annie Sloan Henrietta over Paris Grey….and then rubbed with some silver gilding wax and some kings gold gilding wax.
Voila, so Little Paris!
Here’s some detail shots…who said you cant mix silver and gold accents????
It’s important to remember that you dont have to paint perfectly – when you are distressing it gives you a certain lattitude to be a little free…
I am so enjoying painting! I had forgotten how much fun it is and what a great creative outlet is can be.
Annie Sloan Chalk Paint – the marathon continues
This little table had a dark wood top…it really had style with those cute legs so I decided to just paint the top with some Annie Sloan Pure White.
I left the legs the way they were – so here is the table with the Pure White on it.
I waxed it with the clear wax and then applied a little dark wax then distressed it.
Last i hit it with some of the gilding wax then distressed it some more…
Now it has a whole new life!
Love it!
I also worked on this standing mirror…it had a lot of “design” potential!
One of the reasons i selected this piece to paint was because of the beautiful wood carved crown at the top…
and the way this mirror resembled a “boiserie” panel…
The way i envisioned painting this piece i knew that its architecture would be greatly enhanced by using two colors to create a contrast.
I knew that using an alternate color on the crown and on the inset panel would work beautifully
and that connecting them by hitting part of the molding with the contrast color would be very pleasing to the eye.
So, i decided to use Paris Grey and Pure White.
Here’s the crown with a little Paris Grey which i purposely slapped on so it didnt cover all the dark wood.
Later i put some Pure White sloppily over the Paris Grey – i didnt care about covering since i knew i would distress it heavily later.
Originally it was also part of my plan to highlight this piece with some gold wax accents.
However, a customer came into the shop
while i was working on it and asked me not to put the gold on until she saw it finished with just the white and grey…
she thought it might work for her just that way…so i will have to wait until tomorrow when she comes in to see whether it will go home with her sans gold wax..
Here it is BEFORE distressing…
I painted the body of the piece all Pure White then applied the Paris Grey over only the molding and on the inset.
I did that because i knew when i distressed it i would get the dark brown and the white thru the grey.
Here is the boiserie mirror after distressing…I am just dying to highlight it with gilding wax!
Here’s some close ups of the details of the newly antique mirror!
When i am painting i find myself working on a lot of projects at once…
if i have a can of paint open i generally use it on as many pieces as i can so i dont have to open/close the paint, clean the brush etc.
it may be that i am just lazy…. but i think its a good idea to use the paint on something else while the can is open…
so here’s a little mirror that i also worked on!
This distressed mirror was a brownish/cordovan kind of a color with some gold in the corners.
I just went ahead and coated the whole frame with Annie Sloan Pure White, Clear waxed it, distressed it and then
hit it with some of the gilding wax.
Here it is all done and ready for me to put in Little Paris so perfect for my shabby chic shop!
The Annie Sloan Chaulk Paint has been a pleasure to work with and i am loving
all the new decor created…a very good product for interior design!
Gift Wrap makes Interesting Wallpaper
Wrapping paper makes great wallpaper collages….it’s fun to design a room around it!
We used it in Little Paris on an accent wall – it was easy to apply and easy to take down…..nice…
This paper comes in large sheets and i love the way all the colors work together!
You can frame these individually as posters….
a very inexpensive way to decorate your walls!
In fact, its more rare for us to sell these papers at The Whistling Elk as gift wrap than it is for wallpaper or posters!
This one is brand new….a combination of labels, stamps, postcards, and pictures….lovely!
Desk ? Vanity ? Identity Crisis makes for elegant, sleek design
This amazing piece of furniture arrived on Friday.
It came along with the sofa that i recently blogged about…you know the one i waited all day for…that was so late in arriving…
I was so excited about the sofa that I didn’t unpack the desk right away.
Yesterday we brought it up to the shop floor of The Whistling Elk and put it together. It’s gorgeous.
Top down…its a beautiful desk…
Raise the top and voila its an amazing vanity with a beveled mirror!
No real identity crisis here – just imaginative design.
The legs are metal with a silver finish that looks fabulous – sleek and elegant satin finish French legs. OOh la la!
The entire top is ivory with a patterned art finish in a soft gray which resembles wallpaper.
Originally I was thinking this piece would be placed somewhere in Little Paris as it looks very French and very sophisticated
but it’s going to look amazing anywhere in the shop or in your home for that matter!
When I purchased this piece of furniture I must have been in a hurry or something because i didn’t realize that the middle section of the top was hinged
and raised upward to reveal a beveled mirror…creating a vanity. I must be slipping…I did order it from a catalog picture — something that i RARELY do.
But all’s well when its a happy and beautiful surprise.
The name of this desk/vanity is Note to Self….how appropriate!
What a beautiful and clever design which will elevate the décor in any room.
bling lovin girl
Whether its on a little fabric covered box like this or on a chandelier ya gotta luv bling!
it makes a little jewlery pouch special…
or jazzes up a little perfume tester tray…
and pretty ribbons add feminine bling!
you can never have too much bling!
Dreams of posie bouquets
Our little dream shelf in the Paris Boudoir is taking shape….
We have some Relax Lollia, and some pretty vintage paper and a little posie….
You dont have to spend a lot of money to make a shelf look pretty….just collect your favorite things and group them! Add a posie! Little Paris is full of little posie bouquets.
love the color of these hydrangeas!
even though they are silk….still pretty.
The Whistling Elk 
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