If you’ve been reading my posts over the past few weeks, you know that I have a new-found love for baskets. I collected a lot of them to sell at Lucketts and I enjoyed using them as props around the studio. During one of my shopping trips, though, I bought a basket for myself.
It’s this beautiful, antique splint basket with chippy white paint…
Splint baskets are made out of thin wood strips, so they are lot sturdier than baskets made from woven reeds, rushing, branches, etc.
I haven’t seen one before with chippy white paint, though, and that’s what drew me to it. It has just the right balance of chipping paint with the wood peeking through.
And how about that pie safe?! I mentioned it in a post a few weeks ago, but I haven’t shared much about it.
I had seen it in an antique store several times, but it was a bit more than I wanted to pay. I usually buy pieces with resale in mind, because most things I buy end up being sold at some point! Fast forward a few months and the retailer who owned it came to my studio. She was the one I bought the zinc-topped table from and she asked if she could buy it back. While she was there, she mentioned the pie safe and offered to sell it to me at cost, since it had been in her space for a long time.
Sold!
I was planning on selling it at Lucketts, but I just couldn’t. (Or maybe wouldn’t!) It’s such a special piece and I decided to claim it for my house.
Some day, I hope to be able to keep it in a place where I can have the doors open and fill it with linens and quilts or possibly ironstone, but for now, it houses our movies. which isn’t as photogenic, but it’s definitely practical.
Both are happily situated next to the side door…
I’ve been rotating things in and out of that spot and this seems to work the best there. It’s substantial enough to look intentional, but it’s not so big that it obstructs the traffic path.
So, we’ll see how long it stays there. You know how I am with furniture…
19 Responses
Do we know how you are with furniture?!
Yeah.
You’re the BEST!
🙂
-b.
This is my favorite area of your house. But I love primitive so it’s not surprising.
We went and looked at a farm for sale a few months ago… years and years of STUFF! But down in the grimy old dungeon of a basement, one of the most beautiful pie safes covered in cob webs, very similar to this one… I wanted to make an offer 😉
But you didn’t:? It will haunt you now 😉
Hi Marian, I have a question about the plants you have in ironstone….they look gorgeous and I would like to do something similar. Do you plant them right into the ironstone or do you leave them in their pots and place the pots in the ironstone? What do you use for drainage? They are beautiful!
A few are planted directly in the ironstone with some small rocks at the bottom for drainage. I just don’t overwater them and they’ve really thrived. Most of them, though, are in pots that are just inserted into the ironstone. I just keep an eye on the bottom to make sure they aren’t sitting in water.
I love them both!
I am sure you have mentioned this somewhere before, but could you tell me what color the walls are in your family room? I have light blue walls in mine but I like that the shade you used appears to have a bit of a greenish blue tint. Thanks!!
It’s Glass Slipper by Benjamin Moore.
That is a gorgeous, well-made basket! I don’t usually like painted baskets but you are right that this one has a nice balance between paint and raw wood. I also love how large it is. It’s a keeper, that;s for sure!
What type of wood floors are in your family room? And have they held up well? I’m asking because we need to install a hard surface floor in a rental property. We don’t have time for real hardwoods.
Marian, would you be willing to divulge some of your favorite stores/sources in your area? Some of us would love to know where you shop!
Oh, I love that old pie safe! I have a short wall in my second bathroom where I really need some sort of cabinet for storage and something like the pie safe would be perfect. ( When I say the wall is “short” I mean the ceiling slants on that side of the room so the wall there isn’t the same height as in the rest of the room.) I am going to seriously look for a piece similar to your pie safe. And the chippy basket is perfect on top. Just the right touch. I like baskets a lot, too, but my house is so small I don’t let myself acquire many of any size because I don’t have room for them. It drives me crazy that I have so little room to display the objects I have and love. But if I say i need a bigger house, my family just rolls their eyes! They are probably right–I’d just collect more stuff if I had a bigger house, but it sure would be nice, especially to have more wall space to hang art and photos, etc. instead of keeping it in the closet.
Love.
Along with another commenter ,Virginia, I’d like to know the color of your walls behind the basket in your picture. I too am sure you stated the color at some point, but I can’t find it. Thanks.
Love your basket and pie safe!
I’m curious though, it looks like you finally finished your floors…no more raw wood??!!!
Did you just treat them with hemp oil and call it good? They are beautiful!
Ok I was going to ask the color of your walls but I see someone beat me to it! What color is the woodwork? Thanks……planning on doing some painting and I love the color combo!
Oh, the best of both my joys! Waining paint and basket love!
I absolutely love your white splint basket!! Any suggestions as to where I may find one myself, please let me know.
Thanks!