When I think of the Pioneer of Salvage and Garden Style I think of the Genius of Stylist Extraordinaire and Antique Dealer Michael Trapp. He was doing it before anyone even thought about the intrinsic value of Architectural Salvage, Garden Art brought into the Home and Junque Styling... of bringing the Outside In and the Inside Out... and blurring the boundaries of Home and Garden so that they flowed Beautifully and became as one. He made Derelict Decorating into a Fine Art Form with being a Visionary in his Unique Styling, which now so many are finally embracing, replicating and appreciating. He Decorated to please himself and to experiment with Styling the Home in ways that hadn't been previously done... and I Loved it. It has been a Style that I've felt a connection to from the very first time I ever saw the Images and I Saved them all for the "some day" when I'd have an Old Historic House too as my blank Canvas to Style in a similar fashion.
I have been Inspired by his Aesthetic for many years and as I move towards my Dream Styling of each room of this Old House, here are some of Michael's Images that have captivated me for so long and which are cornerstones in the Vision I'd like to accomplish, with some Bohemian Twists thrown in and touches of my own Eclectic Tastes. And along with Images from a Carol Hicks-Bolton Barn Styling done over a decade ago, these will be the Templates of which I'll drawn upon to Create my Dream Rooms... Inspired primarily by two of my all time favorite Stylists... who captured the settings and ambiance that most resonates with my Spirit and my Heart when it comes to Feathering our Nest.
I Believe it will lend itself well with being functional and an environment the entire Family can feel comfortable and contentment around. It will Hopefully be an environment that Friends and Guests will also enjoy and feel warmly Welcomed into and want to stay a while.
Because it's got me jazzed to now begin the intent Mission of seeking out Weathered Cast Iron Urns & Terra Cotta Planters... Stately Columns... Marble Pedestals... Garden Statuaries... Old Velvet Wingback Chairs or the perfect fabrics to reupholster the Furniture I already have... head for the Plant Nurseries to purchase an assortment of Ivy and large Leaf Fauna... and Harvest dried bunches of Herbs & Flowers to hang from the rafters... itching to try my hand at Color Washing Walls to give layers of aging to my already 90+ year old wall surfaces! I've decided to sell off quite a bit of my excess and Collections in order to fund the Project of Redecorating. In an Ideal Style that I have always been Passionate about, mezmerized by, strongly drawn to and have been putting off for far too long. I've decided to wait no longer to proceed in this direction... however long the Process will take... I'm excited about the beginning of realizing my Dreamscape and moving it from the Canvas of my Imagination into Reality. Of Transforming and perfecting a Styling of our Home that will complete the Vision I've always had of how I wanted for it to be. I'm not certain how long it will take... and that doesn't really matter... the Journey and Thrill of the Hunt will be thoroughly enjoyed as much as eventually reaching the Destination of completing the Look. And I'm taking it one day at a time... because anything really worth having is worth waiting for.
And please join us for the Pinterest Pinning & Singing Blog Party over at 5 Minutes Just For Me! Share with us the Visuals that have Inspired you this week... or even longer!
Dawn... The Bohemian
*All Beautiful Images are Sourced from the Home/Studio/Antique Store of Michael Trapp and the Decorating books of "Garden Style" and "Eclectic Living"*