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Saturday, May 27, 2017

Panoply Summer 2017 Booth Space Updates

Today I want to share some of the vignettes my sister and I have staged most recently in our booth spaces at the South Charleston Antique Mall. The photo below is a highly visible area in our mall's first floor, adjacent to the stairway leading to the mezzanine, second & third floors of our mall.
Sister M and I had been limping along in our booth spaces since the first of the year really, mostly due to my being out of pocket with home improvement projects. Below is how that same space looked in April.
We'd made a few changes, but mostly just filling gaps where items had sold, nothing significant in overall space appearances. In an attempt to get back into the swing of styling our spaces with more intent, we prepared to flip two of our booths and style a couple of summer scenes. With summer travel comes shoppers, so we try to have things looking attractive for those who see our mall's interstate billboards and stop in.

Due to the high visibility, we decided that space near the stairway would be our summer-themed space. The view below was our updated look, as seen while going upstairs.
I didn't even have the price tags on the two vintage metal chairs and they were sold! The customer was waffling a bit, but as soon as she sat in the rocker of the pair, her mind was made up.
There went that vignette!

Meanwhile, all the pieces displaced from that corner space were moved into what we call our main space (it was our original space rented). This is the updated view of that main booth space now (below), as seen from across the walking aisle from a neighboring booth.
A few closer shots of various groupings within shows a lot more detail. The view from directly behind the central showcase/counter gives way to what's seen in the photo below.
A pair of side tables and lamps, positioned directly across from each other on opposite sides of the booth, can readily be seen once you approach the central showcase. It's hard to explain, but when we move and style things, it's not always easy to know if placement will work prior to the move, but it's definitely a yes or no once we move things.
Another area with a slight change was where we keep our casual vintage linens. We created a little laundry area below.
Just in front of this vignette is a vintage washstand we've had for awhile. We switched out the vignette on the washstand and added lots of vintage jadeite and a great acrylic iced tea set in a tulip motif. This  set was from the 1960s, made by HJ Stotter of New York, and sets like this were sold in high-end retail shops in the '60s and '70s. Both the hammered aluminum tray and cotton tablecloth on the rocker also sport tulip motifs.
We always try to make at least one Americana vignette as we approach summer. We grouped items that nod to Armed Forces Day (May 20 this year), as there's a parade that goes by our mall each year which brings foot traffic to the mall on that day.
Another M.A.S.H.-looking vignette was made visible on an aisle as customers pass by (below).
My sister brought in the fabulous architectural salvage pictured below. It is an antique, cast iron capital column surround in four pieces. Imagine the structure it originally encased! Wouldn't it be fantastic as a garden surround for container plantings? I can see it at the center of a parterre, end of a long drive or walkway, or other prominent position, on a pedestal, with a grandiose arrangement flowing from it!
So, back to that summer scene that sold before we left the building....we regrouped, returning within three days. Within that time, another anchor piece in that highly visible space had sold. It's the green garden shelving unit pictured below, which was in the corner, behind the metal chairs.
We shuffled things quite a bit to get the latest arrangement. You can see how it appears from the stairwell, below.
The vignette on the rug became a picnic scene. The stacked stool & chair in the corner replaced the green garden shelving unit. Recognize a few of the items below? They can be seen in my last tablescape post, here.
We brought in vintage ladders to nest and use for our garden smalls (pictured below), which were displaced when the garden shelf sold. The ladders are now where the stacked stool & chairs had been just three days prior. A few vintage linens strategically placed help soften the hard edges.
No sooner than this was styled, the customer who bought the shelving unit decided she needed the green camp stool in our picnic vignette. Plan C was quick and dirty. We simply pulled one of our stepladders in as a table to hold a few of our smalls in that vignette.
With that, we called it a day and a week - a good week! We think we're off to a great kick-start to being summer-ready.

Are you summer ready? Are you planning any vintage or antique shopping during your planned travels this summer? Here's hoping your summer is off to a great kick-start this Memorial weekend.

