Sustainable Memories

The last day's of summer are here and before I start design school I wanted to squeeze in a couple of last little excursions.  So I traveled up to the Gold Country in Northern California to visit my parents.   I don't get up there nearly as often as I should but when I do my Mom and I have a few traditional things that we love to do.  About my Mom....she is a very talented designer even though she only designs for herself.  I can remember telling her many many times that she should really become an interior designer.  But like myself her life also chartered it's own course and becoming an interior designer was not to be.  On this visit I was reminded that what she excels in most is Sustainable Design.  She just calls it "making it work".  But it really is Sustainable Design in its most honest form.

 A Re-purposed dresser and her vignette of water color art.

A darling wicker chair she found in one of her favorite shops. 

Since I can remember she has always taken something she bought at a garage sale, consignment shop or an Antique shop and found a way to use it in her home.   All of the things she found and sometimes re-purposed really made our family home something special.  It was not uncommon for me to come home from school when I was a kid and find her in the garage with a jig saw in hand, sawdust in her hair and a smile on her face. And to this day she is always thinking about how some piece can be used in a different way.

Now I will admit when I was a kid ...and a very polite one at that.....I was not thrilled as my Mom dragged me along with her to Antique Shops or Garage Sales.  I found that undeniable odor that is found in most antique shops disconcerting.  It  is part moth balls and part "scary".... if "scary" can have a smell.

Image via Wikipedia

For some reason these Antique Shops seemed dark and dank.   I really thought some creepy old lady was waiting for me in some poorly lit corner.

And garage sales.....ugh......as a kid I could not understand the thrill of going through what I could only see as someones junk. 

But things change and at some point in my life going through an Antique shop became fun.....but  I still can't say the same for a garage sale.

So for me I supplement  garage sales with Consignments Shops and Thrift stores.  The are clean, organized and most importantly for reasons I don't care to mention they are usually Air Conditioned.  Yippee!!

Consignment Living , Morgan Hill, Ca.

And instead of venturing into those dark dank and musty Antique Shops I like to go to Antique Shops like this.

Water Street Antiques and Interiors,  Jackson, Ca.

So as I was saying.......one of the traditional things my Mom and I do is go to Water Street Antiques and Interiors.  This place just calls to me. Every time I am there I find something intriguing.  It is a 40,000 sq ft warehouse that is filled to the brim .  It is well lit, clean, organized......and yes....air conditioned!!!  Here are several images:

That's my Mom and she is definitely thinking hard about this piece.

Check out those Doors in the back.......OMG.....AWESOME!!

It really is an incredible place with an inventory of Antiques from Europe, Portugal and now they are venturing into India.  http://www.waterstreetantiques.com/Water_Street_Antiques_%26_Interiors/Home/Home.html

With shows like "American Pickers" and "Pawn Stars"  and with the emphasis of using a design that embraces a Sustainable Design philosophy  the popularity of antiquities and collectibles are seeing a resurgence.

I only wish that I would have paid better attention when I was a kid on those excursions to Antique Stores or those yucky garage sales. Shoot...... I am certain there was something of value that was worth re-purposing in that last truck load of stuff we took to Salvation Army.

But the good news .....hmmmm.............. or maybe the bad news is I have a lot more "stuff".......now if only I can convince my husband to put in air conditioning  in the garage.  

Yep.....that is my garage.

Oh yeah and guess what.........I am going to be having a garage sale.......SOON!!  Can you say FUN!!