Hanging Glass Shelves in Front of Your Window to Display Collectibles

It has been over thirty years since I visited Port Jefferson, a charming village located approximately 56 miles east of New York City, in the northern part of central Suffolk County. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this tree lined seaside artsy community was alive and well with eateries, boutiques, galleries and historic buildings.

After a delicious lunch at “Z Pita” on Main Street, I headed to “Grapes” ( 138 Main St.) a classy yet quirky home gift shop with an eye catching purple painted vintage Hoosier Cabinet in one window and a fab cream and green enamel stove in the opposite window. Let me tell you that when I spotted “Grapes” from across the street, my retro nerve center was lighting up like the Manhattan electric grid that covers Times Square.

I knew as soon as I opened the door of this very cool boutique, that I was in my retro-vintage zone. Before I go any further, I want to be clear, this was not an antique shop, but it certainly had great “old stuff”. Perhaps one might describe “Grapes” as a charming shop that is styled with a “Metro Retro” or “Fresh Vintage” flair. Whatever you want to call “the look”, this trendy boutique combines country with urban ; forties with contemporary and mid-century with cottage creating a whole new take on home décor and entertaining.

“Grapes” , like similar stores that attract younger upscale shoppers has found a way to re-interpret vintage so that whimsy is “in” and classic is “out”. I am sure the average person would not think of “Grapes” as an “antique shop”, but there is nothing average about this store. Hand painted dinnerware, one of a kind pottery, handcrafted photo albums and so much more are all mixed with lots of “antiques and collectibles” in some wonderful unique and funky displays.

The best way of thinking about “Grapes” is that it is a specialty shop for the “thirty something” vintage voyeur who enjoys mixing moxie with martinis and serving drinks from a purple painted Hoosier cabinet.

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Funky Retro Mannequins Bring Attention to Your Antique Booth or Shop

Dressing Up Old Store Mannequins

One way to add a retro flavor to your antique shop is to dress up old mannequins and position them in key spots in your shop or even outside the door. Mannequins in either the table top style or the full length floor model are great attention grabbers drawing people into a shop, into a particular section of your shop or as a wonderful conversation piece as part of a display.

Photos shown courtesy of http://www.jazzejunque.com/
and Surburban Renewal, Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.

"Retro Plastic Chicks"

Let’s face it, you may not always be available to welcome your customers. So why not consider leaving the job of “greeter” to a hot retro chick made out of plastic? Of course there is no end to how many different outfits you can select for your retro ladies.

While mannequins look marvelous standing in an entry way or even alongside a retro kitchen, they are happy wherever you place them. One thing is for sure, they love all the attention they get. So wake up your booth or shop...add some funky plastic gals and watch the traffic increase!



C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Converting a Vintage Dresser Top Mirror Into a Shabby Wall Display for Jewelry

If you look real close at the photo shown you will realize that this lovely jewelry display had a former life as dresser top mirror. With a little ingenuity, this charming vintage piece has been transformed to become a very attractive and practical support for hanging earrings and necklaces.

I found this clever “fixture” in a boutique shop which sells both new and vintage items. But this ideas would surely work well for antique dealers who specialize in estate and costume jewelry. What I like about this shabby style “jewelry display” is that it has two side “shelves” which can also hold more accessories as well as a stand-up mirror.

The original mirror which the frame enclosed has been replaced with ordinary screening, which you can pick up in a hardware store. The frame of the mirror was repainted white. As you can see, the earrings hang easily from this screening. The next time you come across an orphaned dresser top or a beat up dresser and top ...consider converting the top portion into a great wall display for jewelry. Photo courtesy of The Bleu Willow, Simsbury, CT

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Charming Wine Bottle Gift Bags and Wearable Art Using Vintage Samplers and Handiwork

I was visiting one of my favorite shops, The Bleu Willow in Simsbury, Connecticut when I spotted the perfect idea for hand embroidered samplers which have been banned from your retro cool walls and buried in boxes down in the basement. Spring these darling gems from yester-year and give them a whole new look.

