by Lauren Spinelli
Welcome to our new column Lauren’s Picks, in which antiques lover Lauren Spinelli travels the globe (and the Internet!) hand-selecting her favorite vintage finds. This week we’ve got all the goods you’ll need to deck out your vintage farmhouse!
Relax and let the sweet breeze blow, because today I’m beautifying a classic, old farmhouse. With simplicity and affordability in mind, I carefully curated my favorite antique and vintage finds via the internet and beyond to decorate a farmhouse into a home. So, grab your favorite rocking chair, pour a cold glass of lemonade and enjoy my farm fresh picks, ya’ll!
Pie Safe
I have an appreciation for retired objects that have since been replaced by modern inventions. The pie safe is a perfect example. Once used to protect pies and other unpreserved goods from rodents and insects, the pie safe lost its advantage to contemporary luxuries such as the refrigerator and pantry closet. This mint green marvel would look sweet as pie with a collection of white, ironstone pitchers nestled inside.
Available at Brandywine View Antiques, Chadds Ford, PA; (610) 388-6060. Pick-up only; $179.00
Hay Hooks
Oh hay, look over here! Allow me to hook you up with a favorite find! Okay, okay, I’m done with the wordplay. I heart rusty farm tools and I especially love old hay hooks. Once used to move bales of hay around the farm, these functional tools have a nice primitive design and would look gorgeous against a freshly painted white wall. I would repurpose the tools as wall hooks for winter coats, hats or tractor keys near an entryway. An alternative would be to scatter them amongst additional old farm equipment, creating a unique wall display with a nod to the past.
Available on vintagehelper’s Etsy shop; $10.00
Agricultural Almanac (or several!)
Oh, ephemera, how I love thee. Old photographs, newspaper clippings, love letters…if it’s made of paper and it’s old, I adore it already. That said, I couldn’t resist this lot of antique almanacs once spotted. Agricultural Almanacs typically have beautiful design work on their front covers and come in a variety of sizes and colors (often pastels). Tie up a stack with a burlap string or frame a series of individual booklets for unique, affordable, and appropriate farmhouse décor.
Available on territoryhardgoods’ Etsy shop; $40.00
Kitchen Scale
A vintage kitchen scale has an awesome aesthetic. If I had the space, and a farm fresh kitchen, I would devote shelves to these scales of different eras, sizes, and colors. The saying, “they don’t make ‘em like this anymore”, couldn’t be truer when talking about these beauties. This American made, chippy, blue scale is in incredible working condition. Bonus? That AMAZING logo…be still my heart!
Available on botanyboutique’s Etsy shop; $85.00
SPLURGE: Feed Bin
If my pockets were deep, my splurge would be this amazing feed bin complete with remnants of old blue paint! Since storage is scarce in old homes, this would be an amazing addition to any family room or bedroom for blankets, towels, toys, and the list goes on. Gorgeous and functional? I’ll take it!
Available on sugarcreekantiques1’s Etsy shop; $595.00
Salvaged Water Well Pump
This beauty is rusty, chippy and well… it brings a little H2O of joy to my eyes. I LOVE outdoor salvage specifically when it’s brought inside of a home to be used as a statement piece.
Available on VintageABCs’ Etsy shop; $48.00
AUTHOR LAUREN SPINELLI
Lauren was introduced to the world of flea markets and antiquing at a very young age, courtesy of her grandmother, Marguerite — an original “picker,” long before television popularized the term. Since then, antiques and vintage loot have fascinated Lauren. After years of climbing the proverbial corporate ladder in Boston, she needed a change and followed her heart back to her Mid-Atlantic roots. After a little soul-searching, she landed a marketing job at a fabulous antique shop in historic Chadds Ford, PA. Was it a leap of faith? Yes! A major transition? Absolutely! Any regrets? Nope! She loves working amongst architectural salvage and gadgets of yesteryear. Her dream house would have secret passageways, stained-glass windows, and fireplaces galore. She resides in West Chester, PA with her husband, Joe.
