New Location

I want to make it as convenient as possible for my customers so I found 113 North Main Street, Fountain Inn, SC as my new location.  They are open Tuesday thru Friday 11:00-5:00PM  and Saturday 10:00 – 4:00PM.  I would love to have been closer to downtown Greenville, but the monthly overhead is too costly.  In order for me to continue to give you quality craftsmanship antique furniture, use top quality chalk and milk paint products plus keep my prices low for you, my overhead needs to be low.   So that being said, I hope you don’t mind a short drive to the quaint town of Fountain Inn, SC to shop with me. You will enjoy friendly faces and a charming restaurant right next door.  

 

 

Never enough time

I have been so focused on getting pieces ready for The Vintage Market in the Park, everything else has been neglected. I can get back to showing you some of the pieces I have done....most of them have been sold....some never make it to facebook.  The antique stool available. 

Happy Hunting!!

 

It has become less of a burden since I have moved all of my antiques and accessories back to my home.  Now it allows me more time to design antiques pieces and go on more trips to find unique antiques.  I did not realize how much of my time was spent loading, unloading and hauling furniture to the shop.  I am happy that I started in a shop because so many people could see the quality of the workmanship (detailed painting techniques, embellishments, etc.)  that went into every unique piece and it allowed me to grow in my designs.  There is so much more into painting furniture than putting paint on it.  It was a learning experience dealing with a shop instead of handling my own transactions and talking to my customers.  So many of my closest friends listened to me rant about things happening at the shop and they kept telling me “to get out”, but I didn’t listen soon enough.  So many more negatives and positives, but you learn as you grow!!  My moto is, “you give them a “one of a kind” unique quality piece of history and they will come”.  Some people may feel uneasy about coming to your home, but I have found that my customers don’t mind it at all and it is like a treasure hunt at my house and you never know what you are going to find painted or unpainted.!! LOL   I have things everywhere…..patio, yard, garage and all over my house.  If you want to rummage that’s fine with me and there is lots to see.  I don’t ever want my customers to feel like they have to buy something just because they showed up.  If you don’t love it, don’t buy it!!   I have just one request……..be sure to call me first to make sure I am not out on a treasure hunt.

 

Preparing to haul furniture

Winter is fast approaching us in the South. I am already day dreaming of summer to be here again. I am preparing to haul furniture and accessories to Sweeten Creeks Antiques in Asheville, NC in the next few weeks and I hope and pray the weather will be nice. I have talked to many dealers that travel to Asheville and they all reassure me that I should have a great business there with my fair prices on unique custom painted furniture.  By the way, I base my prices on how much I have to pay for it and not the actual value of it.  I spend a lot of my time searching for good deals on quality pieces. I have, however, paid more for some pieces only because they are a rare find and I will probably never find another one like it.  I always gravitate to the unusual style of an old piece, ornate moldings and don’t forget the legs…. I love legs with rusty old castors. In the early 1900’s people did not have air conditioning so furniture had to withstand the heat. Can you imagine 98 degrees with no air conditioning and you have to cook too?!!!  These antique pieces have withstood many years of weather, a house full of children and everyday use and they are still in great shape.  It amazes and excites me to find a wonderful piece of our history that has traveled across the country and made its home in the South.  Here’s a great example in the photo's above……I found this mid-century modern chest which is a very popular sleek style and a designer told me to price it at $350.00.  It is solid as the day it was built, the drawers open and close like butter and it has the original pulls. It is painted in a pale blue chalk paint, lightly distressed and heavy waxed.....And best of all,  I am selling it for only $185.00.

Its up to YOU!!

I don’t crank out as many custom painted pieces of furniture as I should and some pieces sit in my garages for months until I have a vision of what I would like them to look like finished. That is probably not a good business practice but sometimes it’s not all about the money……it’s about your reputation as a designer.  I want my customers to be excited about buying a custom piece from me and know that it will look beautiful for years to come. All antique furniture has flaws….some more than others, so I take the time to make minor repairs, drill holes for new updated hardware, replace damaged castors, etc. so these pieces will last with everyday use for another 100 years.  I use the best chalk and milk paint I can find along with the waxes and glazes.  Trying to save money in products really shows in the finished piece.  I tried that years ago and it makes a huge difference in the durability of everyday use.  Does it affect your selling price???  Of course it does. I will pay more for a well-built piece and drop my profit margins, than to buy a piece of crap and cover it up with paint.  Don’t forget that old saying, “You get what you pay for”.  Would you rather spend a few dollars more and get a fabulous custom painted antique that will look great for years or would you rather save a few dollars and buy a painted piece that looks good for now.  It’s entirely up to you!!

 

Sometimes we just need a change to move forward

It’s been awhile since I have posted anything. I have been so busy hunting, painting delivering, etc. I just haven’t had the time. I have been trying to find another location for my shop and hopefully if everything goes well, I will be moving to a new location and only selling in Greenville from my home. It is stressful enough trying to keep up with my inventory without having to deal with other issues at my current Greenville location. Here’s a quick rundown of my recent custom designed pieces….most of them have already found forever homes.

On a Mission

I am on a mission to turn part of my garage into a working studio and have many of my finished painted furniture pieces arranged in a display setting. I accept most all major credit cards which makes it so much easier and a convenience for my customers. I will be uploading photo's on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/thebluedoorofgreenville?ref=hl) of the pieces I will have available that you can purchased directly from me. So when I get them uploaded and you see something you may be interested in, you can contact me via Facebook and we can set up a time for you to stop by. I live on Woodruff Road so it is sort of in the middle of everything. I will continue to have my shop at Southern Estates Antiques. They have been very good to me. Time permitting, I hope to also participate in some of the market events. PS: A few of these pieces did not last long and have already found new homes but I wanted you to see them anyway.