How about taking vintage samplers and transforming them into wearable art or a playful wine bottle cover. Look how fab granny’s hand stitched motto sampler works out as a pocketbook (see below). Or check out the sweetest wine bottle gift bag made out of another sampler (left photo). Too cute for words.

The good news is that you can find lots of adorable samplers from the colorful era at very reasonable prices. And don’t be afraid to use a slightly tattered or yellowed piece either. There is plenty you can do to hide some rough spots. Think about incorporating vintage embellishments such as old buttons, buckles, ribbons, sequins etc.

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Hunting for Garden Collectibles & Antiques for Cottage Style Homes

Shabby Garden
Cottage gardens associated with the English countryside are known for their colorful, informal, relaxed landscape and surroundings.
Today many cottage style collectors are after a more folksy look and hunt for garden collectibles and accessories which are charming, practical and perhaps a bit quirky. Found objects which are rusty, flaky, crackled, worn, chipped and weathered are preferred over newer manufactured items.

Creative Ideas to Use for Dish Gardens and Planters
Once you start playing with ideas, it is actually quite easy to find a great deal of objects which can be used as planters, flower boxes and outdoor decorative items. For example, old kettles, wood soda crates, old wash tubs, oversized ceramic bowls are all wonderful basins or containers for plants and flowers.

"Orphaned" Kitchen Collectibles Make Great Planters
Because cottage style is all about re-cycling and re-purposing what you have look around your kitchen and in your storage areas for "orphaned" kitchen and house-wares which can be put to use in your sunroom, on your deck or patio. An enamelware coffee pot that has lost its top looks adorable with a hanging plant. Pyrex casseroles make sweet bases for "dish garden". Photo (L) Courtesy of Vintagepastelle.com
Color and pattern is a fun way to organize collections. Reds (geraniums) go well with green, turquoise, yellow accessories etc. Roses look gorgeous in hand painted floral themed china vases or tea cups. Pastel planters spring to life with soft cottage color flowers.


During the post-war years (late 1940s-1950s) flower themed home accessories were everywhere and today many people like to use these decorative objects in their home, porch and sunroom areas. Vintage kitchen accessories, glassware, storage items, curtains, drapes, pillows, tablecloths with bold colorful flower patterns can add a whimsical funky look to todays decor.

Softer Cottage Style Colors
In contrast to bold colors, many romantic cottage collectors prefer whites and pastels in and around their gardens or home interiors. Pinks, aqua's and soft greens, yellows and peach, referred to as sometimes "cottage colors" and can provide a lighter softer look. You will often see these palettes in homes inside and outside in beach communities. A cut down old picket fence (backing) and some scrap wood (seat or shelf) can be assembled and painted pink or turquoise and used as a charming bench or display for plants.
Whether your tastes are for primary colors, pastels or patriotic red, white and blue, you can have a lot of fun in and around your garden.
Other popular garden collectibles are garden tools, birdhouses, folk art, furniture, watering cans, garden signs, planters, ornaments etc. Many of these items can easily be found at tag sales, flea markets and second hand shops.


Finding Garden Collectibles at Tag Sales
When you visit a tag sale and you do not see garden collectibles for sale, don't be afraid to inquire if the owner has some goodies hiding in their garage or tool shed that they are willing to part with. Many homeowners aren't aware that there is actually interest in old rusty hand tools, older terracotta pots, vintage hand tools, flaky picket fences etc. Pick neighborhoods with very old homes when you are out and about "junking" for garden tools and collectibles. My motto here is that "Thar's Gold in Them Thar Garden Sheds" ....well maybe not gold...but a lot of groovy, aged rusty garden and outdoor treasures.

Reproduction Garden Accessories
Reproductions:Reproduction vintage style garden accessories are plentiful. These objects are made so well.. it's real easy to get fooled. Shop around, ask questions, get to learn which items are commonly reproduced such as sap buckets, gates, statues etc. You can learn a great deal from shops that carry both new and vintage garden accessories by asking the owner or staff to show you some differences between new and old objects. While often a lower price marked on an item that generally yields more is a clue to a seasoned shopper that what they are looking at may not be an original, this is only a starting point. The beginner generally doesn't know what prices to expect which is why a review of the collectibles shown in this section is a helpful beginning. And you may get lucky, you may find some bargains that are priced reasonably and are in fact the real deal.

Photos Courtesy of The Bleu Willow, Simsbury, CT

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Kitschy Cottage Style: Creating a Fresh Vintage Look

Pastel Color for Easy Cottage Living

If you are looking for a new twist on vintage style, then perhaps a "kitschy cottage look" is a perfect match for you. Many of the kitchen and home accessories produced during the 1950s were made in "cottage colors" such as soft yellows, greens, pinks, blues, peach and aqua, and were patterned with tropical prints and beach novelty images. There are plenty of kitchen, bath, bedroom and patio collectibles out there and still priced well.

ottage style", "decoating with antiques and collectibles". "1950's kitchen and bath collectibles"
Looking Through 1950's Magazines
The good news is that you don't have to live near the water to create cottage style. All you need is the desire to have some fun and experiment with fabrics, flea market finds and furnishings. Cottage style is all about achieving a comfortable, relaxed, laid back home. One of the best ways to get acquainted with what to hunt for is to read through some old home magazines. My favorite source for 1950s kitchen and home products is vintage Family Circle Magazines. These periodicals are easy to find in stores and online for a few dollars. You can usually buy them individually or in lots.
Getting Acquainted with Manufacturers from 50's
When you browse through these magazines you'll see full-page advertisements of some of your favorite collectibles such as Pyrex, tablecloths, aprons, mixing bowls etc. As you read through these fifties' women's magazines you will recognize many household names of manufacturers you probably grew up with. Popular producers of today's "kitschy collectibles" are: Fire King, Gay Fad, Corning Glass Works, Lincoln Beautyware, Blisscraft of Hollywood, Burroughs and Dapol Plastics, Federal Glass and Lustro Ware.

In 1951, Corning Glassworks advertised oven and refrigerator sets for $2.95 that came in primary, pastel and desert colors. Homemakers (politically correct term in 1950) adored these dishes because they saved time. You could cook in them and then easily store the left-overs. Today Pyrex is once again very popular because it works well during the summer months and in warmer climates. Pyrex is not the only kitchen collectible cottage style homeowners are after.
Retro Canisters sets are also a nice addition to a kitschy cottage home because they are decorative and practical.Not only can you accessorize your kitchen with collectibles, but there are many other forties and fifties treasures that look terrific in other rooms as well. Barkcloth pillows and draperies, Chenille bedspreads, white or pastel painted furniture, enamel top cottage tables, ceramic planters, lemonade sets, vintage garden accessories and wicker are great options when your goal is a comfy cottage feel.

Cannisters are from Chris Lankford collection.
Salvaged vintage items, like the collectibles just mentioned, are very popular today. It is amazing to watch prices climb for what was once junkyard clutter. Chipped and painted furniture is a hot trend, along with old windows, shutters and doors. With a little imagination you can use these salvage objects in new ways. If you enjoy re-painting older furniture, there are plenty of resource books out there to help you with specific painting and restoration techniques.
Top photo of kitchen cabinet from the collection of www. cottageatleesburg.com

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Collecting Whimsical Bottle Cap Figures: Retro Assemblage Art

Having Some Collectible Fun
Do you need a little fun in your life? How about adding a touch of whimsy to your next party or gathering by serving nuts or candy in a "Bottle Cap Figure". Way before re-cycling was a household name, clever collectors saved their soda pop caps and used them to create funky characters which were not only decorative but practical. These colorful assembled "people" are collectively called "Bottle Cap Men" and are often referred to as a form of Outsider Art.
Assemblage Art

Bottle Cap figures which can actuallly be men or women are a form of assemblage or folk art in which odds and ends are added to a figure made from old bottle caps. Common household items such as thumb tacks, curtain rings were often used for embellishments.. Most stand 12 inches high. On eBay they are generally listed under the category “Bottle Cap Man”. Characteristically these figures held a bowl in front of a wood block that serves as the bodice. Metal, plastic and colored aluminum and other materials are often used for the bowl which might hold snacks such as popcorn, nuts and chips.

"Nuts and Butts"

Collector Philip Lamb has coined the term "Nuts and Butts" to describe how many of these these fiigurative constructions are made to both hold an ashtray and bowl for serving nuts. Sometimes the bottle caps are sprayed a color and other times they are left in their original form showing the vintage of the caps used.
Carmen Miranda

These hand made art forms have been around for ages and incorporate the popular images, personalities and advertising icons of their times. They were especially common during the 1940s -1950s. Many of these charming figures are reminiscent of the 1951 United Fruit Company’s “Chiquita Banana” advertising icon adorned with a head bowl filled with plastic fruit. Interestingly, the Chiquita Banana symbol herself resembles the character of the very popular 1940s Brazilian movie actress Carmen Miranda. Some collectors have suggested that indeed these figures were souvenirs from tropical islands which may explain the Carmen Miranda connection.

Tribal Influences

Many bottle cap figures appear to show other influences as well. . Earlier Bottle figures can have a folk art feeling or may be a bit more primitive looking with nose rings, large dangling earrings, painted faces on dark stained wood tones suggestive of an African tribal look

When colored aluminum or pastel color ornaments are added to these whimsical figures these additions would give you clues that the piece was made in the 1950s or later when these materials dominated the market.

Who Has the Big Collection?

Today baby boomers as well as younger collectors are falling in love with these scavenger art figures.Expect to pay $24.00-28.00 for these kitschy objet'd'art pieces. If you would like to see one of the largest collections of Bottle Cap art check out ww.philiplamb.com/Bottle.html. Another useful site which covers the history and background of Bottle Cap folk art is www.interestingideas.com/out/cap.htm.

Top two photos courtesy of Photo by: Don Manley, http://www.bobdonpaul.com/

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Mixing Vintage Style With Urban Chic Creates a Modern Retro Look

Urban Chic

Mixing vintage styles with newer looks is very "cool" and a popular decorating style today. In some circles phrases like "Urban Chic" or "Fresh Vintage" are used in place of "retro." It's still "retro" but a different take on the past when buyers combine "edgy" vintage collectibles with contemporary style furnishings and décor. Others understand "Urban Chic" a little differently and refer to the rise in popularity of collectors who are after metal furnishing and industrial styles compatible with city living. Of course this too is a throw- back to earlier times. Metal accessories and furnishings dominated mid-century homes and were used for magazine racks, telephone stands, ash tray holders, seating, serving pieces etc. Photo courtesy of www.cottageatleesburg.com

Industrial Collectibles
Today Urbanites like buying old industrial steel shelving, vintage metal desks and chairs, old commercial desk accessories and lots of factory finds to decorate lofts, apartments and homes. This opens a whole new market to sellers who are beginning to hunt for items in unusual places.
Suburban homes are featuring high-tech kitchen surfaces and lots of stainless steel. Buyers now adore vintage metal canisters from the 1950s which seem to fit right into today's sleek kitchens. The "metro-retro" look is often combined with collectibles of the '50s, '60s, '70s to create eclectic interiors which are unusual, outrageous and affordable.
Photo of work table, courtesy of Seymour Antiques Company, Seymour CT.
Bohemian Style
If the industrial look is not your thing, there are other directions to consider. I have met many younger collectors who gravitate to "Bohemian Style." "Bohemian Style" is what happens when you your flea market collecting is out of control but in a good way. Somehow collectors make the look pull together with unifying color schemes, themes, patterns or rhythms which organize the collections. Once again, collectors mix and match different eras, styles, textures, wall coverings, etc and like seasoned decorators, bohemian collectors tell us "it works." This style is hard to explain, so I might suggest reading Bohemian Style by Elizabeth Wilhide, a Watson Guptill publication. While '60s & '70s collectibles have moved more slowly in brick and mortar shops than those of earlier periods, "hip collectibles" are gaining momentum as major department stores are emphasizing these styles .Designers are taking bigger risks than in the past and it seems that once again buyers are being prompted to experiment with home interiors, products and materials. Photo of lamp, courtesy of The Bleu Willlow, Simsbury, CT.
May I remind you what they said years ago "let it all hang out." Indeed both manufacturers of new products and collectors of old products are "doing their own thing." Numerous on-line businesses with "shaggy sixties" websites catering to shoppers who adore palettes of pink, brown and lime green as well as cutesy patterns of stripes, polka dots and swirling designs are growing. In fact there are web designers who specialize just in this style.
Metro Retro
While "twenty- and thirty-something" buyers are getting a kick out of ordering new home and clothing related items inspired by "psychedelic" colors and designs, mature collectors
want the originals and are active buyers at flea markets, shops and shows. Colorful toasters and fondue sets, once thrift store staples, are now "cool" finds for both serious collectors and casual shoppers who are jumping on the "retro" bandwagon. Next time you turn your nose up at a set of kitchen canisters with a mushroom design, think again, you may be passing up a real "retro" gem that even Pottery Barn is keeping an eye on.
Photo of chair, courtesy of www.urbannostalgia.com

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Using Vintage Shelf Edging & Tablecloth "Cutters" to Decorate Kitchen Shelves, Cabinets & Cupboards

One of the best ways to create the feeling of a vintage kitchen is to use original shelving paper, trim, wallpaper and textiles in the colors, patterns and themes which prevailed during different eras. During the Colorful eras of the 40s and , 50s kitchen accessories were bold and often whimsical. It was common to see curtains, tablecloths, appliance covers, oil cloth and shelving paper with images of fruit, flowers, kitchen wares, teapots, Mexicana, roosters, poodles, Scotties, dots, stripes and plaids.


Finding Vintage Shelving Paper in the Original Box

Today you can still find original packages of shelf paper and borders although you may pay a premium price for these adorable treasures of the past ($12.00-18.00 or more). Back in the day, homemakers would cover kitchen shelves with this shelf lining paper which would be folded down to show a decorative border; or, a separate scalloped trim could be applied to the shelf edge with thumbtacks. The Royal Lace Paper Works Company in Brooklyn, New York, marketed these products under the name Royledge.

Using Vintage Tablecloth Cutters as Shelf Liners

Even if you are lucky to find original boxes of trim or sheets of shelving paper, you generally never find enough of a pattern to cover the needs of today's larger kitchens. What you might consider doing to create the look of a retro kitchen is to use material from older tablecloths or dish towels. Damaged tablecloths are called "cutters" and as the name implies these dry goods can be used to cut apart and use as edging or shelf coverings.









Being True to Your Era

Vintage kitchen housewares and cooking accessories such as batter bowls, pitchers, decorative plates, juice glasses, Pyrex etc. look so much sweeter when they are sitting atop a shelf which is covered with a charming remnant in colors and themes consistent of the time period you are after. In the 1940s, you would generally find surfaces, furnishings and kitchen-wares in reds, yellows, blues and greens. The fifties brought pastel colors into the kitchens and textiles, tables and housewares were made in aqua, pinks and soft yellows.

How To Fasten Down Vintage Shelf Paper

If your shelves are wood, it is easy to fasten down fabric or remnants of tablecloths and dish towels with thumb tacks or even a staple gun. It's always nice to position the fabric so that the whimsical designs are showing. For example, fold an older tablecloth remnant in such a way as to allow an edge of strawberries, or flowers or whatever to drape over the edge of the shelf just a bit. Often you need to experiment with your choice of materials. Choosing colors and patterns which are complimentary to the objects you want to place on the shelf will help with the overall appearance.

The Role of Color in Arranging Objects

When you have predominately blue objects or collectibles to sit on a shelf, try using a piece of a vintage tablecloth or fabric which is mostly yellow or red perhaps. Patterned cloths are fine as long as they are not too busy to showcase your collectibles or objects. Using blue with blue may result in a boring presentation. On the other hand if your objects are dark blue, a predominately light blue tablecloth or fabric remnant might just work.

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Using Funky Old Candy Racks As Fixtures in Antique Shops

Old candy and bakery racks make great colorful displays in all types of stores, especially in an antique shop. While many antique dealers are accustomed to buying or acquiring used glass showcases and shelving from other dealers, here is another option which may liven up your dealer space. Look for funky metal advertising racks to use as store fixtures.

I have found that vintage candy racks seem to show up in spurts. It’s an all or none kind of experience.....sometimes you look high and low for these nostalgic gems and when you finally find one the price is up there. But at other times the owner can’t wait to get rid of these metal racks and you may pay peanuts, walking away with a real bargain.
Using vintage advertising racks can be very charming, adding a sense of nostalgia and whimsy to your shop or antique mall. You can use larger standing racks or the table top variety. At Chelsea’s Closet in Hastings on the Hudson, New York, visitors step back in time, finding all sorts of goodies cleverly displayed in lots of nooks and crannies.
Baby Boomers are especially delighted to stroll into Chelsea's Closet where they get chance to see all the old candy racks they remember fondly. Suddenly you are pulled back to the times when Chicklets and Lifesavers were better than Ipods and cell phones.
While the owner has given up her antique shop in the same town a few years back, she still loves to decorate her current children’s boutique and toy store with quirky metal racks and vintage displays. Often these displays had many compartments and shelves making them ideal cabinets for both small and larger items.

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Wake Up Your Antique Showcase With an Element of Surprise

How to Grab Your Customer's Attention
It’s fun to find antiques stores with lots of goodies both out in the open and locked away in glass showcases. But sometimes in larger stores or antique malls the shopper is flooded with so much to look at that some treasures simply get lost. How can you grab the attention of your customer and get your enclosed showcase items to stand out?

Making Brown "Pop"
There are many tricks to making your arrangements “pop” as they say in the trade. Very often “color” is used to organize a display or to accent a display. But what happens when you have objects with a lot of “brown” and “golden tones” which recede and can be easily be missed when a person is strolling through a large store?

Adding an Element of Surprise
The answer may be to add an element of surprise to the mix. Shake it up, do something unexpected such as adding something to the display that makes no sense but calls out “look at me”. That is exactly what one store owner did in her shop called “Pretty Funny Antiques” in Tarrytown, New York. She woke up a sleepy jewelry and vanity collectibles display by organizing her showcase with of all things, flash cards from the 1950’s.

What's Going On Here?
Not only did this clever idea awaken my baby boomer nostalgic longings for my grade school days but it made me want to “look” at what was going on in this jewelry showcase . The flashcards also made me think “what is going on here?” I even turned around to my husband and asked him to take a peek at this quirky display. The shop owner accomplished quite a lot by adding this simple element of surprise to her case.

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.

Creating Vignettes of “Three” When Displaying Your Antiques and Collectibles

When creating displays in your antique shop or even at home, consider the principle of using "threes" when arranging your treasures. Start this process by imagining that you are looking into the lens of a camera or the window of a picture frame and that you are trying arrange the objects so they fit the "frame" in the best possible way. One way to succeed in getting a nice grouping is to position your pieces so that they form an imaginary triangle or pyramid.

In other words, you are drawing a triangle in your mind and placing the tallest object to form the apex(highest point of you imaginary triangle) and the two smaller objects are placed at the base of your “triangle” in each corner. It’s best to think about varying the shapes of your three objects. You want variety of your shapes.

In the photo above, you see three distinct shapes, a tall cylindrical shaped lamp, a circular shaped plate and an irregular shaped rabbit. When objects are al the same height, or all the same shape, the presentation may be too static. The eye needs to travel around and view objects that are interesting. At the same time, it is important to establish harmony in your displays and when you use the “triangle” principle of design you help to create a balanced and appealing vignette. Photo Courtesy of Antiques on the Farmington, Collinsville, CT

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.