Finding Retreat at Farm Chicks

Teri & Serena posted the show map & vendor list on their Farm Chicks blog, so we thought we'd share them here, too. Unfortunately, for some reason I can't get them to enlarge when clicking on them - so you'll have to go to the Farm Chicks blog to do that. Sorry. (What IS IT with Blogger lately???)

Retreat will be located in Bay One, Booth #86.
To get there: Enter the show into the Plaza. Take the first door to the left, into Bay One. Ahead of you, you will see a block of booths - swerve to the right around that block, hang a left, and go straight ahead on the main aisle. We will be the double booth located along the main aisle on your left. (Note: the map above is upside down, really - the main entrance is located at the TOP of it. So, looking at the map, you'd actually enter at the top, go down to the first door on your right, and then proceed with the directions above).

And if you saw us at the show last year, be prepared for a big shock. We have a whole new style, some absolutely jaw-dropping creations and a plethora of products to delight you this year. We call it 'Tattered Paris, Texas Style', (there's a town in Texas named Paris) and we know you are gonna' love it all. From personal accessories to home decor, lighting, & furnishings, we've gotcha' covered. We even have a few things the GUYS will like!

You're also gonna' love the show, the Chicks, the venue, the party vibe, and these amazing vendors:

Quite a gathering of talent, and we are so honored to be part of it all. Teri & Serena have created something so incredible with this - it's not just a show or an event, it's a COMMUNITY. A community of creative artisans and shoppers who GET IT and support local & independent businesses. There is a contagious joyful energy at this event that surpases anything I've ever experienced - including church! (uh oh, I may get in hot water for that one, huh?!) This is the highlight of our year, I have to tell you. We do so many wonderful shows and love them all, but Farm Chicks is kind of like a holy pilgrimage to Mecca for everyone involved. I hear even C Sections are scheduled around it.... ;0)

Oh, and when you come to our booth, please let us know if you are one of our dear blog Followers - we'll have a little somethin' somethin' for you!

Plan B... Updated

Sometimes Plan A just doesn't work out quite as planned, so a quick shift to Plan B is necessary. And today was one of those days. In reverse order from this post on my design blog last June, it all went down something like this:

From this V

To this V

(Minus the awning, which was removed two weeks ago.) Took us about two hours, start to finish. I really don't have much to say about it all except 'chapter closed, book complete': we are completely out of Snohomish after fifteen long years. (Sorry, I said twenty before... maybe it just FEELS like 20 years....) Didn't end like I wanted it to, but sometimes getting it over with (and ripping it off fast, like a bandaid) is just the only way to do it. This move-out was a week ahead of what we had scheduled, but in the end it's better for everyone this way. Trust me on this.

I'm certain that the next dealer in this space will be bringing beautiful things to Faded Elegance, and we wish everyone there continued success at this lovely antique boutique. *** Update Friday, May 29: I just heard from another dealer at Faded Elegance that Jan Marie was moving her stuff into our old space TODAY. Oh people, get in there!!!!! She's had a little space upstairs and now she's going to have all that room for her wonderful merchandise..... it will be incredible. Amazing. Beautiful. ***

It's on to the next big thing for us..... see ya' in Spokane!

One Week to Go!

One week from today, we'll be in Spokane making magic! Check out the Farm Chicks blog for more info!

Sneaky Sneak Peek...

You say you want a glimpse of what we are planning for Farm Chicks (in just over a week!)? OK....here ya' go. Positively hideous, isn't it? Don't worry, this is the before shot. With some TLC and a bit of paint, sandpaper, muslin, burlap, and screen printing, the finished product doesn't look anything at all like that photo. But you'll have to wait for the show to see the 'after' on this one and lots & lots of other beautiful creations! Hope to see you there...

The Seasonal Home, Retreat Style

Autumn Comfort

Winter Warmth

Spring Fresh

Summer Ease

We all want lovely, comfortable homes, with rooms we can live and make memories in. With our Retreat Collections, we love to create furnishings and accessories for your home that bring happy vacation memories into your daily living.... evoking the ease and relaxation of the mountain cabin, the farm, or the beach house. It's not about cost, it's about the feeling you surround yourself with.

The room pictured above is a perfect example of how our rooms and homes shift and evolve thoughout each year. Simple, subtle changes in color and accessories can make a dramatic difference in how a room feels, and how we live in it. Every season brings a new design scheme, refreshing the space and us with new energy. It doesn't take a lot of money or effort to get results like this - just imagination. And if you like that idea, have we got good news for you...

Now, in addition to our products, we will be offering residential seasonal decorating services. This service will launch in late June - just in time for you to enjoy your homes for the summer! By the time the kids are out of school and the temps have warmed up, you can have a newly-restyled room or two to set the stage for a memorable and relaxing vacation season. With the popularity of 'Staycations' (where instead of leaving on a trip, you stay home and relax), this is a great opportunity for you to get the most out of your precious time off.

You can have a whole new look and feel in your home easily and affordably, with our designer imaginations working overtime for you. We'll utilize our creative minds and styling insights to restyle your rooms with the same flair we use in our product displays and show setups. My years of design work for retailers all boil down to a philosophy of 'Fast, Cheap, and Easy' Design TM, which means getting maximum results immediately, and for minimum cost. With this service, your home can benefit from the tips & tricks of the trade that I have been using for over 30 years as an award-winning retail stylist & designer.

Just as in our product design, the concepts of recycling, reusing, redesigning, and reimagining existing furnishings and accessories will be the heart of our service. We can show you how to restyle rooms, rearrange furniture, repurpose items, and change it all up to create memorable spaces for living. A little bit of paint there, a combination of items you never thought of here, a shift of that from another room... and suddenly your home is refreshed, re-energized, and ready for new memories to be made within its comfortable spaces. The beauty of each season can be reflected in your home's decor with simple, cost-free changes.

 Our decorating services also include Holiday Decorating!
If you have a big family gathering or party coming up, and want to fit in extra tables & seating, or create a stunning showcase for your event, let us help you go all out - on a budget. I've designed holiday decor for some large corporate clients (Chateau Ste. Michelle, Hogue, and Columbia Wineries in Washington state) and residential settings, including the elegant homes of the Dean of the University of Washington Business School and a top Microsoft Executive. From large to small, creating beautiful holiday decor is about expressing the memories of the people who enjoy the space!

We can also forego the seasonal focus, and restyle your room to update it for everyday enjoyment. Is your room feeling a bit out of fashion? Perhaps you want a more mod vibe, or maybe a country cottage feel? Maybe your room just lacks 'WOW factor', and you'd like it to make a statement. With simple ideas, we can help you express your own style using what you already have.... you'll be amazed at how a room's personality can change with just a bit of rearranging.

We are all about making design available to anyone, on any budget. That's why our fees are so reasonable and our approach so accessible. Here's a comparison for you. For more information about our rates and scheduling process, or to request a decorating consultation, please contact us at kennedy2design@gmail.com. We look forward to helping you create your own Retreat for living...

Garden Party, Anyone?

Finally, a moment to upload photos of our newly spiffed-up space at Poppyseeds! A fresh green & white color scheme with a garden look is perfect for spring & early summer inspiration...

Lots of funky shabby garden goodness... perfect for sunshiny days outdoors!

(PS: the large Eastlake table and set of chairs in our space at Faded Elegance is gone, sold over the weekend. A few lamps have moved on, as well.... there's only two weeks left to get your hands on the Retreat products there!)

Next!

Well, THAT was fun! It was a wonderful sunny day, spent with friends and happy customers at the Poppyseeds May Swap Meet. Thank you, Julie & Marybeth! (And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming....)

Cue Patsy Cline....'cause we must be CRAZY

Earlier today, we decided (quite spur-of-the-moment) that Retreat will be participating in the Swap Meet at Poppyseeds tomorrow! We had a lot of merchandise ready for a restock of our room inside the shop, and tho it was planned for a reset next week, we changed our minds. So, we went in tonight and totally restyled the room.

It's now all white, green and yellow and garden themed - very much like the look we had at Sand Point last month. (Shown in the photos above)

We took out the vintage red enamel & chrome diner table and red vintage kitchen cart shown above, a haul of the vintage linens, and a whole bunch of accessories.