If ever you are traveling through West Virginia, be sure to plan a stop at the South Charleston Antique Mall, 617 D Street, South Charleston, WV. It's an easy exit and re-entry on I-64, Exit 56. Our mall is open 7 days a week, 363 days a year (closed Easter and Christmas). Business hours are M-Sat 10am - 6pm; Sundays Noon - 5pm. If you ever are planning to stop, I'd love for you to contact me ahead of time - I may very well be free to come and meet you, too!

More of our antique booth display posts can be found on the top menu bar under 'Panoply Antiquing', or by scrolling the labels (Panoply Booth Displays) or typing the keywords into the search box, both on my blog's sidebar. As always, your visit is appreciated and comments welcome!

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Anything Goes: Broadway Tablescape

Welcome aboard! Here at Panoply, tablescaping - particularly with vintage finds - is one of my favorite topics! It's nearly summer - in fact, the unofficial start of summer is this Memorial weekend. Summertime...where the livin' is easy, and anything goes. As we approach celebrating the 2017 Tony Awards, today's tablescaping theme is centered around the Broadway musical, Anything Goes**.
When Chloe Crabtree from Celebrate and Decorate invited me to participate in a Broadway themed tablescape party, I initially declined, overwhelmed with remodeling our master bath. Thank goodness that project ended (whoot! whoot!), and I had some things on hand that sparked some inspiration. The vintage pitcher and retro-cool picnic ensemble pictured below were the springboard items which had me deciding to "dive" into the party!
With a few more vintage supplies also on hand, my interpretation of the 1934 musical Anything Goes, featuring music and lyrics by Cole Porter, flowed easily. The S.S. American is sailing between New York and England with a cast of passengers sure to make you smile. The table is set for a quick brunch or light lunch in my sunroom. Let's tie a sailor's knot [napkin] and sail, shall we?
As the plot of Anything Goes unfolds on an ocean liner crossing from the US to the UK, I thought it fitting to bring out my US flag and Union Jack pillow covers to use as accents in the sunroom, seen in the background of the photos above and below. The place setting stack consists of a yellow Fiestaware® square dinner plate, vintage red picnic plate (from the picnic set), and a square white appetizer plate (Crate and Barrel). Collected bakelite flatware in red and navy, with a touch of mellowed yellow (originally ivorine) trim, were used on the tabletop. Extra utensils were garnered in an Amish-made wicker caddy sourced in Ohio several years ago.
A 'show boat' is elevated on a cake pedestal used as a riser (pictured below), covered with tie-dyed indigo napkins (Sundance Outlet), evoking the ocean's deep waters and waves. Mini 'shrimp boats', reminiscent of  the small boats that take cruise passengers to port excursions, are part of the vintage service set, and rest at each guest's place setting. The service set could be for shrimp, veggies, fruit, or other menu items for this gathering. Each of the bottom and top (lids) of the vintage picnic set can be used as bowls for service, one of which is on the table (below).
Vintage cotton duck napkins were used at each place setting, both on the chair backs and at the plate service.
What could be better than a love triangle storyline (besides napkins folded in a love knot?).
I'll tell you what could be better than a love triangle storyline. A love triangle storyline that takes place during the Art Deco era - this self-proclaimed Flapper girl's favorite era! For this occasion, I brought out a couple of my favorite, authentically Art Deco, beaded handbags from my personal antique and vintage purse collection - those with a patriotic twist! The one pictured below (left) was a WWI handbag, lovingly restored. The one on the right was procured from a fellow collector friend.
The chair back life buoy decor (Hobby Lobby) makes the perfect place to hang the Art Deco handbags when the purses might otherwise obstruct the passing of foodstuffs on the table.
The red hobnob glasses are also from my vintage stash and, together with the great bulbous pitcher, might just be the perfect combo for some Bloody Marys or Red Eyes, depending on the guests' night before. ;) The tiny anchors scattered on the table are actually little buttons I had, added for more whimsy.
Rounding out the table centerpiece is my Deco-era, bathing beauty whirligig, set within the red and white life preserver.

Just to show how easily this centerpiece was pulled together, I reached for a few basic craft supplies: a foam wreath, red and white duct tape, and natural, hemp rope. Simple!
I hope you found this tablescape whimsically inspiring, whether the theme be for the Broadway musical Anything Goes, #MemorialDay, or any other nautical and/or summertime fun fete. Feel free to browse my topics on the menu bar at the top of my blog and, if you find similar interests, I invite your return. You can also sign up for posts to be emailed directly to your inbox. Regardless, I appreciate your visit today and welcome your comments.
This week I am joining all the bloggers conveniently listed below, where you can simply click on any - or all - to see a whole lot of award-winning Broadway tablescapes. A heartfelt thank you to Chloe from the blog Celebrate and Decorate for organizing and hosting this roundup!


**About the musical Anything Goes:
Terrific Cole Porter songs such as "It's De-Lovely", "I Get a Kick Out of You", "Anything Goes", and "Let's Misbehave" are just a few classics from the Broadway comedy Anything Goes that takes place on the high seas during the luxurious and progressive days of the Art Deco period. Farcical antics abound in this musical. During the 1930s, it was the 4th longest running Broadway musical, despite the Great Depression. It has been revived numerous times on Broadway and in civic theater. In 1987, it won the Tony award for best revival of a musical, best actor, and best choreography.

Reno Sweeney, a popular nightclub singer and former evangelist is just one character on board this ship. Her pal, Billy Crocker, a lovelorn Wall Street broker, has come on board to try to win the heart of Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to another passenger, wealthy Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Of course, there's Public Enemy #13 - Moonface Martin - who, in the end, not only manages to help Billy win the love of his life, but also manages to be declared harmless as a public enemy.
(A special thanks to Dagmar Bleadsdale at Dagmar's Home Link Party #168 for featuring this post!)
Rita C. at Panoply

Friday, May 12, 2017

From Blah to Spa: Master Bath Reveal

Hello friends! Without any further designs, decisions, delays, or deviations from the original plan, our master bath renovation in our home is finally complete. The bath has been transformed from its former, 1980s blah brown into a 21st century spa, and today I'm sharing that transformation with you.
To backtrack and see the former look of the master bathroom and reasons behind our decisions to gut the space, you can refresh with this post. We hired a local design expert to assist us in altering our floor plan, simply because we didn't know what we didn't know about potential structural concerns. He listened so well to our concerns and wish list, he won the job primarily for those reasons. My design board for the remodel shaped up with the following photo collage (the complete source list is at the end of the post, and can also be found with links on my Pinterest Board titled Master Bath Ideas):
Design Board for Master Bath 
Our ultimate goals with the renovated bathroom were as follows:
  • Update the overall appearance to a more current look (but still traditional), utilizing quality replacement materials
  • Eliminate the vanity, bidet and jacuzzi tub
  • Eliminate most, if not all, of the brass fixtures, Hollywood glamour lighting, marble tile, and wall mirrors
  • Reconfigure the floor plan to take better advantage of the generous space (approx 135 sq ft, excluding closets)
  • Raise the height of the vanity countertop from a too low 30" to 35"
  • Improve focal lighting for close up activities (shaving, applying makeup)
  • Create a walk-in shower, increasing the size to eliminate a door & accommodate a seat, multiple water sources
  • Take measures for best possible waterproofing with the shower system
  • Install a radiant heated floor
Mission accomplished.

The photo-heavy remainder of this post details the outcome of our project.

