I Love Moments of Serendipity... when you Find something Great that you weren't even looking for or expecting! Such was the case when my Friend Pamela and I went on a recent 'Pick' to Mesa in the East Valley.
When we literally found a beyond Amazing Shop appropriately named "FOUND" !!! It is housed in an Awesome Historic Industrial Loft Style Building that fit the Vintage Industrial and Eclectic Style of this Shop like a glove!!!
My pulse rate increased the moment I walked through the doors... because I'll let you in on a little Secret of mine... my ultimate Fantasy Home has always been to live in a Loft.
Preferably a converted Industrial Historic Building with exposed brick walls, Victorian Tin Ceiling and much of the original Architecture and Salvage still intact... THIS was such a place... even in my Mind's Eye and Dreams it couldn't have been more 'made to order' from my Fantasyscape Abode!!!
Ever since watching the Movie 'Flashdance' in the early 80's, I wanted a crib like Alex's in the Movie... and with a Decor like that because it was all so very much my Style... then AND now!
And the cavernous space of a Loft... an expansive Living Area where it exudes complete Freedom of unlimited Space to move, to Decorate and Style with any sized and oversized objects that really make a Statement! To Entertain numerous Guests without being cramped... to Dance, ride a Bike or even Rollerskate in your Home on fabulously Aged Hardwood Floors because there's just that much unrestricted room inside! The G-Kid Force could run and play with reckless abandon and complete Freedom because there would be plenty of Open Areas to do so and nothing would be cluttered!
To have those oversized Elements and Architecture that are so Grandoise that they are Awe Inspiring!
And it would be the perfect blend of Masculine and Feminine, Soft and Hard because of the Styling that only Loft Space seems to effortlessly make Work without having to compromise. I could buy that huge Sectional Dark Leather Sofa for The Man that he'd prefer to have... and have ample Space to prop my Old Salvage Door Collection and as many Antique Garment District Distressed Old Dress Forms as I could amass! *Winks*
Nothing would overwhelm the Room because of the enormous dimensions of the Rooms and a Collection of Curiosities would look stellar in such a Space.
I was totally diggin' these Steampunk Style Salvage Art Dolls!!!
I want to Save up and get one of these Gals!!!
I know that Circus Themed One was longing to come Home with me! *Winks*
In fact, there were so many Lovelies that I was Jonesin' for and I was so Inspired... that if I had an unlimited Budget I'd probably want a complete Home Makeover and Re-Style this Ole' House in a similar Fashion. Because I Adored the Ambiance and Vibe SO MUCH!!! Even if I had to use my Masonry Skills to Brick some walls with my stash of Salvaged Bricks to get 'The Look'! *LOL*
Yes, its True... I have a HUGE stash of Salvaged Bricks, among other things!!!!! *LOL* The Man jokes that I could build a whole new House with my Salvage Brick Collection that I've been amassing for Years! *Winks* For such a Project as this... humnnnn... the Wheels are turning in this noggin of mine now... and I can hear The Man letting out a HUGE Sigh and muttering under his breath, "There she goes again..."! *Smiles*
Yep, I could Install this Fab Basket Light Fixture in one of the Kitchens...
Because I'd have to Adapt and Improvise The Fantasy you see and make the Illusion of a Loft right here at Bohemian Valhalla... since there really are no Residential Industrial Loft Spaces in the Valley... and I'm rather Attached to this Ole' House and all the Acreage we Enjoy here.
And I'd have to put my own Spin on the Styling and make some Adjustments... because though this Boudoir Space was Heavenly and Beautifully Styled...
There wasn't enough Color and Boheme' Gypsy Chic Style for Yours Truly to Rest Comfortably here... so there would be plenty of Sumptuous Velvets, Exotic Pillows and Jewel Tones added to my Loft Style Boudoir. *Winks* Think of an Industrial Loft meets Marrakesh and you'll get the Visual.
The Architectural Salvage Elements here were off the hook... the Old Doors were ENORMOUS!!!
This Vintage Industrial Fan Cover was ENORMOUS and to be able to Decorate with a Statement piece of this size in one's Home would be totally Awesome!!!
And all of the Beautiful Enormous Old Doors and their Transoms in this Building were to die for!!!
We were on a Time Constraint with lotsa stops that day or I could have spend WAY more time here... this is the sort of Shop where you need to set aside a considerable block of Time to soak it all in! And just stumbling upon it didn't allow us to fit enough Time in our busy itinerary this day unfortunately.
The Staff was so Friendly and Gracious to allow us to Photograph to our Heart's Content so that I could take you along on a Virtual Bloggy Tour of "FOUND". But I really Hope you can make it there in Person because these Images don't do it Justice... it really HAS to be Experienced because it is an Amazing Experience and will take your Breath away!
I mean I don't just want to Shop here... I want to LIVE here!!! *LOL* It's just that Ideal and the Vision of my Fantasyscape come to Life in what my Dream Home would look like and Feel like!