On Saturday, we'll set up a space outside on the grass, and sell it all at some pretty stellar discounts! Yep, that cute little red chair will be on sale, along with the darling picnic basket under the table in the photo, vintage fruit, tins, some of my Garden NeSts, cute aprons, and a whole lot more!

So, come by Poppyseeds tomorrow to check out the new rooms, and grab some great deals out in the parking lot... and be sure to say hello, I'll be there all day! (The Swap Meet runs 10 to 4.)

Super Sunny Saturday Fun!

Just a reminder that tomorrow there will be some great events going on around here...

Poppyseeds is hosting the second Swap Meet of the season in their parking lot on Saturday! Plan to stop by - the weather's going to be perfect, there will be vendors outdoors selling all kinds of goodies, and you can check out the newly-redesigned rooms inside Poppyseeds... I've been working with owners Marybeth & Julie to refresh the store, and we know you'll love it! (Check out my Design blog for the whole story, with before & after photos).

In Snohomish, the first annual Street Antiques Faire is being held (sorry, that's the ONLY photo of the poster I could find....) Along with all of the great shops in town, there will be vendors in street booths selling all kinds of wonderful things. This is a perfect day for you to have fun in the sun and get something from Retreat inside Faded Elegance, while you still have a chance!

As for us, we'll be here on the farm, creating loads of fab stuff... in the sunshine!

Retreating....

There's a change coming up for Retreat this month that we want to let you know about...

We have a limited time left at Faded Elegance in Snohomish, and will be closing our permanent space there within the coming 30 days. Today we removed our 'awning' prop (oh, we have GRAND plans for that as a show prop!) and a few of our items. Over the next few weeks, we will be packing up everything still there - props & products alike - and taking them on the road with us. So, if you have been admiring anything in our spaces there, (like the stellar 'Piano Bar', above) do go in and snap it up while you still can! (We are not discounting or 'clearancing' any merchandise, however... whatever doesn't sell in the store will go to shows.)
We'd like to offer a grateful thank you to all of the wonderful people we have met and those whom have supported us there during the past 18 months. We are proud to have been a part of the store's success in Snohomish. Don't worry, finding us won't be hard!

You know we'll be at the Farm Chicks show in June, and BarnHouse in July. You can still find our products everyday at the newly redesigned Poppyseeds in Stanwood, and there may be another permanent location for us in the future. Links to all shows & shops are in our sidebar, over there>>>>>>

And, of course, you can ALWAYS find us here, on our blog!

favicon

Mr. Kennedy's Opus

Mr. Kennedy, design star and creator of flawless furnishings, has composed his Opus. This great work is a 'Piano Bar' - pun intended. What began as a forlorn, broken, and damaged baby grand piano case has, with his imagination and skill, been transformed into a stunning one-of-a-kind piece of art.

With the lid open, it takes a moment to realize that all is not as it seems...

Beautiful lines, a softly antiqued white finish, mirror, and lights built-in beneath the case highlight the elegance and beauty of this remarkable piece. Can you just imagine serving your guests a glass of champagne or a martini from this?!

Where the keyboard used to be, there is now a mirrored tray that glides forward to provide space for mixing & serving drinks. (Shown pulled out @ 2" here - extends to expose full 12" wide mirror).

Inside, there is a deep storage area for liquor bottles, glassware, and an ice bucket. The front part of the lid is hinged to fold back to expose just this part, OR to lift up along with the rear lid to expose the entire interior. The larger section in back is a wine rack, able to store ten bottles of wine. With the lid closed, it forms a perfect stand-up bar for serving. You could, of course, add a few simple barstools.

This project has been underway for quite some time, and it is a thrill to see it finally on display at Faded Elegance in Snohomish. We've expanded our space just to fit her in, and she shines like a bonafide glamour superstar in the spotlights. Applause, Applause!

((Oh, and by the way..... she has a sister. ;0)

A sister who is a bit more vintage style, a bit more musical, and a bit more prone to showing off. She's being prepped and primped now, and will make her 'stage debut' at Farm Chicks.))