The line of sight walking into the bathroom is centered on the right-hand side of the vanity/mirror. The new vanity (Holiday Carlisle) is 84" vs. the previous 60". Radiant floor heating (Schluter®) was a luxury addition. While throw rugs are not necessary (and, in fact, must be used wisely with radiant heat), they add color and even more comfort at the toe kick area beneath the vanity, where the heat cable stops.
Master Bath View Upon Main Entry
The vanity is of furniture-quality construction, with soft-close and smooth-gliding doors and drawers. The drawers are so beautifully finished I hate to even have them hidden!
Holiday Carlisle vanity construction detail
As you approach the vanity's right corner, you see the new walk-in shower where the toilet and bidet were previously situated.
Master Bath View from Vanity (Front, Right)
If there is a showstopper element in this master bath, I would say the shower is it. The shower is approximately 25 sq ft (except for angles where plumbing and seating are built into the design). This was custom designed, and built utilizing a trademarked waterproofing shower system (Schluter®) and custom fabricated, solid quartz walls (Cambria Ella). You should have seen the installation! It took five guys to carry in the largest wall (right side).
Master Bath View to Shower Interior. 
The step-down left-side entry wall with half-glass panel conceals plumbing. The "curb", also waterproofed and quartz covered, acts as a barrier to water escaping onto the main floor. Delta fixtures were installed in the quartz walls.
Shower Heads, Control Valves
Below is a photo collage of some of the details we chose in our shower materials and selections. Starting clockwise, top L: Overhead showerhead (Raincan) & overhead vent fans/lights; Custom shower walls in solid quartz (Cambria Ella), with corner seat; Cancos Co Basketweave tile on shower floor; Built-In quartz niche shelf for toiletries; Shower water fixtures (Delta Cassidy).
Shower Interior Details
When viewing the room's space from the shower, note the lofted wall/ceiling (original home design). The two skylights are original to the home's construction also, and there's a ceiling fan between them (we replaced the original). The wall has been left naked for the time being. I have a few ideas in mind, but will leave it empty a while instead of just filling the space for the sake of filling.
Master Bath View from Shower Interior
The soaking tub (Fleurco Aria Fortissimo) is huge at 70+" long, and holds 74 gallons. With a center drain, the tub had to be plumbed from the ceiling below (from our breakfast area on first floor). The framed print I already owned, but was being stored. I originally wanted a chandelier over the tub, but the ceiling directly above is only 8' so I had dimmable downlights added instead. The 24" tile makes the floor space seem even bigger. The radiant heated floor beneath (Schluter®) is controlled by a programmable thermostat mounted on the wall just inside the closet door behind the tub. That closet space runs the length of that wall behind the tub, an alcove under the attic stairs, but also allows for hanging clothes and storing our mini refrigerator, too (the door of which is accessible from the stair landing outside the bedroom/bath suite).
Master Bath View, Looking at Main Entrance/Exit and Utility Closet
The photo collage below shows some of the details we chose in our materials and accessories selections. Starting clockwise, top L: Delta (Cassidy) tub filler; Park Harbor (Peebles) light fixtures (sconces are on his & hers separate, dimmable switches); Delta (Cassidy) faucet & towel ring, Cambria (Ella) vanity countertop & backsplash with cutouts for electrical outlets (his & hers); Frontgate (Belmont) rolling valet tucks nicely beside vanity when not in use; DecoBros mesh cabinet stacking organizer/drawer; a closer look at faucet; Rev-a-Shelf vanity grooming organizer. Designed for hot iron/hair dryer storage, the metal container shelf in this unit can be replaced with another shelf for alternate, adjustable storage.
Master Bath Fixture, Accessories Detail
As you can see from the closet view, the lofted wall has much potential for future use.
View from interior of master closet.
This view (below) is from the opposite corner, looking toward the master closet.
View toward Master Closet.
The master closet area served as the "toolbox" during the job, and at one point also held the soaking tub, medicine cabinets and tub filler. At nearly 42 sq ft and all that shelving, it took nearly three days just to paint the closet. All the bathroom painting added an additional week to the 8 week project.
Master Closet Interior, Clean and Freshly Painted
While this job took a full nine weeks of workers present Monday-Friday, the actual construction was within the original estimate (6-8 weeks) the contractor provided. Project activities that consumed much of the time were the demolition, reconfiguring the electrical and plumbing lines, and framing/waterproofing the new shower. With so much marble tile and built-in framing around the previous shower and tub, it was nearly one full week to get everything out and down to the studs.

Were there many tasks between the before and after? More tasks than I ever thought possible, but certainly worth the time taken. Were there project hiccups along the way? Yes. Most were small, but a few really stand out in my mind. Were there lessons learned in the project management, generally speaking? Certainly. I will reserve all of these details for some future post, in the hopes of helping others.

Here's a side by side look at our master bath, before and after the renovation, of each of the spaces.
Thanks for bearing with me as I captured the details of our master bath renovation project. If you have any questions about the timeline or experience, feel free to contact me. I'm not compensated for any of what happened here (far from it!). I don't typically disclose expense details, but you can glean that by research.

I couldn't have asked for any better present for Mother's Day, birthday, or any other occasion than to have this job finished and the work permits out of the windows. Now, to get back moved in and enjoy....
Master Bath Remodel Source List:
Designer - Wardens Kitchen and Appliance Gallery (South Charleston, WV)
General Contractor - H&O Construction Co. (South Charleston, WV)
Quartz (custom shower walls) - Cambria Ella, in 2 cm - Johnson Granite (Mt. Airy, NC fabricator, wholesale distributor)
Shower Substrate Waterproof System - Schluter®-Shower System
Quartz (vanity counter, backsplash) - Cambria Ella, in 3 cm - Johnson Granite (Mt. Airy, NC fabricator, wholesale distributor)
Shower Glass Half Panel - clear-coated with straight channel - Mountaineer Glass (Dunbar, WV)
Freestanding Tub - Fleurco Aria Fortissimo
Commode - Kohler Cimarron Comfort Model K-3589 2-piece elongated, 1.6 GPF
Vanity Custom Cabinetry - Carlisle full overlay fog w/graphite glaze maple cabinets and trim - Holiday Kitchens (Rice Lake, WI)
Cabinetry Organizer - Rev-a-Shelf Vanity Grooming Organizer
Vanity Hardware - HardwareResources.com Elements series, Merryville - polished chrome
Sinks - White oval porcelain -  Johnson Granite (Mt. Airy, NC wholesale distributor)
Porcelain tile (main floor) - Cancos Co Massa Series 24" (and baseboard) Statuario Polished - Smith Tile (Charleston, WV wholesale distributor)
Porcelain tile (shower floor) - Cancos Co Basketweave - Smith Tile (Charleston, WV wholesale distributor)
Grout - Silverado power grout- Smith Tile (Charleston, WV wholesale distributor)
Radiant, Electric Floor Warming System - Schluter® DITRA-HEAT with programmable touchscreen thermostat
Faucets, Fixtures - (all in polished chrome) Delta Cassidy series floor mount tub filler, sink, shower diverter and valve, with French curve handles; Delta 5-setting H20kinetic shower head, Delta Premium 7-setting slide bar hand shower; Raincan single-setting Touch-Clean shower head; Delta Cassidy series tissue holder, towel ring, double towel rack, double robe hooks, grab bar (not installed) 
Shower Vented Light Fixtures - NuTone recessed ventilation fan with LED light - Warden's
Tub Light Fixtures - Halo surface mount downlight, dimmable - Home Depot
Vanity Mirror/Medicine Cabinets - Pegasus
Vanity Light Fixtures - Park Harbor Peeble series in polished chrome - Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery
Ceiling Fan - SeaGull 42" Long Beach remote controlled, white - Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery
Backplatesswitches and outlets, white - Home Depot
Paint - Sherwin-Williams Pure White (SW7005) Emerald line in matte finish for walls, ceilings; Extra White (SW7006) Pro Classic line in semi-gloss finish for trim and doors
Rolling Valet - Belmont, polished chrome - Frontgate
DecoBros - mesh cabinet stacking organizer/drawer - Amazon
Marbled Scatter Rugs - Pier1.com (discontinued)
White Cotton Towels - Vera Wang Pure Luxury - Kohls.com