I know you've got to be drooling right about now too... if Living in a Loft has been a long held Dream of yours too?!?
I want all of the Inventory AND the Building... yes I do!!! *Winks*
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I can add my Personal Effects and pop the pixs of all the Grands in the Frames later... after they hand me the Keys... *LOL*
In fact, Pamela and I Fantasized and Wondered about how long we could be Squatters here before we got kicked out? *LOL* I mean it FITS us so well... you know... yeah, we could definitely Live in a Space such as this!!!
I could definitely come Home to a Space such as this each day and feel like I was the luckiest Gal ever to have such a Home!!!
Yeah, yeah, yeah I know... those of you who know me Well are probably saying.... But, Dawn, what about your penchant for Gardening and being a very Outdoorsy Gal... Industrial Lofts mostly and generally don't have Gardens and LAND. This is True... and definitely to be Considered.
And I would probably miss having Land and a large Garden Space... but Honestly, if I had this Space... as it is presented in this Wonderful Shop... I'm pretty sure I could get over it. Because I'm not getting any Younger and all the Maintenance of Land and a Garden would go away... and I could probably get used to that part of it. *LOL*
And its not like you couldn't bring some of the Outside In, in the form of Topiaries and Potted Plants... with so much Space in fact you could probably Create some kind of Awesome Conservatory Style Area... it was very Bright and Airy in here since the Windows in this place were damn near floor to ceiling and let in so much Light and Fresh Air!
And as expansive as this Space was it was neither dark nor gloomy... this Shot is somewhere in the middle of the Loft Space and it was just as Bright and full of Positive Energy as the Areas nearest the Doors and Windows.
And they not only had great Signature and Statement pieces of Furnishings and Architectural Salvage or Creations... but also some Wonderful Smalls... of coarse I gravitated to the Loving Cups and Bling! *Winks*
And this is a Style that I'm falling in Love with more and more, and can see melding Beautifully with my own Eclectic Style. For some reason this type of Decor is a part of who I am too and so I definitely Connect to it strongly and have never really fallen out of Love with Loft Industrial Style mixed with Bohemian Elements, I've Admired it now for well over 30 Years. Loving that Olive Bucket Light Fixture BTW.
Mine would be a more Colorful Version of this Styling... but a Version of this nonetheless if I Lived in a Loft. It's so Tough and Raw, yet Beautiful in a Benign Neglect sort of way... I guess I really like that about it.
Regardless if some of the Accent pieces were different I feel that the Vibe and Ambiance would still be the same as you Personalized your Loft Space to suit your Personality and Aesthetic.
It is also a Perfect Space to Create in and so for the Artists of us it would be an added Bonus and Blessing to have our Creative Spaces and Studios right in the Home and Visual yet without Space Constraints... Industrial Spaces were after all Created for Creating and Manufacturing things and Designed with that Process in mind.
I just Wish that more of the Old Industrial Buildings in the City had been Saved and given the Option of being Reclaimed and Converted into Residential Spaces. And offered to folks like you and I... because by now I think perhaps I've made an Industrial Loft Living Convert of you too??? *Winks*
But even if I haven't and you just Enjoy looking at a Style and a Space like this and seeing Eclectic Living in a new Perspective, Exposure to different Styles and Ideas is always a good thing I Believe.
I Personally like out of the box Ideas and Creative Living in Unique Spaces.
Because if I walked into your Home and it was Distinctive like this rather than looking like a Model Home from a Popular Mega Retailer or Chain that mass produces items and furnishings, it would tell me more about who you are and what you're about. Your Character and Personality would be evident to me.
And not camoflauged by identical stuff that I might see in every other house that Decorated and Styled with the Popular Chain Store version of 'Home'. Because though it might look nice, it wouldn't be Distinctive or all that Personal with Infused Character of the Individual if it mirrored the Homes of many others who shopped there too and bought the identical mass produced furnishings and accessories.
I Loved this oversized Bell... though at our House I'm sure the Crew would get carried away ringing it for 'Service' and 'Attentiion'. *Winks*
What Elements have you been Attracted to my Friends?
What has Inspired you the most?
And are you now Aching to get down there to see it all for yourself? *Smiles* I know I can hardly wait to get back and Enjoy it for longer than our relatively brief visit. We had allotted ourselves 15 minutes when we first Discovered the Shop and needed to squeeze it into our busy schedule... needless to say you weren't dragging me out of there with a team of horses in a mere 15 minutes! *LOL* And Pamela felt the same... so we just decided to spend less time in the Scheduled visits!
I'm becoming a Huge Fan of the Charcoal or Black Painted Wall... leaning more towards the Charcoal for this Ole' House... in the Desert oddly enough that Hue gives a Cooling Effect to a Room's Ambiance. That comes in mighty handy when it's 116 degrees or more outside! Well... we'll be taking you to some more Great Shops in Future Posts... so be sure to come back and Stroll with us around Mesa.
Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian